So, I was able to go local to get my quarterly bloodwork done at a satellite location for U of P. This was always a pleasure since it only took me about twenty minutes to get there. I was in and out in another twenty minutes and my basic WBC results were delivered to my phone the same afternoon or next day. All I had to do was be patient. Since I could basically read and diagnose the labs on my own, the hospitals release of records direct to the patient now saved so much time and worry. The downside of the situation is of course the reality of receiving bad news right away. Anyway, my labs were great! It always takes a week to receive the results of the PCR test. This test is the benchmark that lets a Leukemia patient know immediately if the cancer is recurring. A completely negative result is what we want to see. Any positive change in the marker is an instant and hard hitting catastrophe. The test is automatically repeated for error and will be repeated every two weeks to confirm a relapse diagnosis. It’s the last thing I want to see again. My PCR results came back negative. Hallelujah.
Dr. Luger wanted to see me anyway down at Penn. My appointment was scheduled for the last Tuesday of January. I really hated to travel all the way into the city. The traffic sucked. The roads sucked. The parking sucked. The waiting sucked. Yep…it sucked. The weather report for that day called for icy rain and snow. My Maserati doesn’t like ice and snow. That would be the perfect excuse to cancel my appointment and reschedule for a later time. Lol. Meanwhile, I had another issue to deal with.
@$%#&!!! I could barely walk. Without any clue of how or why, one morning, I could hardly stand up, hardly put any pressure on my left leg and the pain was excruciating! This turned out to be an extreme sciatic issue that was showing me no relief. I was inhaling Advil and luckily had some old pain killing prescriptions hanging around. They barely worked. Entering my second week of agony, Lori and I were getting ready to visit Nick in Ft. Lauderdale at the end of the week over the Presidents Day holiday weekend. Thursday, after work, I headed to Doylestown Hospital to their ER to try to figure something out before I boarded a plane to Florida the next day. The only answer the Doctor had for me was stronger painkillers, a cat scan revealing herniations in the L 3,4 and 5 Vertebrae and a recommendation for a subsequent visit to a pain management doctor. Big help. Well, I got on that plane, hobbled around Ft. Lauderdale for five days and tried to make the best out of a tough situation. We had a great time meeting and interacting with Nick’s friends and enjoyed the fine dining and sightseeing that Ft. Lauderdale had to offer. The weather was beautiful. When I get back to reality, it’s going to be appointment city. I can’t wait. Aaarghh!
Next Up: Five Years Clear