UPDATE to Weekend's Post

No surgery this Tuesday. I now have a course of anti-biotics to supplement the ultra-expensive medications I began taking last week but which, as yet, have not affected my lymphocytic colitis at all. I can also take Immodium when needed - after giving the anti-biotics a chance to prove effective - allowing a couple of days or so.

Surgery now listed for next Tuesday, 2 April, with an appointment to be arranged for pre-op stuff, Monday - then to see the surgeon later that day to clear any problems....or whatever.

In one way, I'm glad to have a little more breathing space, in another it'd have been good to have it out of the way now - but my diarrhea is just as bad as ever it was, and I'm not eating much - not a good thing, general health-wise!

This thing is following a similar "can-kicking" pattern to Brexit! Brexit hassles are almost enough to give one the s...ts too!

Tales of Woe (mine!)

I have tales of woe to relate. I'm telling them here as much for my own information and record, in weeks and months to come, as for the interest or otherwise of any passing readers.

Last spring, almost exactly a year ago, as any regular readers might recall, I had to undergo a lumpectomy for early stage breast cancer. There are relevant archived posts to which I can provide links, should anyone wish to read them. I've had three-monthly checks of various kinds since then. During the most recent check - at around the one year point - it was discovered, after mammogram, breast MRI and ultra-sound, that another cancer has arisen - still small, and not a recurrence of the old one. I'm now needing a left breast mastectomy, which might be done during the coming week - or maybe not.

There's a second issue. It is not related to cancer, thankfully, but needs to be dealt with. So - chapter two of tales of woe.

Since end of February I've experienced persistent diarrhea. After about a week I saw my GP who checked my blood and declared the cause to be not infectious. After a few more days with no improvement, I sent a stool sample to the hospital. All possible issues came back negative. My surgeon then suggested a colonoscopy, which he did on Tuesday this week. Surgeon took several biopsies of colon tissue. The colonoscopy itself was good - no cancer, no issues to be seen. However a pathologist told surgeon that he had detected evidence of lymphocytic colitis from one of the biopsy samples. Surgeon prescibed meds to manage this problem. There's no actual cure, or so it says online, but how management proceeds will differ for each individual. I guess much depends on the cause, which can range from bacteria, virus, allergic reaction, or taking too many NSAIDs (Ibuprofen and suchlike).

Tales of woe chapter three. After mucho paperwork my Medicare supplementary insurance denied me any help to pay for the 6 week course of meds prescribed - these are very expensive. For 6 weeks' worth of tablets I have paid around $1,400. This cannot turn into a regular thing! In the intervening time, after my surgery, I must find a way around this ridiculous price. The drug's name is budesonide 9mg. But that's a story for another day. I have in mind buying from Canada if and when needed in future (if my GP will provide a written prescription) - still expensive there, but much cheaper than in the USA.

All is at present unresolved. I'm pencilled in for mastectomy on Tuesday, but that won't be confirmed until Monday. If the new meds have not taken effect I suspect I'll be dosed with Immodium for the duration of the surgery and overnight stay.

The next chapter will appear in due course.