#3 Tumor Kabob

I reported to the Katy Memorial Hospital to undergo a pelvic mass biopsy.  Seemed like clockwork.

• Drop your drawers
• Wear this napkin as a gown
• Hop in bed
• Start IV
• Get pushed to CT machine.

The mass biopsy was guided by CT.  The doctor gave me some local anesthetic and proceeded to place a pretty good size "needle", which I would describe as a metal tube or drilling casing into my "pelvic cavity".  The tube would provide a guided path to the tumor for tissue collection. Everyone would leave the room and they would start up the CT machine to see if it was in the right position.  It didn't take very many attempts before they were happy with the location and busy collecting tissue samples. They collected by aspiration, and by a very precise Alfred Hitchcock Tumor Kabob method where he was basically stabbing away to get a core sample.  It was interesting to watch, they were pushing some pretty good sedatives and I didn't really have a care in the world.  When all was said and done, I had a small hole several inches south of my belly button, a band-aid, and a body hair pattern that only Picasso would appreciate.  I guess one of the perks of spending 12 years in med school is the opportunity to be creative with clippers.

Pre-Party, Party



Post Party Party,  Bam

  
A week or so later we were given some preliminary results -  Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma.
Some of the pathology staining was contradictory and has caused problems for proper identification up to today 11-29.

Next Stop - Pet Scan