Forward One, Back Two

[akirlu]

According to my dad, Mom was in for a colonoscopy yesterday, which looked good. The doc who did it also said he does not think she has cirrhosis after all: there's a marker for it that doesn't show up in her blood test. She's also scheduled for an ultrasound (of what? looking for what?)at the end of the month, which they are now waiting on.

I feel like I know less now than I did last week. I shall have to phone some time when I can be sure to catch my dad; he's not very forthcoming in e-mail and other than itching and tiredness, I'm not clear on what triggered Mom's round of doctor visits in the first place. No cirrhosis would be good, of course, and a healthy colon, but it makes whatever triggered Mom's current battery of medical stuff that much more mysterious, and opens the possibility that it's something worse. So here I am in limbo, waiting for news, waiting for something to happen.

Also, I'd like to collectively thank everyone for their replies to my last Mom post. I appreciate very much your thoughts and your being there. They mean a lot. I keep meaning to make individual thanks, but I am very rough and awkward with being comforted. It feels like trying to run in waist-deep molasses, coming up with ways to express my gratitude, but please know that you have it.

Comments

[pecunium.livejournal.com]

Probably of her liver, looking for stiffening.

I recall being shown my pancreas, and (so she said) my liver when I was at Walter Reed (trust me, a deep ultrasound, to look for anoxic kinks in one's small intestines, because one is bloated (four days of no food, and not less than three IV anti-biotics, it's no wonder my guts were griped, is not comfortable).

I couldn't tell which blob was my gall-bladder, but the tech seemed to be able to see all sorts of things, including the resiliance of my liver (since that was one of the things she was told to check).

Glad to hear things have better prognoses, even if somewhat mysterious.

TK

[gerisullivan.livejournal.com]

My framework for dealing with medical crises and confounding medical situations is to remember that it's a roller coaster ride. Information changes often, there are long, slow slogs upwards, stomach-churning drops at high speeds, lots of twists, turns, and bumpy bits, and the only thing to do is hang on for the ride. Only it's never a coaster that riders get on by choice.

I hope solid information is forthcoming soon, and that it leads to good outcomes.

[smofbabe.livejournal.com]

Ruling stuff out is a good thing, although it is certainly much better to cope when you have something identifiable rather than mysteries. I wish your family a good outcome and wish you strength.