OT: Test Results

BleepingBeauty wrote:Hi, Kira.

I'm sorry to read your most recent update, and I'm hoping it's either just a lab screw-up or that the "abnormality" is something easily remedied. Also sorry to hear of the loss of one of your doxies.

Sending good thoughts your way...

Well, I've had a couple people suggest that they re-run the labs. I don't know what my oncologist will want to do.

My lovely Sunny Lady was fourteen years, seven months, and 16 days old when she left us -- on the same day, and at almost the same time that my Mom died three years ago. I hope Mom was there to welcome her when she crossed. The cancer was diagnosed in mid-September; Sunny died on 29 October. We were told she was too old to treat.

Her litter brother, Shadow, took it pretty hard, as did Babette Beagle. We have a seven month old black and tan longhaired pup who joined the household in August. He was born on my birthday. And he's to be a show dog -- he has his first show the second week of January. Shadow & Sunny's breeder will be showing him. His name is Harper.

HoseCrusher wrote:Thoughts and prayers headed your way. I hope it was a lab error...

So do I.

kteague wrote:The word abnormal is so much more ominous in those with a medical history such as yours. Sure hope abnormal ends up being exactly that and no more. Sorry to hear your doctor's office was so inconsiderate. Shame on them. Please do keep us informed.

I will.... the oncologist's office is supposed to be open on Monday.

And yes, it's very ominous, given my history.

johnthomasmacdonald wrote:Hello, just thought I'd mention that even if it is bad news it isn't the bad news it would have been in 2009. There has been a revolution in the treatment of cancer that is just starting to reach the clinics. If your cancer has recurred it will not be classified as endometrial cancer but by the specific genes in your tumor that have given rise to its malignant growth and treatment will target these specific genes ( rather than just trying to nonspecifically kill all cells that are dividing)

That sounds promising, but I would need to read more about this in order to know what questions to ask my oncologist.

As you know, I've been freaking out since the abnormal set of labs from 14 December 2012.

I saw Dr. Cheng, my oncologist, on 3 January 2013. I had called her office Monday morning, only to get the answering service because she was just seeing a few patients and did not have a full office staff in, so had the phone turned off. However, the answering service faxed my call over to the office, and at 11:20a, the office nurse called and set me up an appointment for Wednesday at 9:30.

Well, that was a step in the right direction -- I was afraid I might have to wait a couple of weeks!

So, Wednesday, we were up early, dressed, had just put the pups in their crates when the phone rang. Dr. Cheng had an emergency surgery, so my appointment got bumped to this morning, Thursday. Same time.

Now, you know how most specialists are: you're lucky if you get 15 minutes with them! NOT Dr. Cheng.

She came in, bright and cheery (she is a Morning Person... she was just as bright and cheery at 7a on the morning of my surgery!), and said, "Happy New Year!"

And I smiled wryly and said, "Well, nothing personal, but I'd be much happier not to be here...."

To which she said, "Yes, because you've been doing so well, this is all very shocking."

Then she sat down, and outlined how she was planning to proceed: she ordered the actual slides of my labs and checked them herself to try to see what the "abnormal" report was talking about.

Then she did an examination, after asking if she might do so. She said that she did not see or feel anything which appeared abnormal.

She did a microscopic examination, as well as taking bunches of photographs. She showed some of them to me. Funny thing, looked like photos in a medical textbook.

She said that she did not see anything on a microscopic examination (colposcopy, which was NOT fun) except some raw places.

We walked out of her office at 11:30a. TWO HOURS!

She said she would have the report today, Wednesday, 9 January.

Just received the call from my oncologist's office.

As usual, at the end of the day. <sigh> I had called them at 9a this morning and they said they would call me "some time" before the end of the day....

I've been trying hard NOT to think about it ever since it was done.

In any case... the biopsy was NEGATIVE!

I am to have an appointment with my gynecologist in four months, and then we will have to see where it stands. (One always has to maintain vigilance where cancer is concerned.)

Still not declared cancer free... but at least there is no sign of malignancy at this time! This has been really scary -- four years without a problem, and then suddenly an abnormal set of labs.

Still don't know where I stand on taking a celebratory trip to the Canadian Rockies on the Rocky Mountaineer. Still...

Thank you, Specific Carbohydrate Diet, for my ongoing good health!

And thank all of you for your prayers and good thoughts and Pink Lights!

Phew! Good news! Just thinking out loud but could those "raw" spots the Dr saw on microscopic exam been what the lab report picked up as "abnormal"? In any case, start packing!

That is good to hear.

