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Fantasy » alt.fan.pratchett » [I] I completely forgot
| [I] I completely forgot [message #289565] |
Di, 20 Juni 2006 19:27 |
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For days I had a nagging soreness in my groin area, shy as I was, I
decided whatever it was I'd have to face up and go see a doctor about
it.
Thursday, 19-June, 1986
10:00 AM : At specialist's waiting lounge, I'm admitted to his office
after only a few minutes wait. A cursory exam and he sends me off to
Ultrasound. I'm in and out of there quickly and back in his office.
I'm told to have a seat and the very grave face of the specialist tells
me I have a tumor, about 3cm across. While there is a possibility it
could be benign, in the majority these type are not. It feels as if a
bucket of ice water has been slowly upended on my head and the chill
flows down my neck, arms, back and settles like a cold stone in my
stomach. While the specialist checks for availibility of surgery, I
call work, tell them I won't be in for a while. Today, Friday or
Monday. I opt for today. I call my parents and then take the long,
lonely walk to the admissions desk.
11:00 AM : I am in a room, waiting for my 1:30 PM appointment in
surgery. My parents come in with brave faces and a bag with some
clothing items. As I fill them in on the details, a nurse enters and
informs me an 11:30 AM surgery is available, which I take. I want it
over as quick as possible. I'm in a gown and sitting in a wheelchair
which an orderly takes down several floors to what I assume is the
basement.
11:30 AM : I lay on a gurney, have an injection of something which has
a similar apprehension removing ability to Sodium Pentathol. Somewhat
less worried I'm wheeled into a small plain room with bright lighting.
I'm asked to turn on my side for a Spinal Tap, to deaden nerve reflexes
lower down. Shouldn't hurt a bit, there's a slight prick in my lower
back, like a prod with a fingernail. I lay back down an Intravenous
needle has been placed in one of my arms and a smiling face says
they'll need to put me under now. Some say it feels like a bit like a
blush. It does.
4:00 PM : I awake in the same room I was initially placed on the
gurney. From my chest down I feel like my body is made of wood. I'm
shivering, even though there's a blanket on me and my face feels warm.
I'm told it's the effect of the Spinal Tap and should wear off soon.
In the meanwhile I'm given a little more of the Sodium Pentathol drug
and the shivering subsides. I rest a bit and find my feeling and
control of my body return as a wave of tingling, similar to that of a
leg which as fallen asleep returns, but on a more considerable scale.
I shiver a bit more but eventually I feel warmth and things return to
normal. I'm wheeled up to my room. I ask for a telephone and call my
parents. There's an IV in my left arm and a large bandage, like a slab
of foam on my lower left abdomen.
6:00 PM : My parents briefly visit while I'm given some supper. The
surgeon pops in, asks how I'm feeling, smiles cheerily and tells me
everything went quite well, the tissue is on it's way to the lab, I
should know by the next morning. Good to see I'm looking well, now
he's on his way to another patient and will try to pop in again in the
morning for a chat. I still in a daze over recent events and the
detour life has suddenly taken. I turn on the telly and see a
promising young american basketball star, Len Bias, has died from a
side effect of taking coccaine, while celebrating the brilliant future
for fortune awaiting him in the professional ranks.
The following day, following a particularly painful episode of getting
out of bed, taking a shower while dragging an IV rack around and
getting back into bed and having something for breakfast the surgeon
and my specialist drop by. The lab froze the tumor tissue and shaved
it to make slides. An interesting fate for a bit of your body until
recently. There were five likely results. Benign and four likely
malignant candidates. The analysis is malignant, Seminoma. After all
the wear and tear on my emotions of the prior day, this has the feeling
of a pane of glass shattered over my head. Any questions?
I'm too stunned to have any, but they inform me I need to see the
specialist the next week and to set up what eventually become a series
of trying and on one occasion painful (the lymphangiogram) tests and
procedures, plus six weeks of radiation by some machine which looked
like electronic war surplus, from the first world war. A week after
the surgery I have a small, but pointy kidney stone episode, which
rather underscores that as bad as things are, they can always go worse.
Radiation induced nausea. Weekend trips to delis to have foods I
really shouldn't eat and days of boredom, only temporarily relieved by
Boris Becker's stunning victory at Wimbledon. Five years of bloodtests
and CT scans follow to be certain nothing of the malignancy survived.
It was twenty years ago yesterday. I only realised I forgot the 20th
anniversary this morning.
It's not a path I would wish on anyone, no matter how mean or
villainous. I wish everyone else who has to take such a detour the
same success, if not better.
Lastly, a word of advice from a survivour: If you have a persistent
soreness, a lump, a mass, bleeding or are simply due for tests
appropriate to your age, do have you self checked. Modesty and
rationalisation be damned. Early diagnosis is the most effective
weapon in fighting for your life.
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| Re: [I] I completely forgot [message #289605 ] |
Di, 20 Juni 2006 23:52 |
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Richard Adams <ackthpt [at] concentric.net> wrote:
>
> Thursday, 19-June, 1986
^^^^
I didn't notice the year, and was rather in a shock while I read
this, until you started about Boris Becker's victories at Wimbledon,
when I finally caught on.
I'm glad it's over.
A friend recently lost a breast, and is in for at least 16 months
of chemo and stuff like that.
mcv.
