So I went home to San Diego so that I could have a CT scan, get chemo, and meet with my main doctor.
Friday morning I went and had my CT and then went to the Oncology floor of the hospital. There I met with the wonderful Dr. Schiff and she informed me that there was a large new mass in my right lung that was approx. 4 inches. (This was not good new because it meant that I could not get Chemo and I had the best nurse assigned to me that day, we were going to have a party and do some chemo dancing.)
Anyways, I did not receive chemo because they do not give chemo when cancer patients have infection because they do not want to deplete the white blood cells that are fighting so valiantly against the bad stuff.
Instead of chemo I was signed up for minor surgery to have a CT guided biopsy so that they could determine if the new large mass was cancer or an infection.
So I partyed all weekend, ate at the Yellow Deli, had a surprise vist from Brandon Scott RIggs! So Monday came and I went in for surgery. You have to arrive two hours early so it is A LOT of waiting.
Now this is the same procedure that I had done on the left lung last time that determined that I had cancer for the second time.
After surgery I woke up and stuck to being the usual Dave Chalk when I am waking up from surgery, for some reason when I am waking up from surgery I am super sarcastic and quick witted and usually get into it with the nurse. (It is all in a loving way and the nurses dish it right back to me so it is a good time)
The nurse then went and got my parents (which she asked if I had a girl friend. My parents let out the reluctant sight of, No)
The X-Ray man then came a took an X-Ray of my lungs to make sure that it did not collapse or anything crazy from the surgery.
When I was finally discharged I was told to be on bedrest for 4 hours. So My father drove me home. We picked up my sister Emily and my Utah roommate Brandon Scott Riggs and we went to the Padre Game! (Perfect Environment for recovering from lung surgery!)
So Yesterday I received the wonderful news that the large mass is not cancer and that it is just an infection. Which is EXCELLENT! (Imagine me saying that like Bill and Ted followed by some air guitar.)
But they fear that it may be early stages of pneumonia! (Which is so must better than cancer and I have never had that one before. My parents told me growing up that you should be open to trying new things. So after spending a few days with pneumonia I will let you know if it is something you should look into getting.)
That is all from the Life of Dave Chalk the Cancer Patient.
Totals from round three's battle with Cancer
Needle Pokes: 6
Pills: 20
CT scans: 3
Surgeries: 1
new mini blizzards from Dairy Queen: 1
7 comments:
I totally should have read the title of this post. It would have saved me from holding my breath while reading the whole post til you got to the the part that said it wasn't cancer but pneumonia.
You'll rock the pneumonia just like you rock everything else. ;)
Ha ha ha-- yes, let me know how it goes! Maybe I should try pneumonia out!
That is fantastic news, Dave!!
Wyld Stallyns!!!
LOL. Its only pneumonia... I find that funny in the sick way only people with cancer can. I have lived for 30 years in the 'its not a head ache its a brain tumor' mentality so I can completely relate. But you need to get better so you can have more chemo - now that's something to make you want to get better.
Love your sense of humor. Yes, waiting is really hard. Congrats on it being "only" pneumonia. Yes, nurses are great and it's good to have fun with them.
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