I am not dead yet.

[murielm99]

Things were going great. The radiation oncologist who was in charge of the stereotactic radiation was pleased. The tumor was small and almost gone. It was probably dead tissue. He had moved my appointments to every six months.

I asked him about the small amount of blood in my sputum. He told me to speak to my pulmonologist, who would probably tell me there was nothing to worry about. Instead, she got all up in arms and scheduled a THIRD bronchoscopy for me. For the first time, I was frightened before the procedure. I woke up sick, running a temp, a mess. She offered to keep me overnight. I declined. I wanted go home.I had bounced back from the first two with none of this.

She said there was blood behind and under the disappearing tumor that everyone was pleased to see leaving my life.

I went home. The next thing I knew, the hospital was calling me because my left lung was filling with fluid. They tried to get it out, but most of it was too thick. A nice older woman doc explained to me that the body would probably wall that off. In the meantime, the lower part of my left lung does not work.

I had an appointment with my primary, who is great. I told her that I had an appointment with the pulmonologist on the 20th. I would probably ask for a referral from my wonderful cancer center doctors to another pulmonologist. I like and trust the team there. If I have to go outside the practice for this, they will help and support me.

The chemotherapy doctor at the cancer center will be gone for a month. The cancer center has given me an appointment with a locum, who will be there for the regular doc for a month. The two work well together and trust each other. I can't tell you how glad I am that I found this cancer center.

I am not going to sit here and die. If this cancer center that I like and trust does not help me someone else will. I am not going to die without further treatment and without a fight. Heck, I have an acquaintance in my community who is fighting his fourth form of cancer. If he does not give up, neither will I.

I love you guys for all your support and help.

I don't know if any of you have experience with this kind of song and dance, but that is not why I come here. I have plenty of medical advice, I think. Thanks for listening.