It All Started....

I just drank 8 ounces of this liquid stuff that is supposed to clean me out for a colonoscopy tomorrow. In about 10 minutes, I'll repeat and hopefully begin making multiple and successful trips to the potty...

About two years ago, I noticed a pain in my left elbow. Having spent countless hours doing Sudako on a TV tray in the evenings, I was sure it was because I was leaning on that arm. So I tried not leaning on the left arm, for months. No relief. Then I discovered that I always napped on my left side, drawing my left arm tight against my ample bossums. I thought that I was over-extending the joint, so I stopped laying on that side. The pain continued. Late last winter, it was appearant that the pain was not only not subsiding, but was getting worse and was traveling from my shoulder to my forearm. Sudden jolts to that arm would practically drop me.

I went to my primary care physician, who prescribed anti-inflamitories and several months of physical therapy. While both helped, by allowing me to recondition my now weakened arm, my pain continued to increase. In the space of 2-3 months, I went through my entire stash of vicodin, flexeril, and norco, that I got back in 2002 when I had three surgeries. All gone. I went back to the doctor, and was given an X-Ray, which looked great! Now, I'm thinking that it must be somewhat in my head and I felt bad about all the work being done. No results, so I was finally referred to an orthopedic surgeon in Newberg. Great guy, who ordered an MRI of my elbow. He identified a bone tumor and referred me to the only orthopedic surgeon who also specializes in bone tumor. Off I went to Oregon Science Hospital University in Portland to see Dr. Hayden. Good guy, but he has a lousy scheduler.

Right now, the top of my left shoulder joint hurts and I have to drink the next 8 ounces. Just a sec... Yuck, I'm going to be up until midnight drinking this stuff. I have to drink 3/4 of a gallon tonight and another 1/4 gallon tomorrow. I want solid food really bad and that makes ME MAD!!! @)(#$&#@($*&#@!!!

Ok, so Dr. Hayden schedules me for a CT Biopsy, which is where they took three needle samples from my humorus. I was pretty much out until the last sample. My nurse was holding my hand and when I felt the pain, she said "squeeze!" and while I didn't really need to, I did anyway - really hard! And I screamed a bit too. Right now, my left bicep is beginning to cramp like a vice grip. Lori took me to and from this event and I made it ok. I thought I'd be able to work the next day, but after 2 hours of staring at my monitor, my boss let me go home. I passed out for the rest of the day.

Ten days later, last Tuesday, I got my diagnosis (Dx). Lori went with me because two sister heads are way better than one. I was told that I had metastatic low grade neuroendocrine carcinoma and that it was pretty rare. He had it expected it to be lymphatic in nature and he's only Dx's four of these. I feel so special. In three more minutes, I get to drink about 8 ounces. He said that I would get 30 days of radiation on my arm and that he'd refer me to an oncologist in Newberg for a full body scan (or PET) and the rest of my oncologies needs.

The nature of this carcinoma shows that my primary source is Stage IV (because it traveled to a distant organ - my arm) and originated in my gastrointestinal tract. I have no idea beyond that. On the same day I got my Dx, I dropped of the report at my primary doctor's office. He called me the next day and after our discussion, he had scheduled a colonoscopy. The gastroenterologist doing this procedure, Mulveety, called me about 6:30 PM last Friday to talk about my circumstances and at 8:30 PM that same night, his assistant called me to schedule the procedure.

Oh, drinky time...yuk!

Compare my Newberg doctors quick actions with my OHSU's Dr. Hayden. He was good, but his assistant still hasn't scheduled the oncology part. I was told to call and ask for her last Friday if I hadn't been scheduled. I called and she was at lunch. I left a message and called back later in the afternoon, but she had left for the long weekend. No word. I called again this morning and was told that she was on the phone with a patient, but oh wait... she just got off the phone... oh, she just left for lunch. I left a message. No call back. I was telling a coworker about this and how upset I was and Gloria got all "mommy-mad" and called the office herself at 4:30 PM this evening and the office was closed.

And so it goes... tomorrow, I'll call my primary care physician and ask if he can intercede. Barring that, I will be giving my mom the phone number. One way or the other, I'm going to be RADIATED! :)

Enough for now.