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Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Medical Update -- MRI and my liver

We finally got the results of my MRI.

It took Hadassah two weeks to issue the report from the MRI!! It is outrageous to make patients wait so long for test results.

As if waiting is not enough, Hadassah will only send test results to your doctor. So, you need to meet with a doctor to find out your results.

My oncologist is on vacation.

None of the other doctors could meet with us today. We have been waiting to hear about the test results for 2 1/2 weeks already. As you can imagine, our families have also been anxiously awaiting the results.

We were fortunate, and were able to meet with the head of the oncology department, who was very nice, and explained the results to us.

The MRI report states that there is no evidence of metastasis in my liver.

I asked the doctor: do the results mean that there is no more cancer in my liver, or that we just can't see it?

The doctor answered, simply: we cannot see any cancer on the MRI.

Still, this is good news!

The doctor repeated something that I just heard today, from another patient. There are cases in which Navalbine is so effective on liver metastases, that the tumors "disappear." Let's just hope (and pray) that they don't reappear.

The report also noted that there extensive bone metastases.

But, as the doctor so succinctly put it, "we knew that already."



Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) for RivkA bat Teirtzel.

With love and optimism,
RivkA

11 comments:

Juggling Frogs said...

Thank G-d. What an agonizing wait. There ought to be a protocol for getting news to people when their doctor is away. Even if it requires signing a disclaimer that the person agrees that it is data, not results, etc.

I've been on alert ever since the "So Tired" post.

May we continue to hear good news.

Ye'he Sh'mey Raba Mevorach said...

RivkA, all I can say is "yay" (and thank G-d).

And also 'hello' to Juggling Frogs - we meet again on yet another blog! LOL

Juggling Frogs said...

Ye'he Sh'mey Raba Mevorach, the Web may be "World Wide", but it's also a small world!

Anonymous said...

YH"R you should have many more years without increasing metastasis.

- Na'amah

Anonymous said...

All the best to you.

RivkA with a capital A said...

juggling frogs -- the problem wasn't that my doctor was away, the problem was that it took Hadassah so long to get the results to my doctor! Once the report was in my doctor's box, any doctor from the department could look at it and share the results with me (which is what happened)

Some places don't share test results directly with patients because, if the news is "bad," it can be helpful for the doctor to communicate the results in person and explain things right away.

I have mixed opinions about this, but am inclined to be understanding. Better to be inconvenienced, and make an appointment in which you are told "everything's OK, you can go home," than to answer the phone while you are at work, surrounded by colleagues, and hear some secretary telling you "you have _____, the doctor can see you next week."


ye'hey sh'mey & juggling frogs -- soooo cool that my blog is a meeting place!

maybe we'll all meet some day at my home!


Na'amah -- amen!!

ilanadavits -- thanks!

Batya said...

refuah shleimah

enjoy Shabbat

RivkA with a capital A said...

muse - thanks!

Anonymous said...

Good news, kid! :) I had a bit of good news, too -- I just signed a contract for some "full time" work in my profession, instead of the chapper stuff I've been doing the last few months. (Of course, I'll complete all of that other stuff because I committed to it, but I was glad to be able to turn some more down today, confident that by the Chaggim, IY"H, we'll be seeing a decent paycheck again.)

RivkA with a capital A said...

eliyahu -- fantastic!!

DR system said...

This is a very good news. Great !