A few months ago my ex sister-in-law informed me that her husband, Blake had cancer. I was no stranger to this dreaded disease as I have been fighting it since July 1, 2009. He passed away less than two weeks ago after a nine month battle. He was 52.
Blake was a good man and I think I have survivor guilt because I am still here and so many I know who were diagnosed after me are gone.
So yesterday was seriously a day from hell. I had a CT scan scheduled at 9:30 and then a follow up oncology visit at 2:00. This would give them enough time to do the scan, read it, write a report by the time I got back. All wrapped up in a nice little package. WRONG!
I got there at 9:30 and I was optimistic because I had checked in prior to getting there. I went downstairs to the radiology department. Usually I go to the radiology department at John Stoddard Cancer Center which is right next door to the oncologist. Yesterday I went to the hospital so the surgeon who did my RFA procedure in February could gain access to the scans.
I sat there for a half hour before they brought me the first glass of contrast liquid. I drank it and watched the clock. Usually they come back in a half hour to give me the next one. After 50 minutes I went up to the desk and told them I felt they had forgotten me because they always give me the next one in 30 minutes. She called back and the gal said she was about to come out. Five minutes later she came out and gave me the next glass of contrast. I drank it and again watched the clock. Over 50 minutes later they still hadn't come out. Long story short, I finally got in at about 11:45. The scan took 10 minutes and I was out by noon. Two and a half hours...........
I have had approximately 25 of these scans. I'm an expert at them. When I left they didn't tell me not to take my Metformin (which they should have done because the combination of Metformin and the contrast dyes are too hard on your kidneys.) All and all I was pretty disgusted.
So I ran to Johnston and pulled Chloe out of school early. Dropped her off, ran over to my mom's to water her flowers (she's out of town) and drove back to the hospital.
My appointment to read the CT scan report was at 2:00. I got in and was left in the oncologist office. The nurse poked her head in and told me the scan results were not here yet, the doc would be in as soon as he got them. He finally came in at 3:09. Still not results. We looked at the scan and it looked good. Finally at 4:00 he released me and told me he would call me when the radiology department FINALLY got the report to him.
I thought I'd cross a graduation open house thing off my list. I went to Nobbies and bought a bunch of plates, balloons and stuff and then realized I didn't have my phone. I was about to cry. I had the girl call me and nothing. So I went out to my car and looked around. Someone came out and said a customer had found my phone in the graduation stuff.
I had missed a call for the onc. He basically told me we had missed a tumor. I called him back and he told me there was a two inch tumor growing in the same area which my original tumor originated from. It was wrapping around my bowel and needed to be surgically removed because it could cause a blockage and then I would need emergency surgery and that was not good.
So my day of waiting around and not getting anything done was topped with the bad news that my cancer was growing. The good news? Nothing in my liver or lungs. So no real mets. Just a recurrence in my right pelvis area.
So on I go for the next thing.
I was quite disappointed because I truly felt like I was healed. I just had this feeling that everything was alright!!
Off to Mayo I go!
