My second four-month cancer check-up did not go as planned. Dr. Moussa has ordered a PET scan and a thoracentesis.
Let me back up for a minute. I’ve had a terrible bout
of acute bronchitis since the end of August. I’m on my second round of
antibiotics, having just finished a six-day pack of oral steroids. Because of
abnormal lung sounds, my primary care physician ordered a CT scan with contrast
of my lungs back in August. That revealed mild to moderate pleural effusion on
the lower right lobe, so she ordered a second scan to take place at the end of
September.
In the meantime, I had another follow-up appointment
with her (Dr. Frances Horn) last Wednesday, though I felt better than before. I
was surprised when she listened to my lungs and immediately said I needed the
second round of antibiotics. She asked if I would like to listen with her stethoscope,
so I did and was shocked by what I heard: low, loud rumbling sounds that
mimicked my stomach when it is busy digesting food. I go in this Wednesday for
another follow-up.
So, when I had my vitals taken by a nurse before I saw
my oncologist, Dr. Moussa, last Thursday, I was sure to tell her about the
scan, and she looked it up for him to see. His concern was immediate. Did I
have chest pressure? Yes, on my right side, and I had assumed it was from the mastectomy.
Fevers or chills? No. Coughing? Yes. He looked at my arms and said he saw mild
edema in my right arm, which neither I nor my physical therapist had noticed.
He said he wanted me to have a PET scan and a thoracentesis
ASAP. (Of course, insurance must approve first.) The PET scan will be at OCSRI
(Oklahoma Cancer Specialist and Research Institute) in Tulsa, hopefully yet
this week. The thoracentesis will be done tomorrow at St. John’s in Tulsa.
Just in case you don’t know what a thoracentesis is: a
long needle is inserted into the pleura, which is a lining around the lungs, to
extract some of the fluid. Then the sample will be sent to a lab to test for
cancer cells.
On Friday, my blood work results were posted on my
patient portal. Two of them are not encouraging: my platelet count and tumor
antigen count are high.
Is there a silver lining to this story? Well, only that
I won’t need the second CT scan since I will be having a PET scan.
I’m still numb with shock. Here are the three scenarios
that I can think of, from best to worst:
1. 1, The pleural effusion is caused by the
infection in my lungs.
2. 2. The pleural effusion is caused by lymphatic
fluid ending up where it shouldn’t. (Yes, that swelling in my arm is
lymphedema.)
3. 3.The pleural effusion is caused by cancer
recurrence.
Number 3 is the worst-case scenario. Survival rates for
persons whose breast cancer has metastasized into the lungs tends to be measured
in months, not years.
Pray with me. Pray for me. Pray for my children, who
are devastated by this news. Pray that we will be upheld by the Holy Spirit.
(And a p.s.: we are not yet telling the grandchildren.)
