Interlude - Part II

     For seven weeks I would have no further chemo treatments.  A break of almost two months.  My weight would steadily increase.   I rode my bike and walked to build up my stamina and strength.  My days were filled with activities, I built clocks, I played chess, I didn't think about the future too much.  That would change as I progressed through the medical process once again.   First to come would be the meeting with my surgeon.

     When I was first diagnosed with Cancer, the surgeon who performed the initial colonoscopy  also performed my colon surgery.  It was a blow to me when he left Windsor for brighter opportunities abroad.  His associate however was lauded as the best for liver surgery, and my case was being handed over to him. Kismet. Karma. Kool.   Whatever happens to me I have to admit that in my life I have never experienced as many traumatic events with as many positive outcomes.   My meeting with my new surgeon would be deceptively mild and somewhat entertaining.  The entertainment was due to the medical students present during my initial exam with the doctor.

     Now in my short-yet-intense experience with our medical system I have met and been examined and treated by a number of medical students.   The day I met for my initial consult with my surgeon about my liver there were two bright-eyed and eager individuals that were keen to practice their skills upon my person.  More manhandling.  Actually man-and-woman-handling would be more accurate, as there was a representative from each gender, and that's the entertaining part.

     A clinical physical exam is not designed (usually) to embarrass the patient, and we all assume that doctors maintain a certain detachment when performing these exams.  During the course of my exam the male student did most of the poking and prodding.  As the abdominal exam progressed there was a natural  tendency to meander 'more south' to see the handiwork of the previous surgeon.  Some clothing reshuffling was done to accomplish this, and I noticed that the female med student was observing the process in an oblique fashion.  I couldn't resist pointing out that while she may be preserving my dignity, as a patient I would be much better off is she knew exactly what was going on.  Fortunately for both of us the exam didn't last much longer and all were saved from any further awkwardness. 

     Ironically in a few weeks during my subsequent hospital stay, I would be visited by many med students and nurses-in-training. In one particularly well-remembered incident I would have four fresh young female faces looking down at me and not being  at-all shy about poking and prodding me.  But I digress.

     Back in the exam room the doctor explained that the liver surgery was big and complicated, but I was young and strong. Yay me.   A pre-procedure called a liver embolization would first be performed to reroute some blood flow from the bad lobe of the liver to the good lobe.  I would also be sent to be assessed by an internal medicine specialist.  Oh boy another doctor, that would make five different ones in about 7 months.  Another CT would also be done to validate the liver embolization.   It had only been six months at that time since my first colon surgery and I was beginning to recollect my emotions from that time.  One more I would be thrust front and centre in our medical system.  Once more I would undergo a surgery that would remove more than just a physical part of my being.  I didn't realize it yet, but the upcoming surgery would affect me far more than my prior one.

     My post-chemo interlude officially ended when the pre-procedure for the liver embolization was performed.  While the hospital setting was now familiar and comfortable,  my cancer journey was still taking me places I'd never been.