Happenings

In chronological order: Friday, May 4

Laboratory Bloodwork: Calcitonin (thyroid cancer indicator) and CEA (cancer antigens) plus the periodic complete blood and metabolic scan including liver function indicators. Results due this week.

Needle Biopsy of two nodules in my thyroid. This was done because an earlier test showed activity there plus the until recent continuous rise of Calcitonin. The need to do the biopsy sooner was overshadowed by the urgency of starting an effective treatment to protect my liver from further tumor growth. Results due this week.

That was just the morning!

Emergency Room visit. In late afternoon a surge of pain and pressure unlike anything I have experienced suddenly gripped my lower right abdomen. We are acutely sensitive, despite recent good news, that my liver continues under stress and that we must be alert to symptoms of failure.

To my good fortune and great comfort we found my own internist on duty in the ER. Over the course of the next four hours, one CT scan and the second complete blood work-up of the day he suggested possible causes: gallstones, kidney stones, gall bladder enlargement of unknown cause or simple gas. Now we "wait and see" and track the symptoms, mainly pain. Hard on the nerves, but each episode yields more nuggets of diagnostic usefulness. As a precaution, I stayed overnight at the hospital.

The GOOD NEWS: the CT scan from the ER noted that the liver tumors are still the same size they were on the January 3 CT!

We have much to be thankful for as we await results in your supportive company.

Copyright 2007