News...?

So, I started this post to share good news, and now I have some other (?) news. So, let's just go with the morning update:

1) Kurt had an endoscopy Thursday, which showed that he does not have an ulcer. Yay!

2) The scope also confirmed that there is no mass at the gastro-esophageal junction, which was the primary tumor site. Double YAY!

3) Kurt still has pain throughout his abdomen, plus some swelling. Which is weird. So he is going to get a CT scan today.

4) His blood work this morning was all over the map, and the doctors aren't sure why. White blood cell counts are through the roof, and red blood cell counts are low. So, Kurt is probably not going to get chemo today, and will get a blood transfusion today or tomorrow.

So, yeah. Not sure what to make of all that. Kurt is having some blood drawn right now so they can run some cultures and check for infections, an abcess, etc. and then he is off for the scan. I'll post more when we know more.

On the upside, no more Debbie Downer from me. Kurt and I decided last night -- totally spur of the moment -- to throw the dogs in boarding and get a hotel room closer to Baltimore for the night. We got a super nice room, got to sleep in this morning, and just enjoyed a little break from reality. We are definitely in better spirits today. Thank you all so much for the support you gave me in my last post. I have read and re-read those comments many, many times.

Stay tuned -- more to come.

**UPDATE**

Not really....just didn't want anyone to think I had forgotten. We don't have CT scan results back yet. Chemo is definitely out for today; Kurt's liver functions are out of whack, so his liver can't process the chemo. Kurt won't get a transfusion today; will be either tomorrow or Monday. The doctors/nurses are warning us that Kurt might have to be admitted if he needs IV antibiotics to treat something, but they won't know until we see the scan. I'm glad he is getting the scan...not only to figure out what is going on with him, but also to find out how the cancer is behaving.

Kurt is sound asleep right now, just getting fluids. Will post more when I know more.


**UPDATE - For real this time**

We are just starting to get CT scan results back, and based on what the doctors are seeing right now, they are going to admit Kurt to the hospital for a couple of days. The early signs are some kind of infection, but they won't know for sure until the blood cultures are back, which take a few days. Kurt will get a transfusion while he is there, so that is convenient. The scans do show some fluid in his abdomen and lungs, but it isn't clear if that will go away with the antibiotics they are going to give him. That's really the purpose of the hospitalization, to give high-dose antibiotics and keep an eye on Kurt to make sure things don't get worse.

They are starting the process of admitting him now. Will update when I know more.