Over the next three weeks, a whirl wind of tests, scans and appointments were ordered to determine the stage of my cancer and my treatment path. Since the tumour was very large, time was of the essence. We decided to select treatment close to home. We are so fortunate to have a regional Cancer Centre so close to our home. I can't imagine having to travel great distances for these tests. What must others be going through to get this information. Being away from home, travel times to and from appointments and even parking fees. This just adds increased levels of stress and concern for families.
Having recently retired as an elementary school principal, I thought my days of appointments, schedules and calendars were behind me. My fellow retirees had told me that retirement was freedom!
Freedom would have to wait. I needed a calendar to sort out and keep up with all of tests, scans and doctors appointments that were being scheduled for me. These tests were the diagnostics needed to determine if my tumour was indeed cancer, and if so, what stage of cancer I had and what the treatment plan would be.
I have had more needles poke through my body in the last few weeks then in my entire life up to this point. Not really fond of needles. Try to avoid them, whenever possible but I really didn't have a choice. Unfortunately not possible to avoid in these circumstances.
I must admit that I am a little bit afraid of confined spaces in general, but having a CT scan and an MRI really tested that for me! Not knowing what to expect is really the scary part, along with the fact that you are placed in a small tube like machine and told to stay completely still for several minutes. Not easy for a generally hyper person like myself! I really surprised myself that I could remain perfectly still for 30 minutes in an enclosed space. I was proud of myself for being able to stay still for that long but again I really didn't have a choice. I wanted to be sure that the test was completed once and that they would get the information/results that they needed to complete the treatment plan.
On Friday, August 9th, Michelle and I met with the thoracic surgeon who confirmed that I indeed had esophageal cancer. More appointments were scheduled and the plan was to have surgery after radiation & chemotherapy to reduce, shrink or even kill the tumour and then take it out!
We continued on with our tests! Pulmonary function test, a gastroscopy and a endoscopy. The final and most important of all the tests was the PET scan we were told. It just happened to be the final appointment in my long list of appointments scheduled. This test would determine whether or not my cancer had spread beyond my esophagus into other parts of my body.
Let me tell you it was the scariest test of them all! Even worse then the MRI which says something. Noticing multiple signs about radioactive materials and Government of Canada warning posters were the first indication of concern. Having the nurse leave the room, go into a steel doored room and come out with a metal needle that looked like it was more appropriate for an elephant than a human was even more concerning. I was told to drink the liquid substance, was sent into a dark closet area to relax on a recliner for thirty minutes and then brought in for the test. Others, who had gone through this test before, had told me that you will light up like a Christmas tree if the cancer has spread to other areas of the body. At the end of the procedure, I was handed a disc to give to my surgeon and told I was able to leave.
Would Christmas come early or would the lights remain off? We would find out in two days.
Richard
No comments:
Post a Comment