Chemotherapy #10

I am finished with 5 out of 6 cycles of my chemotherapy.  With only two more to go I am pretty excited for it to be over.  It is not fun to go through, but very much needed.  This time my Dad and I were accompanied by Timmy.  He had some time off so he decided to come up with my Dad for the chemo, which was awfully nice of him.  This time the it seemed like it took longer.  I still did homework, and my Dad and Timmy both had their own TV to watch.  Timmy used the one that was for me.  The doctor did forget to order one thing, an anti-nausea medication so that took a little time to get it sorted out but even without that it still felt longer for some reason.  It was also the latest session I've had.  Normally it is earlier in the day.  It won't however be the latest, the next one will be even later because of our flight.

With this last one I have gotten sick a few times, and had (still have) the awful taste in my mouth.  The taste is one of the worst parts of the whole ordeal, in my opinion.  Not sure if I said that at all already, and it probably won't be the last time.  It is really bad.  The doctor told me that my white blood count was the lowest it has been, in fact it was almost nothing.  This makes my plan to wear a mask in the airplane/airport sound like a even better idea.  I looked up some ways I could increase the count and will try some I think.  Hopefully it is up for my next chemo.

Tomorrow Taylor and I will take off from Grand Forks and land in Las Vegas a couple hours later where we will be met by her grandparents.  From there we will drive down to Lake Havasu City, AZ, where we will spend our week of spring break.  One thing Taylor and I are excited for is to dine at In-and-Out burger again.  Being in the nice warm weather will be really good.

The last couple of days..

After going to the Urgent Care at the Altru Hospital here in Grand Forks I was referred to a E.N.T. doctor.  (Ear Nose & Throat).

Morning after my urgent care appointment I called up the number that I was given and to my surprise I was able to get an appointment the next morning, that was October 14th.  When the day came I went into the main clinic entrance, but had no idea where I was going so I asked the lady at the desk.  4D is where I was instructed to go, fourth floor room D.

Entering 4D I walked up to the registration desk and announced that I had an appointment, got signed in and was told to sit down.  Waiting for the doctor each of these times just seems like the longest thing ever.  Eventually one of the nurses called my name, brought me back to the room and went through the questions before the doctor.  Nothing out of really out of the ordinary. Nurse leaves and again I sit and wait.  A little while later the doctor came in, Dr. Alan Johnson.  After a few questions he checked out the lumps on my neck, finding each one that I had found myself.  I was a little relieved that he didn't find anymore than I had, but then we started talking about what it could be.  Lymphoma was his biggest concern, and was something that I looked up a few times.  Hearing him say it was a lot different than just my own little research.

I was sent to get a CT scan of my neck. When I got to radiology the lady sitting behind the desk was expecting me. Originally the radiology department had said that there wasn't an availability during that day, but Dr. Johnson gave them a call and got them to do it same day. I was instructed to follow these set of tiles to a small room where I waited for them to get the room ready.  Sat in that room for a bit and eventually someone came to get me.  I laid down and an I.V. was inserted into my arm and I was put in to the machine. After a couple pictures the iodine was injected and the rest of the photos were taken.

After this I wait the weekend to go in and get some results.  It was a long weekend, but I got to spend it with Taylor and she helped keep my mind off all that stuff.

Finally today, Monday came.  Woke up bright and early and drove over there.  My appointment for today was at 8am. After I got there I went up to 4D and signed in and waited.  So much waiting.  The nurse came out and brought me back for the quick before-doc-questions.  This time my weight was asked, but I didn't have an answer because I don't own a scale.  She just weighed me and entered it in.  My weight was down from normal, which had not occurred to my knowledge yet.  Dr. Johnson finally comes in and we go through my CT scan from Friday.  Apparently there is a lump in my chest too, sort of pushing on my trachea.  Which explains a little bit of shortness of breath every now and then.  He also noticed that I have a deviated septum, but I knew of that sort of already.  (I knew my nose was crooked inside).  I had another CT scan originally for 3PM today, but that was canceled and a PET scan was ordered. A needle biopsy was done, and I was also scheduled for surgery for a lymph node biopsy.

The surgery is tomorrow, I will go in at 8:30AM and be there for 4-5 hours is what I was told.  (Surgery time ~ 1 hour).  I've never had a surgery before, or been knocked out by anesthesia, so I am worried about it.  I am also worried, but anxious to find out what exactly the problem is...

Time to get some rest, big day tomorrow.