special thanks

Thank you very much, to everyone that has emailed, called, and offered so much help. I have not been able to respond to everyone, but your thoughts and prayers do mean a lot to me. The best part about this diagnosis has been the realization of just how amazing all of my friends are. It is really easy to keep a great attitude when I get the kind of support that I get. I'd also like to let everyone know about a couple of the special people that have helped me in what has been one of the biggest difficulties of my life.

Dr. King is the first doctor that actually started down the right track to find this cancer. He was extra careful in his initial assessment of my hip. It really looked like a simple muscular problem, and many doctors could have easily let it go (2 already had). He ordered my MRI just to be safe, then quickly ordered my CT Scan which showed us the "moth-eaten" bone in there. And once we were on track, and after I saw a bone cancer specialist that told me it was probably just a stress-reaction, he called me the next morning and told me about a second opinion that he had set up for me on his own. He gave me his cell phone number and is available all day for any questions or concerns. It has been extremely reassuring to have such a reputable doctor personally involved in my case and I am very thankful for that.

Another person that I am extremely thankful for is Dr. Kathy Renschler. She got me a wheelchair when she saw me in pain coaching in LA (I coach her daughter). She is the one who looked at my records and told me that I should have my mom come out. She has spent countless hours on the phone working on my behalf to get me my appointments for the myriad of tests I had to do...she is not even my doctor. She has prescribed me some sweet meds, she ordered my wheelchair, calls me with my test results, and has watched out for me every step of the way. She has called me almost every day and apologizes for calling me so many times, because she somehow doesn't know that it is so reassuring to hear from her and that her constant calls have given me a sense of confidence that I am in the best hands I could possibly be. I just got a call from her in Florida, she is on vacation and still bugging me :) I will never be able to thank her enough.

And when Kathy said I should bring my mom out, I called home (Texas) on Monday at 3:00 in the afernoon, my parents and sister dropped everything they were doing and were at the San Jose airport by 9:00 the next morning. It is great to have that kind of steady support that I can count on. They were with me at every doctor visit through the diagnosis, even while I was admittedly cranky. It is funny how even when you're 28 it is still helpful to have your family there with you to hear the bad news. They head back to Texas tomorrow, but I know I have them on call.