It felt good to be home. So thankful for my employees who were taking care of my business. I had no time at this point to focus on anything but the immediate future and what would soon transpire. The business was running well and I had faith in my people.
I called Dr. Topolsky’s office and scheduled my first appointment right away as instructed and would be seen in a few days. The office in Hanahmen Hospital was that of Dr. I Brodsky and Associates and named for Philadelphia Flyer Barry Ashbee who passed from Leukemia during his career. Specifically the ” Philadelphia Flyers Fight For Lives” cancer center. It would become my main health hub for the next 22 years. Hated the traffic though.
The next few days were just a whirlwind of phone calls to and from family, friends, business associates. Insurance companies…you name it. There was no time to pity myself anymore, although the “Why me?” mantra had settled in quite well. “Why me ?”…who knows. Since I was the only one of my lifelong friends who never drank, never smoked, never did drugs, etc,etc. They all vowed to continue with their vices since, well, maybe I hadn’t poisoned my body enough! Thanks!
The waiting room at I. Brodsky on the 15th floor was bustling. Apparently, cancer was a big business. Lori had escorted me on the appointment and we signed in and began filling out mounds of paperwork. After a while I was called back by a nurse to start the process of my first appointment as a cancer patient. First stop the scale…ugh. 185 ok. Next the blood draw seat…Across from the scale. 10 vials of blood later, I’m off to an exam room and a 25 minute wait. Every appointment started with an exam by an Oncology resident and some questions…the same for over twenty years. But this was different. This was my first appointment.
Dr. Dave Topolsky, nice to meet you Mr. Keenan as he shook my hand.. That would change quickly to Dr. Dave or just Dave and of course Jeff or KEEENNANN! He was a phenomenal guy. He was different. Avid rock climber and outdoorsman. Long curly black hair and beard…grateful dead esque. From Northeast Philly. Gave it to you straight. Always..well almost always..upbeat. He laid it out to me quickly. Lots of bloodwork to come.. Your siblings, your parents and anyone else after that if needed. Needed to find a matching donor. ASAP! Dave explained that it was important to move quickly before the disease could advance to the Blast Crisis phase. There was no cure for that. The bone marrow transplant was my only choice to survive. Or not. The transplant had a 50/50 chance of survival during the procedure and a 50/50 chance after. After a long question and answer session,there was the obligatory bone marrow Aspiration. Here we go again. Grab the top of the table as tight as possible, curl your toes at the end of the table…you know the drill. And here it comes…Motherf$@%#@!
That was enough for the first trip. Set up the next appointment, down the elevator. When we made it to the car, I looked at Lors bulging baby bump and I said to my wife that we needed to have an ultrasound done. I needed to find out what was cooking in there so we could unofficially meet and give a name to this child whom I might never get to meet. She agreed to set it up. Another exhausting day. Time to get home and squeeze my sonny boy Nick. Much needed therapy.
Next up: His name is Joseph