Aaaarghhh!!!! What a day! First, it's been exactly 1 month since the tumor in the neck was diagnosed. I don't think I've ever had a more interesting and fast month, it's flown by and I can't believe everything that's happened.
Now today. It started out normal enough, with the 20th radiation treatment, then occupational therapy. We had a about an hour wait between therapy and the scheduled biopsy at 11:30. We showed up a little after 11:00 to check in, knowing by now that there's always paperwork to complete, and we just wanted to be on time and get the biopsy completed. We'd been told that this biopsy was supposed to be easier than the bone marrow biopsy, which took about an hour, so I was expecting to be done by 1:30 at the very latest. Anyway, we get to Radiology at exactly 11:30 so everything's good. Then we wait until 12:15 before they take me back to the prep room, where they draw some blood, ask some questions, and tell me to wait for a doctor. At about 1:10 an intern doctor came in to ask a couple of questions, but had no information because he's never seen this procedure before. Starting to get the picture? Finally at 2:00 the nurses rolled me into surgery and they started getting me ready. This process seemed almost chaotic. It sounded like there were 8 to 10 people in there hooking me up to all kinds of tubes, IV's, oxygen, patches and other stuff I wasn't sure about. I was lying on my stomach, so I couldn't see what was going on. They gave me meds that were supposed to sedate me, but I was almost completely alert throughout the procedure. When they were done, again I was alert, and asked the nurses if they could explain to me what the process was, and got the reply, "the doctor stuck a needle in your spine and withdrew 4 to 6 bone samples". Thanks guys, nice explanation. I never even met the surgeon that performed the procedure. It felt a little weird when it was happening. It was almost like there was a plunger - I could feel the needle, then I sensed the needle being pushed back and forth a few times with a little popping sound as, I have to presume, it hit the bone. The procedure took about 30 minutes. They had me rest in the OR for about 20 minutes, then moved me to a room at about 3:00. In the room I'm told that I'd be monitored for about 3 hours before being discharged! No way! I haven't eaten in over 20 hours now, am completely alert, and can walk on my own. They ended up feeding me, twice in the next 2 hours. They were supposed to check my vitals every 20 minutes until discharged, but they only checked them 3 times. They finally said they'd checked vitals at 5:30 and probably discharge me. Unfortunately I had just chewed some ice when they took my temperature and it wouldn't read, so the said they'd be right back to check it. At 6:10 we got the nurse and I told her I was going home, what do I need to sign to be discharged. Without a doubt the most frustrating day we've had so far.
The most disappointing part of it was the seeming lack of care today from the health care professionals. We've been so happy with everyone we've been in contact with in the St. Lukes system until today. It just seemed that everyone was distracted and didn't have the same level of care about their patients.
Regardless, the test is done, now we wait for the results. Hopefully we'll find out Friday.