"Are you starting chemo?"

"Are you starting chemo?" The nurse asked me, once I told her what tests I was there for. "Soon I think, that's what my surgery was about yesterday, still looking to pin it down to Hodgkins" I said as I pulled my collar away from my new bandage on my neck covering the incision I received on Thursday.

I was told to take a seat and wait.

Soon enough I was told to head to radiology (know where that is now) and hand them my papers. Met Narci, the tech who would set me up with an IV (again) and pump more radioactive stuff into my arm. This time it was headed straight for my heart. Again I was asked if I knew why I was getting this test today.

After two injections I was escorted out to the waiting area as I had to wait 20 minutes until the stuff now in my system made it's way to my heart. I watched an "I love Lucy" rerun on TV Land where she and Ethel buy a dress shop and try and sell it to someone else for more money, only to find out the guy who did buy it from them made even more money by it selling the dress shop to a construction company planning to knock the building down.

That wacky red head.

Anyway, once back in the "NUCLEAR MEDICINE" wing I was given another injection and pushed into another machine, 3 pictures of my ticker (and 45 minutes later) I was advised Pulmonary was going to try and squeeze me in. My appointment with them was 3 hours later.

Pulmonary tested the strength of my lungs thru a series of really annoying tests where I breathe via a tube (not using my nose) inhaling and exhaling at different speeds and intervals. But again, I was asked if I knew why I was getting this test.

Today seemed like the Big Reminder day.

YOU ARE ABOUT TO START CHEMOTHERAPY.

In case you forgot this isn't a joke.

"The only reason you get these tests is to see if your heart and lungs can take the chemo." Someone actually said that to me, in a sort of calming, reassuring way. (at least they tried)...

I stopped by radiology again to pick up my films (because I have to see my Urologist on Monday to discuss my kidney)...which by the way, supposedly didn't show up in the PET scan. Dr L. called Thursday night while I was half in and out of it and spoke to my Wife and the one thing I did hear was that the mass on my kidney didn't show up on the PET scan.

So now what's there exactly and if it will respond to treatment...is anybody's guess. When I get (Dr. G) my Urologists opinion on it we'll know more. For now it's a total mystery.

Oh...and my neck hurts something awful. Not enough Tylenol to go around to be honest.