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2.75 liters

8/14/2017

12 Comments

 
Wednesday, August 16th, 2017
Baltimore, Maryland

​Yesterday

It’s been a rough couple of weeks since my radiotherapy ended. I've had significant discomfort and pain in my stomach and bowel, caused in part by the delayed effect of the radiation, but also by an accumulation of belly fluid (fancy word: ascites) that is increasing the pressure on everything else that’s packed in there.

The doctors decided to drain the fluid (fancy word: abdominal paracentesis) in order to both relieve that pressure and analyze the fluid itself to understand why it is being produced. The choices range from the relatively benign (e.g. infection) to the very serious (metastatic disease).
Picture
Click to enlarge
In the middle of the three pictures below, you can see the 2.75 liters that were drained from my belly. On the left and right are the before and after pictures. After the 30 minute procedure, I lost an instant 5.5 pounds!

Today

That was yesterday's procedure. Today, I had a PET/CT scan in order to follow up on the same scan that was done before any of my treatment began. 

The PET works like this: you are injected with a glucose solution that has been laced with a radioactive isotope. After the solution has percolated throughout your body for an hour, they put you inside a machine that detects the radiation that is emanating from your body. Since tumors are hungrier than normal tissue, the tumors will consume more sugar and in turn more radioactivity, thus "lighting up" those tumors like stars in the night sky.

When coupled with a CT scan that is taken at the same time and overlaid with the PET scan, the doctors can determine the location of those tumors with pinpoint accuracy.

​As I've said before about of lot of this technology: pretty neat stuff, eh?
Picture
Click to enlarge

Tomorrow

Tomorrow is the day of reckoning. We will meet with my oncologist to hear the results of three recent tests:
  • Another bone marrow biopsy (from last week)
  • Belly fluid analysis (from yesterday)
  • PET/CT (from today)
If all three look good, then we will proceed as planned with the bone marrow transplant.

​If any of the three does not look good, then we will:
  • Postpone the transplant
  • Take a step back
  • Understand the current scope of the disease
  • Figure out how we might move forward from here
I am hoping to avoid this path for obvious reasons, but it does appear to be a very real possibility and one for which we need to gird ourselves.

Pictures

​Here are some photos that we've either taken or collected in the last week. ​​​

Tidbit

The NASA project that brought Eli to Argentina last month made it into the New York Times this month. You can find the article here:

Chasing Shadows for a Glimpse of a Tiny World Beyond Pluto
Picture
Click to enlarge
12 Comments
Berton Zbar
8/16/2017 05:32:20 pm

Really admire your abs after the paracentisid.
Also admire your analysis of your diagnostic
Tests. Should have been a physician.

Reply
Trish O'Connor link
8/16/2017 06:17:49 pm

I had a PET scan today, too, but will not get my results for a week. Here's hoping for good news for us both!

Reply
Martha Engber
8/16/2017 06:42:29 pm

Hey Josh!

Thanks for the continued posts regarding your treatment. I'm glad I focused on medical news when I was in journalism school. It gave me a strong stomach for the details. Good luck tomorrow!

Reply
Ann Golub
8/16/2017 07:27:38 pm

Following your journey through your blog - fingers crossed for good news tomorrow - Sending love and prayers from the bklyn golubs

Reply
Candy Pravecek
8/16/2017 07:59:27 pm

Nice six pack! Thanks for sharing all the science. My mother had four liters removed, more than once, and she felt so much better afterwards. I have you in my thoughts and prayers each and everyday. Your sense of humor is inspiring. Love to you both!

Reply
Jennifer Payne
8/16/2017 11:01:11 pm

I think it's pretty obvious that Nathan's sleeve depicts the superhero, Ascites Man, whose belly fluid dissolves all purple villains. Duh.

Reply
bev bley
8/17/2017 07:44:49 am

Thank you, Josh. You haven't lost your sense of humor. Hoping and praying for the best for you. Love to you and Alison.

Reply
Sherri
8/17/2017 08:14:24 am

Sending positive thoughts today and everyday. Truly admire your strength Josh:)

Reply
JC
8/17/2017 09:29:14 am

Josh, thanks for sharing your new found body. Too funny! Hang in there, you are almost at the finish line. Prayers continue!

