Special thanks again to my Mom, Carol Deets, who delayed her flight from Sunday until today to help with our two children and the house. I love you Mom!
Today was a very long day. I had several tests done, met a new oncologist for a second opinion and received my final pathology results from the mediastinoscopy.
Both of the tests I had done were done to establish baselines of organ function prior to chemotherapy. That is ominous, is it not? The first test was called a pulmonary function test and involved me sitting in a small, enclosed glass booth huffing and puffing on air and gas until I nearly passed out. Results normal. The second test was an Echo cardiogram, which is essentially a sonogram that checks heart function. Results normal.
On a seemingly unrelated note, we have used one of Charlotte's best interior designers, Wanda Horton, a few times. Upon hearing what I was going through, Wanda mentioned that one of her clients was Charlotte's best oncologist, and we simply needed to see him. After we confirmed her thought, we met today with one of Charlotte's Best Doctor's 2010, Gary P. Frenette, MD PhD. Dr. Frenette was fantastic, and although I'm going to feel guilty about leaving Dr. Hellner, I am going to leave my care to Dr. Frenette from here on out. Thank you Wanda!
The last news of the day was really a foregone conclusion. Dr. Reames called the house and gave me the final pathology results: Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Nodular Sclerosis subtype.
Showing posts with label mediastinoscopy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mediastinoscopy. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
5th - Bone Marrow Biopsy
Stuart and I went to Dr. Hellner's office this morning for a follow-up appointment after my mediastinoscopy last week and my PET scan yesterday.
Dr. Hellner reviewed the fact that the initial results of the biopsy were suggestive of Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Nodular Sclerosis subtype. The news today was that the PET scan showed lyphadenopathy below my diaphragm, specifically in my abdomen. My spleen was also involved, although I'd been told on multiple occasions that the spleen is a "glorified lymph node" and is often affected. The fact that I have disease above and below my diaphragm means that I am now considered to have an advanced stage (Stage III or Stage IV) of Lymphoma. Stage IV means that the disease has spread to organs outside the lymph system, such as liver, lung, or bone marrow. It is for that reason that I had the privilege of a bone marrow biopsy today. Dr. Hellner was leaving for a vacation to Napa that evening, so her day was incredibly busy. She asked us to come back in the afternoon to have the procedure.
Back at the office at around 3:30 to have the bone marrow biopsy done. I know that many of you have heard nightmare stories about how painful this procedure is, but my procedure was not that bad thanks to the wonderful Dr. Hellner and her capable nurse, Carol. The procedure lasted about 15 minutes, 30 if you count the 15 minutes I spent stalling waiting for the Valium I took to kick in. I assumed the fetal position on the exam table, hind quarters hanging in the breeze as Dr. Hellner pushed a thick needle into my lower back/hip. The sensation was mostly one of pressure, with the exception of the time when the fluid marrow was extracted, which was more akin to feeling someone sucking the contents of your legs through a straw in rapid fashion.
We headed home knowing that results of this terrible test would not be back until next week.
Dr. Hellner reviewed the fact that the initial results of the biopsy were suggestive of Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Nodular Sclerosis subtype. The news today was that the PET scan showed lyphadenopathy below my diaphragm, specifically in my abdomen. My spleen was also involved, although I'd been told on multiple occasions that the spleen is a "glorified lymph node" and is often affected. The fact that I have disease above and below my diaphragm means that I am now considered to have an advanced stage (Stage III or Stage IV) of Lymphoma. Stage IV means that the disease has spread to organs outside the lymph system, such as liver, lung, or bone marrow. It is for that reason that I had the privilege of a bone marrow biopsy today. Dr. Hellner was leaving for a vacation to Napa that evening, so her day was incredibly busy. She asked us to come back in the afternoon to have the procedure.
Back at the office at around 3:30 to have the bone marrow biopsy done. I know that many of you have heard nightmare stories about how painful this procedure is, but my procedure was not that bad thanks to the wonderful Dr. Hellner and her capable nurse, Carol. The procedure lasted about 15 minutes, 30 if you count the 15 minutes I spent stalling waiting for the Valium I took to kick in. I assumed the fetal position on the exam table, hind quarters hanging in the breeze as Dr. Hellner pushed a thick needle into my lower back/hip. The sensation was mostly one of pressure, with the exception of the time when the fluid marrow was extracted, which was more akin to feeling someone sucking the contents of your legs through a straw in rapid fashion.
We headed home knowing that results of this terrible test would not be back until next week.
Friday, October 1, 2010
1st - Having your chest shaved
Special thanks to my mother, Carol Deets, for taking care of our two kids today!
Stuart and I went to the main CMC facility this morning at 5 AM in preparation for my mediastinoscopy. There really was no good reason to bring me in that early, as we were ready to roll by 6 AM, then had a nice wait until it was time to go at 8 AM. Most of the preparations were as per the usual - paperwork, health questions, blood draws, IV placement, etc.
One of the preparations was quite unusual however, at least to me. A nice gentlemen named Randolph came into the room and told me it was time to shave my chest. Of course this is an uncomfortable proposition between two men, regardless of the fact that one is a medical professional. As I have mentioned in previous posts, I am a (modestly) insecure person so the only thing I knew to do was strike up a conversation:
Dan (D) - So Randolph, where are you from?
Randolph (R) - Trinidad, in the Caribbean
D - When did you come to the US?
R - Came in 1969, when I defected from a government group that was travelling from Trinidad to New York, NY. Where are you from?
D - New Jersey originally, although I have been in Charlotte for the last 12 years
R - New Jersey is terrible, even the trees smell bad
D - (on a gurney laughing) Why are we shaving my chest?
