OT - need to gripe!

[utahmomma]

Okay, I'm sick and tired of tests, scans, injections, waiting rooms, nuclear fallout in my veins, hospitals (mine has those stupid pagers that restaurants use), hospital gowns, pain, and the puzzled look on every one's faces when they see my test/scan results.

ARGH!!!!

Okay, yesterday was my DEXA scan (to see if my osteopenia - caused by high levels of thyroid meds and no estrogen - has turned into osteoperosis) and an appointment with my internal medicine doctor for bone pain (that I've had since my last I-131 scan).  Internal med doc (after I reminded her - again - of my medical history) ordered a nuclear bone scan *STAT* which I had today.  Oh, what a treat that was:  injection of some radioactive tracer this morning (after 45 minutes of sitting with that stupid restaurant buzzer in my lap); gulp water all day; scan delayed because of "scheduling problems" - then finally had it at 4:00 today.

Okay, remember my I-131 scan in November when they kept calling me to come back in and have additional scans of my head?  Then they made me come back the next day to do it all again?  Then they had me get a MRI of my head?  Yeah, dejavu.  

My nuclear bone scan showed very bright spots in my ankles (duh - I'm limping from the pain in my thigh) and some weird bright spots in my chest and - ready for this???  MY HEAD.  Yup, exactly the same spot as the I-131.  So guess who had to go back in for additional scans of my head and with different views.   Man, this rocks!

Oh, and they think there was some sort of dark shadow on my thigh where the pain is but the radiologist would have to determine whether or not that was a problem.

Oh, oh . . . and Monday is my mammo for the breast cancer in my family.  Maybe when my doctor (if she can remember me) gets my results of all of these tests I can also get that PET scan next week.  Hey, might as well start collecting all the flavors of nuclear tracer I can.  Yummy - nuclear tracer.  (with a Homer Simpson sounding voice)

Grrr.  Oh, did I mention that I have to get an ENT to try to do a biopsy of the spot in my sinuses that keeps lighting up the nuclear medicine department???

Okay, I'm going to go take my antidepressants (gee, why would I need those?), my Lyrica for the fibromyalgia, my sulfasalazine for the arthritis pain, put ice packs on my ankles, a heating pack on my neck, and try to sleep.  :-(

Hope someone else out there had a better day.

[DLA]

What fun you are having.  Hang in there and don't let the rope tighten on you.

Dr's grrrrrrrrr!!  Aren't they fun?  

Will be praying for good results on ALL the tests.

Dac

[utahmomma]

I *hate* when I hit send before I'm finished.  sigh.  I got a call today from my regular doc with the results of my nuclear bone scan.  The legs look okay (just lots of inflammation in my ankles because I'm limping due to the pain in my thigh).  There was some concern about some "strange uptake" in my "sinus area" but they thought it wasn't anything "highly significant".

Duh!  That's exactly the same spot that lit up like a Christmas tree on my I-131 scan and the same place where I've had a sore that won't heal.   Argh!!!!    I told the doctor all of this (twice) and she asked how soon I can get in to see an ENT to schedule a biopsy.  I told her the end of the month and she sounded hesitant then said "oh, that will work, I guess".   What does that mean?!?!

Still nothing on the DEXA scan to see if the pain is from micro-fractures from osteoporosis (thanks to the thyroid treatment).

I give up.

Oh - and the doctor doesn't want to order a PET scan yet because "they don't show tumors in the head very well"   Okay, but they show tumors in OTHER places.   Grrrrrr.   Oh, and had the yearly boob squish (mammo) today.  Results in a week if everything is okay - sooner if they need more pictures.

Hey, what me worry???

[utahmomma]

Oh man, I thought that Huntsman would be on top of it all.  I'm going through the IHC Med Ctr and it's a nightmare.

[bearcatt41]

I soooooo understand more than you will ever know all I can say is ???  ( yup   hang in there  ))   I am going through so much too at the Huntsman Center so my heart is so big for ya now Cindy

[ChitChatNine]

Are you glowing yet .. I think I see a shining glow in NJ .... hugs to you my friend .. you have been thru and will be thru so much more yet again.  I hope all is ok .. the waiting is the worst .. .we are here for you ... yeah, in your head?  I don't think so .... ?!

