Ready...Set...

Monday Morning is here, and that means we must move into attack mode here in Marietta.

We need to get the Sutent, the chemotherapy. To get the Sutent we will have to qualify for a patience assistance program based on annual revenue, and I think we will.

To qualify we will first have to go through an application process that involves coordinated communiciations between the drug manufacturer, the oncologist, and us at Marietta Central Command.

As the eight o'clock bell rings we will spring into action. I will start by calling Aetna just to see if they've had a miraculous change of policy and are now offering Sutent at affordable costs. (The drug costs more than $5,000 a month.)

Confirming that Aetna will not cover this drug I will immediately start contacting Sutent's Patient Assistance Program to request an application, which they'll fax to us.

Barb is our official consult to our critical local contacts. She'll contact the oncologist's office early to alert them to the fax we will send, an application that they have to complete too so we can apply for Sutent.

Once the oncology staff have filled out their part of the form, they will fax it to Pfizer, and we'll all start calling Pfizer's program every seven minutes to see if the application was accepted.

My experience with these types of assistance programs has been good. So, although this will be the nervous part of the day, waiting for acceptance so I can receive the last drug currently available to stall my cancer, I am still positive.

If we manage to get the Sutent pills here by tomorrow I would consider our efforts today a tremendous success. If we get them here by Wednesday I'd still be happy. There is a sense of urgency to all of this. The cancer is just begging for a big right hook, daring me to knock it down, and I'm ready to give it one with Sutent.