First, About Billybob:
Tomorrow, July 1, Bill and I and JG, Bill's friend since 8th grade, will go to Winston Salem for Bill's PET scan, which scan will check more than just his lymph node, we just found out. It will go from the base of his head all the way down to near his knees. I'm always in favor of more information, rather than less, and neither of us is worried at all that they will find anything besides that node they're looking for. He's been photographed more than the Eiffel Tower at this point, so what surprises could there be? (None, please!) I'll post the results as soon as we get them...
About Kim Jong Il--Some News In Brief to Keep You Current:
Kim Jong-Il Doesn't Know How He Keeps Winning Lottery
PYONGYANG—After winning his ninth $10 million lottery jackpot in as many weeks, North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il continues to be "stunned" by his good luck. "Certainly the fates smile with a benevolent countenance upon myself, the most Exalted Supreme Leader-For-Life of the great nation of Korea!" said Kim, who acts as Chairman of the National Democratic Council, Commander of the National Defense Commission, Supreme Director of the North Korean Powerball and MegaMillions Lotteries, and General Secretary of the Worker's Party of Korea. "Truly, heaven has blessed me once again with great wealth, as well as the love of my people!" The dictator said the winnings come at a particularly fortuitous time, as he is currently broke after spending all of his previous eight jackpots on plutonium. -- The Onion
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Saturday, June 26, 2010
PET Scan this coming Thursday, July 1
So did I already tell you this?
This coming Thursday, July 1st, back to Wake for Bill's PET scan. The scan takes several hours, but it doesn't begin till 1 pm, so we don't have to get up early.
Score one for the lazy Drennans.
We won't get results till maybe the next day or so. They call with results. If it's cancer in the lymph node, he goes back for its demise.
But Dr. Torti does not think it is cancer. That was a surprise!
He said, "If I were a betting man, I'd say it's not cancerous. I'd say it is a lymph node merely reacting to the surgery. But better to be safe than sorry."
(Illustration foul-up still in progress: obviously what possible better photo could I put up for a post about PET scans that a picture of Kim Jong Il with a pet. Which I have. But for some reason, my blog program is still ignoring my request to put up a picture. If I knew html, which I used to, but forgot, I could do it manually. Oh well. I guess you are temporarily left imagining Kim Jong Il with a pet. A pet WHAT, though? Ahhhhhh! That's the question!)
This coming Thursday, July 1st, back to Wake for Bill's PET scan. The scan takes several hours, but it doesn't begin till 1 pm, so we don't have to get up early.
Score one for the lazy Drennans.
We won't get results till maybe the next day or so. They call with results. If it's cancer in the lymph node, he goes back for its demise.
But Dr. Torti does not think it is cancer. That was a surprise!
He said, "If I were a betting man, I'd say it's not cancerous. I'd say it is a lymph node merely reacting to the surgery. But better to be safe than sorry."
(Illustration foul-up still in progress: obviously what possible better photo could I put up for a post about PET scans that a picture of Kim Jong Il with a pet. Which I have. But for some reason, my blog program is still ignoring my request to put up a picture. If I knew html, which I used to, but forgot, I could do it manually. Oh well. I guess you are temporarily left imagining Kim Jong Il with a pet. A pet WHAT, though? Ahhhhhh! That's the question!)
Friday, June 25, 2010
Kim Jong Il and the Giant Bunny Idea
I am sorry to report that my blog program is refusing to allow me to put up pictures today.
Therefore, you will have to imagine the photo I have right here, unpostable, of Kim Jong Il holding a HUGE rabbit by the ears. This rabbit is bigger than a German Shepherd, almost as big as Kimmy Jong hisseff.
Apart from that you-had-to-be-there attempt to amuse you, I am trying to remember what else we were going to tell you from yesterday.
Dr. Torti looks like a movie star. I can't think which one. And he's REALLY REALLY thin and tall. He has this Presence, which is quite striking, which might have to do with his cheekbones being really big and wide or something, and he has the biggest, warmest, most genuine smile, holds his head down like he's humble, and greets us so warmly, holding on to our hands, looking into our eyes like he's some kind of guru, and always listening with a smile and look of concern and complete sense that he has nowhere else to go. When, yeah, he does.
Those of you praying (and I try to keep the blog a place that all our friends and kins feel equally welcome, since, even though I am the opposite of a relativist, nonetheless, we have a wonderful bouquet of greatly loved pals of all ages and theoretics, including atheists, and agnostics, and Buddhists, and Objectivists, Libertarians, lefties, righties, and all kinds of beloved friends reading--maybe even some regular old enemies looking on. hahah just kiddin) but to those of you praying, let me tell you, SOMETHING worked. It's like having won the lottery--the chances that we would end up in this fabulous, utterly perfect situation are just kind of slim.
I mean, the chance of this much order taking over from the chaos we were stumbling through, was this really that likely?--I feel there must have been a strange Proximate Cause that hyper-injected order, logic, sense, comfort, and relief into our rocky mountain climbing of misery and disbelief and crash-n-burn helplessness at Duke.
If that's you who prayed, wow, yawl folks done got that job DONE, dawgs! Thank you so vociferously.
I'll put up some pictures when this system starts working again.
Love,
B&B
Therefore, you will have to imagine the photo I have right here, unpostable, of Kim Jong Il holding a HUGE rabbit by the ears. This rabbit is bigger than a German Shepherd, almost as big as Kimmy Jong hisseff.
Apart from that you-had-to-be-there attempt to amuse you, I am trying to remember what else we were going to tell you from yesterday.
Dr. Torti looks like a movie star. I can't think which one. And he's REALLY REALLY thin and tall. He has this Presence, which is quite striking, which might have to do with his cheekbones being really big and wide or something, and he has the biggest, warmest, most genuine smile, holds his head down like he's humble, and greets us so warmly, holding on to our hands, looking into our eyes like he's some kind of guru, and always listening with a smile and look of concern and complete sense that he has nowhere else to go. When, yeah, he does.
