The Biopsy AND The Next Problem

So yes I finally did it, I finally had my throat biopsy done, actually I did it April 14th, again I walked my butt into Valley Hospital and some ungodly hour and laid down to let them have at me.

First I would like to say I friggin LOVE Valley Hospital, honestly if any of you in the area of Ridgewood, NJ even need anything done it's really is a wonderful place with a wonderful group of doctors. The staff in every department I have even been in ( and trust me that has been many) are always so professional and nice and take such good care of you, really they are worth there weight in gold and clearly the reason I drive up there for anything I need done.

So we get to the hospital at 6:00 am which required a 4:45 am departure from East Windsor (shoot me!!) and they put my right in the "Same Day Surgery" area. They give me the kick ass, butt baring gown, lame-o slippers with the non slip stuff on the bottom and a brand new hospital bracelet that so nicely lets the world know I am 42 years old, seriously is there a need for this info to get out? Does this change the procedure or anything like that? Lets rethink this Valley Hospital for future visits, OK?

Then the whirlwind begins.....

No less than 5 people are in the room, 1 of who is asking the same questions over and over or the second person asking to list my previous surgeries or the woman jamming an IV in your hand, the anesthesiologist asking some other random questions and then there always is the random people who you know are from the OR because they sport the oh so trendy hair net hat thingy. And you then realize "Crap this is for real"

Ohhhh and let me not forget to tell you about the anesthesiologist I had this time, UGH is my very first thought. Picture this....6 foot, normal weight, bald, big nose, sticking out ears, nerd with glasses, like really a nerd, like the kid you beat up in school nerd but clearly a smart one who went to medical school. He comes in and grabs my chart and it flipping through it and meanwhile the papers are everywhere he is mumbling because he is looking for something and I am trying to talk to him, he is listening but I am starting to freak a little that he is not paying 100% attention. I am trying to tell him about the throat issue and how he needs to know this to intubate me and he is hearing me but he was freaking me out with his disorganization . I said to the nurse (with a oh holy hell look) "Dr Rosen...whew" and she reassured me that he was a VERY good doctor and everyone gets that impression. Dr Rosen from Valley Hospital if you ever find my blog please for the love of god look less scattered your killing me here!! OK? Thanks

So now the time comes and we go into the OR and thankfully my wonderful doctor starts telling the oh so scattered Dr Rosen about my throat and how I am to intubate and what to watch out for. Dr Davis THIS is why you are my doctor and you get paid the big bucks because before now Dr Rosen was scaring the hell out of me. Meanwhile Dr Rosen proclaims "Nurse so and so I need epinephrine in the field please" OH great, crazy Dr Rosen, who I am scared of, now we need epi in case you need to revive me? Please for the love of God put me to sleep, I beg you for narcotics!! And fast.......

Clearly I woke in the recovery room and it felt like Alaska or possible Antarctica, I was freezing and shaking. The nurse takes my temp and says "No wonder your cold your temp is 96" and she throws one of those heated up blankets (FTR...this is the best part of being in the hospital, I really need a machine that heats my blankets up) on me and then one on my HEAD! I mean like a big twin size blanket folded up that it was like a hat that goes around your head and under your chin so you only see me face peeking out, you know sorta Eskimo like. It was HYSTERICAL!! I wish I had my photo.....where is my Iphone when I need it? I need to post to Facebook damn it, Iphone STAT!!!

So my doctor comes in recovery and I swear I am so drugged up and in my Eskimo blankets he was like foggy to me, very foggy and he mentions that my calcium is very high so he is going to have my blood drawn. In my drugged up stupor I say to him "I heard this before from my regular doctor, OK" and proceed to sleep.

So hours later I go home and holy moly my throat is killing me but the codeine is helping a lot, like helping me so much that I could have become addicted to the stuff if they gave me enough but damn them they only give you so much. A week later I get back my biopsy and thankfully it is benign and yes world I am going to live, move over peeps!

No no no not over yet though, lets not jump the gun, I ask about the calcium level which again was high. Now I know from my Medical Laboratory Technician days that a high calcium is NOT good. Calcium is so important in your body that it has it own regulatory organ, actually it is the only mineral in your body that does, they are called your parathyroid glands (you have 4). Now don't go thinking they are related to the thyroid because it is not, only by location as they are located on the back of your thyroid, thus PARA thyroid, Para means "next too", like paralegal or parasite. Look my blog is like a learning tool too!

Anyway, 90% of the time when someone has a high calcium level it is because 1 of the 4 parathyroid glands has developed a benign tumor and guess what, it needs to come out!!! Yes I said it, I will need surgery to get it out, can you believe my life? So we are doing a few other blood tests (which I just did yesterday) to confirm that it is the parathyroid and we will go from there. I am hoping that it is not BUT if it is not the parathyroid gland the other things it can be are worse and with the parathyroid surgery once it is done you are cured

Keep you posted.........