After my last post, I met with a Pulmonologist. Dr. Mojaverian. He was a great little guy, that said things like, "I really tink you are too young for the Cancers." He seemed much less alarmed than our first two doctors. This was until we began asking questions. We asked why I am so short of breath, and why I'm so tired, and in so much pain. We also wanted to know why both he and Dr. Paul Simon were both leaning towards Valley Fever if I'd never had a positive blood test for it. He answered all of our questions and reassured us that he would help us every step of the way.
Originally, he wanted us to watch the tumor, and continue getting CT Scans every two weeks so he could monitor the growth. John spoke up immediately and told him we weren't going to do that. He asked if we could just get a biopsy done, and get rid of it, whatever it is. The doctor explained that a biopsy is very painful, and very invasive, but if that is what we wanted then he would get one set up right away. I'm sitting on the examination table listening to these decisions being made, all while slightly panicking, and probably wearing my moron face. I usually make John go to my appointments with me because he's more of a fighter than I am. I probably would've just taken the CT Scan every two weeks option. John managed to get the biopsy set up before the new year (yay for that, since we had met our deductible).
Fast forward to December 30. The biopsy was scheduled for 8am. The hospital wanted us there 1 hr. early to check in and complete some paper work. We live about 40 minutes from the hospital, and had to drop the kids off at Andrea's house before we left. We needed to leave our house at about 5:45. Of course, in true John and Gina style we woke up at 5:50. We dropped the kids off and drove way to fast to get to the hospital.
We checked in right on time. I changed into my gown, got a new pair of cool yellow grippy socks (my collection is growing quickly), and met some of the nurses. They all make comments about me being too young to be there, and are in actually the sweetest nurses I've come in contact with yet. They had a motto posted on the wall. A quote by Maya Angelou that read:
"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
I will always remember that. I may also remember that the whole hospital smelled like spaghetti, but that's a different story.
After some waiting, the Radiologist came in to explain the procedure. Your lungs have no pain receptors, so most of the pain comes from puncturing the skin, intercostal muscles (rib meat), and pleura. He went over breathing techniques that would help him, help me. Afterwards I was wheeled to the CT room. Lung Biopsies are not done in live time. Weird, but true. The Radiologist puts you in the scanner, checks the spot, then pulls you out and inserts the needle. First, he numbed up the area with Lidocaine and inserted the needle. He put it in very superficially, and then put me back in the scanner, left the room to check his placement, and then pulled me out and did it again. I should note that before the started, they covered my eyes with a towel. Apparently the procedure is alarming enough to watch that some people startle. Go figger. Every time he went deeper into my lung, I had to take slow shallow even breaths. You take a breath, let it out and hold it out for 10-15 seconds and then very slowly draw your next breath. I was numb enough that it was only slightly uncomfortable. The gross part was when he actually took his sample out. You feel pain, then pressure, and then hear a series of crunches that are followed by a few clicks. He slowly pulled the needle out and we were done. There was no cauterizing, no stitches, no plug. I felt like someone should have had a teeny little plug to put in the hole, but maybe that was the sedation. The sedation, by-the-way, was no more that a little (very little) Valium. They can't really sedate for lung biopsies because it affects your breathing pattern. Recovery was 4 hrs. long. Every hour they came and did a chest x-ray to make sure my lung hadn't collapsed. After the 4th x-ray came back okay, we were off.
And, now we wait. We wait to see if this tumor is Cancer, Valley Fever, a lung baby,
or maybe a pea, or even my dentures. We wait to see if my family can finally become normal again. We wait and see if my husband and kids can finally stop asking me if I'm okay every time I take a deep breath, or cough. We just wait.
This whole experience has been a complete reality check. We love a little more, and complain a little less. If for nothing else, I'm grateful for that. I'll keep you updated. Cross your fingers. :)
