Cancer Chronicles

July 22, 2023

     CARDOLOGY

     I kicked the week off looking forward to today knowing that I had just two doctors’ appointments left, before my return trip to Boston to see our Detroit Tigers play the Red Sox in August. There will be one other jaunt to my primary for a B-12 injection but that doesn’t involve much. Just show up and get stuck with a needle. 

     I think of all the pokes and jabs I’ve had since the mid ’90’s when I first started showing signs of cardiac problems and couldn’t even begin to count how many times a vampire has come along and drawn blood, or some scientific remedy has flowed from the tip of the needle into my blood stream. I certainly could never have been a junkie, as even to this day, I can’t stand the sight of a needle. Still turn my head when i see it in either a nurse or phlebotomist hand. 

     I’ll start the side stepping and heehawing around early. I’ve started ornament shopping for my Christmas Tree already. It is ‘Christmas in July,’ after all. 

      I’ve still got that holiday spirit I inherited from her left in me, and I plan on hanging on to it forever. 

     My first appointment this week was with my cardiologist, DR S. Scheduled as a routine checkup, this was the first time I had seen him since my cancer diagnosis in June. 

     My customary sidenote: That diagnosis really sucked. Especially coming during my ‘Birthday Month’ celebrations. Enough said.

     I always give Dr. S the credit and he’s rightly deserving. Today, I’ll mention his office manager and head nurse, Chrissy. She’s always been my first line of contact with Doc and this visit wasn’t any different. She had already known of my prostate cancer and immediately asked how I was doing, with real empathy in her tone. It’s refreshing to know someone cares and you can tell because they’re actually looking at you, rather than reading it in type via social media or hearing the words over the phone.

      Christmas in July    

     Some cool Mini Mouse Ears (above) and Ariel ‘The Little Mermaid’ (below) that I ordered from the Disney Store to add to my Christmas Tree this year.

     Back in early March, during my defibrillator change out, ablations and eventually being cardioverted I had told her she reminded me of the television show character played by Jamie Farr, aka ‘Klinger’ on M.A.S.H. This woman has the ability and connections to get anything done and fast. She had me cleared, within hours, of having the cardioversion I required; and had scheduled the hospital procedure roughly thirty-six hours later. Only Klinger could’ve ever pulled that off. Thank you, Chrissy, for all you do behind the scenes!

     The tech for my device from Abbott, its’ manufacturer, came in the room first. He ran the customary scans on the defibrillator. All went well as I hoped it would, as the implant is new and had only been implanted three months earlier after its predecessor’s battery had run low. (Once the power level goes low, the entire device is changed out rather than just the battery) However, one setting in it had come to his attention and said he’d discuss it with the doctor. Moments later, he adjusted the pacemaker part of the device settings so that my ventricular wasn’t pacing as fast. Thus, being able to extend the batteries lifespan, a bit, to an estimated seven years from maybe six and a half. Good to know. Everything else was fine.

     Dr S came in the room a few moments later with an intern and reviewed the diagnostics just ran by the tech. He proceeds to listen to my heart through a stethoscope. Once the exam was completed, he said I was doing well. Heart was beating good, and defibrillator was operating fine.

     Then our talks changed from my heart to the cancer diagnosis. 

     One of the obstacles I was running into over the cancer treatment was obtaining an MRI because of the implant and magnetic field the imagining machine releases as it plays havoc on the device. Treatment itself can still be applied but with imagining results oncology has a better view of what’s going on. The hospital where my oncologist works out of has MRI capabilities however, they won’t use it on some implant recipients because of that and I happen to be one of them. Which left the University of Michigan as an option. However, one can only imagine the wait list there.

     Chrissy and I had spoken earlier in my appointment about this very issue. She had mentioned the same hospital that I stayed earlier in the year, where Dr S had done the previous heart procedures and operation to switch my current device, has those very capabilities.

     During our talks, Dr S confirmed and recommended that. I thanked him as I exited the room to go schedule my next appointment for October.

     ONCOLOGY 

     In between my scheduled cardiology and urology appointments I received a call from my oncologist’s head nurse informing me that the MRI couldn’t be done at the same hospital where I will be having treatment at. I knew this and my over-thinking will have paid off before her next call. Scheduling had called earlier in the week with the news. Thus, the discussion with Chrissy.

     I informed her of the latest news from Dr. S that it could be done at my heart hospital, and she agreed to set it in motion. The next day she called once again and said the hospital would be contacting me this upcoming week with information on scheduling the procedure. Obstacle cleared. One step ahead.

     UROLOGY 

     This appointment was a mere handoff for Dr L to send me officially over to oncology. We chatted about my decision to opt for the five-treatment plan and inferred that it would’ve been his decision for me as well, if I had sought his input. Age and remaining life expectancy weighted in my decision making as we, also, discussed the very strong possibility of getting into my 80’s afterwards. Unration and sex were also topics. 

     We ended with a slight mention that I may be finished with treatments by my next appointment with him, which was also scheduled for October. All in all, things are working out as planned so far and mentally I’m dealing. Must say writing about it does help.  

Why Not Smile

my life