Tomorrow morning around 7:30AM I will be going to take my latest test, a Lymphangiogram.
A short time prior to the procedure I will be given Phentenol and Verset which will control pain, but I will be awake for the entire procedure.
The procedure itself will then be in two parts with Dr. Gillinov overseeing the entire process.
Part 1:
Dr. Geisenger of the Cleveland Clinic will inject a high contrast blue oil-based dye into the webbing between my toes...yeah, you read that right. Over the next 2-3 hours that dye will make its way through my lymph vessels in my legs and chest. My body will then be x-rayed to see where the dye and lymph is traveling. If everything appears to be "normal" with no leaks or drips from the main system, this is where the procedure will stop.
Duration: 2-3 hours
Part 2:
The second part of the algorythim would play out if the dye and lymph is shown to be "leaking" from my thymus, as has been posutlated. In this case, Dr. Sands will insert a needle and catheter somewhere into my torso, pass through my liver and into my thymus. Dr. Sands will then endeavor to reach the leak and glue/caulk/plug it. Once the leak has been remedied, the Dr. will back his way out.
Duration: 2 hours
So by the time most of you read this I will likely be done with part one and either getting ready to get back to my room or begining part two.
Needless to say, with my most recent experience this past week I am a little anxious about the entire procedure. However, I trust Dr. Gillinov.
There is no question that Wednesday will be tough physically on me and challenging both for my family and I mentally but I promise you all this...Each time I feel nervous, tired, discomfort or doubt, I will think of the posts, calls and emails you have sent my way over the last several weeks. If this is another required hurdle to get back home to friends and family of the caliber that I have, then I say:
BRING IT ON! What's a little needle and dye between your toes!? Catheter through my liver? Is that the best you can do? Another needle through my chest? Whatever!!! I may wince and I may cringe, but I will not stop here and this is excatly why I know that this too shall pass. Because although I cannot control everything that I will experience, I can control how I react to it. And in one form or another I will be here tomorrow night to share with you how things went.
Keep your lymph nodes crossed for me.
~Joe
11 days post-op
18 comments:
Mine are crossed for you Joe. Good luck tomorrow morning.
Come home soon.
MA
Joe -- you're awesome. Wishing you the best of luck and strength. We're staying tuned.
Stef, Mike, Leo
Keep the faith, Joe. Reading your entries is inspiring and I am looking forward to discussing them at length upon your return. Write on!
joe, i'm so happy you're ok. and please don't try and get me to go camping with you for saying this, but i am so touched and impressed by how you've handled this whole ordeal. it takes courage to share so much with world. and with so much eloquence, i might add! this is much better than desparate housewives or boston legal. i wish i had a recipe for fat free cottage cheese, boiled chicken and jello. oh, wait: take some no fat cottage cheese, mix it with jello, then stuff the boiled chicken with it. then wrap it in bacon. haha. just kidding. i know jello doesn't go with bacon. (i'm not a total moron.)
and now, i thought it might be appropriate to share some words from a favorite song of mine: "the blacksmith and the artist, each must play his part...to forge a new reality, closer to the heart." wait, that doesn't really work for this. i guess i never really listened to those lyrics. i'm such an idiot! i'm sorry. i...i...i guess i'm just not very good at this sort of thing.
i have to go now. like the song says: "beth, i hear you callin', but i can't come home right now...me and the boys are playing, and we just can't find the sound." damn it! that doesn't work either. this is so awkward. stop looking at me!
love you, bro. keep smiling. can't wait to see you. call me. (i shoudl be at the TOP of your call list. seriously. family, schmamily (sp?).)
- beeby
Joe, please let me know when we can uncross our lymph nodes. It's been a few hours, and I'm feeling a little uncomfortable. I still have a sympathetic knitting needle sticking through my liver, though, and I'm thoroughly enjoying THAT experience.
You are in our prayers all day. Get the heck out of that place, would you?
Joe
Joe,
You show amazing strength and always manage to keep a positive attitude. Wishing you a speedy recovery.
AP
Joe, you are superman! Once they find the Kryptonite in there, we will see you fly again. Be strong, like always. We are with you.
