Ep 2: The Doctor

Tuesday 24th April 2012

The Doctors appointment was @ 7:45 AM, I figured get in early get told it was nothing to worry about and get into work at a reasonable time.  Jacqui is due in court this morning so she couldn't come along.

The Doc was running on time and I'm getting the full prod and poke, yes the lump in my neck was odd but everything else seems fine, no I cant feel any other lumps in all the other areas, armpits groin etc, lungs sound fine good blood pressure all things seem OK.

Doctor recommends getting bloods done, getting a chest and neck X-Ray and an ultrasound on the lump.  He shares, I can do bloods at the surgery and head down to Armadale immediately and have the X-Ray done but I will have to make an appointment for the Ultrasound in a few days.

So I head on down to Armadale, present at the X-Ray clinic and book the Ultrasound which wouldn't be until next Monday, I can go straight in for the X-Ray.  I wait for about 10 mins then get called up and taken to the X-Ray section and have my neck and chest X-Ray-ed. Twenty minutes later all done and dusted and I'm in the reception area paying the bill and confirming the Monday Ultrasound, its about 9:30 AM, I'm thinking cool be in the office by 10 all good.

I have left the building, I'm walking to my car and am about half way across the carpark when I hear someone call my name, I turn to see the guy from X-Ray walking to me asking if I could come back in as the Head Radiologist would like to speak to me, I agree and we walk back together in silence.

FUCK, no seriously FUCK what does this mean, no John its ok relax they just didnt get an X-Ray right that's all it is, nothing to worry about.

I get back to the reception area and am asked to take a seat, the doctor will be with me shortly.

"John? Hi my name is Doctor XYZ, I'm the Head Radiologist here, look Ive found a "significant mass" in your chest and would like to do a CT Scan right away.  Ive phoned your doctor and he has agreed and will fax the referral to me now so is OK if we do that?"

External John - "Sure absolutely no probs lets do that now, thanks heaps"

Internal John -  Fuck, a significant mass? - what the fuck does that mean?
                       urgent CT Scan? - That doesn't sound good
                       Fuck, no relax its fine, it will be fine
                       FUCK, calm down dickhead its gonna be fine
                       FUCK FUCK FUCK, OK I'm officially shitting myself

Right get a hold of your self John, stay calm we will figure it all out.

I txt Jacqui, "can you call me when you get out of court" and I wait for about 30 minutes.  A lovely nurse calls me and gets me to change into a hospital gown and asks me to lay on a bed to have an intravenous put in for the Dye.  A few minutes later that's done, its now 10:30 AM ish, Jacqui rings, shes out of court, I tell her the story so far, she says shes coming straight away.  I'm thinking thank you, I need you right now, I'm saying I'm sure it will be fine, she agrees it will be fine.

Im called up and go in for the CT Scan, they hook me up to this dye, inject it and I get a feeling much like a hot flush, I'm told this is normal.  After a few jokes with the nurses and radiographer approx15 mins later I'm back in the waiting area, waiting for the films to take back to my GP.

Jacqui arrives and gives me a huge hug, in that simple hug I feel my strength, my sense of self and my confidence returned to me, never are you more aware of how integral someone is to your sense of being alright than at these times.

I love you Jacqui, your a strong amazing woman who has overcome so many challenges, I'm thankful you are by my side

Ill tell you all the rest of this day in the next post