#that can see what x rays and CT scans cannot

[phleb0tomist]

I was wondering what the diagnosis process looked like for you in regards to me/cfs? What tests were done? (Only asking because I suspect I may have it, however my general doctor got my blood drawn (even though there are no known tests to diagnose cfs/me), and tests results came back normal. They blamed it on my medications, but I've been experiencing the symptoms way before I took the medications.)

Now I'm having to call and ask them what I'm supposed to do, since I'm struggling.

Have you struggled getting an evaluation?

How did you make others believe and advocate for you?

Not forced to answer at all btw!

hello there. i’m sorry you’ve been struggling and that your healthcare has been lacklustre! this post is going to be long so strap in <3

the diagnosis process varies from doctor to doctor. tbh many doctors are reluctant to consider ME even if it’s a severe case or a very classic case because they generally aren’t taught how to recognise it. it can be helpful to send your doctor links to official resources so they have a framework for helping you. if i were you, I’d look up the official guidelines for suspecting ME/CFS in your country and either send a link to your doctor or print them out. most doctors i meet will admit to my face that they haven’t read the guidelines for ME, so basically they’re not informed on suspecting, diagnosing, or treating it. in the UK where I live, the NICE guidelines explain the steps that should be taken if ME is suspected.

ME/CFS is a diagnosis of exclusion, so basically they do standard tests (like blood tests) first to make sure your symptoms aren’t caused by any other condition. once they’ve ruled out other causes, they see if you meet the ME/CFS criteria they use in your area. (in theory, diagnosis should take 3-6 months, but a lot of docs take a ‘wait and see’ approach instead, which can sometimes last years. personally i don’t think a ‘wait and see’ approach is appropriate, especially if you’re young. you may have to be assertive and ask multiple times to be evaluated. bear in mind it’s the system failing, not you.) the way they decide if you meet the criteria is by discussing your symptom history, which might take a few appointments. the best way to advocate for yourself is to bring another person to back you up (sorry to say this but statistically, it helps if it’s a male family member), to have a list of your symptoms and a timeline written down, and to be clear about the practical ways that your symptoms impact your life. i.e. “it takes me (x amount of time) to recover from going on a short walk. this symptom gets worse (x amount of time) after i do a particular activity and lasts (x days). i can no longer do x activity at all because of my symptoms. I’ve tried x y and z and it hasn’t improved my symptoms. I want to get my quality of life back.”

I don’t remember my diagnosis process very well. i had major symptoms for several years before ME was even considered, i was repeatedly brushed off and told my symptoms were from my autism even though that doesn’t add up. interestingly i was given treatments before I had a diagnosis. then i had a ‘working diagnosis’ of ME in my teens, which is where they think you probably have something but they don’t put it in your file till they’re sure. i’ve had a proper diagnosis on my file for years now, but i don’t know when it got there or who put it there. (??) the diagnosis process can be kinda weird. mine took forever but i know other people who were diagnosed quickly and efficiently, so it’s not impossible.

personally i had a lot of random tests, blood tests to CT scans to x rays, basically any test that was related to my symptoms (like a head MRI for headaches). i do actually have other conditions which show up on tests (like scoliosis), but since scoliosis cannot possibly be causing my specific pattern of exertion-related symptoms, i still got diagnosed with ME. having another condition or having medication side effects does not mean you can’t also have ME! especially if your symptoms started before you took the meds, like you said.

i feel like i’ve rambled enough. i hope this was helpful. if you have any more questions please send another ask and I’ll try my best to answer!

[nedjemetsenen]

Facts, Tutankhamen, and ChatGPT

So I’ve seen a couple people talk about how ChatGPT often gives inaccurate or incomplete answers to questions about historical stuff and I am a curious person by nature, so I went and asked it to tell me how King Tutankhamen died. This is what happened next along with commentary from me about the accuracy of this stuff! Please feel free to fact-check me on any of it! Egyptology is my hobby, not my profession. Also note that I did remove ChatGPT bits that didn’t actually give facts and were more general statements like “The mystery surrounding King Tut's death continues to captivate historians and Egyptologists”

Me: Give me a 200 word summary of how king tut died King Tutankhamun, popularly known as King Tut, was an ancient Egyptian pharaoh who ruled during the 14th century BCE. While the exact cause of his demise is not conclusively determined, several theories exist. The most widely accepted theory suggests that King Tut died from complications resulting from a combination of factors. Recent scientific investigations, including CT scans and genetic analysis of his mummified remains, suggest that he suffered from a number of health issues, including a severe leg fracture that may have become infected. Additionally, genetic evidence indicates that Tut had a cleft palate and a clubfoot, which may have contributed to his physical difficulties. Furthermore, some researchers propose that Tutankhamun's weakened immune system, possibly due to genetic disorders resulting from generations of inbreeding among Egyptian royalty, made him more susceptible to infections. Some even suggest that malaria may have played a role in his demise, as traces of the disease were found in his DNA.

This is somewhat accurate? The broken leg and malaria are real and there is a theory that malaria caused or contributed to his death. Tutankhamun was also the product of generational incest, leading to a lot of health issue. However, reading this, you’d probably think he just got sick and died, but that is NOT the ‘most widely accepted theory’. I don’t actually know if one of those exists as of the time when I’m writing this (June 2023). You see, this explanation is missing some vital data. Let’s see if we can get Chat GPT to add it!

Me: I thought that his death was violent? I apologize for any confusion. While there have been speculations about a violent death for King Tut, the current scientific consensus leans more towards a non-violent cause. The examination of his mummified remains did not reveal any obvious signs of violence or trauma. However, it is important to note that some alternative theories exist. One hypothesis suggests that King Tutankhamun was murdered, possibly by a blow to the head. This theory is based on an X-ray taken in the 1960s that showed a fragment in Tut's skull. However, subsequent examinations and CT scans have cast doubt on this theory, as the fragment is now believed to be a result of the mummification process rather than a fatal injury. While the evidence does not strongly support the notion of a violent death, the possibility of foul play cannot be entirely ruled out. 

The bit about the murder theory is accurate. That was a popular theory, but I’m not sure if the lack of a pre- or peri-mortem head injury actually quashed the theory. All it did prove that a blow to the head wasn’t the way that he died. There are still facts that support the idea that something fishy was going on in Egypt around the time of his death and Tutankhamun was the son of a hated king. Read up on Tutankhamun’s widow, Ankhesenamun, if you want to know more. Her Wikipedia page is a pretty good summary of the basics.

That’s not the fun part of this answer, though. The fun part is the bit about there not being "any obvious signs of violence or trauma." To show why that's the fun part, here’s the next bit of my conversation with ChatGPT:

Me: What about his broken ribs? I apologize for any confusion in my previous responses. While there is no consensus on the exact cause of King Tut's death, recent studies have indeed suggested the presence of a significant injury, specifically broken ribs, which may have played a role in his demise. In 2014, a team of researchers conducted a thorough examination of King Tut's mummified remains using CT scans. The scans revealed that Tutankhamun had a fractured rib on the right side of his chest. The break appeared to have occurred shortly before his death. However, the scans did not provide definitive evidence as to whether the injury was a result of an accident or inflicted intentionally. Based on this finding, some experts propose that the broken rib could have been a contributing factor to King Tut's death. It is speculated that the injury may have caused internal bleeding, which, in combination with other health issues he was facing, could have led to complications and ultimately his demise. Nonetheless, the precise circumstances surrounding the injury remain a matter of speculation, and it is difficult to draw definitive conclusions about the specific events leading up to his death.

No obvious signs of violence or trauma, huh?

This reply is accurate, by the way. They did find that Tutankhamun has broken ribs and some people have theorized that he fell from a chariot while on a military campaign or that he got attacked by a hippo (a thing that did happen in ancient Egypt). Oddities about his mummy, which was very much an amateur job, give credence to the idea of a violent or at least odd death. If you want to know more, National Geographic’s documentary Tut’s Treasures: Hidden Secrets is a great, though slightly over-dramatic, watch (It’s on Disney+ and can probably be found elsewhere, too). For something that isn’t behind a paywall, here’s a 25-minute podcast from Youtube, which was also done by National Geographic.

The History of Egypt podcast also has hours of recent content about Tutankhamun because November 2022 marked the 100-year anniversary of the discovery of his tomb.

Thanks for reading. Hopefully you learned a bit about Egypt’s most famous Pharaoh and grew a bit more wary of Chat GPT. For full disclosure, I did ask it more questions and the results were hilariously wrong, but they include things about child loss, so I left them off this post.

[crossborderscare]

A Closer Look at Chondrosarcoma: Diagnosis and Staging Process

Nowadays, people suffer from different types of Bone Cancer  One of the rare types is Chondrosarcoma which primarily affects the cartilage cells. Unlike other kinds of bone cancer, chondrosarcoma grows slowly and can become aggressive in some cases. 

Understanding the symptoms, diagnosis, and staging process can help you deal with such issues in advance. It is crucial to determine the most effective treatment for living a healthy life. 

In this guide, we will take a closer look at the diagnosis and staging process of Chondrosarcoma. Let's begin!

What is Chondrosarcoma?

Chondrosarcoma, as the name suggests, is a tumor that originates from the cartilage-producing cells and occurs in the pelvis, thighs, and shoulder region; although it's not limited to any part, it can happen anyplace where the cartilage is present, it affects the individual mostly above 40, and more prevalent in case of a male. 