George R.
Verset? - yeah baby, NOW were talkin!
Is there any way that you can syphon some of that juice? Maybe a little jar full?
We could take it down to the Black Duck and alternate cold beers with verset shots.
Although I hear that it has a memory errasing side effect.
Oh, no wait. Maybe that's not what I heard. Hmmm..
Wow, Joe, you really are a trooper!! It's so comforting to know that you haven't lost your sense of humor or your positive attitude, which would be highly likely for most of us if we were in your shoes. We are so very hopeful that this procedure will be the end of it for you and you can be on your way home to be with your wonderful family once again. Everything is crossed for you and we send you our love and best wishes, Doug and Marge
Hi Joe,
I just wanted to let you know that sooooooooooo many people at the office have been inquiring about how you are doing. You're in everyone's thoughts and prayers.
shannon R.
Hi Joe and Al,
I can't believe all that you have been through. Know that you all are in my thoughts and prayers for a blessed recovery. Stay strong and keep your wisdom. Much love. Gail Schroeder
Have you thought about selling the movie rights to your visit to Cleveland?! Enough already. What an annoying amount of drama you've had to endure-ICK! (being a chick and all, I LOVE drama, Joe, but really) Watching the roller coaster from the outside is so frustrating and yet probably only a 10th of what you’re feeling. You are amazing that you seem to be comforting everyone reading this when it should be the other way around. Being strong and focused now surely will get you back into your toasty bed at home that much sooner and you MUST be getting the gold star for best behaved patient-UNBELIEVABLE. Please know, though, that while every step and test you are taking is leading you to recovery, we all know that it is taking a huge emotional toll and if you want to write a really cranky message, GO FOR IT. We'll understand : ) Thank goodness for your sense of humor - that might just help the most. All of our love to you, Allison (your super rock-she is amazing) and Max. We are sending huge amounts of positive energy your way and remember, it's even stronger coming from California since we're all about the nutty transference of energy : ) Big, gentle hugs...Cara, Lance and Lily.
Brother,
Hang in there and keep the faith. Before you know it you'll be suckin down some fat free, no carb, no taste beer at the Duck. It will be the middle of the winter of course. Beeby and company will be smokin butts outside with the rest of the sinners.
Sounds like you got the right spirit Bro! Our thoughts are with you...
Powers
Is anyone bothered by the fact that Beeby took this opportunity to throw in a KISS song? I'm just bothered that I didn't think of it first.
Joe - My lymphnodes are killin' me, oh wait, I've been crossing the wrong things all day... damn. We're thinking of you. Waiting on the update.
Mike, Stef, and Leo
Wait a minute -- how am I supposed to make chicken soup with that?!?!
Lucky for you I have an ancient Russian recipe for Fat Free Sour Cream Borscht! And to help make it go down easier, may I suggest a frozen Stoli chaser... lucky for you, that's made from potatoes!
Seriously, Joe, I hope you realize you are meant to do great things having survived this ordeal. Not many get to live to tell the tale...
All our prayers to you, Al and MROS
Natasha, John, Roman & Rafael
We're keeping every crossable part of our bodies crossed...you are doing great Joe!! Looking forward to speaking with you again in a couple of days.
EJ & Jen
Joe, Al, Max, Norm, Mr. & Mrs. S,
Phil and I have been checking this blog constantly all day. I thought of calling a few times but don't want to bother you. Anyway--I am totally unworthy of commenting on this blog because you have WAY more incredibly funny, intel-liegent and (dare I say) "pithy" friends that provide far better reading. But, in any event--know that we are thinking of you all and would do anything to bring a smile to your face. (Sort of like those old Klondike commercials.) Anyhoo, We'll rack our brains for recipes and jokes...but mostly just send you good wishes. All our love from Beantown,
AE, Phil, M, L & E
Thumbs Up!
Double Thumbs Up!!
If I had any more thumbs, they'd be up too!!!
Keep the Positive Mental Attitude as strong as those vodka tonics you'll be serving on your upcoming return. Make mine a DOUBLE!
Jamie
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