Technology fail or user error?

Last Thursday I had a Bone Scan and CT Scan. I had a small amount of radioactive tracer injected and several hours later they scanned my entire body. This bone scan is looking for possible cancer in areas where too much or too little of the tracer has been absorbed by the body. For the CT scan they inject a contrast dye that combines X-rays and a computer to create pictures of your organs, bones, and other tissues. I asked how long it takes to get results and the nurse said, they will send to the radiologist that day to review and they will send to my doctor.

I thought I might get a call with results Thursday night. Later that night I stepped on our digital scale and was shocked to see I had lost 10 lbs since I last weighed myself 10 days prior. That can’t be right. I tried two more times and got the same low number. I yelled at Scott and he came in and weighed himself and said, that seems right.

[voice in my head from old nurse] “Are you losing weight… do you have joint or bone pain?” well shit, now I do. I freaked out and started to expect that dreaded call, “is now a good time to talk”? On Friday, no doctor calls, but the preop surgery nurse calls to go over the checklist to make sure I’m cleared for surgery. I told her about the weight loss and that I was concerned over results as I hadn’t heard from doctor. She says well I don’t want to say it wrong, but you’ll need to talk to your doctor about the results. What?!? What the hell does that mean? We get through the list and circle back on a few issues, resulting in her saying she needs me to take another blood test, get an EKG and see my GP doctor in person to make sure I’m clear for surgery. Wait, delay surgery why? No real explanation other than I need to do these tasks first. This conversation happens 1 hour before I’m leaving to catch a plane to Seattle for the weekend. No calls from my doctor so I spend the weekend thinking the cancer has spread and I eat like a pig trying to get my weight back up so that isn’t an issue to delay surgery. I get home Sunday night and step on the scale and I’m back to my original weight. I yell at Scott. He comes in and weighs himself and then says, oh well I guess the calibration was just off last week. Christ almighty, why couldn’t you have mentioned that before I spent the weekend thinking I was dying?!?!

On Monday I emailed my doctor and breast care coordinator explaining I hadn’t lost weight and that shouldn’t be a concern to delay surgery. My doctor was booked so I couldn’t see him in person but I asked about the scans and he emailed that they looked fine. ?!?!

On Tuesday, I had a PT appointment to get a baseline on my shoulder mobility in case I get frozen shoulder again with the new surgery. I stopped by my surgeon's office to request insurance paperwork for my medical leave and ask if my surgeon was going to call about the scans. They bring me back to an exam room and my breast care coordinator comes in and apologizes for not returning my emails or phone calls. I explain my concerns from the preop nurse and she says well the bone scan was fine, but on the CT scan we found an ovarian cyst which could be totally normal, although there is something on my thyroid that they are recommending I have ultrasounds to determine more on both. Ugh. More unknowns.

So my new plan, chill the fuck out, until I have more news to freak out to. We'll do more testing after I recover from surgery on Monday.

5/15/19