From my eighth grade perspective

From the way I understand it we have made some progress towards a diagnosis. Not that anyone told me so, but here is the way I see it. There are two paths that my condition can take me down. The first is the lymphoma path and the second is the Sarcoidosis path. After the initial CT scans I was told that it appeared as if I had lymphoma and I was sent to a cancer doctor. (Path 1) The cancer doctor reviewed my CT scans and performed a battery of blood test on me. Although a biopsy is the best way to properly diagnose the lymphoma, the biopsy is difficult because the nodes they need to biopsy are inside my chest. Therefore the doctor’s approach is let’s rule out everything else before they go into my chest. Can I get an Amen?

Now although the symptoms for path 1 & 2 overlap a lot there are two things that standout as different. According to my cancer doctor my blood work came back good except for one test. That test is a “marker” for Sarcoidosis and it came back elevated. Second, one of the symptoms I have experienced for the last seven months has been uveitis glaucoma or pressure in the eyes. From what I understand this is a symptom of path 2 and not 1. The eye pressure is being treated with drops and my vision is back to 20/20. One third factor I throw in is that my mother’s sister had Sarcoidosis.

I got word from the cancer doctor on Tuesday that he wants me to have the CT scans redone in three months and then another visit with him. To me that is good news. I think if he thought it was the lymphoma he would be a little more aggressive.

So now for path 2. This week I am to meet with the lung specialist followed by what we expect to be a lung biopsy. I am also to have a MRI of the brain, and an esophageal echocardiogram of the heart. I think I got that right. My understanding is that the last two are precautionary because sarcoid can cause trouble in those “insignificant” areas.

You know it’s kind of interesting what they find during these test. For instance my CT scan showed that I had a fractured back. That was news to me since I have no back pain. From what I understand they found another “crack” as they were preparing for the colonoscopy. (poke-a-bottomy) It makes me wonder what they will find on this next patch of test. Perhaps my heart will show scars from being broken a time or two and then there is the brain. I hope the brain picture doesn’t look like an egg in a frying pan. Remember the “this is your brain on crack” commercial. Okay enough of the dry humor.

You know women and men think a lot differently. For instance, Monday while I was shaving and getting ready to go in for my two scopes, I was pondering if this was the last time I would ever shave sort of thing. Erika interrupts my pondering to ask what I wanted her to wear. Uh I’m thinking about what I’m about to go through and she is worried about what she should wear to the waiting room. She is the same one that had to have matching top and bottom pajamas when she was in the hospital for her brain hemorrhage last October. It’s a wonder she puts up with me when I go out in public looking like a ragamuffin. Women...so hard to figure out, but oh so great to have around.

On last thing I think the northerners will find of interest.

My family doctor is a D.O.
My gastrologist is a D.O.
My oncologist/hematologist is a D.O.
My ophthalmologist is a D.O.
My cardiologist is a D.O.
My pulmonologist is a D.O.
My flight physician is a D.O.
My wife is a D.O.

Yes there is another type of physician besides an M.D.

If you care to learn more then click the link. You might have to copy and paste it.

http://www.osteopathic.org/index.cfm?PageID=ado_whatis