Marathon Tuesday

Thanks to Tim for getting me to the train station Tuesday morning.  Thanks to Barb for not only getting me home Tuesday night, but didn't complain as we went floor to floor getting all the procedures done.  The drive home took longer than expected.  A semi turned over on I 55 so it took over two hours to get from the hospital to the Lemont exit.
I'm not sure anyone has noticed, but the names of the people I've thanked for transportation is different each time. I'm very blessed for the family and friends that have helped us out.
I've read all of the written reports from yesterday, but hoping I can talk to Dr. Ma or Andrea to get a true interpretation.  Here's what I can tell you about yesterday:

1. 8th Floor.  They, Dr. Gillespie, his fellow (did all the work), and a nurse, drained another 1.9 Liters of fluid from around the left lung.  Barb and a medical sales rep watched.  Everyone was surprised when I told them I had no symptoms, shortness of breath, dizziness...  After the drainage, I had one symptom, sharp left sided chest pain on each deep inhalation.  The Dr. told me to expect that for a few days.  The left lung hasn't fully expanded in months and now that it is, it's crashing into the chest wall when it's been used to being "cushioned" by the fluid.  I couldn't lay flat last night so I slept in the Lazy Boy.  The chest pain isn't nearly as bad as last night, so it is improving.  Not sure where I'll sleep though.
2. 4th Floor.  Chest x-ray.  They'll compare that to a chest x-ray I'll take next week.  Hopefully it will look the same.  If the fluid returns, then another drainage.
3. 21st Floor.  Blood work.  From what I can interpret, everything is normal
4. 19th Floor.  Echo cardiogram.  Again, from what I read, everything looked normal.  If the Docs agree, then no adjustments will be made to the chemo regimen.
5. 20th Floor.  THE STENT WAS REMOVED!!!!  They were an hour late getting me back there.  The procedure took less than 2 minutes, but it was 2 minutes from Hell.  He placed his scope in my bladder, found the stent and pulled it out.  It was at this point I screamed like a (sorry, sexist comment) school girl.  He asked me if I wanted to see it and I of course said no.  I'm convinced it looked like a spiked dog collar.  Since its removal, I'm a new man.  Since I've had this in, I was warned that I would have "frequent & urgent" urination.  I'm not sure if there are adjectives that better describe my frequency and urgency.  But now... I walked around the block tonight for the first time in months!  I see golf, and mowing, and many other things I haven't done in months in my very near future.