My phone rang at 9AM today. I never answer the phone and each call is screened. Sandy from Dr. Previte's office left a message that I have a scheduled 'surgery' at Holy Family Hospital in Methuen and needed to provide a urine sample on June 28th (at his N Andover location). There was nothing more left in the message. It was so brief, by the time I picked up the phone she was gone. So I returned the call and got their answering service who took my information for a call back.
Around 10AM, I received a call back from Sandy who told me that Dr Previte wanted to start the procedure. I was surprised that a surgery was scheduled for July 6th in the morning. It sounded like I was going to have a biopsy. She couldn't provide a whole lot of information other than, I will go under anesthesia and will need a ride to and from the hospital. I've had biopsies before, but I'm guessing that this is different because of the location. She added that I will be receiving three calls (unlike the three spirits that Scrooge dealt with). The first will be a nurse for medical history and logistics, second for Covid protocol (and proof of vaccination). The third will be the day before the surgery for the time. I'm assuming it will be in the morning and I'll need to be there quite early. She did say that she was going to send me a letter with all this information.
I know while talking with Dr Previte yesterday, he had mentioned that there would be a biopsy to determine the presence of cancer (assume that he'd need to determine what it's like in there since my last surgery was January). He did mention that the BCG could not be administered if I was bleeding or if I had an open sore. So I'm concerned that any snipping will require some recovery time before the BCG. In the past, doctors have all given a 6 week time frame for healing. I sure hope that's not the case, because that will bring me into August before I can actually start. But these are just my thoughts and I have little control over the situation. I'm sure there are steps to be followed and this is merely a first step.
I did receive an email appointment notification for my urine sample at 9:40AM on 6/28. So that's what I have at this moment.
Post Script: Received a call from the Salem office where I provided a urine sample yesterday. Apparently I have a UTI (no symptoms). They called in an antibiotic to Walgreens that I have to take for about a week then go back and give a new urine sample. Geesh!
More to come!
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