Alicia's treatment is a work in progress and there are always as many questions as there are answers. Today, she reported to the oncologist with the hopes she could get a chemo treatment. Before they would do a treatment, she had blood work, an xray, and some other health reviews. Her blood pressure remains low. The xray shows another location of pneumonia (if you are keeping track that is three different locations of pneumonia in three weeks). And her blood work indicates an infection as well. As a follow-up to last week, she does not have C.diff at this time, and the spot on her kidney is a begign cyst.
We are waiting to hear from the surgeon regarding placement of a different trachiostomy. The oncologist believes that until they get that changed, she will be in a continuous cycle of fighting pneumonia.
She is also scheduled to have some further testing done tomorrow to check for problems with her adrenal glands. The adrenal glands are located near the kidneys. While they are responsible for many functions in the body, the function they are evaluating is the production of the hormone aldosterone, which regulates blood pressure. The action of blood pressure regulation comes down to maintaining the proper balance of water and salts in the body. So, tomorrow she will be injected with an agent and have blood drawn twice, an hour apart, to determine if the low blood pressure may be cause by a disruption in the adrenal gland.
Hopefully we will hear back from the surgeon soon, and can get a new trach collar placed (although this different style will mean she will be unable to speak at all). Once the new collar is placed, she will hopefully be able to better fight, and also prevent, pneumonia.
Then we should have some answers about the low blood pressure.
Then next week, they will re-evaluate her ability to get a round of chemo.
As I know more, I will update.
Thank you all for the continued prayers.
~Sarah
We are waiting to hear from the surgeon regarding placement of a different trachiostomy. The oncologist believes that until they get that changed, she will be in a continuous cycle of fighting pneumonia.
She is also scheduled to have some further testing done tomorrow to check for problems with her adrenal glands. The adrenal glands are located near the kidneys. While they are responsible for many functions in the body, the function they are evaluating is the production of the hormone aldosterone, which regulates blood pressure. The action of blood pressure regulation comes down to maintaining the proper balance of water and salts in the body. So, tomorrow she will be injected with an agent and have blood drawn twice, an hour apart, to determine if the low blood pressure may be cause by a disruption in the adrenal gland.
Hopefully we will hear back from the surgeon soon, and can get a new trach collar placed (although this different style will mean she will be unable to speak at all). Once the new collar is placed, she will hopefully be able to better fight, and also prevent, pneumonia.
Then we should have some answers about the low blood pressure.
Then next week, they will re-evaluate her ability to get a round of chemo.
As I know more, I will update.
Thank you all for the continued prayers.
~Sarah