Lisa McGill

So the fact that I'm back on Caring Bridge is clearly not a good sign.  Figures that I was so good at cancer the first time, I get to do it again!!  YAY me!!!!

How we got here:
It's kind of just a whirlwind of craziness since January.  What I thought was pneumonia and a kidney infection turned into a pericardial window ('llI explain) and a compression fracture in my spine.  In January I was not feeling well.  I went to visit my GP that did a number of test that turned my insides into a source of electricity for a small town.  It was determined that I had fluid on my heart.  Off to the cardiologist (clean bill of health 2 week prior) and was immediately admitted to the hospital.  A week later and a liter and a half of fluid drained off of my heart (Yes!  Most of that coke bottle that you have in the fridge!!!), I was released to the real world again.  The incision that was to be 3cm is 8 inches long because my blood pressure was too low.  Such fun!  Between the boob surgery and this, I am a road map to secret treasure!!!  During the surgery it is protocol to est for cancer.  A new marker was tested for and came back positive (GLUT1).  No one is really sure why the test was done nor did any current doctor no what that meant.  Referral to the oncologist coming up!!

I was still having back pain and believed that I had a kidney infection.  Back to the GP and two more glow in the dark tests led to the discovery of a compression fracture and "something" might be on my spine.  So a bone scan with MORE isotopes was order.  No cancer in the bone!!! But, other tests continued to show that there was an auto immune disease prowling around my blood.

On Friday, February 19th, Bill and I met with the oncologist.  He immediately was concerned that I had a compression fracture a such a young age.  Tests all around!!!  Blood work, MRI and PET scan!  Back to the oncologist on Friday, February 26th.  Bad news abounded.

Diagnosis:
I have cancer in my spine, in the lymph nodes on my neck and under my left arm and fluid on my lung and heart again.  I will have a biopsy on Wednesday to determine what kind of cancer this is.  I will have radiation and chemo.  Plans will be finalized on Friday.  Needless to say, I was not planned for the extent of involvement that the cancer has spread.

So, I working on wrapping my head around this again.  I need to get to my happy place and I will.  Just taking me a little longer than I care for.  I will begin the battle of alien invaders soon.  I have learned that I have to ask for help and I will.  I will update as we go through this process one more time.  At least I'm not really freaked out about my hair this time!!!!