The Waiting Game

Last week was mostly spent seeing the world-renowned eye specialist. He was very nice and very knowledgeable. Long story short, we saw him on Tuesday and Wednesday. He diagnosed Mike with uveitis (inflammation of the iris of the eye) and decided the best way to proceed was to take a fluid sample from the anterior chamber of the eye (i.e., needle biopsy of the eye). After withdrawing the fluid, we took the syringe sample ourselves over to Mike's oncologist, who sent it to the lab. We were so edgy that I just called work and told them I wouldn't be in the rest of the week. I could never have concentrated.
Thursday came and went without a call. On Friday, we drove in to see Mike's oncologist. She came in with the news -- the fluid was clear of acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells. We were shocked. We truly had prepared ourselves to hear the worst. So, a small battle was won and we were unbelievably relieved. However, that only made the mystery of this condition bigger.
Mike's oncologist thought it was a good idea to do a bone-marrow biopsy as well as a lumbar puncture while he was there in order to check the rest of his system for any disease. We agreed. (We should have those results within the next few days.) While they did the lumbar puncture Mike also agreed to let them inject a dose of methotrexate, just in case any disease was present in order to get a jump on things.
Friday night was a good night, but then on Saturday Mike began corresponding with the eye specialist, who had asked that we give him the biopsy results. He was happy with the news, but cautioned that things are complicated by the fact that this condition hasn't responded to aggressive topical steroids, and that we haven't yet found the cause. He said treatment of this condition could take a very long time, and that it might call for injections of methotrexate into the eye. Needless to say, all this information sent both Mike and I back into a tailspin of worry and fear.
Right now, we are waiting for final pathology of the eye fluid sample, we plan to see the eye specialist on Tuesday, and on Wednesday Mike has a head MRI, a visit with the oncologist and an appointment with another eye doctor for his take on things.
I wish I could just fast-forward through the coming week.