Dear friends,
Last week the CT showed that I have more liquid in the lungs and that some of the lobes are partially collapsed. This Tuesday I will have a small surgical procedure, a Pleurodesis to remove the liquid and perhaps do a little retrofitting of the pleura. The surgeon will enter the lung cavity with a probe and peek around to decide what to do. I will be under general anesthesia and they will keep me in the hospital (they remember how such a good company I was) for 2 or 3 days. Otherwise I am OK, a little tired but my usual cheerful.
The next update when I get back home.
El CT de la pasada semana mostro que tenia mas liquido en los pulmones y que los pulmones estaban parcialmente collapsados (por el liquido).
Este martes ire al hospital para que me hagan una Pleurodesis. Es una intervencion quirurgica pequena para sacar el liquido. El cirujano entrara con un tubito (dos en realidad, uno es para el liquido) para ver que hay por ahi dentro y quizas decida hacer un poco de obras de remodelacion (pegar las superficies) en la Pleura. Van a usar anestesia generaly me tendran en el hospital 2 o 3 dias (soy tan buena compania ... ). Por lo demas todo va bien, un poco cansado pero de buen humor.
El proximo cuando vuelva a casa/
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Friends and family This week has been a lot harder than anticipated. Finally on Friday I had a CT (no PET). The goal was to see if I have more pockets with liquid. I expect the results on Monday. Thursday I had my first official haircut
Today my friend and buddy Piper came to visit for lunch with her partner Jaque. Thanks to both, it was great and gave me a little energy.
Esta semana ha sido un poco mas dura de lo que habia anticipado. EL viernes tuve un CT del pulmon. Estamos buscando si hay mas bolsas de liquido. Espro tener los resultados el Lunes.
El Jueves fui a por un corte de pelo, con mi amiga Toni. (ver foto)
Comimos lunch con mi amiga Piper y su pareja Jaque hoy. Gracias a las dos por venir a Oakland. Estuvo muy bien.
Esta semana ha sido un poco mas dura de lo que habia anticipado. EL viernes tuve un CT del pulmon. Estamos buscando si hay mas bolsas de liquido. Espro tener los resultados el Lunes.
El Jueves fui a por un corte de pelo, con mi amiga Toni. (ver foto)
Comimos lunch con mi amiga Piper y su pareja Jaque hoy. Gracias a las dos por venir a Oakland. Estuvo muy bien.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
after Alimta... despues de Alimta
I had Alimta on Tuesday and today is time to pay the Piper. Last weekend we went to Lake Tahoe. Friday was a difficult day, elevation and all. But Saturday we went to see the spawning Kokanee salmon. It was amazing. Then on Sunday we went to Hope Valley (Blue Lake Road) with lots of snow and Carson Pass. We walked a mile out and a mile back. It was great and felt (surprisingly) strong. I was in heaven.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
thorasetesis
On Tuesday I had a thoracentesis (http://www.webmd.com/lung/thoracentesis) in the left lung. It did not hurt much. The goal was to remove fluid that was making it difficult for me to breath. In a couple of days I could feel a difference.
I still feel tired and with back pain. We will work on the tiredness next.
Lynnette has been trying new recipes ... and I like it!.
El martes me hicieron una thorecentisis: extraer fluido del pulmon izquierdo para ayudrme a respirar mejor. No dolio mucho y en un par de dias ya note una mejoria ... y prendi mas palabras complicadas :-)
Todavia me canso y me duele la espalda. Trabajaremos en el cansancio.
LYnnette ha pprobado unas recetas nuevas ... y yo no puedo estar mas contento!
I still feel tired and with back pain. We will work on the tiredness next.
Lynnette has been trying new recipes ... and I like it!.
El martes me hicieron una thorecentisis: extraer fluido del pulmon izquierdo para ayudrme a respirar mejor. No dolio mucho y en un par de dias ya note una mejoria ... y prendi mas palabras complicadas :-)
Todavia me canso y me duele la espalda. Trabajaremos en el cansancio.
LYnnette ha pprobado unas recetas nuevas ... y yo no puedo estar mas contento!
Saturday, September 24, 2011
back ... de vuelta
Dear friends,
One score of days ago I wrote my latest update. A few things have happened since:
I had a PET/CT scan and a MRI two weeks ago. The MRI (preliminary report) looks good, like last time, no new growths, no activity ... great. The PET/CT scan looks pretty much like the previous one: stable. The only difference is that the oncologist is more concerned about the pleural effusion, aka liquid in the skin of the lung.We are trying to schedule a thoracentisis (needle into the pleura to extract the fluid) for next week, waiting for insurance authorization. It will not be fun but the gain might be great: better breathing. It is an outpatient procedure (like an oil change ?:-) )
I have been quite tired since I got back from Spain, but it did not stop us from going car camping to Salt Point (two hours north on the coast). We did not do much walking, but we got to have a friendly encounter with a raccoon (it stole our corn chips) and got to see a few sea-lions off the coast. It is a beautiful coast.
