CT scan yesterday which prompted an ER visit today

Luckily I had my emotional support potato in my pocket today...

here is the view from my ER bed before they brought me warm blankets

After yesterday's scan went well, I thought I had a nice, lazy Saturday morning bundled up at home on this day of some frozen precipitation with hopes of no icing tonight.

But that's not how the day turned out...

But first:

A friend took me to my CT scan yesterday. This is the "big" one which will let me know whether the targeted cancer meds are working.

It was a typical day of having to be stuck twice. The tech first tried my left wrist but ended up going to my usual blood-draw spot on my right arm. After getting the IV in, the tech sent me back to the waiting room to drink the oral contrast solution (in lemon-lime Crystal Light) and give it time to kick in.

When enough time had passed, the tech came back to get me for the scan. I had to lie on my back with my arms over my head while the CT machine scanned my abdomen. During a CT, a robotic voice says "hold your breath" and several seconds later says "breathe." I always keep my eyes closed because I somehow feel calmer that way, but I can feel my body sliding into and then out of the CT machine while I'm holding my breath. Sometimes I hear whirring.

But the whole scan only takes about five minutes. It's so much easier than a PET scan or an MRI.

The techs yesterday were really nice. And I like that they decorate the room for the seasons. My last CT here they had colorful lights for Christmas. And now they have winter lights. As you can see. I took this photo after the scan.

Even though I won't get the results until my appointment with my oncologist on Wednesday, I was feeling good yesterday, happy to have that step done.

I was looking forward to a weekend of not worrying about cancer. Instead I was half weather-watching, hoping we avoid an ice storm and power outage here in Northwest Georgia.

I had a nice, quiet Friday evening and slept late this Saturday morning. Sometimes I forget to bring my phone from the bedroom.

This morning my watch let me know I had a call from a Nashville number, but I didn't check it because it's Saturday with winter weather on the way. What could be pressing?

Nothing, in my mind.

Then a little later I got a call from my sister. I was confused, because I'd just texted her, and we usually text unless we have a planned phone call. We didn't have a planned phone call today.

I hurried to my bedroom to get my phone. And I called her back.

She told me that she'd gotten a call from my oncology office, saying they had an urgent message for me and couldn't get in touch!

Urgent?? I looked at my phone and saw THREE missed calls from my oncologist's office. The transcript included that word, too: "URGENT"

My phone had rung while I was in the waiting room yesterday, so I put it on silent then.

And forgot to take it OFF silent.

No scenario in my mind involved an urgent call based on my CT scan. Even if the cancer has taken off and is in every bone in my body, that's not "urgent." There would be nothing that needed to be done TODAY.

But "urgent" means something needs to be done TODAY.

I called the oncology office and left a message. Because it's the weekend, I knew getting the "right" person to talk with might be hard.

A few minutes later I got a call from that office. The person on the phone was not the one who left the urgent message. This one told me that my CT indicated a "possible" DVT (deep vein thrombosis). And that I needed to go to the emergency room and get an ultrasound.

Well, THAT'S not how I envisioned my day today!

I called the friend who took my to my appointment yesterday. And I asked if she could take me to the ER. That I might have a blood clot. She said yes.

I called my sister to let her know what the urgent message was. And that I had someone to take me to the ER.

Of course, my sister was wondering if she should come. It's a six-hour drive. And there's an ice storm on the way. But she and her husband looked at the weather and saw that the ice storm isn't to arrive until tonight at any point on the route here. I told them to look up the protocol for a DVT to see what that might entail. Would I be admitted to the hospital? Would I be sent home with blood thinners and have to get regular blood-thinning shots (as I did when I had a blood clot near my port 14 years ago)?

She ended up deciding to drive up so she could be with me tonight whether I was in the hospital or at home during perhaps an ice storm and maybe needing help.

So I got ready to go to the ER. I learned last time to take lots of warm clothes because it's freezing throughout the ER and the ER rooms. And to take a pillow because they didn't have any last time I was there. I chose the ER that's in the same hospital as where I had yesterday's CT scans. I drank a lot of water before I left (because I'm a difficult stick) and ate part of a protein bar because I hadn't had breakfast. And I put the box of protein bars in my bag because we'd likely be at the ER for hours.

My friend arrived and got me to the ER, and I checked in, telling them my oncology office had called and told me to go to the ER because I might have a blood clot. Luckily the ER wasn't full. But I did have to wait a little while.

Then they took me back to the triage nurse area. We saw a nurse arrive, and my friend recognized her and said hello. She turned out to be the nurse who was in charge of getting my IV going and finding out what's going on. She couldn't access yesterday's CT. She said the doctor would be able to.

