Month: July 2009

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Oncologist today

melvisWed 22 July
I went to Miss Kings ( Consultant Oncologist) clinic today and she has gone through everything with me.
My MRI scans have shown I have an overactive thyroid so that will have to wait –that I have bad wear and tear on my neck so that will have to wait –
But good news is that there is no other Cancer anywhere else
My right Lung is clear.
My left lung has an liaison and that is Cancerous as the cancer cells showed up in the culture.
She is going to have me in and operate by Keyhole surgery.She will drain the fluid with a needle take a bi-op of the liaison and of other thickenings that are in that lung lining.
Then put the talc in to seal the lining to the lung.
I may be sent home with a drain in until it all dries out.
They will then decide on what to do next when she gets the results of the Bi-Op.
This could be to operate and cut out part of the lung or Chemo by tablets she just doesn’t know at this point.
I’m on stand by the for next 10 days as I will be called in to have my op at guys.
My arms is still a mystery they don’t know how to deal with it yet.
It maybe they will get better when I have had all the treatment or there is an injury of some kindI will have to wait.
Well that is my update so far

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Off to Mri Scans

Well I Have had the 3 MRI Scans and found that very weird.
Shut in a tube and unable to move for over an hour.
It is very noisy.

 mri

                        How does an MRI scanner work?
The patient lies inside a large, cylinder-shaped magnet. Radio waves 10,000 to 30,000 times stronger than the magnetic field of the earth are then sent through the body. This affects the body’s atoms, forcing the nuclei into a different position. As they move back into place they send out radio waves of their own. The scanner picks up these signals and a computer turns them into a picture. These pictures are based on the location and strength of the incoming signals.
Our body consists mainly of water, and water contains hydrogen atoms. For this reason, the nucleus of the hydrogen atom is often used to create an MRI scan in the manner described above.
                             What does an MRI scan show?
Using an MRI scanner, it is possible to make pictures of almost all the tissue in the body. The tissue that has the least hydrogen atoms (such as bones) turns out dark, while the tissue that has many hydrogen atoms (such as fatty tissue) looks much brighter. By changing the timing of the radiowave pulses it is possible to gain information about the different types of tissues that are present.
An MRI scan is also able to provide clear pictures of parts of the body that are surrounded by bone tissue, so the technique is useful when examining the brain and spinal cord.
Because the MRI scan gives very detailed pictures it is the best technique when it comes to finding tumours (benign or malignant abnormal growths) in the brain. If a tumour is present the scan can also be used to find out if it has spread into nearby brain tissue.
The technique also allows us to focus on other details in the brain. For example, it makes it possible to see the strands of abnormal tissue that occur if someone has multiple sclerosis and it is possible to see changes occurring when there is bleeding in the brain, or find out if the brain tissue has suffered lack of oxygen after a stroke.
The MRI scan is also able to show both the heart and the large blood vessels in the surrounding tissue. This makes it possible to detect heart defects that have been building up since birth, as well as changes in the thickness of the muscles around the heart following a heart attack. The method can also be used to examine the joints, spine and sometimes the soft parts of your body such as the liver, kidneys and spleen.
                        How does an MRI scan differ from a CT scan?
With an MRI scan it is possible to take pictures from almost every angle, whereas a CT scan only shows pictures horizontally. There is no ionizing radiation (X-rays) involved in producing an MRI scan. MRI scans are generally more detailed, too. The difference between normal and abnormal tissue is often clearer on the MRI scan than on the CT scan.
                          How is an MRI scan performed?
The scan is usually done as an outpatient procedure, which means that the patient can go home after the test. During the scan it is important to lie completely still. For this reason it might be necessary to give a child an anaesthetic before they are tested.
Since you are exposed to a powerful magnetic field during the MRI scan, it is important not to wear jewellery or any other metal objects.
It is also important for the patient to inform medical staff if they use electrical appliances, such as a hearing aid or pacemaker, or have any metal in their body such as surgical clips, but orthopaedic metalware such as artificial hips or bone screws is not normally a problem.
                                Is an MRI scan dangerous?
There are no known dangers or side effects connected to an MRI scan. The test is not painful; you cannot feel it. Since radiation is not used, the procedure can be repeated without problems. There is a small theoretical risk to the foetus in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, and therefore scans are not performed on pregnant women during this time.
Because patients have to lie inside a large cylinder while the scans are being made some people get claustrophobic during the test. Patients who are afraid this might happen should talk to the doctor beforehand, who may give them some medication to help them relax.
The machine also makes a banging noise while it is working, which might be unpleasant.

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Margate Hospital

——————-9th July 2009
Hi I have been to Margate Hospital to talk with my Consultant and he was great. He is part of a team working hard to find a solution for me and because I’m still young (loved that bit) They are pulling all the stops out. One step at a time so that they are thorough he said. It isn’t the cancer that is making me breathless and stopping me from running around it is the fluid in the lungs. So I have to have another blood test and then a chest Xray to get me ready for the clinic of a Mrs King who will visit Canterbury Hospital on Wednesdays either this one coming or the next but he hopes this one coming. She will then make arrangements at Guys hospital London to have me in and do Keyhole surgery and use three cameras to have a good look around. Then she will seal the lining onto the lung (they use Talcum Powder would you believe) this way I will never have fluid again and what I have will be drained off anyway with a needle.. Once they have done this I will be able to move around better. They will then be free to carry on to treat the cancer but first the MRI Scans and the camera Op will tell them what I have got and they will decide to act accordingly. So it is a better picture tonight and I feel a lot better and more hopeful. So tomorrow Friday I will be at K&C hospital all day. Blood Test, Chest Xray and 3 MRI Scans what a long day

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My New Car

——————- ————————————–13/th June 2009———————
We have had a great day today as Ray drove me in my new car (a Suzuki Alto which the garage at Whitstable harbour sold to him in 20 minutes so that Ray could get to the hospital to pick me up) We always thought the M/H and a bus pass would see us through but you realise that there are times that your own transport is essential. We went to the MCC rally at Mount Ephram Hernhill Faversham and had a BQ with our friends and walked around the gardens. It was very warm and enjoyable. It was great to see old friends as well but people end up crying I find that so hard to bear. I will try and get to some more rallies to see them and maybe be a bit stronger to have a dance or two. I have cancelled Italy so I might make the global and meet more of my cyber friends from MHF–we will see. Anyway Im off to bed now so night night sweet dreams xx