| Living on an island, sounds idyllic, no? No! At least where night life and /or health is concerned. I met with the Surgeon, and when he went to open up the films and go over them with me (Mom and Gordy too), as he put them up, he noticed that there were no current films (2005) for the Breast In Question (except for the ultrasound). The appointment was for 4:30, it didn't start 'til after 5:00, so, of course, Imaging at WGH was closed!
They did get someone on the phone, who insisted we had the correct films, in fact that we had them ALL. Wrong! So, Dr K went to meet with his other patient while the staff tried to grab someone "after hours" and locate the missing films. No luck. So, the surgeon evaluated me based solely on the radiolotists reports. He said that the odds were 1 in 4 or 1 in 5 that it is Cancer. That there are 2 "lumps" with calcification, as well as under the nipple. And, there was some talk about the lymph nodes. What he presented to me were the two basic options, Stereotactic, which would be "bits and bites" and hit or miss, or surgery, which would excise it all. My understanding gets quite fuzzy here. I think that at this point, he sends the things he removes to the radiologist and pathologist while I'm still under. If they are not cancerous, and there is a match to what they saw on the mammogram, then it's sew me up and go. If they are cancerous (remember 1 of 4 or 1 of 5 are) then they keep removing tissue, widening the margin, until it's "clear". At that point I get an oncologist, and start some type of therapy. Since Whidbey has "visiting" specialists -- for oncology, they come from Virginia Mason, they give the "orders" and they are carried out by the hospital. BUT, there is no one here for consultation 24x7, no specialists here around the clock and calendar year. But if I went to Swedish, as I would perfer, and see Dr Kaplan as my oncologist, they have a comprehensive care situation, all in Seattle. And they live life beyond 5:00, and there will be someone there to contact. But, to travel back and forth for care (if needed -- i.e. the calcifications are cancer) would exhaust me even more than I am with my FMS et al now. Dr K said that the group Western Washington oncologists are all "family" and Dr Kaplan could give orders to a "visiting oncologist from Virginia Mason" who would then say, ok, and order the folks at WGH to do them. That still leaves me without support. But to travel to Seattle is unrealistic too. Yes, the proverbial cart is before the horse, but dang, they are so intertwined as to what choice I make now with the Surgeon that I need help detangling it. I don't think I feel, from past experience, most secure putting my life in the hands of a "visiting oncologist" who is not accesible, and in a hospital that basically, like the Island, shuts down at 5:00. Dang.
I need some sound (all puns intended -- get it? Puget Sound?) advice. This puzzle feels very much like when I built my house, I had to make decisions that truly were guesses or instincts or sheer insanity based on vapor, since the piece of the house it was to go with, or depend on, wasn't built yet. ARGHHH! So, there is no paradise at this time for me.
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