Dear world, *clears throat* Dear 9 readers, I'm ready to tell my medical saga. I move to Georgetown a week before school starts hoping to settle into my new home and start rowing before starting school. Ease into rowing, have my first (half) week of class, and head home for Labor Day weekend to spend time with the fam. I'm in Staples with Lanie trying to get her phone fixed when I notice a lump just above my collar bone. Some of my dad's rowing friends who were kind enough to host me and my teammate up in Canada for Canadian Henley are in town for a short visit. I point the lump out to my mom and the ever so lovely Mrs. S, both of who encouraged me to set up a doctor's appointment at student health services when I get back to D.C. Go back to D.C., meet Dr. Agarwal for the first time, get blood tests, get ultrasound of the lump on my neck I've now named George. Also go to my Graduate School Welcome BBQ, meet with my professor who I'll be doing research with for the semester, and have a friend come visit for the weekend. Thoroughly stressed out, but it's probs nothing and I am just adjusting to living in a new place and starting school again. I'm told to schedule a follow up with Dr. Agarwal. Go into appointment with mom attending via phone call. Dr. A suggests I go see a ENT specialist at the hospital to get a biopsy of George. I start crying because that's what an Emma does when it's stressed and has its mommy to be strong for it. [Side note: reasons why Emmas cry - 1. Stressed 2. Hungry 3. Tired 4. Unable to otherwise express emotions, so it comes out in the form of tears 5. Frustrated 6. Some or all of the above. Just thought it was good to clarify because it's actually not usually just because Emmas are sad that they cry.] Moving on... Emma and telephone mom are led to believe they will have a biopsy the following day. Sobbing Emma convinces telephone mom to drive straight from work in Philly to be in person mom in D.C. (Really didn't take much convincing. As a matter of fact, it was her idea.) Go to ENT the following day and it's a "consultation appointment" -- whatever the f*ck that means. Can't be too upset because Dr. Chu is awesome. She decides to do get a fine needle aspiration. Translation: poke Emma with a needle 7 times and smear George's insides on slides. Well she didn't do that; the pathologist did. The results come back...inconclusive. Next move: get a biopsy. She wants to do it that week. No can do because I have been taking Advil (aka a blood thinner) because my hand and wrist have been swollen, hurting, and falling asleep when I'm doing nothing. Just sitting still or laying in bed, my hand goes numb. I think it's because I have been working on a slow roll up during rowing practice and doing a lot of transcriptions for a research project with my professor which are giving me carpal tunnel/some other rowing injury. Stop taking Advil. Other than my hand, may I emphasize that I feel totally fine. No fever, blood tests normal, everyone around me is starting to get cold nasty coughs. I feel great. Maybe George is actually protecting me. Get CT scan done so doc knows what to expect before she cuts me open. A week later, I'm ready for the biopsy. Doc has prepared me by saying I'm not going to be able to row or do any form of exercise for at least a week. True sadness is the moment Emma is told she is not allowed to exercise. Just talk to AT, the women who has had to wipe away too many Emma tears just for having to miss even one gymnastics practice in high school. Also, I'm told I'm not allowed to eat starting at midnight leading up to the procedure. You better believe mom and Emma were up snacking until the last possible moment the night before to ward off hangry Emma for as long as possible. She even made me brownies. Did I mention I'm well taken care of? I wake up. Hangry, of course. I'm attended to by what feels like 50 doctors, most of them very attractive, young, male doctors (my mom's observation, not mine - although I do agree). Good thing they all got to see me dressed to the nines: hospital gown, hair net, and hospital socks (but actually, I love the free socks). They cut me open, take out George, and sew me back up. All goes well with the biopsy. Loopy Emma comes out to play. Or maybe just to talk and walk really slowly. Misses two days of classes. Maybe I went back a day too early because I felt like I'm moving in slow motion while on the pain meds. Exhausted, but recovering well. Mom carries my book bag to all my classes because I'm not supposed to carry more than a gallon of milk or bend past the waist. #pampered
Feeling back to normal. It's Friday. Supposed to go on a grad school boat cruise party with my roomie and her nursing frands. To go out or not to go out? That is the question. Debating, debating, debating. Decide to stay in. Get a call from the doc -- I have Hodgkin's lymphoma nodular sclerosing. Start crying and shaking a little bit. Mom walks in, and I put the doc on speaker phone so she can hear. Not absorbing anything. Guess I'm not gonna be one of those strong, cancer types who can just smile, move on, and roll with the punches. Emmas need a little while to cry it out before they can carry on (see #6 above). It's all part of the process. Good news:
Will post more updates when I have them and really whenever I feel like it. People have been asking how to help, which is very kind. Feeling extremely loved which is AWESOME. Since I can't really come up with anything other than do my homework and figure out a way to study for me so that you do the work and I remember all the information, I'm asking for one of two things.
