Thursday Aug. 13, 09
The CAT SCAN report is in. There wasn't really any new bad news so that is the good news.
Both lungs remain with very large number of pulmonary lesions or tumors throughout. That is why Val remains on 2% oxygen. There is some improved aeration or air moving into the right lung which is good news as the entire lung collapsed back in early May. The right lung now has an extensive pleural effusion; that is fluid build up surrounding the whole right lung. The chest tube she had placed in May was suppose to drain this. Most likely, this is the cancer killing the good lung cells resulting in this new fluid build up around the right lung again.

There has been an enlargement of the tumor on the anterior aspect of the liver from 1 cm to 2.3 cm. The tumor on the inferior/medial aspect of the liver is also 2.3 cm. The common bile duct remains enlarged to 3 cm. The tumor on the pancreas tail remains unchanged in size measuring 4.4 by 2.3 cm. No new tumors in the abdomen were found.

Val had a filter placed into the inferior vena cava back in Dec. to prevent blood clots from traveling to her brain or heart or lung. The scan shows the new blood clot or a DVT which is located in the left common iliac vein extending into the left external iliac and femoral veins

The pelvis now has free fluid scattered within the deep pelvis area. Again, this is the cancer cells killing off the good cells and leaving behind fluid.

Love and prayers to Val always....Salynn