Quick blast of semi-good news! We finally had an MRI done on the shoulder, the hematologist oncologist Dr. Bruce Culliney - a grand guy and super smart and well respected chemo doctor - wanted to be sure it wasn't the disease affecting it. I've torn my rotator cuff and the only solution (apart from surgery, which I am definitely not a candidate for) is cortisone injections. So there's a plan to help the shoulder pain. Also the very same Culliney said that we should try Motrin, even though it's effect is very similar to the steroids I am on. Et Voila!! The pain reduces significantly! Yeah!
Diane and he both agreed that I should restart the Keflex antibiotic to stop the smell coming from the recent fistulas (ulcers) on my neck skin,"Et Voila!" the smell is gone the next day!
Now every time a Dr. looks at my fistulas he gives us the "Carotid Blowout" scenario, very seriously, we cut them off saying Dr. Harrison gave us this speech before even starting the neck skin radiation. It's an odd telling though, for the docs explain very somberly how the opening fistula could reveal the Carotid artery and then the Carotid could open - leading to the "blowout" (see it in the summer blockbuster "Carotid Blowout!!".) Then he goes on to the plusses, where how it is painless, happens in a couple of minutes and all I would notice is my getting tired, and going to sleep for a long long time. Its the up-beat moment - like a get out of jail free card! Actually, it sounds a lot easier that way than languishing in bed, besotted with opiates, half-dreaming of naked female pirates at battle with the neo-cons for clothes at JCPenney!
There is no treatment for these fistulas, just keep them dry and avoid hitting them with your golf club.
So we picked up plans and news today and we both felt is was a great day! How was yours?
Goodbye
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Nurse Mary was spot on. Around 9:40, Thursday, August 20, Killian quietly
slipped away. We knew and didn’t know it was coming. We were just hanging
out wit...
15 years ago