Diagnosis of Chondrosarcoma

Diagnosis involves combinations of tests which we will discuss further. The process will help you to identify the tumor and its characteristics to get the best treatment for Chondrosarcoma. 

Medical History and Physical Examination

The first step of diagnosis is to go through the medical history and physical examination. The specialist will get some information about your side effects, and any family background of the disease—a physical examination of the affected region, swelling, or other abnormality. 

Imaging Studies

Imaging studies are one of the essential diagnoses of chondrosarcoma. It helps to see the visuals of a tumor, identify its size, and find whether it has a characteristic to spread in nearby tissues or bones.

X-rays: In the initial level typically x-ray is performed. It finds out the abnormalities in the bone structure like tumors.

MRI: This scan provides details about the soft tissues surrounding the bone. The main reason to go for an MRI is because it gives a more precise evaluation of the tumor’s extent.

CT Scan: CT Scan can provide all the details like size, location, and amount of tissue damage, which is important before treatment. It measures a tumor's relationship to nearby structures, such as blood vessels and nerves. 

Bone Scan: A bone scan is mostly preferred to detect if cancer is spread to other parts of the bone or not. It is one of the significant tests if a person is diagnosed with Chondrosarcoma Treatment in India. 

Biopsy

In biopsy, a sample of tissue is removed from the tumor to examine in a microscope which determines if the cells are cancerous or not. If so, what type of cancer is detected through a needle or incisional Biopsy? 

Staging of Chondrosarcoma

Staging helps in understanding how far the cancer has spread within the body. It is a crucial process for finding the ideal treatment options for Chondrosarcoma. According to the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) TNM system, Chondrosarcoma is staged from I to IV, which we will discuss further:

Stage I

Stage IA: The tumor in this stage is low grade which means it is less aggressive, they usually have a size of less than 8 cm. And they cannot spread to lymph nodes or any other part of your body. 

Stage IB: In this stage, everything is similar to stage IA except the size of the tumor is more significant than 8 cm. 

Stage II

Stage IIA: In this stage, the tumor is high-grade and less than 8 cm. And there is no spread to lymph nodes or distant organs.  

Stage IIB: Here, the tumor is high-grade but larger than 8 cm and has no spread.

Stage III

In the third stage, various high-grade cancers are present in a similar bone, however they have not spread to lymph nodes or different parts of the body. 

Stage IV

Stage IVA: In this stage, the growth has spread to regional lymph nodes, no matter what its size or grade.

Stage IVB: Here, the growth has spread to distant organs, like the lungs, regardless of their size or grade.

Dr. Nadeem Khan, the esteemed owner of Cross Border Care and a leading medical consultant in India, is renowned for his exceptional expertise in brain tumor surgery in India, pituitary tumor surgery in India, Corneal Transplant Surgery In India, heart valve replacements in India, and robotic prostatectomy surgery in India. His commitment to excellence extends beyond diagnosis and treatment; he adeptly connects international patients with top doctors and hospitals in India, ensuring they receive world-class care at the most affordable prices. Dr. Khan's compassionate approach and thorough knowledge make him a trusted guide for patients seeking the best medical solutions.

Key Takeaways!

Chondrosarcoma is a challenging disease that requires careful diagnosis and staging to find effective treatment. If you or your close friend is experiencing any symptoms mentioned above, it’s important to seek consultation for a comprehensive evaluation.

Understanding the diagnosis and staging can help in navigating the journey with more strength and assist you in decision-making. At Cross Border Care we are here to connect you with the best global healthcare providers and consultation in Delhi. 

If you are looking for the best Chondrosarcoma specialist or hospital in India connect with us. We will help you in finding the right specialists and treatment. Visit Cross Border Care Today!!

Read Also Latest Update

[kgjhospitals]

Laparoscopic Surgeon in Padi

Laparoscopic Surgeon in Padi

Welcome to KGJ Hospitals

KGJ Hospitals is guided by the best Laparoscopic surgeon in Padi and is also equipped with modern healthcare tools and technologies in general as well as laparoscopic surgery and the hospital has emerged as a sophisticated center for laparoscopic surgeries.

We have a team of experienced laparoscopic surgeons led by Dr. J. Ashok Kumar who are well-versed with all aspects of laparoscopic surgery starting from simple to most complicated ones. We are highly renowned for delivering effortless minimally invasive or laparoscopic surgery.

This laparoscopic technique has become so popular among the masses because it is relatively painless and the operation is performed in a smooth manner.  Our doctors are also specialized in treating various conditions with the help of laser and laparoscopic surgery procedures and bring relief to the patient from critical situations. The various Laparoscopic procedures that are performed here include:

What is Laparoscopy?

Laparoscopy, also known as diagnostic laparoscopy, is a delicate diagnostic system used to examine organs in the midline area. This is an acceptable method that is minimally invasive and requires only a small incision.

Laparoscopy is a procedure that examines the organs of the abdomen with a laparoscope. This laparoscope is a long, lightweight cylinder with extremely focused light and a tall-lens camera in the front. The camera is inserted into the stomach septum through an incision. The camera sends the image to the video monitor when that happens.

Laparoscopy allows your doctor to see your body gradually without the need for open surgery. Your doctor may also undergo biopsy tests during this procedure.

Why is Laparoscopy performed?

Laparoscopy is often used to identify and investigate the cause of pelvic or abdominal pain. It is usually performed when non-invasive techniques cannot help with the test. In general, stomach problems can also be identified through imaging methods, such as-

Ultrasound - a type of imaging that uses high-frequency recurrent sound waves to create images of the body.

CT scan - It is a progression of single X-rays that take cross-sectional images of the body.

MRI - It creates images of the body using magnets and radio waves.

Laparoscopy is done when these tests do not provide enough information or knowledge about the results. This method can also be used to perform a biopsy or tissue examination of a specific midsection organ.

Dr. J. Ashok Kumar, MBBS, MS & FIAGES, a leading Laparoscopic Surgeon in Padi providing refined surgery solutions, call us at @𝟖𝟖𝟖𝟖𝟏𝟖𝟖𝟏𝟏𝟗 and 𝟖𝟔𝟗𝟓𝟗𝟔𝟔𝟗𝟗𝟓

Meta: Dr. J. Ashok Kumar, MBBS, MS & FIAGES, a leading Laparoscopic Surgeon in Padi at KGJ Hospitals offering best diagnostic laparoscopy treatment in Chennai.

LBD: Dr. J. Ashok Kumar, MBBS, MS & FIAGES, a leading Laparoscopic Surgeon in Padi at KGJ Hospitals offering best diagnostic laparoscopy treatment in Chennai.Laparoscopy allows your doctor to see your body gradually without the need for open surgery.This is an acceptable method that is minimally invasive and requires only a small incision.

[backlinkdem13]

Prostate Cancer- Stages: PART 1

 When cells in the prostate gland begin to grow out of control, prostate cancer develops. Only males have a gland called the prostate. It produces a portion of the fluid that makes up semen. The prostate is located in front of the rectum, which is the last part of the intestines. It is below the bladder, which is a hollow organ that stores urine. Doctors use diagnostic tests to find out the cancer's stage, so staging may not be complete until all of the tests are finished.

There are 2 types of staging for prostate cancer:

Clinical staging:  This is based on the Gleason score, the results of a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, and a digital rectal exam (DRE). For more information, see the section below titled "Gleason score for grading prostate cancer." The outcomes of these tests will assist in determining whether additional imaging procedures such as x-rays, bone scans, computed tomography (CT) scans, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are required. If scans are required, they can provide the doctor with additional information to determine the clinical stage.

Pathologic staging: This is based on information discovered during surgery and the pathology, also known as the laboratory results of the prostate tissue removed during surgery. Most of the time, the surgery involves getting rid of the entire prostate and some lymph nodes. Pathologic staging can get more information from examining the removed lymph nodes.

Stage groups for prostate cancer

Doctors combine the T, N, and M information to say what stage the cancer is. Staging also includes the PSA level (see Screening) and Gleason score.

Stage I: In this early stage, cancer typically grows slowly. The tumor is so small that it cannot be felt and only covers half of one side of the prostate or less. The PSA level is low. The cancer cells appear to be normal cells.

Stage II: The tumor is found only in the prostate. PSA levels are medium or low. Stage II prostate cancer is small but may have an increasing risk of growing and spreading.

Stage IIA: The tumor is so small that it cannot be felt and only covers half of one side of the prostate. The cancer cells are well differentiated and PSA levels are medium. As long as the cancer cells are still well differentiated, this stage also includes larger tumors that are only found in the prostate.

IIB Stage: Only inside the prostate can be found the tumor, which may be large enough to feel during a DRE. The PSA score is moderate. The differentiation of the cancer cells is only moderate.

IIC Stage: Only inside the prostate can be found the tumor, which may be large enough to feel during a DRE. The PSA score is moderate. It's possible that the cancer cells are moderately or poorly differentiated.

Stage IIIA: The cancer has spread beyond the outer layer of the prostate into nearby tissues. It may also have spread to the seminal vesicles. The PSA level is high.

Stage IIIB: The tumor has grown outside of the prostate gland and may have invaded nearby structures, such as the bladder or rectum.

