Next Appointment

I insisted that they see me because I was losing weight, but they only got me in when the medical oncology side called for me.  Did you have chemo with a medical oncologist?  Can you ask your med onc to call and request that the gyn onc see you for your exam?

I am in a bit of a different boat; we are following the development of a suspicious single pulmonary nodule.  I am scheduled for a CT in early May, and the cancer center main hospital is open for business so I know the CT will be done.  The follow up office appointment with my oncologist a week later...I don't know.  But it seems to me if you are at a delicate interval post-treatment, and you have the aggressive form of the disease, a diagnostic imaging test may be warranted.  I have one physician for whom a patient's peace of mind is "medically necessary," and coding for the CT for insurance purposes is a game physicians know how to play.  In my case, the SPN was found as a result of "medically necessary" patient peace of mind.  This might be something for you to consider. Health uncertainty in these stressfully uncertain times is not healthful.   Best wishes, Oldbeauty

I just had my regular follow up 2 days ago. While I wasn't entirely sure it was right to do it now, I was also quite glad to get it done. Even when things are OK, it just weighs on you to have your cancer care pending, as I know you all understand. As it turned out, I got a twofer out of it because I had a UTI and she took care of that for me.  

BluebirdOne said:

I was just about to post the same question.

I called Mayo (I hesitate to name the facility but they have done all of my care and they take care of the sickest) to confirm that my May 4th blood work and exam were still scheduled. I have gotten a few emails from them detailing their response to Covid-19, so I know the risk is small but still a risk. They said that they were just reopening back up to outpatient visits and that I am still scheduled. I am hesitating whether to reschedule a month later (4 months rather than 3 months since my last visit and I had a CT scan the last visit due to pelvic pain). I feel fine, we have been quarantined since we returned March 23, have no issues or concerns relating to my cancer. Of course we will take all precautions but we have to stay in a hotel for at least one night because it is 6 hours from home. Driving, instead of flying. The hotel gives me the most concern. We will bring all our own food. My main fear is that June might not be better than May especially if states open up, people relax and the spreading continues. They are discovering so many asympotmatic carriers, and people who have had it are still testing positive a month later. Unless things get much worse I am leaning toward just getting this done in May. 

xxoo

Denise 

In an effort to be reassuring, I will share my story.  I just completed 25 rounds of radiation done 2 hours from home.  I stayed in a hotel for five weeks (5 days per week).  I did wipe down everything before I settled in and regularly wiped door handles to and from the building and surfaces in the room.  I am one week out and am fine.  The hotels have really ramped up their cleaning as well.  The staff wants to stay well too!  I think things will be fine but you do have to take extra precautions.  Wear a mask going into the hospital and stay as clear as possible from others.  The hospital might still have precautions.  At UW-Madison, WI where I went, they checked your temperature each time I entered the building and asked the usual questions about symptoms and exposure to positive Covid tested persons.  Good luck to you.  

This situation has been hard for me. Ya sit been .ore than three years from treatment. It been almost 3 and a half. I got a text a few days ago about my cancer follow up for this week. I called about it and know have a vertual appointment. I guess i will do it that way but would rather go in. I was going to request a ct scan possibly since its been over a year and a half since my last one. ( i think)  im not sure if im going to beable to do it. I too dont want to put these thing off. I am up for my yearly visit with my PC doctor too and my mamagram. I was hoping to go i to see my PC in person. I was already bummed that im only doing cancer ceck up every six months and axious a bit to go but it just not goint to be the sa.e. ii ussually do blood work and she checks me physically. That stuff wont happen. Im sounding pretty negative but i hope it all works out. After cancer appointment I will worry about PC visit i guess. 

janaes said:

This situation has been hard

This situation has been hard for me. Ya sit been .ore than three years from treatment. It been almost 3 and a half. I got a text a few days ago about my cancer follow up for this week. I called about it and know have a vertual appointment. I guess i will do it that way but would rather go in. I was going to request a ct scan possibly since its been over a year and a half since my last one. ( i think)  im not sure if im going to beable to do it. I too dont want to put these thing off. I am up for my yearly visit with my PC doctor too and my mamagram. I was hoping to go i to see my PC in person. I was already bummed that im only doing cancer ceck up every six months and axious a bit to go but it just not goint to be the sa.e. ii ussually do blood work and she checks me physically. That stuff wont happen. Im sounding pretty negative but i hope it all works out. After cancer appointment I will worry about PC visit i guess. 

I did call yesterday to see if I could schedule my annual mammogram. Usually I go in March, but the breast center wasn't doing any routine tests at that time. The scheduler I spoke to yesterday told me they had just opened up the calendar the previous day for routine mammograms, although the first appointments weren't until June.

While I could probably do my upcoming appointment with the PCP virtually, as long as I'm able to get my labs done in advance, I'm not sure how beneficial a virtual appointment would be with the gynecological oncologist. Let us know, janaes, how it goes for you this week.

Quilter_1 said:

Thank you, Oldbeauty, I am

Thank you, Oldbeauty, I am due for my semi annual ct scan in June. Hopefully, by then the hospitals will be more open to patients.  If my doctor wants to skip and just do bloodwork review, I will push for my ct.  Peace of mind in itself is healing.  I just am looking for reassurance.

Cancer has a way of rearing its ugly head again somewhere down the line, whether 10 weeks or 20 years. If you skip anything you'll always wonder "what if....?" And you may be right. What if? i'm not gloom and doom oriented, I've just learned that doctors often see things from a different perspective than we do. Not right or wrong, just different. This is YOUR body. Do it.

Teran

We just returned from my first office visit since the lockdown. (Mayo in Rochester) My visit went well, still NED. I had blood work (CA-125 is 6) and an internal exam. Everyone entering the buidling was prescreened, and had to wear a mask. I had to go in the elevator up 10 floors which scared me because it was an enclosed space. (I walked down the 10 floors to avoid people)  I was alone, but still these elevators carry hundreds of people daily, even in the very slimmed down amount of people in the building. Except when I got to the oncology waiting room which was packed. Everyone was social distancing because they placed signs to not sit in every other chair, but 6 feet is not really enough. I went to sit in another waiting area down the hall where there were very few people and the desk clerk cleaned the chair that a patient had been in with spray, immediately. No so in the oncology area. Where I had my blood drawn a man did nothing but clean the chairs, (it is a very large room filled with hundreds of chairs but had less than 10 people waiting. ) when he finished, he started all over again. The office visit was typical but hard to talk behind masks. We social distanced except for when she actually had to touch me. Very weird. For the most part Mayo is doing a great job. In the outside world that was not the case. My hotel, which mainly Mayo patients use, had no employees using PPE. No masks, no gloves. We did our best to stay safe in the hotel with maniacal cleaning, etc. The rest stops or truck stops we had to use had few or no one using a mask, everyone touching the doors with bare hands, the clerks not wearing masks. We did our best and even went too long a time to pee because of the risk. It was rare to see people social distancing or wearing a mask outside, except in Rochester by the medical buildings. We brought all of our own food which eliminated a huge risk. I am now vigilant about developing any symptoms. I am glad that I went and have been cleared for a six month visit, which helps. 

Denise