Pulmonary Function Test

This afternoon, after school, I was scheduled for a pulmonary function test. The appointment was for 4 pm, and I was called back around 4:20. The room we were in for the test, made me have many coughing fits. I coughed a lot! There were two types of tests. The first one, had me take a deep breath and then let it all out and really push the air out. Next, I had to take quick breaths like I was running.

Next, she put a different type of mouth piece onto the machine. Took about 3 minutes to prepare for the test. I took a deep breath, pushed it all the way out and had to do that for about 10 seconds, then take a deep breath and hold it. Did that 2-3 times. Then, I was given a breathing treatment. She took the second mouth piece off and I did the first test again. There was no change from before the breathing treatment to after the treatment. The doctor should have the results by end of next week. I see him again June 28.

Reaction to the Inhaler

I used the inhaler for the first time at the doctor's office Tuesday afternoon and again before bed that night. I woke up in the middle of the night, as usual, and I itched like crazy. I scratched my arms and legs. When I woke up in the morning, I still itched. Was okay during the day, and while I was sitting at hte computer Wednesday evening, I started itching again. Went through the same thing Wednesday night and Thursday night. I meant to the call the doctor's office Thursday at school, but forgot. I called yesterday morning, and hte nurse called me back later in the afternoon. For now, I am to stop using the inhaler, and when teh doctor got back in the office on Monday, she would let him know. The nurse will call me back sometime on Monday to say what the doctor had to say. I still itch at times.

Sarcoid or Melanoma

I saw the lung specialist, Dr. Makkar this afternoon/ He sat in the examining room with his laptop. On the screen, he was looking at both last year's and this year's CT scans. He said I have spots all over my lungs. He also said that my lymph nodes were lit up all through my body this past time. The spots are too small to be seen on the CT or PET/CT scans, completely. They can be seen as spots. For now, I am to use an inhaler twice a day. I will have a breathing test on May 26 after school. I will also be tested for sleep apnea. He will be in touch with my oncologist, and I will see him again on June 28.

The Dr. said that yes there is no melanoma in my lymph nodes, but there are granulomas in my lymph nodes. The spots are either sarcoid or melanoma. I remember being told in the summer of '07 about having sarcoid, but nothing was done. I am showing symptoms of sarcoid, coughing and shortness of breath.

Treatments, can be oral steroids, or even nothing. I have never been told I have asthma. He even asked about snoring. He even talked about possibility of doing a test of sending a tube down my throat into my lungs to look at my broncea. Will know more when I see him again next month.

Blood Work Results

I called my oncologist last Thursday to get the results of the blood work from the previous Friday. My onc was out of the office until today. The nurse for my onc left me a message this morning on my phone. I called back later and we played phone tag. I talked to her and she told me that my blood work came back good and the test my onc wanted run also came back negative. Because I have been coughing for the past months pretty consistently, I will be seeing a lung specialist next Tuesday, in Medina, at 3:15 pm.

I have had a cough basically my whole life. There are long periods of time where I don't cough at all. When I have a cold, I cough a lot. Various times from taking inventory, I coughed a lot. Before March, I hadn't coughed for quite some time. No cancer, no other diseases, so what is going on? That is what my onc wants to know.

Post-Op visits

This afternoon I had my post-op visits with the surgeon and the GYN. When my sub showed up this morning, my kids cheered. My first doctor's appointment was scheduled for 2 pm. The surgeon showed me the test results and told me that what was removed from my neck was a fatty tumor, and the stains they did on the lymph nodes in looking for bacteria and fungus, they were looking for TB. That came back negative.

I was done with the surgeon around 2:30 and went over to the GYN's office. I got there around 3 pm, and my appointment was scheduled for 4:10 pm. They gook me early. I was in and out there with the doctor also. He told me that my onc was worried that my cancer was back. Thankfully, we already know that it is not!

I will get the results for the blood work next Tuesday, when my oncologist is back at the office.

I bought my ticket for TX for next month this evening.