Parathyroid

Called in a received my lab and sestamibi scan results from the doctors office’s lab line.  My serum calcium and parathyroid hormone levels are still elevated.  My sestamibi scan revealed nothing.   Dr. Selvaggi wants to see me again in 3 months.  At least we’re not rushing straight to exploratory chest surgery.  I’m not going under the knife until we know exactly where that thing is.

I’m going to call the lab that did my scans and request that they’re sent to me.  I may not be able to read them, but I want to see the images myself.

- Woke up a little late
- Got out the door a little late
- Forgot I had to buy gas
- Got to work a little late
- A strap on my sandal broke when I walked into the building *sigh*
- Lost track of time and left for my sestamibi scan when I was supposed to be having the scan done

All before 10.

I had a hard time staying still during the second scan session today. I know lying on a narrow plastic isn’t ideal for comfort, I don’t usually have any problems with being still throughout the whole scan. Maybe I was just frustrated from my less than spectacular morning.

I saw Dr. Selvaggi (my endocrinologist) today.  It went pretty much as expected.  Dr. Purkert wrote her a very long letter telling her everything about my surgery and his recommendations.  Basically, I get to have another Setamibi scan.  Yaay – I love lying in a hospital gown while a big mechanical circle whirls around me!

This time, they’re going to scan my neck and chest to see if they can find the thing.  I’ve got my scan next Friday and I’m crossing my fingers and toes!

I’ve gotten 2 fantastic endorsements for Dr. Purkert from nurses – which makes me feel so much better.

The first came from a Sur La Table customer who came in to pick up his knives on Tuesday night. He had put down an @inova.org email address, and he was wearing an RN badge, so I asked him which Inova he worked at. He works at the Fairfax Inova (where I’ll have my surgery), so I mentioned that I’d be having surgery there next month. When he asked which surgeon I’d be working with, I told him Dr. Purkert, and and he said that Dr. Purkert is the best surgeon there, and the only one he’d want to work on him. So hooray!

The second endorsement is from my friend’s sister, who used to be a nurse in the O.R. at the Fairfax Inova. Dr. Purkert is her favorite surgeon. She said that he is not only careful and thorough but also respectful to the nurses. The latter statement does not apply to many of the surgeon’s there, so I’m glad I have Dr. Purkert as my surgeon.

I finally spoke with my surgeon’s scheduler today.  The first day he has available to do my surgery is February 13. That’s a Wednesday.  So I’ll probably take off that Wed-Fri from work.   I wish I could get it over with sooner, but there’s nothing I can really do about it.  *blah*

So, I had a visit with my surgeon today.

yay: Dr. Purkert was very nice, explained everything to me, and noticed that I had done my parathyroid research so I knew what he was talking about.

yay: I’ll get a call tomorrow to schedule my surgery – which will probably be early January.

BOO: Since my sestamibi scan didn’t show the tumorous parathyroid, I’ll need a bilateral neck exploration to find the problem parathyroid – which means a two inch incision, slightly longer surgery and an overnight stay at the hospital.

yay: I’m getting another sestamibi scan to see if they can check it this time – my previous one is over a year old.

yay: If they find it this time, I get to have the shorter surgery and go home that night.

yay: My scan is on Tuesday – the sooner this is done, the better.

rrr:  The main danger in the surgery is if my bad parathyroid is one of the low ones – this means it’s near a nerve that connects to my vocal chords.  Dr. Purkert explained that if it’s one of the low ones, they find the nerve first, then make sure to steer clear of it.

yay: Someone brought them cookies and they gave me one!  Yay for yummy gingerbread.  :D