I know you want photos of the little guy in his cute little raincoat that I made him. Well those will come soon enough.
I thought I would update and say that to my shock, I got my pre-authorization yesterday for my CT chest scan. This is a scan that is part of the staging process. They just want to make sure that Larry is contained and not spread anywhere. So this is just a precaution. Normally it takes 24 hours (so that means 4 days when you call on a Friday) to get this authorization but I got it in a few hours.
Anyway my scan will be on Monday in the late morning (11:40 am). After that I will be done with my part for the staging. It will be just up to the doctors and labs to figure out where I am.
I think I should also mention some numbers that are likely going to play a role in my care in the coming months. When I had my CBC (blood count) taken in October my white blood cells were a bit low. This was taken again on the day I saw the oncologist that will be treating me. It was still low. On both of these occasions though I was battling a bit of a cold. Yesterday they took it and it was a bit better (higher) so that is good. However I should note that I am not sick right now.
The doctor did tell me what I should expect in the next couple of weeks. Hopefully I will hear from her early this coming week to tell me what my official diagnosis is (the little bit that we do know is either terrifying or a relief depending on what Dr. Google you are looking at). I will then have a consult with her on Friday the 11. This is where she will likely talk about treatment plans and so on.
She has told me all along that if this is cancer (which it is) then I will be headed to Chemo. I guess this will involve a “port” being put in me. It will be a way that they can get the chemo drugs in me without fighting with my AWFUL veins (yeah I can hear all of you NICU nurses laughing right now). This port, I have been told will stay in me till likely 6 months after chemo. So we are talking a year or more (hopefully not more but I need to be prepared for that). This is different then a PIC line (see other blog in month August, this is what Emily had for a while) as it doesn’t require constant maintenance (IV fluids). It will go by my clavicle bone (shoulder) and go directly into an artery (how fun!). So I get to look forward to having yet another surgery this month. Yes Versed (the medication that makes you forget things and relaxes you) is my friend!
Anyway that is all for now. I will try to keep this blog as up to date as possible.
Jennifer
Hi Jennifer,
I’m so sorry to hear about Larry. That is the last thing you needed! I am glad they have figured it out though, so you can have a path forward. I know we both don’t enjoy anticipation of potentially bad news. Larry doesn’t know who he’s messing with; I can’t think of anyone that can fight him better than you can! Lee and I are here for whatever you need for this fight. We love you!
We were so sorry to hear about Larry and are hoping you get some good news on Friday, when you see your doctor. It sound like you will be in for a hard year either way but luckily Larry was found early. Imagine if you had not gone in to become pregnant. Who knows when Larry would have been found. We will be following your blog and are thinking of you everyday.
Love you,
Phil and Pat
Jennifer, first off I’m so sorry to hear about this bump in the road. You are right, some days won’t be great, but they have done amazing things in the cancer world and come a long ways in the ways they treat it and the side effects. My mom just finished her chemotherapy for breast cancer and did very well. We feel very fortunate. She too had a port and it made all of it soooo much easier and painless. Any blood draw or IV she needed went in this port, it didn’t hurt (even the insertion procedure afterwards she only needed Tylenol) and it made chemo much more tolerable. They have wonderful medications now that helped with any side effects she might have had (she does have a few but those vary from person to person) but overall the doctors and nurses were wonderful. Make sure you believe in your doctor and don’t ever stand for being treated anything other than good. They have excellent providers in this cancer world and lots of caring people that help make the time much easier. You have been through enough in your lifetime already and you deserve to have the best possible attitudes along the way too. Keep us posted and we’ll be thinking of you too.
Julene =)