R - Picture two doctors standing over you in surgery and something goes wrong. They need to open you up to save your life and one looks at the other and says "wait, we can not open him up...no one shaved his chest"
D - Nice one Randolph, touche
I don't recall much from the procedure itself, nor the ride home, but I certainly have the scar to prove it happened. Dr. Reames pulled Stuart aside and told her that the preliminary pathology looked like Hodgkin's Lymphoma.
Stuart and I went to the main CMC facility this morning at 5 AM in preparation for my mediastinoscopy. There really was no good reason to bring me in that early, as we were ready to roll by 6 AM, then had a nice wait until it was time to go at 8 AM. Most of the preparations were as per the usual - paperwork, health questions, blood draws, IV placement, etc.
One of the preparations was quite unusual however, at least to me. A nice gentlemen named Randolph came into the room and told me it was time to shave my chest. Of course this is an uncomfortable proposition between two men, regardless of the fact that one is a medical professional. As I have mentioned in previous posts, I am a (modestly) insecure person so the only thing I knew to do was strike up a conversation:
Dan (D) - So Randolph, where are you from?
Randolph (R) - Trinidad, in the Caribbean
D - When did you come to the US?
R - Came in 1969, when I defected from a government group that was travelling from Trinidad to New York, NY. Where are you from?
D - New Jersey originally, although I have been in Charlotte for the last 12 years
R - New Jersey is terrible, even the trees smell bad
D - (on a gurney laughing) Why are we shaving my chest?
R - Picture two doctors standing over you in surgery and something goes wrong. They need to open you up to save your life and one looks at the other and says "wait, we can not open him up...no one shaved his chest"
D - Nice one Randolph, touche
I don't recall much from the procedure itself, nor the ride home, but I certainly have the scar to prove it happened. Dr. Reames pulled Stuart aside and told her that the preliminary pathology looked like Hodgkin's Lymphoma.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
30th - Losing my resolve
Stuart and I met with Dr. Hellner for about an hour this morning and discussed my history, her initial thoughts (lymphoma) and possible next steps. She explained to us that there are two main types of lymphoma, Hodgkin's Lymphoma (HL) and Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL). She mentioned that at my age (36), I was certainly in the age group for Hodgkin's Lymphoma, although Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma was certainly a possibility as well.
For all the nerds in the group, Hodgkin's has a bi-modal distribution, meaning that it is most common (modal) at two (bi-) points in life. It is most likely to be diagnosed in people in their twenties or thirties. It is less common in middle age and becomes more common again after age 60. Non-Hodgkin's occur more often as your age increases. The cause of Lymphoma is unknown, the prognosis varies based on type and stage, but inevitably the treatment is some type of chemotherapy.
Here are the websites that I have visited and would like to share.
Lymphoma Research Foundation http://www.lympoma.org/
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/
National Cancer Institute http://www.cancer.gov/
American Cancer Society http://www.cancer.org/
Both Stuart and I left Dr. Hellner's office glad that we went. We both had a sense of realism that having cancer would not be ideal, but that Lymphoma is curable.
Next steps are to go forward with the mediastinoscopy tomorrow morning to try to get more biopsy tissue, as well as to schedule appointments next week for heart and lung tests (baselines prior to chemotherapy).
On a lighter note, my Mom came down this evening and will be staying with us through Sunday to help with the kids and the house.
For all the nerds in the group, Hodgkin's has a bi-modal distribution, meaning that it is most common (modal) at two (bi-) points in life. It is most likely to be diagnosed in people in their twenties or thirties. It is less common in middle age and becomes more common again after age 60. Non-Hodgkin's occur more often as your age increases. The cause of Lymphoma is unknown, the prognosis varies based on type and stage, but inevitably the treatment is some type of chemotherapy.
Here are the websites that I have visited and would like to share.
Lymphoma Research Foundation http://www.lympoma.org/
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/
National Cancer Institute http://www.cancer.gov/
American Cancer Society http://www.cancer.org/
Both Stuart and I left Dr. Hellner's office glad that we went. We both had a sense of realism that having cancer would not be ideal, but that Lymphoma is curable.
Next steps are to go forward with the mediastinoscopy tomorrow morning to try to get more biopsy tissue, as well as to schedule appointments next week for heart and lung tests (baselines prior to chemotherapy).
On a lighter note, my Mom came down this evening and will be staying with us through Sunday to help with the kids and the house.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
28th - A second biospsy
Dr. Davis knew the bronchoscopy might not get enough tissue to provide a definitive diagnosis, so she referred me to Mark K. Reames Sr., MD, FACS, who could perform a mediastinoscopy to get a better tissue sample if necessary. Mediastinoscopy is a surgery that allows doctors to view the middle of the chest cavity and to do minor surgery through very small incisions. It allows surgeons or pulmonary doctors to remove lymph nodes from between the lungs and to test them for cancer or infection.
Dr. Reames is the classic southern gentleman and I felt comfortable with him from the start. Although I was anxious to get going and get to a diagnosis, he counseled me that having a procedure before the full pathology was back on from the bronchoscopy might be rash.
We spoke for a short while and then parted ways. I was hoping that someone would call me and tell me this whole thing was a joke, but the reality was that I would see the fine Dr. Reames on Friday.
Dr. Reames is the classic southern gentleman and I felt comfortable with him from the start. Although I was anxious to get going and get to a diagnosis, he counseled me that having a procedure before the full pathology was back on from the bronchoscopy might be rash.
We spoke for a short while and then parted ways. I was hoping that someone would call me and tell me this whole thing was a joke, but the reality was that I would see the fine Dr. Reames on Friday.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)