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2 days from the Quad Squad

elvan
Member
0 35 144

I need to ask for some prayers, I just got a call from my pulmonology office about the low dose CT scan I had on Monday.  The nurse said that I need to have it repeated in three months instead of waiting a year as was previously scheduled.  I said that doesn’t sound good and she stammered a little and said that they see something on the left side, approximately where my upper lobe used to live.  She said they just want to monitor it closely and then she gave me the date and time of the appointment for the scan and said that the Dr. would review it all with me at my February appointment.  The scan is in January…I just looked at the calendar and I realized that I will be in Martinique then.  I am leaving January 16th and returning on January 25th.  I am going with my youngest daughter, it is her gift to me and everything is already booked and paid for so I will have to call the doc tomorrow to reschedule for either before or after the trip.  I KNEW the dates of my trip but I was so shocked when she called that it didn’t even register that I won’t be in the country.  My husband knows the results, I was in the car with him when I got the call.  I am trying to decide if I want to tell my kids. 

Clearly, I am hoping that everything is going to look okay on the next scan, the fact that it is three months away sort of indicates that they don’t consider it “urgent”…right?  It hasn’t even been a year since I had lung surgery so whatever it is would have had to start after they were in there. 

I am going to go take a shower and try to put this out of my mind for now.  I have to get up really early in the morning because I have an appointment to have the area around my spine injected with lidocaine.  If that gives me a 50% reduction in pain, they will plan to burn off the nerves in that area.  It is done under local but they said I cannot drive tomorrow.  I should be able to return to work on Saturday. 

I have to tell myself the same thing I would tell someone else who got this news.  WAIT and see what the next CT shows and go from there, I cannot do anything to change things at this point.  No, smoking has not entered my mind…not until I just wrote that just in case someone wondered.

XOXO

Ellen

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About the Author
Retired RN, worked ICU/ER developed RA in early 90's, unable to work because of brittle bones from high dose steroids. Diagnosed with COPD 5 yrs ago but sure it was there and progressing long before. Live with severe chronic pain, degenerative disc disease, had both upper lobes of my lungs removed in 2015. Struggle with shortness of breath. Work in son's cafe as a cashier 2 days a week to be around people. I am a people/animal person. Lost my home and three cats in a fire on my ten month anniversary of quitting smoking. Never thought of smoking, knew it wouldn't help anything.