u2october's Diaryland Diary

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pauly Shore and my Pancreas

So, I’m getting sent for a few pancreatic protocol MRIs. The purpose is to find out if I have tumors/pancreatic cancer.

As The Weepies sang so wonderfully, This is not your year.

Indeed.

As I sat in the room yesterday with my CRNP, we went down a long list of symptoms and began eliminating various conditions and diagnoses until we got to the point where she asked about a few symptoms to which I answered affirmatively. She then said, “I’m going to send you for a couple of pancreatic MRIs along with an MRI of your liver and other neighboring organs.”

One of the skills I have developed over many years of representing nurses and doctors is a perceptive understanding of when they are concerned, but are trying not to worry you. This was very much in play, as she didn’t mention what the last symptom questions she asked were related to, but she didn’t have to tell me. I know that pancreatic MRIs are performed to diagnose Pancreatic Cancer, and they will almost always look at the adjacent organs to see if it has spread.

This is a weird feeling for someone who has dealt with depression and suicidal ideations for pretty much my entire life. I’m not afraid, but also kinda pissed if I’m not going to make it to my Hunter S. Thompson target.

Let’s see how this MRI shakes out first, but be prepared for an overused quote from that Pauly Shore iconic film, Encino Man.

:end transmission: