Decisions, Questions, and Answers

Vanessa and Matt were also in the Process of moving.  Angie (Matt’s mom) Allison, Richard, and Matt all continued packing.  It was time for decisions to be made on where Vanessa would do treatment.

One of the kindest people we have encountered during this journey was in the those first few days.  A hospital worker (identity will remain private) came to Vanessa and her family and shut the door.  She explained to Vanessa that her Cancer was rare and needed special treatment, treatment that hospital was not capable of giving.  She encouraged Vanessa to leave and head back to Southern California to City of Hope.  She told Vanessa to check in the Emergency Room at City of Hope.  Vanessa left the hospital and Visalia and a day later headed home.  On the way home she received a call from this lady  that she remembered City of Hope does not have an Emergency Room open to the public.  It’s a private hospital and the ER was only for current patients.  Plans then were diverted to UCLA. 

 Vanessa had called me and asked what she should say.   I told her to check it with chest pain as she had originally done up in Visalia.  Once she was back in the ER I told her to tell the doctor what had been happening.  Matt and Vanessa phoned me often during this night with needed advice on how much to say in order to be admitted. 

 Finally Vanessa was admitted as a patient at UCLA.  Lots needed to happen in this crucial time.  Vanessa did not have health insurance so the process for medical needed to be started.  Endless piles of paper work and information was needed for medical.  UCLA gave Vanessa treatment of chemo for approximately 1-2 weeks, then discharged her with no plans to readmit for more treatment.  She was referred to Riverside County Hospital. 

Vanessa arrived at Riverside County she was told by the Oncologist that her Cancer was beyond his and the hospitals capabilities of treating.  See when you don’t have insurance and medical is still in the process of being approved its nearly impossible for a person to receive the care they really need in a critical situation.  This Oncologist referred Vanessa to Arrowhead Regional.  Knowing that Arrowhead was capable of giving Vanessa the treatment she needed was a huge relief. 

 Relief did not last long.  The Oncologist never came to speak one on one with Vanessa.  All we ever saw an Internal Med Doc.  Although this Doctor was very kind he was not able to answer any of Vanessa’s questions about Cancer.  We didn’t know anything about this Cancer, what stage she was, the prognosis, nothing.  Communication was non existent.  Unhappy with treatment, for the time being we were stuck where we were.  She was getting treatment, just no answers.