[2021-08-23] COVID test and ultrasound
A few days ago, my daughter developed cold-like symptoms: sore throat, cough, runny nose, headache. When it persisted for a few days, she started to become concerned that she could be experiencing a breakthrough case of COVID. I, too, wondered whether my scratchy throat could be something more serious than a cold or allergies.
So yesterday morning, we booked ourselves COVID testing appointments at the Brewer Park Arena in central Ottawa. Run by The Ottawa Hospital, the entire operation was incredibly well organized. We registered online, picking a timeslot that was convenient (11:30 a.m.), showed up a few minutes before our scheduled time, went to the front of the non-existent line, and answered some screening questions from a very helpful physician at the entrance to the arena.
When Melanie explained to the physician her desire to confirm whether she had COVID or just a cold, the physician said, "We're seeing tonnes of colds." That was reassuring. The doctor was less certain of my need for testing, but since I live with Melanie and had a few mild symptoms, she allowed me to proceed to testing. I'm not sure whether she was swayed by my statement that I was a cancer patient and therefore didn't know how well the COVID vaccine had worked for me, but I'm glad that I was able to be tested.
Once inside the arena, we each saw two more people to confirm our details. Then we were off to meet with a nurse for the swab. Nurse Nancy was calm, professional and kind. And she had a great tip for us to help take our mind off the rather unpleasant sensation of having a swab stuck up our noses. She recommended that we hum. This was helpful. It's like those studies that find that people who experience pain can better endure it if they are allowed to swear.
We returned home, comforted that we would have the results within 24 hours. In fact, it took much less than that. Melanie received her results at 10:00 p.m. through MyChart: "Virus not detected." She was relieved. As a bonus, she's now signed up for MyChart, which is an amazing app. I've been using it since I started my cancer treatment. All my test results through The Ottawa Hospital appear under the Test Results tab as soon as they're available—no waiting for my doctor to review the results and find a time to relay them to me. And all appointments with The Ottawa Hospital, including for COVID tests arranged through that institution, show up under the Appointments tab.
My COVID test results arrived in the middle of the night, close to 2:00 a.m. My result was the same as Mel's: "Virus not detected." I, too, was relieved.
At 8:40 a.m., while out on my morning walk, I received another notice for results in MyChart. I wondered whether it was related to my COVID test. But when I clicked on the app, I saw that the results pertained to my ultrasound, which occurred only last Friday at 3:00 p.m. I had been told that I would have the results within a week, so I was pleased to get my results in what amounts to less than one business day since the procedure. I suspect that the medical profession has learned to under-promise and over-deliver.
For several months, I had wanted to get an ultrasound to determine whether my intermittent abdominal discomfort was connected to my gallbladder or a sign of something more serious. Last summer, when I was experiencing occasional twitches in the upper right quadrant of my abdomen, I didn't know that I had several tumours. And so, this summer, I wondered whether my persistent discomfort might be a sign that cancer had returned. My oncologists didn't think that likely, given my low CA125, but they were not opposed to my having an ultrasound to check for other issues.
My ultrasound confirmed what last summer's ultrasound and CT scan had found: I have sludge or calculus (gallstones) in my gallbladder. On the plus side, my gallbladder is not inflamed. Everything else—liver, pancreas, kidneys, spleen, aorta, vena cava—are all unremarkable, which means normal. My favourite line in the entire report is the last one: "No further significant finding." During my ultrasound, I had asked the sonographer whether he saw tumours, but he wouldn't reveal anything. I'm thrilled that this summer's report had no scary, unexpected findings.
My daughter and I both appreciate the relief that comes from taking a test and being told that everything is fine. And even if it's not fine, at least we're informed and can take action to address the issue.
As a cancer survivor, I'm happy that a simple blood test can serve as an early warning of a cancer recurrence. Even better is having a consistently low CA125 and an ultrasound that identified no new issues. It's the equivalent of "Move along folks. Nothing to see here." I'll take that any day.
