mckenzieo
m y • l u n g s
The left-hand side of the pic is my right lung. Lung doc (Dr. Helmi, Lung Group, Sacred Heart Hospital) says that cloudy-looking stuff at upper left is not supposed to be there. See next image -- the PET/CT scan -- for a more succinct image. But is it lung cancer? There are seven lesions (one big one, six little thingies). Or is it pneumonia? Given my history, the radiologist and lung doc and G.P. all agree that, given my history, it's probably the rectal cancer come back in my lung, which means it has metastasized -- spread. My cancer doc (oncologist Dr. Thomas Sunnenberg, Sacred Heart Hospital) and I felt like it's more likely infection, which can look like cancer. With a biopsy, I'm told there's a one in five chance of collapsing the lung. I sure would like this to be some kind of pneumonia or infection, and to just get rid of it. Anybody know any experts on this stuff? Pensacola's a small town. If I get a biopsy, I might be better off going someplace where they do a whole lot more of them and the odds are better than 15% or 20% chance of lung collapse. I'm very petite, and I don't know how that's going to affect the procedure.
m y • l u n g s
The left-hand side of the pic is my right lung. Lung doc (Dr. Helmi, Lung Group, Sacred Heart Hospital) says that cloudy-looking stuff at upper left is not supposed to be there. See next image -- the PET/CT scan -- for a more succinct image. But is it lung cancer? There are seven lesions (one big one, six little thingies). Or is it pneumonia? Given my history, the radiologist and lung doc and G.P. all agree that, given my history, it's probably the rectal cancer come back in my lung, which means it has metastasized -- spread. My cancer doc (oncologist Dr. Thomas Sunnenberg, Sacred Heart Hospital) and I felt like it's more likely infection, which can look like cancer. With a biopsy, I'm told there's a one in five chance of collapsing the lung. I sure would like this to be some kind of pneumonia or infection, and to just get rid of it. Anybody know any experts on this stuff? Pensacola's a small town. If I get a biopsy, I might be better off going someplace where they do a whole lot more of them and the odds are better than 15% or 20% chance of lung collapse. I'm very petite, and I don't know how that's going to affect the procedure.