Ask Me Help Desk - Colon Cancer

Quote:

Originally Posted by KBC

I can't sleep at night either,,maybe we should go over those plans??:p

I wake around 3 every night/morning,,whatever:mad:,,Moods swinging like a monkey on roids,head cold(thanks Dad!!)

Just thought you might want some company in the misery zone:rolleyes:

That reminds me, I was going to email you but other things came up, as you can see from this thread. ;)

I still can't view the plans you sent me. It's so frustrating. It's like have Pandora's box but not even having the option of looking inside.

Next time you're up at 3 call me, I'll probably be up for my 10th trip to the bathroom. :( I have a tiny bladder, apparently it's the size of a lentil.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Altenweg

Complete physical on March 30 and then CT scan on April 6. I'm still waiting for an appointment for a colonoscopy.

Is the blood red or dark?

Why a CT scan?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wondergirl

Is the blood red or dark?

Why a CT scan?

Red Wondergirl, and fee flowing, almost like you cut yourself and it's just gushing.

The CT scan is to check out my abdomen, see if there are any abnormalities. He's just covering all the bases. He also wants an ultrasound done, a colonoscopy and an endoscopy.

Well, it's better to have too many tests and rule out some options, than to decide against the one that could catch the problem because you don't think it's needed.

I know you posted it before, but where are you bleeding from? I missed it I think..,.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aurora_Bell

I know you posted it before, but where are you bleeding from? i missed it I think..,.

:eek: You're going to make me repeat it? It was hard enough to post it the first time. :eek:

I'm bleeding from my bum Bella. It's a bum bleed. Say that 5 times fast. ;)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Altenweg

Red Wondergirl, and fee flowing, almost like you cut yourself and it's just gushing.

This sounds like colon, and you are not an emergency?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wondergirl

This sounds like colon, and you are not an emergency?

I can't believe that either.

Ohhhhhhh sorry!!
Yikes a bum bleed. Um wow. How come you're not at emerg? Um a bum bleed. Wow.

During a visit to a mental institution, I asked the Director, 'How do you determine whether a patient should be institutionalized?'
'Well,' said the Director, 'we fill up a bathtub, then we offer a teaspoon,a teacup and a bucket to the patient and ask him or her to empty the bathtub.'
'Oh, I understand,' I said. 'A normal person would use the bucket because
It's bigger than the spoon or the teacup.'

'No.' said the Director, 'A normal person would pull the plug. Do u want a bed near the window?'
ARE YOU GOING TO PASS THIS ON, OR DO YOU WANT THE BED NEXT TO MINE?

I'll take the bed next to yours if it gets me out of work.

Quote:

Originally Posted by KBC

During a visit to a mental institution, I asked the Director, 'How do you determine whether or not a patient should be institutionalized?'
'Well,' said the Director, 'we fill up a bathtub, then we offer a teaspoon,a teacup and a bucket to the patient and ask him or her to empty the bathtub.'
'Oh, I understand,' I said. 'A normal person would use the bucket because
it's bigger than the spoon or the teacup.'

'No.' said the Director, 'A normal person would pull the plug. Do u want a bed near the window?'
ARE YOU GOING TO PASS THIS ON, OR DO YOU WANT THE BED NEXT TO MINE?

So, I guess it's a bad thing that I would roll up my pantlegs and splash the water out like a dog digging a hole?

Quote:

Originally Posted by KBC

During a visit to a mental institution, I asked the Director, 'How do you determine whether or not a patient should be institutionalized?'
'Well,' said the Director, 'we fill up a bathtub, then we offer a teaspoon,a teacup and a bucket to the patient and ask him or her to empty the bathtub.'
'Oh, I understand,' I said. 'A normal person would use the bucket because
it's bigger than the spoon or the teacup.'

'No.' said the Director, 'A normal person would pull the plug. Do u want a bed near the window?'
ARE YOU GOING TO PASS THIS ON, OR DO YOU WANT THE BED NEXT TO MINE?

I've heard that one before. I'll take the bed next to yours. ;)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wondergirl

This sounds like colon, and you are not an emergency?