Those of you praying (and I try to keep the blog a place that all our friends and kins feel equally welcome, since, even though I am the opposite of a relativist, nonetheless, we have a wonderful bouquet of greatly loved pals of all ages and theoretics, including atheists, and agnostics, and Buddhists, and Objectivists, Libertarians, lefties, righties, and all kinds of beloved friends reading--maybe even some regular old enemies looking on. hahah just kiddin) but to those of you praying, let me tell you, SOMETHING worked. It's like having won the lottery--the chances that we would end up in this fabulous, utterly perfect situation are just kind of slim.
I mean, the chance of this much order taking over from the chaos we were stumbling through, was this really that likely?--I feel there must have been a strange Proximate Cause that hyper-injected order, logic, sense, comfort, and relief into our rocky mountain climbing of misery and disbelief and crash-n-burn helplessness at Duke.
If that's you who prayed, wow, yawl folks done got that job DONE, dawgs! Thank you so vociferously.
I'll put up some pictures when this system starts working again.
Love,
B&B
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Brief Report: More Tomorrow
Good news so far!
The Loopogram showed no cancer in Bill's urinary tract. This was the most dangerous of the two possible cancer issues, so what a relief!
The lymph node remains a question.
Dr. Torti wants Bill to come back in a few days, next week, I guess, and get a PET Scan. I thought what he had before was a bone scan, until the paperwork called it a Pet/bone scan, so then i thought he had a pet scan but he didn't--it was just paperwork wording. What he had before was a bone scan (also all clear).
ANYWAY, that was in case I had confused anyone.
So...he goes back, he gets this pet scan, which is considered the greatest of all scans, better even than an MRI!
And if the lymph node turns out to be cancer, they biopsy it, then they insert a needle into it and using radiofrequency, they COOK IT! Then it's gone.
One of the doctors suggested just watching the lymph node, but Dr. Torti said to them that he would like to be as "conservative" and aggressive as possible on all the monitoring, taking NO chances, so hence, we get this PET scan.
OH,CAN WE POSSIBLY EXPRESS HOW MUCH WE LOVE THIS NEW DOCTOR! I WAS DELIRIOUS with happiness when I heard he was going to take this kind of approach! EXACTLY what i wanted, and ALL I wanted!!!
Then Bill will get monitored every 90 days! For a year or so! A little better, wouldn't you say, than Duke's Doctor Wallbanger who said, yeah, dude, check by some time next autumn and we'll give you a little CT scan. (A CT scan is to a PET scan what bifocals would be to the Hubble Telescope.) What the DUKE DARNED DICKENS KIND OF DOCTOR WAS THAT??????
So we officially QUIT Duke today. We are permanently in the hands of Dr Torti from now on, never to see Dr. WalleyedPike again in Durham. It's official. We're in LOVE with Dr. Torti. MARRIAGE!
I'll write more tomorrow. We have some stories, but thank you for your thoughts and prayers for us, and we are SO relieved at how things are right now! Bill feels so good, gained 4 pounds, and his only problem is extreme fatigue, so they're going to check his heart with an echo thing, Im rushing now, cant see my notes to tell you more right now, so more tomorrow.
Love and sweet dreams and HALLLLLLLLLLLLLEYLOOOOOOOOOOOOYAAAAAAAAA!
B&B
The Loopogram showed no cancer in Bill's urinary tract. This was the most dangerous of the two possible cancer issues, so what a relief!
The lymph node remains a question.
Dr. Torti wants Bill to come back in a few days, next week, I guess, and get a PET Scan. I thought what he had before was a bone scan, until the paperwork called it a Pet/bone scan, so then i thought he had a pet scan but he didn't--it was just paperwork wording. What he had before was a bone scan (also all clear).
ANYWAY, that was in case I had confused anyone.
So...he goes back, he gets this pet scan, which is considered the greatest of all scans, better even than an MRI!
And if the lymph node turns out to be cancer, they biopsy it, then they insert a needle into it and using radiofrequency, they COOK IT! Then it's gone.
One of the doctors suggested just watching the lymph node, but Dr. Torti said to them that he would like to be as "conservative" and aggressive as possible on all the monitoring, taking NO chances, so hence, we get this PET scan.
OH,CAN WE POSSIBLY EXPRESS HOW MUCH WE LOVE THIS NEW DOCTOR! I WAS DELIRIOUS with happiness when I heard he was going to take this kind of approach! EXACTLY what i wanted, and ALL I wanted!!!
Then Bill will get monitored every 90 days! For a year or so! A little better, wouldn't you say, than Duke's Doctor Wallbanger who said, yeah, dude, check by some time next autumn and we'll give you a little CT scan. (A CT scan is to a PET scan what bifocals would be to the Hubble Telescope.) What the DUKE DARNED DICKENS KIND OF DOCTOR WAS THAT??????
So we officially QUIT Duke today. We are permanently in the hands of Dr Torti from now on, never to see Dr. WalleyedPike again in Durham. It's official. We're in LOVE with Dr. Torti. MARRIAGE!
I'll write more tomorrow. We have some stories, but thank you for your thoughts and prayers for us, and we are SO relieved at how things are right now! Bill feels so good, gained 4 pounds, and his only problem is extreme fatigue, so they're going to check his heart with an echo thing, Im rushing now, cant see my notes to tell you more right now, so more tomorrow.
Love and sweet dreams and HALLLLLLLLLLLLLEYLOOOOOOOOOOOOYAAAAAAAAA!
B&B
Leaving in a few minutes for Loop-o-gram
We're leaving at 7:30 am for the Loop-0-gram at 10 am followed by the consult with Dr. Torti at Wake Forest at about 1, scheduled for 20 minutes...
As you may recall, there were two suspicious things in Bill's abdomen, and we will get the word on whether they are cancer and what to do if they are.
Neither of us is worried. It doesn't look like, even in a worst case scenario, the treatments are that bad or invasive.
And our anxiety (mine, anyway) is much reduced from the first time we had to start navigating the Wake Hospital grounds, getting lost every 5 minutes, especially having to go to multiple buildings on a giant campus, because now we know everything about it: valet parking, food, and how to move between buildings (free mini-busses). All we need.
Talk to you tonight! Thank you for your love. We will be thinking of you all the way there and all the way back, and I'll try to collect some good stories.
