Cancer Diagnosis Chronology

The first growth appeared on her inner thigh - late last summer (09) I think. It was cone shaped like a large wen. I told her she needed to go to the doctor but she didn't want to. This is a game we often play. I'll say "You ought..." or "You should...." She will say "Yes, but..." and ignore me. I feel that I have tried. She feels, I don't know. Often these injunctions have to do with going to doctors.

Later two more growths appeared - one each on her chest and stomach. They all got bigger. Finally the growth on her thigh started to itch and get uncomfortable. And another one started on her back.

Around the first of Nov 09 I made an appointment with Dr Beatty - the family doc. Ostensibly this for him to look at my knee (which has been causing problems) but really it was to ask about Brenda. I made an appointment for her to see him on Nov 10th.

He did an office xray and told us he saw a mass in her chest. He said he thought the growths and the mass were related. Brenda asked if it could be cancer. He said yes.

Here is what happened next...

CT scan of trunk Nov 13. Showed expanded lymph nodes, masses in chest. Likely to be lung cancer.

Tuesday Nov 17th saw Dr. Coggins, pulmonary doctor. He confirmed possible lung cancer. Mentioned masses, lymph nodes. Said he thought the growths were metastatic tumors.

Wednesday Nov 18th Dr. Stephanidis, a pleasantly quirky fellow of middle eastern descent removed the abdomen tumor for a biopsy. He took it off in his office with me sitting to one side. The tissue was sort of pale and seemed to have roots. There wasn't a lot bleeding. When I said that it didn't seem as involved as the removal of one of my skin cancers he said something like "You expected more excitement." Brenda didn't experience any pain. Although she is hell to get someplace once there she is a trooper. After it was over we went by Einstein bagels where we sat in the car and ate lunch.

Tues or Wed (Nov 24 or 25th) Dr. Coggins called with the results of the biopsy. Confirmed that it was cancer. I don't remember if it was this call or the next that he offered "weeks rather than months" prognosis. But I think it was this call. I also think this is when he told us that he wanted to bring in Hospice.

(Throughout all this there was a gradual taking away of hope as the diagnosis became less and less problematic and more and more confirmed. Initially there was some possibility that it was a very bad infection. Yancie wondered if it could be caused by exposure to cat litter boxes. Brenda said she didn't know what to think, how to feel. The only time we cried was after we were both on the phone talking to Coggins and he told us the prognosis. I remember we in her bedroom and the sun was shining through the double window and she came around from the other side of the bed and we hugged and cried which we never do.)

PET scan and CT scan of head on Thursday 27 - day after Thanksgiving. It was awful getting ready. I'll write more about this, Hospice, and other things in subsequent posts.

Saturday Nov 28 Hospice showed up.