Into The Maelstrom - September 4th, 2012

Summary

Preliminary results from colonoscopy this morning show only one tiny polyp. Waiting on biopsy results which will take about 4 days to confirm no issues. Met with surgeon, Dr. Zambos, for pre-op session on getting my port put back in. Went to Parrish hospital and did all the pre-op exams and registrations. Port surgery scheduled Thursday. My energy isn't great, I'm getting pretty tired late in the evenings. Nodes in my groin are getting big, sore, and starting to make it uncomfortable to sit in certain positions, like driving a car. It's time to get this show on the road. First treatment scheduled September 11-12th. God Willing, then things start to turn around.

Gory Disgusting Details and Essential (to me) Medical Trivia and Life Events

Why the colonoscopy? Well, I had it scheduled anyway. So, Dr. Levine (my crackerjack oncologist) thought it was best to go ahead with it. Not to look for colon cancer, but because MCL often presents in the gastrointestinal tract as well as lymph nodes and bone marrow. So the results of the biopsy will give information about the progress of the disease.

Dr. Rylander, another superstar doc, upon hearing about my changed condition since we met for a "routine, healthy visit" modified the procedure. Usually he would only look in the large intestine for pollops, cancers, etc. In this case, since MCL may show up earlier in the small intestine, he went there and looked. One small polyp in the Large, some interesting but not concerning spots in the Small, which he sampled anyway.

Chemo port is horribly routine to the medical community. Dr. Zambos puts in dozens every week. I gave a link in a previous post about these. I have the surgery on Thursday to put it in. Went to his office for consult (time had changed 3 times). At 4:30 he was done with my, but in his normal take charge way sent me straight to Parrish to catch them before 5 for admission. Then to the lab for EKG, blood work, urine sample, X rays. As I was the only patient in a fully staffed lab, it was Bing Bam Boom done. About 6 daytime hours of lab work/waiting done in under 15 minutes.

In between the colonoscopy and surgeon we bought a car. My Grand Am is just dead, been driving without A/C for a couple of weeks, it leaks like a cartoon house in the rain, and needs motor mounts. We'd test driven a bunch of cars Monday afternoon, so today we ran by and bought the best of the bunch, a 2003 white, four door, Chevy Malibu with 84K miles. So of course as we drove off a window went down but not back up. Good local dealership, they were all over it. Car off to shop in about 15 minutes, will get it tomorrow.

So I'll work Wednesday, maybe some of Thursday, and maybe Friday. Next week it's Chemo Day Tuesday, short Chemo session Wednesday, post op surgeon visit Wednesday, drop in for a shot on Thursday then work, work Friday.


Horrible Awful No Good Disgusting Bad Cancer Joke Of The Day

An Irishman named Mike O'Leary went to his doctor after a long illness. The doctor, after a lengthy examination, sighed and looked Mike in the eye and said, "I've some bad news for you... you have a cancer known as Galloping Leukemia and it can't be cured. I give you two weeks to a month." Mike, who was shocked and saddened by the news, but of solid character, managed to compose himself and walk from the doctor's office into the waiting room. There he saw his son, who had been waiting.
Mike said, "Son, we Irish celebrate when things are good and we celebrate when things don't go so well. In this case, things aren't so well. I have cancer and I've been given a short time to live. Let's head for the pub and have a few pints." After three or four pints, the two were feeling a little less somber. There were some laughs, some tears, and more beers.

They were eventually approached by some of Mike's old friends who asked what the two were celebrating. Mike told them that the Irish celebrate the good and the bad. He went on to tell them that they were drinking to his impending end. He told his friends, "I've only got a few weeks to live as I have been diagnosed with AIDS."

The friends gave O'Leary their condolences and they all had a few more beers. After his friends left, Mike's son leaned over and whispered in confusion, "Dad, I thought you said that you were dying from cancer. You just told your friends that you were dying from AIDS."

Mike replied, "I am dying from cancer, son. I just don't want any of them sleeping with your mother after I'm gone."