Irv Update - September 2011 #8

Dear F&F; Irv had a second drain placed today. It is in the proper place. The previous tube was left in, but capped off. The endoscopic ultrasound with anesthesia cannot be done until Friday. So, Irv is supposed to be discharged tomorrow after we get training on how to care for the external drain AND how to give him insulin. Seems like a lot of teaching that could have been done NOT at the last minute! The surgeon Dr. Biehl ordered a tumor marker CA 19-9. Normal is up to 39. Irv's was 1182. Whether that is due to all the crap and inflammation going on or an actual cancerous tumor has not been addressed. GRRRRRRRR. We plan to sleep in Dianne's 5th wheel starting tomorrow night. Then we have their home to relax in and Irv can flip thru all the TV channels to his hearts content! The pathology department must be pretty slow in this "world class" hospital as the biopsy result from those taken on Thursday are still not available. So we continue to wait for any definite answers about a diagnosis or what surgery they plan. Penny