Where is Wierstrass when you need him?
Update
March 12 in the morning: I think I let my fears carry me away. More in the body
of the note.
When I was in graduate
school I took a course in real analysis, textbook by Bartle. As a class we
laughed at a statement that "Wierstrass shocked the mathematical community with
a function that was continuous everywhere, but differentiable nowhere." My
mathematically inclined colleagues will understand what that
means.
Unfortunately, it also describes
my tumor. ...
No results yet from the path lab at UAB.
Apparently they can't "differentiate" between the kinds of tumors that it might
be.
This is a sore blow. Combine
that with the fact that I nearly passed out walking across the street today from
one doctor's office to another's, and that was with Viva holding my hand for
stability. She took me to the next stop by
wheelchair.
Tomorrow I will inform my
doctor that if I am to go to a specialist, then it needs to be done soon: this
is a limited time offer.
Update
March 12 6:30 a.m.
I think I let my
feelings get carried away last night. Here's the problem: a significant
amount of tissue was removed in the last biopsy; the results at the local path
lab were inconclusive. Results at the UAB lab are not yet
available.
The challenge is this: no
action can be taken without a diagnosis. A path lab at one of the top
oncology clinics in the US is working on those results. If I go to visit a
specialist before the results are available, he can't make a responsible
decision.
On the other hand, if
there's a 2-3 week wait time to see the specialist, then we find ourselves in a
crap shoot: which happens first, the specialist or the diagnosis? There's
another possibility, that I cross the point of no return prior to either of
those events. I have no firm data to suggest that such will happen, but my
declining strength and sense of balance cause me to have some concern.
[The good news is that my iron count is holding, and is actually up a bit
from last week.]
Now, as an
engineer/scientist, I find it difficult to come up with a firm recommendation.
If it is difficult to get in to see the UAB thoracic oncologist (TO), then
I think the most sensible course of action is to take a chance that the path lab
will finish its work prior to my appointment. If not, then it's
appropriate to wait for the path lab results, unless the TO sees value in
meeting with me ahead of time.
Posted: Mon - March 10, 2008 at 06:54 PM
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