After getting the news and scheduling my appointment, I tried to call my mom, but couldn't get a hold of her. This was understandable since she was on medicine that made her sleep most of the day. I then tried to call my dad and again I failed. It was 9:15am their time, so he was at work. Justin decided to take me to the Jack-in-the-Box that just opened in our state (and happened to be the first one in Ohio) that very day. This was a big deal to me since I used to live in Texas and been missing it for a long time. This was his way of calming me down, though I was calm, but also I was still in shock.
Sometime after ordering my food and sat down at a booth my dad returned my call. It was painful to tell my dad I had cancer. I wish there was a right way, a true right way to explain over the phone that you have cancer to your parent. I told my dad when my appointment was and he said he would look into plane tickets, hotel room, and talk to my sister about picking up my mom from the airport. I expressed to my dad how I wanted him to come up as well and thought it would be best for my mom if he came. For those that don't know me, I always put others before me, especially when I'm dealing with a major issue myself.
Most of the day is a blur to me now. I remember we went home and told Justin's parents the news with his dad's reaction of yelling "OH MY GOD!" I eventually told my mom, my siblings, and after getting to tell them I posted it on Facebook and Plurk so the rest of the family and friends can see the news.
When I was on the phone with my mom I learned that my dad was able to come, but was leaving the day after my surgery since he had to work. This was fine to me until the next day when I got an email from my ENT's secretary asking to move my appointment a week earlier. I quickly replied asking why we need to move it and explain my parents already bought their tickets to fly up from Texas. It turned out that someone had the cancer far worse than me and needed a 12 hour surgery and she asked me if we could move it back a day. I was not going to block someone from having surgery, especially someone that needed it more than me and I said I was fine with moving my surgery back a day.
My parents were coming up on Monday, my dad was leaving the Wednesday which is now my surgery date and my mom was leaving Friday. I told my parents the news and my dad went to see about changing his leave date to Thursday, but was going to cost too much. My parents are dealing with a lot of money issues from their move, so I understood, so no judging people.
The next week and a half was spent with Justin and me preparing for the surgery... getting me clothes that would be easier for me to put on afterwards, food to eat, a couch pillow with arms, and probably other things that I needed. I also spent a lot of time on the internet on support group sites reading about other people's experience and talking to them. Throughout this week I was mostly fine, but it wasn't until the week of that I started getting nervous.
Showing posts with label news. Show all posts
Showing posts with label news. Show all posts
Saturday, December 1, 2012
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Huey Lewis
After my first appointment with my ENT I went to have the barium swallow test on the sixth of September to see if there were any issues with my esophagus. I had to stand with a white, upright table with a white screen in front of me while drinking this thick milkshake that tasted chalky. It was not a fun experience at all. I had to even drink a more water down "milkshake" while laying down on my stomach. The last thing I had to do for the test was to swallow a barium pill, but for those that don't know me, I can't swallow pills. I've never been able to and I wish I could because liquid medicines taste horrible. Luckily the ones testing me didn't think I need to do the pill test since they couldn't see anything wrong.
By this point I should have gotten my test results, but no calls. I called the office, but was told that lab results will be backed up due to Labor Day weekend and also there was a conference in Washington D.C. Then the following week it was a game of phone tag with the office as they were trying to get a hold of me. I finally got them on the phone during one of my breaks at work and was told they would give me my results on Monday after my endoscopy test. I originally had an appointment with my ENT that day anyways.
A week and a half after my barium swallow test, I had to do the endoscopy to check further into my esophagus for muscle issues or any tissue problems within it. This was interesting and I'm not sure if it's in a good way or a bad way. Just thinking about it makes my one nostril hurt and the back of my throat taste like metal again. Pretty much I had to eat and drink different things with different textures and sizes to see the reaction of my muscles while there's a tube with a camera on the end of it that went through my nose and pushed down my throat. The one performing this was happy that Justin was there to help feed me. Some of the foods I was not pleased to see on the table: applesauce and fruit. Of course, my usual swallow issues never kicked in, but she said my muscles looked really good for my age and I didn't have acid reflux (my mother and my brother has this).
I was sent back into the waiting room to now wait for my ENT appointment that was 30 mins after the test, but was able to get in sooner. We sat in the room that we were taken into by his nurse and waited for my doctor to come in. I was trying to remain calm as I waited and also hoped that the test actually had results instead of having to do the biopsy again. Oh how I hope I did not to have to do that again. But then my doctor came into the room with some woman, I forgot now who she was, but I knew something was up. Most of what happened in the room is now foggy to me, but I do remember him telling me I have cancer and that I will need to have surgery.
Like I said in my other post I researched a lot on the cancers of thyroid, so I knew a good amount on it. I think that's why I wasn't crying, but also I think I was also still in shock over it. 27 years old and having to deal with cancer. Luckily with thyroid cancer there is a high survival rate, but still. Cancer. It was just... wow. Even right now I still can't believe it that I have cancer at such a "young" age. I remember looking at my boyfriend and laughed a little saying, "First one. First one in the family to get."
After that my doctor took me to his secretary to schedule my appointment for October 2nd (it was later moved back a day since another patient needed a 12 hour surgery), which was only a week and a half away. I couldn't believe it... I still can't believe it.
By this point I should have gotten my test results, but no calls. I called the office, but was told that lab results will be backed up due to Labor Day weekend and also there was a conference in Washington D.C. Then the following week it was a game of phone tag with the office as they were trying to get a hold of me. I finally got them on the phone during one of my breaks at work and was told they would give me my results on Monday after my endoscopy test. I originally had an appointment with my ENT that day anyways.
A week and a half after my barium swallow test, I had to do the endoscopy to check further into my esophagus for muscle issues or any tissue problems within it. This was interesting and I'm not sure if it's in a good way or a bad way. Just thinking about it makes my one nostril hurt and the back of my throat taste like metal again. Pretty much I had to eat and drink different things with different textures and sizes to see the reaction of my muscles while there's a tube with a camera on the end of it that went through my nose and pushed down my throat. The one performing this was happy that Justin was there to help feed me. Some of the foods I was not pleased to see on the table: applesauce and fruit. Of course, my usual swallow issues never kicked in, but she said my muscles looked really good for my age and I didn't have acid reflux (my mother and my brother has this).
I was sent back into the waiting room to now wait for my ENT appointment that was 30 mins after the test, but was able to get in sooner. We sat in the room that we were taken into by his nurse and waited for my doctor to come in. I was trying to remain calm as I waited and also hoped that the test actually had results instead of having to do the biopsy again. Oh how I hope I did not to have to do that again. But then my doctor came into the room with some woman, I forgot now who she was, but I knew something was up. Most of what happened in the room is now foggy to me, but I do remember him telling me I have cancer and that I will need to have surgery.
Like I said in my other post I researched a lot on the cancers of thyroid, so I knew a good amount on it. I think that's why I wasn't crying, but also I think I was also still in shock over it. 27 years old and having to deal with cancer. Luckily with thyroid cancer there is a high survival rate, but still. Cancer. It was just... wow. Even right now I still can't believe it that I have cancer at such a "young" age. I remember looking at my boyfriend and laughed a little saying, "First one. First one in the family to get."
After that my doctor took me to his secretary to schedule my appointment for October 2nd (it was later moved back a day since another patient needed a 12 hour surgery), which was only a week and a half away. I couldn't believe it... I still can't believe it.
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