Although, if Kim Jong Il isn't there, well, it's hard to make ANYTHING funny, compared to the stuff he's probably doing today. Did you know--this is for real--that he once tried to grow GIANT RABBITS to make food for his people? I'll send you a picture of that later.
B&B
As you may recall, there were two suspicious things in Bill's abdomen, and we will get the word on whether they are cancer and what to do if they are.
Neither of us is worried. It doesn't look like, even in a worst case scenario, the treatments are that bad or invasive.
And our anxiety (mine, anyway) is much reduced from the first time we had to start navigating the Wake Hospital grounds, getting lost every 5 minutes, especially having to go to multiple buildings on a giant campus, because now we know everything about it: valet parking, food, and how to move between buildings (free mini-busses). All we need.
Talk to you tonight! Thank you for your love. We will be thinking of you all the way there and all the way back, and I'll try to collect some good stories.
Although, if Kim Jong Il isn't there, well, it's hard to make ANYTHING funny, compared to the stuff he's probably doing today. Did you know--this is for real--that he once tried to grow GIANT RABBITS to make food for his people? I'll send you a picture of that later.
B&B
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Radioactive Cowboy: Shooting 30 Under Par, Most of the Time
Remember those Chinese actors who were hired by North Korea's Kim Jong Il to pretend to be soccer fans while North Korea played at the World Cup? Here is a picture of them.
What you can't see in this photo is that they also had a "conductor." They would sit expressionless and immobile until their conductor gave them signals, and then they would smile and cheer.
But what me 'n the cowboy like most about Kim Jong Il, among other things, is that he reports to his citizens--and they BELIEVE IT--that EVERY TIME he golfs, he makes either three or four hole-in-ones AND that EVERY game he shoots, he scores at least 30 under par. No. This is REALLY what he says.
So me 'n the cowboy figgered, hey, why not? The cowboy bein' radioactive and all, might as well get some mileage out of it.
So me 'n him would like to report that ever since those shots he got at Wake Forest, he's been getting at least 3 or 4 hole-in-one's for every game, AND shooting 30 under par.
Anybody wanna sign up for our new country?
What you can't see in this photo is that they also had a "conductor." They would sit expressionless and immobile until their conductor gave them signals, and then they would smile and cheer.
But what me 'n the cowboy like most about Kim Jong Il, among other things, is that he reports to his citizens--and they BELIEVE IT--that EVERY TIME he golfs, he makes either three or four hole-in-ones AND that EVERY game he shoots, he scores at least 30 under par. No. This is REALLY what he says.
So me 'n the cowboy figgered, hey, why not? The cowboy bein' radioactive and all, might as well get some mileage out of it.
So me 'n him would like to report that ever since those shots he got at Wake Forest, he's been getting at least 3 or 4 hole-in-one's for every game, AND shooting 30 under par.
Anybody wanna sign up for our new country?
Monday, June 21, 2010
Rhinestone--I Mean RADIOACTIVE--Cowboy
The cowboy is still a-glowin' in the dark from all that radioactive je ne sais quoi they shot into his lil ole cowboy arm last time we went to Wake Forest.
Thought you'd like to see the above snapshot of him, so you can see what I mean.
It's great! We are saving tons of money by not having to use lights at night, and being able to roast weenies on sticks if we get close enough to him.
Everyone is cheered up around here and grateful as the dickens for the many SWEET and uplifting electronic hugs and love we got through your words and emails and thoughts and prayers for us. That was amazing.
For now, Bill feels really great, except for getting severely out of breath, and having a constant sore throat, but Dr. Torti said all of those are normal, and that it can take most of a YEAR to fully recover from the type of surgery he had.
He's even gaining back some weight, and tragically, so am I. My size zero clothes are in storage for now. :) We ain't talkin' zero THESE days...but we're both thinking of ways to exercise more. If we get the okay on Thursday, Bill is going to start going to the driving range and dropping me off at the weight lifting center, five days a week.
This is so completely out of context that I'm ashamed to bust up the unity here, but to me, it's one of the funniest things I've heard in so long: Did you know--and this has been confirmed!--that for the World Cup Soccer games, when North Korea played, their bizarrely mentally ill leader Kim Jong Il wouldn't let real North Koreans sit in the stands, but hired Chinese ACTORS to sit in the stands and cheer and pretend like they were North Koreans? The trouble was, they dressed the actors all exactly alike, and they looked so strange that the media got suspicious and researched it. (For those of you who don't follow North Korea's hilariously insane leader's antics, the reason he wouldn't let real North Koreans into the stands is because he doesn't allow North Koreans to leave the country, lest they find out that he isn't a god--LITERALLY a god--and that the rest of the world has enough to eat. I am not making this up. He's worth following, if you need cheering up. Unless you're North Korean. Then, not so much.)
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Nothing new, I guess...
A lot of people have been asking us what's going on, since there isn't much on the blog lately.
The answer is that sort of NUTHIN is going on! So that's what the blog says: nuthin.
Well, ONE thing has had a detrimental effect on my ability to write on the blog or do much of anything at all: Ol'Diamond Lil the cowgirl has been having some unexpectedly rough times psychologically, partly due to the upset about the two new cancer-threat findings, and then getting used to a whole new medical system to deal with (Wake Forest and new doctors and protocols and nurses and parking garages, etc.) and...(worst part)... all of that mixed in with having ALLLLL those people come to stay here at the SAME TIME, thinking it was a good idea for us?
When I said to my mom,(one of the three-week visitors), "But it's hard, mom, dealing with this cancer and all the fears, and stress and now a lot of company, and..."
"Oh, cancer, shmancer! That's a stupid excuse! I'm sick of you two acting like it's the end of the world. Lots of people have cancer. Grow up! Get over it. I don't ever again want to hear CANCER as an excuse for you and Bill grovelling for sympathy with your ridiculous poor-me fake depressions! Now START acting CHEERFUL, dammit!"
Uhhhhhh, wow. Okayyyyyy.....
One day I will learn to talk back, but all I know now is to just keep my mouth shut so things don't get worse.
