Visit with Dr F.

Today we met with Dr. F to discuss based on the PET and CT scans what needs to be done to have a biopsy that will give us an actual diagnosis of something. This something is nothing that can be derived from any prior information that the doctors have, so we are not assuming what diagnosis will come from this procedure, but that they are going to do panels for everything and something should be found.

The VATS Picture from The Mayo Clinic

Thursday, February 10th, I'll be having the biopsy done via a Video Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery aka VATS at Emory. The VATS procedure is similar to a knee scope where they will make 3 incisions to complete the procedure. In my VATS they will go in on my left side and in one slit a camera will go to guide them, with the two other slits they will go the instruments to remove the node that is the easiest and seal it up. Dr. F is pretty confident that no matter what something will be found from VATS. The reason why the needle aspirations haven't been able to find something is that there is a lot of scar tissue around my nodes and so it's kind of like Pin the Tail on the Donkey, you just take a few stabs but that doesn't mean you win the game. While on the other hand taking out a node will give us an answer and won't just come back "non diagnostic."

Also yesterday I had to get a hard flush from Dr. D to make sure my port would flow the correct direction and let me say I did not puke when they accessed it. That was probably the first time that has happened since I got it and I had no idea what was going on. Yay Me! As Katie said "It was the brinner" So thank you Praline French Toast for not making me puke.

Rebecca