Stage IIIC: The cancer cells across the tumor are poorly differentiated, meaning they look very different from healthy cells.

Stage IV: The cancer has spread beyond the prostate.

Stage IVA: The cancer has spread to the regional lymph nodes.

Stage IVB: The cancer has spread to distant lymph nodes, other parts of the body, or to the bones.

Recurrent: Cancer that has returned despite treatment is referred to as recurrent prostate cancer. It could return to the prostate or to other parts of the body. A second set of tests will be performed to determine the extent of the cancer's recurrence if it occurs. Frequently, these scans and tests are comparable to the initial diagnosis.

Dr. Amit Ghosh is one of the best urologist and robotics uro-surgeon in Kolkata. After his return from the UK, he has been associated with various institutions including Wockhardt Hospital and Kidney Institute, Woodlands Hospital, Kothari Medical Center and Anandalok Hospital. Currently he is dedicated to his service to Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals, Kolkata. Currently he has developed a very well established and robust Urological presence in the campus of Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals, Kolkata. The practice takes care of all fundamental general Urological procedures, a vast multi-disciplinary Uro Oncology specialty, and also a comprehensive diagnostic and uro health check-up facility.

[monstersofsilence]

it's

normal to think back on bad things right?

usually

I would think back on moments

and I would eventually move on from it

I don't know

the accident I went through

for some reason I keep remembering it for how it impacted me

I start thinking on it and

when I was in the hospital, when they were done stitching my head and left me and my mom alone, I tried to rest. though I wasn't able to in the position I was in along with the lights on and just

my mom took a picture of me

for other family members to see to let them know I am fine

I too saw the picture when I was discharged from the hospital a few days after

and I remember seeing that picture of myself

I was exhausted. sad. on the inside I was scared when it was all over

times I keep thinking to myself. what if this was all not real? what if I'm in a coma? what if I'm still in the hospital just

dreaming all this?

it freaks me out

every single time now

for some reason I cannot forget it and I just

want to cry

during the day I fell and woke up discovering that I was bleeding from my head. at the moment, I was not scared. I didn't panic. my mind was focused on one thing and that was to stop the bleeding until my mom gets home

I did just that. went in the shower wash off what I can but I was still bleeding and came to the realization that I'm making it worse putting water on an open wound. don't if it was funny or just sad at the moment. when my mom came home, I acted like it was the mosg normal thing. trying to play it off like it was nothing

when I was then sent to the hospital and they began stitching me up, I tried making conversation with the surgeons, wanting to know what was going on up there and how bad it looked. just everything. my mom was there and kept telling me to calm down and assuring me that everything is going to be okay. throughout that whole time, I knew she was worried. throughout that I was calm and collected. complete opposite

when they were finally done stitching me up, did my CT scan, and x-ray, I just

I cried. just finally let it out

I have

never had anything affect me this way. ever

one of those times I wish my poor memory could quickly forget all that happened to me those few days

[hiranandanihospitalpowai]

https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ani/dr-l-h-hiranandani-hospital-why-it-is-the-best-place-to-get-kidney-treatment-119100301047_1.html

If you are ready to take on the challenge of getting a kidney transplant, here are some things you need to know.

Preparation for a kidney transplant

You will be asked to take some time off from work before the transplant, and you may have to make arrangements with your employer.

You will be told to stop taking aspirin, ibuprofen and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) prior to surgery. These medications can cause bleeding problems during surgery. If your doctor prescribes these medications for you after surgery, ask how long it is safe for you to take them before stopping altogether.

The National Kidney Foundation recommends that patients eat a healthy diet with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables prior to their surgery. Your doctor can recommend specific foods that are good for kidney health as well as any dietary restrictions he or she has in mind for you during recovery from transplantation surgery

You might have to go through a few tests to see if your body can accept the transplant.

You'll need to get tested to see if your body can accept the transplant.

The tests will include blood and urine tests, a physical exam, and x-rays.

They may also do an ultrasound of the kidneys and an abdominal CT scan to take pictures of your abdomen or pelvis.

It is wise to choose a donor with whom you have positive social interactions.

It is wise to choose a donor with whom you have positive social interactions. This can be a blood relative, friend, or acquaintance. The donor should be healthy and have no history of kidney disease.

The donor must be at least 18 years old and have compatible blood type with the intended recipient. The recipient's donor should also be compatible with his or her own blood group and not have any other risk factors for diseases such as HIV or hepatitis B or C.

The Kidney Transplant surgery takes place at Hiranandani Hospital in Mumbai.

Patients of kidney disease can take advantage of the expertise available at Hiranandani Hospital. The hospital has a dedicated team of doctors who are trained and experienced in conducting successful kidney transplants, so you'll be in good hands if you choose this hospital.

Hiranandani Hospital kidney transplants is one of the best hospitals in Mumbai, and it offers the latest technology for its patients. The entire process from examination to surgery takes place at Hiranandani Hospital, allowing you to have peace of mind knowing that everything will be handled by professionals who know exactly what they're doing.

Be prepared for a long hospital stay and a few weeks of recovery

You should be prepared for the fact that your recovery process will take several weeks. The surgery itself can take up to six hours and you'll need to stay in the hospital for a few days after that. You will have some pain in your side as well, but it won't be too bad once you've recovered from surgery.

However, it'll still be important to follow all of your doctor's instructions about what you can or cannot do during this time period. After a kidney transplant, there are certain restrictions placed on a patient's diet so it's best not to push yourself too hard when starting out!

You will be able to get back to your everyday routine after a few months of a kidney transplant.

You will be able to get back to your everyday routine after a few months of a kidney transplant. After the surgery, you may have some pain and discomfort in your abdomen, but this should go away within a week or two. You may be prescribed medications to help with any pain and discomfort.

If you had diabetes before receiving the kidney transplant, you will need to continue taking medications for it for the rest of your life. Your blood sugar levels can be checked regularly by your doctor or nurse so that they can make sure they stay in control. You may also need other tests from time to time depending on what happens with your diabetes and any side effects from the medicines used after surgery.

In most cases, people who receive a new kidney are able to return home within 24 hours of their transplant surgery and resume their normal activities within days after coming home from hospital (depending on their individual needs). If you’re travelling far away from home for treatment, ask about travel insurance options available through Medicare or Medicaid—some plans cover travel expenses related solely about getting medical care outside of where someone lives permanently or temporarily

Life expectancy following a kidney transplant is good, even better than dialysis.

Life expectancy following a kidney transplant is good, even better than dialysis. Hiranandani Powai news In fact states that, long-term survival rates for kidney transplants are about 90%. That's compared to 50% for long-term survival with dialysis.

Getting ready for the surgery and recovering from it can take up some time but it is not impossible!

The surgery itself takes about 2 hours, but the preparation for it can take a few months. While you are waiting for your transplant, your doctor will likely start you on medications to prepare your body for the surgery. These medications will make sure that your immune system doesn't reject the new kidney.

The first 4 weeks after surgery is called the recovery period. During this time, you may need to stay in the hospital or at home with help from family members or friends. The most common complications during recovery are fever and infection because there is always a risk of bacteria entering through an incision wound during surgery--even if it's small! You'll also need blood tests every week until 3 months after your transplant so that doctors can check how well things are going with your new organ as well as any complications that could arise from anti-rejection medicines like prednisone drugs used before/after getting transplanted into another person's body.

Conclusion

Hiranandani Hospital Kidney transplant is a great treatment option and it can change the life of a person suffering from kidney failure. Remember, though, that this procedure involves a lot of preparation and recovery time. If you’re planning to get one yourself or know someone who might need one soon, these seven things will help guide them through everything from preparation for surgery to dealing with post-op recovery.

[g-kat423]

It’s hard to not get frustrated with therapy/ make any progress when the entire time the therapist is like “and why do you think you feel this way?” “You need to restructure your thoughts.” “Have you tried letting go?”

BRO.

Don’t you think I’d fucking LOVE to let go? It’s kind of hard when my mental health is directly impacted by what my physical body is doing. Like yes I’d love to think positively and move on with my life and enjoy things, but I’m in pain and I feel sick all the time and no one has any answers because all the blood work and direct tests I’ve had done all come back perfectly normal and I would be grateful if only my body didn’t constantly feel like shit. I’m sorry, but there has to be something wrong that’s causing this. It can’t just be “normal” to feel this way.

[scenes-in-between]

Audrey Pauley

Dr. Preijers: In these situations time is always of the essence. There is a woman in Minnesota who can be saved by your friend's heart. In a real sense, she will live on.

Doggett looks like he's been punched in the solar plexus, like he cannot remember how to breathe. How many times has Scully worn that same expression on her own face? She watches him sway slightly, nearly reaches out a hand to steady him, but he blinks, coming back to himself.

"No," he finally says, taking a step backward and shaking his head. "I'm not signing off on any of that. Not when you've barely even tried to figure out why she's in this condition or whether it's temporary or…"

"Brain death isn't something one can come back from, I'm afraid," Dr. Preijers says gently. "With something like a coma or a persistent vegetative state, we would still see some measurable activity in the brain, and while that alone is no guarantee that the condition might be reversible, it would at least remain a possibility. However, this is not the case with your partner.”

“Well what if there’s something wrong with your equipment?” Doggett presses. “Maybe there’s activity there that it’s just not picking up. Wouldn’t that change the diagnosis?”

