Good News…

Yesterday was a good news day. I’m still not really comfortable talking about it. It’s not that I believe in hexes or anything like that (although at least one of my children does, but I won’t tell you his name). It’s just that maybe I believe in bad luck…like…if you hear really good news and you get too excited about it or talk too much about it or actually start to believe it, somehow or other it will get ripped away from you. I have a recent story to vouch for that belief. Mary told me about her sister, who just underwent cancer surgery. Although her sister was experiencing some post-surgery pain, they were all celebrating that she made it through, etc. The next day, her sister got a call that they did not get it all; and she has to have another surgery in July. So, being superstitious, or whatever you want to call it, I started thinking today…What if I have a message at home that this good news was all or mostly a mistake? He didn’t mention blood test results, what if I have Leukemia, and he overlooked it? What if? What if? So far today, no calls or messages to pull the rug out from under me, so I guess I’ll share……As you might have guessed, Susan and Krista both went to the oncologist appointment with me. Susan actually met me there earlier, since I had an appointment to see about a wig. Being the day after a long weekend, things were mixed up and hectic at the Cancer Institute. The wig lady was running late, and so was the doctor. Susan and I went and sat in the café and waited. As she told the boutique lady, we just want to talk anyway. The doctor’s appointment magically got moved up a little earlier. We called Krista and told her she should leave work because we were going up…The assistant said if Krista didn’t get there in time, she would just have the doctor see another patient ahead of us. Krista did get there in time, and there we were with the oncologist waiting to hear results of the PET/CT scan that searched for cancer cells throughout my body. What is it about doctors? They never jump right in to what you want to know. Remember the surgeon…he truly never said the word cancer until I asked him a direct question. Here we go again…the doctor read the report of the scans as we sat there. He didn’t say anything about what was in it. He just started talking about chemo, asked to see my surgery site, etc. Finally, I had to come right out and ask, “Was there cancer anywhere else?” “Oh, no,” was his reply. And here are the best words I’ve heard from a doctor yet, “You do not have an incurable disease. You have a curable disease.” Halleluiah! Why couldn’t he have said that right up front? I kept giving sideways glances to both of my daughters, which meant, “Why isn’t he saying anything about the results?” In hindsight, his news was worth waiting for; but don’t they get why you’re there and what your worst fears are? Next, he explained all about chemo…the drugs, the regimen, other tests I need first, etc. Susan took notes on everything so we can review it again. He even told us a good website to visit to read more about chemo. During the course of the visit, we discovered that my surgery site was most likely housing an infection. I have no idea why this would happen after three weeks, but it did. Susan immediately wanted the number of the surgeon’s office to call and tell them this latest update and get help. The oncologist had a bit of a sense of humor, as he advised Susan of the two buzz words she needed to use… red and  painful. He also said not to let them put her through to the nurse or assistant. He doesn’t know Susan very well yet. There was no doubt in my mind that she would get this taken care of…red and painful. They said they would be calling in a prescription for an antibiotic right away. O.K., so chemo has to wait a little bit while I get rid of the infection at the surgical site. Also, I have to have a MUGA Scan. Boy, what else? The MUGA (Multi Gated Acquistion) scan looks at your heart. I think, without looking at Susan’s notes, that this is for baseline data to be able to keep track of any heart damage the chemo drugs may cause. I told him I already had an angiogram, but he said that wouldn’t work for him. Online reports show that this is another two hour test. I hope I won’t be lying prone with both arms above my head like the PET/CT scan, but I’d be willing to bet that it will be close. Also, another out-patient procedure to go through is to have an intravenous port implanted (I hope this is in the arm, but I’m not sure and don’t want to think about that right now.) So, another visit to my surgeon to check the status of the infection, another scan, and another out-patient procedure…and I’ll be good to go for chemo…Oh, about the wig. The day I went for the PET/CT scan, I also met with the boutique lady about a wig. She matched the colors in my hair, not easy since only my hairdresser knows the real formula. But Louise did a great job. After the doctor’s appointment, Susan and I met with the wig hairdresser. All I can say is, “First time’s a charm.” The first wig I tried on was perfect, and although it’s hard to imagine… I think even cuter than my own hairstyle.:) As Louise pointed out, sometimes as we get older our hair thins out, and the wig will seem quite thick. Oh, yes, that was a perk…nice thick hair, closely matched to my color, red highlights, and I can spike it out and it looks great. Susan suggested just getting my hair cut off and wearing the wig….not to mention, it makes me look younger….who would have guessed that we could find positive things in all of this? As soon as Krista left to go back to work (She didn’t stay for the wig party), I’m sure she was on her phone calling other members of the family with the good news. Jay and John both called me within an hour or two. I always tell them to check with the Communications Specialist (that’s Krista), but last time she reminded me that title is no longer correct…she’s now Communications Manager. By the way, I posted that announcement of her promotion to a piece of black construction paper, laminated it, and hung it up in my office today. It’s on a bulletin board that houses a picture of Jay, John, and J.J. that was published in a San Diego newspaper as they attended a Chargers/Raiders football game; an article and picture of Jason for winning the Geography Bee at his school two years in a row; and Teresa’s and Elliott’s engagement announcement and picture from the R.J. I called Teresa my self and told her the good news. She and Elliott made it safely to their new home in the Bay area and are settling in to their very small one bedroom apartment and new engineering office. Things are moving right along…that’s life.