brokenarrow
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Posts posted by brokenarrow
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Hello My Friends!
Sorry I haven't been around. Not for a lack of love, but have had some trouble addressing the psychological ramifications of focusing on cancer. Right or wrong, that included websites and support groups that are focused around cancer. I'm a little better about it right now, today, which is a little strange because my SIL's husband wasn't expected to make through the night. I think his started out as bladder cancer. Anyway, I've been avoiding focusing on cancer so I haven't been around. Sure I get my check-ups and take my medicine. Just been focusing on life and living, being passionate about politics and family and stuff. As far as my health, I'm doing great. I'm working again. Been in the gulf for five weeks and supposed to go home today. I always seem to have some kind of drama going on. I need to go check on my mom, my stepdaughter needs my hugs, well, there's a bunch that need my hugs but she does a little worse. Today, my relief has a flat tire and will be late. That's a pretty big deal when you're in the gulf of Mexico. But that's where my focus is, (life's drama) and I'm doing well. I have a little different mindset about my cancer since my last episode. I had let myself believe that I might be cured until October and when that PET showed hot it was emotionally horrible. I won't allow myself into that trap again. My new mindset is that in all likelihood I will have another and another and another battle with this crap, but while I can I'm not living cripple because of it. I'll get my checks and take my medicine but I don't spend much time researching new treatments or otherwise really focusing on cancer. No way I can defend any argument that says I should do differently but that's where I've found some comfort and enjoyment lately. I do worry about y'all and other friends, each battling your own monsters. I pray for you, but I've run out of consoling words as I've come to realize they don't truly console much. Maybe this is all just a phase. I don't know. I love you all and I hope that each of you find peace in your own lives and comfort in your way of dealing with your drama.
God bless you!
Will
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Hey Judy! Hey All! Judy, I don't know if you projected to me or not, but I ain't been here in months and had the urge to stop by this morning...hmmm. I so hope, everyone is doing the best they are able. I think that's all God asks of us, that we do the best we can. Me? I'm fit as a fine fiddle. I have one more treatment of Alimta and Carboplatin, scheduled for the 20th of this month and as far as I know, I should be getting back to normal life again once the effects wear off. The effects have not been bad. Maintaining white blood counts and avoiding infection has been the focus. Otherwise a little yucky feeling the day of and after treatments, nothing really to complain about. Been taking care of my wife more than worrying about myself. She had surgery on her neck again on the 10th of Dec. The surgeon put titanium plates each side of her neck bones from C-4 to C-7 because of pain associated with damage from hurricane Gustav and degenerative disease. She's still in an awful lot of discomfort and I'm afraid the healing process will be very slow. Unfortunately, during this time I have exposed to my wife that I can actually cook...had her fooled for 15 years. dangit! In my free time I continue to study on how Einstein and his entourage managed to mislead the scientific community for the past century and hope to live long enough to develop a method to correct that. I have a good idea bit not enough money... (send donations to... HA HA HA)
Until next time..
I love you guys. Hang on as tight as you can, life is such a ride!
Will
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Some of you already know that my adenocarcinoma returned. It did so in the left (opposite) lung from the original primary and since it was the same thing, we weren't able to determine if it was a new primary or a late secondary. A roll of the dice and we're treating it as a late metastic tumor which gives rise to the tentative assumption that "seed cells" survived the previous bombardment of therapies and we are trying some different stuff instead of just repeating the previous treatments.
So, within a week or so of diagnosis of this latest tumor I was able to get it cut out via thoracoscopy wedge resection from the posterior peripheral aspect of the left upper lobe. Surgery on Tuesday morning and home on Thursday, (WOW). Today it is 24 days post surgery and I started therapy with Alimta and Carboplatin. Provided blood counts are manageable we'll do this every three weeks for four rounds. In the meantime, they're supposed to run a test on the tumor tissue for effectiveness to treat with Tarceva, since they now have that ability. If it is good for it, I reckon I'll do Tarceva again. If not, I won't. Either way, I figure we'll get back to quarterly PETs as a monitor.
