Making a Way in the Wilderness

I had a pulmonary function test this morning, 7 months after my last one.  Let me put this test in context. I had 3 PFTs in Germany, including one on March 23, 2022 with a pulmonologist (Dr. Iwansky) who claimed my results were normal (I don't see how that is possible, given how short of breath I was at that time). She never did a chest x-ray or even asked if I already had one, but at the time I didn't know any better. I didn't realize the gravity of her error until after my diagnosis. The possibility of cancer or serious illness had never entered my mind. I returned on May 31 because of a persistent dry cough and continued shortness of breath. She still didn't order an x-ray. I had to ask for it. The only thing she mentioned was using an inhaler.  My doctor at the LungenClinic, where I was diagnosed, was dumbfounded that she didn't do an x-ray. I emailed Dr. Iwansky in June to tell her I had lung cancer and to ask why she hadn't ordered an x-ray. She admitted-...

We traveled to Pittsburgh yesterday for my 3-month appointment. I had the CT scan done last week, and since my pulmonologist in State College ordered it, I could read the report online later that same day. So I knew ahead of time that the scan showed no change: the cancer isn't spreading, but it's not disappearing, either. Dr. Villaruz, my oncologist at UPMC, confirmed this and said that it's great news, that I look great, etc.  Having no background in oncology, the radiologist who wrote the CT scan report noted "extensive emphysema." Dr. Villaruz explained that there are features of my lungs that often accompany emphysema, such as enlarged airways and pockets of air, and that there is also extensive scarring (fibrosis). This is why I still need to use oxygen while exercising. The scarring could be due to the cancer itself, the effects of a reaction to Tagrisso, the pneumonitis (inflammation) I had last summer, or ??? The only way to determine the cause is to do a...

It’s been a while since I’ve posted an update, mostly because I’ve been too busy to write. During the spring semester I was supposed to continue using my intermittent FMLA hours to work less than full-time, but I had too many commitments that couldn’t be postponed or reduced (I’m working on 3 grant-funded projects , co-editing a book, writing an article with my graduate assistant, etc.). From mid-March until last week, I read 800+ pages for doctoral student defenses (1 qualifying exam, 2 comprehensive exams, and 3 dissertations – including one of my advisees, who successfully defended). So obviously, I am back to working full throttle! I’ve continued to bike indoors (45 minutes, 4-5 days a week). Every time I think it’s nice enough to try biking outside with my portable, the weather doesn’t cooperate. So, for now I’m getting to watch a lot of movies while biking – mostly artsy/depressing/foreign films and documentaries that don’t interest Leland.* I have a reputation for choosing the...