Update & Urgent Request for Prayer: September 3, 2009

From an earlier post, most of you probably know that I have now been diagnosed with a fungal infection in my lungs. This is reason for concern - consider where mold and other fungi life to thrive - warm, damp, dark conditions - lungs and sinus cavities all possess such conditions.

It has been an emotional, confusing afternoon. At first, I was going to be direct admitted to ICU when I finished my IV hydration post-Rituxan, for desensitization to the IV antifungal Micafungin.

My local oncologist was concerned about adding that since I had just completed the Rituxan. I am concerned about the delay but this plan will keep me out of ICU for the desensitization - I will do that 8 AM at the cancer center. Once desensitized, I will begin daily IV's (around 3-4 hours each) for 28 days, possibly longer.

When I finished the IV hydration at 4:30, my family doctor called and wanted me to stop by the hospital and have a chest x-ray and blood cultures drawn. The hospital had messed up the orders and I was there for almost 2 hours.

The lung x-ray showed that the lower left lobe was partially deflated - that report makes me wonder if my huge spleen has permanently deflated that bottom part of my left lung (since it was like this on the last x-ray in June). I am not certain how often a lung fungal infection will show up on x-ray, but I believe I recall that it is difficult to diagnose it via chest x-ray.

I was already wiped out from 11 weeks of Rituxan, then the sinus/ear/fungal infections of last week. I am just weak and tired and very discouraged and heart broken tonight. I am not surprised about this new infection because I have run a temperature most of the week. I kept relating it to the Rituxan and not infection. My O2 sats were good 97-98, so I believe that is a positive sign. My pulse was increased all day (95-100) and I expected my hemoglobin to have dropped when I saw that, but it was still holding. I have a periodic cough but nothing like the cough I had in June when you were in Iowa.

The WBC had taken a big jump to 28,000. Uric acid and CMP were normal.

I am wondering if the skin fungal infection of last week is somehow related to this new fungal infection? That seems like a possibility. I will now be on three antifungals - cream, oral, and IV.

I am curious if anyone knows if when a fungal culture on lung sputum grows out fairly quickly for a fungal culture (7 days versus the usual 2-3 weeks) if that is an indication that the infection is wide spread or if it indicates a particular fungi? If anyone knows this answer, please e-mail me.

I know the seriousness of this - I must cry out to my Father to rescue me once again.

Specific Prayer Requests:
-That the fungal infection will not spread and will respond promptly to the IV medication
-That I will not have a drug reaction or side effects from this powerful medicine
-That my counts will stabilize and not be decreased by the medication (common side effect)
-That God will protect my liver and kidneys from so many powerful medications needing filtered
-That my family will be strengthened for yet another 4 weeks of caring for me
-That I will find strength to be able to watch Lil Man

Thank you, everyone.

I shall not die but live and proclaim the works of the Lord....