The Diagnosis

The CT scan of the abdominal region was not bad in and of itself but because I am allergic to the medicines that they had to give me I had to be pre-treated with Steroids and Benadryl to prevent an allergic reaction. The medications burned and made the vein in my arm hurt as they went towards my heart. Once they hit my heart, my blood pressure dropped and I became very dizzy. The nurse put the side rails up so that I could have something to hold onto that didn't move. About 10 minutes later they came with a wheel chair to wheel me down for my Scan. The Contrast was injected into my IV and I felt a warm sensation come over my body as it pumped through my veins.
It wasn't long and the test was done. I was still to groggy to walk and so the nurses helped me to get dressed and wheeled me across the street to the clinic. I was put back into another room and there I waited trying to shake off the effects of the drugs. I'm not sure but I believe it was a half hour after I returned that the doctor came in and told me that I had Lymphoma. I burst into tears. How could it be? I didn't feel sick, I had no pain. Was she sure of her diagnosis? She said that the surgeon was looking at my tests and that he would be over to talk to me when he was finished. As I waited in the room, I sobbed and I made phone calls. I called my husband, then one of my sisters.
I waited to call my supervisor from work as she had agreed to come and pick me up after my appointment. I was told before the scan was done that I needed to find someone to give me a ride home as I would be in no position to drive after all the medication that I had been given and Leaurie had agreed to pick me up. Another half hour or so passed and the surgeon came in to speak with me. He again confirmed that I had Lymphoma. He needed to get more tests done so that the oncologist had all the information he needed to determine how to best treat the cancer.