[And if you ever see my mom in person, we both beg you to think of something other to say than to tell her I included this vignette in the blog.]
So I guess what can I politely say about having that many house guests--several of whom didn't like the other ones--and one of whom's approach to any disagreement was to storm into her bedroom and immediately start packing up her suitcases and threaten to go home and "NEVER COME BACK!" And the tears and pleading it took from me to smoothe that over so the whole family didn't blow apart, and then lying awake at night (when I wasn't helping Bill with 2 a.m. equipment failures) trying to figure out how so much negativity could have come into our house at the WORST possible time for us.
So I'm still not honestly recovered from that. Seriously? I think I have something along the lines of post-traumatic stress disorder. Kinda funny to say, but something is really wrong with me and my feelings, and I need to get over it. Once I do, Im sure I will be posting more.
As for the calendar: On Thursday the 24th, we go to Wake for what could be a minor--or MAJOR--finding about the two "areas of suspicion" they found in his abdomen. We have 20 minutes slotted for a heart-to-heart conversation with Dr. Torti about Bill's future, and how to attack these two new "enemy forces" in his abdomen. You KNOW I will have a post up that evening with all the details on that.
I sometimes worry that I'm boring you when I put up posts where there is no new or thrilling content--but I'll try to be better, once I feel better. Right now, my "feelings" seem like they were body-slammed by a semi. So when the bruises subside...
Love to you all and gratitude for how much you care, and how beautiful the garden of your love looks from our windows...
The Cowpunchers Drennan
The answer is that sort of NUTHIN is going on! So that's what the blog says: nuthin.
Well, ONE thing has had a detrimental effect on my ability to write on the blog or do much of anything at all: Ol'Diamond Lil the cowgirl has been having some unexpectedly rough times psychologically, partly due to the upset about the two new cancer-threat findings, and then getting used to a whole new medical system to deal with (Wake Forest and new doctors and protocols and nurses and parking garages, etc.) and...(worst part)... all of that mixed in with having ALLLLL those people come to stay here at the SAME TIME, thinking it was a good idea for us?
When I said to my mom,(one of the three-week visitors), "But it's hard, mom, dealing with this cancer and all the fears, and stress and now a lot of company, and..."
"Oh, cancer, shmancer! That's a stupid excuse! I'm sick of you two acting like it's the end of the world. Lots of people have cancer. Grow up! Get over it. I don't ever again want to hear CANCER as an excuse for you and Bill grovelling for sympathy with your ridiculous poor-me fake depressions! Now START acting CHEERFUL, dammit!"
Uhhhhhh, wow. Okayyyyyy.....
One day I will learn to talk back, but all I know now is to just keep my mouth shut so things don't get worse.
[And if you ever see my mom in person, we both beg you to think of something other to say than to tell her I included this vignette in the blog.]
So I guess what can I politely say about having that many house guests--several of whom didn't like the other ones--and one of whom's approach to any disagreement was to storm into her bedroom and immediately start packing up her suitcases and threaten to go home and "NEVER COME BACK!" And the tears and pleading it took from me to smoothe that over so the whole family didn't blow apart, and then lying awake at night (when I wasn't helping Bill with 2 a.m. equipment failures) trying to figure out how so much negativity could have come into our house at the WORST possible time for us.
So I'm still not honestly recovered from that. Seriously? I think I have something along the lines of post-traumatic stress disorder. Kinda funny to say, but something is really wrong with me and my feelings, and I need to get over it. Once I do, Im sure I will be posting more.
As for the calendar: On Thursday the 24th, we go to Wake for what could be a minor--or MAJOR--finding about the two "areas of suspicion" they found in his abdomen. We have 20 minutes slotted for a heart-to-heart conversation with Dr. Torti about Bill's future, and how to attack these two new "enemy forces" in his abdomen. You KNOW I will have a post up that evening with all the details on that.
I sometimes worry that I'm boring you when I put up posts where there is no new or thrilling content--but I'll try to be better, once I feel better. Right now, my "feelings" seem like they were body-slammed by a semi. So when the bruises subside...
Love to you all and gratitude for how much you care, and how beautiful the garden of your love looks from our windows...
The Cowpunchers Drennan
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Results are in from Wake Forest Testing!
Can you believe Wake Forest phones you by mid-morning the day after THAT many tests, to give results? I love it! By way of comparison, when you get a mammogram in Boone, it's at least three WEEKS before you get a LETTER saying you're okay. And if you go to my personal physician in Blowing Rock and get a blood test in January, it's at least (what's today's date?) June 10th, and you STILL haven't heard how it came out.
But back to Wake Forest and the cowpunchin ponyboy's status:
Would you rather hear the good news first or the bad news?
Oh, wait! There's no for-sure-absolutely BAD news--just nerve-wracking-possibilities news, which is still better than doomsday news.
Okay, let's do good news first.
GOOD NEWS
Bone scan: Perfect!
THE TWO NERVE-WRACKING-POSSIBILITIES-NEWS
1. They found a little problem in the system of tubes that connects from his kidneys to his exit location. They are calling it a "filling defect" meaning that the urine isn't flowing correctly through one of the tubes. I said, "Could this be a tumor causing this?" and the nurse said that yes, it could be, but no one is saying that yet, because he needs further testing. So on the 24th when we go back for a conference with the Celestial Dr. Torti, we will get a test called a "Loop-o-gram" that day to find out what is causing the "filling defect." I defer the many humorous comments I could be making about any test called a "Loop-o-gram" except to say that I once saw a group of gentlemen at a Dublin pub, none of whom I'm sure would ever pass such a test.
2. They also found something wrong with one of his lymph nodes in his abdomen. It looks suspicious. So Dr. Torti will tell us on the 24th whether he thinks an MRI is necessary or whether they will do another kind of treatment or procedure. I asked if we could get the MRI that same day, but she said, no, Dr. Torti won't decide until that day if an MRI is needed, so we would have to go back for the MRI on another day.
The good news about both of these things is that these findings don't necessarily mean his cancer is setting up new real estate. These could be things that Dr. Walwhack missed during surgery. [And would have caught AFTER surgery, had he done these tests we begged him for. Even the Journal of Urology protocols say that Bill should have had these tests right now!]
