An update of sorts, and a new family member!

This week is packed full of appointments, so stay tuned!  Tomorrow afternoon I will have the breast MRI that was scheduled for last Friday (but was put off because they hadn't gotten approval from my insurance company yet- argh!).  Thursday morning I will see my regular doctor- an appt that was scheduled before all of this Cancer mess but I plan to use it to update him on what's going on.  Then finally, Friday morning Ray and I will meet with the oncologist and hopefully get her treatment plan.  I'd like to see if she thinks chemo first is the best treatment or surgery, like the breast surgeon said.

I've not been 100% happy with my care at the breast surgeon's office.  Not only did the receptionist not call Maryland Oncology like she said she would (and told me to do it when I called to inquire), but she also hasn't passed on my information to the nurse patient advocate.  Or if she has, that person hasn't called me yet.  I also emailed the breast specialist's office last week inquiring if she and the plastic surgeon can begin looking at surgery dates now instead of waiting until I see him at the end of the month.  I haven't received any response at all, which I find troubling.  Even if it's a quick, "no, we can't do that" I'd be okay with that.  But the lack of communication is troubling.

I am going to call my insurance company today to see if I can be assigned a patient advocate that can make sure everything gets approved in a timely manner on their end.  There really is no reason I should have to wait 10 days to have an MRI because the insurance has yet to approve it.

I'm in the process of writing a list of questions to ask the oncologist.  The breast specialist said a few things that I'm hoping she will feel differently about.  Hopefully Friday afternoon I will have a much clearer idea of when & which treatment we will begin with.

So that's the medical update.  How about a fun update?!  As many of you know, I lost my sweet Oliver boy on Sept 13, 2014.  He was my "heart cat" and I was devastated to have to tell him goodbye.

Emeline & I have been pushing to get another cat for awhile now and Ray had finally agreed to let us get a cat once we moved and got settled in Texas. Well, now that we won't be moving this summer, he agreed that we could go pick out a cat sooner.  I found this really great, outgoing girl at petsmart.  I brought the twins to meet her then later friday afternoon took Emeline back.  We all loved her so I went back Friday evening to adopt her.  I was so sad when she was gone!  Emeline & I decided to look at it like she wasn't the right cat for us, so we ended up at Miracles cat & dog rescue in Ellicott City on Saturday afternoon.  There were a TON of kittens and cats there, but this sweet little black and white girl came up to us a few times & Emeline fell in love.  So, we brought little miss Mandy home on Saturday.  She's a bit shy, as she was picked up as a little thing with her 2 brothers in an abandoned area and has never been in a house.  Her brothers were adopted quickly but little miss has spent the last 8-10 months at the rescue.  She's sweet as can be though!  She's going to take a little while to warm up to the chaos of our household, so she's getting used to the craziness from afar in our bedroom/bathroom for now.  I know she'll be a great addition once she gets used to it here- she's never growled, spit, bit or swiped at anyone, even when stressed.  I'm looking forward to watching her blossom and enjoying years with this girl!  Welcome home, Mandy!