C~

[choirgirl]

Okay, your neighbor up north is sending you happy vibes - maybe in the form of snow?  JK. . .  You deserve to gripe, sometimes we try to be strong for everyone in our lives and not be complaining.  BUT if we don't let it out sometimes it gets us somehow.  I love meeting you guys in the forum and know that we're there for one another.  We can gripe, then be a little saner for the ones living with us :)  I hope you get some answers soon.  The worst part is waiting.  I HATE THAT!!!  God bless and enjoy the snow!
Lori

[blksapphire]

Oh Utah,
I'm so sorry to know that you are going through this.  When it rains, it does pour.  Can't they get their stuff together and get this right.  As I put you in my prayers, I start to wonder if this is what I have to look forward to  :-(

Well, glow girl... we just might have to start a frequent glow club..nahhhhhhhhhh... right now you would win hands down...

Hopefully, the antiD will help relax you and you can start today out a better day than yesterday.

Take care and we are here with you and for you.

Terri

[whittie918]

Your in my thoughts and prayers.  So does this light up mean you have arthritis/bone density issues or do they think its another type of cancer?  There are other reasons for light up right?

It sucks that they give you the results without any real info.  

[scarlet37]

  The most frustrating thing is the medical community! When we educate ourselves on the disease via internet they call us medical googlers!  It's a shame they haven't relished the same idea for extra studies of patient with more than one dx, if they did we would not have to see all these so claimed " specialists"  what ever happend to having one doc - that doc knew your family and everything about you and recognized you by face and name on the street!

I'm sorry you're going through all this and hopefully the anti-D kicked in to give you some moments of calmness. You'll be in my prayers.

[utahmomma]

Lucky you - 50 is only 8.5 years off for me.   Yikes!

Yeah, I should be on estrogen too to help preserve the bones but the chances of me developing breast or ovarian cancer in my future is too high so I'm opting for my bones turning to chalk.

Gives a whole new meaning to "dust to dust" - doesn't it  I had just hoped that saying would happen *after* I died.  :-(

[hyper_what?]

I'm so sorry. I have some concerns like you about the whole osteo stuff. The drs. at Univ. of Utah told me to take care with my calcium or I'd develop osteoarthritis and might end up in a wheelchair in my 50's...ok, 50 is only 11 years away....AACK.  

Prayers are with you!!

[kipland]

Oh my gosh, you poor thing!!  Know that I'm thinking of you, and ready to construct the tinfoil hat in a heartbeat so I can sit and rock with you!!

You take care, okay?  How does that saying go?  What doesn't kill us only makes us stronger?  Yeah.....well how much can a body take and just HOW strong do we need to be??  A lot of us should look like "The Rock" now, shouldn't we?  ;-)

Lori

[Venora Moonwind]

gaaa enough with the nuking on you.I thought I saw a big green glow out west.Oh it was you.
any way I hope you can get some of this resolved soon. My heart is aching for you.I am right with about no more hospital ****.
Love Venora

[MJ13]

Remind me never to complain about paying less than $60 every 2 weeks for my insurance.  Insurance is one of the reasons I stay with my present company.

[utahmomma]

The insurance company said "no problem" for the PET scan.  See, I'm on that state-sponsored insurance for those of us too sick to get our own insurance.  Because I have a cancer diagnosis I can't buy my own policy (and don't have any through where I work).  Anyway - since all the "sickos" are on this policy I guess they have no problem paying for the expensive tests, they are probably shocked if they don't have to pay for it.  :-)

Probably the fact I pay $600 a month for it too probably doesn't hurt.

Know what I want - I want the exemption for being my own hybrid, alternative fuel source!!!  Do you know what that could do for my taxes??!!  :-)

Argh

[MJ13]

You should get frequent glower miles with all the scans you're getting.  You can probably run a few small towns with all the nuclear glow you're putting off.   Maybe you can sell the extra energy to your power comapny like people with solar energy do.  You should make yourself a T-shirt that says "I-131....the road traveled WAY too often!"  or "I-131....the road with more speed bumps than a Wal-Mart parking lot".  I'm on a roll...arn't I ???

All kidding aside....hope you get some answers soon and feel better too.  Did your insurance approve your PET scan then??

Like Dac said...Hang in there.  Sending you tons of e-hugs!!!

MJ

[DLA]

Boy, when it rains it pours, huh?  Don't you wish they would just get their cr@p together and be done with it?!  Feels like there's always something new.  Getting ready to whine a little of my own, but won't take up your post with it.  You deserve to whine more than I do.

Hang in there and I will be praying for you.  In the mean time you glow, girl!  ; )

HUGS!
Dac