No news, probably

The saga continues. Sometimes I have trouble remembering there was a life before this when I went boating and stuff and my contact with the Royal Derby was once a year to check my eyes. I heard from specialist nurse Kate today but there’s no change in the situation. There wasn’t  enough material in  the tiny needle sample to find the IgG4 cells which would mean I definitely have autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP), so histology needs a bigger sample unless the blood test I did on Friday comes back positive. 

The plan is for a mega endoscopy session combining the two types I’ve had, ERCP and EUS. The stent is in the way of getting a full biopsy sample, so it will be taken out so as to get a big ultrasound guided biopsy sample (instead of just the fine needle one) and then the stent put back in. Only the senior consultant can do both and things are a bit tricky at this time of year because it’s holiday time so it may not be for 2 to 3 weeks. It needs an overnight admission. If the blood sample turns out positive, all that will be cancelled and we can start treatment for AIP.