One note of interest is that my CEA did not spike as this new tumor developed. We knew that it might not but having had an elevated CEA with the original Disease, we had been watching it. We assume that it was the mets tumor in my adrenal gland that lead to the elevated CEA to start with, but that also is just a guess.
Otherwise, today, I feel as good as I did yesterday and yesterday I felt very good. I know that a lot of people have good results with Alimta and Carboplatin as far as side effects. I expect to have those good results too. We'll see. It'll have to drag me down 'cause I ain't gonna lay down.
Well, that's it for now. Peace and Love my Friends!
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Sorry, I haven't been around much, but I sure was happy to see this good news thread when I looked in. You go Judy! I'm very happy for you.
Will
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Home and doing GREAT!
Surgeon was able to remove about a one inch diameter adenocarcinoma via thorocoscopy and wedge resection, leaving most of the left upper lobe in place. Surgeon believes it to be a new primary, pulmonologist believes it to be additional secondary. Oncologist hasn't weighed in on that yet. Will be scheduling appt with oncologist ASAP to hammer out a forward plan. Thank you all so much for your prayers and well wishes. There is no question in my mind that those prayers are what enables me to do so well.
Will update after talking to onc.
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I updated the test page but the bottom line is that we'll cut it out Tuesday morning. I intend to make it as short term as possible.
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Pulmonologist visit went well. He said that I still have very good lung function for all that they have suffered. So labs tomorrow evening and everything is a go for Tuesday early. Might be a few days before I can post. All will be well though. I'm in good hands. Here and Above.
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OK, Lily...
Unless the pulmonologist stops the train, and I don't see that happening, we'll do surgery Tuesday coming. I see the pulmonologist tomorrow afternoon so he can bless the plan.
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Hi!
Peace!
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Cool!
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Monday I had a regularly scheduled appt with my oncologist to learn the results of my quarterly PET scan done 10-5-09. My quarterly PET has revealed a new tumor in my left upper lobe. I would estimate it to be about the size of my thumb. Without biopsy we're unable to determine if this is the same type of cancer or not, that I had in the right lung and adrenal gland. That said, it's no doubt that it is a cancer so we'll let the boys in the lab poke sticks at it AFTER we cut it out. I meet with the thoracic surgeon at 1:30 PM today and with the pulmonologist at 2:15 PM tomorrow. I continue to believe that aggressive treatment is the way to go when it's an option, so I'm doing everything I can to expedite the surgery to remove it. It is near the periphery of the lung so the potential for surgical complications should be much less than that of the original tumor. I will let the oncologist, surgeon and pulmonologist determine if they can remove only the section of lung containing the tumor or if they'll need to remove the whole lobe. it's the largest of the lobes, so I hope they can just wedge out the affected area but ultimately, I will rely on their advice for this particular decision. These three are all experts with excellent intelligence and excellent common sense and even after knowing them for a couple years now, I still like and respect all three very much.
The oncologist and I haven't discussed much about follow up therapies, but I feel confident that we'll do something, even if it's just Avastin therapy once I get healed up. We'll see. A lot will depend on the biopsy report.
On another note, my stomach continues to show "warm" on the PET scans. I had an endoscopic ultrasound done a month ago to see what was going on with it, but the gastroenterologist said everything looked perfect from endoscopic visual and ultrasonic exams. Time will eventually tell.
That's it. I'll do my best to update as appropriate.
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Hi Friends! Last day in the gulf. Fall rolled in yesterday and last night and the temps today are a good 15 degrees cooler than yesterday. I go home in the morning. Spent 20 of the last 21 days offshore and I'm ready to be home for a bit. Got a little visiting to do, a little honey-do to do and Deer season opens Thursday. I'm so anxious to get in the woods. I absolutely love it there. I always feel closest to God when I'm in the woods. Otherwise, my health is good, PET scheduled for the 5th to be sure...
I hope you are all enjoying the fall snap. Sorry, I know you girls in FL don't get it yet. It's coming soon though. Peace and love to you all.
