We’ve Got a Lot Going On Right Now

This last almost-month has been a lot. It’s been a huge sequence of events, which I am (as usual) inclined to overshare about, but I am also not at my most productive right now, and I know that some of this will be brand-new news to some of you. So I’m going to give you a bit of a bare bones timeline of what’s been happening, and then I’ll circle back with the details in later posts.

• Way Back in June: I saw a new primary care person after my longtime PCP retired and her replacement changed offices. I said that I thought I should have a colonoscopy because I’d just been feeling vaguely like my GI tract was more delicate and I had a bad vibe. She said I wasn’t due for one, but put in an order for it because I wanted one.
• In September: I finally got my pre-colonoscopy appointment, which allowed me to get scheduled. The scheduler suggested I wait for a morning appointment because they’re a little better than the afternoon. They were scheduling mornings in December. I said I’d rather do it as soon as possible. I got the soonest-available appointment, for Thursday, October 8.
• Wednesday, October 7: I taught my first-ever embroidery class, not realizing how much the colonoscopy prep (it was my first) would turn me into someone who was far too overtired, hungry, and ill to teach a class effectively. My students were extremely kind.
• Thursday, October 8: Immediately after my colonoscopy, the doctor appeared and said: “You have cancer. You’re gonna need surgery. And a CT scan.” He was gone before either Cute W or I had fully processed the statement.
• Friday, October 9: I had a CT scan and we told our daughters and our bosses, but decided to wait for the CT results before telling others. We had no idea what stage I might be, but after the doctor’s abruptness and the swift response from insurance, things didn’t seem good. Thus started a really rough three-day weekend.
• Saturday, October 10 to Sunday, October 11: These days were very bad for us. We also laughed a lot. Cute W cried way more than me. He was extremely supportive but later started joking to everyone about how he was getting a little too “clingy” and quipping that “Katie’s being really strong for me.” It was also just shocking because I felt physically very normal and well, but at that point we weren’t sure if we were going to get a devastating diagnosis.
• Monday, October 12: We learned that the CT scan indicated that there was clearly cancer in my sigmoid colon and possibly lymph nodes, and there was a potentially suspicious cyst in my ovary, but the cancer hadn’t spread to any other major organs. This was excellent news. We only told the people who already knew about the cancer, for whom this would also be good news. But we’d have to tell others, plus I expected to hear from people the next day.
• Tuesday, October 13: My birthday. Rather than having separate conversations with five siblings, Cute W and I engineered a happy birthday “surprise” video call which was actually the easiest way for me to get everyone up to speed simultaneously and efficiently. We still had some fun on the call.
• Wednesday, October 14: At a League of Women Voters committee meeting, someone asked me if I’d take charge of a task and I said no and here’s why. Got added to my first prayer list. That night I updated my whole embroidery class because I suddenly wasn’t up for all four sessions. They were once again lovely.
• For the next several days through Thursday, October 22: I was telling a lot of people what was up, basically ruining everyone’s mood wherever I went. My Zumba teacher Carolyn would pray for me, my yoga teacher Karen would send me healing vibes, the DocuMamas were delightful, my gynecologist asked if she could hug me. Everyone was wonderful and kind and it was all extremely emotionally exhausting.
• Monday, October 19: We met with the surgeon referred to us by Dr. Bedside Manner, which is what we’ve been calling the colonoscopy guy. I was originally inclined to go to a different surgeon simply because I was still so angry about Dr. Bedside Manner, but this surgeon was very kind, was able to operate quickly (Tuesday, October 27), and was later endorsed by multiple people who had had experiences with him. He explained that we’d likely be removing about a foot of my colon (the colon is about five feet long) and that he’d take a look at the cyst and potentially remove an ovary & fallopian tube if they looked suspicious. This surgeon also said that Dr. Bedside Manner should have ordered a lung CT as well, and so that was an additional step and a new reason to worry. It was also a bit of a bummer to confront the reality of recovering from surgery: likely two weeks without driving or lifting more than a few pounds, six weeks of avoiding Zumba or yoga or weights.
• Thursday, October 22: I got the lung CT and also went to a long-ago scheduled gynecology appointment, where the doctor said that the possible ovarian cyst was almost surely no big deal in a perimenopausal chick like me and I shouldn’t fret about it.
• Friday, October 23-Sunday, October 25: We went to Madison, Wisconsin, to visit M. This trip was planned before the whole hullaballoo, but it felt like a Gift From The Universe that we could still take this trip as planned and then do surgery as early as possible. If the surgeon could have scheduled me earlier, we would have canceled the trip but been a bit sad about it, but this slotted in perfectly. It was a wonderful diversion to see our daughter, her friends, and our good college friend. It was very hard to leave M because I knew she was stressed. I arrived home to some lovely gifts from friends that made me cry.

• Monday, October 26: I started the day with a meditation and also managed to early vote while subsisting on clear fluids and laxatives. I overpacked like a maniac for my hospital stay, which Cute W just went along with because he is literally the best husband ever.
• Tuesday, October 27: We were told to arrive at Albany Med at 9:30 am for an 11:30 am surgery, and I actually went into surgery later than that, but I don’t know exactly when. We finally heard that the lung CT had been clear, which was a huge relief. The surgeon was able to do the whole surgery laparoscopically, which was good news, but it was four different incisions. He removed a golf ball-sized tumor but, after checking out my ladyparts, left the ovary and fallopian tube. I woke up later that night and spent the night in post-op waiting for a room. Per the instructions I’d been given, I got up to a standing position and took one slow lap around the ward with Nate, the ninja night nurse, who was a delight. I also made him hunt down the protein shake I’d been told to consume as soon as I could.

• Wednesday, October 28: I was moved to a room and received lots and lots of drugs while working on extremely challenging milestone achievements like standing, walking, passing gas, and going to the bathroom. Not to brag, but I ticked them all off in relatively quick succession.
• Thursday, October 29: I was approved for discharge and allowed to go home. Cute W stopped for burgers on the way. I can eat whatever; I’m just supposed to avoid high fiber for a bit. “No kale salads,” they said, and it was ironic because I had kale in the fridge because I’d been meaning to make my favorite kale salad.
• Friday, October 30-now: I’m eating normally and sleeping a lot and taking three or four very short, slow walks per day. I am still in some pain, but it’s only really painful when I cough, laugh, sneeze, or use my core too much, like when shifting from lying down to sitting up. The next big piece of news will be the pathology report from what the surgeon removed. The results of that will determine whether/what further treatment I’ll need, so yes, please, I welcome all prayers and healing vibes toward that end.

There are all sorts of fun details about all of this, but first, I figured I’d get you up to speed. Here’s hoping that November brings improvements over October in every possible way.