Nann, I can just imagine how bummed you are.  This is not exactly what
you want to hear when you are busy and actually feeling a bit better.  I
don't see how you can not have it done though. Your docs seem to really
be working together to solve whatever is going on.  Is this a needle
biopsy (long needle?) or do they have to make a hole to go in?  Maybe
those tiny holes like for a gall bladder removal, I hope?  Anyway, I
hope it's not something that will have you recovering for more than a
day or two.

Ann

{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{Nann]}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

this is crappy news but it will be better to eliminate any of those
possibilities. It sounds like you are fortunate to have a group of
docs that actually talk to each other watching your back.That is
pretty rare these days.

Keep us posted as to when / and what...okay.

johnie

I hope you get  good answers and a quick fix out of all this Nann. You are
in my prayers.

Nann, I'm sorry to hear this. I know it's a bit of a trapped sort of
feeling when you know you have to undergo something you don't want to--
especially when you're feeling better. But what a relief it will be to
know those nodes are nothing and no longer hanging over your head. so
to speak.

hugs,

diane

(((((((((((((((nann))))))))))))))) being bummed is not fun.  i know, getting
this done and checked out must feel like an inconvenient bother and a bit
scary.  but gee, nann, this sounds like it is an opportunity to rule out
stuff that's cluttering your doctors' minds, so they can finally figure out
what to do for you to help you.  and that's what i'm hoping is all it is,
clutter that needs to be cleared first.  sounds like you've got some good
doctors working together for your sake.  i trust your awareness of your
body, nann.  so, take deep breaths and go with the flow, sweetie.  you've
got the asa prayer machine pulling for you, and of course, that includes me.

i'm glad your fatigue factor is doing better.  just don't overdo,
ok?--advice from a kettle.<smile>  if being off enbrel is helping that much,
with that aspect of all this, who knows?  maybe, enbrel is at the root cause
of all or most of your unusual symptoms and stopping it might reverse the
current trend?  maybe a dmard change would be in order?  but, what do i
know?--not much.   that's why you have those good doctors working on this
stuff for you.

more (((((((((((((nann))))))))))))).

kate
(ok, i'll bite. what mysterious button?)

Yesterday afternoon I was awakened from my nap by a call from the surgeon I
saw earlier this summer.  He'd just been talking to my RD and they really
wanted the biopsy of my lymph nodes around the small bowel to go ahead.
Naturally, we have plans that make this difficult and I needed to wake up
and
think more.

Talked to my RD's nurse this morning and it turns out the hematologist my RD
is referring me to is the driving force behind getting the biopsy done.  She
really thinks it needs to happen from looking at the results up to now and
she wants it done before I see her.  sigh..........  Oh and the surgeon
mentioned that some of the lymph nodes are quite enlarged, making things
more
worrisome.

I guess I gotta do it.  Right now I'm waiting for call backs and for people
to be back in the office to see what scheduling we can work out.  They're
still framing things as ruling out nasty stuff, but I don't like the fact
that the hematologist really thinks we need that biopsy.  OTOH, my body just
isn't tell me there's anything dramatically nasty or untreatable going on.
I
hope it gives us some answers though.  I don't want to do this and STILL not
know what's going on!

The irony is that my fatigue has improved a lot since being off Enbrel - I
can even do some stuff during the day and still think enough to read in the
evening!  So even with my joints flaring more, I'm getting more done because
that profound fatigue I had has eased up.  weird stuff happens in our
bodies!

On the really positive side, I finally figured out what previously unnoticed
button I'd clicked on to make ASA display oddly.  It's so much easier to
read
now!  I should be able to keep up for a while.

{{{{{Nann}}}}}

DeeTee

well, I'm becoming reconciled to this after a lot of talking and frequent
hugs from Mike.  Surgery is set for 9/20.  The week before is VERY busy, so
I'll actually enjoy the rest!  (Of course, one thing that makes it busy is
having to drive over to see the surgeon.)  Even Mike's ex, a pathologist who
generally sees surgoens as too eager to cut, thinks there might be valid
reasons for doing this.

I burned up the minutes on our long distance phone card last week by the time
I got the surgery set up, rescheduled the hematologist appt. for one week
post-op then rescheduled my RD appt from the day before to the same day as
the hematologist.  This does get complicated at times!