And so, ladies and gentlemen of the jury.....nah, we aren't goin there.
Thanks again for following.
Love,
B&B
But back to Wake Forest and the cowpunchin ponyboy's status:
Would you rather hear the good news first or the bad news?
Oh, wait! There's no for-sure-absolutely BAD news--just nerve-wracking-possibilities news, which is still better than doomsday news.
Okay, let's do good news first.
GOOD NEWS
Bone scan: Perfect!
THE TWO NERVE-WRACKING-POSSIBILITIES-NEWS
1. They found a little problem in the system of tubes that connects from his kidneys to his exit location. They are calling it a "filling defect" meaning that the urine isn't flowing correctly through one of the tubes. I said, "Could this be a tumor causing this?" and the nurse said that yes, it could be, but no one is saying that yet, because he needs further testing. So on the 24th when we go back for a conference with the Celestial Dr. Torti, we will get a test called a "Loop-o-gram" that day to find out what is causing the "filling defect." I defer the many humorous comments I could be making about any test called a "Loop-o-gram" except to say that I once saw a group of gentlemen at a Dublin pub, none of whom I'm sure would ever pass such a test.
2. They also found something wrong with one of his lymph nodes in his abdomen. It looks suspicious. So Dr. Torti will tell us on the 24th whether he thinks an MRI is necessary or whether they will do another kind of treatment or procedure. I asked if we could get the MRI that same day, but she said, no, Dr. Torti won't decide until that day if an MRI is needed, so we would have to go back for the MRI on another day.
The good news about both of these things is that these findings don't necessarily mean his cancer is setting up new real estate. These could be things that Dr. Walwhack missed during surgery. [And would have caught AFTER surgery, had he done these tests we begged him for. Even the Journal of Urology protocols say that Bill should have had these tests right now!]
And so, ladies and gentlemen of the jury.....nah, we aren't goin there.
Thanks again for following.
Love,
B&B
Interruption: Need Smart Person to Answer Blog Question
This entry interrupts the regular broadcast to seek the advice (for the benefit of us all) of a Smart Person who knows a lot about blogging...
...to answer the following question...
"HALP! CAN'T WE JUST CLICK SOMETHING AND GET THIS BLOG BY EMAIL? IT'S A PAIN IN THE ETCETERA TO HAVE TO CHECK IT MANUALLY ALL THE TIME!"
At the bottom of the whole blog page, I just saw a little blue phrase that says
"Subscribe by Email"-- If someone clicks that, will they be able to get each blog entry by email instead of having to come here and REGISTER and practically do a Mayan Quetzotenango Rain Dance JUST to find out whether there's even a new entry posted?
If you are that Smart Person, if you would (bless you bless you) write me an email telling us how it is done, I will post your email, and your Mayan calendar will be extended by 12 months to the year 2013.
And I will do a Mayan Quetzotenango Rain Dance* for you on Youtube.
*Purchaser agrees to the substitution of a video of Beth doing an Irish Flatfoot Clogging Dance on Youtube for the Mayan Quetzotenango Rain Dance.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Back from One Billion Tests at Wake Forest
Just this minute got out of the car, fed dogs, and unpacked. CoyoteBill had SOOOOO many tests! We think we will get all the results tomorrow. EEK!
Too tired right now for detail, but wanted you to know it's over for now, and that tomorrow morning (I expect) I will put in the details.
RADIOACTIVE INJECTIONS! (spooky music here) And giant machines that take 45 minutes to move ONE TIME from a cowboy's head to a cowboy's toes while the cowboy is TIED DOWN TO A TABLE!! EEEEEEEEEEK!
See you tomorrow. Thank you for caring enough to check on our day!
Glow-in-the-dark cowboy love!
Us
Too tired right now for detail, but wanted you to know it's over for now, and that tomorrow morning (I expect) I will put in the details.
RADIOACTIVE INJECTIONS! (spooky music here) And giant machines that take 45 minutes to move ONE TIME from a cowboy's head to a cowboy's toes while the cowboy is TIED DOWN TO A TABLE!! EEEEEEEEEEK!
See you tomorrow. Thank you for caring enough to check on our day!
Glow-in-the-dark cowboy love!
Us
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Tomorrow--Wednesday--More Tests
Tomorrow we go back to Wake Forest for the rest of Bill's tests to see if his cancer metastasized anywhere. I wish that word were shorter: metastasized. Like, I'm going to call it MZ'd. I know people say "mets" but heck, that's a ball team.
So we hope nuthin aint MZ'd nowheres.
[Pat and Richard, if you're reading this, if you want to email us, PLEASE do! And if you want me to do any googling for you, I can do that, too. Although you're at the number one place in the universe for it, so I'm sure my Google Degree (ha!) wouldn't help much.]
Anyway, as for Wake Forest tomorrow, here's the plan: we park in this one garage and go in and Bill gets radioactive dye shot in him. Sounds fun already, doesn't it?
Then, there's this three-hour wait for the dye to soak into his bones.
During that wait, we drive to a different garage to park and then Billyboy gets a ton of pictures taken of his whole insides, to check all the organs, everything.
Then we drive back to garage number one, and go in to the nuclear medicine place and El Caballero has to lie still for 45 minutes on a table while they take pictures of all his bones.
When he leaves, he will glow in the dark, so it should be easy to find our car in the parking garage. wink.
I hope we get the results really soon.
ANNOUNCING MAJOR CHANGE IN ATTITUDE ON THE PART OF EL COWGIRLITA:
If all these tests come back clean, I'm TOTALLY changing my approach to this thing. I'm going to decide that he is invincible, and I'm going to proceed like he is completely cured forever.
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, I know better than to think THAT, but thinking this new way is going to feel SO much better than what I've been doing since day one: I've been so scared and so negative and freaked out and horrified that I just forgot to take control of my thinking. Have you ever seen that game "Whack-A-Mole" where you put in your quarter and you get this hammer and you look at this table full of holes and these toy mole creatures start popping up and down real fast in different holes and you try to whack them with the hammer before they go back down again?
