I woke early and spent my time writing on here. When Brian woke he said he dreamt that they took out the wrong kidney. We sat and chatted for a bit before getting up and getting ready for the day. We headed off to meet the Urologist in Hartford. After winding our way through the halls of Saint Francis we found our way to the Urologists office only to discover that all though we were told he would be able to access the scans that had been done, he couldnt. All he had to go by was the report that was faxed over from the er. He told us that the report indicates the kidney is enlarged with extensive lobulation, and marked abnormalities. No where does the report mention the word tumor or suspicion of cancer noted. However without looking at the scans himself he was unwilling to go any further today. He did state that the kidney certainly looks funny according to the report. He is not ready to say cancer, but not ready to say its not either. He told us he wants to order another cat scan of the abdomen, this time with contrast, & then see him next Thursday. We left his office and headed to the cancer center in Enfield. When we were just about there we got a phone call telling us insurance doesnt want to allow the scan until November. I just dont understand how insurance companies can tell a patient that in order to get the tests required for an accurate diagnosis of cancer they need to wait at least 4 months. Insurance companys problem I am assuming is that the er did a scan without contrast, where the urologist needs contrast to see everything he needs to see. Now, even more annoyed, we arrive at the Oncologists office. We entered the office wondering if all of this was some over reacting strange er doc. She was by far the strangest er doc I have ever met, but anyway. ... The Oncologist popped his head into the room just long enough to introduce himself and his assistant and to let us know that he understood there was some questions as to the existence of the mass, but that he had viewed all the scans himself and the mass was 14cm. He then left to go over to radiology to double check some information. He returned after a brief period of time. He explained that he saw it in the Hartford er scans & in the chest scans that were done there at the surgical center. He went on to tell us that everything else is good there is no sign of trouble anywhere else. However the mass is 14cm and highly concerning. The kidney no longer looks like a kidney it looks like a mass of misshapen cells and is stolen and not functioning properly. He wants it out now! So the plan is to gather up all the discs for all the scans done and and bring them to the Urologist on Monday in hopes that we can avoid a battle with the insurance company regarding another cat scan on Tuesday. And that the doctor will have enough information that we could move forward after Thursdays visit. The oncologist is so certain that surgery is required that he had us schedule a pre-op with Brians PCP for Friday the 12th. And the best news, there is no need for anything other than the surgery. No radiation, No chemotherapy, just keeping an eye on everything to make sure nothing else develops by making a visit to the oncologist 4 times a year. So our normal has changed, but not nearly as much as we thought at first. God is so very good! Keep the prayers coming! Thank you all! ♡♡♡
Posted on: Fri, 04 Jul 2014 01:11:31 +0000