Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Overwhelmed

Contrary to what appears to be an over-share, I am a fairly private person. Being the center of attention makes me uncomfortable. While I'm not terribly shy, I am reserved. (if that makes sense)

A lot of you are not shocked by that statement. 

I agonized over the decision to share my recent story. In the end, I realized I don't know much...but I know running. If my experience helped even one runner, searching for answers, it was worth the extra attention.

"Thank you" will never begin to cover the feeling my husband I have regarding the outpouring of support we have received. If someone can come up with a phrase or gesture to fully convey "holy cow. We don't deserve this much love and you are all absolutely amazing", please let me know.  I just...I'm blown away.

Feel free to skip or skim any of the updates posted. Again, I'm desperate to NOT seek attention. I do feel that the information is, or could be, invaluable, though. Additionally, it has already opened doors to people I would not have normally met, who have excellent insight.

So...another sleep-deprived, head-full-of-new-information update: 

important. Plus, posts without pictures are lame

My primary care office was ON IT, this morning. After all my previous struggles, they've done a complete 180 and are now a fully functioning piece of this. I am very grateful for what they accomplished, today. 

I saw an Oncologist/Hematologist first thing, this morning. He did bloodwork and found no red flags. (yes!!) 
He also read the reports from the MRI and CT Scan, (but didn't have any of the images) and was not as convinced as the other doctors that what they're seeing is a tumor. 

Here is my concern regarding this piece : As soon as I told him I was a runner, he stopped taking notes. I worry he is being too quick to write this off as an injury. Yes, we will all do a (so careful) dance of joy if this a stress fracture that has not shown up for 3 doctors on 3 different scans, but that just seems "off" at this point. Neurotic over-thinking and sharing? Maybe. It's kinda my new thing. 

Additionally, he explained how bone biopsies are not like other biopsies. If this were any other part of the body, they would likely start with a biopsy. However, with it being so invasive and delicate a procedure, he wants to check a few more boxes before taking that route. Fine by us. 

This doctor spent a great deal of time with Art and I and we left feeling confident with his decisions and much more calm about the situation, as a whole. 

To be clear : No cancer has been confirmed or diagnosed at any point. 

I now have all of my scans on a disc, as well as a fresh, new, chest X-ray. If it is Sarcoma, the lungs are the next place it would have traveled, if any traveling had taken place. Again, nothing confirmed, denied or diagnosed. Simply another box to check. 

The images will be taken to an Orthopedic doctor he trusts. The oncologist tells us (more or less), that this fine gentleman will say : "This is MY specialty. What you have is an injury and here is how we will fix it." 

or 

"This is MY specialty. In my experience, I have not seen an injury that looks like what you have on these scans. It is time for a biopsy" 

So, that is the next box to be checked. The skilled Orthopedic doctor who holds more answers. 

Again and again and again : Thank you. Your concern, comments, texts, thoughts, love, prayers, offers to help and wisdom have made this day one trillion times easier than it should have been. 

Since I have you all here, and this is technically still a running blog, I'll leave you with a picture of my toes after running 100 miles. My gift to you. 

YOU'RE WELCOME!! 


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