I have a higher tolerance than you do for this sort of thing, but I think I might faint.
How fucking high is your white blood count and what tests have they done to make sure you don't have say, a raging but hidden staph infection? This test is a lot more invasive than a lot of others I would do on a high white cell count. I know I'm not a doctor, and I know that when there's been cancer, they are on the alert for reccurance, but I'd like to know they are covering all the bases.
All very good questions. All of which I intend to ask Dr. Hsieh. As I commented to someone else, they do not perform the more complex and involved medical tests because they have nothing else to do of a given day. Diagnostic tests are expensive; the more complex the test, the greater the expense. He did mention something about trying to rule out "chronic leukemia." And of course, he immediately added that it was one of the "most treatable" kinds of leukemia. I'm not impressed, nor am I reassured. He must think something is going on, or he would not suggest such a test, and I imagine the prior blood work ruled out anything like an infection.
CML, CLL, or CMML could be what they're looking for, but if I were you, I'd be insisting on answers before he starts bringing the pointy things toward my posterior. There's got to be a "why" in there somewhere. If you can't be aggressive about it, consider bringing in a friend who'll sit there with you and stick it to him. Take copious notes.
CML/CMML would make sense in a person who has received cancer treatments before, but there's also often a genetic... thing going on (Philadelphia chromosome), and I'm wondering if he'd test for that next, or with the marrow sample.
Yeah, CLL/CML/CMML are treatable. Most leukemias are highly treatable, but knowing that doesn't make me want to deal with it a third time. Get answers, but if you can't, don't worry too much about the test. Medicate in advance and know you'll be sore after. If you need more resources in the meantime:
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I have a higher tolerance than you do for this sort of thing, but I think I might faint.
How fucking high is your white blood count and what tests have they done to make sure you don't have say, a raging but hidden staph infection? This test is a lot more invasive than a lot of others I would do on a high white cell count. I know I'm not a doctor, and I know that when there's been cancer, they are on the alert for reccurance, but I'd like to know they are covering all the bases.
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CML/CMML would make sense in a person who has received cancer treatments before, but there's also often a genetic... thing going on (Philadelphia chromosome), and I'm wondering if he'd test for that next, or with the marrow sample.
Yeah, CLL/CML/CMML are treatable. Most leukemias are highly treatable, but knowing that doesn't make me want to deal with it a third time. Get answers, but if you can't, don't worry too much about the test. Medicate in advance and know you'll be sore after. If you need more resources in the meantime:
www.cancer.org
www.cancer.gov
www.cancer.net
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Thanks for the linkies. *hugs*
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