Fast forward to the present...
In October 2018 I was in a car accident and shortly afterwards I moved some furniture. I started having some lower back pain on the left side. Steve and I thought that I might have pulled something in my back. I couldn't take the pain any longer and went to get checked out. I was diagnosed with a kidney infection but I was referred to a urologist. This was confusing and concerning since if it was just an infection. I thought that I'd get antibiotics and be on my merry way. To say that I was scared would be an understatement. Steve and I went to see the doctor in early December. At this point we found out that my test results showed thinning in the ureter and they wanted to see how much function I had in the kidneys. The thinning could be from a stone that they couldn't see, scar tissue, or other reasons. Also the scan showed some other information, and depending on the functioning level, they would decide if the kidney would need to be removed. My heart dropped to the floor. My kidney was perfectly fine in 2007.. 11 years later and we are actually discussing the possibility of removal. I was already devastated because of my 50th birthday lurking so close and now major health issues. I kept getting lucky, was my Irish luck finally running out?
The test was scheduled for December 6th. The test was completed and it was found that I had very little functioning in the kidney. The doctor conferred with the surgeon but it was decided that it was not necessary to remove the kidney at that time. It was decided that I would have quarterly scans that would monitor the function and we would continue to wait and see. Well, if you know me, you know I have little patience and I hate wait and see games.
There was a quick trip to the ER on New Year's Eve.. Blood pressure was 200+ over 100+.. they got it lowered and sent me home.. wasn't prescribed anything. This will come into play later. Of course, I continue to say that my BP is elevated because they continue to scare the hell out of me at every turn.
March 2019 rolled around and it was time for my pre-approval (these scans are costly so my insurance has to agree!) and I need a blood test about a week before the test. The pre-approval comes through, I go for my blood test and my numbers are high. Whatever that means.. I find out that means my hour test has now became a FIVE HOUR TEST. I am done and I am not doing it.. think I change my mind? Guess again, I refused. I am a grown adult and you can't do anything to me unless I sign consent. I was done worrying for three months about my kidney. I just wanted to enjoy my marriage, my family and life. Also I kept asking why the test would be different, why I had to drink contrast this time and I didn't the last time. No one had an answer so I didn't do it. A little bit of the young rebellious Patti still lingers.
June rolls around and guess what, it's that time again. I know that my family is upset and I have been acting like an ass, so I schedule the test this time. HA jokes on me! I have to get a new pre-approval and a new blood test. I get all of that done but still have to drink contrast. Ewww!! I schedule the test with a few snafus but show up as scheduled and there are four elderly couples. I sit with them and one person from each couple is drinking contrast and talking about.. cancer. I shake it off because they are old.. and well I'm not. Contrast lady comes out with my serving and explains that I have 45 minutes to drink it and then at a special time I have to drink an entire bottle of water. Yep, chugged that bottle of contrast, almost made myself sick.
I finally get to the back and the nice nurse says, "you are here for 3 phase CT on your kidney to check your cysts for cancer." I was like no I am not.. I am here for a kidney functioning test.. she was like no. We went back and forth and I gave in.. the "C" word.. what the hell was this nonsense. I made it through the test, partially because I think I was in shock and partially because I think someone fucked up at this point. I got to the car and I kept thinking, I have to tell the family and I am going to kill someone at the doctors office. I messaged the family and drove home crying so bad I don't even know how I got home. I called the doctor's office and somehow calmly explained what happened. The quickly transferred me to the practice manager and I left a voicemail. I remember crying myself to sleep until she called me back. She called me back and said that the doctor did indeed tell Steve and I about the cysts and the possibility of cancer at the appointment in December. That's totally not true. Steve was at the appointment in December and he agrees, there was no mention of cysts or cancer. I would have never skipped a test in March knowing that there was a possibility of cancer. I even called everyone out for not being able to explain the difference in testing. I will remember her making this statement for a long time to come. She said, "I am not saying anyone is right or wrong." No, you honestly dont know have to say that because I know someone was wrong. She told me that she would have the surgeon look at the results and get back to me the next day.
The next day came, no call, no news.. The next day came with no call. I called the office. The practice manager called me back. She stated that the doctor has been busy, the results do not look like you have cancer. I asked about follow ups. You know, the quarterly ones? She said, "I don't think so." She also told me that the surgeon would be working a half day Friday and off on Monday. I would have to wait another 5 days to get more information. On Tuesday, after five days, I called the surgeons nurse and just poured out everything to her. She was so upset about everything I went through that she talked to the surgeon and an appointment was set up for me to meet the surgeon face to face at 8am the next day. I took Steve and a notebook!
My left kidney has 2.5% functioning. If there was more than 10% there would be treatments that they could try. However at this point, my kidney is done. The surgeon will see me once a year and do a scan. We won't be removing my kidney unless I start having side effect, such as chronic infections, etc.
If you think the story is ending.. think again. That was on a Wednesday, I went to my family doctor two days later and hell breaks looks again.. Wait for the next post.
