A disclaimer.

I just want to make it clear that when I'm writing about medical stuff, I'm writing about my understanding of what has been explained to me. I'm not writing as a doctor, or even as more than a sporadically and incompletely informed layperson.

In other words, if any of you find yourselves facing the same thing, and I earnestly hope that never happens to anyone reading this, talk to your own doctors, and listen to what they say. The most I would let this blog do is perhaps suggest some questions you might ask.