Biopsy #4

Thursday, I had my fourth biopsy.  I was nervous and I was calm.  It was really weird. 
My appointment was at 10 am, we got to the hospital and checked in.  We got in the elevator and went to the 3rd floor, the Adult Infusion Area.
That scared me.  I didn't like it.  I walked through the doors, and saw the chairs, IV machines {Pablo's extended family} and half walls.  I saw the adults.  Some with friends, some alone.  Some with hair, some were bald.  I didn't like it.  There were smiles on faces, but I still felt very sad.  The nurse walked Jackie and me to the very back of the area.  To the last "infusion stall".   I felt sick to my stomach.  I didn't like it there.  But, I had to suck it up.  All these people, they didn't want to be there either.  I gurantee that. 
We sat down and the nurse, {her name just happened to be KATE...ha!  she also had an awesome British accent} took my vitals {temp, blood pressure}.  Both were fine, by the way. 
I told her that before I was discharged {one week and one day ago} the nurse said just to have them {infusion nurse} change my dressing over my catheter.  It has to be changed every week, and, well, let a professional do it, right!? 
Kate said that wouldn't be a problem and she walked away.  She came back a few moments later with a cart.  I had to have blood work done before they could do the biopsy.  So, she drew the blood and flushed my line.  Then, she took the cart away and brought back another cart a few moments later.  She said it would be a few more minutes before they did the biopsy, so she was going to change my dressing now.  I thought immediately of all the half-walls in this room.  How many conversations I have already overheard and how many "take home care" directions I have heard just in my short time in the INfusion Area.  These people are NOT going to like me.  I am not a quiet patient.  My skin is super sensitive, I feel a lot of pain when they change my dressing and clean my catheter area.  The people in here have suffered enough; they shouldn't have to hear me whine and whimper like a puppy that has to go potty.  But, I figured MAYBE it won't hurt this time. It hasn't bothered me at home NEARLY half as much as it did in the hospital.  CHYEAH, right.
{Let me state, for the record, Kate was awesome! She did nothing wrong. She was very gentle, even offered to stop and cover it until after the biopsy.}
But, that HURT. First, you have to remove the sticky "all tape" bandage.  That's all it is...a huge clear sticker over top of a catheter.  Then, they take these HUGE cotton swabs that are soaked in alcohol and rub it all over the area.  ESPECIALLY the part that is tunneling into your skin {it burns}.  After that dries, there is a dish scrubber looking thing: just a little smaller.  It has some kind of soap or cleaner in it.  {That also burns} Then, after that dries, a new dressing can be put on.  And, we're done. 

I know, I sound like a wimp.  But, it is uncomfortable and I am trying to be honest...haha
So, honestly, I am a wimp.  HA!

In my area was a gurney.  When Jackie and I first got there, we both saw it and I thought, TO BE SURE they would NOT do my biopsy HERE!?  I asked Kate, and she said, "Oh no!  They have seperate room for that."  Whew! That room has a door, okay, we are good!

While we were waiting, a guy comes in.  He is from the Research Team at the hospital. He asked me if I would be willing to participate in their research.  They would take a sample from the biopsy that day, and just compare from here on out.  I wouldn't need to give anything extra to the research except a cheek swab.  No extra pain involved. I could do that.  No problem.  He grabbed his swab things and did the cheek swipe. 

After he leaves, the doctor comes to me.  She introduces herself and starts to tell me what she is going to do.  I stop her.  Quickly, before I hear something I don't wanna.  I put my hand up and say, "Not necessary!  I don't want to know what you do back there.  Just let me know when I get my morphine and adavan.  That's all I want/need to know!"  Short and sweet. She smiles and laughs a little, and says "Okay! Well, AFTER we are done, you can leave and come back on Monday for the results.  So, if you'll follow me to the room, we will get started."

