I realised that in my fight against cancer, where it had spread so much and caused me so much problems, having a poor knowledge of the anatomy worked to my disadvantage.
Lungs - I didn't know lungs have lobes. I do know liver has lobes, though I don't know how many. My CT chest report mentioned right middle and lower lobes. Lobes? Is it referring to lungs or liver? The other parts of the report looked like it was referring to lungs, but why lobes? I googled and found that lungs do have lobes. Left lung has 2 segments (lobes) and right lung has 3 segments or 3 lobes. Thanks to the internet.
I had thought that the fluid was outside my lungs and in the chest cavity. I didn't know that there is a pleural lining (sac) protecting the lungs. I studied my reports and googled and finally got the records straight - the fluid is in the pleural lining. Then people said 'water in the lungs', and I thought I also had water in my lungs, that's why I am coughing up so much phlegm. So, I asked my onco if the water is in my lungs also, why don't they take it out? And she said, no lah, the water cannot go into your lungs. Duh? So, it's not water in my lungs, but water in the linings of my lungs. But, if the fluid is outside my lungs and in the pleural linings, then how did I cough out so much phlegm? I better go google some more.
Metastases to the liver and bones - I asked the onco why are they only checking for CA 153 (cancer marker for breast cancer) when I have cancer cells in my bones and liver too. I had known that there are different cancer marker tests for bones and liver. Onco said that the cancer cells in my bones and liver are those that spread from my breast cancer and did not originate from the bones or liver itself. Oh! Okay, now I know.
Heart - In the course of studying my reports, I also found that there is a lining round the heart called the pericardial lining and that the fluid can go in there too.
It didn't matter what my onco will think of me or my ignorance, I needed answers and to get them I had to ask.
Showing posts with label flooded lungs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label flooded lungs. Show all posts
Tuesday, 26 August 2008
Chest Tap - Right Lung Again
4 Aug 08, Monday - I had another 300mg of herceptin.
I had no appointment with Dr Wong and when I complained of breathlessness, the doctor on duty at the chemo unit sent me for an x-ray. She decided that I didn't need a chest tap. I had also wanted to have the central line taken out, but she would rather I checked with Dr Wong first.
13 Aug 08, Wednesday - I had another physiotherapy session for manual lymph drainage. I had been having weekly sessions since July.
My breathing was getting more and more laborious. No appointment with Dr Wong today, so after my physio session, I had to go the NCC walk-in clinic. The doctor sent me for an x-ray and concluded that I needed a chest tap. He also ordered a blood test for me.
At the chemo unit, from the x-ray, they found that my right lung had more fluid. So a chest tap was done on the right lung and they managed to draw 1.2ltrs of fluid. Before the tap, when I walked from NCC to block 4, I had to stopped half way to catch my breath. After this tap, my breathing was easier.
The x-ray taken after the tap showed my right lung nearly cleared of fluid while the left lung was still nearly half covered. I had asked the doctor if it was possible to tap both lungs together and she said no, 'otherwise I have no lungs to breathe'.
18 Aug 08, Monday - I had another heart function (MUGA) test.
19 Aug 08, Tuesday - Another physiotherapy session.
I had been going to SGH and NCC so often that it was like my second home. This is one second home that I would rather do without if I had a choice.
I had no appointment with Dr Wong and when I complained of breathlessness, the doctor on duty at the chemo unit sent me for an x-ray. She decided that I didn't need a chest tap. I had also wanted to have the central line taken out, but she would rather I checked with Dr Wong first.
13 Aug 08, Wednesday - I had another physiotherapy session for manual lymph drainage. I had been having weekly sessions since July.
My breathing was getting more and more laborious. No appointment with Dr Wong today, so after my physio session, I had to go the NCC walk-in clinic. The doctor sent me for an x-ray and concluded that I needed a chest tap. He also ordered a blood test for me.
At the chemo unit, from the x-ray, they found that my right lung had more fluid. So a chest tap was done on the right lung and they managed to draw 1.2ltrs of fluid. Before the tap, when I walked from NCC to block 4, I had to stopped half way to catch my breath. After this tap, my breathing was easier.
The x-ray taken after the tap showed my right lung nearly cleared of fluid while the left lung was still nearly half covered. I had asked the doctor if it was possible to tap both lungs together and she said no, 'otherwise I have no lungs to breathe'.
18 Aug 08, Monday - I had another heart function (MUGA) test.
19 Aug 08, Tuesday - Another physiotherapy session.
I had been going to SGH and NCC so often that it was like my second home. This is one second home that I would rather do without if I had a choice.
Monday, 25 August 2008
Chest Tap - Right Lung
14 Jul 2008, Monday - Saw Dr Wong before my herceptin iv. She referred to the brain, chest and abdomen ct of 7 July and commented that there was a lot of improvement and that the metastases have shrunk.