Well, I've felt like those moles, and like Some Horrible Kind of Someone is out there with his giant whack-a-mole hammer, and I'm within seconds of being whack-a-moled into 500,000 itty bitty mole pieces.
Only I don't know WHEN that flipping hammer is going to come slamming down.
On my poor little mole head.
So, yeah.
Wow. Some of my metaphors get really off-road sometimes. Sorry bout that.
But anyway, I'll post tomorrow night if I possibly can.
And if I can find a picture of a cowboy glowing in the dark, I'll put that up, too.
So we hope nuthin aint MZ'd nowheres.
[Pat and Richard, if you're reading this, if you want to email us, PLEASE do! And if you want me to do any googling for you, I can do that, too. Although you're at the number one place in the universe for it, so I'm sure my Google Degree (ha!) wouldn't help much.]
Anyway, as for Wake Forest tomorrow, here's the plan: we park in this one garage and go in and Bill gets radioactive dye shot in him. Sounds fun already, doesn't it?
Then, there's this three-hour wait for the dye to soak into his bones.
During that wait, we drive to a different garage to park and then Billyboy gets a ton of pictures taken of his whole insides, to check all the organs, everything.
Then we drive back to garage number one, and go in to the nuclear medicine place and El Caballero has to lie still for 45 minutes on a table while they take pictures of all his bones.
When he leaves, he will glow in the dark, so it should be easy to find our car in the parking garage. wink.
I hope we get the results really soon.
ANNOUNCING MAJOR CHANGE IN ATTITUDE ON THE PART OF EL COWGIRLITA:
If all these tests come back clean, I'm TOTALLY changing my approach to this thing. I'm going to decide that he is invincible, and I'm going to proceed like he is completely cured forever.
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, I know better than to think THAT, but thinking this new way is going to feel SO much better than what I've been doing since day one: I've been so scared and so negative and freaked out and horrified that I just forgot to take control of my thinking. Have you ever seen that game "Whack-A-Mole" where you put in your quarter and you get this hammer and you look at this table full of holes and these toy mole creatures start popping up and down real fast in different holes and you try to whack them with the hammer before they go back down again?
Well, I've felt like those moles, and like Some Horrible Kind of Someone is out there with his giant whack-a-mole hammer, and I'm within seconds of being whack-a-moled into 500,000 itty bitty mole pieces.
Only I don't know WHEN that flipping hammer is going to come slamming down.
On my poor little mole head.
So, yeah.
Wow. Some of my metaphors get really off-road sometimes. Sorry bout that.
But anyway, I'll post tomorrow night if I possibly can.
And if I can find a picture of a cowboy glowing in the dark, I'll put that up, too.
Friday, June 4, 2010
JJJumping for JJJoy!
WELL, WE ARE JUMPIN FOR JOY AROUND HERE!
FANTASTIC NEWS JUST IN FROM WAKE FOREST TEST RESULTS!
Wake Forest called us today--yes, they CALLED us with test results; Unlike at Duke, I didn't have to fish around online and find our own results three weeks later, and I didn't have to practically bribe a nurse to print them off of a computer for me---and here is what Wake Forest said:
Bill has NO metastasis to his lungs! PERFECTLY CLEAR! This is such huge news that we had to jump up and down in the air. See photo.
NO urinary infection. No problems with his blood. NOTHING!
And.........TODAY IS OUR 22ND WEDDING ANNIVERSARY! WHAT A GIFT! OH HALLELUJAH!!!!!!
Plus!
Bill's fever is gone, and we don't know why. He feels FINE today! It's true that I guess they didn't figure out why he was so sick yesterday, but it wasn't lung cancer or kidney infection, both of which we were really scared about.
It's starting to look a little miraculous, I must admit! (Anna B.?????? What have you been UP to????)
So I wanted to put this up right away. The call just now came in.
THANK YOU for caring, and for being happy with us!
Love, love, love,
The JoyJumpin' Drennans
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Wake Forest: Fantastic Experience! Polar Opposite Dr. Experience! Heeeray!!!!
ROMPIN' STOMPIN' ROUNDUP HAPPY DANCE AT THE DRENNAN CORRAL!
We are so happy right now, about Wake Forest, and so sorry we didn't go there to begin with...that I don't know what to begin with!
We absolutely LOVED the new doctor--not even for his having the most amazing credentials and being a bladder cancer oncologist and temporary head of the NATIONAL Food and Drug Administration (well, that might be a negative).
But we loved him for coming in to the room, smiling, taking our hands, looking into our faces, into our eyes with the gentlest expression, talking really softly, with humility and kindness and empathy, telling Bill he is so glad to meet him and that he wants us both to know that he has all the time in the world to get to know us, and to listen to our concerns, and to be our helper and advisor in any way that we want him to be.
Um.
If you've been reading this blog from the beginning, you know that this is the extreme psychotically dramatic opposite of how Dr Wallbanger treated us at Puke. Wallbanger would walk into the room, after making us wait in the exam room NINETY MINUTES every time, not LOOK at us or speak to us, open the file and START READING THE FILE to familiarize himself with our case, while we sat there in weird silence, and then turn to us and say a bunch of mean stuff to us, refuse to check Bill's body for cancer, and tell us to give up, get out, and come back next fall.
Anyway, Im trying to keep this short.
Two issues: First, Bill happened to be really sick by the time we got there, which was terribly sad for how Bill felt traveling, but perfect timing, because the doctor was quite worried and is treating him for his immediate illness. Bill got a high fever by the time we were there, and hurt all over, and couldn't stand the light, and was nauseated and REALLY ILL. The doctor even mentioned hospitalizing him, but wanted to do something less dramatic. So they ran a bunch of tests and are going to figure out this immediate illness. Which could be a return of the dangerous infection which is resistant to drugs. Because Bill finished those drugs just yesterday, and if they didn't work, then that infection could be gaining ground.
Other issue: The ongoing cancer deal.
Outcome, after LONG conference with both Dr. Torti, the new Celestial Angel of Bladder Cancer, and a fellow doctor (we got TWO doctors today, and they listened to us then talked between themselves, examined the charts and tests and gave us a recommendation).