In October 2018 I was in a car accident and shortly afterwards I moved some furniture. I started having some lower back pain on the left side. Steve and I thought that I might have pulled something in my back. I couldn't take the pain any longer and went to get checked out. I was diagnosed with a kidney infection but I was referred to a urologist. This was confusing and concerning since if it was just an infection. I thought that I'd get antibiotics and be on my merry way. To say that I was scared would be an understatement. Steve and I went to see the doctor in early December. At this point we found out that my test results showed thinning in the ureter and they wanted to see how much function I had in the kidneys. The thinning could be from a stone that they couldn't see, scar tissue, or other reasons. Also the scan showed some other information, and depending on the functioning level, they would decide if the kidney would need to be removed. My heart dropped to the floor. My kidney was perfectly fine in 2007.. 11 years later and we are actually discussing the possibility of removal. I was already devastated because of my 50th birthday lurking so close and now major health issues. I kept getting lucky, was my Irish luck finally running out?
The test was scheduled for December 6th. The test was completed and it was found that I had very little functioning in the kidney. The doctor conferred with the surgeon but it was decided that it was not necessary to remove the kidney at that time. It was decided that I would have quarterly scans that would monitor the function and we would continue to wait and see. Well, if you know me, you know I have little patience and I hate wait and see games.
There was a quick trip to the ER on New Year's Eve.. Blood pressure was 200+ over 100+.. they got it lowered and sent me home.. wasn't prescribed anything. This will come into play later. Of course, I continue to say that my BP is elevated because they continue to scare the hell out of me at every turn.
March 2019 rolled around and it was time for my pre-approval (these scans are costly so my insurance has to agree!) and I need a blood test about a week before the test. The pre-approval comes through, I go for my blood test and my numbers are high. Whatever that means.. I find out that means my hour test has now became a FIVE HOUR TEST. I am done and I am not doing it.. think I change my mind? Guess again, I refused. I am a grown adult and you can't do anything to me unless I sign consent. I was done worrying for three months about my kidney. I just wanted to enjoy my marriage, my family and life. Also I kept asking why the test would be different, why I had to drink contrast this time and I didn't the last time. No one had an answer so I didn't do it. A little bit of the young rebellious Patti still lingers.
June rolls around and guess what, it's that time again. I know that my family is upset and I have been acting like an ass, so I schedule the test this time. HA jokes on me! I have to get a new pre-approval and a new blood test. I get all of that done but still have to drink contrast. Ewww!! I schedule the test with a few snafus but show up as scheduled and there are four elderly couples. I sit with them and one person from each couple is drinking contrast and talking about.. cancer. I shake it off because they are old.. and well I'm not. Contrast lady comes out with my serving and explains that I have 45 minutes to drink it and then at a special time I have to drink an entire bottle of water. Yep, chugged that bottle of contrast, almost made myself sick.
I finally get to the back and the nice nurse says, "you are here for 3 phase CT on your kidney to check your cysts for cancer." I was like no I am not.. I am here for a kidney functioning test.. she was like no. We went back and forth and I gave in.. the "C" word.. what the hell was this nonsense. I made it through the test, partially because I think I was in shock and partially because I think someone fucked up at this point. I got to the car and I kept thinking, I have to tell the family and I am going to kill someone at the doctors office. I messaged the family and drove home crying so bad I don't even know how I got home. I called the doctor's office and somehow calmly explained what happened. The quickly transferred me to the practice manager and I left a voicemail. I remember crying myself to sleep until she called me back. She called me back and said that the doctor did indeed tell Steve and I about the cysts and the possibility of cancer at the appointment in December. That's totally not true. Steve was at the appointment in December and he agrees, there was no mention of cysts or cancer. I would have never skipped a test in March knowing that there was a possibility of cancer. I even called everyone out for not being able to explain the difference in testing. I will remember her making this statement for a long time to come. She said, "I am not saying anyone is right or wrong." No, you honestly dont know have to say that because I know someone was wrong. She told me that she would have the surgeon look at the results and get back to me the next day.
The next day came, no call, no news.. The next day came with no call. I called the office. The practice manager called me back. She stated that the doctor has been busy, the results do not look like you have cancer. I asked about follow ups. You know, the quarterly ones? She said, "I don't think so." She also told me that the surgeon would be working a half day Friday and off on Monday. I would have to wait another 5 days to get more information. On Tuesday, after five days, I called the surgeons nurse and just poured out everything to her. She was so upset about everything I went through that she talked to the surgeon and an appointment was set up for me to meet the surgeon face to face at 8am the next day. I took Steve and a notebook!
My left kidney has 2.5% functioning. If there was more than 10% there would be treatments that they could try. However at this point, my kidney is done. The surgeon will see me once a year and do a scan. We won't be removing my kidney unless I start having side effect, such as chronic infections, etc.
If you think the story is ending.. think again. That was on a Wednesday, I went to my family doctor two days later and hell breaks looks again.. Wait for the next post.
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