Last week was pretty busy -I had two days in the city and a few hours at the local Sloan facility.
Monday last I went into the city to have a pulmonary function test. They were concerned about my collapsed lung back in 1977 and wanted to be sure it wasn't going to act up during the surgery. So, there are Sue and I eating breakfast when the bloke calls me in. I took my coffee and bagel (with eggs and bacon of course) in with me. I did all the tests and actually have a slightly higher lung capacity than I did when I was 26. Quite surprising considering all the snouts and cigars I smoked over the years. He thought it all looked OK but said the pulmonary doctor had to tell me that.
Then we went off to see the surgeon who will be doing the diversion (bladder reconstruction). She went over the options and I am now reconsidering what I'm going to do. She told me a few downsides of the option I was tending towards, and research on the internet proved her point. So I was thoroughly confused for a few days but am coming around to a pretty solid decision. Of course, the doctors have the final say when they have me open on the table as it is possible that something isn't quite right inside and they end up doing the basic diversion which is the outside bag. That is always their last resort. I had pre-surgical testing scheduled afterwards but that was postponed untill Thursday last.
We strolled off to find a place for lunch and eventually walked all the way back to Penn station -quite a walk at 50 blocks. I haven't had that much exercise in months.
Wednesday I was at the local facility in Commack for a CAT scan. Quite uneventfull.
Thursday I had 4 appointments. First was an 8:30 appointment, which meant we had to get a 6:14 train! Now for those that know me, mornings are not my best time. But we made it and had time for a quick breakfast before the appointment. So we sit with the oncologist, a really nice bloke, and he shows us 2 CAT scans -before and after chemo. Wow, what a difference. The 'before' shows the tumour to be taking up at least a third of the bladder volume and I reckon it was closer to 40%. Anyway, the 'after' scan shows a tumour about 25% of the original size and a huge increase in bladder volume -I'd already figured that out. Very encouraging that the chemo had such an effect on shrinking the tumour. I hope it did the same for any nasty cells outside the bladder.
Next we sit with the ostomy nurse -a Brit who loves to talk and joke. Actually she is what's called a WOC (Wound, Ostomy, Continence) nurse and will help me post surgery to get used to working a new bladder. She marks me for a stoma just in case they have to put a bag on me. It's only about 2 inches from my navel and seems a bit high to me as my waistline is below the outlet (as it were). I said I really didn't want to be peeing from under my arm -quite inconvenient if I ever wanted to go bowling or play the violin.
Next we're off to see the pulmonary specialist. She says the testing was fine but that I have some scaring on my lung and a touch of emphysema. Hmmm, not the most brilliant news I've ever heard. She does say it's very slight and provided I stay away from smoking, it will have no effect on me. Other than that, she signs me off as OK for the surgery.
The last appointment was a 4 hour wait for pre-surgical testing, which requires an EKG, blood work (which I had done earlier at the oncologists office) and a chest x-ray (for which I had the CAT scan as a substitute). So really, the EKG was all I needed. We walked to that building, and I get in and out in no time and was done by about 2:30. We walked back to Penn, again!
So now I have nothing going on untill the biopsy on the 9th and surgery on the 15th. The latter apparently is likely to take about 6 1/2 to 7 hours, without complications. That will be a long day for those in the waiting room. For me it will be a pretty short day once they stick me.
Presuming that all goes according to plan during surgery and I don't get a bag, I have to learn this bloody potty training all over again. I was a bit younger the first time around and I really don't remember too much. Obviously I mastered it since I haven't peed my pants in quite a while now and I'm confident I can get the hang of it second time around.
Well, Labor day is looming and my son Dominic is coming out to visit me for the weekend. The weather forecast looks pretty good and I have some fun plans. Really looking forward to seeing him.
I imagine the next post will be in a couple of weeks after the biopsy.
Be well to All,
Chris
Monday last I went into the city to have a pulmonary function test. They were concerned about my collapsed lung back in 1977 and wanted to be sure it wasn't going to act up during the surgery. So, there are Sue and I eating breakfast when the bloke calls me in. I took my coffee and bagel (with eggs and bacon of course) in with me. I did all the tests and actually have a slightly higher lung capacity than I did when I was 26. Quite surprising considering all the snouts and cigars I smoked over the years. He thought it all looked OK but said the pulmonary doctor had to tell me that.
Then we went off to see the surgeon who will be doing the diversion (bladder reconstruction). She went over the options and I am now reconsidering what I'm going to do. She told me a few downsides of the option I was tending towards, and research on the internet proved her point. So I was thoroughly confused for a few days but am coming around to a pretty solid decision. Of course, the doctors have the final say when they have me open on the table as it is possible that something isn't quite right inside and they end up doing the basic diversion which is the outside bag. That is always their last resort. I had pre-surgical testing scheduled afterwards but that was postponed untill Thursday last.
We strolled off to find a place for lunch and eventually walked all the way back to Penn station -quite a walk at 50 blocks. I haven't had that much exercise in months.
Wednesday I was at the local facility in Commack for a CAT scan. Quite uneventfull.
Thursday I had 4 appointments. First was an 8:30 appointment, which meant we had to get a 6:14 train! Now for those that know me, mornings are not my best time. But we made it and had time for a quick breakfast before the appointment. So we sit with the oncologist, a really nice bloke, and he shows us 2 CAT scans -before and after chemo. Wow, what a difference. The 'before' shows the tumour to be taking up at least a third of the bladder volume and I reckon it was closer to 40%. Anyway, the 'after' scan shows a tumour about 25% of the original size and a huge increase in bladder volume -I'd already figured that out. Very encouraging that the chemo had such an effect on shrinking the tumour. I hope it did the same for any nasty cells outside the bladder.
Next we sit with the ostomy nurse -a Brit who loves to talk and joke. Actually she is what's called a WOC (Wound, Ostomy, Continence) nurse and will help me post surgery to get used to working a new bladder. She marks me for a stoma just in case they have to put a bag on me. It's only about 2 inches from my navel and seems a bit high to me as my waistline is below the outlet (as it were). I said I really didn't want to be peeing from under my arm -quite inconvenient if I ever wanted to go bowling or play the violin.
Next we're off to see the pulmonary specialist. She says the testing was fine but that I have some scaring on my lung and a touch of emphysema. Hmmm, not the most brilliant news I've ever heard. She does say it's very slight and provided I stay away from smoking, it will have no effect on me. Other than that, she signs me off as OK for the surgery.
The last appointment was a 4 hour wait for pre-surgical testing, which requires an EKG, blood work (which I had done earlier at the oncologists office) and a chest x-ray (for which I had the CAT scan as a substitute). So really, the EKG was all I needed. We walked to that building, and I get in and out in no time and was done by about 2:30. We walked back to Penn, again!
So now I have nothing going on untill the biopsy on the 9th and surgery on the 15th. The latter apparently is likely to take about 6 1/2 to 7 hours, without complications. That will be a long day for those in the waiting room. For me it will be a pretty short day once they stick me.
Presuming that all goes according to plan during surgery and I don't get a bag, I have to learn this bloody potty training all over again. I was a bit younger the first time around and I really don't remember too much. Obviously I mastered it since I haven't peed my pants in quite a while now and I'm confident I can get the hang of it second time around.
Well, Labor day is looming and my son Dominic is coming out to visit me for the weekend. The weather forecast looks pretty good and I have some fun plans. Really looking forward to seeing him.
I imagine the next post will be in a couple of weeks after the biopsy.
Be well to All,
Chris
Chris:
ReplyDeleteWhat are you up to nowadays? Hoping all is well.
Pat