My fighting Cancer with a teenie weenie stick--PART 2

I sat on a chair in his office. Looked around.  Just thinking, "What did he find in the ultra sound?  He is probably just going to confirm that I have diverticulitis, which is what I told him already.  Why don't these doctors ever believe me.  I have been having these episodes since 2003.  I know when they are about to happen and they should just trust me."  The door opened and he walked in with a folder.  He opened it and then said, "I have the results of your ultra sound and it does confirm your diverticulitis--there is some swelling but the report also says they saw a small spot in your kidney."  Wha...Waiiittt a minute!  Small spot--kidney...what?  "What does that mean?"  He looked at me and said...not too sure it could be cyst or blemish...we need to take a closer look so we need to have an Cat Scan done.  "Ok"...and he scheduled it for me.

The gurney made very little noise as they wheeled me away...down the hall...the breeze...and then they wheeled me into a room.  It was cold and had plenty of lights.  There was about 3 people in the room and doctor had not arrived yet.  He did see me earlier when I was getting prepped.  They moved me to the operating table...and then began the sedative...and had me count backwards...100...99...98...

The Cat Scan is not too bad.  They had me drink this stuff...and I am one of the few people in the world that actually likes the drink. There was a lady in the waiting room that had been sipping the contrast drink for about an hour and they were worried that she may have to start over again.  I drank mine quickly and I was ready for the Scan.  They took me to a room in the back and put me in this room.  It was loud but not too annoying.  They took the pictures they needed...piece of cake.

Here I was again, in my doctors office.  Waiting for the results of the CT.  He walks in with my folder...and says that the scan showed a spot and believed it may be cancer.  Cancer.  A six letter word that would forever change my life...and become a part of my life for years to come.  It would be a word that would roll off my tongue like a watermelon seed.  A word that would find a permanent spot in my eardrum and ring inside my head day in and day out, like a broken bell from a gone haywire cuckoo clock.  Cancer?  A not so pretty word that would change my physical being...and deform my right kidney for the rest of my life.  So off I was to a Urologist.

As I lay unconcious...a robot called the DiVinci whirred and zipped in and out...cutting and probing...slicing and dicing.  My doctor sat in a cube like thing...using joysticks to manuver the device to cut...go inside my body...cutting...cauterizing and removing 25% of my right kidney.  Removing a 1.5cm tumor that ended up being a malignant cancer.  I was forever changed.

Now 4 years later, Cancer free...I went for my yearly check up in March 2012.  My usual xray and ultra sound.  I have had so many xrays and ultrasounds that I have lost track of which was which. Here I was in the Urologists office...next year would be my last test. The year before I had to pay for it out of pocket, even though I was unemployed because I would rather risk the financial hit than not keep up with the tests.  One year later and $1600 (I am paying monthly)...another test--this time I have insurance.  I am in my doctors office and he is going to come in and once again give me a clean bill of health and send me on my way.  The door opened and he smiled, greeted me and began to speak.

Part 3 Tomorrow...