Biopsy

First off I would like thank everyone who prayed for me yesterday before, during and after my surgery. My day was a little hectic and in all the running around knowing that people were praying for me helped a lot.

My day started off fairly early when we left to go see the cancer specialist at Group Health in Seattle. (Capital Hill) We got there just shy of 8am and then took a few moments wandering around the huge "Central" GHC compound trying to find where we needed to be. We finally bumped into the doctor (in the wrong place) but he directed us to where we needed to be and then we were ushered into a room where we talked for a bit. He gave me a checkup and showed Lisa the CT scans (I don't really want to see them because until I know what they are I really don't want to get more worried about WHERE they are.) I have 4 various sized "masses" in my abdomen region, the largest is just above my bladder. Towards the end the Doctor we were meeting with told me I look really good and pretty healthy for someone that might have cancer. This made me a little more hopeful about my situation. He also told me that most people my age don't get cancer very often and if they do it's testicular cancer which is highly treatable. He ordered some blood tests (NOTE: I just saw the blood tests on that and it doesn't look like I have testicular cancer.) and we left to get back to the Eastside where my biopsy was supposed to happen.

We get to the Eastside, running a little late, and I go in to have the blood work done (12 vials of blood) and then we rush over to the hospital. We wandered around for a bit and then met up with my good friend Dan McCurley, who flew up Thursday night to be with me this weekend. (Thanks Dan, it means a lot!) We found an information booth after a bit that told us, after looking at their records, that my Biopsy was scheduled at the "Central" (Capital Hill) hospital. No one had ever bothered to tell us that. (It was an Eastside doctor who had scheduled the biopsy and he never said it was going to be at "Central") So the lady at the desk called "Central" and checked to see if there was still enough time for us to get there and have a Biopsy done. They said there was. Lisa bid me farewell and headed off to work and Dan took me to the Capital Hill hospital. (again)

When we got there we went up to the floor I needed to be on and the receptionist nurse greeted us with a "Hello Mr. Morrell!" I was a little surprised but they got me checked in and moved me right into a room. (Dan got to sit in a nice recliner in the room) The nurse I had assigned to work with me was wonderful. She was an SPU grad like me (her mother had also graduated from SPU as well) so I knew that she was good at what she did. (The SPU Nursing students are hardcore about being nurses) She had a great bedside manner and was very friendly and answered all sorts of questions for me. (When she left for the day she told me that she'd be praying for me.)

The Doctor came in after I had been there about an hour and a half and explained what he was going to be doing and answered any questions I might have. He explained everything very well and didn't really leave me with any questions. They then got an orderly (or some big nurse) to wheel my bed thing down to surgery.

They started with an ultrasound and then covered me up with some towels. (blue type things you see on TV) The doctor then injected me twice with a numbing shot. (One at surface and one deeper down) Then he put a little cutting device that has a kind of spring-loaded needle in it that took a core sample of the "mass". I didn't feel it any more than poking yourself in the stomach. (Just the pressure of it) They then sealed me up and took the towels off me and sent me back upstairs. (The orderly that moved me actually gave me motion sickness on the way back up, so I was feeling queezy, but I don't think it had to do with the surgery.)

I then spent the next couple of hours lying in bed talking with Dan, and then they released me. They gave me some meds for "when I hurt" but as of this morning (Saturday) it doesn't feel really any worse than having done a large amount of sit-ups.

Thanks everyone who has supported me during the time with Prayers and offers to help. A big thanks to Dan for flying up Thursday night and staying with me during the day on Friday so that Lisa could work. At this point in time Lisa and I don't really need anything, but we'll know more on Monday or Tuesday night about what is inside me. We'll keep you all informed as to what is happening. Thank you very, very much for your prayers!

~B.