It Takes a Lickin': The Results Show!

"Well, Mr. C_ I have some good news for you." Some? I furrowed my brow and swallowed before asking him to continue. "The results of your stress test were absolutely clear. No signs of any heart problems. Your blood flow is strong, according to the ultrasound. The calcium score shows no signs of plaque or buildup in your arteries. Very good news, especially with someone your age, I would have been surprised to see anything wrong." He said all this while typing into his computer, only occasionally looking at me to gauge my response. The some still hung in my mind when he didn't continue for a few moments.

"The CT scan also showed your heart working normally. The CT also picks up images of your lungs just because they're in the same area. And we noted a small spot on one of your lungs." I felt my eyes widen, my mouth drop open slightly as the breath squeezed from my body. "You don't smoke?" I shook my head. "And I don't see a history of cancer in your family so I doubt that it's cancerous. You do have asthma and mentioned bronchitis and pneumonia. My guess is that it's scar tissue." He continued typing while I clutched the book I'd brought with me. I glanced around the room, from the model of an artery on his desk to the heart chart on the wall opposite, not know what to say or do. "I want to run another CT in about 6 months to determine is the spot has changed, grown larger." Tap, tap, tap. "At that time, we can determine the next course to follow."

"And in four months, I want to see you again for a follow up. You need to loose about 15 lbs." We discussed diets, what my ideal weight should be, avoiding the spot completely. "Other than that, I need to wait for you blood test results, but you should be fine." The nurse said she would call me on Friday if anything didn't jibe with my bloodwork; I mentioned that to the doctor, and he nodded slightly.

And with that, he motioned me to the front desk where I scheduled my two appointments as he hurried down the hall.