You have Cancer.......

I remember being told by a doctor that "we won't give you bad news over the phone but ask you to come in". I got that call Friday afternoon, five days after the arthroscopic pancreatic ultrasound and a biopsy. The news was expected and the event really was anti-climactic having been pretty much prepped by every bed side visit my doctors made since I first got to the hospital. Three weeks of pancreatitis, elevated CA 19 readings and a stubborn unwillingness from my pancreas to settle down werethe first clues. I would have preferred to be on an episode of "House" that within the hour would have discovered that obviously cancer was wreaking havoc; however, medicine I discovered, is built on what you know - endless diagnostic tests eventually proved this. I got a copy of the hospital bill paid again by United,,,, $154,000 for my stay at North West Hospital. I would be the first to say that I got my money's worth but in stark contrast to the monetary business mission hospitals follow what struck me was how the staff, doctors, nurses were totally under a different calling.




The "hospitalist," Dr. Schoenhals, was the floor doctor who quietly sat next to me day after day talking to me like a family member concerned and befuddled about my illness. Within the first week he consulted a gastroenterologist and brought in a surgeon Dr. Nakazato to look at the test results and talk to me about what he might do. Eventually I would met his anesthesiologist and for several weeks each doctor would almost daily give me updates on tests and answer any questions I might have. I bonded with them and joined their team.


So when I got that Friday call I already new the game plan, confident surgery would work and clear on the next steps. I think back to these doctor visits, those quiet moments where trust and faith were born. Was it accidental or deliberate? The North West team of Doctors that are a part of my team are amazing... I have Cancer...... so what?