more updates

The thoracentisis went well. They extracted 2-liters this time (remember that the first time they extracted 1-liter, and the second time they extracted 1.5-liters). The technician said there is likely another 2-liters in there, but they can only safely remove so much at a single time. I can't believe I have 4-liters of extra fluids around my lungs. Imagine inserting two 2-liter soda bottles between you ribs and your left lung, it's no wonder I have shortness of breath. I will be discussing with my doctor whether or not we should have more extracted in the near future, it would be nice to get to "empty". I came home and did the stair test. If I can make it up the stairs to the bedroom without feeling like I need to pass-out, then things are good. I made it up the stairs, no heavy breathing and no shortness of breath. It felt good. And remember that I still potentially have another 2-liters of fluids in there. If you are ever at the Northern Colorado Medical Center and need something to eat. I recommend the roast beef. All good for now. Take care. -Eric

updates

It's been a while since I last posted. We have been awaiting the next scan results. I went in for a CT scan and an MRI last week, and we got the results yesterday. The MRI of the head showed that one spot has grow a little more, not significantly, but enough to notice. We are not going to change any treatments right now but we are going to shorten the scan cycles to every two months , instead of every three months, in order to get more frequent looks at the progress. The CT scan of the chest/neck/abdomen was hard to read due to all the fluids built up around my lungs. Yes I accumulated a lot more fluids since my last thoracentisis that I had around Christmas time. I have significant shortness of breath and my blood/oxygen level is very low. (78 vs the ideal number of 100). This is low enough that they put me on oxygen at night. It is natural for anyones blood/oxygen levels to drop at night due to inactivity, but dropping from 78 and going lower could be very dangerous. I am going in for another thoracentisis today, and hopefully that will improve my blood/oxygen levels during the day, so that I don't have to be on oxygen during the day. The oxygen supply is a big fancy air filter that sucks air in through the back, super filters it, and pumps it into my lungs through my nose. I am not happy about being on oxygen, it means that things are getting worse, and not better, and it gives the impression that I am weak, and I don't like that. I agreed to go on it for two reasons. One: if i don't do it I could die in my sleep. Two: Monica threatened to beat me up if I didn't. Two good reasons. Take care. -Eric