HI M,
I hope that everything went well with your CT. I just want to let you know that I started out the same way with splenomegaly and enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes 3 years ago, I still no diagnosis. Though, now my axillary, inguinal and retroper. lymph nodes are also now enlarged. Neg. ANA etc. etc. It's very difficult to sit in pergatory.... For so long, at that. I've had normal CBC's forever, then suddenly, my platelets have plummeted..... petchiae has appeared, spontaneous bleeding from the wierdest areas, and so forth.... now, my PCP is sending me back to HEM/ONC. I must admit, my situation is somewhat different, as I have over 300 tumors (angiolipomas) so, the Dr.'s kept pooping me off. Anyway, as difficult as it may be, you must prepare yourself for a long wait. CT's won't show all forms of Leuk/Lumphoma until theyr'e metast. (not to say that you have one of these, mind you).... If, for some reason, you have to wait so long, You might go through much anxiety, dispair and anger wondering if anyone really gives a good "fecal matter" at all. At least I did..... I went from being a Hotel Manger at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, Four Seasons in Houston, to not being able to work, at all due to severe fatigue and pain... It's such a rough road and i really hope that it's one you don't have to travel. I just want to prepare you, in the event that, whatever you might have turns out to be difficult to diagnose (which I hope it doesn't). Early diagnosis is complicated for "some" (certainly not all) of our caregivers or (as I put it) "un-care"givers (some oftimes will never admit that they "don't know" and will simply dismiss us). I know and understand that it would be much better to just finally get a diagnosis, preferably something fixable. It is understandable that the waiting is the hardest part, and one can't help but feel that during this waiting period "something could have been done, before it's was too late." When you live an active and vibrant life which is suddenly changed, it's difficult to be broadsided with the unknown illness. It's not that we want a bad diagnosis, by any means... we just know that something's wrong in our body, and want it gone, treated and over.
M, If you have any questions or support and I'm able to help you, I'd be happy to do so.
Rob
