This was the view at dawn from one corner of our room in the San Francisco Airport Marriott Waterfront Hotel. The room provides, as realtors might coyly say, “a partial bay view.”
That is a portion of San Francisco Bay out there. And it is visible from a part of the room. A chair has been strategically placed in that precise spot to emphasize the view. This morning, I enjoyed seeing it.
For those waiting with bated breath, my initial procedure yesterday at the University of California San Francisco medical center at Mission Bay was a success.
Its limited goals were to get a scope and some tools down my throat into my gut to examine the area around a small obstruction in my plumbing, which involved trying to get the tiny camera and tools into the lower end of a bile duct; relieve the immediate symptoms of jaundice the blockage has created; and get material for a biopsy for testing.
Two prior attempts at Straub hospital in Honolulu failed when the entry point to the lower end of the duct couldn’t be accessed.
The same thing happened yesterday. However, here at UCSF, there were multiple contingency plans. Plan B, which was to lower a miniature ultrasound tool down there as well to find an alternative path, did the trick. Plans C and D were unnecessary, but involved a radiology team standing by in case we needed to trigger those options.
What it means is that the immediate symptoms of jaundice, including my “Yellow Man” appearance, should fade over the next couple of days. That is a biggie.
And we have been cleared to return to Honolulu in a few days.
This isn’t over, since that biopsy could deliver bad news. But in the moment, it is a big relief.
I’m very fortunate to be covered by Meda’s insurance plan, a huge benefit she earned over 50 years of employment by the University of Hawaii system. Today, I’m appreciating that good luck in a very meaningful way.
We plan to be home by Saturday night.
