Lengthy post alert! Here goes. I have had an emotionally horrible week. About a week ago I had some issues with my heart. Bigeminal PVCs that went on for hours for those of you who are medical. My blood pressure was way too low and I was dizzy, nauseated, and (for lack of a better term) short of breath. I finally went to the ER and was hospitalized. During the ER phase, they ran a blood test that is supposed to diagnose a blood clot in the lungs. It came back high which indicates a need for CAT scan. There were no blood clots, but did find a spiculated nodule in my left lung. Everyone who mentioned it to me got THAT look on their face and would pat my arm. I was transferred to an Omaha hospital where they went to work diagnosing my heart issue. Turns out a med adjustment fixed that problem and my heart is beating correctly and the blood pressure is working like a champ. I did have to suffer through a treadmill test and Im pretty sure that was test was thought up by a truly sick, sick super athletic man. I passed but dont infer by that that I think Im athletic in the least. During the time that passed, I had my trusty IPad and I googled the nodule. Spiculated makes it gobs more likely it is cancer. No wonder people looked at me like that! After the heart problem was finally cleared and fixed, the lung doc made his appearance. He was rushed and just stopped in to say that I needed another scan PET, and that could happen sometime before the middle of this week. By now, my anxiety level is over the top and I thought to myself lets do it now! I was discharged that afternoon, and made plans to get the earliest possible scan. That was on Saturday. You get injected with a little bit of radioactive dye and then wait for awhile and then you get scanned. If it is positive youre screwed. If negative, they watch it for five years with repeat CAT scans and compare size. Turns out they only read the scans Monday through Friday. I had to wait until Monday before the radiologist would even read it....in Grand Island, NE. I started calling on Monday. Turns out that even if they do read it on Monday, the report is dictated and then a clerk has to transcribe that dictation. I finally got a call on Tuesday afternoon. My lung doctors nurse was not working that day so another nurse called me and told me the scan came back mildly positive and I would have to have another scan in 3 months. WHAT? She assured me this would be the treatment plan. By now I have informed all of my siblings and they are on this emotional ride with me. My kids know and my co-workers know. Im not sleeping. My stomach is always rolling. I have trouble smiling. Everyone who hears this pronouncement is saying get a second opinion. Im thinking that sounds good but how long will THAT take? Yesterday, the lung Doctors nurse called me. She took the time to go over the scan in more detail. It turns out the scan came back barely positive with a very minor uptake of the dye. While it is true that a spiculated nodule is quite likely to be cancer, it doesnt mean they ALL are. The radiologist and the lung doc want to rescan in 3 months, but out of an abundance of caution. For the next year Ill probably get a CAT scan every 3-6 months and then once a year for awhile. They are cautiously optimistic that a nodule this size would have shown more than mildly positive if it was cancer. They are leaning toward an inflammatory process of some sort. I assure you all I have absolutely NO symptoms of any kind. In the end? 50% of smokers ( ex and current ) will develope nodules. Spiculated make it many times more likely to be cancer. For Heavens sake dont put yourself through this last week. Stop smoking if you do and dont start if you dont. I know it is hard to stop. Trust me. It is not as hard as facing the last week of my life. Trust me. Thanks to my family and friends for bearing with me during the last week. Now it is on to the fair and watching TESSA show her talents and bunnies and Peanut! You guys all rock!
Posted on: Thu, 17 Jul 2014 13:17:03 +0000
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