Thursday, August 14, 2008

Continuing confusion . . .

Here’s what I think I know so far about cardiac sarcomas:

Metastatic cardiac liposarcoma is extremely rare. If that's what I have, I had a much better chance of winning the lottery.

Cardiac sarcomas, most frequently, are a type of sarcoma called angiosarcoma. Nearly 80% of cardiac angiosarcomas arise in the right atrium. My tumor is in the left ventricle -- so I'm told, anyway.

These tumors are both symptomatic and rapidly fatal. Once a cardiac sarcoma has progressed to the point that symptoms begin to occur, 80% of the time it has already spread to other parts of the body. I get the symptomatic part, but rapidly fatal? I think I’ve had symptoms for at least a year. I take a three-mile hike every morning over hill and dale. I’ve gained six pounds in the last nine days. I feel great.

Now, where’s that Zen master?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

"Now where's that Zen master?"

He is in the teepee in the vineyard, high on a hill in Los Olivos, but is not yet aware of his own existence.