oncologist visit today...

We saw Dr. Arnold today - the oncologist who phoned Sun. morning to tell us not to take the blood thinners. I will try doing this in point form to see if it can be clear - it is much like a puzzle today!

• Blood clot - not much they can do. He can take one ibuprofen in the morning and 2 at night to try and take inflammation down. He can't take aspirin as it might cause bleeding. He can put hot compresses on his arm and chest, so he will do this and it looks like the infrared sauna will be OK so he will do that, too. Those things might break up the clot and get it absorbed into his body. He is still at risk of a clot breaking off and going to his lung but this is the best we can do right now.
• Brain mets - this oncologist has suggested we get those looked after as soon as possible, then if Callum needs the blood thinners in the future he can take them. She is following up on the referral to the radiation oncologist in Saskatoon to start whole brain radiation - even before the gamma knife surgery.
• This means that chemo will be temporarily suspended because if he gets another PICC line inserted he risks a blood clot in his right arm. He doesn't want that. The good news is she said the lesions in his lungs are quite small so interrupting chemo right now likely won't make much difference. Callum did have a choice on whether or not to suspend treatment and that is what he decided. It is just way too risky to have clots in both arms!
• The sore neck is due to the clots - there is not much draining happening from the veins in the head so the blood is backing up a bit in the neck area. Hopefully this starts to dissipate as the clot breaks up on its own. He is taking Tylenol 3's for the pain and feeling much better now!
• The referral to Winnipeg will be sent on Wed - likely will be another 2 weeks before we hear from their clinic.

I think I have it all - this is very complicated at this point - lots of things to watch for with medications and treatments. He is in much better spirits since starting to take the T-3's. He was afraid to take anything until he saw the Dr today. I told him he will likely end up in a medical journal -especially after he is cured after all this!!

Anyway...time to get ready for be. It has been a long few days. I have started to rely more on being positive - fear won't rule! I have vowed to spend at least one week not looking anything up on the internet - I think I have borrowed worry needlessly - a precious waste of time and energy. Onward and upward!