Friday, March 12, 2010

More Tests

I found another lump under my arm in February, so on Monday afternoon, I went to the oncologist to have it checked out. She was able to get me right in for an ultrasound and then (amazingly) a biopsy too. Usually, that would have required three separate appointments. Then she shooed me on over to the emergency room for a round of tests on my heart and lungs. When I had told her that I’d been having pressure in my chest for several weeks as well as a dry cough, she said, “Amy…people go to the emergency room for that. Did you think about that?” I had thought about it, and I’m familiar with how fruitless those visits often end up. But Jon and I were also worried about these symptoms so, off we went (…after we went out to eat for a belated Valentine’s date. We’d both missed lunch, the kids were being cared for, and I figured that after weeks of pressure in my chest, time to eat a meal wouldn’t make any difference).

In the emergency room, a series of tests were performed on my heart and lungs, all of which came back resoundingly normal. I was released before 11:00 p.m., and we were home and in bed before midnight. The next day the doctor called to say that the biopsies had also come back entirely normal. This was exciting, especially because what had been removed for biopsy was a lymph node that had been missed during surgery a year-and-a-half ago. It was completely clean of cancer or abnormal cells.

I’m still having pressure in my chest and a cough, but now, the assumption is that my heart or the muscles on the chest wall have been affected by the chemotherapy and/or the radiation. From what I’ve learned, these symptoms may come and go over the years. I hope they’re mostly gone.

All these tests took up only half of a day. Jon and I couldn’t have been more pleased. This could have taken most of a week – or even more - and lots of miles on the interstate. Instead we had one busy day, that’s all done, and the news was all good. And we didn’t have an accident on the way home.

11 comments:

Bonnie said...

LOL, Amy! I was going to comment about you and Jon not having an accident this time then I read the end of your post! So glad the tests came back fine!

Anonymous said...

Praise the Lord, Amy! What an encouragement that things are going well.

Praying for you,

Lisa from Greer

Donna said...

Whew! No accident!!! Praising the Lord with you!

Siberians said...

We were praying for you. We are so thankful that everything looked so good. Praise the Lord for working out all the seeminlgy "little" things in arranging everything so that you could get in and out quickly. So glad it was not a long, drawn-out process. Especially when you have to wait for that kind of news. PRAISE THE LORD!!!!

Adoptedforlife said...

You are amazing which I know where you get your strength. I should not take Life for granted. I dont think I mean too. Each day is precious thing.Things like this makes a person really think about life and how valuable life is. I am going to pray God will just change my heart and let me know my days are numbered and I need to take each day like thier is no tomorrow. I feel like somedays I just dont do a very good job at any of it. Thank you for being real I need to see and here truth and reality of life sometimes. I am glad God put you in my life for such a time as this. I am praying for you and your family and your little boy glad to hear he is doing better. Love Anne

Anonymous said...

Read your heading-- OH, NO!! and the rest with baited breath. So glad it all ended well. You continue to be much in our thoughts and prayers and we'll give praise in SS in the morning.

Jill of all Trades said...

Wow all that would have been sooo scary and stressful and to know all the tests came back fine is GREAT! Especially knowing they missed a lymph node! Wow.... Your story, start to finish..is just such a testimony. Well its not finished yet of course....you have decades left to go! :-)

Anonymous said...

Praise the Lord! So glad to hear the good news.
~Beth Goforth

Anonymous said...

Not sure which was more exciting, the good test results or your not having an accident! Praising God for His care of you. : ) Cindy O.

Anonymous said...

I am so glad to hear of God's continued grace for your family! The boys still pray for you almost daily in their prayers, and we continue to pray, as well! We sure miss seeing you and your family, but we love you and will continue to pray for you all!
Ruth Bustamante

thefedssc said...

Praise the Lord for your good news. God is so good to let you get all that done in one day. That was truly amazing. Hearing no accident was great news, too!