The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
Hello Everyone,
sorry it's been a while. I have been in a bit of shock recently. Several changes one good, one bad, and one is questionable.
So I will start with the bad. I went in to receive my routine chemo treatment a couple weeks ago and I came home with O2 tanks. Yep... apparently my oxygen level dropped down to a level of 88 (1oo is normal) so the Dr. prescribed oxygen for me. Man... what a blow that was. Sooner or later, I knew it was to be but no matter how hard I try I still can't seem to prepare myself for what is slowly happening to me. It is all so hard for me to grasp at times. My lungs are barely 31 years old and they now need assistance to breath. Words can't describe... the emotional and physical feelings that I feel. It is probably best that some of those feelings are kept to myself anyways.
Moving on to the better news. I went in to have my catheter installed. I was all prepped and ready to go... the only thing missing was the Dr. Then he arrived and introduced himself. Began to press all over my abdomen and said lets do a quick CT Scan first. We did so and roughly 5 minutes later the Doc. came back into the room and said sorry but you just do not have enough fluid in you to justify a procedure such as this. YEAH!! No catheter for me. Surprisingly it seems that the water pill the DR. had prescribed to me 2 weeks prior was doing the trick. So although I am at times tied to a O2 tank for air I don't have to have fluid drained from my belly everyweek. I am also much more comfortable and far less bloated.
Last but definately not least my CT Scan. The results came back more progression of the disease in my lung area and uncertain in the liver. After reading the transcription a few times I realized that the radiologist was comparing my most recent scan to a scan that was 9 months old! Immediately the next morning I called and spoked with my Doc. and he said that he would look at the scans and call me back. About an hour later he called me back and said that from his impression it looked as though there had been improvement in my lungs and was uncertain regarding the liver (to swollen.) I was ecstatic. He then said he would have them re-read by radiology. After waiting a weekend the Dr. called me back on Monday and said that the radiologist diagreed and in his opinion thought that there was still growth in my lung area. Though the dr. was still hesitant he said that he had to respect the opinion of the radiologist. Then 2 days later after visiting with the Dr. he told me that after further investigation (of his own) he felt that the radiologist was indeed correct. He then showed my husband and myself the images and it was really hard for us to tell what was what. If there was growth there was a very small amount contained in a small area.
So there you have. Not so good... eh? Though could be worse... could always be worse. Though I have more to say, I no longer feel like saying it, so until next time.
sorry it's been a while. I have been in a bit of shock recently. Several changes one good, one bad, and one is questionable.
So I will start with the bad. I went in to receive my routine chemo treatment a couple weeks ago and I came home with O2 tanks. Yep... apparently my oxygen level dropped down to a level of 88 (1oo is normal) so the Dr. prescribed oxygen for me. Man... what a blow that was. Sooner or later, I knew it was to be but no matter how hard I try I still can't seem to prepare myself for what is slowly happening to me. It is all so hard for me to grasp at times. My lungs are barely 31 years old and they now need assistance to breath. Words can't describe... the emotional and physical feelings that I feel. It is probably best that some of those feelings are kept to myself anyways.
Moving on to the better news. I went in to have my catheter installed. I was all prepped and ready to go... the only thing missing was the Dr. Then he arrived and introduced himself. Began to press all over my abdomen and said lets do a quick CT Scan first. We did so and roughly 5 minutes later the Doc. came back into the room and said sorry but you just do not have enough fluid in you to justify a procedure such as this. YEAH!! No catheter for me. Surprisingly it seems that the water pill the DR. had prescribed to me 2 weeks prior was doing the trick. So although I am at times tied to a O2 tank for air I don't have to have fluid drained from my belly everyweek. I am also much more comfortable and far less bloated.
Last but definately not least my CT Scan. The results came back more progression of the disease in my lung area and uncertain in the liver. After reading the transcription a few times I realized that the radiologist was comparing my most recent scan to a scan that was 9 months old! Immediately the next morning I called and spoked with my Doc. and he said that he would look at the scans and call me back. About an hour later he called me back and said that from his impression it looked as though there had been improvement in my lungs and was uncertain regarding the liver (to swollen.) I was ecstatic. He then said he would have them re-read by radiology. After waiting a weekend the Dr. called me back on Monday and said that the radiologist diagreed and in his opinion thought that there was still growth in my lung area. Though the dr. was still hesitant he said that he had to respect the opinion of the radiologist. Then 2 days later after visiting with the Dr. he told me that after further investigation (of his own) he felt that the radiologist was indeed correct. He then showed my husband and myself the images and it was really hard for us to tell what was what. If there was growth there was a very small amount contained in a small area.
So there you have. Not so good... eh? Though could be worse... could always be worse. Though I have more to say, I no longer feel like saying it, so until next time.
posted by LORI at 12:11 AM -perma link-
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