Mom’s Health Updates

I created this page as a means of keeping Family and Friends informed of Mom’s ongoing health issues.  It’s not meant to be impersonal–but it is a way to conveniently and consistently provide communication to the people who love and care about Mom.  After the initial post, I’ll add updates at the top to keep it easy to read “the latest” as things develop.

Comments are active. Thank you all for your thoughts and concern.

May 11, 2026

Mom tripped and fell on Saturday.  She has a nasty bump on her forehead and now looks like she went 10 rounds with Mike Tyson, but is otherwise OK.  We ended up ordering takeout for Mothers’ Day lunch.

Kelly and I picked Mom up this morning at 5:30 to take her to the hospital in Plattsburgh for her bronchoscopy.  As I type this (10:15am) the procedure is complete and there were no complications.  Her follow-up with a doctor is a week from today (next Monday).  We do not anticipate that all the results will be in by then, but I will post another update after that visit.

April 16, 2026

We met with a new pulmonologist, Dr. Mir, today to review the recent biopsy and PET scan results. We have some very reassuring news to share regarding the concerns we had last week.

The Main News: No Evidence of Cancer The most important takeaway from the biopsy is that the lab found no malignant (cancerous) cells. While the imaging (CT and PET scans) looked very suspicious, the tissue sample showed that the mass in Mom’s lung is actually being caused by a specific type of infection.

What is the Diagnosis? The biopsy tested positive for AFB (Acid-Fast Bacilli). This is a family of bacteria that includes Tuberculosis, but in Mom’s case, the doctors suspect it is a related, non-contagious version called NTM (Non-Tuberculous Mycobacteria).

Essentially, her body tried to “wall off” this infection, which created a 3.1 cm mass that looked like a tumor on the scans. This also explains why some lymph nodes “lit up” on the PET scan—they were busy fighting the infection, not spreading cancer.

Why the Confusion? Mycobacterial infections are known as “great imitators” because they can look exactly like lung cancer on X-rays and PET scans. Because Mom’s symptoms (weight loss and shortness of breath) overlapped with cancer symptoms, the doctors moved quickly to rule the worst out first.

The Plan Moving Forward: We are now in the “identification phase” to make sure we treat this correctly:

  • Confirming the Strain: Mom will provide sputum samples and have a specific blood test (QuantiFERON) to confirm exactly which bacteria we are dealing with.

  • Infectious Disease Referral: Once the exact strain is identified, she will likely see an Infectious Disease specialist to begin a course of targeted antibiotics. These treatments are often long-term but are designed to clear the infection and let her lung heal.

  • Vigilant Monitoring: Because the doctors want to be 100% certain, she will have a follow-up CT scan in about three months to ensure the mass is shrinking as expected with treatment.

Overall Outlook: Mom is in good spirits and relieved by the biopsy results. The “Stage 4” concerns from last week are off the table. We are now focused on treating an infection and getting her stamina and appetite back to where they should be.

Thank you all for your support and prayers during the “waiting game” this past week!

April 6th, 2026 – Biopsy Day

Kelly and I drove Mom to the hospital in Plattsburgh this morning where she was prepped for the procedure that would extract a sample of the large mass detected in her lung.  Everything went well.  Before and after x-rays were taken to make sure that the tiny hole created in her lung had closed properly.  We left her house at 8:00 in the morning and she was home by 2:00.  Kelly and/or I will be staying the night with her so as to respond to any respiratory distress should she experience any.  This is just a precaution.  The appointment with her pulmonologist is on Tuesday, April 14th.  This is when we will know once and for all if this is cancer.  The radiology so far would seem to suggest that it is cancer, but the doctor will let us know.

April 5th, 2026 – The Story so far…

Last Fall Mom had a routine chest x-ray.  The results included a note to follow up in 6 weeks.  Neither Mom nor her doctor noticed the note, but by February someone at the radiologist noticed and contacted Mom to schedule a follow up.

The reason for the follow-up was because a mass had been detected in her upper right lung.  Comparison between the two x-rays indicated that there had been slow growth.  Subsequent CT/PET scans have confirmed and refined this.  In an effort to determine what this mass is, a biopsy will be performed on Monday, April 6th.