It Just Keeps Coming

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Specializes in med-surg, psych, ER, school nurse-CRNP.

:scrying:

OK, this year better hurry up and end, because I can not take much more.

Those of y'all that follow my threads know what a crappy year it has been, and tonight was the worst.

I went with my Daddy for his EGD yesterday, a test that I have been after him to get for about 6 months. Figured he had Barrett's and a stricture, from the s/s he had (dysphagia, long-standing HB, etc.). So, there I sit, in the waiting room, reading my book like a good girl, when out comes a nurse with a rather baffled expression.

"Are you Mr. X's daughter?"

I said yes.

"Dr. GI wants to know if you'd like to come back and watch?" I used to do clinical rounds with Dr. GI, and he and know each other well.

That expression got even more baffled when I popped up off the sofa and said "Sure!"

I go back and watch, he asks questions, I answer, he sees a place on Daddy's ampulla of vader that is thicker than he likes, so he takes a biopsy. Assures me it is nothing.

I get a phone call from Dr. GI tonight. Patho is back, and Daddy has an adenoma. He said it was serendipitous that he even biopsied that area, most would have left it be. I about died right there in the hall, until my nursey sense and Doc got through to me, this is NOT cancer. He has to have a endoscopic U/S now at a big hospital a couple hours from here, and if they deem it necessary, he will either have the area lasered or surgically removed.

I understand WHY he called ME, and I agreed to call Daddy. I tried to be upbeat, but I am so scared.

Has anyone dealt with this before? Am I overreacting? Any advice? Thanks.

All I can say is, "Wow". I wouldn't want to be the one to have to explain anything to a family member if I could help it. Good luck with this task. Hope your Dad takes the news well. Nobody wants to hear that something just isn't quite right.

Specializes in ICU, Telemetry.

:icon_hug:

I went with my dad after his colonscopy, and the doc showed pictures of the huge polyp he pulled from the ascending colon. He told my dad it was a pre-cancerous adenoma, but had he not had the full monty (as opposed to the sigmoidoscopies he'd usually had), it could have turned cancerous. I had fussed at dad to have the full colonoscopy, and finally told him he was going to schedule it or I was. When the doc said "adenoma" my dad freaked (which for him, being an ex-nuclear weapons specialist consisted of him raising an eyebrow and looking at me hard). The doc said, "explain it to him, you're a nurse." I told him, "no cancer. But you're going to be seeing him frequently for a while." Dad told the doc I was the one who badgered him into the full colonoscopy, and the doc told him I could have saved his life (the doc had been pushing for it, but dad kept saying no).

I monitor dad as much as he'll let me, and with his family hx. and what he used to do for a living, I figure cancer will be what finally does get him. It's horrible when you know enough to be scared, but can't do anything about it.

I'm patting your shoulder in spirit, and thoughts and prayers coming your way. For you, I'll even bust out in some Latin...

Specializes in ob/gyn med /surg.

i'm sorry that you have to go through this. i know you have had a rough year. you should not be the one to tell your dad, the doctor should and you need to call that dr and make and appointment with him to discuss this about to your dad. i send you prayers and hugs and please keep me posted on how things are going..

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