Shortlisted!

Even though there is no start date for the IMPRESS Norway study yet, they have started a short list with possible candidates for this study and your truly is on the list! I am ON THE LIST people and having seen that in writing has made me even happier than I already was. 

What does short listed actually mean? 

Well, the study as such is in the process of being planned but they just don´t know yet when they will start. Might be this spring, late this spring, autumn or late autumn. Those are broadly the 4 options they are discussing now. When starting such a research study it is of course nice to already have a candidate base at hand instead of having to start looking there and then, hence: the short list! No idea how many other candidates there already are or whether I am the only one. Don´t really care to be honest, as long as I am on the list, I am happy! 

Being on this list also means that my Norwegian onco and me can start the logistics to get the basics in order. For example: I am off to Oslo again on Monday 8 February to get a liver biopsy done. Sounds quite easy and the one I had done in Sweden was easy. Painful (as they messed up with the local anesthetic) but easy, a relatively quick in and out of the hospital. 

Not this time. My biopsy is scheduled for 13.15. I am leaving Lillehammer hospital on the Helsebuss at 08.00 in the morning and I won´t be back to Lillehammer until 22.00 in the evening. Coming back partly by taxi and by train as the Helsebuss doesn´t run that late. 

It is such a long day as, well of course I need to get myself to Radiumhospitalet in Oslo and there I first have to get blood tests, scans and prepared for the biopsy. Then after the actual procedure they want, no let me rephrase that, require me to stay for 4 hours to check whether all has gone well, no unintentional bleeding etc. I told them that I am strong as an ox or a horse, or both, but that didn´t sway their opinion. 4 hours is 4 hours. Well, we´ll see about that. 

The great thing is that things are moving. I have been asking my onco about research studies for months and months and months and now I am actually shortlisted for an international one that shows great promise! I can do 4 hours at the Radiumhospital. Or less. We´ll see, ok?