Everything happens for a reason, we were lucky enough to get an appointment with a sarcoma specialist at Stanford University last week- even before we knew the prognosis. Now with the new info, we are so thankful that we had an insurance approved second opinion.
After the Monday appointment, my mom's adopted blond daughter/guardian angel was able to get us a last min appointment at the Santa Monica Sarcoma Clinic. The game plan was to stop by the UCLA area on Wednesday on the way up to the Thursday Stanford second opinion.
We walk into this small office building into a nice humble clinic. There we meet the world renowned Dr. Sant Chawla, a sarcoma hero. He has dedicated over the last thirty years of his career to only fighting and beating sarcoma cancers. Here they do industry standard setting research that literally had changed the game. For the first time in months, Mama Phama had a sense of calmness in her face as she listened to Dr. Chawla explain the cancer, how to fight it and what the clinic was planning to do.
He was so efficient that during our consult he was able call his buddy up at Stanford, save us a drive as they hashed out the best plan to treat this mean cancer. Once they agreed on the course of action they also agreed to change the name of her cancer. They think she has Endometrial Stromal Sarcoma, rather than the Undifferentiated type and will treat her as such. Still it makes it very very very rare, mean, aggressive and fast growing.
It was also realized that, the surgery was what made this cancer spread and grow faster "upstaging" her to a very urgent case.
The game plan is to start the clinical trial of chemo therapy asap as that will be her best chance of survival.
Info about Dr. Chawla: http://sarcomaoncology.com/s_MeetourDoctors.html
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