It's Canada WG. My doctor could set up my being in the hospital, but they'll likely not run any tests, they'll just do blood work, possibly prescribe iron (like my doctor did) and then set up appointments with specialists (like my doctor did). Unless I pass out, or my hemoglobin fails to rise from the iron pills, they won't do anything without a diagnosis. They don't diagnose, they treat. It's frustrating.

The only time I ever got treatment in the hospital was when I miscarried, and that's only because I was hemorrhaging and passed out while they were leading me to a treatment room.

Even then, I was there for around 5 hours before they decided to do a D&C. They did ultrasounds first (to see if the fetus had passed) and when they realized it hadn't and that I was losing blood fast, I had the D & C. It's a long process.

There's nothing I can do. Sadly, there's also nothing my doctor can do, until I get a diagnosis, which he's doing his best to discover.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Altenweg

The only time I ever got treatment in the hospital was when I miscarried, and that's only because I was hemorrhaging and passed out while they were leading me to a treatment room.

You are hemorrhaging now. The iron pills are only making your blood richer before it pours out of your body. Your doctor has no power to get you a colonoscopy, like, yesterday?

How long have you been bleeding?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wondergirl

You are hemorrhaging now. The iron pills are only making your blood richer before it pours out of your body. Your doctor has no power to get you a colonoscopy, like, yesterday?

How long have you been bleeding?

I've been bleeding on and off since I was a teen. It's only gotten to be consistent in the last few years. Actually, since my miscarriage.

He can only request, he has no power over the specialists. It's first come first serve and the waiting list is usually around 6 months, unless you can dish out the $5000 + to get ahead of the line.

Here's the thing. The iron pills are raising my hemoglobin, keeping me alive, until I get a diagnosis. It's the first step. If it doesn't work, we go to the next step.

I've mentioned a transfusion to him, that's a last resort. There are many risks with a transfusion and most doctors only resort to it if there aren't any other options. His concern about the transfusion is that we don't know what's causing the anemia. It would be like putting a bandaid on an arterial wound. It may stench the bleeding, but it won't fix the wound, it will still kill you, only slower.

If nothing else works then I'll have to have a transfusion, but his hope is to find the source and fix that, instead of pouring water into a leaking pipe without looking for the hole.

That's where I'm at. I need to get in to the specialists, get a diagnosis and fix the leak. I'm hoping it's a simple leak.

The fact that I have an appointment for a CT scan on April 6, it's amazing. I know you all think it's so far away, but considering that most people have to wait 6 months or more, well, my doctor is pulling every string he can. He's doing the best working within a system that is set up to go against doctors and their patients.

I agree with ALL of this advice.

I also would like to point out that those of you in the US should contact your congressman with what Alty is going through and ask him/her NOT to vote for the health bill. THIS is why I hate nationalized medicine.

And all I can do right now is sit here and pray and worry my guts out for my sister Alty.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Altenweg

The fact that I have an appointment for a CT scan on April 6, it's amazing. I know you all think it's so far away, but considering that most people have to wait 6 months or more, well, my doctor is pulling every string he can. He's doing the best working within a system that is set up to go against doctors and their patients.

It's not that far off. It's what? 2-3 weeks? During that time you'll be taking the iron pills to stay as healthy as possible, and possibly even getting a little better.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Synnen

I agree with ALL of this advice.

I also would like to point out that those of you in the US should contact your congressman with what Alty is going through and ask him/her NOT to vote for the health bill. THIS is why I hate nationalized medicine.

And all I can do right now is sit here and pray and worry my guts out for my sister Alty.

It's only been this way for a few years Synn. It wasn't always this bad.

We used to pay $18/month for health care and if you needed to go to a specialist, it was instant.

Then the powers that be decided to change it, make it a two tier system where the rich get in right away and the poor wait for an appointment, unless they can dish out the thousands to get in right away.

We no longer pay the $18/month, the government does, but if you need that $5000 CT scan and have to wait for 6 months, you really wish you could go back to paying that $18/month.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hheath541

it's not that far off. it's what? 2-3 weeks? during that time you'll be taking the iron pills to stay as healthy as possible, and possibly even getting a little better.

Exactly. I also have that full physical with my doctor on March 30.

Right now I just have to get my hemoglobin up (which the iron is slowly doing) so we can find out what's causing everything.

I do feel better. I do feel stronger. It's working. It's not a permanent solution but it will keep me alive until I find out what I'm dealing with.