Reply
Cousin Hyman
8/17/2017 10:09:03 am

Prayers are with yah! To me, the amazing thing about the PET ( Positron) Scan is that there REALLY is such a thing as matter (Electrons) and anti-matter (Positrons). So hope you get all the Positive Energy needed from them there Positrons!

Reply
Ronda Ingersoll
8/17/2017 05:22:50 pm

We love you dearly. xxoo

Reply
topaperwritingservices.com link
9/8/2018 10:37:19 am

36. I believe that you can survive this challenging phase of your life, you just have to believe that it's possible. Despite everything, I love the idea that you remained positive and you're always willing to work hard for your life. That's the right attitude. If we lose hope for ourselves, everything will fall and people will also feel the same way. If there's a vibe we want to spread towards our loved ones, it should be our desire to survive so that they will pray for the same thing.

Reply



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    Joshua Golub

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  • Home
  • Family
    • The Coles >
      • Cole Rehearsal Dinner
      • Cole Wedding
      • Coles in Lexington 2018
    • The Delisios >
      • Delisio Orlando 2001
      • JP's College Graduation
      • Delisio Thanksgiving 2017
      • Becca's 21st
      • Liesl's 50th
    • The Dropplemans >
      • 2005 Droppleman Reunion
      • 2010 Droppleman Reunion
      • 2011 Droppleman Reunion
      • Nanny's 70th Birthday
      • Random Collection
      • David's Camera
      • Droppleman Thanksgiving 2017
      • Dave's 80th Birthday
      • Corrotoman 2020
    • The Golubs >
      • Holiday Letters >
        • 2020
        • 2012
      • 2021 >
        • Josh's 56th
      • 2020 >
        • Bethlehem 2020
        • Circle Quilts 2020
        • Ginger's Shower 2020
        • Josh's 55th
        • Reservoir Hollow Trail 2020
      • 2019 >
        • Christmas 2019
        • Eli's Sendoff 2019
        • July 4th 2019
        • Madagascar 2019
        • NYC 2019
        • San Diego 2019
        • Santa 2019
        • Thanksgiving 2019
        • Tucson 2019
      • 2018 >
        • Alison's 56th
        • Botanical Garden
        • Christmas 2018
        • Cincinnati 2018
        • Dad's 75th
        • Easter
        • Eli's College Graduation 2018
        • Rachel 2018
      • 2017 >
        • Alison's 55th
        • Brooklyn Golubs in Lexington
        • Indianapolis
      • 2016 >
        • Matt's Graduation
        • Nathan's Pets
      • 2010 >
        • Rachel's Wedding
    • The Immigs >
      • Aunt Eileen's Memorial
      • Uncle Bill
      • Chaz's Wedding
    • The Normans >
      • Dave's 65th
      • Nancy's Bridal Shower
      • Nancy's 27th 2017
    • The Roberts >
      • Mom's 75th
      • PopPop
      • PopPop's 60th
      • PopPop's 75th
      • The Roberts Random Collection
    • The Scarpellos >
      • Lucia's First Birthday
      • Baby Joshua Joseph Kenneth Scarpello
      • Josh's 3rd Birthday
      • Josh's 5th Birthday
    • The Simmons >
      • John and Alan's Wedding
      • Camping with Will and Stacey
      • Cam and Nancy's Wedding
      • Panama City 2004
      • Ian Fall 2020
      • Maggie 2021
      • Ian Summer 2021
    • The Zbars >
      • 2006 Zbar Reunion
      • Uncle Bert's 80th
  • Friends
    • Otters
    • 2021 >
      • The Johnsons 2021
      • The Walkers 2021
    • 2020 >
      • Carson Trexler 2020
      • Girls Walk 2020
    • 2019 >
      • Edenton 2019
    • 2018 >
      • Ingersolls in Richmond 2018
      • With Beth at River 2018
    • 2017 >
      • The Steps of Church Hill
    • 2016 >
      • Michael Zacharias Wedding
    • 2011 >
      • Marie's 50th Birthday
    • 2010 >
      • Edenton 2010
  • Blue Dove
  • Blog