Health update - March 12, 2013 (Scott)

Its chemo time.....I headed to the hospital at 12:15pm today. 1st we go for blood work, the lab is very slow, I arrived at 12:45 and 1hr later the blood work is complete. I always cringe when a male nurse is on duty, but other than being slow, this fella does a fine job. I wait another hour or so till it has been tested and Dr T will see me. My wife is by my side as she has been all along, a great wife she is.

The clinic is very busy. Most every one here is older than me this time. There are people from all walks of life. A blind lady is guided by her dog as she navigates the clinic, it is simply amazing to watch the 2 of them work together.

Since I too have a cold I likely should be wearing a mask as others are, but I learned from experience that I don't like smelling my own trapped bad breath that much. Its horrid.

My mood is ok as I wait, ya I have the usual anxieties like, have my lymph nodes grown, is that why my right hand falls asleep, etc. It is after all a sign, overgrown nodes reduce circulation, which causes sleeping hands or feet. Perhaps though it is just the chemo. I wonder too when my next CT scan will be or if I even want it. Do I really wanna know whether or not lymph node tumours are regrowing inside me?

Its about 2 and I am still waiting, some dude walks around the corner with flannel pjs and a brown sweater. Perhaps I could help him with some fashion sense while I am here:):). Its 2:15 and I get the call, no I have not been called up by the Pittsburgh Penguins, I am simply being summoned to the next step, another holding cell to wait for Dr T. I do the usual weigh in, youch, 212 pounds. Wowsers!! Hey there goes flannel pants Henry again...he just walked by. I wonder what he weighs. Those pjs must weigh a ton. Hopefully he keeps them on for his weigh in.

Today we wanna ask Dr T if I can proceed with dental work, about my sleeping hand and when my next scan is. I don't really want the scan but would like to know if the nodule on my lung has grown. I like Dr T, she is informative. Its 2:25 and I see her nurse, who is nice and puts my mind at ease. She doesn't notice any enlarged nodes and doesn't feel my sleeping hand is cancer related. My vitals are good, thank you Lord. Yet again the comment is made, "my you have a low heart rate, are you athletic" to which I answer, ah nope in my best shtanky speak. I see Dr T at 3 and she seems very pleased, answers my questions and says they will review my lung in June.

On my way out I see flannel pants Henry yet again. I wonder what his story is, perhaps our paths will cross again. So onward and upward we go, thankful for an ever patient and gracious God.

Thus far 2013 has been a far more pleasant year than 2012. I have traded in anti depressants for working out 3 or 4 times a week (started in November) and seeing a phyciatrist (started in August) ......so far so good, but still a long way to go as I work towards an overall healthier outlook. I am grateful for my supportive family and draw inspiration from my dear wife who has faced so much and others who have faced up to tuff stuff at middle age, R.A. Dickey and Micheal Landsberg come to mind, both have very inspirational stories.

TSN’s Landsberg opens up about depression
R.A.Dickey
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