Between the knowledge of Bill's
medical history and of the autopsy results,
I am comforted to think he no longer needs to suffer or struggle.
The last 4 1/2 years of his life he often had 2 or 3 doctors'
appointments a week.
He was truly courageous to hang in there through so many
challenges.
3/89 diabetes diagnosed
(insulin dependent, spring, 97-present) 8/95 throat cancer
diagnosed 9-11/95 radiation treatment for
throat cancer spring,
97 chronic lymphocytic
leukemia diagnosed 9/15/97 stroke (turned out to be
TIA; faculties restored); blood pressure
astronomical 12/9/97 sleep clinic assessment;
Sleep Apnea diagnosed (stopped breathing
1x/minute) 12/97-present uses a CPAP nightly for
breathing 6/28-7/2/98 hospital 5 days -
intensive care 2-3 days; hypertensive crisis 7/2/98 heart arrhythmia
diagnosed (ventricular tachycardia); put on beta
blocker 10/98 lesion on liver
(ultrasound revealed lesion size of walnut) 11/4/98 needle biopsy on
liver 12/98-3/99 chemotherapy to minimize
lesion on liver 3/16/99 follow-up ultrasound for
lesion on liver; lesion grew rather than shrunk 3/17/99 fell & broke left
hand and nose 3-4/99 follow-up for
breaks 3/23/99 2nd liver needle biopsy;
nothing conclusive: will rule out lung & colon
cancer 3/23,
3/30/99 chest x-rays & CT
scan - lung cancer ruled out 4/8,
4/29/99 consultation and
colonoscopy - colon cancer ruled out 5/4/99 laperoscopic liver biopsy
(3.5 hours); still looks like leukemia 6-7/99 pneumonia shot; try
infusion chemotherapy to minimize lesion on liver 8/17,
8/19/99 ultrasound to check size
of lesion on liver; tumor 3x > than in October,
'98 8/24,
8/26/99 liver needle biopsy;
adnoma or low grade hepato cellular carcinoma diagnosed;
plan surgery 9/10,21,23/99 liver surgery
consultation; pre-op tests & CAT scan; CAT scan of lung
(lung cancer ruled out) 9/14/99 Peripheral Vascular
Disease screen, borderline condition diagnosed 9/27/99 surgical removal of right
lobe of liver (incl. all of tumor) and gallbladder (8.5
hours) 9/27/99
on intensive care: kidneys
not functioning, (constant dialysis 9/30-12/2/99), blood
pressure low, ventilator, neurological ques. (took
3+ wks to "wake up"; movement minimal; "wait & see" as
of 11/3) 9/29/99 suspect pre-existence of
kidney disease 9/29/99 cataracts suspected; see
opthamologist 10/28/99 kidneys still not
functioning; expect lifetime dialysis after released from
hospital 10-11/99 physical therapy and
speech pathology supporting Bill 12/2/99 Bill died peacefully of
low blood pressure of unknown ediology (the night before, w/
meds maxed, it dropped to 32/23)
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