Wednesday, Dec 23rd, 2009

I went in to talk to the doctor about multiple concerns. Being too hot,
muscle cramps in my legs, feet and toes, female problems and of course the hard mass in my stomach. At first I tried to talk myself out of mentioning it but I decided I needed to know for sure what was going on. I told the Dr that I joked with the Dr about having a six pack without working for it. She laughed until she felt it. She sent me to the lab for blood work and a chest x-ray while she made an appointment for a CT Scan at the hospital. The lab took the blood right over to the hospital lab for testing. The Dr came back and told me to go right over for the CT Scan as I had not had anything to eat yet. She told me that when I was done I needed to come back over to the clinic for the results. The scan itself was not bad but the medications in the IV's that they had to give me hurt like a brute. A high dose of Benadryl to fight off my allergy to the contrast they had to give me and a steroid to help combat any swelling that might occur. Then the die that they injected for the scan. The medicine made me dizzy as it dropped my blood pressure so after the scan was over they took me in a wheelchair back over to the clinic. I waited for about thirty minutes in the room and the doctor came in and hit me with a bombshell. I have lymphoma. Tears, questions, and no answers. She told me the surgeon was looking at my cat scan, and other test results and he would be in to talk to me. Another 30 minutes passes and he comes in. I have a tumor and my lymph glands in the abdomen are involved.
They can not operate and remove the tumor because of where it is located and because of the tissues involved. My option- Chemotherapy. I find out that there are many forms of lymphoma and I will have to have a biopsy so that the kind can be determined. Then I will need to see an oncologist. The doctor tells me to talk it over with my husband tonight and get back with him in the morning as to when I will be coming in for the biopsy. It must be done as soon as possible- no later than the first week of January. I am terrified!
Brian was suppose to have a colonoscopy done on the 30th but it is cancelled. The doctor said this has a way higher prioroty. The hospital will call to set up a time and give me instructions.