#3 CANCER JOURNEY-UNEXPECTED TURN OF EVENTS

After the lumpectomy, I was scheduled for a PET scan on April 22^nd 2020.  The PET scan is a test where they put radiation into the body.  The results of the test show if there are any overactive cells (defective cells) in the body which could indicate cancer.  They show up as bright spots on the test because they have a higher metabolic rate than normal cells. 

Before the actual test, they inserted an IV.  The nurse then dressed in a protective gown.  She carefully extracted the radiation from a protective container and inserted the radiation into my IV.  I sat in a recliner waiting for a period of time for the radiation to move throughout my body.  I was not allowed to look at my cell phone, watch TV or have any type of activity.  If my brain was too active it could influence the test results.  Once the radiation had gone through my body I was taken to the scanner.  I had to lay on my back completely still during the scan. 

When the PET scan test came back, it revealed an unexpected turn in the road.  It showed high cell activity in my lung area which could have been an indication of a second cancer.  I felt like my whole world turned upside down again.  The Kettering oncologist said I had three choices.  #1 I could do nothing and just observe it.  #2 I could have a lung biopsy.  #3 I could have it surgically removed. 

Emotionally at that time I was at my breaking point.  I had been on a roller coaster ride for three months and felt I could not take another thing.  I immediately chose option #1 to just wait and observe what was going on in the lung.  There was no way I could emotionally handle a lung biopsy or another surgery at that point.

This news also came at the same time I transferred care back to my hometown.  The first time I saw our local Cancer Center, I do not know how to explain the emotions that washed through me.  Reality hit.  I HAD CANCER AND WAS GOING TO BE GOING TO THIS CANCER CENTER FOR MANY PROCEDURES FOR A LONG….LONG…. TIME.  I will never forget how stunned I felt the first time I saw the image in this picture.

When I met with my new oncologist, she did not give me any options.  She insisted that I had to have a lung biopsy.  Internally I screamed NO WAY!  She explained they would insert a long needle THROUGH MY LUNG to get to the area to extract tissue from the tumor.  That horrified me.  I hated needles already let alone a LONG one.  I could not imagine allowing someone to put a long needle in me.  Let alone through my lung.

To complicate the series of events, two days after the PET scan, I was scheduled to have a port implanted.  The purpose for the port was to make it easier to administer chemotherapy in the future.  The chemotherapy drugs were inserted every time through the port instead through an IV.

April 24, 2020 was the day scheduled for the port to be implanted.  I was scared.  I was taken to a prep room where I had to change into a hospital gown from the waist up. 

In the picture I was waiting in the prep room.  Then they inserted an IV into my left arm.  Thankfully, my husband was allowed to wait with me in that room.  I found out later because it was during a bad time with COVID-19 that he should not have been allowed there.  I was grateful that he was there.  Just his presence helped calm my fears. 

The doctor who performed the procedure came to talk to me in the prep room.  He asked if I had any questions.  I asked where the exact location of the port would be.  I was concerned it would show when I wore scooped necklines.  I think he took that into consideration.  His bubbly personality helped relax me. 

Eventually they wheeled the bed into the procedure room.  I was shocked at how lit up the room was.  I felt like I was going into surgery.  Yet in my mind this was just a procedure.  There were lots of nurses and medical personnel around me.  I began to think this must be a bigger deal than I realized so I became more scared. 

Because of the location of where the port was inserted, they put a short curtain in front of my face.  That way I could not see what they were doing.  Because the port was on my left side, they made me turn my head to the right so my chin would be out of the way.  Because I have neck issues, the position was extremely uncomfortable.  Again, they had to insert a couple of painful numbing needles.  I appreciated that the doctor talked to me during the whole procedure.  They also played music during the procedure.  I specifically asked if they could play Christian music which soothed my nerves. 

During the procedure I complained that I had pressure in the middle of my chest.  The doctor was not sure what that was from.  It scared me.  It went away afterwards.  Later I realized that it possibly was because my muscles were weak because of surgery a few weeks earlier.  I do not really know the cause but at the time it scared me.

The port is triangular shaped purple plastic and looks something like this picture. 

 A catheter, which is a thin, flexible tube runs from the port up under my skin to the superior vena cava which is a large vein near my collarbone.  They usually installed the port on the right side.  Because my lumpectomy was on the right side, they chose to put it on my left side.

For many months, I was very self-conscious of how I looked where the port was installed.  You could see where it was because the skin raised out over it.  It also is hard to the touch.  The two incisions showed up quite a bit until they healed.  There was an incision about an inch where the port was installed.  Then there was also an incision about a half inch up near the large vein.  This picture shows the location of the bandages over the incisions after the procedure.

After the procedure, I was taken back to the prep room where my husband had waited.  After a little while, he took me home.

What I never expected was the pain I felt afterwards.  Again, I chose not to take prescription pain medication because I do not like to take medicine.  The pain probably was at least a 9 out of 10.  The reason I think I had so much pain and that it lasted so long was because of the timing of the procedure.  That same week I was supposed to start exercising my right arm as part of the lumpectomy recovery.  When I began exercising, my whole chest area hurt, because of the two incisions and my weak muscles from surgery.  I would never have had the port installed at the same time if I would have known how painful it would have been.

I was also given a wristband for emergency purpose. That way if I were in an accident or had to be transported by an ambulance, the medical personal would be alerted that I had a specific type of port installed.

Thank you for joining me on this journey.  Next time I will continue with what happened as a result of the PET scan results.  You will learn about my lung biopsy experience including the outcome of that procedure.  I thought I was already on a rollercoaster ride.  I had no idea how the ride was going to become even more grueling

I want to leave you with an inspirational thought:

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.  Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” (NLT)

I had had a lot of bad reports over the last several months.  I had to cling to God’s word and attempt to trust him with my whole heart.  I could not manage on my own thoughts and emotions.  I had to trust that God would give me wisdom in choosing or accepting the treatment plan decision.