2nd Opinion. Women's Cancer Resource Center (1)

Dr DiLisio wants to send me to UCSF to the pulmonary department there. That's fine because I wanted a 2nd opinion.

(What was not fine was the way he treated me today. I'll talk to Dr. Wendy about it tomorrow to be sure I don't mess up some medical record keeping, referral process-- but I would be very happy to never have to see or hear from him again.)

I called the Women's Cancer Resource Center in Oakland today.
What a difference!

They will help me. I can call any time and, during business hours, can reach someone to talk to. LaTasha, who answered the phone today, offered to do some basic research on lung cancer and resources in Sonoma County and mail me what she finds. Then, she called me back to tell me about a medical library at Memorial hospital in Santa Rosa.

The Sonoma County library called to say two of the books I ordered on lung disease and lung cancer have arrived.

So-- the low income rural health clinic where Doctor Wendy works, Women's Cancer Resource Center and the local library! Blessings and praise to them! Your tax dollars at work and a feminist networking non-profit which is part of the community I helped build.

I would be so scared and alone without them.
It would be easy to make a major decision and have it go very wrong.

Medical Questions & Non-Answers This Week

Dr. Wendy talked to me last night on the phone and we went over the questions and tests. Dr. Dilisio was supposed to call yesterday but he didn't. He called today. His answers are in italics.

• Aspergillosis— is it now ruled out due to both bronchoscope cultures and blood test? Or, does it take longer to grow?

It’s not likely but it’s not ruled out. Diagnosis comes from many markers.

• CEA blood test: Carcinoembryonic Antigen —normal for non-smoker: “3” Mine: “10” Very sick with colon cancer patient: “800”
  

This may be something but it’s not high enough to tell us much. It’s neither here nor there.

• IGE test. Slightly positive What does this mean?
  

Allergy – mild. But he couldn’t find the results. He was speaking very hastily.

• Other blood test results all negative: that’s good, right?
  

We didn’t get to this question. He was very rushed.

• Bronchoscope cultures showed candida. Could that be from the esophagus as the instruments came through on their way out? I know I had candida there. I took two diflucan pills, a week apart. Is that likely to have taken care of it, if it is in middle lobe?
  

He was too rushed to hear this, but started our five minutes by saying candida does not figure into the problem as he sees it.

• When is the best time to repeat the CT scan? I want to repeat it when there is a chance to see some positive changes if this whole mess is due to inflammation or fungis.

October 2009

• What kind of drug routine would I have pre and post surgery?
  

We never got to this question.