Bad news: Dr. Torti agrees that chemo is simply out. Bill's cancer just won't be defeated by chemo.
But Dr. Torti didn't just send Bill home with a "Sorry, dude" and a bogus appointment next fall.
Dr. Torti is doing the ONE THING I wanted more than any other: He is testing Bill's entire body for metastases!
THANK YOU JESUS!
Today, we got urine analysis, and a huge blood test, with more blood taken out than I've ever seen before. Have you seen these vials of gold liquid, which vials look EXACTLY like airline one-shot Southern Comfort bottles? They're full of what looks like bourbon, and they get filled up the top with blood. What the dickens????
So urine, blood. Tested. HOORAY!
Okay, next, Bill FINALLY got his FIRST lung xray! It's like a nightmare, the number of things the Pukesters did to kill Bill at Duke. NO LUNG XRAY? Dr. T was like, WHAT???? The lungs and the bones are the first places bladder cancer metastasizes to, so they should be checked.
DUH!
So a big, thorough, all sides cat scan of his lungs.
Which was great but, confidentially, kinda scared me.
When they were listening to his lungs, they were acting like something was wrong. They kept listening a long time. They both listened. They NEVER said, "Sounds good," and they said stuff like, "Did you have a wheeze before you had cancer?" and "You're out of breath all the time?" (MAJOR YES to that) and saying other such things that scare cowgirls.
THEN they ordered a COMPLETE picture of his entire trunk--WITH injection dye--to check his abdomen, pelvis, lymph nodes, all the organs in there, everything! Just like I desperately hoped and prayed!
AND they ordered a BONE SCAN! He takes dye, waits three hours, and they take pictures of all of his bones on his entire body.
I mean it sounds bad, but I was in ecstasy! FINALLY, we can get these fears out of the way! When you don't know anything, everything is scary.
So here's the plan.
We go back next Wednesday for the bone scan and the uber-thorough pictures of his entire trunk and all his organs (except brain).
Then on June 24th, we meet with Dr. T and have a personal conference in which he recommends the treatment strategy.
And maybe best of all, Dr. T is happy with the treatments occurring right here in Boone, with him as overseer. Wallbanger wasn't about that AT ALL. He said if you go to people in Boone, don't talk to ME about it. You're on your own with those people.
While, sadly and somewhat frighteningly, Bill is not a candidate for chemo any more, Dr. T said, the way we will probably fight is to do "very aggressive surveillance" and as soon as tumors occur, we will fight them vigorously.
He did say that, yes, unfortunately, tumors are very very likely to recur. But, he added, not every single person has recurrence. That gave us a little hope.
But he said, summarizing, tests can be done in Boone, but if something pops up, we can go to Wake Forest and he, Dr. T, will personally take care of it.
I am just so exhilarated with this new path.
Bill is probably exhilarated, but is in bed right now with body aches and fever and feels just miserable. When his test results come back, Wake Forest will call us immediately, like tomorrow, and we will already be in the battle.
A little different, wouldn't you agree, than being told, "Nuthin we can do. Go home. If you're still alive in the fall, come back for a crappy test that won't show anything."?
Wow.
Please tell everyone you know NEVER to go to Duke. Wake Forest has got it all goin' on.
Till the next drama.
Love and THANK YOU for your thoughts, prayers, wishes, whatever you gave--just reading this and thinking positively.
Love,
The Cow Pardnuhs
We are so happy right now, about Wake Forest, and so sorry we didn't go there to begin with...that I don't know what to begin with!
We absolutely LOVED the new doctor--not even for his having the most amazing credentials and being a bladder cancer oncologist and temporary head of the NATIONAL Food and Drug Administration (well, that might be a negative).
But we loved him for coming in to the room, smiling, taking our hands, looking into our faces, into our eyes with the gentlest expression, talking really softly, with humility and kindness and empathy, telling Bill he is so glad to meet him and that he wants us both to know that he has all the time in the world to get to know us, and to listen to our concerns, and to be our helper and advisor in any way that we want him to be.
Um.
If you've been reading this blog from the beginning, you know that this is the extreme psychotically dramatic opposite of how Dr Wallbanger treated us at Puke. Wallbanger would walk into the room, after making us wait in the exam room NINETY MINUTES every time, not LOOK at us or speak to us, open the file and START READING THE FILE to familiarize himself with our case, while we sat there in weird silence, and then turn to us and say a bunch of mean stuff to us, refuse to check Bill's body for cancer, and tell us to give up, get out, and come back next fall.
Anyway, Im trying to keep this short.
Two issues: First, Bill happened to be really sick by the time we got there, which was terribly sad for how Bill felt traveling, but perfect timing, because the doctor was quite worried and is treating him for his immediate illness. Bill got a high fever by the time we were there, and hurt all over, and couldn't stand the light, and was nauseated and REALLY ILL. The doctor even mentioned hospitalizing him, but wanted to do something less dramatic. So they ran a bunch of tests and are going to figure out this immediate illness. Which could be a return of the dangerous infection which is resistant to drugs. Because Bill finished those drugs just yesterday, and if they didn't work, then that infection could be gaining ground.
Other issue: The ongoing cancer deal.
Outcome, after LONG conference with both Dr. Torti, the new Celestial Angel of Bladder Cancer, and a fellow doctor (we got TWO doctors today, and they listened to us then talked between themselves, examined the charts and tests and gave us a recommendation).
Bad news: Dr. Torti agrees that chemo is simply out. Bill's cancer just won't be defeated by chemo.
But Dr. Torti didn't just send Bill home with a "Sorry, dude" and a bogus appointment next fall.
Dr. Torti is doing the ONE THING I wanted more than any other: He is testing Bill's entire body for metastases!
THANK YOU JESUS!
Today, we got urine analysis, and a huge blood test, with more blood taken out than I've ever seen before. Have you seen these vials of gold liquid, which vials look EXACTLY like airline one-shot Southern Comfort bottles? They're full of what looks like bourbon, and they get filled up the top with blood. What the dickens????
So urine, blood. Tested. HOORAY!
