Well the CT scan was clear, again. This is good as it means that more and more time is passing between now and when I had my stem cell transplant. If I were to relapse, and I hope I never do, it needs to be over a year after the SCT otherwise they will not consider me for another transplant. But that's academic.. right now I have just had my third CT scan that shows no discernible activity. Fantastic!!
However that still leaves me with this cursed fever! and the doctors are completely stumped by it and have even said so. Today was the first time ever I have had the reply "I don't know" to several of my questions. After doing his usual checks of my lymph nodes and listening to my chest, the doctor seemed quite concerned at my resting heart rate which was 116. I told him that it's been like that for months. He said he was very concerned and that he would like to admit me straight away for tests and observation. I laughed and said this is how I've been for nearly six months, another couple of days wouldn't hurt, as I have my niece's wedding to attend this weekend where I am to be the Master of Ceremonies. It now looks like I won't make the wedding. :(
He said that he would rather I didn't hold off till next week but that he couldn't stop me. I realised at that point that he concidered it was serious and holding off for a week would be fool-hardy. I told him I needed to spend the afternoon clearing my week of appointments and getting ready. The plan is to have an "appointment" with him tomorrow morning and for him to decide on the spot to have me admitted through the emergency dept. There's more chance of getting a bed that way apparently.
My blood counts are OKish for me, so no concerns there, which is good. However some of my immune cells are severely depleted, possibly as a result of the poor harvest we had for the stem cell transplant. This leaves me right on the cusp of being susceptible to opportunist infection, much like an AIDS patient. (In fact a lot of my symptoms are similar to someone with HIV, however I've had many HIV tests and all have been clear). All these years of chemo have battered my immune system to the point that it's barely up to the job.
One theory which we hope to look at this week is that I do have an opportunist infection hiding somewhere and that it's just a case of finding it and administering the right drugs. That would be a good outcome. I won't hold my breath.
One thing that does point to a severely compromised immune system being the culprit is that I have now been on an anti-fungal drug for most of the year. When ever I try to ween off it I get mouth ulcers and a sore throat, a sure sign of oral thrush. Perhaps I have another fungal infection elsewhere in my body that is resistant to the drug I'm taking. Then again it could just as easily be a virus or bacterial infection.
Yeah wouldn't it be great if TVs Gregory House was a reality!
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