Angel St. Ultrasound

In early January I found a mass on my neck - it felt like an Adams apple but DEF not where an Adams apple would be - I kept an eye on it and choked it up a winter of some pretty intense colds. But it never went away... After having Jenn at work, Michele at Imagine Float and a REAL doctor, my friend Conor check out the mass - I knew something was up.

I started 2020 determined to stop being sick all the damn time. I decided I wanted to pay a visit to my primary care doctor, Dr. M and talk to her about the things I had been feeling that I had been mentally logging in my medical notebook for the last 2+ years - plus now I had this mass - something isn't right... well she didn't think much of it so she place placed on 21-days of doxycycline (my 3rd time in 8 months) and prednisone (again, 3rd time in 8 months) and told me that it was just a tough cold and flu season - I felt so unseen.

Super Bowl Selfie

I went to the Superbowl for work, prescriptions in hand and had the one of the best times of my life - but in the back of my mind I was thinking about this mass. Every morning when I slammed back another day of the prescriptions - I would check the lump..."yep - still there"

At the end of February I had a follow up with Dr. M who was "soooo surprised" to find that lump still was there - and she told me that she would write me a referral for an ultrasound.

I pretty much counted down every day leading up to that ultrasound. 

The day of the appointment came and I snuck away from the busy newsroom of ESPN to head over to the Hartford Healthcare medical campus in Plainville.

Now - I love meeting people, talking to people, telling stories - you know - all the things that make my wife roll her eyes as she hears the same story for the 4349587 time as I likely tell a random stranger - I am THAT kind of energy - 365/24/7 - never enough friends, LOL. Liz was exactly the same - within seconds of her bringing me back to the room for my ultrasound I knew we were going to have a good time - she is that kinda of medical professional ANGEL that makes you forget what you're really there for in the first place...

By the time I got to the ultrasound appointment, I was pretty damn confident I had something going on with my autoimmune system/thyroid per my limited internet symptom Googling. I told Liz that I wasn't really sure what was going on but I wasn't confident in my doctor right now. 

A Liz Creation

Liz and I got to talking and she shared with me that she was opening a pizza place. She was opening the place with son and her partner - who to be clear - is her boyfriend - but she feels at her age "it feels silly to say 'boyfriend'" ha! - I liked her already...

As she prepared for the ultrasound, we started sharing some of favorites pizza toppings...I am shouting out "ohhh HOT HONEY DRIZZLE!! BRUSSEL SPROUTS!! CAULIFLOWER!!" as I lay on the table and she prepares the ultrasound machine - HA! I am telling you - I left that appointment DROOLING and needing to b-line to the cafe on campus for lunch!

After getting some images of the left side of my neck - Liz asked me if I had the time to stick around a little longer so she could scan my thyroid - I later learned that it was the insight and training that my incredible surgeon Dr. Carsello and endocrinologist Dr. Aneado provide to the ultrasound techs making them all so meticulous and suspicious of anything abnormal in the thyroid area - Dr. Carsello later told me that the imaging was so clear and concise that it was clear what was going on - because of the great work of Liz.

Four Cheese Special

I remember feeling it in my gut that I finally had my something. Liz was my angel that day. She told me to stay on top of it - I knew I met my angel on Earth right there. I called Christina from the car and completely fell apart - I told her about what had happened and about Liz and how she kept scanning and I KNEW IT - THERE IS SOMETHING NOT RIGHT!

The pandemic definitely slowed down a lot of the usual processes leading up to cancer surgery. Facilities that usually did certain procedures no longer could - elective vs emergency - etc etc. So that added another level of Tomfoolery to 2020. I have actually yet to meet my Endocrinologist, Dr. Aneaedo in person - only telehealth visits for the foreseeable future. 

At the end of May I had my pre-op appointment at the Cancer Center - my wife and parents attended via FaceTime - I got to meet the amazing team in Dr. Carsellos office that helped me navigate the crazy medical world as a new cancer patient. 

I ended up needing to have an additional biopsy done that day so I was brought downstairs to have it done under ultrasound.

Day after 2nd Biopsy

Dr. Carsello dropped me off at my stop and I sat in the waiting room waiting for my name to be called. The last thing I remember is looking up as I heard a semi-decent pronunciation of my name and I see her - our eyes lock and I started to cry - my glasses filled with fog between the tears and my mask...my angel was right here again. Liz asked me if I remembered her...well shit DAMN OF COURSE I DID - we both cried - it was magical. 

Before I left the Cancer Center that day - Liz wrote down her name, number and "Parkside Pizza" on a piece of paper (I still have it!). She told me that they were about a week away from getting the "ok" from the health inspector and they would officially be open. She was so excited/nervous and I could just tell that this pizza was going to be worth going east of the river for. A couple weeks later I found Parkside on Facebook and was able to reconnect with Liz. I spent weeks drooling over the photos she was posting of the daily specials!! Hey she told me during on my appointments - " I think I got the social medica figured out - Food porn" Ha! 

Parkside is truly the most incredible pizza & ice cream shop - Liz's passion for flavors and her ideas for pizza pies is amazing. Give Parkside a follow on Facebook - take the drive out to Bolton (worth it every single time) - tell Liz that Elanna sent you. 

https://gf.me/u/y4tjis

Conor Displaying Two Steamy Pies

The Carini