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| Re: [I] I completely forgot [message #289608 ] |
Di, 20 Juni 2006 23:59 |
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"Richard Adams" <ackthpt [at] concentric.net> wrote in message
news:1150824427.990266.183430 [at] u72g2000cwu.googlegroups.com...
>
> For days I had a nagging soreness in my groin area, shy as I was, I
> decided whatever it was I'd have to face up and go see a doctor about
> it.
>
> Thursday, 19-June, 1986
>
(snipped unbelievable emotional roller coaster).
>
> It was twenty years ago yesterday. I only realised I forgot the 20th
> anniversary this morning.
>
> Lastly, a word of advice from a survivour: If you have a persistent
> soreness, a lump, a mass, bleeding or are simply due for tests
> appropriate to your age, do have you self checked. Modesty and
> rationalisation be damned. Early diagnosis is the most effective
> weapon in fighting for your life.
>
Am glad you had the courage to go and not be shy about it.
*resolves to nag... I mean persuade husband more often*
Ssirienna
--
"O for a life of Sensations rather than of Thoughts!"
John Keats
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| Re: I completely forgot [message #289634 ] |
Mi, 21 Juni 2006 02:05 |
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mcv wrote:
> Richard Adams <ackthpt [at] concentric.net> wrote:
> >
> > Thursday, 19-June, 1986
> ^^^^
> I didn't notice the year, and was rather in a shock while I read
> this, until you started about Boris Becker's victories at Wimbledon,
> when I finally caught on.
>
> I'm glad it's over.
>
> A friend recently lost a breast, and is in for at least 16 months
> of chemo and stuff like that.
>
>
> mcv.
A couple years ago my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. She's
had surgery and treatment and it's in remission. She's very sensible
about these things, but I can't help but wonder if my experience in any
way spurred her, my father and my sister into regular checkups.
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| Re: I completely forgot [message #289635 ] |
Mi, 21 Juni 2006 02:08 |
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Ssirienna wrote:
> "Richard Adams" <ackthpt [at] concentric.net> wrote in message
> news:1150824427.990266.183430 [at] u72g2000cwu.googlegroups.com...
> >
> > For days I had a nagging soreness in my groin area, shy as I was, I
> > decided whatever it was I'd have to face up and go see a doctor about
> > it.
> >
> > Thursday, 19-June, 1986
> >
> (snipped unbelievable emotional roller coaster).
> >
> > It was twenty years ago yesterday. I only realised I forgot the 20th
> > anniversary this morning.
> >
> > Lastly, a word of advice from a survivour: If you have a persistent
> > soreness, a lump, a mass, bleeding or are simply due for tests
> > appropriate to your age, do have you self checked. Modesty and
> > rationalisation be damned. Early diagnosis is the most effective
> > weapon in fighting for your life.
> >
>
> Am glad you had the courage to go and not be shy about it.
>
> *resolves to nag... I mean persuade husband more often*
>
> Ssirienna
I do recommend the checkups. The experience isn't pleasant, but I'm
rather convinced, should anything turn up, treatment ultimately beats
the alternative.
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| Re: [I] I completely forgot [message #289656 ] |
Mi, 21 Juni 2006 05:20 |
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Richard Adams <ackthpt [at] concentric.net> wrote:
>
> Lastly, a word of advice from a survivour: If you have a persistent
> soreness, a lump, a mass, bleeding or are simply due for tests
> appropriate to your age, do have you self checked. Modesty and
> rationalisation be damned. Early diagnosis is the most effective
> weapon in fighting for your life.
I don't know... In December, I had a slow-growing lump removed from my
shin. It turned out it was a "benign" tumor. However, the wound never
healed properly, and started bleeding again as late as last night. Which is
something that can *cause* cancer.
Lesson: Leave well enough alone.
Regards,
--
*Art
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| Re: I completely forgot [message #289680 ] |
Mi, 21 Juni 2006 13:13 |
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Richard Adams wrote:
(snip)
Wishing you a good and speedy recovery.
CCA
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| Re: I completely forgot [message #289681 ] |
Mi, 21 Juni 2006 13:15 |
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CCA wrote:
(Well, never mind what I wrote...)
And guess who didn't notice the year 1986 at the top of Richard's post?
*hides face*
Apologies for that, Richard.
CCA
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| Re: [I] I completely forgot [message #289687 ] |
Mi, 21 Juni 2006 13:30 |
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On Tue, 20 Jun 2006 23:20:39 -0400, Arthur Hagen wrote:
> Lesson: Leave well enough alone.
I think the lesson there is 'get it seen by a competent surgeon'. Leave
well alone is a recipe for disaster (as my (probably) permanently stuffed
up left hand constantly reminds me.
--
Kind regards,
Julian Hall
"I'm only on the planet because I missed the bus home"
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| Re: I completely forgot [message #289693 ] |
Mi, 21 Juni 2006 14:35 |
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CCA <sphira9343 [at] aol.com> wrote:
> CCA wrote:
>
> (Well, never mind what I wrote...)
>
> And guess who didn't notice the year 1986 at the top of Richard's post?
> *hides face*
I didn't either, but I know just enough about tennis to know that Boris
Becker isn't winning Wimbledon anymore. (And that's about as far as my
knowledge of tennis goes.)
mcv.
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