Sunday Morning on a Holiday Weekend

Yesterday afternoon, I developed a fever for the first time since my surgeries. People undergoing chemotherapy frequently develop fevers, but I haven't had chemotherapy in several weeks. Because of the fever, when I reported to MSKCC's Urgent Care facility to have fluid drained from my abdomen, the doctor on duty first checked for an active infection by testing my blood and urine and then ordering a chest X-ray. Finding no cause for the fever, she then performed an ultrasonic examination to determine where to place the needle to drain as much of the fluid as possible. 

Unfortunately, the fluid turned out to be behind the intestines and bowels where it cannot be drained. Meanwhile, my midsection grows ever more distended and painful, both internally and, as the skin grows tighter, externally. Based on my weight gain, I estimate that about twenty pounds of fluid has accumulated so far. The doctor also reported that my liver is swelling and my colon thickening. She thought that it would be worthwhile for me to come back into the Urgent Care facility on Tuesday morning for her to perform another ultrasonic examination, just in case some of the fluid shifts to an accessible location. Afterward, I will attempt to meet with or at least speak with Drs. Saltz and Glare.

It is a  sunny day in New York City, with low humidity. With many of Manhattan's residents away for the long holiday weekend, it is peaceful. Susan and I walked the dozen blocks from MSKCC's main campus to our home. The stretch along York Avenue in front of Rockefeller University is a particularly pleasant walk, paralleling an oasis of leafy trees harboring discreetly placed tennis courts.