Paula Bistany

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On November 21st I woke up with excruciating pain in my right rib cage to the point of taking my breath away.   I went to my primary care dr and she ran a bunch of tests which indicated I had an inflammatory condition but no indication what was causing it.  She sent me to a rheumatologist.   Through many blood tests and x-rays it was determined that I didn't have any sort of auto-immune disease and was likely just suffering from wear and tear osteoarthritis.  Since I was having trouble with my right shoulder she sent me for a right MRI and this is where my cancer story begins.  


On Tuesday 31-Jan the radiologist discovered a small lesion in my shoulder and immediately called my rheumatologist and said she needs to get to her oncologist stat.  I was able to get an appointment with Dr. Marc Citron first thing the next morning.  During his exam he discovered a lymphnode that was clearly also related.  I told him I'm also having headaches that just started that week as well as other aches and pains around my body.  He immediately went into action mode.  I was able to get squeezed in for a BRAIN MRI and an appointment for Thu morning 2-Feb for a PET CT Scan from lower part of head down to my knees.    The results of the BRAIN MRI:  Lesions on skull but not in brain.  I was so relieved it was not in the brain.  Dr Citron said on the skull is treatable with chemo.   The results of the PET CT Scan is that there are lesions in some lymph nodes and on the bone all over but very concentrated in my cervical spine and right ribs.  This of course is where i'm having the most severe pain, my entire Right Rib cage front to back.


I'm writing this on 3-Feb and the plan today is to get a biopsy of one of the lymph nodes that's quite swollen in my neck so we can determine what kind of cancer we are dealing with and Dr. C can come up with a chemo treatment plan  and I'm  scheduled for a radiation appt where they will work up a plan for my cervical spine and ribs.