Shrunk? I was expecting to hear her said that they have disappeared, and asked, " you mean they are still there?" She said, "of course, not so fast". So, after 5 doses of chemo that left me weak and suffering from side-effects, the cancer cells have not been eradicated. I was disappointed.
As my right arm had water retention, Dr Wong arranged for me to see a physio-therapist.
I went to the chemo unit to have my chest tapped. 1 ltr of fluid was tapped from my right lung. After each chest tap, I'd had to have a chest x-ray taken. The right lung was quite clear now, but the left lung still had pleural effusion. It came back again after the June tapping.
After the chest tap, I had 300mg of herceptin by iv.
The blood test in the morning, before I saw Dr Wong, showed my cancer marker had dropped to 16.
Shrunk? I was expecting to hear her said that they have disappeared, and asked, " you mean they are still there?" She said, "of course, not so fast". So, after 5 doses of chemo that left me weak and suffering from side-effects, the cancer cells have not been eradicated. I was disappointed.
As my right arm had water retention, Dr Wong arranged for me to see a physio-therapist.
I went to the chemo unit to have my chest tapped. 1 ltr of fluid was tapped from my right lung. After each chest tap, I'd had to have a chest x-ray taken. The right lung was quite clear now, but the left lung still had pleural effusion. It came back again after the June tapping.
After the chest tap, I had 300mg of herceptin by iv.
The blood test in the morning, before I saw Dr Wong, showed my cancer marker had dropped to 16.
Tuesday, 12 August 2008
Chest Tab - Right Chest
Sometimes, with chemo, the pleural effusion will resolve itself. In my case, it didn't, so I was still highly dependent on oxygen.
The ward doc tried to reduce the volume of oxygen, but after checking on the fingertip pulse oximeter, he had to set it back to 5 ltrs again. He mentioned that we had to do a chest tap. Memories of Changi came flooding back. I asked if a syringe could be used to draw fluid instead, and, surprise, he said he would use a syringe.
There were certain things to watch out for in doing a chest tap, and that is that there could be bleeding or air could get sucked in.
I was to have the chest tap done on the hospital bed. I sat at the edge of one side of the bed, holding onto the trolley table. The doc sat on the bed behind me and used a syringe to tap the fluid from my chest. He had with him a junior doctor that he was also teaching and guiding and a nurse to give assistance. He said that they would be drawing the fluid until I started coughing. I didn't understand what he meant. I had stopped coughing ever since they gave me cough mixture to stop my cough after I had the chest pain so that my chest would not be stressed further.
Initially, when the tapping started, I felt fine. But as more and more fluid was tapped, I could feel the cough coming and tried to control myself. Then, suddenly, it felt as though the right side of my throat had a lot of air bubbling up. I was coughing like crazy by now and they had to stop tapping. They had managed to tap about 700 ml of fluid from my right chest. The doc said he had wanted to tap more if I hadn't started coughing.
The whole procedure lasted half an hour or less. After that, my breathing improved. It was a relief.
Slowly, I tried to wean myself from the oxygen as I was worried that I might be too dependent on it.
The ward doc tried to reduce the volume of oxygen, but after checking on the fingertip pulse oximeter, he had to set it back to 5 ltrs again. He mentioned that we had to do a chest tap. Memories of Changi came flooding back. I asked if a syringe could be used to draw fluid instead, and, surprise, he said he would use a syringe.
There were certain things to watch out for in doing a chest tap, and that is that there could be bleeding or air could get sucked in.
I was to have the chest tap done on the hospital bed. I sat at the edge of one side of the bed, holding onto the trolley table. The doc sat on the bed behind me and used a syringe to tap the fluid from my chest. He had with him a junior doctor that he was also teaching and guiding and a nurse to give assistance. He said that they would be drawing the fluid until I started coughing. I didn't understand what he meant. I had stopped coughing ever since they gave me cough mixture to stop my cough after I had the chest pain so that my chest would not be stressed further.
Initially, when the tapping started, I felt fine. But as more and more fluid was tapped, I could feel the cough coming and tried to control myself. Then, suddenly, it felt as though the right side of my throat had a lot of air bubbling up. I was coughing like crazy by now and they had to stop tapping. They had managed to tap about 700 ml of fluid from my right chest. The doc said he had wanted to tap more if I hadn't started coughing.
The whole procedure lasted half an hour or less. After that, my breathing improved. It was a relief.
Slowly, I tried to wean myself from the oxygen as I was worried that I might be too dependent on it.
Wednesday, 6 August 2008
I Can't Breathe
My cough was getting and I guessed the fluid must have built up pretty quickly in my lungs. I was also labouring with my breathing.
14 Feb 08 - 2 of my friends from my pre-U days, J and G, visited. They were worried and concerned when they saw my condition. Said I was in no condition to be left alone at home and insisted that I should get myself warded. G, who is a homemaker, volunteered to send me to the hospital if necessary.
