2014 Oct 12-Clinic Day and Moving In
Tuesday Oct 7
I am sitting down the hall, away from the TV blasting out the morning cotton-candy-for-the-mind-shows. We are here at Resolution Imaging in Santa Monica for an abdominal and pelvic MRI as well as a F-18 Bone Scan prior to this afternoon's appointment with Dr. Eshaghian. We have requested them to expedite the results and hopefully they will arrive at the office while we are still there.
Back here in the hall away from the waiting room and the TV, there are a couple of chairs, indirect lighting and undersea paintings on the walls. In front of me and slightly to the left is a huge concrete pillar painted a sea blue-green with images of jellyfish in varying degrees of resolution all around.
We are on the lower level of the building, where all MRI machines must be due to their extreme weight. People in white coats hurry past, opening and closing doors changing the tone of the constant hum as they do so.
I am anxious today, but outwardly calm. Leland has had left knee and hip pain, aching and fatigue for the last 2-3 weeks that has us both expecting less than good news. Our move has been hard on him, not so much physically, although that has been an issue too, but being unable to do his own work and watching others do it for him has been tough on his spirits. Being on his feet for many hours was hard on the leg even with all the incredible help we had on both ends. We admitted to each other this morning we are both very worried about the leg pain.
Soon he will be finished with the MRI-the ear phones, the incredibly loud banging, and small tube he must lie in with his leg straight and hurting him. We will then go the elevator, cross the entry street leading into this complex and go into the west building where the bone scan will be done. We were last here in July. There was a family in the small waiting room there, tenderly caring for a husband and father who was clearly at the end of his life; stick thin, huge staring eyes, unable to speak more than a word or two in a whisper. I wish I could forget that image, the pain, the courage, the caring, the desperate hope in their eyes, and the knowing that without a miracle, all of this is for nothing. I wish I could forget so many images of loss and pain in those we love. I wish- no -I don't really wish to forget so much, as to be transported away from all of this to heaven, where none of this will be be a reality in any life again.
It is now 10:40. We have been here since 8:30. Leland is checked into the second clinic for the bone scan. He has to be rehydrated from his fasting for the MRI then have a radio-active injection. They will wait about 30 minutes for that to be effective, then the scan will take about another 45-50 minutes.
2:40 pm. We arrived here at the clinic at 12:40 straight from Resolution Imaging with no time for lunch. Fortunately, they had ordered in a very nice assortment of Mexican food, some of which was meatless, and invited us to share; it was delicious, and especially nice for Leland as he had had nothing to eat all day except a granola bar after the last test.
The blood tests are good, hematocrit is low, caused by one of his medications. He will get an injection to encourage more production which should help his fatigue. His MRI and Bone Scan both looked good, no new lesions and some decrease of the old ones. PSA is down to 10, still too high. Dr. E says if Leland were younger he would keep him on Chemo for a few more treatments, but at his age since the PSA is at least going in the right direction, he thinks it best to give him a break. So for now, he is to continue on his current regimen and we are to go back to see him in another month.
Oct 12
Our move in went very smoothly thanks to so much great help again from friends and family. We are so very grateful for all the assistance, words are really inadequate here. A crew of 17 helping us move out with a great lunch supplied, then a crew of 14, again with another great lunch supplied for the moving in. There was also much help with cleaning and packing on the other end, and more supplied at this end. The former owners had paid someone to clean here, but that person had not done the job, so we moved into a house that was not particularly clean. However the kitchen and frig was thoroughly cleaned by Del, Judy and Dottie who cleaned and unpacked while other things were being moved in, in addition to setting out wonderful food. By the end of the day, the kitchen was functional, the beds were made, and we were all tired!
Thanks to all who helped so graciously, and special thanks to Del and Chuck, Kathy and Dan both of whom helped so much on both ends, giving so unstintingly and lovingly of their time. And to our kids and Grant, who drop in and help with whatever needs to be done at the moment.
