Back in 2008, my wife went in for a routine mammogram, but unlike all the many previous hi-tech breast-mashings that amounted to nothing, this one resulted in a "we don't like how this one little spot looks; please call us to schedule a biopsy" call.
Teri was frightened, of course, and so was I, but we both settled fairly quickly into the mode of casual disbelief: this would all amount to nothing, because, well, just because.
I accompanied her to the biopsy - an outpatient procedure at Kaiser Oakland - mostly to fulfill my ongoing role as denial force-field generator (or, "DFFG"). And I continued in that useful role as we waited for the results.
Which came back positive, as in, yep, that's cancer all right. Next step: surgery. DFFG on full power now, as we waited for the Day of the Knife.
That was a long wait, or seemed like it; DFFG on overdrive. Which allowed us to go about our normal business without incident.
Finally, on to Kaiser Richmond - a real moon-base of a facility - where Teri had to do the whole patient check-in deal, and I had some number of hours to wander the waiting room alone. The DFFG was showing some signs of metal fatigue, perhaps, but the lights were all green and all seemed good, or at least neutral.
Finally, the nurse wheeled her out, or maybe it was even the surgeon? I'm fuzzy on the details (DFFG side-effect; not uncommon) but somehow someone communicated to us that the surgery was a success, defined as such because there was no more detectable cancer to cut out, and somehow we also learned that, in fact, the tumor had been so small that the biopsy had pretty much taken nearly the whole thing out.
There were some discussions about follow-up exams to make sure there were no reoccurrences (and even talk of doing pre-emptive chemo, or radiation? Not sure. Anyway, sounded like a bad plan and it never took place).
We both agreed that going from deep denial to grateful relief had been an excellent strategy, at least in our case.
I suppose most anyone reading this during this last week before the Presidential Election of 2016 will have figured out why I'm reminiscing about these events at this point.
Fellow Citizens, start your DFFGs, if you haven't already.
Teri was frightened, of course, and so was I, but we both settled fairly quickly into the mode of casual disbelief: this would all amount to nothing, because, well, just because.
I accompanied her to the biopsy - an outpatient procedure at Kaiser Oakland - mostly to fulfill my ongoing role as denial force-field generator (or, "DFFG"). And I continued in that useful role as we waited for the results.
Which came back positive, as in, yep, that's cancer all right. Next step: surgery. DFFG on full power now, as we waited for the Day of the Knife.
That was a long wait, or seemed like it; DFFG on overdrive. Which allowed us to go about our normal business without incident.
Finally, on to Kaiser Richmond - a real moon-base of a facility - where Teri had to do the whole patient check-in deal, and I had some number of hours to wander the waiting room alone. The DFFG was showing some signs of metal fatigue, perhaps, but the lights were all green and all seemed good, or at least neutral.
Finally, the nurse wheeled her out, or maybe it was even the surgeon? I'm fuzzy on the details (DFFG side-effect; not uncommon) but somehow someone communicated to us that the surgery was a success, defined as such because there was no more detectable cancer to cut out, and somehow we also learned that, in fact, the tumor had been so small that the biopsy had pretty much taken nearly the whole thing out.
There were some discussions about follow-up exams to make sure there were no reoccurrences (and even talk of doing pre-emptive chemo, or radiation? Not sure. Anyway, sounded like a bad plan and it never took place).
We both agreed that going from deep denial to grateful relief had been an excellent strategy, at least in our case.
I suppose most anyone reading this during this last week before the Presidential Election of 2016 will have figured out why I'm reminiscing about these events at this point.
Fellow Citizens, start your DFFGs, if you haven't already.
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