I assured them that I was monitoring my condition, and anyway, after my discharge from Changi, I had also made an appointment with my medical oncologist, Dr Wong, for 18 Feb.
That night, as I lie down, I realised that I was really having problems with my breathing. But I had relief when I switched on the negative ionizer that my cousin J had lent to me.
15 Feb 08 - I awoke at about 7 or 8 am. My son was in the army and was only home in the weekends. Recently, my husband had taken over the preparation of breakfast for the girls, and they were then in school. My husband had gone to work.
The moment I got up and switched off the negative ionizer, I could not breathe. Strangely and probably by instinct, I did not panicked. Instead, I did everything in slow motion. I moved to open the window, but that didn't help. Next, I made my way to the living room, switched on the ceiling fan, opened the sliding doors to the balcony, and sat down on the sofa. With the ceiling fan on, I slowly felt slightly better.
After I rested a while, I went to wash up. All the time, I had been deliberating if I should go to the hospital then or wait until Monday for my appointment. Even though I was moving slowly, I realised that I couldn't make it through the day in that condition.
I called my eldest brother, who was then staying with my mum, and told him I couldn't breathe and I needed to go to hospital. My brother said he would come over and accompany me there. I called my girlfriend, G, and told her I needed her help. I helped myself to some breakfast and packed some of my stuff. I had also packed my Carnivora medicine and the herbal paste from my herbal master. I had brought these along too when I was warded in Changi and had taken them everyday throughout my stay there.
G fetched me to A & E at SGH and my brother stayed to help me with the admission. After I was checked, I was quickly put on oxygen.
It was a long wait for a bed, and I was getting hungry and needed the toilet. I told a nurse and he moved me to the progress ward and gave me a late lunch.
It was a few hours later before a bed was available for me in ward 53. I was told this was only temporary and that I would be moved to the oncology ward as soon as a bed was available.
At ward 53, I was put on drip as well as on oxygen. I had my dinner and spent one night here.
I had my blood tests as well as a heart function (MUGA- Multiple Gated Acquisition scan) test done. Before the scan, two liquids (I think they called it a stain), were injected into the blood stream at 20 minutes interval.
My cancer marker had shot up from 69.3 on 4 Dec 07 to 309 now.
14 Feb 08 - 2 of my friends from my pre-U days, J and G, visited. They were worried and concerned when they saw my condition. Said I was in no condition to be left alone at home and insisted that I should get myself warded. G, who is a homemaker, volunteered to send me to the hospital if necessary.
I assured them that I was monitoring my condition, and anyway, after my discharge from Changi, I had also made an appointment with my medical oncologist, Dr Wong, for 18 Feb.
That night, as I lie down, I realised that I was really having problems with my breathing. But I had relief when I switched on the negative ionizer that my cousin J had lent to me.
15 Feb 08 - I awoke at about 7 or 8 am. My son was in the army and was only home in the weekends. Recently, my husband had taken over the preparation of breakfast for the girls, and they were then in school. My husband had gone to work.
The moment I got up and switched off the negative ionizer, I could not breathe. Strangely and probably by instinct, I did not panicked. Instead, I did everything in slow motion. I moved to open the window, but that didn't help. Next, I made my way to the living room, switched on the ceiling fan, opened the sliding doors to the balcony, and sat down on the sofa. With the ceiling fan on, I slowly felt slightly better.
After I rested a while, I went to wash up. All the time, I had been deliberating if I should go to the hospital then or wait until Monday for my appointment. Even though I was moving slowly, I realised that I couldn't make it through the day in that condition.
I called my eldest brother, who was then staying with my mum, and told him I couldn't breathe and I needed to go to hospital. My brother said he would come over and accompany me there. I called my girlfriend, G, and told her I needed her help. I helped myself to some breakfast and packed some of my stuff. I had also packed my Carnivora medicine and the herbal paste from my herbal master. I had brought these along too when I was warded in Changi and had taken them everyday throughout my stay there.
G fetched me to A & E at SGH and my brother stayed to help me with the admission. After I was checked, I was quickly put on oxygen.
It was a long wait for a bed, and I was getting hungry and needed the toilet. I told a nurse and he moved me to the progress ward and gave me a late lunch.
It was a few hours later before a bed was available for me in ward 53. I was told this was only temporary and that I would be moved to the oncology ward as soon as a bed was available.
At ward 53, I was put on drip as well as on oxygen. I had my dinner and spent one night here.
I had my blood tests as well as a heart function (MUGA- Multiple Gated Acquisition scan) test done. Before the scan, two liquids (I think they called it a stain), were injected into the blood stream at 20 minutes interval.
My cancer marker had shot up from 69.3 on 4 Dec 07 to 309 now.
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