Good News

Just left my meeting with Dr. Goldberg.

The abdominal area CT scan shows no new problems. Also, it shows that the thrombosis (clotting) in my liver is less pronounced than it was in the last scan. The doctors had told me the blod clots that formed while I was in the hospital could be permanent, or my body might repair these veins. The new scan shows that my liver is repairing itself. Hopefully, this trend will continue, and a year from now, my liver will be as good as new, or rather, as good as old.

I've been abstaining from alcohol because of the clots in my liver. I figure I can't afford to damage it any more. My last drink was last November (before I was pregnant). But if my liver repairs itself...
well then, why not jump off the wagon! If my liver does fully recover, upon receiving that news, I plan to get as drunk as a college freshman during her first night on campus. A healed liver is also a sign that my blood no longer needs the Warfarin (anti-coagulating agent). While on the Warfarin, I have to be weary of trauma that might cause internal bleeding. Riding a bicycle, for example, is off limits. So if my liver heals, the second thing I will do is ride a bicycle. But I probably should wait until I'm sober again before attempting it.

Dr. Goldberg and I discussed my Daunorubicin (chemo similar to Idarubicin) treatment course this fall. There have been news stories about shortages of chemotherapy drugs, particularly ones that treat leukemia. The doctor assured me the hospital has an adequate supply of the beautiful, yet wicked, Daunorubicin.

We also talked about the potential latent side effects of the drug. He views my total exposure to the drug class as low enough to make my risk of future heart failure minimal. Cardiovascular activity going forward will help lower it further, and all those years of swimming and rowing have given my ticker a strong foundation. (Yes, Coach Fred and Coach Wendy, I take back any grimacing or griping I did during "High Quality" or "2K Erg Tests.")

Lastly, I had blood drawn for a PCR test. This is the more precise remission test I described in Go FISH. If this test shows no cancer cells, I'll have to find myself another piece of chocolate cake. I should get the result by next Monday or Tuesday.