Short version: He couldn't access it, either.

So they were working ONLY with the info I could give them. I didn't even know WHICH leg might have a DVT. And I had no idea where! Calf, thigh, where???

But I was pretty sure I'd only had an abdominal CT. That seemed odd for showing a DVT in my LEG!

The nurse had a hard time with my IV. Of course. She tried my wrist in a different place than the tech tried unsuccessfully yesterday. It hurt REALLY badly. The worst yet. She finally gave up when trying to flush it didn't work. And she got an ultrasound machine to help her find a good vein. That made a world of difference, and she got an IV into the inside of my arm about halfway to my elbow. In a place where I've never had an IV before. But it worked!

She took us to a room where we had a different nurse who hooked me up to the finger oximeter and BP machine. And we waited.

And waited.

And waited. Every now and then the doc would check in with us. He was trying to get info from my oncology office because he couldn't access the CT scans. He finally got a call back from my oncologist's practice. So far my oncologist hasn't been on call anytime when I've gone to the ER (and it's been on a weekend three times now). What I needed was an ultrasound to see if I indeed have a blood clot.

Finally a young woman arrived with an ultrasound machine that she wheeled into my room. Although a nurse had told me I was second in line for an ultrasound, the tech said she was called in for me. That I was her only ultrasound today.

She started with my left leg and checked my veins from the groin area all the way down to my foot. She said if I had a blood clot, that she would find it. That she'd been doing this for 20 years. She went to the groin area on my right leg.

And she left to go give the results to the doctor.

He came back not long after that with the news...

I don't have a blood clot!

So I could go home.

I don't know what the radiologist saw that looked like a DVT. Maybe s/he was just being super careful. But whatever seemed to be there was NOT a blood clot.

I'm very grateful!

The doc went to get my discharge going, and not too long after a nurse brought the papers for me to sign. And was back shortly with instructions (which were nothing I need to do because nothing is wrong!)

And my friend got me home. And now I'm hoping we don't get an ice storm and that we don't lose electricity.

My sister?

Well, I called her as soon as I got the news that I don't have a blood clot. She was halfway here. I told her to head back to her home. That I don't need her because nothing is wrong! And actually I've felt better this past week than in a long time.

I felt fine this morning, too. Even after they told me to go to the ER. Even while I was AT the ER.

As well as now.

I feel pretty good. I'm snuggling in for a cold winter's night of maybe some frozen precipitation. But I hope not much!

I'm grateful for no blood clot. I'm grateful that my sister has arrived back at her home (and was willing to drop everything to drive up to take care of me AGAIN). I'm grateful that my friend could take me to the ER at the drop of a hat. I'm grateful that neither my sister nor my friend are mad that they wasted a Saturday!

And while I'm being grateful, I'm grateful for all of the folks who have helped me prepare for the possible ice storm tonight. From the one who has the "magic fingers" who got the gas fireplace in my basement going (AND brought food) even though I've never used the gas logs before in the 30 years I've lived here, to the former students/current friends who picked up or made food for me, to the friend who picked up carbon monoxide detectors for me, to the friend who installed my new electronic door lock, to the friend who made the MOST generous donation to me, to the neighbors who often get my mail, to the neighbor who is always available to take care of my cats or take me to appointments, to ALL of the folks who offered to pick things up for me this week (or at other times), making sure I have what I need.

I'm grateful for them ALL.

And for the loving, caring friend who sent me the emotional support potato a couple of months or so ago. I happened to have that potato in my pocket today, and it made me smile when I found it. It provided just what it promised!

I keep being reminded of what a difference a caring community makes in my life. And I'm a little sad that I waited so long to call on folks for help. I spent too many years being hesitant to ask for help. Years being so independent, not calling on others. Denying them the opportunity to be a blessing to me.

I'm glad I'm finally, finally learning!!

I really am blessed with SO many generous friends and family—good, kind people who love to help.

This week has made that so very clear to me.

So I'll wrap up this blog post about my weird day which was not at all what I expected when I got up...

I'll wrap it up with saying how grateful I am for these generous, helpful friends—and for the healthcare workers who are there for me in so many situations. Those healthcare workers are a very important part of my community, too.

I'm grateful for my community, for the village that surrounds me, the one that holds me in prayer and positive vibes, both in person and online.

That community, that village, enhances my life in ways that I see but also in ways I never see but are still just as powerful as the ones I DO see.

For that, for all of you, I am very, very grateful.