Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Fat Wednesday...

Well, we're back in Chicago -- I was "dismissed" yesterday morning, after my appointment with the doc. Here's where things stand...

1. The initial protein that the neurologist found in my blood, way the fuck back in January, was, strangely, NOT found in my blood at Mayo. I don't know if it disappeared, was never there in the first place, or if it only shows up in odd-numbered months, but it ain't there now. Apparently, that's a good thing.

B. All the rest of my blood looks clean. Red cells, white cells, Beverly Cells, platelets -- no problems. My heart looks good, my lungs look good, my reflexes look good, and my ass looks good... in jeans, but is a little soupy in khakis.

iii. They don't have the results back from the fat pad aspiration yet -- I'm supposed to call tomorrow at noon to see what's the shizzle. They'll also have the results of this genetic test that determines whether I have the inherited form of this fucker.

Basically, the doc is pretty dubious that I've got amyloidosis. He says my physical exam shows none of the symptoms of someone with it, there's no evidence, so far, in my blood/bone marrow/pee that would suggest that I have it, and the whole thing just doesn't fit. There may be amyloid in my fat sample, but he says that, regardless, that does not suggest that it's systemic, which is the really bad version of it. I suppose there's still the chance that I'd have the genetic form of it, which is really heinous, but signs aren't really pointing to that either.

So, I'm cautiously optimistic, but I'm not throwing any fucking parties until I talk to him tomorrow. It's kinda like there's one second left on the game clock, the shot has been taken, but the ball is just spinning around the rim endlessly, and it won't fall in or out. A "toilet-ringer," if you will.

The only question is, who's gonna be there for the tip-in -- Bill Cartwright or Will Perdue.

10 comments:

crabbydad said...

And I guess the other question is, "Why are all my basketball references from 1992?"

Arnie said...

Welcome back. Glad to hear things are looking relatively positive.

Cupcake said...

Phew!

Kim said...

This is good news! I'll feel cautiously optimistic for you.

I had sort of a health scare last year (ending (ha!) in the great colonoscopy adventure of '07) where I lost over 30 lbs in 3 months. We never really found a cause, and the problem eventually corrected itself. Hopefully the same will happen for you, and you can go on with your exciting(?) life in the basement.

Continued good luck!

Anonymous said...

Awesome.

Anonymous said...

Okay, so noon today seems to be the last big hurdle in this saga for now? I hope by 12:15 you're doing the crabbydance in celebration of your good news :-)

Anonymous said...

Glad things are looking up. I'm crossing my fingers for you that the final bit of news is just as good.

So if it turns out to be nothing after all, do you just chalk this up to one of those life "experiences" that you can "learn from"?

nora leona said...

A cautiously optimistic Wheeeeeee!

Unknown said...

So, are we done with the Innerspace routine? Can we pleeuz get back to the real business of navel contemplation of people-of-a-certain-age-dealing-with-their-smarter-and way-cuter-offspring?
(Yeah, not a lotta sympathy from us ED RNs, but whoyagonnacall when your kid has a golfball-sized lipoma that needs lancing only to squirt all over his cute little dreadlocks? Huh?)
But seriously, CD...your "reams were your ticket out" but you're back now and all safe and warm and spring is coming, so...wa wa welcome baaack.

Anonymous said...

'CS Lewis, On Grief' – Complied by Lesley Walmsley
"Grief can be described as a deep sorrow or distress. There is a great hurt in grief, generally a feeling that no one else really understands, that no one else has ever suffered in quite this way or to quite this extent."
(I highly recommend that book. It's a good read for us that are blessed with pain.)

Life is often painful. But we live through it nonetheless. I have been reading through your posts, and I feel for you bro. Perhaps I can learn more about lifes struggles in here. I like how you deal with your struggles, nothing like getting a fistfull of explicit rantings out to get your frustrations out.
I am blessed with severe chronic pain in my back. And I have a baby boy due in 8 weeks. So I am going to be the official SAHD guy, while the little lady works her butt off to bring home the bacon. Should be fun! Keep on doing what you do!