It has been a rough few months. The Sunday before Easter, I thought my allergies were giving me issues, but I toughed it out and went to two different churches for their Palm Sunday services. The next day, I went in thinking that I would just tough out the day as well. Thank goodness that I put together a "just in case" packet at school - I went home sick almost as soon as school had started. By the next day, I was convinced that I had a really bad case of the flu. Then I started having breathing issues, so I went to the doctor.
The doctor diagnosed me with pneumonia and gave me an antibiotic and an order to go get a chest X-ray. I got the X-ray and took my antibiotics like a good girl. While I did get better, I still wasn't 100% the next week. On the Monday after Easter, I got a call asking me to come in because the results of my chest X-ray had come back. In my head, I figured that I was just going to get a stronger antibiotic or that they wanted to check and see how I was recovering. But that isn't how the appointment went...
The X-ray had revealed nodules in my lungs. I also had atelectasis - one lung was only partially inflating.
The doctor determined that my next steps included an inhaler and getting a chest CT scan. I did that the next day, as it was late enough that I wouldn't have made it to the imaging center before they closed. This scan showed more nodules and that my lymph nodes were swollen. Clearly, I was dealing with something other than "normal" pneumonia. Then came a referral to a pulmonologist.
I had my annual physical near the beginning of March, since that is when my insurance first became effective. After the initial and follow up bloodwork, it was determined that my platelets were high and a second specialist referral was issued. This time to a hematologist.
Since that point where I received the two referrals, I've seen both specialists. I've had over a dozen vials of blood drawn, a referral for a sleep study, an ultrasound of my spleen, and a bronchoscopy with transbronchial biopsy (thankfully done under general anesthesia, not local). All of those vials of blood have allowed nearly 60 different tests to be completed. Some are panels and test for more than one thing (Electrolyte panels, Complete Blood Counts, etc.) The biopsy was so scary and intimidating that my parents came up to be with me while I was at the hospital. I'll never forget that. I just had to tell them that I wanted them and they came.
At this stage, I'm impatiently awaiting answers. I know that many are praying for me. I just want to know what is wrong with me. The only answer that I have is that it doesn't look like I have cancer. We don't even know what results the cultures from the biopsy will yield, since my lymph nodes near my lungs are necrotic.
I also don't want to repeat experiences like the first time riding the electric scooter through the grocery store and enduring comments like "Those scooters aren't for fat people.", "You don't look like you need to be riding that.", and "You should leave those by the door for people who actually need them." The first half dozen times I used the scooter, I either received comments like these or seriously judgmental looks. It was, at best, moderately embarrassing. Usually, it was humiliating.
My attitude toward the scooters was changed by another woman about my age last week. She immediately recognized that I was new to using one, not by an inability to control it, but by the look of shame and embarrassment on my face. She commented that if I was riding it to goof off or be immature, I wouldn't be ashamed of using it. I was encouraged that I should use it when I needed to, because it is sometimes a necessity because I wear out so easily and sometimes just have a really hard time breathing. It still isn't enjoyable, as it takes me about 1.5x as long to get my shopping done, but it is something that I can do that makes life a little bit easier.
Next week, I'll go in for my sleep study and see the pulmonologist again. Hopefully, the cultures done from the biopsy tissue will be in and we can obtain some conclusive answers.
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