Day 3: PET Scan Results Encouraging. Next: Biopsy

Dad was making too much noise early this morning. He even turned the lights on. Obviously, he wanted me to get up already. It was 7 a.m. The truth was I really wasn't ready to get up yet. I didn’t want to get into an argument so I just kept quiet, but Dad knew I got up on the wrong side of the bed. I went out and heated some Chinese-style bread buns and went back to sleep.

Chuck, my youngest brother, called through Skype. We talked for a while until Dr. Xueliang Wang, a doctor who practices traditional Chinese medicine, came in and checked on Dad. He interviewed Dad while Chuck and I listened. After that, our friends Loren and her husband, Rishi, came in and asked Dad how he was. They were the ones helping us around here. They told Dad and I that we had to register our passports and get temporary residence permits because police officers often visit the hospital  to check on any over staying aliens.

Dad with Rishi and Loren

Anyway, Dr. Zhixian Chen came in and discussed with us what came out of the PET scan. It was good that the tumor didn’t metastasize. Dr Chen said that Dad needed to undergo a biopsy this afternoon.

Dr. Chen explaining to Dad about the biopsy procedure.

Dad with Dr. Zhixian Chen

It’s 4 pm now. The nurses came to prepare Dad for the biopsy.

Dad with the nurses.
L-R: Joy, Nikki, Dad, and Nancy

IV insertion

Dr. Bing Liang briefing Dad

We went to the ground floor for the procedure.

Dad inside the CT scan room

I was told that the procedure will be done in 30 minutes to an hour. For two hours, I waited in the lobby for Dad. Since it was taking too long, I had to ask someone what was happening. I approached a nurse and asked her where Dad was and why it was taking so long to finish the procedure.

She told me that the procedure was already finished and that they brought Dad to the ICU (ICU??? What???!!! Why???!!!) for monitoring (Ahhh.... ok. I'm cool... I'm cool.). Sheesh… I thought something went wrong.(Can you imagine what my pulse rate was?!)

Thank God for our next-door neighbors. They are a big help.

Anyway, Dad is safe. Just resting.

Our bill for today: ¥283.00 ($43.43).
Total bill as of today: ¥12,528.68 ($1,928.81).