July 13, 2021
Here’s some new mumbo-jumbo for your medical lexicon:
Geographic consolidative and groundglass opactities
Who knew that ground glass could be considered medically appropriate descriptive language? If you look at the CT scan image that matches the language, that’s what the lung looks like, I guess. It looks more like a starry night to me.
Here’s a particularly beautiful image:
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Volume-rendered three-dimensional reconstruction chest CT image shows the presence of bilateral opacities, with prevalent peribronchovascular distribution and sparing of the peripheral lung zones. Citation: The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 103, 1; 10.4269/ajtmh.20-0405
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The image above is actually of a COVID-19 patient’s lungs with pneumonia. My lung, with its GGOs, is officially inflamed with <drumroll please> treatment-related pneumonitis. In other words, the field of radiation treatment of my right lung is now covered with this ground glass opacity, so you can’t even see where the tumor used to be.
Dr. Oncology and Dr. Hematology agree: this is probably radiation pneumonitis, but it could maybe be also/or related to durvalumab infusions, i.e., immune system run riot.
And so, infusions will be stopped for about a month so things can get calmed down.
Oh! There are also new drugs! At least these are garden variety pharmaceuticals. Antibiotics, just in case there’s pneumonia (which is different from pneumonitis) and prednisone! Typically, the highest dosage a doctor would give is 60 mg. I’m starting at 80. (So as to avoid being up all night cleaning your house, it’s suggested you take this dosage in the morning rather than at night. <cue eyeroll>)
Let’s scrabble around for some good news:
- We held off on our planned camping trip until we found out WTF was happening. (M said a couple of times “Can you imagine if we’d gone and you needed the nebulizer?” Yeah, not a lot of plug-in opportunities in the woods.)
- I was able to find an appointment for a CT scan Monday.
- The pharmacy dude filled my prescriptions after the pharmacy closing time and handed them to Mark at the side door.
- I own a nebulizer and I can fire it up at will.
- I felt pretty crappy but I am starting to feel better.
- My mom is whipping up some good dinners.
- This will pass.
Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay
Karen- Again, thank you for sharing this experience. You sound upbeat on the page in spite of the crappy parts of it, and I know there are many (what an understatement!). That is, you often frame it as a journey and I'm inspired by your curiosity and wonder in the face of how IT STINKS. And it does. I'm taken by your ability to capture it all in words and bring us on your journey – as much as that's possible. I have always found your attitude about life and your ability to jump in fully with your whole self very inspiring. I feel it even more so now. I love you very much!!!! How lucky I am to have met you that day at YCNS- pulling Ruth in the trailor as you rode! And how lucky that Kyla has you in her life!!
You are most appreciated by us all. Keep up your good work! We are all cheering you on!
What a lovely memory. I’m so glad we’ve had each other for so long. I loved seeing K here. She is truly amazing. The writing puts the Whole Thing apart from me a bit; it’s good The writing puts it apart from me a bit; thank you for reading and helping me see it through other eyes.