What Is An Orthopedic Oncologist?
I met Dr. Templeton on June 19, 2009. At my first appointment we reviewed my tests, the X-rays, MRI and Bone Scan. She didn't seem too concerned about the MRI or Bone Scan, since I had a tumor the contrast would show up in that area, but she was concerned about the X-ray. My tumor was 10 cm, with white margins and a dark center. The dark center was concerning because it mean the tumor had not had a chance to calcify, which meant that the dark area was recent growth, which meant it was more likely to be cancer.
I was sent for one more test, a Thallium test, to find out once and for all if I had cancer. The scan was hard because I had to sit still for an hour while getting my IV and then lay still while getting the scan. Anyone who knows me knows how much I fidget and move around, sitting still is torture.
After it was over I was told that I would hear back the next Tuesday.
On Tuesday I taught a Bootcamp class and told my students that I hoped to not hear from the doctors office that day. No news is good news, right? And if they don't call right away it means it's nothing serious... or at least that was my logic. I got my wish, didn't hear anything that day.
On Wednesday my husband and I got into a fight. He wanted me to call, I refused. I didn't want to know, the less I knew the better. My husband had a class that day so he texted and called me a few times asking if I had called Dr. Templeton's office yet. He wasn't pleased when I told him "no".
I finally did get a call, from Dr. Templeton's nurse Brenda. I don't remember the entire conversation, just the words "Unfortunately, it's more aggressive than we thought." I made an appointment to see Dr. T the following Tuesday, to discuss my options and get a surgery date. I know my husband called me at some point after I got off the phone and when I told him the news he said he was coming home. I also called my mom. But that's pretty much all I remember of that time. I just went into shock and survival mode.
At my appointment with Dr. T I had to have a chest CT to make sure there were no lung nodules. Chondrosarcoma tends to metastasize to the lungs so she wanted to make sure I had no other issues going on before the surgery. I remember going through the CT machine and thinking "I'm too young for this", which in hindsight is a stupid thought when you think about all the children and young adults who get cancer. I also had all of my pre-op tests, bloodwork, and admission paperwork done that day. We set the date for July 7, 2009, there was someone who had already scheduled the first surgery so I was going second.
On July 6, 2009 my husband and I drove up to Kansas City and spent the day shopping and eating out. It was fun, but there was also some tension. We knew there were risks with the surgery and i'm sure that in the back of both our minds we were thinking of the possibility of me dying. We were trying to make the most of it, and I think we did. The kids were in Oregon, my parents were AWESOME in helping us out with them, so it was nice to just have some time alone as a couple. I was also trying to savor every moment of walking, I didn't know how long it would be before I would walk again and I wanted to enjoy every minute.
I think I was supposed to be at the hospital around 8 am the next day since I was second in line. We got there, waited, waited and waited. Brenda, Dr. T's nurse, came into the waiting room and let us know that Dr. T had been asked to help with another surgery so I would be 3rd in line. So we sat and waited and waited and waited some more. I started getting worried about the staff starting my IV, I'm a hard stick anyway, and since I hadn't eaten since midnight I knew it would be even more "fun". Around noon, Brenda called us out of the waiting room and let us know that there had been a complication with the surgery before mine and that my surgery wouldn't be happening that day. I was rescheduled for first surgery on Friday morning and Dr. T's office reimbursed us for the hotel room. It was a huge let down driving home that afternoon. We had mentally prepared ourselves for the surgery and I was so ready to get it over with, waiting 3 more days felt like torture.
After that experience we decided to just drive to the hospital on Friday morning. I had to be there at 5:30 am, so I just opted not to go to bed. I stayed up, read, watched a movie and tried not to think about the surgery. I figured I would sleep during the surgery and I wanted to be a bit tired so that I would be sleepy, and hopefuly not as anxious. We got to the hospital, checked in, and almost immediately I was taken back to the surgery prep area. I got a gown, some slippers and an awesome hat. It didn't take very long before nurses were coming in, getting my information, an anesthesia student came in to start my IV (took her 2 tries and then she managed to get so much blood everywhere we had to change the sheets, my gown and the blankets). Then the anesthesiologist came in to discuss options for pain relief and to let me know I would be getting something to help me relax (in my opinion you should get this before the IV is started). I got a nerve block, similar to an epidural except lower, for my leg and he told me that I would be pain free post surgery. Everything happened so fast at that point and I was sleepy because the drugs kicked in and I don't remember a lot. They brought my husband in, but it was so crowded and busy we just got to have a quick kiss and "I'll see you later" before I was wheeled out to the the OR. I remember saying very clever and witty things to the nurses and doctors while waiting to go to sleep and the last thing I remember was a mask, someone telling me to count back from 10...
.... and then I woke up... in pain.... and telling the nurse the the @#$*(& anesthesiologist had lied to me. Recovery is a bit of a blur, Dr. T came and talked to me letting me know that the surgery went well, they got all the tumor, it had been biopsied and it was 100% cancer. She told me that my bones looked great, nice and strong, and that I had lost a good deal of blood and was close to needing a transfusion. Next thing I remember was being wheeled out to my room, seeing Gabe, and pain from being moved to my bed. I had a pump for my nerve block, with a little button I could push, and they told me to push it whenever I hurt so they could get an accurate measure of my pain level. I think I pushed that button no less than 100 times when they moved me. I had a great nurse who offered me Morphine and I took her up on her offer. Morphine and Dilaudid became my best friends that night.
I was in the hospital for 5 days and I think I surprised everyone with how quickly I gained my strenth after the surgery. The first 3 days were really painful, at one point I thought I'd never get out of bed again and I would have clung on for dear life had anyone tried to get me up. Sitting up was torture and just I needed either morphine or dilaudid if I had to roll over or move my leg. Thankfully Dr. T had orders that I was not to allowed out of bed for 3 days, and by day 3 moving around in bed was less painful. The first time out of bed I got dizzy and almost threw up, and could only sit in the chair next to my bed for 5 minutes. By the 5th day I was navigating the stairs with the physical therapist, and did 2 laps around the orthopedics floor. Dr. T had no reason to keep me in the hospital any longer and I was ready to get home.
On the afternoon of July 15th I was loaded in the car to head home and begin my new life as a Cancer survivor.
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