Hope dashed

When Dr. Tricot finished his dictation this morning he said that he wants to see me after I have completed 3 more cycles. I expressed surprise because he had told me in June and again in September that he was going to take me off chemo in December. I had heard him to say for a month and after questioning he amended that to 3 months. So to be told to continue on the same medication schedule and to be seen in 3 months Emma, Nancy and I could not have been more disappointed. When he asked me if I had any questions I asked if he would be flying from Iowa to see me or whether I would be expected to fly to Iowa in order to see him.

Dr. Tricot will be at the Huntsman through January and will continue to see patients but I only see him after every third cycle, and the third will come in February. Nancy asked if his successor would be here soon and he replied that a search is ongoing, but inasmuch as the search is international he expects it to take quite some time. She then asked him about those patients who will be scheduled to see him after he leaves and he said that his associate, who I am sure is Dr. Zangari, will see them, but he expects his associate to soon follow him to Iowa. He expects a higher level of support at a teaching hospital in Iowa City than he receives here. He said that he would like to see me at least 2 or 3 times a year. I told him that I have a lot of airline miles and might be able to make such trips.