An update...Doctors Appointments and Ice Cream Trucks

Ugh...what a long process this all is. In the past 2-3 weeks I have had about 20 appointments with medical people of one kind or another.  Not only for my breast cancer, but also preparation...such as getting my teeth done and my eyes checked.  I have always hated making appointments.  Anyone who knows me knows that I do much better with spontaneity than I do with schedules.  If someone wants to do something with me, it is better to call me at the time to ask,  than it is to say... "What are you doing next Thursday at noon?".  I don't know what's happening tomorrow, much less next week.  Truly...It has been 3 years since I last saw a dentist (but I had no cavities, just had a couple of fillings replaced).  It had even been 2 years since I last saw a doctor at all...even when I had Pneumonia (I'm pretty sure) last February...thank goodness for the antibiotics I had on hand.  ...And let's not even mention the mammogram I should have had earlier. Scheduling so many appointments and making it to them is like a little bit of hell for me, and I have had a hard time getting anything else done.  If dentist and doctor and mammogram trucks came by my house like the ice cream truck does, I am sure I would jump on occasionally...but alas...they do not.

Fortunately, for a little while things have died down now, at least for a week or so.  I have my surgery for lumpectomy scheduled for March 6.  I have changed surgeons.  While I was waiting for other doctor appointments, I decided to check out a different surgeon who does oncoplastic surgery.  Which, if I understand correctly is the "art" of removing the lump with the best cosmetic outcome.  This means I won't need to have 2 surgeons...one for lump removal and one for reconstruction.  She also has newer methods...such as...When they remove the lump they also remove a few "sentinel" lymph nodes to see if there is any cancer spread to them.  If there is, they remove more, even all of them in the area.  The more lymph nodes removed increases the risk of complications such as lymphedema...which is a condition where the lymph fluid does not drain from the arm and causes it to swell.  This is a permanent condition...and well, being right handed, I would really like to keep using my right arm as much as possible.  The previous doctor works that way.   The new doctor says that if they find cancer in the first lymph nodes, they just radiate the remaining ones.  This may still kill the nodes, but decreases the chance of getting lymphedema.

Anyway, I went back and forth on the decision of which surgeon to choose... Older doctor (Harrison) with 35 years experience, or younger doctor (Gunia) with only a few years experience, but information on more current technique. I consulted friends for opinions (Thanks Garth!) and spent a whole lot of time with Dr. Google.  I even scheduled my surgery for February 27 with Dr. Gunia, but then freaked out and got scared and cancelled it and decided to go with Dr. Harrison.  The next day I regretted that decision and called Dr. Gunia's office back and sheepishly asked if I could take that back and reschedule.  They were very nice and understanding...but I don't think I could get away with doing that again without them getting a really annoyed. I dreaded telling Dr. Harrison's office staff that I was going with someone else.  She had been so nice and enthusiastic... and then suddenly her tone was deflated and professional as she wished me well.  It kind of felt like I had just friend-zoned a longtime boyfriend.

Oh well, that's over and now I can relax for a few days. I have a lot I want to get done before my surgery day, but I am beginning to whittle down the list of what I would like to accomplish (a very long list) vs. what really NEEDS to get done so I won't overwhelm myself...which I am prone to doing.  Truly, I would love if the "Lumpectomy Truck" would just drive by and I could hop on and be done with it. The nice thing is that the subject doesn't dominate my thoughts quite so much.  I even find that hours pass and I haven't thought about it...Ron and I even talk about other things....much to his relief I am sure. 

On a brighter note... Tuesday is my Birthday.  I love my birthday...It is my favorite day of the year! It is the only day of the year that I get to do ANYTHING I want.  I'm not quite sure what that will be yet, but it is a blank slate that no one fills but me.  I schedule no lunch dates or other appointments. (especially doctor appointments).  Some years have been very eventful and some just included going to the temple or taking a long, hot bath.  There is nothing I should do...only what I WANT to do on this one fabulous day of the year.  I can hardly wait...I am as giddy as a child waiting for Christmas!!