I am going to an Oncologist (c-a-n-c-e-r d-o-c-t-o-r)

Asheville Hematology & Oncology

 

The first day we met Dr. V, he got right down to business. I truly don't remember too much about what we talked about that day. My husband probably remembers more than I do and he probably took notes; he has been very meticulous about that. And I felt like hell--still running fever, still short of breath, getting weaker by the day.

One of the things I do remember is the Bone Marrow Biopsy. Oh yeah. The very first day we met! I didn't think he had even gotten to first base and here is was going all the way for the home run. Yep, we marched to another room where I got onto a table on my side with one leg pulled up. My husband was there, Dr. V's assistant, and someone from the lab who was dressed in full protective gear, face mask and all. I couldn't tell  what was going on in the room once I was in the position.

What I remember is feeling a lot of pressure. Then a lot of pain. A lot of pain. And I started crying. They let my husband come and hold my hand.

On my way to get the bone marrow biopsy, I went by the lab where 11 vials of blood were drawn.

Afterwards, I walked to the other side of the building to meet another doctor, an oncology surgeon, who would be placing a port-a-cath into my chest and excising a lymph node from my armpit for biopsy. I had an ultrasound of said armpit in order to mark which node would be excised.  That doctor seemed very nice that day, but my husband and I both would develop very bad feelings about him over time.

I also got orders, that day, to go to the heart tower at the hospital for an echo cardiogram, and also to get a PET scan.

What a day! I barely remember crawling to the car to drive home and nothing of that evening.

I don't know if Dr. V used the blue handled or green handled awl (or both) to drive into my hip bone. My husband said he was straining, shaking, sweating, and working hard to get into the bone.