We just got back to Blaine after a 3 day trip to Mayo. This was a 3 month check and included an MRI of the femur area. They had planned to do a CT scan and Chest x-ray, but decided to hold off so there would be no issues with insurance in doing the PET scan on August 26th. Chen will send Dr. Houdek the results and the actual scans once they complete them at Park Nicollet and he will be able to review that for any chest issues. What he is looking for is any nodules that show up in the chest area which is something that sarcoma can do.
The MRI was fine. Had that on Wednesday, except for the fact that my right arm was squished in the machine and in so much pain!!!! I kept thinking I could squeeze the bulb to let the technician that I had a question and ask if I could move my arm, but I kept thinking we must almost be done!!! Then they finally stopped it to start the contrast and I told them my arm was in so much pain, so I got to stretch it out and then could fold it across my chest area for the last 12 minutes so it would not be squished up to the side of the machine. I have issues already with my right arm getting sort after playing the keyboard, crocheting or any repetitive movements like that, so having it squished really fired up the pain!!
David and I were talking about the number of people that work with you with an appointment. For instance with the MRI, one person gets you from the waiting room to the changing room, then a nurse comes in and gets you ready for the IV, then another person takes you from the changing room to the MRI room, but first you have to stand in a circle where you are scanned to make sure you have no metal inside of you. Then in the MRI room there are 2-3 techs to get you set up in the machine. 45 minutes later the techs come to take out the IV and get you out of the MRI bed. Then someone walks you to the hallway, where another person takes you back to the changing area. Just amazing the number of people that you interact with in an appointment and just how many people they have employed there. There is always someone (non-medical it seems) that takes you from the waiting area to the exam room.
When we were sitting in the waiting room today, the woman next to me was sitting in a wheel chair and she said to her husband (at a louder volume than should have been used…LOL) “you know there are a lot of people on this floor and can you imagine how many people are in the building. If you really wanted to take a lot of people out, this would be the place!” YIKES lady….these days I am not even sure one should think that let alone say it out loud. I just looked at David, my eyes wide, shaking my head.
So yesterday about 30 minutes after the MRI was done, I got a message from my Mayo app and looking saw I had a message from Dr. Houdek (the surgeon) already. First he said Happy Belated Birthday 🙂 then he said that my MRI looked fine. That is one thing I will say about Dr. Houdek and his NP that they are VERY responsive for giving you test results or responding to a message that was sent to them. I guess I would have thought I would give Mayo doctors a day or two before I would get a response but for Dr. Houdek it has always been either very quick or within a few hours. When he walked in today…he is so tall, he almost has to duck his head to get through the doorway…he said “my you have had a lot going on since last I saw you” and gave his great, eye twinkling smile. I had kept him up on the broken bones in my foot and the lymphoma treatments so he was aware of the last few months.
The range of motion in my leg is still only 40 degrees, but he was not really surprised considering I only had the boot off for a few weeks. But he was impressed that I used my walked to get from the hotel to the Mayo appointments rather than taking one of the Mayo wheelchairs. And my leg certainly knew we had done a lot of walking over the last 3 days. He did suggest that I wear the leg brace again if I am planning to walk a long distance just to protect from the knee going out on me. But that knee brace will slide down my leg and settle on top of my ankle which makes walking impossible!! I have PT yet this afternoon so I will definitely see what Tom the PT has to say. Dr. Houdek said it is still the quad that needs strengthening. My knee is pretty swollen but he was not concerned about that…really considers that “normal” even up to a year. There is no swelling around the incision which was good. Will go back in 3-4 months.
While there we decided to eat at Ruth Chris Steakhouse. We were prepared for it being expensive, but we did share a meal and had the best steak ever. All the food was good and the service was amazing. It was nice because that is right in the hotel so we didn’t really have to take the car out of the parking garage at all.
Well good to have a positive result from the MRI and from the surgeon. I told him I will try my hardest not to have any other “adventures” in the next 3 months before I see him again. Still am fatigued from that Rituxan, which he agreed with as much as my body has been through these last few months he can understand that my fatigue level is high. Now just wait until the end of August for blood work, PET scan and appointment with Chen to confirm all is good. I will see Chen every 3 months and Mayo every 3-4 months for the next year or so.
Sounds like the HOT weather will be coming here!! Thank goodness for AC or at least cool basements. We have some commitments at Carefree and some here in Blaine so will go back and forth for the next few months.
Hope everyone is doing good! Take care!!
Dandy Ventures 