My Biopsy Face



I get to the room and sit down on the bed.  The nurse comes in with a pillow, blanket, morphine and adavan. She gets right down to business!  I ask them to put the stuff in slowly, because the last time I was injected with it, it went straight to my head and stomach and I thought I was going to explode.  Maybe not quite that dramatic, but, close.  So, she pushes it all through very slowly.  Still, I feel nauseated, so I lay down and let her finish.  I got 2mL of Morphine, which even surprised the Doctor.  {I weighed in on Thursday at 98 lbs} and 1mL of adavan.  Lots of meds.  FUN times.

 

My morphine face:

 



 

So, you can imagine the fun things that come out of my mouth. Or the fun things that DON'T come out of my mouth.  Somehow, even with all that in me, I manage to retain a small filter.  {no cursing, just random, funny, sometimes blunt things.} 
Once she got started, I was talking {I like to talk...especially on morphine} and something got me tickled.  I mean, laughing so hard my body was shaking and I started crying, tickled.  She was literally sucking out marrow and cells, and I was LAUGHING, y'all.  I couldn't believe it {which made me laugh even more} Jackie couldn't believe it, the doctor even said that was a first for her!
I thought, this is awesome.  I don't feel a thing.  Then, something would hurt, I'd say OUCH! and bust out laughing again.  Fantastic!
She stopped, said she was done with the fluid sample, now she needed the solid sample.  " Wait, what!?"  I did not know anything about this.  First time hearing it.  It might have had something to do with the "wait, don't tell me ANYTHING" thing I said earlier and before EVERY biopsy.  But, I digress.  I asked her if she was kidding. She assured me she wasn't.  I was not happy anymore.  Not once she started.  This sample HURT.  I was not laughing anymore. 
And, that's all I will say about that.
After she was finished, she put pressure on the wound for a few minutes and while I settled down, and laid back, she said whenever I was ready to go, I was free to.
I asked her some questions that I probably should have asked back when I was first diagnosed, but what the hey!
"Isn't this a blood cancer:  What if the hip sample is clear, but I have other cancer cells hiding out in my arm or in my ribs?  Why do the sample from my hip?"  I also asked about follow up treatment, but that is a question better asked of my actual doctor.  She did tell me that all my counts seemed to be up to a "normal level" so, I could probably go without my mask in most places, but that I still needed to be careful and cautious in crowds.  And, that I didn't need to be planting flowers in my garden. I told her " NO PROBLEM.  I didn't do that before I got sick, and I certainly am not going to start now!"  {I have a pink thumb...not green}

I collected myself, sat up and teetered like a drunk sailor at Fleet Week, to the wheelchair. 
Jackie wheeled me out to the lobby, and I tottered to the bathroom.  That was fun.  No really, it was.  I was sore, but I did manage to laugh at myself in the mirror as I sauntered by.


The "after shot" in the elevator.  It's blurry because he took it right when the elevator stopped and the door opened!

 

 

I knew after we were done, that I wanted to go see my nurses back on the 4th floor, so we went up, and I told Jackie I wanted to WALK in there.  So, I did.  Still a little wobbly, but I did it.  I saw about 4 nurses that I had the pleasure of knowing, and walked around to the B side to see if there were anymore. There weren't.  I walked back around to A side and the halls, to see if I missed one in particular, but I didn't see her.  She wasn't working. I went up to the receptionist and asked her if she could page the recreational therapist, Kelley, she is AWESOME, y'all.  Love her.
She paged her, I told her to put 911 in it.  She did.  I like that receptionist.
Kelley came down the hallway a few moments later and we hugged.  She, at least I think, looked happy to see me.  I don't think I annoyed the crap out of everyone there.
We chatted for a few minutes, she seemed impressed that I had just had a biopsy a half an hour before and I was standing and talking like normal.  That made me feel good.  I'm not gonna lie.
We said our goodbyes and Jackie and I left the hospital.  We will be back on Monday for my results.

Here are some "just because" pictures:

Sadie being silly!

 

 

Man, have I missed this kind of stuff!!