Staying Alive

As it turns out, I can do exactly nothing if I want to get better. Just trying to accomplish the smallest physical activity causes the pain in my shoulders and neck to increase to an unbearable level, and inhaling HURTS. So I have been staying in bed and resting in hopes of getting rid of this pericarditis and pleurisy.

Saturday, my hiking buddy came over and kept me company while I stayed at rest in bed. We identified some of the wildflowers in our pictures, and worked on the laptop plotting routes for future hikes.

Sunday and Monday, I mostly slept. I read when I wasn't sleeping.

Today, the shoulder pain was finally, noticeably absent when I awoke. I inhaled; I could do it without that stabbing pain! Hooray!

So I started off the day with the breathing test at 9 a.m. I think I passed it. I was really really tired, so I went back home and fell asleep until my next appointments.

I got my antibody infusion, and then saw the oncologist. My left ventricle ejection fraction is back to 55%; good enough albeit below my baseline. I told him the pulmonologist had wanted to talk to him and told him what the cardiologist had prescribed. I told him what a hard time I'm having getting well, and so I am doing NOTHING.

I also asked about seeing if the antibody infusions and my immune system alone can deal with the two lesions in my liver. He agreed we could do an ultrasound of the liver when I'm well enough that he starts thinking about how to deal with the lesions in there.

So here's my chance to miss out on the toxic chemos -- I've got a couple of weeks while I'm recovering from the cardiopulmonary problems that the antibodies and my immune systems can go to work on those lesions. Go, antibodies, go! Get rid of those lesions now, and there will be no need for the toxic chemotherapies when I'm well.