aLive @ Stage 4!

Jimmy and I just hung up with my new pulmonologist.   We need to do tissue biopsies on both nodules (one in each lung).   The one on the right is not totally active, nor totally inactive.   It’s tricky to get to because it’s very posterior (in the back).   The one on the left is on the bottom near the diaphragm on the edge of my lung.   She said it can’t be biopsied by her method (under general anesthesia with a breathing tube and a camera down my throat).   She will speak with Interventional Radiology to see if they can biopsy one or both of them from the outside (like I had done when I was first diagnosed).  If they can’t do it, she can do the right one with the camera, but can’t reach the one of the left. This will be two different procedures.  We don’t want to risk collapsing both lungs at the same time. She will also speak with a thoracic surgeon about it. Treatm ent as usual until I hear any different. Note:  Y'all, I was going ...

Please forgive me for not updating the blog for about 2 1/2 years.  The short version is that I squeezed four years of college into two years, got my Bachelor's Degree, and went from Instructional Assistant (teacher's aide) to Special Education Teacher.  Huge move, I've been super busy teaching US History to high schoolers, and managing a case load (so far of about 8 students on average per year).  I write/update their IEP's, monitor their progress, and help them as needed.  It's amazing.   During the time I have been absent from my blog, I have been stable in the medical sense.  I have received treatment every three weeks, and had scans every three months.  All as been well until now. Possible Progression I had an appointment with my oncologist yesterday.  Actually I am between oncologists at the moment; I've been seeing a Nurse Practitioner, who is amazing.  During our appointment yesterday, an oncologist joined us.  We are concer...