Ugh.

So, on Monday I went back to the clinic to do the labwork, but the nurse assigning it told me to be there at 3:10, for a blood draw and to turn in my stool samples.  I showed up at the appointed time.  But the lab person said I was to have been there in the early morning for a FASTING blood draw.  I told her that I’d been told differently, and that i’d been scheduled for 7:00 a.m. on May 6 at the LBJ clinic for the stress test, and she wrote fasting on that appointment.

Well, whatever … So she drew half a dozen vials of blood, and dropped my stool sample into the sample collector box.

Wednesday morning, the doctor’s nurse called and said my results had come back “abnormal” and the dr wanted to see me again on Tuesday to tell me about it, because she couldn’t tell me what part of the lab work was abnormal; they don’t give bad results over the phone. So, it could be blood work, stool sample, or even the x-rays.   Okay, so I got an early Tuesday appointment scheduled.

Wednesday afternoon, I received a letter saying my x-rays were normal.  Yayy… so at least that worry was eliminated.  Lungs are clear.

Yesterday I receive a similar form letter saying some of my lab work had come back with “abnormal” results, and requesting I see the doctor.   Yeah, okay, so I’d already dealt with that, the form letter gave no new information, and my appointment is for Tuesday.

This morning, a different person from my doctor’s office called.  Apparently this person doesn’t know that you’re not supposed to give results or information over the phone.  She verified my name and information, then started to tell me my lab results had come back positive and the doctor needed to see me.  I cut in and said, “Yes, Mary Ann had already called and i was scheduled to see Dr. Kuncharapu on Tuesday.”

So this woman said, “Okay, so you’ve already spoken to the nurse that your occult blood sample came back positive.   Dr. Kuncharapu is going to refer you to the G.I. doctors, and she wants to talk to you about it on Tuesday.”

Ummm.. no, Mary Ann had told me she was not allowed to tell me specific results, just that there was something “abnormal”.   But NOW I know there was blood in my stool sample and I’m going to go see a GI doctor.    And now I also have 4 days in which to stew over what it might mean.

Oh yes, I’ve already looked it up — occult blood in the stool could indicate a variety of issues: an ulcer, polyps, or even cancer.  So there is no sense in fixating on the worst possible scenario.  Which is not to say I won’t fixate on that.  My grandfather died of colon cancer, so I’m already at a genetic risk for that.

Yes, I am a worrier.  It’s what I do.   So, depending on what happens on Tuesday, and then when the G.I. doctor, this may or may not be a very interesting summer.