This is an informational entry.
An email I sent to friends as I believe in being up front:
January 12, 2005
I am sending this out to only a handful of people. I will when ready let others know what is happening in my life.
For now, to those of you on this email list, I have been diagnosed with Endometrial Cancer. Exactly what that means for my future I am not positive. I have a cat scan on Friday and a follow up to surgery I had on the 20th, a consultation with the surgeon concerning what was done and what she thinks needs to be done. The very least is drastic, complete hysterectomy meaning uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes removed followed up with chemo therapy and or radiation. Anyway, I’m not happy about all of this but we get what is on our plate, each and everyone of us, no choices. The results from the cat scan will be available to My Doctor at the consultation and I will be coming from the meeting to make some decisions concerning my future.
I have some things I promised to get done and am trying to concentrate on thinking about them so I can fulfill obligations. I will be sure to send additional info to anyone that gets this email.
This is an informational email and please, don’t send emails back with I am sorry to hear etc as it is not necessary. I know how we all feel when we hear things of this nature, sorry, and more. I just wanted and needed to be up front with particular persons.
Anyway, until I know more that is all for the moment. I am not sitting here crying or upset though I have moments of contained tears. Being in control of our destinies is not up to us and I have always believed each of us has to do what he has to do and that is exactly what I have done during my pre adult and adult life. I take full responsibility for any and all of my actions in my life up to now and the consequences reaped.
My best to everyone and I’ll post as I get information.
Becky aka Becca
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UPDATE : January 19, 2005
First, I AM NOT sitting here crying or in pain or upset in any large measure. I feel about the same as I have been feeling for quite sometime and have been eating, laughing, watching movies and playing on the internet. I am a bit discombobulated and have not been able to concentrate on some things I promised.
Some particulars concerning my health and a doctor and staff I am not happy with. This is all I know at this time. I am doing internet research. I have learned some things I wanted to know. I am not feeling super but have not pinpointed the cause as I have a lot of old ailments bothering me and some of it may be hysteria on my part. I am also taking an antibiotic prescribed by my dentist and it could be it is causing this light feeling of Nausea I have been feeling. I began taking it after the D and C so it may be the underlying cause but I have not had an antibiotic to do this before and I have taken amoxicillin before.
I am trying to keep an open perspective on this situation and intend to make my own decisions based on gathered knowledge.
What has happened so far:
January 6, 2005 I had a D and C or a scraping of the walls of the Uterus to remove what was causing menstrual type cycles. It went well, I had a spinal and was awake and speaking with the doctor and staff while they did the procedure. I also watched in the monitor and brought home a picture that is quite colorful.
From Biopsies done on tissue samples taken of the Uterine wall or endometrial wall they have indicated it to be cancerous, Endometrial Cancer.
Speaking with Dr. Ringenberg on January 10 to get the results from the biopsy, she informed me I would need a total and complete hysterectomy removing the uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes and would need chemo and radiation treatments. She also said I could not be awake during the surgery and I want to know why. I have done research that indicates a spinal as a fine alternative for this kind of surgery. It’s what I want and it is what I will get.
A follow up consultation after the D and C was scheduled for the 14th and later changed to the 20th (read below). I called to make the change and nurse was testy and informed me she was squeezing me in. Am I or am I not entitled to the time to see my doctor after a surgery she did. I believe her time has been well paid for. I don’t like being told I am being squeezed in to see her for a necessary consultation.
Still the Jan 10th:
Dr. Ringenberg told me to schedule with the hospital a C Scan to see what might show up on other organs in my body as cancerous. I was told by her to check with insurance to see what it will and won’t cover, what hospitals etc. I found I could make those decisions. I decided I would go with Good Sam as Ringenberg seems to prefer that hospital. I called Good Samaritan Hospital and found that the hospitals are actually one and the scan could be done at Bethesda North who by the way is better equipped and there was no problem but would need an order sent to the hospital from Dr. Ringenberg to schedule it with the hospital. I called Dr Ringenberg back and spoke with receptionist and she wants to know what kind of tests Ringenberg wanted done and I had already said CScan and couldn’t be any more descriptive than that and got testy conversation from the receptionist I didn’t need. I told her the hospital wanted them to fax the doctor’s orders to them. The girl informed me she didn’t have a fax number to call them and for me to call the hospital back and get a fax number for her. (Ringenberg deals with the hospitals all the time and doesn’t have a fax number?)
