A Normal Chest X-Ray
During a recent routine visit with my oncologist, I told her that I had been bothered by a little nagging cough and some sharp pains in my chest when taking a deep breath. She thought the pain might be scarring from radiation and told me to let her know if it continued.
Four weeks later, still bothered by the cough and pains, I told her that I thought it was time for a chest x-ray. Well, those weren't my words, exactly. It was more like this:
Me: "Um...this cough still bothers me. And, um...it hurts when I breathe. Remember, um...you said, maybe, you would order a scan?" [side note: I've asked numerous times for a scan - i.e. CAT or PET scan - so that I know, unequivocally, that there isn't some rouge tumor growing on my bones or brain. My doctor always says "no" to this request. So, here I was trying to get an order for a scan, knowing she said she would order only a chest x-ray].
Here's my problem: I am the worst at being my own self-advocate. And with cancer, or any illness, you must always question, ask, probe, fight tooth and nail for yourself. I'm trying. Second, I absolutely hate having to re-explain or remind my doctors about my condition, or problems I have. I know they are busy and have a lot of patients but please note these things in my file and try to review them before you meet with me. Ok, I digress.
Anyway, a chest x-ray was ordered. I went to have it done. Easy. Two days later...no word on the results. I left a message for one of the nurses. No call. Uh-oh...this isn't looking good. The following day - my cancerversary - I leave another message. Finally a call back, from the nurse, and she says "your doctor wants a retest."
I begin freaking out. The x-ray showed a nodule on one of the lungs. METS! For those of you who don't know - "mets" is cancer lingo for metastatic cancer. This means that the original breast cancer has spread. You wouldn't have a new cancer but instead, metastatic breast cancer at the lungs, bones, brain, etc.
The nodule "could be a bundle of blood vessels" but they want to make certain. The radiologist wanted to wait three months and test again. My oncologist pushed for an immediate retest! Phew! But the nurse says, "the likelihood that this is mets is very slim." Hello? I was 33 with no family history of breast cancer when I was diagnosed. I obviously fall into the slim category.
This whole thing going down on my cancerversary was almost too hard to handle. Thankfully, my husband swooped in and called my doctor to get a better understanding of the situation. She also tells him that if she was worried she would of ordered a scan (imagine me rolling my eyes) and when finding out it was the anniversary of my surgery, she says, "this could have waited, we only called because Wendy left two messages."
We went out for margaritas that night.
Monday: scan number two. I'm told I have to tape these little metal markers onto my nipples. Think Janet Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction" nipple jewelry. Apparently, it would help the radiologist decipher the images. The tech takes the pictures and I ask him if he sees anything. He shrugs his shoulders. What is that answer? Ok, he's a tech but I'm sure he's seen enough good and bad x-rays to know if a tumor is growing on the lungs! He points to where the lungs are and says "if there was something on the lungs, you'd see it here." It looked clear to me, but what do I know?
By the end of the day the nurse called with the results that the x-ray was clear and the nodule is indeed blood vessels. "No cancer!"
But what the hell is still causing this cough and chest pain?