the scoop

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." ~Aristotle

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Even Less Sugar: back to that rock and hard place thing

Ian has had two appointments this week, including an MRI.

According to the pictures, he has EITHER a significant infection (still) in his brain OR the tumor has grown.

Here's the problem: the only way to monitor the infection and the tumor is visually via MRI. On contrast film TUMOR MATERIAL AND INFECTION LOOK THE SAME. We can't treat the tumor unless we're confident the infection is taken care of (and I don't know to what degree - 100% or "mostly percent" - fuzzy and vague). But we don't know what part of the blob is infection and what part is tumor.

So treatment remains the same: heavy antibiotics, monitoring blood counts, vitals, home health care and therapy, and WAIT.... *

For the infection to quell? for the tumor to swell? for the snow to fall ....

The doctor (Dr. Snazzy Stethoscope) said treating this thing is "an ART."  Not a science. Yeesh.

Fuzzy. Guessing. Trying. Waiting.

He also said Ian was an inspiration.

I tend to agree.

*(also blood clots and high blood pressure and tremor and weakness and confusion and dis-coordination and headache)

5 comments:

  1. Hello,
    Just wondering if it's too much for Ian to have the MRI to determine infection/tumor growth.

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  2. Such a small thing to say, but I remember when I shattered my left shoulder to smithereens, they were doing yet another x-ray and I happened to catch it on screen when they weren't looking.....there was just a bunch of frothy stuff where my shoulder should have been. I asked them what it was and they told me, "that's new bone trying to form your new shoulder". I wonder if that happens with all bones that "aren't there"? Or tumors, or infections? Just pondering......I will pray for Ian's situation......I'm sure they have to look at recent treatment changes and things like that, too. Makes your head spin, doesn't it? Don't give up the ship!

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  3. As a fellow cancer survivor (3x) he truly is.

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  4. My church family is praying for you and your family.

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