Fair Well to a Fallen Knight
This has been an un-eventful week for my status.
Lab work showed that my platelets are still up a bit from the platelet infusion for my surgery a week ago. My hemoglobin is creeping up and my white blood count is back in the “normal” range again. So, this is all good.
This coming week I will be seeing my oncologist and will be going for another Vectibix treatment at the cancer center. The rash from Vectibix is flaring up again this week which is the norm’. Seems that about 2 weeks into the last infusion, the rash makes a showing.
I continue to use the Regenecare products which seem to help not only in the temporary relief from the burning pain, but it also seem to help heal the rash.
Fair Well to a Fallen Knight;
Saturday afternoon one of the few remaining Knights of the Round Table in my life passed away from cancer and its complications.
I have been blessed to have known so many wonderful people in my life. Which very few remained in my life from childhood till this day, with all the traveling that I have done. This man was one of those people. He was also one of those men that could do in my eyes about anything.
I remember as a boy camping in Glacier National Park at Two Medicine Lakes with my family and his family. Mr. & Mrs. Dollard have 3 boys and then there was my brother and myself. Talk about a hand full. Not really, all 5 boys had such respect for Mr. Dollard and my dad that we, let say stayed in bounds.
If you needed to repair anything, build a house from the ground up, hunt, or fish for anything and catch it. A man with common sense, knowledge, integrity and an awareness of right from wrong, who valued family a friends above all else.
Mr. Charles (Bud) Dollard will be truly missed in my remaining life time. I know that he will hold a spot for me next to the best fishing hole in heaven. We will say a final fair well to this man later in the week.
Until next time YOU KEEP FIGHTING CANCER and please ENJOY THE DAY!
Monday, May 24, 2010
Sunday, May 16, 2010
You Fighting Cancer - Burzynski Treatment Week 22
A Guaranteed Smile
Update on yours truly. The hernia surgery went very well Friday. It was a very long day, but it is well worth it. The surgeon was not able to drain any fluids off my abdomen due to the high risk of the location of the fluid. So, it was decided not to take the chance of punching extra wholes in me at this time.
We started the day at 6:30a.m. and my last chance to take a drink of water until after the surgery at 5p.m. At 8a.m. we headed to the hospital for an infusion of 2 units of platelets. This worked great, and brought my platelets up from 33K to 71K for the surgery.
The way we found out that the fluids on my abdomen were located in high risk areas was via an ultrasound scan. Two technicians and one doctor finally decided not to remove any fluids at this time.
It was also directed earlier in the week that I stop all medications in order to get my platelets as high as possible. So much for that idea, since as I said earlier they were only 33K this past week. I’ve since started taking most of my supplements today and will start back up on the chemo pills on Monday this coming week.
Also, this coming week I have some lab work and recovery from the surgery and that’s it. Easy week fore sure. Interestingly enough I am not to just lay still for 2 or 3 days, but I’m to actually get up from time to time and take short walks in order to keep the scare tissue from building up. This is good; cuz just sitting around is tough for me to do as most of you know by now.
Now for that Guaranteed Smile!
For the past couple months now during my Vectibix infusion a gentleman brings by a little long haired dachshund into the cancer treatment room. It is a service that volunteers do everyday at the cancer center where I get my treatments.
It’s not so much that this dog is super special in his personality, but the fact that he is a dog that lights up the faces of the cancer patient’s within the center every time he is in the room. Prior to this dog or any of the volunteer dogs coming into the center you can see the pain in the faces of the cancer patient’s.
Some of these folks are holding on by a thread and others just starting their journey with cancer and are scared nearly to death. Yet when this little dog makes it to their chair and they get to pet him, a smile is guaranteed.
I don’t know what it is about pets that bring life back into us, but I know that they do. I see it at the cancer center and I see it at my own home with our dogs; Haylee and Padre.