These are the down days after the Alimta, but at least I am not on all fours.
Meanwhile I have Lynnette by my side and my love for her increases each day.
Hola familia y amigos,
Ya hace veinte dias que no escribo en el blog. Ponindose al corriente:
Hace dos semanas tuve un PET/CT scan y un MRI. El MRI estuvo muy bien, como los anteriores: no hay actividad ni crecimiento de los tumores. El oncologo esta un poco preocupado por liquido que se ha acumulado en la Pleura, alrededor del pulmon. asi que estamos a la espera de que el seguro aprueve un thoracentesis (una aguja en la pleura para extraer el liquido) para los proximos dias. Se supone que duele algo ("no te muevas por favor") pero me puede ayudar para respirar mejor.
Desde que volvimos the Bilbao/Poza/Arcos he estado un poco mas cansado. Aun asi, fuimos de camping el Sabado pasado a Salt Point (Punta de Sal, casi como Poza!) a unas dos horas al norte de aqui en la costa.. Un raccoon entro en el campamento y se comio las chips the tortilla de maiz ... y volvio a por mas. Tambien vimos sea lions soleandose en las rocas (son bien grandes). Es una costa preciosa.
Estos son los dias "malos' despues de tomar Alimta pero al menos no me tengo que arrastrar por los suelos.
Y mientras tanto Lynnette esta a mi lado y cada dia la quiero mas.
One score of days ago I wrote my latest update. A few things have happened since:
I had a PET/CT scan and a MRI two weeks ago. The MRI (preliminary report) looks good, like last time, no new growths, no activity ... great. The PET/CT scan looks pretty much like the previous one: stable. The only difference is that the oncologist is more concerned about the pleural effusion, aka liquid in the skin of the lung.We are trying to schedule a thoracentisis (needle into the pleura to extract the fluid) for next week, waiting for insurance authorization. It will not be fun but the gain might be great: better breathing. It is an outpatient procedure (like an oil change ?:-) )
I have been quite tired since I got back from Spain, but it did not stop us from going car camping to Salt Point (two hours north on the coast). We did not do much walking, but we got to have a friendly encounter with a raccoon (it stole our corn chips) and got to see a few sea-lions off the coast. It is a beautiful coast.
These are the down days after the Alimta, but at least I am not on all fours.
Meanwhile I have Lynnette by my side and my love for her increases each day.
Hola familia y amigos,
Ya hace veinte dias que no escribo en el blog. Ponindose al corriente:
Hace dos semanas tuve un PET/CT scan y un MRI. El MRI estuvo muy bien, como los anteriores: no hay actividad ni crecimiento de los tumores. El oncologo esta un poco preocupado por liquido que se ha acumulado en la Pleura, alrededor del pulmon. asi que estamos a la espera de que el seguro aprueve un thoracentesis (una aguja en la pleura para extraer el liquido) para los proximos dias. Se supone que duele algo ("no te muevas por favor") pero me puede ayudar para respirar mejor.
Desde que volvimos the Bilbao/Poza/Arcos he estado un poco mas cansado. Aun asi, fuimos de camping el Sabado pasado a Salt Point (Punta de Sal, casi como Poza!) a unas dos horas al norte de aqui en la costa.. Un raccoon entro en el campamento y se comio las chips the tortilla de maiz ... y volvio a por mas. Tambien vimos sea lions soleandose en las rocas (son bien grandes). Es una costa preciosa.
Estos son los dias "malos' despues de tomar Alimta pero al menos no me tengo que arrastrar por los suelos.
Y mientras tanto Lynnette esta a mi lado y cada dia la quiero mas.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Dear all,
it has been a week since returning from Spain and things are going well.Lynnette, Jon and I went to Bilbao, Poza de la Sal and Burgos/Arcos de la Llana. We had a great time. Jon got more quality time with the family (Oh youth, where did you go?) On the way back Continental managed to lose one our bags (no biggie, got it back that night).
I am still fighting the INR. High before leaving Boston, low for two weeks in a row in Spain (must be the relaxed life) and high again at the return to Oakland. Now is down again and I am moving to 2mg pills. Thanks to Kay's (nurse at Epic care) for her dedication!! She is a real angel!
