Just wanted to update you all on my continuing heart/chest saga.

They found that I have fluid around my heart.

I didn't make it through the nuclear stress test on the 15th. When they injected the stressing agent, my chest and throat tightened up and I couldn't breath at all. They put an oxygen mask on me and injected something to counteract the stressing agent. Then they said to go home. So I never made it to the treadmill part. I haven't heard anything from the heart Doc about any results, so I don't know if there is also a blockage (angina).

I had a chest CT scan on the 13th and my PCP said that my lungs look a lot worse than they did in March, which is the last scan she has access to. I had another one in September that was not alarming to my lung Doc at Shands (after he had done 2 lung biopsies this past spring and couldn't find out what was growing in my lungs). I have since gotten my most recent scan from Nov 13th sent to my lung Doc. He said that my left lung is a lot worse - besides the scan showing the fluid around my heart. He said that I have a void/blank spot/space rapidly growing in that lung and we don't know what it is. It could be cancer, or a relative of TB, or fungus - just don't know yet. They will schedule another biopsy of that area ASAP.

By this time I was down to 79 lbs, in a great deal of pain even with the meds, and so weak I could hardly walk even with my cane. My throat seemed to have developed an obstruction just past the back of my tongue - I could feel it with my finger and it was hard and movable - so eating was barely possible.

I had my throat dilated (4th time) on Monday and thank goodness the obstruction was actually just that my esphogus had become so constricted that it had formed a ridge just past the back of my tongue. The dilation has fixed that part of my swallowing problems, so now I'm able to eat and am building up some strength again.

I'm hoping to hear from my lung Doc about the lung biopsy the first part of next week. His associate definitely wanted me to have it ASAP. Since my cardiologist seems to be ignoring me & my fluid, I'm wondering if they at Shands might pick up where he left off, too. I would feel better if they did.

Just a note about the growing "space" in my lung. My aunt many years ago had something eating away at her lungs. She had 1/3 of one lung removed and 2/3 of the other one. I remember my Mom saying that it had been some kind of a fungus, and that it was stopped by that major surgery, instead of the "spot removals" they had been doing before. I guess I'm hoping it's more like something like that - instead of lung cancer.

So I guess that's why you haven't seen me posting lately. I've been trying to wrap my head around all this while being in so much pain and being so weak & sick. My emotions are like a roller coaster right now - crying one minute and Ok the next, but then yelling at my poor dogs or my son for nothing after that. I AM very scared and so very anxious to get all this taken care of. Even if it IS cancer, there's still surgery, radiation, and chemo to battle it with. And it would be really great if someone would drain this fluid out from around my heart. I've been pretty much bed-ridden for about 6 weeks now, and I want to get fixed!

If anyone has any experience or info to share I would love to hear it, and prayers are always so very much appreciated. I'm sure they're what's gotten me this far.

A very Blessed Thanksgiving to you all,

Lani