Next Steps

I have this drill down pretty good these days. Drive up 5 levels in the parking garage by Strong Hospital, take the stairs to level 1 because I can, check in with the receptionist, verify my meds list, pay the copay, get weighed and check blood pressure (always high), then wait for the doctor in an exam room.

She knocks politely on the door and enters, her sunny disposition a welcome and refreshing delight. She looks me in the eyes and talks to me as if I am an intelligent person with concerns and feelings - and I am! She tells me she has seen the results of my bone biopsy and when she looked at the paperwork, not expecting it to show anything about lymphoma since that cancer doesn't go to the bones, she blinked and said, "What the hell!"

Yes. Lymphoma in the bone. And not even in a bone where cancer usually is found. The T1 vertebrae? Who would have thought! I am going to be famous. Ground breaking stuff, my case. Well. What to do? Its a quandary since there is no path to follow.

She suspects there is more to the picture than what we are seeing. A full body PET scan is in order to see if there is involvement in any other bone. And a bone marrow biopsy. More usual to see marrow cancer than the bone cancer, and this lymphoma stuff is sneaky, tends to hide and mask its presence. Those are no more painful that the other biopsies you have had. We do them right here. Let's get a better picture.

Once the tests are run, she will take my case to her monthly group of oncologists for consideration, get some second opinions. Better to have more ideas when you are dealing with new wrinkles. Yes. Meanwhile, we are definitely looking at a round of radiation. Nothing to worry about, not the massive stuff I had before.

Depending on what the tests show, we may add in Rituxan, not as bad as chemo, but effective for this kind of low grade cancer. We would rather not use a therapy if unnecessary, since this sort of lymphoma recurs and each time you have to up the stuff you fight it with. But we will see.

My appointment with the radiologist oncologist is tomorrow - yikes - not that we are in a hurry, but come back sooner rather than later. The other appointments will be scheduled as soon as the insurance stamp is given. Come back in three weeks, and we'll get this show on the road.

I shiver as I head for the car and drive back to my other world, the one without white coats, stethescopes, long hallways of examining rooms, elevators that take you to all those tests and treatments. It is beginning. Maybe it won't be so bad this time around. Maybe I better go visit the grandkids before I hit any bumps.