Kid, I’m good, the moment passed. Just before I read your post I was talking to DH about something next winter, without a thought about cancer and not being here, so when I read the quote, it was like a rubber band snapping me back. When those moments happen, I stop to consider how I feel physically right now, if I’m good, I don’t dwell and quickly move past it.

Thank you everyone for your support regarding that stupid, ignorant ugh person. I know sometimes I speak without thinking but she consistently says/does things like that. Glad I don't have to work with her anymore.

Everyone have a safe and peaceful holiday. DIL wants to see her family on boxing day in Canada, but I think the rules may be changing again. At least here in NY.

It's been years since I've had bronchitis. I hate that it just lingers on and on. Still on the fence about calling for some cough medicine or just toughing it out. It is much better this week than the last 2. Almost fully functional, just a bit tired and have the coughing. Not really wheezing or anything like that. Been wearing my mask in public of course. Trying to do the store in small trips instead of 1 big one to keep from getting winded.

Wishing you all a happy holiday and good health!

My BIRADS-4c biopsy results were just released electronically:

FINAL CYTOLOGIC INTERPRETATION: NO MALIGNANT CELLS IDENTIFIED.

DIAGNOSIS: Acute and chronic inflammation, histiocytes, and foreign body giant cells.

A comment in the report says it's consistent with fat necrosis.

Knock me over with a feather, I was SURE this was going to be more cancer! Merry Christmas to me!

From one Sunshine to another, that's wonderful news! Have a very Chistmas!

Sunshine99 (AKA, Carol)

great news Sunshine!

sunshine, sounds like Santa arrived a few days early for ya! Yay!

Thank you everyone!!!! I'm so relieved not to have to give my family bad news

Wishing you all a peaceful holiday season, whatever you may or may not celebrate.

Fortunately, it all worked out for the best for me, but I can't believe how vulnerable this new "insurance rule" will make people.

I recently went to my primary care provider for my annual check-up. When I checked in, the receptionist gave me the notice card shown above. I told her that when I made my appointment, I had also specified some issues I wanted to discuss with my doc. "Yes, I see that in your notes. If the doctor wants to talk about that with you, she'll make that decision. But we have to code wellness exams and health exams separately." Needless to say, I was fully ready to give my PCP an earful. Fortunately, the doc agreed with me completely. She said revisions in insurance procedures caused the change, and they're still working out policies for how to ensure patients get full and appropriate care. She was happy to discuss every health concern I had at that appointment, and gave me the referrals I needed for my continued care.

The take-away - if you are scheduling your annual check up, be sure to specify any health problems you are having. Even if you aren't having a problem, consider saying you do. Then, if something does come up between when you make the appointment and when you show up, you will proactively have the time scheduled to get it checked.

*I am over 50 and a cancer survivor. I'm almost guaranteed to have something that needs discussing, even if it's only to start monitoring a potential issue.

*I am fortunate enough to have a flexible schedule for exams, but not everyone is. People juggling multiple jobs may not be able to take off work to schedule an additional appointment outside their annual exam.

It is appalling that a petty insurance rule would make a health care provider shut us down when we try to discuss a health problem with our doctor in the doctor's office. I hate encouraging people to lie, but if that's how we ensure that we get the medical attention we need without haunting the emergency/urgent care offices, so be it. Be safe.

I have run across this in my pre-bc days. The solution, at the time, was to book two back-to-back appts.

I just saw my PCP the other day. I have a Medicare Advantage HMO that eliminated primary care copays this year. The annual check used to be the free one, but now they all are. As long as I don't go too much over my allotted time, I can bring up any new health thing. This must vary a lot by insurance plans.

Medicare is pretty picky on the annual visits on what the doctor can cover and be reimbursed for. For other issues you need a "follow up" appointment to discuss those I know. I learned that one with DH when he wa first disabled on Medicare longbefore I got on it. Now I bring up nothing when I go and let the doc talk. I think they can give you your shots too at that visit you need.

We figiure we have to see our primary every 6 months anyway at this point anyway so it will be covered. We see see also other doctors as well who are dealing with other medical issues anyway.

Crystals or chanting 😂, let me check my coverage! On a more serious note, Kaiser, at least in my area, employs acupuncturists so they do cover that. I have used them.

Here are my ultra sound results. I think I passed, but for those of you who are much better at reading these reports, I worry the Gi doc will still persist (my alk phos is still elevated) and want a liver biopsy?

Also not sure if this is saying it was a poor quality test, yet the measurements the tech did get suggest normal value. See impression #1. That 1.8 kPa is great, right?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and insight.

FINDINGS:

Ultrasound Shear Wave Elastography:

Sites Sampled 2

Site utilized for reporting 2

# Measurements: 6

Interquartile range (IQR)/Median: 40%, suggesting a poor quality data set. (Good quality dataset < or equal to 30%)

Liver stiffness median value: 1.8 kPa

Median values in this range suggest a high probability of being normal.

Please note, although data variability was excessive, values obtained ranged between 1.2 and 3.2 kPa. All values felt within the normal range below 5 kPa.

LIVER: The liver is echogenic consistent with fatty infiltration. The liver is also enlarged measuring 18.7 cm craniocaudad dimension. There is no evidence of cirrhosis or mass. The liver is otherwise normal in size and appearance.

IMPRESSION:

1. Liver stiffness of 1.8 kPa

Median values in this range suggest a high probability of being normal.

The quality of the data is poor. This decreases confidence in diagnostic accuracy.

2. Diffuse fatty infiltration of the liver.

3. Gallbladder adenomyomatosis is noted. This represents a benign finding.

4. The abdomen is otherwise unremarkable.

I've known about my intermittent fatty liver the last two years or so. When my weight edges up above a certain point, it shows on tests. When my weight goes down, it shrinks. I think I've had it for years - you know how it is, until we start getting scans, there's all kinds of shit going on inside we don't know about. I gained a LOT of weight when I was pregnant decades ago, and at the time, I blamed the weird feeling on my left side on my unborn son's toe sticking me - and funny enough, it was the first thing on him I checked when he was born, and his big toes were enormous even though he was otherwise on the small side. But it's something that I could feel off and on for ages. Now I just think it's like having a damn alarm going off on the refrigerator! Time for me to watch what I eat.