Friday, June 19, 2009

DAY +17: Setback

Top Line: Susan was doing well, eating some, and then, in the late afternoon, the pain returned

The oncology stuff, anything directed related to the transplant, continues to look good. Unfortunately, the pain, which seems to go away for a while, has returned again. None of the tests they've been able to think of --CAT scans, cultures of everything, blood analysis for any kind of agent, factor, trace -- have yielded a clue to the underlying problem.

Susan is back on vicodin for the pain, and that's working so far. Hopefully, she'll have an OK night. Bob spoke with Dr. Soiffer late this afternoon and he confesses to being mystified. He's done probably a thousand or more stem cell transplants and has never seen what Susan is presenting with, so almost certainly it is not transplant related.

The team will reconvene to decide how best to proceed, but it looks now like the cytoscopy with possible stent is back on the table, as is the renal ultrasound. One thing is clear, the possibility of her returning to the apartment tomorrow is off the table. Susan has to prove that she can eat and drink sufficiently, take all her meds by mouth, and go 24 hours without any need for pain medication.

I'll update you sometime tomorrow when we know more.

1 comment:

  1. Suz, Keep fighting, I know you can do this...keep thinking about all the plants we can split next spring to bring your garden to life. Love you.....over & out

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