Scan Results

 As figured, I was unable to find my Power Port card to prove its existence in my chest.  However, I was able to call the office of the surgeon who placed it there, sign a medical release, and receive and copy of the surgery report.  Hopefully, that will be good enough.  

Also, I was reminded that NINE YEARS AGO this week, I had my very first chemo.  Still fighting.  

My appointment with Dr. Tafur to discuss scan results was scheduled for 11:30, but I arrived early.  This was a busy day in the waiting room, as he only travels here once a week, normally on Thursdays, but this week a day early.  

I finally made it back to a room and met with a nurse from the clinic.  She asked all the typical health questions and took vitals.  

Then, another nurse from Dr. Tafur's office asked a million questions, which I thought I had answered in Lubbock on my first appointment.  Apparently, they didn't have a complete list of ALL of my surgeries and cancer history.  

After that long list of mind stretching history on dates and drugs, the nurse then had me strip down on top and change to the shortest gown I've ever been given.  It felt like a belly shirt!   

She examined me and checked that I was still breathing and that I truly didn't have breast prosthetics, as I had already answered.  

They're real tissue, and they're SPECTACULAR!

It's an hour later, at this point, and I haven't seen the doctor yet.  

Finally, he walks in with the news.

CT shows no new growths in my thoracic and abdominal areas. 

However, there are two new areas of growth in my brain:

A small 3mm lesion in the left occipital lobe.

A subtle 7mm linear area at the lateral left cerebellar hemisphere.  

Luckily, the radiation oncologist, Dr. Sun, happened to be in the building today.  He would meet with me shortly.  

I felt a bit relieved that he only discussed the "very small" 2mm lesion, and explained that he could do gamma knife radiation in Lubbock, "most likely next week."  He also mentioned that he wanted to get records from Dr. Wardak and a new MRI, hopefully the same day as the surgery, but if not, the day before.

I wondered why he needed another MRI, as I had just had one two days before.  (At what point will all these radioactive contrast drugs actual CAUSE more cancer?)

He explained that he wanted to be certain that he was gamma knifing the correct spot.  

I joked and asked, "You mean that you need a Texas-grade MRI machine?"

He let out a tiny chuckle and gave me a simple and straight-faced, "you're funny."

Funny or not, I'll be headed to Lubbock, hopefully next week, for my latest shots to my brain.  

I'm very grateful that Dr. Tafur ordered new scans so that we could discover this lesion early and work on kicking it out of my head.  

I finally got home and was able to eat at 2:00, as snow was falling and sticking on the ground.