Torture Day 1

Tuesday July 19 -

Natalie and Cindy took me down to SLC this morning for my testing and to get admitted to the hospital.  We went down just knowing the tests they were going to do, but the rest was completely unknown.

We got to Intermountain Regional Hospital in SLC and it is HUGE!!!!  We got to where we needed to go, got registered and then started my torture session.   I was in for a PET scan, and several CT scans with contrasts.  Time to find out were all these buggers are.  This is how they stage the cancer by telling where it is at.  Later the Dr. will tell us they need all these scans so that as we are going through the remission process they can see if "things" have gone away.  These scans will be their baseline.

I had to go in fasting again.  What happens when I fast!?  Migraine!  So here we are again.  I am getting the headache that comes before the storm.  The technician takes me back and he needs to get and IV going.  Where is my beloved Captain IV!?  This guy can't find anything so he goes for the vein on my wrist just below my thumb.  He says it better to go for a sure thing than miss.

I have to drink the drink that cancer loves.  All the cancer cells gravitate to it and that is what helps the scan see what it needs to see.  It almost tastes like fruit punch.  BUT NOT.  It is not yucky and not yummy at the same time.  I then get to rest for about 45 minutes as the liquid circulates through my system.

Into the scan room.  This scan takes 20 minutes to do.  "Don't move."  Okay.  THAT is the worst part of the scans.  Claustrophobia has nothing on having to sit still for that long.  I had to have my hands about my head.  My fingers started to go numb.  Thank goodness they started the classical music.  I know the approximate run time on most classical pieces and new I had to get through about 4 or 5 songs before it was over.

After that scan.  They went and got Cindy and Natalie.  They went and got lunch while I was doing this first part.  I now had to drink more cancer juice.  This is now disguised as lemonade.   It isn 't fooling anyone.  We wait about 20 minutes.  I had to force myself to drink half of one of those bottles.  YUCK!

Time for the CT.  I have to get another IV put in.  I miss my Captain IV.  This tech needs a bigger needle for the contrast material.  So we need another IV.  He finds a vein in my right arm.  I am becoming very holy.  These scans are shorter.  In and out I go.  All done.

At this point I am HANGRY and the migraine is ON!  I call "the Coordinator" and ask if I can eat. She says yes.  BUT I am ready to puke so eating isn't really a very good option.  We head over to LDS Hospital which is right over by temple square.  I didn't know that existed.  We get to the hospital and Cindy tries to find me something to nibble on for me.  While Natalie is parking the car and Cindy is finding food the technician calls from the other hospital and he didn't do one of the scans.  NOOOOO!  He is going to call LDS hospital to see if I can do that scan there.

Yes they can.  So we make our way up to the 7th flood were we will meet with the Dr's.  We are only in the exam room for about 5 minutes and they say to go back down to the first floor and they will do the CT scan.  The gall at the reception table up on the 7th floor gave me crackers and some ginger ale so I am monchin' on crackers everywhere I go with my ginger ale can in my hand.

I have to fill out MORE paper work!  Central Databases people!?  Holy cow!  I now have to take the contrast material twice in one day.  They were taking some time to make sure that was alright.  It was...she would just have to flush me with some fluids to help my poor kidneys out.

That takes a bit of time to do the flush.  Nathalie and Cindy are found and they sit and wait while that goes in.  Still a huge migraine.

Okay IV done.  Head back upstairs to the 7th floor to meet with the Dr.  It is late now and no one is there.  Cindy and Natalie find the nurse that was helping us before and he shows us back.  Finally meet with the Oncologist and the physicians assistant.

They tag team and tell us all about what's going on.  Some of it I remember some of it i don't because of the migraine.  I will get more info from the Dr. the next day so I will save it for tomorrows entry.
They went through my medical history and through my family history.  Then did an exam.

The scans they did show that I have nodes that are enlarged in my armpits, abdomen and upper thigh area.  Also my spleen is enlarged.   The bone marrow is bright in the scans as well so thus the bone marrow biopsy.

All is treatable with the plan they have in place.  Which is what everyone wants to know.  It is complex and hard to explain.  It is going to be hard to plan anything for the then next 7-8 months. Yes that is how long the treatment will take.   The ability to get it into remission depends on my health {which they say is really good} and the risk of getting sick from outside sources.  The treatment plan is aggressive yet it has the higher success rate of having patients in remissions for longer periods of time.   Doctor can see my eyes are crossing.  There are things she'd like to go over with the board tomorrow.  All the cancer patients have a team of Doctors that join there brains to come up with the best treatment options.  I feel confident they know what they are doing.  She sends us off to get settle and admitted up on the 8th floor.

By that time I was able to order food!  Food glorious food! I couldn't really eat it I was soooooo nauseated! I ate as much as I could though.  I met my night nurse and PCA and fell asleep.  Can you fall asleep in the hospital?  The first thing that woke me up was someone dragging furniture on the floor somewhere.  It was so loud!   Just start to fall asleep and nurse comes into give me drugs.  He wants to make sure that we get it under control.  I also have drugs pertaining to the chemo that they need to get into my system.  Just fall asleep and the PCA comes in to get my vitals.  Just fall asleep and they come and draw blood.  Just fall asleep and they need to get a drip in. Just fall asleep and It is time for drugs again. Just fall asleep and vitals.

Oh it's morning.  I might as well stay up.