“Agent Doggett, I assure you that these monitors are all calibrated on a regular basis and are in perfect working order.”

“And in any case,” Scully interjects, in an attempt to both lend support to Dr. Preijers and also ease Doggett’s mind that nothing was missed, “a diagnosis of this type is usually confirmed by additional imaging scans and consultation with a neurologist.”

“In a less clear-cut case, perhaps,” the doctor counters, bristling slightly, “but that isn’t necessary in this instance. I am more than capable of determining whether there is or is not anything visible on an EEG.”

Scully frowns. “I wasn’t suggesting otherwise. It’s just usually a matter of hospital policy, at least in my experience.”

“Yes, well… at this hospital, that sort of thing is left to the discretion of the attending physician." There is a bitterness to his voice as he adds, "We don't have the luxury of funding for unnecessary procedures here."

"But, surely, when making a decision to discontinue life support, it would be prudent to base that decision on more than just one diagnostic measure." Scully keeps her tone carefully neutral, lest she offend him further.

To be fair, she doesn't disagree with his assessment, and she is not unsympathetic to his concern over the time-sensitive nature of a potential transplant situation. But she also cannot imagine making a call of this magnitude without corroboration, and it strikes her as more than a little odd that any hospital administration would be more worried about procedure cost than about shielding themselves from any sort of malpractice claim.

Doctor Preijers visibly schools his features into the expression Scully recognizes as "humoring the patient's family so they will quit causing a scene."

"If it will make you feel better, I can order a head CT for Ms. Reyes," he says with artificial blandness. "But just so we are completely clear, the results of the scan have no potential to contradict the diagnosis. The only thing they might be able to do is illustrate whatever internal trauma could be the cause."

"Do it," Doggett says, and Doctor Preijers nods.

"I'll go and make the arrangements."

As soon as the doctor is out of the room, Doggett pulls a chair to Monica's bedside and sits, picking up her hand. Scully looks away, feeling like an intruder. She flips through Monica's chart again, though she's read it all a dozen times already. But it gives her somewhere else to look than at the intensely private, yet intensely familiar scene playing out on the other side of the room.

After a few quiet minutes, Doggett clears his throat. Scully glances up to see him wiping his eyes.

"So, a head CT. That's a CAT scan, right?"

"Yes. It uses x-rays to build a series of images of the brain.”

"And that'll show us why she's like this?"

"It might. If there's been a stroke or internal swelling, that could be visible on the scan." She pauses, closing the chart and meeting her former partner's eyes. "But you heard Dr. Preijers. Even if it does give us some answers as to the why, it still won't change anything. Brain death is not reversible, no matter the cause."

“How can you stand there and tell me there’s no hope when you yourself have been right where she is now? Lying in a hospital bed, the doctors telling your family, telling Mulder, that all the medical evidence pointed to you being a goner, but they were wrong. And Jesus, Mulder, Mulder. Everyone was so sure he was dead we buried him, for God’s sake! And you know how that turned out.”

Scully recognizes the look in Doggett’s eyes – the all-too-familiar look of a person desperate to believe they can avoid the loss inexorably bearing down on them – and her heart breaks even more for him.

“John…”

“And don’t tell me this is different! Just because the circumstances aren’t perfectly identical, that doesn’t mean she hasn’t got a chance. It doesn’t mean there’s not something here we’re missing.”

But it is different. Monica wasn't taken. She didn't just appear in the hospital like Scully had, and she wasn't dropped off in a field by a UFO. She was in a car accident. A tragedy for certain, but a perfectly ordinary, utterly non-paranormal one. And there is nothing that any of them can do to escape that fact.

"John," she tries again, "I'm sorry. I truly am. I wish there were something that her doctors and I are missing, but--"

"How can you know for certain that there's not? How can you possibly know that?"

She sighs. There isn't a single thing she could say right now that would convince him.

"Until someone can explain to me, in detail, how she can be brain dead without any physical signs of trauma to the head, no indications on any of her scans that there is an identifiable reason for her condition, I'm not letting anyone pull any plugs or cut her up."

[cellard0ors]

Let me tell you a story...

Buckle in if you like TMI about Cellar and her current many, MANY life dysfunctions...

So, last time I posted an update, it was because I was sort of mentally low.

This has not improved - mainly because all the building blocks of my life fell over like a bad jenga tower.

My Mom had called a few days ago to say, 'I've got a tumor!' 😄 All happy voice, because that's how she rolls. She tells me she's going in for a CT scan Monday and not to worry, it's no big.

Monday rolls around - I've been having issues with my back, so I set up a Doctor's appt and talk to one of my bosses about leaving early. She's cool about it. Great.

THEN my Dad calls. He's hysterical - tells me Mom has been taken to the emergency room. Doesn't make much sense. Hangs up on me (Because he's mature like that) I call back - ask if I should come - he tells me 'Do what you want' - 🙄 again, super mature. I tell him I'm coming.

Run and tell the boss I spoke with earlier I have to go NOW - again, super supportive. I call my SO and tell him - again, supportive. Cancel my appt, run to emergency room. Sis and Dad there - they don't know much and I talk VERY little because when you put those two together, it's best to say as little as possible.

Eventually get in to see Mom - she was at critically low blood loss levels. Apparently before the CT she started expelling a lot of blood from both ends (if you catch my drift) and they rushed her in. She's critically low on blood - they have to give her 4 pints. She's awake and super: 😀😃😄

Because that's just how she is. Nurses say she has a sweet soul. Don't disagree, but dang - for someone facing all of this she's beyond perky. Since she's only allowed 2 visitors at a time, we keep swapping - Me, Dad, Sis.

Eventually I DO manage a moment alone with her and - VERY SERIOUSLY - tell her she can't go anywhere - because I CANNOT be left alone with Dad and Sis. Nurses laugh and assure me they'll take care of the heart of our family.

The plan is to take her into surgery, because the tumor she has is in her stomach and it's quite large - how large? Hard to say, because my father is hysterical and exaggerates - don't get me wrong, he's had a rough go of it - his mother has been given different rates of time about how long she's going to be around (some say 2 to 3 months, others say less/more) and now here's his wife, very ill - but his kids, while adults, are here and he's very much not helping.

Anyway - they take her and surgery is a few hours. I call work and tell them I won't be in Tuesday, because I don't know what the outcome of the surgery will be and I want to see her asap.

Get word surgery went well and she's resting. Reschedule my own doctor's appt for Tuesday, because I'm going to be around the hospital anyway to see her, so may as well.

I go see my doctor - they take blood/x-rays - say I probably just need to stretch more and build up my core strength since I'm on my feet all day at work. I have bad posture and that's why my back is so sore I sleep like shit and sometimes the pain is enough to wake me up. Gave me muscle relaxers too. Whatever.

Plan on going to see Mom only to be told Hospital will only allow 1 visitor per day - so, that's just Dad. He's pretty much living at the Hospital with her and going home at night to sleep. Sis clearly bummed he won't come stay at her fancy place, which - granted - is closer, but her text is all about how her downstairs is so perfect for Dad, etc.

...she also tells me she's training to become a yoga instructor and, since she's working for the government and immune deficient, she'll probably be working from home until 2023 - too bad for me, working in retail and all.

That's another story all together - but just want to lay that one out there.

I DID get Dad to come out so I could give him some things for Mom - talk with him. He only takes the flowers - says I should hold on to the things I brought to entertain her (books, magazines) because she can't use them right now since she's hepped up on morphine and basically sleeping 24/7.

She also reportedly said she doesn't want to see me or Jena...or Dad, which is pretty funny, because when I did see her in the emergency room, she did seem a bit annoyed by his fussing.

Regardless - apparently her tumor was double the size they thought, but not cancerous (thank goodness) and they took about a 3rd of her stomach. She swore up and down she didn't feel any pain unless you pressed on that part of her and Dad just thinks she was lying/withholding info because she didn't want to bother him - possible, but I don't know - in my experience, when Mom felt bad, she made sure everyone knew.

Either way - it's. A. Lot.

Here's a quick summation of everything going on in collusion with this Mom thing:

* Vacation from work starting this Saturday

* Continued Grandma-Gate situation (what I call everything that's going on with my 93 year old Grandma and her impending passing/issues)

* One of my bosses at working asking me to think about putting in for a promotion to be a supervisor - i.e. a low form of retail management. Me. In retail management. AGAIN. I'd open and close the store and that sorta mess - not a big fan of the idea myself, but everyone I know seems to think it's a great idea and that I should really think about it.

* SO talking about leaving his job for various issues - considering he's main breadwinner, very dicey - worried about what kind of job he can move to.

* My back being a bitch and making sleep a chore.

* Life in general being a chore.

If you've read all of this - my condolences. But better out than in, I guess.

[nice2meetyouu]

Ay, just that first story of the day (previous post) took quite some time to finish. But the second event of my day was that I saw a covid patient, from the covid floor. As soon as I saw the room number, my mind went screaming. And then I saw the nurses accompanying her, and on their face shields, "Dirty ICU" is written.

It's not like I'm discriminating against them or what, it's just that supposedly, we're not allowed to have anything to do with them. But there I was, and I was actually fixing the request form, crossing out MRI, replacing it with CT scan, filling up the form with some other information, having it signed by the people who need to sign it.