Will
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Outside of trusting in God, my strength lies in the knowledge of two earthly situations. The first is in my ability to change the situation at hand. If I can change it for the better then I focus on the things I need to do to effect that change. If I cannot change the situation at hand then I see it as wasted time to repeatedly ponder that I cannot change it. (Not to be confused with reconsidering whether I can make a positive change). So I put my thoughts and efforts elsewhere. The second earthly situation is that I am the emotional anchor for a number of people, who will react largely as I do. If I maintain my composure and react smoothly, they will too for the most part and not that they don't have their own inner strength, I cannot allow myself to be the root or the catalyst for them to lose their strength.
So to sum it up, If I can fix it, I can. If I can't, I don't worry about it. I draw much strength from my inner perception that I must protect those close to me, (whether they really need it or not).
Will
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Hello Phine Phriends!
Skipping through the forum. Been working a lot lately. Judy, it's good to see you still bouncing around the country. Hope you're feeling well. Hope you all are being and doing your best. I'm still doing good...well, other than just about poisoning myself with too much raw onion on my burritos the other day.
I'm still paying dearly for that. I had no idea onions could HURT so bad. 
I love you all. Have a great day!
Will
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Great to hear, Patti. You've certainly earned a positive result or several. Keeping knocking them out, Girl!
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I ain't said much about it, but my last PET scan showed my stomach wall "hot" and the radiologist said there was some "thickening" of my stomach wall as well. My oncologist did say that they had seen some false positives like this and my CEA value had remained well below normal even, so I had some hope that this was a false positive but still some worry that it wasn't, as well. Last Monday, we put the worry to bed with a endoscopic sonogram type thing. Of course, it's not 100% garanteed, nothing ever is, but the gastro doctor said everything looked perfectly healthy.
The forward plan is PET scans every three months just to be sure and this here is the real kicker...
wait for it...
Doc says that he's pretty confident in my "cure" and that I do NOT have to take any more Tarceva or anything else!
Thank You, Jesus! Amen.
Will
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Hello Friends!
Just passing through here when I really should be working. I do so have distaste for data entry though. Ugh! I'd rather still be doing the physical inspections that I now have to enter the data about. Judy, best of luck on your scan, Hun. Y'all be cool! Peace and Love!
Will
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Cool for you, Denise! Hope y'all hit it off.
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Good Morning!
With all the rain last week, I need to mow again. Getting started...
Have a great day!
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"Ann"]
You can retire to the Deep South where
1. You can rent a movie and buy bait in the same store.
2. "Y'all" is singular and "all y'all" is plural.
3. "He needed killin'" is a valid defense.
4. Everyone has 2 first names: Billy Bob, Jimmy Bob, Mary Sue, Betty Jean, Mary Beth, etc.
5. Everything is either "in yonder," "over yonder" or "out yonder." It's important to know the difference, too.
ROFL!
But, oh, so true...
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We've had rain every day but one, I think.
Judy, I saw what had happened. No big deal. Remember that the only rule for AIR is enjoyment. What title it carries or carries over, doesn't matter. I haven't a clue about your blood counts. Glad you've got the treatment behind you.
Ann, it's funny that you mention someone counting down to Christmas. I thought my wife was the only person that started that early. Along about, I dunno, December 27th, she'll start counting down the days till next Christmas.
I should've been welding on the frame for the pool cover today but I woke up with a crick in my neck and that's really not conducive to good welds on thin walled tubulars. So I've basically wasted the day...
Hope everyone has a great evening.
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Yep, had the wringer and heard the story to go with it. It was a feared machine.
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Hope you have a tolerable treatment, Judy.
I'm still paying dearly for that. I had no idea onions could HURT so bad. 
Mondays Air
in JUST FOR FUN
Posted
Hello Everyone.
I hope this finds you at your best.
Thought you might like a couple pics from recent times.
This next one is a particular favorite of mine. I consider it a special gift from God.
Love Y'all
Will