A Fungus Among Us

Today is a big day.  I have two tests to get through.  The first is a bronchoscopy, followed by a bone marrow biopsy.  On Monday I had a CT Scan that showed some very subtle signs of a potential infection in my lungs.  After treating me with broad range IV antibiotics to no avail, the doctors are now thinking the fevers are due to a fungal infection.   I'm imagining mushrooms growing on the inside of my lungs.

So what to do when there's a fungus among us?  Why thread a camera up my nose, down my throat, behind my voice box and into my lungs to have a look around of course.  Then for good measure fill up my lungs with saline solution and aspirate it. 

Immediately after the bronchoscopy they'll flip me over like a fish and do the bone marrow biopsy.   The bone marrow biopsy will tell us if the Nexevar (chemo) is working.  The ideal result would be remission, or under 5% blast cells, though even if I'm down from 64% blast cells, which is where I was after the last biopsy, it will be considered a positive result.   I will post the initial results this afternoon.  Keep your fingers crossed!