The organic radiology rotators saw me and were asking me about the patient, and I couldn't bring myself to say, covid! I am under a different service, after all, and I was there because the covid patient was suspected to have a condition related to the service I'm rotating in.

There was difficulty in trying to get an MRI because she wouldn't lie down (she's sitting on the bed). You need to be very still for an MRI and it takes longer to complete the procedure, but depending on what you want to see, it will produce better images. They settled with a CT scan instead. It took around an hour before the resident doctor was able to convince her to lie down. She said, "Ayaw kong malunod!" She insisted that she cannot lie down because it feels like she is drowning. She was so afraid and even cried from the stress.

The people involved tried a number of solutions such as putting pillows so that she wouldn't be totally lying flat, but the radtech or CT nurse (I can't distinguish between the uniforms and don't know who is who, anyway it's my first time in CT; previously we were only allowed in x-ray and ultrasound sections) said that it won't do, the high elevation will cause a poor set of images to be taken.

The resident doctor then approached the patient and kept reassuring her and stayed with her until she calmed down. It took only around 10 minutes or less to finish the scans. The operator was so quick in doing her stuff, it was amazing. The operator chose the representative images and had the radiologist look at it. And then the resident doctor I'm accompanying talked to the radiologist, relayed the findings to her senior, discussed the case briefly, and off we went.

The patient, by the way, has oxygen supplementation so she really won't "drown" even if she lies down, but seeing the fear on her face and the emotions that surfaced just from asking her to lie down made me fear covid. It's clearly not an ordinary disease. While you can get the mild version of it or be asymptomatic even, it has long-term effects on the body. Long after you recovered from it, the disease can still manifest in other ways. That's what I saw today, mixed with last week's experience of seeing some covid-recovered patients in the ICU for covid-related complications.

[mediiaxon]

Teleradiology - Basic Information

Teleradiology is already a fact of life in many hospitals and, to many, heralds the age of telemedicine. Using teleradiology, digital images can be sent throughout the hospital and to radiologists at home for on-call reading, teleradiology south USA.

The perceived benefits are many. From the hospital point of view, there are financial savings if "moon-lighting" or part-time positions can be eliminated. For radiologists who live far away, teleradiology can mean giving diagnoses from home without have to drive to the hospital. For the referring clinician, it can mean more rapid assistance and better patient care. For hospitals without a full time radiologist, it can mean coverage where none existed. It can mean consultation with experts and training at a distance. Few technologies, in my experience, have been embraced so thoroughly and with such consensus as teleradiology.

As a staff radiologist with a background and interest in computers, I was asked to be involved with our hospital's selection of a teleradiology system. Now that our selection has been made, I interpret emergency cases using our teleradiology system while on call.

Because the impact of teleradiology is potentially so pervasive, it is important for physicians in general to be involved so that the ultimate selection of technology will meet the needs of the hospital as a whole.

In teleradiology, the center of the operation is the hospital server which stores the clinical studies that are the source of images that radiologists at home will review and what clinicians in the hospital will see.

Click for more information about : tele reporting radiology

If clinical studies are already digital, as in the case of CT (x-ray computed tomography) and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) data from the imaging consoles can be fed directly to the server and thus be available for radiologist interpretation. Images can be windowed and leveled just as at the console.

If hard copy film, such as a chest x-ray, is to be interpreted, it must first be made digital by scanning it into the computer system. This is similar to the flatbed scanner which many of us use to scan documents into our computers but differs in that it uses transmitted rather than reflected light and has much better resolution. The digital image thus created can have its brightness and contrast adjusted but cannot be truly windowed and leveled.

[temporarypresidentoftheearth]

Chess, technocratic Octopus (crimes against humanity in EU/USA/others)

Dear European Union and the Humanity as whole, this text also directed to members of the organization i call Octopus.

The core of this organization consists of members who are very intelligent, primarily researchers and doctors but also others, and they invented a plan in the form of a corona / covid and began to expand with such good intentions under the pretext of saving the Earth from ecological disaster. This action has certainly pleased a few people who are watching climate changes and have noticed that there has been a significant reduction in smog, but since it has been going on for more than a year and they also uses creation of artificial fear, it is time to show the truth and point humanity in the right direction. It's been a year since the Corona story was made, and instead of acknowledging the need to significantly reduce CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions and introduce normal rules, the organization is still working undercover, and I believe it's because of the crimes against the humanity that core of that organisations made.

I think that either the octopus has spread, or some kind of planetary movement of people has emerged that has different moral rules and values and they see that things have started to move, but in the wrong direction. I noticed a significant increase in interest in my person, whether through secret services (in the form of spyware and MITM attacks, my specialisation is IT and also IT security) but also through articles in the media indirectly referring to my person. It took me a while to decipher it all by deducing thinking and researching.

When my wife was sent with wrong healing fracture of feet to examination called by name gammametry of the skeleton, i was very interested about it and i started to study this examination technique the day before examination. Atomic weapons, isotopes, radioactivity and the like are things that fascinate me and i like to study about them. You can call me a researcher in multiple scientific fields. I feared about the increased amount of gamma radiation because i know how harmful it is. After studying available materials, i find out that a person gains a dose of gamma radiation of more than about a year of normal life, so we canceled it. And we did well, because the available materials have been deceptive.

In my head this type of examination remained to resonate and i returned to study it and found, that it is much more dangerous than it looks and when the so-called radiopharmaceuticals are injected in the bloodstream they use isotopes which in addition to gamma radiation, emit beta radiation in the form of electrons during decay and cause a very unpleasant way of dying. Person who undergoes the examination does not die immediately but his health gradually deteriorates and can die with a heart attack or get cancer or other health complications.

The examination itself takes a long time, about a half day until a pacient pee much of the the radiopharmaceutical and although he is no longer irradiating surroundings, the organs and cells, especially DNA are damaged to extend he cannot be saved. This medical specialization under names nuclear medicine, scintigraphy or gammagraphy is used for crime and must be immediately stopped, authorities need to immediately take action, seize the evidence and create commissions to investigate. It is also needed to stop facilities called cyclotrons or synchrotrons, i will get to them later.

As a major indirect evidence i present:

- Asolutely no existence of research on the non-harmless use of radiopharmaceuticals on animals or people in the long term, i have failed to find anything on the matter subject. I would like to remind you of the incident that took place in Chernobyl when radioactive material (isotopes), get into air. Although it was other elementary particles, it doesnt matter at all. When estimates of how many people died of cancer after the Chernobyl incident, it was estimated at 200,000 to 300,000. Those people inhaled radioactive particles that were in the air and entered their bloodstream through their lungs, similar to smokers' nicotine or other harmful substances from cars. Now imagine that you get it directly through an injection into the bloodstream.

- False information about physics of isotopes of elementary particles on Wikipedia and other sites, i suspect that they change the facts about isotopes of elementary particles and for example so-called Technitium-99m used with half life of 6 hours used in some examinations does not exist. Because there is not a lot of experts on the subject, other people accepts it as the truth. Also the so-called Internal conversion, which is a method of converting atomic nuclei without emitting beta radiation when they decay into lower elements. The organization changed the history of science and abuses the complexity of the topic as covering. I suppose that their claws are so long that you can also find false information the high school scripts as well.

If I am wrong at this one point and if the meta state of the isotopes also exists, some of these substances will still bind to the tissues and still remain in the body, causing heavy metal damage.  It is necessary to use correct dosimeters to check what type of radiation is emitted by radiopharmaceuticals, gamma and beta and to distinguish the percentage, this can also confirm the type of isotopes contained in the radiopharmaceutical and there is need to use other techniques to identify the atoms themselves such as spectroscopy and the like.

- On the https://reddit.com/r/nuclearmedicine forum there is indirect evidence in the form of a complaint from one of the employees in America that complains about the congestion at work and the increase of people who come to test, the post on forum is month old. So yes, a few criminals alredy stared murdering more people.

- On the same forum it is debated why nuclear medicine and classical RTG and CT are separated as medicinal fields, RTG and CT use as x-ray/gamma external source and that is very very big difference. Also person asking for advice get recommendations to employ in a classic radio instead nuclear med. People who work in nuclear medicine prefer to send that person else for moral reasons.

Because nuclear medicine is operated almost everywhere in the world but primarily in western democracy countries, I dare suppose this organisation is at planetary scale and created story of Corona and also I dare suppose there are other iniquities that needs to be stopped.

I infer that the momentary management of this organization is technocracy, the only one could commit abuse of scientific research on such terrible things. And it also uses the technique of artificial creation of fear, it is obvious because it has such practices and equipment.

Solution proposals: For a moment i will play a role of the President of the Earth and I am giving you these recommendations.

Police investigators - INVESTIGATION: It is important to get the list of all patients examined with injected or drinked radiopharmaceuticals. It is need to be verified how long they lived after the examination or if they are still alive how much their health detoriorate. This also relates to other examinations where radiopharmaceuticals are injected into a blood circulation or drink, e.g. PET Scan, which can be done in other hospitals. PET itself is an abbreviation for POSITRON Emission Tomography, which is also cover name of use of hazardous beta radiation using isotopes injected directly into the bloodstream.

