Biopsy Results
Well, if your money was on the evil, unborn twin bent on world domination, I’m afraid you lost. Same thing with the alien infestation. Sadly, the mystery mass being the result of an extended infection was also wrong. I have a lymphoma in my right lung.
Now, I know many of you were pulling for that twin, but I never expected anything less than some variety of cancer.
So, I’ve got my specialist moving things toward MD Anderson. He’ll be getting the samples over to them for a more precise diagnosis. Later today, I’ll be making arrangements to get some blood work done, to confirm that I don’t have any other complications. Neither the doctors nor I expect any, but, still, better to check and know for sure.
Then, I’ll be contacting MD Anderson myself to see where I am in the process of getting into their program. I’m sure it will take some time to get it all sorted out and the paperwork done and all that. Can’t have a disease of any kind these days without filling out the correct paperwork. (I wonder if they’ll let me have something else should I fill out a form incorrectly? Well, perhaps not…)
I’m sure it seems strange, but other than the cough, and being tired, I really feel fairly okay. Sometimes my chest hurts when I cough, but mostly not. So, at this point it’s just a matter of figuring out what the next step is and doing it. As they keep telling me, one step at a time.
Emotionally, I feel fine tonight. Granted, that may change later, but right now, it’s all just some other thing I have to deal with in my life. Considering some of the places I’ve been and some of the things I’ve done, well, I figure, I’m doing better than might be expected. And, certainly, I’m surrounded with friends who are going to help me no matter what I say! Besides, I promised my mother that I’d let them take care of me, so I’m going to do just that.
Now, before you all get too worked up about this, I’ll tell you what I told people all day yesterday. I don’t plan on dying. I’m only 38 and I still have a lot I want to do. This is a survivable thing and I plan to do just that. So pray away, but don’t worry that I’m not going to be around to harass you all for quite some time to come. At the very least, I’ve been told I have a job at a wedding in August, so you can be damn sure I’m going to make it that far! (Who else is going to bring up the goat story in a toast if not me?)
Of course you will survive this. My friend’s baby had neuroblastoma, a cancer children almost always die from, and he survived. It’s all in the attitude when it comes to cancer. The battle sucks, though. What a way to have to spend your summer! My son and I had a big blow out about his smoking last night. I wish he would listen, people in my family haven’t been so lucky with their health and smoking.
Comment by Cheri — 3/15/2007 @ 9:38 am
lets hope it’s just an icky virus that won’t go away
Comment by jessica — 3/15/2007 @ 5:07 pm
Yep, Cheri, my Dad and Grandmother both survived cancer and they were much older when they had it than I am now. So I expect I’ll be just fine. You know, after treatment.
Jess, I love the wishful thinking attitude, but it’s cancer. We’re still working on which one, but it’s definately a lymphoma. Now, it’s just a matter of getting processed into the MD Anderson system and getting fixed up.
Comment by the Network Geek — 3/15/2007 @ 5:45 pm