Preparation for the Miracle Treatment

The week of January 2nd 2012 was all about preparing for the Interleukin 2 treatment at Emory Hospital.  On Tuesday, they took blood for analysis, performed an MRI, did a breathing test to measure my lung capacity, and a echo cardiogram/sonogram on my heart.  Everything went so well that I fooled myself into thinking it was going to be an easy week.
On Wednesday I had the large tumor in my left hip frozen.  They called it Cryoablatoin.  The operating room outpatient process included sending a line up through my femoral artery to cut off the blood supply to the tumor.  Then five probes were inserted through my back/hip to the tumor to inject the freezing material.  The result was a success but it really affected my ability to walk, stand up, lay down, and bend over because of the extreme soreness.
Thursday was brutal because of the cryo soreness and a pharmacologic Cardiac Stress Test.  Because I cannot walk on a treadmill, drugs were used to induce a higher heart rate.  The entire process took about four hours and included a CT scan and two PET scans of my heart with a lot of waiting time in between, and radioactive stuff injected into my blood stream so the imaging could see more.  At the critical test, a drug expanded all my blood vessels causing my blood pressure to drop rapidly, my heart to race, sweats, dizziness, and dry heaves.  Heaving while sore was very painful on top of feeling awful.  They did not find any problems, which agrees with my personal and family history.
Fortunately, nothing was found to delay or cancel the miracle treatment.

Here is a picture from my World Series of Poker Circuit Event tournament win at the Caesars Indiana Casino in 2005.  Poker is still my passion and it was awesome to win over $50,000.