Involved will probably be some specialized doctors. It is necessary to identify them and interogatte them about this practice, if they know about it and identify if they used it and if yes, if they get the order from other octopus members or if they sent patients there on their behalf. Its important to distinguish if they used it because of fear of their families, or for money/fun or other reasons.

Ordinary people: I propose to all citizens to make peaceful civil disobedience and ignore the vaccination against Corona until the vaccines will be independently verified and molecular structures of they contents published. Be aware that these bad people can have plan to use some harmful substances in different batches of same vaccine. Authorities need to be aware of this. Also please dont go outside to make mess down the streets, it's the last thing we need. We need police officers, special units and army support to go after the bad guys. I urge that use of other existing vaccines, especially the vaccination of children need to be accepted and trusted. Antivaxx movement is wrong. Corona is really an exception. I also propose to ignore multinational pharmaceutical companies that use Corona to increase profits because for the vaccines they create, countries must pay, these are our money used from taxes. We'll take them down, believe.

Within the EU states: Police and special deployment units in the case of a nuclear dissaster (just pick up quality dosimeters): immediately send units into any cyclotron or synchrotron facilities. It is important to deploy enough people and you need to check all companies, clinics and warehouses around. Isotopes for "convicted" patients are produced in these facilities. It is necessary to use independent checking specialists who are on our side and I am not sure who can you trust. You also need to check where are radiopharmaceuticals from these facilities sent. Clinics can be located anywhere else in your country. Isotopes have short half life, so they are created non-stop and transported periodically. Cooperation at European level is required.

Governments of european countries and also others, it is clear to me that there are secret agreements around the existence of the cyclotron/synchrotron facilities to ensure the inviolability of these facilities, similar to embassies, do not try to cover up this problem. I ask you on behalf of humanity to immediately declassify these documents and other information with whom the agreements were signed and which lobby groups are behind it. If you refuse or hesitate for a long time, you will be judged in the future for helping crimes against humanity.

I also want to warn the authorities that the current vaccines that are already in your country may be harmless, but the Octopus plan can be that harmful substances will be added in other batches later. Therefore, it is necessary to introduce persistent monitoring of these vaccines by someone other than the pharmaceutical companies themselves. At the same time, I am asking for a complete identification of substances at the level of conventional medicines, like ibuprofen on wikipedia e.g. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibuprofen Where you can see the molecular structure of ibuprofen as well as the various chemical identifiers used to identify chemicals.

I want to draw your attention to the fact that the octopus management is aware that it can't feed this PR for a long time and will have to revive the corona in some way to really start dying a lot of people, I believe they can do it with those vaccines, but so far i think they testing society how much it can handle and to get more money. Until I see the crowded cemeteries, I think we are still on the edge when we can intervene, action is needed immediately.

I would also like to point out a fact, that the source material used in cyclotron and synchrotron facilities must be at first prepared in special reactors. From internet sources it is for europe mainly research reactor Petten in Netherlands. Material is periodically sent from there to individual cyclo/synchrotron facilities in european countries. Then it is processed there to create individual isotopes and also prepared as radiopharmaceuticals. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petten_nuclear_reactor And dear EU government, EU council, and all you ladies and gentlemans in Brussel or other cities. The reactor is property of European Comission, be aware. And from wikipedia it is operated by Nuclear Research and Consultancy Group. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_Research_and_Consultancy_Group

Some surprised new members of Octopus: Stop being afraid and start writing and talking about it, threads need to be unraveled.

Media: You have my permission to disclose this text in the original version (without correcture). If you are connected to octopus, i propose you to ignore any other commands from octopus and you should stop writing anything about Corona as a protest and concentrate on this issue.

This organization lack moral values as justice, truth and honor. I live in the European Union and the United Nations for which I believe are these moral values important and I was trusting them, but now I was disappointed in Western democracy, it is important to return to these moral values.

When I find out the truth a few days ago I was in shock and I had very sad instead of cheerful Christmas. If humanity wants to handle the ecological crisis I propose a return of justice, more opennes, truth, humor and not artificial creation of fear of bad virus that does not even exist. Increasing the differences between the first percentages of the richest and the others is inadmissible.

The fact that CO2 emissions have been reduced thanks to Corona is praise, but these crimes against humanity must be punished.

I propose members of the organization, if it will remain, to change their internal political system to sophocracy, the technocracy is clearly unattuded. But I also refuse and I do not show interest in any way to join, work for you or make any decisions.

CORE OF OCTOPUS: Since it reminds me of the chess game, I already has been thinking about your next step. You will try to take over of messages in the media with some unfairness type like terrorist attack and creating another fear. I have a horrical ideas about reappearing abuse of atomic or biological research and detonation of atomic bomb in some EU state or elsewhere in the world that fits some terrorist organization. I ask you from dropping from such an intention. Give up voluntarily, it will be in your favor.

I ask other multinational corporations to confirm they are on our side and condemnation of these practices. The fact that withdrawals from the ATM are already limited to +-200 euros indicates to me the sad things dear financial corporations.

I propose that scientists and doctors who knew about the existence of nuclear medicine and about what it serves, but they were afraid of fear of talking about it, publicly stepped out, apologized and said they were sorry. As a society we need such people, so it is important that they should not be afraid to talk about such practices. Scientists and doctors who knew what nuclear medicine is used for and send people to such examinations need to be judged.

I also want to ask investigative journalists about proper documenting and investigative work. There are multiple types of nuc med examinations. For example, heart examination has the highest dose of radiation, I think that with this one patient dies on a heart attack within a few days or hours. For gammametry of skeleton i estimate a few months to death on leukemia or other type of death/cancer.

Thank you for your attention.

P.S. The actions that you as people will do in the coming months and years will evaluate not only your children or grandchildren. I dare to philosophize. Overgrowing and ecological problem on the planet afflict every developed civilization that missed the space colonization, it is important how we approach the problem. If there is any advenced civilisation outside, or if there are more of them and there is some community, know that our actions and form of society we build will be also evaluated by them. But do not beleive and do not hope that they will help us. Believe only in yourself.

And in case society refuses to correct these crimes, I refuse to help current society, be it research, some ideas or something else.

S.

[atths--twice]

Time Like A Heartbeat

Worry, fear, and late night phone calls. Time is passing before them like a heartbeat. They need to grasp it and hold on tight.

An angsty Memento Mori story, requested by a friend on Twitter, looking for a story that dives into the conversation Mulder has with Mrs. Scully when Scully asks him to bring her her overnight bag and call her mother. Ugh, that moment is so painful and beautiful, I was happy to oblige. 

Chapter One 

An Enemy She Cannot Escape

Scully faces the reality of what she can no longer escape. Meeting Penny, she knows what she needs to do, but is she ready?

Scully stood in the hallway outside of Penny Northern’s hospital room and took a deep breath. Her heart was pounding and she felt bile burning at the back of her throat.

Truth be told, since she had heard the word tumor, that bile had resided there. It threatened to choke her as she looked at her X-ray, proof positive that the words she had heard from Leonard Betts had not been a lie.

“I’m sorry… but you’ve got something I need.”

Closing her eyes, she had known in that moment that something was wrong. If she was completely honest with herself, she had been noticing signs of something, but pushed them down and away. Kept them in a box detached from her; something she did not want to face.  

Last year, after she had met Penny, Lottie and the other women who claimed to have had their implants removed, she had seen her doctor. Blood tests, MRI’s, CT scans... any tests she could have done, she did. Every test had been negative, and she had breathed a sigh of relief.

But, that nagging feeling in the back of her head, continued to remain. The box of worry she did not want to unpack, waited on the shelf for her to finally acknowledge and face it, as scary and worrisome as it would be.

The words from Leonard Betts in her head and the wet, tacky blood from a nosebleed on her pillow, she had made appointments with her doctor as soon as she possibly could, her heart knowing that this time, they would not be negative.

Once she had seen the evidence, had held the proof in her hands, she knew she could not ignore it any longer. Telling Mulder, saying the word cancer out loud, had allowed for her to claim it, make it real, and yet… she pushed it away yet again. Though it had still remained within her, she had hope that the other women she had met could offer her advice and comfort.  

Hearing that Betsy had passed away, she had felt that bile rising in her throat. Unable to speak around it, Mulder had asked the questions and gained them access to the house. As she had stood there, the memories from last year had rushed in, and she had visualized the women who had gathered with similar abduction stories.  Rubbing at her neck, the truth of her cancer pushed to the forefront, forcing her to shove it back down.

A nose bleed, as they had chased down Kurt Crawford, and a look of fear on Mulder’s face when he had seen it, had broken open her box of detachment. Washing up in the bathroom, she had tried to close up that box, and put it all away. However, bits of it had stayed behind, judging by the look on Mulder’s face, the quiet of his voice, and the way she had felt his worry for her.

Hearing from Kurt that every one of the women who had sat in Betsy’s house was now dead, save one, had opened that box and tipped out the contents. Her fear had risen up like a title wave, large and unstoppable, and she had done what she always had in situations such as that; she became defensive.

Pushing hard at the care and kindness she had heard in Mulder’s voice, she lashed out. She did not want his pity or worry. She was not an invalid, nor dying or weak. She knew that was not how he saw her, but she did not want to hear that he might.

Making it about the case and pushing her personal feelings back into that now battered box, she had left Kurt’s apartment with a simple nod to Mulder. Stepping outside, the cold air bit at her overly warm face, as she had called for a cab to take her to the hospital.

