Using computers for my CAD diagnosis calls to mind my dad’s old punch cards
Little did I know how important computing technology would become to me
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“I’ll only be a minute,” my dad assured us as he stopped off at Parker Hall at Auburn University, where its computer center was located.
It was 1965 or so, and we were on our way home from after-school activities. Dad wanted to pick up the punch cards that held the program he had designed. Back then, Auburn utilized an IBM 1620 that operated on magnetic-core memory. It was large and had to be kept cold. It was what many call the early days of computing, and the mainframe computer on which my dad ran his programs took up space in the basement of Parker Hall.
The portable computer I’m using now is much more powerful. In fact, I have more computing power on my lap than the computers used for the Apollo moon missions in 1969. I have no intention of launching a rocket to the moon, however. I’m only trying to keep up with my cold agglutinin disease (CAD) and learn about it through data available online, and my computer is an integral part of that process.
Using a computer today
Like my father stopping by to retrieve data from Parker Hall, I stop by the patient portal of the Spencer Cancer Center in Opelika, Alabama, where I’m being treated, and retrieve information about my blood tests and other treatments.
Computers are invaluable for diagnosing and treating CAD. When I went to Singapore in 2016, as I was searching for a diagnosis, I underwent both a computed tomography (CT) scan and a positron emission tomography (PET) scan.
Neither test diagnoses CAD. The CT scan, where all I had to do was lie still and hold my breath, is used to look for enlarged lymph nodes, called lymphadenopathy; an enlarged spleen, called splenomegaly; or other signs of lymphoma or solid tumors. This helps determine if CAD is primary, that is, the only disease, or secondary, meaning it’s caused by an underlying condition.
The PET scan also helps to determine primary or secondary CAD, and is a nuclear medicine imaging test that measures metabolic activity in tissues. For it, I had to drink an awful-tasting liquid containing glucose and a radioactive tracer. After the tissues in my muscles, bones, and organs processed the drink, a scan looked for any sign of glucose uptake as I, again, lay very still.
Both tests give my medical team direction in determining treatment. By putting the information into a database that I can access, I gain valuable insights and can be more proactive in my self-care.
Additional applications can be found in organizing data. The PET and CT scans done in 2016 in Singapore were easily accessible last year by my doctor in Alabama. All he had to do was open a copy of the results on his computer and compare the two tests. A record of the years’ progress was immediately visible.
Personal usage
I use a computer to chart my hemoglobin, immunoglobin M, and lactate dehydrogenase levels. These are markers that indicate red blood cell destruction, called hemolysis. Changes in these levels relative to previous measurements reveal trends, help me understand the progress of my CAD, and aid my doctor in recommending or postponing treatment.
Little did I think, as I sat in the station wagon waiting for Dad to finish his work in that basement, that computers would become personally important to me. I knew they had engineering applications such as bridge building, measuring different types of substances, or plotting flight trajectories into space. But they have become much more than that.
There are few places in the modern world that are unaffected by the use of computers. Even the people of Papua, Indonesia — my second home — who were using stone axes 30 years ago, enjoy laptop computers and cellphones. The knowledge and power that first put people on the moon so long ago are being used to make the world a safer and healthier place.
Thanks, Dad.
Note: Cold Agglutinin Disease News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Cold Agglutinin Disease News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to cold agglutinin disease.
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