Rocky & Doctors

Friday, August 26 we visited an otolaryngologist surgeon. That’s a specialist who operates in the area of the neck and all of the complex functions that take place there. In Rocky’s case a tumor the size of an adult’s thumb to the first knuckle, has grown within the right lobe of his thyroid gland. That tumor is pressing on a nerve that controls the function of the right vocal chord. The chord has been paralyzed for at least 14 weeks, maybe longer.

CT scans and ultra sound images led to a needle biopsy of the growth. The results were inconclusive as to its cancerous status but the surgeon was called into the case to remove the tumor to relieve pressure on the impacted nerve.

It was explained to us that the right lobe will be removed along with its tumor. Within five days tests on the tissue will determine whether it is malignant. If it is, then a second operation will be performed to remove the rest of the thyroid gland.

In cases like these cancer is most commonly not the case. If it is, however, it almost always is contained within the thyroid. Full removal of the gland removes all of the cancer with it. Metastasizing outside of the thyroid would be very rare.

So we do this in two steps: removal of the thyroid lobe with the tumor; if indicated removal of the rest of the gland. Most likely the tumor will be benign and nothing much needs to be done. No thyroid pills, no radiation, no nothing. The opposite is true if cancer is discovered. Not likely.

So, we two old guys drove into Chicago to Northwestern Hospital. We hadn’t driven into the city for several months and certainly not during rush hour in years. We left home at 7:50 am and got to the doctor’s office at 9:30. Our appointment was for 10 am. They processed us into their system and we were in the waiting room within 5 minutes and then into an examination room minutes later. Pretty efficient staff!

The traffic was a horror on the expressway. I once drove this route daily during my career, and also did it for many more years by train. Never was the traffic this dense or slow! Once in the city the traffic was at a crawl as were the pedestrians crossing intersections. Dense presence of cars, trucks, buses and pedestrians in constant motion. Slow motion at that, but amazingly dense. When did all of these people move to Chicago?

Slowly we found the hospital and then the garage. More slowly we found the garage entrance and then proceeded up the ramp – the long, long ramp, past the ticket dispenser, around the many curves until we found a parking spot the size of a postage stamp. And evidently no one – and I mean no one – parks within their slot’s lines. Getting out of the car was the next puzzle to solve, then down the ramp to the elevators.

We memorized our location to follow in reverse after our appointment. We looked longingly at all the handicapped parking spots filled to the brim. These we were able to use with our handicapped placard but nary a spot was available.

We walked and we walked toward the elevated walkway bridge into the hospital hi-rise. There we asked for directions and found our bank of elevators to the 15^th floor. Thence we found our way to registration and were whisked to our waiting room. Once called we walked the long corridors to two different examining rooms including one with electronic gadgets that showed Rocky’s vocal chords in operation – well, in truth, faulty operation. That’s when it was explained what was going on and what they recommended as a solution.

We agreed and started the process for making a surgical appointment and reservation in the hospital. The pre-op visit will occur on September 2; the surgery will be performed on September 13. By September 19 we will know if another surgery is required. A post op visit was arranged for September 23. We were finished for the day.

We retraced our steps out of the hospital and into the parking garage. We navigated the ATM-like parking payment machine, paid the fee, and boarded the elevator to our car on level 6. Once at the car – another long walk – we found our car sandwiched in between two hulking SUVs. I couldn’t get into the driver’s seat, so got in the passenger side and climbed over the console and finally behind the steering wheel.

A Laurel and Hardy comedic routine would have done us justice at that moment. Watching two 70+ year old men past their prime crawling and twisting into their car must have been hilarious. To us it was exhausting work and we marveled that we actually accomplished it!

Then down the tortuous parking ramp to the exit mechanism. Inserting the parking card receipt the arm rose on command, we drove forward back into the maelstrom of people on the sidewalks and streets of Chicago. We managed to crawl out of the city and back onto the expressways and finally home.

Elapsed time was 5 hours. We ate a hurried lunch of fried eggs and hash brown potatoes. Then we fell into our chairs and slept for 90 minutes. We had survived the day! And now to build strength for the adventure ahead of us.

In all, Rocky is very confident and positive about what lies ahead. We have nothing to worry about because we are in the best of hands. Both spiritually and medically. And we have family supporting those two strengths.

All is well at this moment! Stay tuned for more.

August 30, 2016