Not So Routine Follow Up

I used to fuss about the week's wait to find out the results of the PET scans and MRIs. Now I rarely give it a thought. It has been the same old story ad infinitum. Yes, you have glowing spots in your body. Might be cancer. Probably a low grad lymph cancer. Sometimes shows up in different places. Hasn't really gotten large enough for us to do anything about it.



So I only left myself two hours for the appointment, scheduling a class library session for BIO 102 in the afternoon. I should have plenty of time to get there and back and listen politely to the same patter we have been exchanging for awhile. When they decided they would put me in the Conference Room because there were no examining rooms open, I felt justified in thinking that it would be the same conversation we have had often.



But I met a new doctor, one more versed in lymph issues. And I have new shiny spots now, ones worth investigating and somewhat larger (1.5cm is still not large). The two doctors strategized a three pronged two step attack. First I will undergo another MRI, then a gastro procedure during which they will attempt with some ultrasound thing to grab a biopsy of the swollen lymph glands in the stomach/liver area.



I will also have a bone scan since I now have bone involvement in my neck and mandibular area and that will determine whether they will biopsy the bone (yikes!). Oh, yes. Throw in a ton more bloodwork, thank you so much. Based on the findings, treatment (no detail given) will be determined.



Their attitudes were still encouraging and very positive. At best, its a low grade controllable cancer, just like they have been telling me all along. Relatively innocuous, but let's get a solid diagnosis. Really unlikely that this is the rectal cancer returning. Its good news! Fortunately, I didn't have time to process all that. I had to rush back to teach sophomores how to find articles on limnology without killing themselves.



I think I will be Scarlet and wait until tomorrow to worry about it all.