And my stage is...

I'm a barely a 3A. While I was hoping for 2A, I'll take it! I guess I have a few spots on my spleen but nothing major. Treatment won't be any different. Hooray!

Today's been a long day. Let me tell you about our health care system. It is at the same time wonderful and awful. It's been wonderful in our out of pocket expenses have been pretty low. It's been awful because I almost got screwed into pay nearly $10,000 for a test today!

A nurse at IU Cancer Center scheduled a second CT scan for me this morning at St. Francis on the south side since I was already going to be on that side of town meeting with the second oncologist. This nurse failed to pre-certify my test, so when I got there, St. Francis told me that unless I can get it pre-certified with my insurance, I'll have to pay for it. Hell to the no.

The people at St. Francis were wonderful working on calling IU and trying to get them to get this pre-certified. I called the IU nurse and finally we got it worked out. I was still able to have the test on my insurer's dime. But it did irk me that IU dropped the ball on that.

The second CT scan check out my chest, pelvis and abdomen. Results showed pretty much what we already knew, plus the spleen part. But i'm glad it's not down in my groin area or other organs! I had to drink two bottles full of raspberry ice crystal light laced with drugs so that my bits would light up on the scan. that was a struggle. Luckily I hadn't really drank anything yet this morning, so I had an empty belly. They also had to give me dye through an IV. The nurse was great and got it in in one stick!! That's a new world record for me! The scan went very quick. I did find it amusing I had to undo my jeans and have them rest at my knees during the scan. I had a sheet covering me, but it was still funny to me.

I spent the day with my dad since the hubby had to work. It was good for him to see that I'm OK and also meet with a doctor. After our delicious lunch at Wendy's we went to see oncologist No. 2, whom I'll call Dr. Shorty for now. Dr. Shorty's office was busy but everyone was pleasant. Dr. Shorty is a slight woman, but very knowledgeable. She seemed a little harried or frazzled, but she answered all my questions and put both my dad and I at ease. She even managed to get the results of my CT scan during my appointment.

I've decided to go with Dr. Shorty. Dr. McDreamy was nice, and the IU facility is nice, but with Dr. Shorty I am having a bunch of baseline tests done and she'll see me each time I go in for chemo. At IU, I'd only see Dr. McDreamy once a month. Dr. Shorty also seemed more experience and had a better "bedside manner." She also prescribed me some Xanax. holla! Dr. Shorty said I could lose my hair, but it's more likely that I'll have thinning, like lose 50 percent of it. She suggested I cut my hair shorter so it's not as heavy. Maybe I'll try to get a hair cut soon or just do it myself. :P If I do lose it or want a wig, she said she can get me a voucher so that my insurance may pay for it.

So now I have more tests tomorrow but luckily none are invasive. Then I have to head up to the north side to get a cavity filled before my port is put in. I have to have a port put in and a bone marrow biopsy. Those are invasive and I'm not looking forward to them. We're trying to get that worked out on at the same time so I can be sedated for both.

I'm tired. This is physically and emotionally draining, but I'm in a good mood right now. I haven't even taken any Xanax yet.