Thursday, Friday and Saturday were really bad days, very tired. Lynnette did a great job helping me keep things in perspective. I might be down one day, but we know that things will change. Today is much better.
I am going to find a place to post the pictures from the trip. I will let you know
Hola familia y amigos,
Ha pasado una semana desde que volvimos de la USA y todo va bien.Lynnette, Jon y yo fuimos a Bilbao, Poza de la sal y Arcos de la Llana. Lo pasamos muy bien con mi hermana, padres y hermanos.Jon pudo pasar mas tiempo con la familia, sobre todo con sus primos. A la vuelta Continental perdio una maleta pero la trajeron a medianoche.
Ando luchando para mantener un nivel normal INR. Estaba alto cuando saliamos de Boston, luego bajo en Bilbao y se mantuvo en Burgos (debe ser la buena vida!). Al llegar a Oakland volvio a subir y ahora esta bajo otra vez. Kay me ha puesto en un tratamiento de 2mg. Kay es un verdadero angel
El Jueves, Viernes y Sabado fueron malos dias, muy cansado. Lynnette ma da una perspectiva de largo plazo. Un dia puede que este mal pero sabemos que pasara. Hoy estoy mucho mejor.
Tengo unas fotos de el viaje. Buscare un buen sitio donde colgarlas. Ya os dire.
it has been a week since returning from Spain and things are going well.Lynnette, Jon and I went to Bilbao, Poza de la Sal and Burgos/Arcos de la Llana. We had a great time. Jon got more quality time with the family (Oh youth, where did you go?) On the way back Continental managed to lose one our bags (no biggie, got it back that night).
I am still fighting the INR. High before leaving Boston, low for two weeks in a row in Spain (must be the relaxed life) and high again at the return to Oakland. Now is down again and I am moving to 2mg pills. Thanks to Kay's (nurse at Epic care) for her dedication!! She is a real angel!
Thursday, Friday and Saturday were really bad days, very tired. Lynnette did a great job helping me keep things in perspective. I might be down one day, but we know that things will change. Today is much better.
I am going to find a place to post the pictures from the trip. I will let you know
Hola familia y amigos,
Ha pasado una semana desde que volvimos de la USA y todo va bien.Lynnette, Jon y yo fuimos a Bilbao, Poza de la sal y Arcos de la Llana. Lo pasamos muy bien con mi hermana, padres y hermanos.Jon pudo pasar mas tiempo con la familia, sobre todo con sus primos. A la vuelta Continental perdio una maleta pero la trajeron a medianoche.
Ando luchando para mantener un nivel normal INR. Estaba alto cuando saliamos de Boston, luego bajo en Bilbao y se mantuvo en Burgos (debe ser la buena vida!). Al llegar a Oakland volvio a subir y ahora esta bajo otra vez. Kay me ha puesto en un tratamiento de 2mg. Kay es un verdadero angel
El Jueves, Viernes y Sabado fueron malos dias, muy cansado. Lynnette ma da una perspectiva de largo plazo. Un dia puede que este mal pero sabemos que pasara. Hoy estoy mucho mejor.
Tengo unas fotos de el viaje. Buscare un buen sitio donde colgarlas. Ya os dire.
Monday, August 22, 2011
update from Spain
Dear friends,
it has been two weeks since I came to Spain. We fly back on Sunday. It has been great to see the whole family and spend time with them. I was very tired when we landed and it took me until a couple of days ago to recover.perhaps the "silliest" problem is that I fall sleep at odd places when I tire: the car, dining table, restaurants, ... no shame. I am still fighting my INR (blood thinning/thickening indicator): off the roof before getting in the plane, down the basement a week later, and today's test gives a similar result. one thing to note, how easy and cheap is to get the lab blood tests.
I am doing fine overall.
BTW I have no internet connections!! Once in a while I find a bar with WI-FI and get to download mail or make an update like this.
it has been two weeks since I came to Spain. We fly back on Sunday. It has been great to see the whole family and spend time with them. I was very tired when we landed and it took me until a couple of days ago to recover.perhaps the "silliest" problem is that I fall sleep at odd places when I tire: the car, dining table, restaurants, ... no shame. I am still fighting my INR (blood thinning/thickening indicator): off the roof before getting in the plane, down the basement a week later, and today's test gives a similar result. one thing to note, how easy and cheap is to get the lab blood tests.
I am doing fine overall.
BTW I have no internet connections!! Once in a while I find a bar with WI-FI and get to download mail or make an update like this.
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