Dad had 2 visits with docs on Tuesday. The infectious disease doc is Lebanese and worked at MD Anderson 3 years. He was very thorough and very personable. We really like him. He said dad has a mold infection in the lungs and it is treatable if it isn't colonized. So the treatment with meds (twice daily) is $3k a month with insurance covering $2k. The doc wants us to apply for Pfizers RSV program for assistance. So we'll do that. He explained that he has to go back each month for liver function tests. After 3 months, some progress on a CT of the chest should be seen. If no progress (shrinking) then the mold is colonized or cancer is involved. This guy was nothing short of brilliant in our book. He also was smart enough to order dad's bloodwork the week prior to his next visit so they'd have the data handy when he sees us.
This clinic is wonderful. After Doc 1 left, the nurse came in and got us ready for Doc 2. Same room, no shuttling us around. Doc 2, the pulmonologist came in. Another great doc from Syria who has worked at Sloan-Kettering. This is the doc we've worked with since Oct 1. He's a charmer as well -- very sharp and personable. Then again, my Pop is one sweet little old man so it's hard not to like him! Dr. 2 told us that the 16 biopsies done on Black Friday (shopping, not sinister) hadn't revealed anything helpful but that Dr 1 was the one who said -- hey, this looks like it could be Aspergillus. It's not rare here but its not common either. Both docs conferred and so that's what we're treating at this point in time. Dr. 2 ordered the chest CT for March.
Now as to the state of our country's health care. Why on earth do brilliant, talented doctors come to the U.S.? Because we have the best health care research, development and delivery system in the world. Ask any of the foreign-born docs (which I've been doing) and they'll say so. So Congress, keep your hands out of my healthcare!
The final exam yesterday was terribly hard. If I pass it, it will be a miracle. I have a low D in that class going into the exam. I never made anything other than A's and occasional B's. This is definitely hard! But even if I have to retake the course, I am over halfway done with the coursework for my doctorate in Workforce Development Education. Technically, I could be done with the classroom work by next December.
The class I am leading to Peru in May to work at Huaca Pucllana is progressing. We had our first TeamPeru meeting on Friday afternoon. Jill is going -- and I'm really excited about that!
Jill is spending more time at her bf's apartment than at home. I've not noticed much in the last week since I was working or studying nearly 24/7. I have not bought a single holiday gift. Steve's birthday was yesterday -- a ripe 49. We're going out to lunch with his parents, Jill and her bf Adam, and a nephew at noon today.
Derek checked in with us last night. We'll do an early Gordon family Christmas on Dec 18 since he and Gaby are leaving for Lima on Dec 21. This will be a wedding planning trip for them. And I've agreed to pay for their dinner at Huaca Pucllana if they'll do some advance work for me at the site. When they return from Lima on January 7, Gaby's sister Beatriz will be with them. She's working on a veterinary degree and it's summer in Peru. So she's going to stay in the U.S. and shadow animal husbandry during those 2 months. Beatriz will also be our Lima hostess when I take my class so it will be good to get to know her better than we currently do. Two weeks in early February she will be here in Fort Smith with us while Derek and Gab are still in OKC. She'll be working at the farm with the cattle.
So we're busy and I'm tired. But only 3 more days of hard work this coming week and I can throttle back until January 4. Then it's all hands on deck as more contractual training for businesses gets started, regular teaching is back on, and I'm back to taking 2 classes of doctoral work.
My hairdresser of 10 years is moving to Dallas. She keeps reminding me this doctorate is for my grandkids. The ones I don't have yet. So that I can find work in South America if that's where they are living. It's a good plan. Maybe I'll start working on my Spanish again during this break from studying.
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