Today I had an appt for my Upper GI (EGD). My friends Lissa and Patty duked it out to see who should be lucky enough to take me to my appt - and Lissa won! Lucky gal. Lissa also brought over some dinner for the family tonight too, pulled pork, salad, fruit and graham cracker cookie thingies for dessert. (She personally labeled all the little containers, chopped veggies to go in a salad (bought organic stuff too - which I told her not to worry about, but it was sweet that she was really trying to get the things for my family that she thought I would want them to have...very sweet of her to go through the effort!). She picked me up at home and we drove to the hospital. I needed someone to stay with me and then drive me home because of the sedation. (It's a good thing too, cause I was kinda "snowed" after the procedure!) Prior to the procedure, they had to give me an IV, ask some background questions, had me change into "the wrap dress".
The nurse knew that I had recently been diagnosed with breast cancer, and she asked me if I minded being asked some personal questions. (Who, ME? ;) It turns out the nurse has a daughter who recently found a lump in her breast as well (she was young, in her early twenties), and went to see her doc. Her doc felt the lump and said that he didn't think it was anything she needed to worry about. The daughter still didn't feel right about it (go with your gut!!), and had an ultrasound (not sure if this was something the doc ordered or something she pursued on her own), either way - I am so glad she followed up and got it checked out further!. It sounds like they found "something" on the ultrasound, and she was referred for a biopsy. I sure hope it is nothing, but either way...I am so happy that she did not just listen to the doc, and drop the whole thing. This was just a reminder to me of how important it is to follow those instincts if you think something is wrong, and don't stop until you are satisfied! Also, being on the younger side of things (What?!? anyone under the age of 40 is considered "young" to get breast cancer), sometimes women who are under the age of 40 get turned away from getting a mammogram (or follow up care), because they assume that any lump a young woman is getting probably isn't cancer. (Plus I think a lot of insurance companies do not cover the routine mammogram until you are under 40 yrs old.) BUT...my friend Karina posted something on FB the other day, (for anyone local) and I will copy it here: Just heard the news that RMI, Regional Medical Imaging, is scheduling FREE mammograms for May 11th, 2013, for those who do not have insurance, this is AWESOME! However, if you don't want to wait or cannot wait, they do offer mammograms for $99 every day! THAT is a great price. They have offices in Fenton, Flint, Davison, Grand Blanc and Ville Linde. 810-732-1919. PLEASE take the time to schedule yours TODAY! It could save your life!
So...back to me. :) The upper GI went well, as far as I am concerned. As I don't remember a darned thing! They wheeled me in the "procedure room" talked to me for a few, gave me some liquid med to swallow that "gets rid of the bubbles", sprayed some nasty numbing stuff in my throat, put the oxygen tubing in my nose. Then, they must have given me "the good stuff" because I remember starting to hallucinate a little...the next thing I remember is waking up in the curtained off area of the recovery room. I had no idea that the procedure had already taken place. I do remember being nauseous afterwards (vomited in the garbage can even). A nurse talked to me a bit, telling me about the procedure, but I have NO IDEA what he said. Thank goodness they went to get Lissa, so she could pay attention for me. Even the ride home is a little sketchy. Lissa stopped and bought me a milkshake from Coldstone (cake batter flavor!) Vanilla milkshakes always seem comforting to me when I am nauseous, for some reason. I spent a good deal of time on the couch when I got home. I went to bed around 9pm that night.
*This was the first time that my family has really seen any kind of "sign" of sickness from me at this point. That part really makes me feel uncomfortable. I don't like to have to be "the patient". I am the caretaker dammit. I am the one who takes care of THEM. I don't want to be the one who has to be taken care of. :( This whole thing (and knowing what is to come), just rocks me from my foundation.
I'm Radioactive... 12/11/12
http://youtu.be/3973tfsllqw
Today I had the 2 part prep to get me ready for the "sentinel lymph node dissection" tomorrow. They injected me with some kind of radioactive material in my breast (yippie!) - they gave me 3 injections around the nipple - which felt like bee stings...and then I had to wait around for a few hours, and get my "picture" taken (making sure the lymph nodes were all lighting up properly on the films. I am sure it is waaaaay more technical than that, but I've had a long day and I am too tired to Google. :) While I waited to come back and get scanned, I decided to go work for a little while (heck, the perks of working at the same hospital where I am getting care, right?)
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