I'm with Dori. Pack your bags and treat yourself to the Rockies. They are quite beautiful.

DoriC wrote:Phew! Good news! Just thinking out loud but could those "raw" spots the Dr saw on microscopic exam been what the lab report picked up as "abnormal"? In any case, start packing!

Well, I'm packing, but it's to go to Atlanta, not the Canadian Rockies. (Time for my annual science fiction folk music conference.)

Yes, I think the "raw spots" may have been the problem. Gotta figure out what to do about those.

Have to see what the labs say in another four months before I can pack for the Canadian Rockies!

HoseCrusher wrote:That is good to hear.

I'm with Dori. Pack your bags and treat yourself to the Rockies. They are quite beautiful.

They are, indeed! It's been eight years since I was up there -- eight and a half, actually.

But I have to wait until after the five year mark!

Kiralynx wrote: (Time for my annual science fiction folk music conference.)

Glad to hear the good news. Now just trying to get my brain around that conference description.

awesome!

kteague wrote:

Kiralynx wrote: (Time for my annual science fiction folk music conference.)

Glad to hear the good news. Now just trying to get my brain around that conference description.

Actually, it's "filk singing."

Original lyrics and music, based on science fiction or fantasy books, movies, etc. Or original lyrics to familiar tunes. Some of them are really lovely.

"Filk singing" as a term originated when a newspaper reporter, reporting on a gathering of SF&F singers, typoed, and called it "filk singing" instead of "folk singing." The community said, "Hey! We like that!" And promptly adopted it for themselves. Do a search on it... you'll find more than you imagined!

Here's one of my favorite groups: http://www.echoschildren.org/index.html

And one of my favorite of their songs:

http://www.echoschildren.org/CDlyrics/A ... ATION.HTML

And singing for joy is just what I need after these last few weeks of stress!

Time for another update to this thread.

I've mentioned having had surgery for endometrial cancer on 7 April 2008. For my first two years, I had to have labs every four months. All of them were NEGATIVE.

At my visit in January 2010, the oncologist told me it could now be every six months. And that the labs could be done by my regular gynecologist -- that she (the oncologist) didn't think I needed her any more!

In December 2012, my labs came up ABNORMAL, but a biopsy cleared the concern. Further research turned out that I have a condition which can result in frequent false positives. Oh, joy.

I made my appointment for the beginning of June, although I was concerned. In addition to the problem with the false positive, the gynecologist hurt me rather badly while doing the labs. When I commented on it to her, I was informed that "the reason it hurt is because your buttocks are too fat." I was so taken aback that I didn't say anything, but I sure thought about it in the intervening six months!

I decided that I had to discuss the matter with her, because I wasn't willing to submit to that kind of pain again, not for a lab that should not hurt.

So I did. The doctor denied having said anything like that. When I said she did, and that it upset me, she said, "Well then, I guess I better not treat you any more." And threw me out of her office.

Not knowing what else to do, I walked over to my oncologist's office, and explained the problem to her nurse. The result was, after she talked to my oncologist, an appointment with the oncologist.

The exam was thorough. We discussed the condition which results in false positives -- unfortunately, the only treatment available is hormonal, and hormones are contraindicated for someone who has had my type of cancer.

I was told... 3-4 weeks for the results.

They came on Saturday. NEGATIVE.

So I have reached the five year marker, and I don't have to have labs but once a year now.

Technically, I'm considered "cancer free."

Yet I will always be marked by it, always concerned that the next lab will be different.

It looks like I will be planning the dream vacation Harry and I have been thinking of through the Canadian Rockies... on the Rocky Mountaineer, but not for this summer, as we'd originally intended.

First and foremost is Mr. Shadow, Shadow Longhair Dachshund, who is now 15 years and 4 months old, and doing very well. He can't be boarded because it would be too tough for him. I wasn't expecting him to still be with us since most of my dogs haven't lasted much past 14, but I'm in no hurry for him to head for the Rainbow Bridge. He and his sister, Sunny, who died of throat cancer last October, have been one of my greatest supports through the turmoil of all this.

Second, of course, is the recent floods in Alberta, which have resulted in re-routing some of the trains -- and taking them to places I don't want to go..

And third is the fact that my husband wants to go to his <mumble> year high school reunion, and there's not enough vacation time to do a proper job of revisiting the Rockies AND doing the reunion.

We'll get there.

Absolutely GREAT News!!!

Glad to hear the good results. By the way you sounded I think it's time to find a new GYNo--I wouldn't want to be treated that way either and by the way she/he sounded they really didn't want your business--Good luck to you and safe travels.