Pacing as she had waited, she took deep breaths, the cold air calming, as much as it stung. The cab had arrived fairly quickly and the hospital had not been far.

She now stood outside of Penny’s door, the professional in her ready to question a witness. Pushing the door open slowly, the sight of Penny lying in the bed led to the professional in her nearly disappearing as the personal rose to the surface.

“Dana. Hello.” Penny smiled an almost happy smile, as Scully stood in the doorway, utterly confused.

“I’m– I’m sorry. Did somebody tell you that I was coming here to see you?” Scully asked, as she stepped into the room.

“No.”

“Then how did you know it was me?”

“I recognized you. I told you when we met last year,” Penny reminded her, and Scully’s head dropped. “I held you and comforted you in the place— after the tests.”

“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be insensitive, but, uh… I don’t share those memories.”

“It’s all right,” Penny said with a smile.

Clearing her throat, Scully pushed the personal down with a hard swallow and stated why she had come to the hospital, the professional in her trying to rise again.

“I’ve come to ask you some questions,” she said, sitting down as she felt tears like pinpricks just behind her eyes.

“About Dr. Scanlon?” Penny asked, throwing her off track.

“No. Who is Dr. Scanlon?”

“He’s treating the cancer. He treated Betsy, too. He thinks he might have isolated the cause. And that if he had caught it earlier, he might have been able to do more for her. And for me.”

Caught it earlier were the words she heard the loudest and clung to, needing that hope to keep her going. Taking a deep breath, the professional now gone, the personal had emptied out that broken box and made itself at home.

“His name is Scanlon?” she asked, raising her head, tears now filling her eyes.

“Yes,” Penny answered, staring at Scully with kind eyes. “What did you want to ask me?”

And for the life of her, Scully could no longer remember.

“Dana? It’s happened to you too, hasn’t it?” Came Penny’s soft voice, breaking into her thoughts, and asking a question that was more like a statement. Scully nodded, unable to speak past the lump in her throat.

Penny sighed deeply and reached out her hand. Scully stood to her feet and grasped her fingers gently, not wanting to hurt her. Taking a deep breath, Penny nodded in understanding, a sad smile on her face.

“Did you just find out?”

“Yes,” Scully whispered, wiping at her eyes.

“It’s not too late for you, Dana. None of us are left from the day we met you, except for me. And Dana…” Penny shook her head and Scully squeezed her fingers tighter.  

“Don’t say that, Penny. You said this Dr. Scanlon had isolated the cause.”

“Hmm…” she nodded, not saying anything, but staring at Scully with knowing eyes. “You’re the last of us, Dana. It has to be you. You have to make it.”

“Penny…” She dropped her head as she shook it, her tears spilling over.

“I know, Dana.”

Scully raised her head and looked at Penny, finding tears in her own eyes. Taking a deep breath, she squeezed her hand again and wiped her eyes.

“Excuse me,” she said quietly and Penny nodded. Letting go of her hand, she walked over to the doorway and called Mulder.

Barely one ring and he answered, discussing what he had found. His words were nothing but a loud humming in her ears, as she tried to make him listen to what she was trying to tell him.

“Mulder, I need you to come up here,” she said, cutting off his words.

“Why? Did you find something there?”

“I need you to bring the overnight bag from the trunk of the car, and I need you to call my mother, and ask her to bring up some things to the hospital.” Reality settling in and hurting.

“Is there anything I should know?”

“Mulder, whatever you found, or whatever you might find, I think that we both know that right now the truth is it me… and that’s where I need to pursue it. As soon as possible.”

“I will be right there.”

God, the pain in his voice, though quiet, was loud in her ears.

Glancing back at Penny as she hung up, she excused herself and walked down the hall and into a bathroom. Closing the door, she allowed herself only a few minutes to cry, before she would wipe her face and go back to Penny’s room.

Taking deep breaths as the tears fell, she wiped at them furiously, angry at everything: the injustice, the death of the innocent women, the suffering Penny was enduring now, and the similar pain that would soon be her own.

Staring at herself in the mirror, she wiped under her eyes, making sure her make up was not a smeared disastrous mess. She lifted her head and double checked that her nose was not bleeding, never knowing when it would occur.

Closing her eyes, she imagined the tumor just below the surface, lying in wait like a ticking time bomb. But perhaps, she had found the way to stop it. Put out the fuse. Cut the wire.

Stop the fucking bomb.

Shaking her head, she washed her hands and stepped out of the bathroom. Walking back to Penny’s room, she sat with her to hear more about Dr. Scanlon, as she waited for Mulder to arrive with her bag.

A few minutes passed before her cell phone rang and she left Penny’s room once again. Turning left, she continued down to the main entrance, finding Mulder standing there, her overnight bag in his hand and an anxious look on his face.

“Thank you,” she said quietly, not quite meeting his eyes as she took it from him.

“Scully…” he sighed heavily and at that, she did look up. His eyes held such sadness, she stepped forward and wrapped an arm around his waist, his own going around her and holding her tight.

His jacket was cold against her cheek, but it felt welcome to her suddenly warm body. He sighed again and she pulled back, patting his arm as she did.

“What have you found here? It must have been something.” He cleared his throat and she nodded with a sigh, switching the bag to her other hand.

“Penny is being treated by a Dr. Scanlon. He treated Betsy also,” she explained, closing her eyes briefly. “She said he thinks he may have isolated the cause of the cancer.”

“That’s… that’s fantastic,” he said, exhaling a laugh as she stared at the floor and closed her eyes. “Scully?” Raising her head, she opened her eyes and look to him.

“It’s not a cure and it’s not a hundred percent that it will even work,” she whispered, tears in her eyes. “Betsy is dead. Penny… she doesn’t look like she’s doing well, just like Kurt had said.” She swallowed, biting her lip to stop her tears from falling. “She said Dr. Scanlon told her, if he had caught their cancer earlier… maybe he could’ve done more for them.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” he whispered and she nodded. They were silent for a few seconds and then he broke it. “Did you speak to Dr. Scanlon?”

“Not yet.”

“Why not?” She shook her head and sighed.

“What if… Mulder, what if it’s already too late?”

“Don’t… don’t say that, Scully.”

They stared at each other and he lifted a hand to cup her cheek, wiping at the tear that had spilled over. She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch as she took a deep breath. Opening her eyes, she pulled back from him, wiping at her cheeks as he dropped his hand.

“Scully…”

“I know.” She took another deep breath and nodded. “He’s obviously not here at this late hour. I need to speak to the nurses and then call him to see what he will say.” He nodded, his eyes still sad and hurting. “Did you call my mother?”

“No. You said you needed her to bring some things. I thought I’d wait to hear them. No need to call her twice.”

“Right,” she agreed, with a tight smile and a nod.

Licking her lips, she set her overnight bag on a chair and took out her notepad and her pen. Writing down her list of things she would need, she handed it to him, pursing her lips together. He read it over and nodded, his head down.

“Okay,” he said quietly with another nod.

“I’ll call Dr. Scanlon and get admitted here. They’ll want to run tests and I need to have my records sent over.” She crossed her arms, gripping at her jacket, holding onto herself as she watched him nodding, his head still down.

“Mulder?” she whispered and he looked up and met her eyes. “Thank you.” He nodded again with a deep exhale, the sadness still in his eyes.

She squeezed his arm and picked up her bag. With one last glance at him, she walked back toward the nurses station to inquire after Dr. Scanlon’s phone number, her heart heavy as her eyes filled with tears.

[pitiless-achilles-wept]

Always Waiting: The Cost of Never Being Done

Hi all,

I kept waiting for a time when I felt like I had time and energy to write and...surprise! It turns out that's not just around the corner when you have a chronic illness and are still working full time (not to mention trying to keep up a social life and maintain all your relationships). But I figure some information is better than none at all, so I'll get through what I can. 

You all remember (I think) that I went to Dana-Farber after my December CT scans showed significant growth of my primary tumor despite the metastatic sites holding steady. I came out of that meeting with two recommendations for clinical trials. One--my top pick--was being run out of Massachusetts General Hospital and Dana-Farber and involved an antibody-drug conjugate (IMMU-132) that has been shown to be super effective for triple-negative breast cancer but which got held up at the FDA approval stage. Doctors are pretty frustrated that the approval is still pending and that the only way to use it is on a trial, but there's hope that it might get approved in the next 6-9 months. The other is being run out of UPenn by the same doctor whose study I was on before and who I really like. It looks at the effect of chemo + an immunological agent vs. just chemo.

There were several reasons to prefer the MGH study (even though it would have necessitated traveling to Boston during the coldest months of the year), among them that I wouldn't have to endure chemotherapy as part of the trial. And it looked for a while as though I was going to be able to join it. It wasn't actively enrolling but there was a spot. I waited, in the days right before Christmas, to hear. And my doctors all worked hard, calling the PI and discussing the option of enrollment at either location. But it didn't work out. Another patient made exactly the same call I would have made--and I cannot fault them for that--and I am several places down on the waiting list. Spots open up when people leave the study, so presumably when their disease worsens or a better treatment option opens up. It only happens every couple of months. Doing the math, it seemed more likely that the drug would get approved by the FDA than that I would get to enroll.