Okay, next, Bill FINALLY got his FIRST lung xray! It's like a nightmare, the number of things the Pukesters did to kill Bill at Duke. NO LUNG XRAY? Dr. T was like, WHAT???? The lungs and the bones are the first places bladder cancer metastasizes to, so they should be checked.
DUH!
So a big, thorough, all sides cat scan of his lungs.
Which was great but, confidentially, kinda scared me.
When they were listening to his lungs, they were acting like something was wrong. They kept listening a long time. They both listened. They NEVER said, "Sounds good," and they said stuff like, "Did you have a wheeze before you had cancer?" and "You're out of breath all the time?" (MAJOR YES to that) and saying other such things that scare cowgirls.
THEN they ordered a COMPLETE picture of his entire trunk--WITH injection dye--to check his abdomen, pelvis, lymph nodes, all the organs in there, everything! Just like I desperately hoped and prayed!
AND they ordered a BONE SCAN! He takes dye, waits three hours, and they take pictures of all of his bones on his entire body.
I mean it sounds bad, but I was in ecstasy! FINALLY, we can get these fears out of the way! When you don't know anything, everything is scary.
So here's the plan.
We go back next Wednesday for the bone scan and the uber-thorough pictures of his entire trunk and all his organs (except brain).
Then on June 24th, we meet with Dr. T and have a personal conference in which he recommends the treatment strategy.
And maybe best of all, Dr. T is happy with the treatments occurring right here in Boone, with him as overseer. Wallbanger wasn't about that AT ALL. He said if you go to people in Boone, don't talk to ME about it. You're on your own with those people.
While, sadly and somewhat frighteningly, Bill is not a candidate for chemo any more, Dr. T said, the way we will probably fight is to do "very aggressive surveillance" and as soon as tumors occur, we will fight them vigorously.
He did say that, yes, unfortunately, tumors are very very likely to recur. But, he added, not every single person has recurrence. That gave us a little hope.
But he said, summarizing, tests can be done in Boone, but if something pops up, we can go to Wake Forest and he, Dr. T, will personally take care of it.
I am just so exhilarated with this new path.
Bill is probably exhilarated, but is in bed right now with body aches and fever and feels just miserable. When his test results come back, Wake Forest will call us immediately, like tomorrow, and we will already be in the battle.
A little different, wouldn't you agree, than being told, "Nuthin we can do. Go home. If you're still alive in the fall, come back for a crappy test that won't show anything."?
Wow.
Please tell everyone you know NEVER to go to Duke. Wake Forest has got it all goin' on.
Till the next drama.
Love and THANK YOU for your thoughts, prayers, wishes, whatever you gave--just reading this and thinking positively.
Love,
The Cow Pardnuhs
Going to Wake Forest This Morning
It's 6:40 am as I write this, and we're getting ready to drive to Winston Salem (only two hours away, as opposed to three, which was Duke).
Bill is sick today. It's good, since he already has a doctor appointment, but it's bad in every other way, because of so many hours of driving and waiting at the doctor. He has a temperature of 100, feels achy, flushed (he is telling me what to say so that I won't mention things like "groin pain"--OOPS!), and has mild but widely distributed abdominal pain.
He finished his round of medicine last night for that dangerous infection that Duke forgot to tell us about. So I don't think it could be from that infection.
He just now poked his head in the room and said, "Are you still writing the blog?"
"Yes."
"Then you can add nausea to the list. The hits just keep on comin'."
Oh....AND....the MMMMMMMother in LLLLLLLLLaw has asked to go along. I cannot begin to imagine why. Maybe she just ran out of things to criticize inside my house and needs some new material. And I say that with all due respect. Though I'm not really sure how much is due.
And THAT is another whole blog post. That I probably shouldn't write. But she leaves Saturday morning at 8. Which is exactly 49 hours and 3.5 minutes from now.
Not that we're counting.
Okay. I plan to post as soon as I can when we get home. I wish I could right now get excited and feel like we might get some tests while we're there--like the MRI that Duke refused us--since TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE in these situations. But we will probably just get an introductory look-over.
Still. Since this doctor works in coordination with the oncologists in Boone, maybe he can kind of "conduct" the treatment, but it will actually happen in Boone, even the tests and any treatments we might be able to get. This doctor also runs clinical studies, so maybe they will let Bill try some experimental stuff (though we've been told not to get into those clinical tests. You can get messed up if you're the one getting the experimental radioactive peccary-gizzard-extract injections.)
Thanks for caring about our boy.
Love till later,
Billy and Lilly
Bill is sick today. It's good, since he already has a doctor appointment, but it's bad in every other way, because of so many hours of driving and waiting at the doctor. He has a temperature of 100, feels achy, flushed (he is telling me what to say so that I won't mention things like "groin pain"--OOPS!), and has mild but widely distributed abdominal pain.
He finished his round of medicine last night for that dangerous infection that Duke forgot to tell us about. So I don't think it could be from that infection.
He just now poked his head in the room and said, "Are you still writing the blog?"
"Yes."
"Then you can add nausea to the list. The hits just keep on comin'."
Oh....AND....the MMMMMMMother in LLLLLLLLLaw has asked to go along. I cannot begin to imagine why. Maybe she just ran out of things to criticize inside my house and needs some new material. And I say that with all due respect. Though I'm not really sure how much is due.
And THAT is another whole blog post. That I probably shouldn't write. But she leaves Saturday morning at 8. Which is exactly 49 hours and 3.5 minutes from now.
Not that we're counting.
Okay. I plan to post as soon as I can when we get home. I wish I could right now get excited and feel like we might get some tests while we're there--like the MRI that Duke refused us--since TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE in these situations. But we will probably just get an introductory look-over.
Still. Since this doctor works in coordination with the oncologists in Boone, maybe he can kind of "conduct" the treatment, but it will actually happen in Boone, even the tests and any treatments we might be able to get. This doctor also runs clinical studies, so maybe they will let Bill try some experimental stuff (though we've been told not to get into those clinical tests. You can get messed up if you're the one getting the experimental radioactive peccary-gizzard-extract injections.)
Thanks for caring about our boy.
Love till later,
Billy and Lilly
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
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