This is going to be a shorter update, 'cause Cathy is TIRED.
Today was the lungs check-up; we saw Dr. M, a lovely pulminologist (is that how you spell that?) today - who also happens to be a Blake parent!
We went to see to get more information around whether or not the spots visible in Matt's earlier chest CT could be connected to the cancer. The appointment started with Matt puffing and breathing into various tubes and hoses (all the while cracking inappropriate jokes with our respiratory therapist, who was able to zing him right back, it was a riot! See photo.) And of course there was a running theme/reply: whenever asked how his breathing has been, he just always replied he was an expert - being a 'breather' all his life. Ye gads....
All the breathing test results came back indicating Matt has healthy lung capacity (there is a joke in there somewhere about hot air but I can't find it...). Dr. M said, as we suspected, she doesn't think this is about lung cancer (Matt just has no connections to anything that might directly lead to lung cancer - even, thank goodness, his occasional cigar!) but due to the discovery of cancer does want another CT scan in about 2 months. This will show us whether or not the spots are changing, growing which then puts us back to a place where his neck growth and lungs might be connected.
Did you know that the MN river basin and other areas here locally (Maple Grove being another specific one) do lend themselves to some kind of fungi that can impact your lungs? There is the possibility that fungus is the cause of the spots and as such they took more blood (Matt says even giving blood now is making him anxious...) and we'll get results of that test next week. But I think we understand that to be specific to the spots on the lungs only and it is not likely connected to the cancer.
Anyway, that's it for today. Probably the next post will be Monday night: we see Dr. W, our "quarterback" on Monday to get the stitches out and to follow-up on the outstanding tests, thoughts, getting second opinions, etc. etc. Stay tuned and think healthy thoughts!
Today was the lungs check-up; we saw Dr. M, a lovely pulminologist (is that how you spell that?) today - who also happens to be a Blake parent!
We went to see to get more information around whether or not the spots visible in Matt's earlier chest CT could be connected to the cancer. The appointment started with Matt puffing and breathing into various tubes and hoses (all the while cracking inappropriate jokes with our respiratory therapist, who was able to zing him right back, it was a riot! See photo.) And of course there was a running theme/reply: whenever asked how his breathing has been, he just always replied he was an expert - being a 'breather' all his life. Ye gads....
All the breathing test results came back indicating Matt has healthy lung capacity (there is a joke in there somewhere about hot air but I can't find it...). Dr. M said, as we suspected, she doesn't think this is about lung cancer (Matt just has no connections to anything that might directly lead to lung cancer - even, thank goodness, his occasional cigar!) but due to the discovery of cancer does want another CT scan in about 2 months. This will show us whether or not the spots are changing, growing which then puts us back to a place where his neck growth and lungs might be connected.
Did you know that the MN river basin and other areas here locally (Maple Grove being another specific one) do lend themselves to some kind of fungi that can impact your lungs? There is the possibility that fungus is the cause of the spots and as such they took more blood (Matt says even giving blood now is making him anxious...) and we'll get results of that test next week. But I think we understand that to be specific to the spots on the lungs only and it is not likely connected to the cancer.
Anyway, that's it for today. Probably the next post will be Monday night: we see Dr. W, our "quarterback" on Monday to get the stitches out and to follow-up on the outstanding tests, thoughts, getting second opinions, etc. etc. Stay tuned and think healthy thoughts!
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