I was pretty angry. And it was hard because there was no single person to be angry at. Not at my doctors, all of whom knew my preference, did all they could, and gave sincere apologies when it didn't work out. And not at the other patient who took the chance that I so hoped I'd be given. If anything, I was angry at the FDA for not approving the drug faster, or at whoever was funding the study for not allowing there to be more than 68 patients on it at any given time. The fact that groundbreaking, life-saving medical research is also a business constantly makes me angry. Sometimes it works in my favor (IMMU-132 will likely get fast-tracked on its second go through the FDA because someone will make money) and sometimes it doesn't (why fund more spots than you need on a clinical trial just because people want to be in it?).

So then there was more waiting. So much of having Stage 4 cancer is a waiting game. Waiting for promising new research directions. Waiting for that research to get funded. Waiting for those studies to enroll and complete. Waiting for FDA approval. Waiting for insurance approval. And, the biggest one by far, waiting to see if it works.

I was home for the holidays, not meant to see an oncologist until mid-January. A third option was proposed, which was staying on the study I had been doing with the PARP inhibitors but first doing a short course of radiation on the breast tumor. When I got home at New Year's I booked in to a radiology consultation, even though I felt a suspicion that it wasn't the best option. (Several oncologists told me that if the PARP inhibitors had stopped working on the initial tumor it was only a matter of time--and likely not much of it--before they stopped working on the metastatic sites too.) After spending nearly an hour with yet another very helpful doctor who had studied the whole history of my case (and a little bit of my research, once I told him what to Google) I saw that I was right. A tumor this size, he said, would only benefit from a pretty lengthy radiation course and we only had a grace period of 2 weeks for me to get back on the PARP study. He reminded me that it would be an option later and wishes me luck.

I'd like to pause here to do something I haven't done before and ask you all a favor. I understand exactly why this happens but please, to help me out, don't ask anymore about why I am not (yet) having surgery or radiation on the tumor. Yes, the primary tumor is the biggest and nastiest and pains me every day. You can be sure I'm also asking that question of my doctors, not only when there's a treatment change but when I tell them that it's hurting me. I know that it seems simplest to just cut it out (even if this means altering my body in a way that I am not eager to do) or try to shrink it. And I know that's why people ask. All the time. ALL the time. Unfortunately, it leaves me feeling defensive--do they not know that I have thought of this option every single day as I carry around the painful, swollen weight of a 6cm tumor?--and like I have to justify my decision. I imagine one or both those things will happen immediately. I have many (medical) reasons for not doing them yet. When I decide to do them, you will know and I will tell you more about why. But it would make me feel a lot better if I knew people weren't going to keep asking. Thank you.

Ok, back to what happened one I decided that radiation was out. Essentially, last week I officially consented to the study that's at Penn and that involves chemo. My first session will be on January 30th. I'll be going every 3 weeks. The agent I'm receiving is one of the oldest (carboplatin) and will be given in a higher dosage than when I went every week. This means it's likely to make me sicker. (The doctors did say that I'd feel worst on days 2-5 and better as the cycle wore on.) No one told me that people tolerate this one especially well and, having been so relatively lucky with side effects before, my worst-case-scenario brain assumes my luck will now be bad and that I will really struggle, lose all my hair, not be able to work, etc. Unhelpfully, although they can speak in averages, no one can predict how anyone will react to chemo. So just...wait. As usual.

To join the study, of course, there are a great many hoops all of which involve trips to Philly. I had a biopsy yesterday (Wednesday) and am spending tomorrow (Friday) getting CT and bone scans. There was an ongoing fight with my insurance company today when I got a phone call first thing in the morning telling me that they had canceled tomorrow's CTs because I didn't have authorization. Without authorization, no CT. Without a CT, no joining the study. Without joining the study, no starting chemo on time (lots of rearranging of my work and ride/support schedule). Lucky for me, my doctor's office was the one to do the calling and arguing. But it's frankly absurd to deny authorization for a CT scan to a documented Stage 4 cancer patient. I cannot even imagine what further information they would need for that one. And if I hadn't been joining a trial there would have been no rush and, likely, I would have been the one calling. The amount of admin involved in being chronically ill is frankly staggering. The end result, luckily, is that I am going in tomorrow.

And that's why I must get to bed. I know I make it sound like swinging by the hospital for a biopsy is no big deal - it's an outpatient procedure with only local anesthetic! I ate Shake Shack afterwards and went to work today! But, in fact, it's stressful to the body as well as the spirit to be on an operating table, numbed up with local anesthetic, and pierced in the lymph node or breast by an ultrasound-guided needle ten times (because you are doing so many studies and they all need research samples). The scans tomorrow will be easier - all I have to do is not eat beforehand, drink barium, lie in an x-ray contraption while having contrast dye injected through the port that's plumbed into my artery...then take a break before being injected with a radioactive tracer that will infuse my bones for a couple hours until I lie perfectly still and have them imaged. Easy, right?

I like to say that this stuff is no big deal--that it's just a lot of waiting in different places. And that's true, to an extent. The CTs don't hurt and they aren't physically demanding (although I'm not great at drinking that much barium milkshake that fast). The bone scan is kind of cool and I plan to wear my "Biohazard" t-shirt. But my normalization of the massive apparatus surrounding being ill and my incorporation of it into my everyday life does, I think, minimize the physical as well as emotional toll I pay each time I have a test or treatment. Not only are those reminders of the insidious disease that has taken so much of my life from my control--I'm not even thinking about that consciously most of the time--it's just all so relentless. There's always another call to make, appointment to keep, symptom to track, bill to pay, person to text or call. I am never, ever done.

On that last item, I do often feel burdened with guilt. I want support, but don't feel that I can always pay it back in the form of updates or thanks to those who so generously give it. But I do hope you all know that I'm here, appreciating each and every piece of it that I get. Social media may not be great for some things but it is wonderful for the small kindnesses that can buoy me up on a tougher day. This has been one, so I'm off to bed. But I send you gratitude and love.

Bex

[mcatmemoranda]

I was not understanding the difference between an angiogram and CTA. 😬

A CT angiogram is a less invasive test than a standard angiogram. A standard angiogram involves threading a thin tube called a catheter through an artery in your arm or leg up to the area being studied. But with a CT angiogram, no tubes are put in your body. Source: https://www.uofmhealth.org/health-library/bo1097

So I guess angiogram (aka arteriogram) injects the dye into the vessel exactly where you're trying to look whereas CTA doesn't?

From Wikipedia:

Angiography or arteriography is a medical imagingtechnique used to visualize the inside, or lumen, of blood vessels and organs of the body, with particular interest in the arteries, veins, and the heart chambers. This is traditionally done by injecting a radio-opaque contrast agent into the blood vessel and imaging using X-ray based techniques such as fluoroscopy.

Depending on the type of angiogram, access to the blood vessels is gained most commonly through the femoral artery, to look at the left side of the heart and at the arterial system; or the jugular or femoral vein, to look at the right side of the heart and at the venous system. Using a system of guide wires and catheters, a type of contrast agent (which shows up by absorbing the X-rays), is added to the blood to make it visible on the X-ray images.

The X-ray images taken may either be still, displayed on an image intensifier or film, or motion images. For all structures except the heart, the images are usually taken using a technique called digital subtraction angiography or DSA. Images in this case are usually taken at 2–3 frames per second, which allows the interventional radiologist to evaluate the flow of the blood through a vessel or vessels. This technique "subtracts" the bones and other organs so only the vessels filled with contrast agent can be seen. The heart images are taken at 15–30 frames per second, not using a subtraction technique. Because DSA requires the patient to remain motionless, it cannot be used on the heart. Both these techniques enable the interventional radiologist or cardiologist to see stenosis (blockages or narrowings) inside the vessel which may be inhibiting the flow of blood and causing pain.

After the procedure has been completed, if the femoral technique is applied, the site of arterial entry is either manually compressed, stapled shut, or sutured in order to prevent access-site complications.[3]

Computed tomography angiography (also called CT angiography or CTA) is a computed tomographytechnique used to visualize arterial and venousvessels throughout the body. Using contrast injected into the blood vessels, images are created to look for blockages, aneurysms (dilations of walls), dissections (tearing of walls), and stenosis(narrowing of vessel). CTA can be used to visualize the vessels of the heart, the aorta and other large blood vessels, the lungs, the kidneys, the head and neck, and the arms and legs.

CT angiography is a contrast CT where images are taken with a certain delay after injection of radiocontrast material. The contrast material is radiodense causing it to light up brightly within the blood vessels of interest. In order for the CT scanner to be able to scan the correct area where the contrast is, the scanner uses either automatic detectors which start scanning when enough contrast is present, or small test boluses. With the small test bolus, a small amount of contrast is injected in order to detect the speed that the contrast will move through the blood vessels. After determining this speed, the full bolus is injected and the scan is begun at the timing determined by the test bolus. After the scan is completed the images are post-processed to better visualize the vessels and can even be created in the 3D images.

So then why is there "injection of radiocontrast material" for CTA? I guess the contrast is just not injected directly at the site you're trying to look at for CTA? Ok, I guess both involve contrast. It's just that in an angiogram, a tube is placed into the vessel near where you want to visualize. I'm still confused. But that's my understanding, which is why angiogram is not what you want to do for an aortic dissection--because putting a tube in could tear the aorta more where the dissection already is.