Lung Doctor Appointment

  I got a sub for the afternoon, went home, and mom went with my to my doctor's appointment this afternoon.  The doctor said it was easier to have me come in than try to explain things over the phone.  Last Friday, the surgeon hunted my lung doctor down at the hospital (lung doctor was in surgery) and my oncologist called him also.  Surgery is not on Monday, but looking like on Tuesday, will know more tomorrow.  My lung doctor is not exactly available to do surgery on Monday, that is why there is a change in the date.

    What will be done during my surgery?  First, a bronchial scope to do a needle biopsy of the lymph nodes.  If that comes back clean, then he (lung doctor) will try to do a needle biopsy of nodules in my lungs.  If that comes back clean (of cancer), then the surgeon will make an incision along my neck above the breast bone, and insert the camera and take out lymph nodes.  If at any point the needle biopsies come back positive for cancer, then they are done with surgery, because that means I am no longer NED (remission) and will move up to stage IV.  If all three come back clean, no cancer, then my lung doctor will decide if I will receive treatment for sarcoid.  Treatment for sarcoid is perdisidone (steroids).  So far, I have not received any treatment for sarcoid.

   Sarcoid and granulomar disease is basically the same thing.  Sarcoid is basically an inflammation of the lungs.  Doctors don't really know how people get sarcoid, but mom and I think I've had it since I was a kid.  Sarcoid can get worse, enough damage done to the lungs that a transplant will be needed.  The doctor said that back in October, I had 83% of Oxygen going from my lungs to the blood.  That was a slight change from February 2012.  I am scheduled for another lung function test in May.

   I called my oncologist's office this afternoon, to see if I could get the blood test results from last Friday.  He told me that I could call this week.  The nurse I talked to said I couldn't get the results until he came back to the office next Monday, he is on vacation this week.

   I think my brother could've had sarcoid also, but he has also never been tested for it as well.