I called the hospital back and told them what was said and that they and the doctors needed to get their acts together as I didn’t appreciate feeling as I was feeling and then having to do the run-around calls I was having to do. The hospital told me Ringenberg faxed them things all the time which I knew had to be the case, I am not stupid.
The hospital receptionist called Dr Ringenberg office and got the info they needed and called me back saying the receptionist at the Ringenberg office had been snippy to her telling her she would fax it (the order) to them when they weren’t so busy.
Finally I got the necessary arrangements made with the hospital. I scheduled the CScan for Friday the 14th on top of what was originally the appt to see Ringenberg. I called Dr. Ringenberg back and rescheduled the consultation with her for January 20. The receptionist was pleasant at that time. The report from the CScan will be available and in Dr Ringenberg’s hands before the 20th.
Tuesday the 18th: I received a phone call from the Dr. Ringenberg receptionist to me: The Dr (who has not seen me as yet for the consult) wants to know if she can go ahead and schedule your surgery as she wants to go on vacation. My answer was no, please have her call me with the results of the CScan test done on Friday the 14th, I don’t make surgery appointments until I know what is going on. I received no return call from Dr. Ringenberg and as yet, Wednesday Morning the 19th I have not heard from her. It is 2:00 pm at the time of my typing this.
I called Dr Foad (my regular doctor) this morning at 9:30 am to have her get the results from the hospital and let me know what they said. The report was faxed to her and she called me right back within minutes with the information. She also called me worried about me when she saw the original fax and results on the D and C.
The test results of the C Scan: they see nothing advanced to other organs of my body so??? Where do I go from here. I am going to do some more research on the internet today. My consultation with the Doctor who has not been concerned enough to call me with test results, is tomorrow. I will be armed with my complaints and helpful to me, information.
Local anesthesia involves injection of a local anesthetic directly at the site of surgery to make you insensitive to pain only at the site of surgery.
Regional anesthesia involves injecting a local anesthetic in a location which will block the transmission of electrical nerve impulses traveling to a part (or “region”) of your body, making it insensitive to pain. Regions of your body may include your hand, arm, shoulder, legs, foot etc. Some examples of regional anesthetics include spinal, epidural, axillary, and interscalene nerve blocks.
General anesthesia involves the administration of anesthetic medications into the blood circulation, by injection or inhalation, to induce unconsciousness and insensitivity to pain for the duration of your surgery.
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Best regards, Becca
Please, no sad remarks or comments. Life to be extended needs to be happy. Yes, I know this could kill me but my family thinks I should fight this mess and I guess to keep them happy I will especially as there is no indication of advancement. But, I have felt crappy for a lot of years now and wonder if it will be worth it. Who knows, I could fool them all and live for another 20 years. The prognosis I have read is 5. F them all, what do they know? Anyway, keep it happy or please don’t write anything. This blog was too much of a downer to begin with.
Regards to all,
LittleEgypt aka PhotoGraphics
Comments (1)
Becca,
I happened upon your blog at random this morning. I have not personally dealt with cancer but I’ve worked in a medical department for 20 years at a big university hospital and I know so well the frustration involved in dealing with all the bureaucracy of the medical world.
One thing I didn’t hear you mention was support groups – both in person and on the web. There are many medical forums for very specific subjects. I hope you will make use of them. I believe it adds strength to build a support group around oneself in a crisis.
I will keep checking back to see how you’re doing.
Namaste, Andrea
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