Tag Archives: Lungs

Health Report

27 Thursday Sep 2018

Posted by in Cancer, Leukemia, Photography

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For the past six months I have been on a new drug called Bosolif.  At first I was on 500 mg per day.  After a few months a test was performed and my numbers increased.  The medicine was not working.  Not only was it not working, I could tell that I had fluid around my lungs again.  Walking had started to become difficult.  With caution, my oncologist increased my meds by 100mg and he orered a CT scan to see how much fluid had accumulated.  After a week, the results of the scan had come back and, indeed, there was a small amount of fluid around my right lung but not my left.  According to my oncologist, if my meds were causing the fluid, it would accumulate on both sides at the same time and not just on one side.  I was diagnosed with broncitus a couple of weeks prior and he thinks that’s the reason for the fluid.  Since my increase in the meds, the last test results that came back showed that my numbers has fallen.  Nowhere close where they need to be but at least they are falling.

On a side note; I have finished my disability paperwork.  I submitted the online aplication a couple of days ago and sent in the hard copies today.  Hopefully I’ll hear something in a couple of months.

 

Tim

Have I Told You Lately How Much I Hate Hospitals??

15 Tuesday Nov 2016

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To get it out of the way and I know everyone is tired of seeing pictures of the “Super Moon”,  here is the one that I spent over an hour trying to get the exposure correct.  Not exactly happy with it because it’s still a little out of focus.

A lot has happened since my last post and I’ll try to make it short as to not bore anyone.  But a brief recap is in order.  Back in August I had major breathing issues and I checked myself into the hospital thinking it was my heart.  They did a stress test, an echo-cardiogram and a heart heart cath. and found that I had 70% blockage in one of my arteries where they placed two stents.  My breathing had not improved any.

They then decided to do some breathing tests and ordered a CT scan.  They found fluid in my lungs.  They drew out 2 liters of fluid from my right lung.  I felt great afterwards.  They think that it’s my CML meds causing the fluid retention.

Two months later, in October, my breathing started getting bad again. My pulmonary doctor ordered another CT scan and found more fluid in my lungs.  He pulled just over a liter of fluid off my right lung.  Keep in mind that they haven’t touched my left lung.

Since all the fluid has started building up in my lungs, all three of my doctors (cardiologist, pulmonary and oncologist) agreed that a reduction of dosage in my CML meds.  It was reduced from 100 mg to 80 mg.  But my problem returned even quicker after my last fluid withdrawal.

Last Monday, November 7th, I couldn’t take it any longer.  I had to get some relief.  I couldn’t do anything without stopping and catching my breath.  Tuesday, after I voted, I went to the emergency room. I told them what I wanted them to do and they proceeded to do x rays. X rays showed nothing so they proceed to do another stress test and echo cardiogram.  But not after I sat in the emergency room all day on Tuesday.  I was finally admitted late Tuesday evening and they started doing the tests on Wednesday. Wasted a full day on Tuesday.

I was released on Friday evening but not after having another liter and a half removed from my lungs and another diagnosis of diastolic heart failure.  So, I’m on nitroglycerin patches to help me breathe and a whole lot of other meds as well.

 

Round Robin With the Doctor’s

18 Sunday Sep 2016

Posted by in Cancer, Depression, Leukemia, Photography

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I’m literally sitting here fighting for each breath I take.  I’ve been on the phone with three different doctors the last two weeks trying to get one of them to make a decision.  We’re all in agreement that we assume that my CML meds are causing fluid to accumulate around my lungs.  The problem I’m facing is finding a doctor willing to take responsibility and assisting me to drain the fluid.  I first contacted my oncologist thinking he would take me off my drug for a few weeks, he suggested contacting my pulmonary doctor.  My pulmonary doctor suggested for me to see my cardiologist.  I contacted my cardiologist and he suggested that I spend the weekend in the hospital.  I refused that option because my daughters were coming in for the weekend and that’s the last place I wanted to be.  So, I go see m cardiologist tomorrow at 3pm.  What the hell he’s going to do is beyond me.  The problem is not my heart it’s the fluid in my lungs.  I’m so put out right now I can’t think straight.

Not Quite There but Better!

24 Wednesday Aug 2016

Posted by in Cancer, Leukemia, Photography

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It has come a time in my life where I have to ask myself will I ever be as healthy as I used to be.  It seems that every time I get better I have another set back.  Every time I gain some vacation time I end up sick and  using most if not all of it trying to get well again. It’s usually after I gain about two weeks of time when something happens and I lose down to a day or so.  Currently I’m at 24 hours so I’ve got about a month to go before I can reset the clock.  In the meantime I have to be at work and if I have any doctor’s appointments, which I do, I’ll have to work over to make up for the time I take off or else I’ll lose more time.

I’ve spoken to my oncologist and he’s instructed me to resume my CML meds but at a lower dose. I’ve having to cut my 100mg pill in half then cut one of the halves in half again.  That way I take one half and a quarter so hopefully that’s about 75mg. I don’t like doing it this way because I’m not sure I’m getting the dosage right.  The oncologist seems to think that I can get the pill in a 80mg strength tablet and that’s what he really wants.

To say that I’m not concerned about the fluid coming back into my lungs is an understatement.  I’m deeply concerned and I’m wanting to know if there’s a test that can monitor the amount of fluid being stored in my lungs.  Currently the only way is a CAT scan and I can’t keep going in for a CAT scan every few weeks. So, according to my doctor I’ll just have to monitor my breathing on my own.

With all the diuretics that I’m on I’m losing weight.  I’m down over ten pounds since I had the stents put in.  I am feeling better but the breathing is still not 100 percent. I am back climbing the stairs at work but only one floor at a time.  Next week I’ll add an additional floor. I still get quite winded but I’m able to recover much quickly.

I’m still plugging along and hopefully I’ll be able to do more exercise but right now I’m going to take it easy and not push myself too hard right now.  Definitely later though.

Another Visit Part One

13 Saturday Aug 2016

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I knew it was only a matter of time before I ended up in the hospital again.  This makes the third time since January.  This time it was a little more serious than all the others.

I went and saw my cardiologist this past Wednesday and it was decided that because my breathing was so bad he would admit me to the hospital for a heart cath.  I was under the impression that the procedure would be done Wednesday afternoon after i was admitted but all they did was blood work. The next morning a heart cath was performed where they found the left artery 75% blocked.  Two stents were installed and I just knew that would help my breathing.  It did not help at all.

After returning to my room I started talking to my cardiologist and he informed me that he had called a pulmonologist in to see me.  A little while later I got carted off for several tests in which one was a breathing test and the other was a sniffing test.  Both of which I failed.  The pulmonologist came in later Thursday evening and basically told me that after seeing the results he had no idea what was causing my difficulties.  All he could tell me was that my diaphragm wasn’t working.

Friday morning I was carted off again for a CAT scan of my lungs.  After returning to my room I was told that I would have a procedure known as a Thoracentesis,  a procedure to remove fluid around my lungs.  At 2pm they removed 2 liters of fluid off my right lung.  I was told that the procedure wouldn’t be painful.  They lied.  I sort of reminded me of my bone marrow biopsy.  Maybe it was the way they did it but it was in the top ten as far as pain.

I never got to comfortable last night because of the pain but as long as I stayed still it didn’t bother me too bad.  I had to hook up my CPap tonight and the pain was still there.  I’ll be taking some pain meds tonight before going to bed.

My daily medicine count has increased by five.  That makes 17 pills that I have to take on a daily basis.  As long as they keep me alive and my insurance holds up I’ll keep taking them.