July 18, 2025 – Moving
Right Along
So, I am continuing with the treatments. I did have CT scan and they did find a couple of things that were new. I meet with my oncologists this next week and hope to have more of a definitive answer on what they found with the CT scan. The new thing was an 11 mm area of inflammation inside my left lung. This could be pneumonia so they scheduled another CT scan which was to take place today. While I was on my way to get the scan, they called and said the machine was down—reschedule for the 28th. In the meantime I developed a cough. It is one of those annoying ones that is just a tickle of the cough center with no production of mucus. The tickle is from post nasal drip. Anyway, I am taking another antibiotic, mainly because of my concern about the area of inflammation. I just want this to go away! I hesitate to take any additional meds for the drip but I may give in on that.
A week ago I did have a surgery procedure to replace the stent. It took me forever to come out of the anesthesia. I have yet to have a conversation with my urologist about the outcome. I do have a problem communicating with both the surgeon and the PA. The good news is that my regular urologist is back. If you remember, he went to the Emergency Room the night before he was to put the stent in. I discovered he has a serious disease which sounded like something pulmonary. He is being treated by a specialist oncologist at MUSC in Charleston, which is where my primary oncologist is located. He can’t do surgery at this point, but he can interpret the pictures the urologist surgeon gave Kathe after the procedure. I have a suspicion that the stent was removed (this would be good news), but I will find out next Tuesday. Otherwise nothing bad was found during the stent procedure according to a cryptic message from the surgeon.
I read the report from the CT scan technician, which I had avoided the first time around when they found the bladder cancer. I have some other potential problems like possible renal carcinoma and a 34 mm mass in my liver. I stopped reading at that point. I’ll discuss this with my oncologists. I knew about the mass from previous scans. Apparently the doctors don’t treat these seriously until they are bigger.
Getting old sucks. How is it that I can have all these infirmities and so many people my age seem to have none? That said, I do have friends with just as many problems. Knock on wood—I still have my brain (for now).
Kathe is going through prevention activities such as diet, special many different types of exercise, and hyperbaric treatments because she was diagnosed with the gene that says she has a 60% chance of getting Alzheimer’s. She is attacking with a vengeance. I admire her dedication. I don’t have it in me to be that dedicated. Right now I am doing very little. This needs to change!
I’ll keep you posted after seeing my three doctors next week.
Enjoy the heat and wet.
Les