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Since moving in, starting classes, and starting rowing, life has been crazy! I was fortunate enough to get the opportunity to start training with and row for PBC, so I'm now back at the grind of getting up at the crack of dawn (or more like a few hours before that) to get some work done on the water. Last Saturday, the coach organized an outing to do an escape room as a sort of welcome back party for the girl and coach who went to Worlds and a goodbye party for himself as he is moving to California. I was really glad I went, because I felt like it was an opportunity for me to start connecting more with people who I'm going to be spending a lot of time with over the next several years. After the escape room, we went to a burger place down the street which was AMAZING!! I got one of the most delicious burgers I've ever eaten in my life, incredible fries, and a milky way malt to wash it all down. It's called the Good Stuff Eatery, and I plan on being a frequent customer. Once again, I'm not a sponsored blogger, just like telling my 9 readers where to find good food. One of the girls got ice cream in a Belgian Waffle from the place next door, so I'll be sure to check that place out soon too.
My dad and sister came down for a night, so Lanie picked me up from the boathouse where we decided to eat out burgers, and we headed back to my place while my dad stayed at my brother's place. We went to brunch at out favorite diner (aka the only diner we've tried in the DMV area) in Arlington. I got the caramel french toast this time which was good, but the banana stuffed french toast I got last time is definitely the way to go. Once again, just want you to know where to get good food: Silver Diner -- it's the one with all the jukeboxes. Although we didn't get a booth with a jukebox this time. Disappointing. Lanie, my dad, and I headed back to my place so Lanie and I could get some homework done. They headed off and not 20 minutes after leaving, got in a car crash. My brother was nice enough to drive Lanie back to Philly while my dad waited around for the tow truck to come. Luckily nobody got TOO hurt, but poor Lanie's foot got a little smushed during the T-bone. My mom arrived later on Sunday for this week's adventures of what's wrong with Emma's body. My lovely, lovely mother has been dealing with my calling her crying on the phone because I've been to what feels like a 516,565,131,354 doctor appointments every week since Labor Day weekend which has been making me more than a little stressed. Long story short, I got a biopsy of my neck done yesterday, and mom is here taking care of me and turning in homework assignments as I come down off of anesthesia and pain meds. Since I'm just here vegging out in my bed, she suggested I update my blog since ya know, I haven't done that in awhile. Positives to the surgery:
Any who, my mother is having a wonderful time making fun of delusional Emma and is probably just really glad hangry Emma is gone who wasn't allowed to eat before surgery. Please enjoy this pic of my bandaged neck. Note the button down shirt that they told me I should where because it's easier to put on a drugged-up Emma. It's my mother's. It might be mine now...because doesn't it look good on me? |
AuthorI'm Emma. I love food more than anyone will ever understand - specifically cheese, chocolate, bread and pretty much every fat & carb combo you can think of - apple cider donuts, ice cream, the list goes on. Fats and carbs just go so well together. Don't you think? Why is it that when I'm tasked to describe myself, I always talk about food? Anywho, I'm a grad student and rower training studying and training in DC. Here's to having no free time and loving every minute of it (jk...I'll tell you the bad stuff too)! Archives
July 2020
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