I spoke with the doctor at the MNI on Monday. He had the neuroradiologist analyze the latest CT scan of my dad’s head.
There appear to be lesions on dad’s thalamus (right in the middle of the brain) that may be a lymphoma (cancer). If it’s cancer, it’s brain cancer and not a metastasis from elsewhere in the body. Brain cancers don’t show up in tumour-marker blood tests.
However, there is also a noticeable reduction of edema (swelling) from the November to the January scans. Lymphomas, being tumours, tend to grow and increase swelling. The doctor sais it’s rare that there would be a reduction in swelling with cancer. This reduced swelling is why Dad is doing so much better.
What the Freeport radiologist interpreted as calcification, the MNI doc said, may be deep vein thrombosis in the brain – vein blockages, which can induce stroke-like symptoms.
In sum, the doctor hasn’t reached a firm diagnosis, seemed doubtful that it was cancer, and is dying to get Dad into an MRI.
Dad is arriving via air ambulance tomorrow afternoon. I’ve rented a hospital bed and wheelchair, which will be moved into the rented furnished apartment tomorrow. Dad’s first appointment at the MNO is 7:50 a.m. Friday morning. I’ll be sleeping in the apartment so that I can help in the morning.