If you know someone that is going through a tough health challenge and they need a guaranteed smile take your dog over to their house or better yet take them to the pet store to look at and hold a puppy. If nothing else take some fun photographs of your pet to share with them. Pets are amazing for your well being.
Puppy’s can make the world right if even for just a few short minutes. For me, God’s answer for a bad day are my two dogs, my family and my friends.
Currently reading a couple of books, but one I would like to share with you here is; Rethinking Cancer, Non-Traditional Approaches to the Theories, Treatments and Prevention of Cancer by Ruth Sackman. Ruth Sackman is the co-founder of the Foundation for Advancement in Cancer Therapy (F.A.C.T.).
In her book, she share’s some of her 30 plus years of knowledge on cancer and the fact that we (Americans) don’t focus on the cause of our cancer, but our “traditional” treatments are to address the “symptoms”. She also shares that there is no one fix for every cancer, in fact every cancer and every person is different and should be treated as such. What a great idea!
Her focus is to find the cause of your cancer and address it.
I would recommend that you read this book especially if you fit into one of these categories;
1. You don’t have cancer yet
2. You just complete traditional cancer treatments and you were told you are “cancer free”
3. You just learned you have cancer and do not what to follow the “traditional” route of chemotherapy or radiation.
Until next time – You Keep Fighting Cancer and ENJOY THE DAY!
"Guaranteed Smile", we will get to that in a minute.
Update on yours truly. The hernia surgery went very well Friday. It was a very long day, but it is well worth it. The surgeon was not able to drain any fluids off my abdomen due to the high risk of the location of the fluid. So, it was decided not to take the chance of punching extra wholes in me at this time.
We started the day at 6:30a.m. and my last chance to take a drink of water until after the surgery at 5p.m. At 8a.m. we headed to the hospital for an infusion of 2 units of platelets. This worked great, and brought my platelets up from 33K to 71K for the surgery.
The way we found out that the fluids on my abdomen were located in high risk areas was via an ultrasound scan. Two technicians and one doctor finally decided not to remove any fluids at this time.
It was also directed earlier in the week that I stop all medications in order to get my platelets as high as possible. So much for that idea, since as I said earlier they were only 33K this past week. I’ve since started taking most of my supplements today and will start back up on the chemo pills on Monday this coming week.
Also, this coming week I have some lab work and recovery from the surgery and that’s it. Easy week fore sure. Interestingly enough I am not to just lay still for 2 or 3 days, but I’m to actually get up from time to time and take short walks in order to keep the scare tissue from building up. This is good; cuz just sitting around is tough for me to do as most of you know by now.
Now for that Guaranteed Smile!
For the past couple months now during my Vectibix infusion a gentleman brings by a little long haired dachshund into the cancer treatment room. It is a service that volunteers do everyday at the cancer center where I get my treatments.
It’s not so much that this dog is super special in his personality, but the fact that he is a dog that lights up the faces of the cancer patient’s within the center every time he is in the room. Prior to this dog or any of the volunteer dogs coming into the center you can see the pain in the faces of the cancer patient’s.
Some of these folks are holding on by a thread and others just starting their journey with cancer and are scared nearly to death. Yet when this little dog makes it to their chair and they get to pet him, a smile is guaranteed.
I don’t know what it is about pets that bring life back into us, but I know that they do. I see it at the cancer center and I see it at my own home with our dogs; Haylee and Padre.
If you know someone that is going through a tough health challenge and they need a guaranteed smile take your dog over to their house or better yet take them to the pet store to look at and hold a puppy. If nothing else take some fun photographs of your pet to share with them. Pets are amazing for your well being.
Puppy’s can make the world right if even for just a few short minutes. For me, God’s answer for a bad day are my two dogs, my family and my friends.
Currently reading a couple of books, but one I would like to share with you here is; Rethinking Cancer, Non-Traditional Approaches to the Theories, Treatments and Prevention of Cancer by Ruth Sackman. Ruth Sackman is the co-founder of the Foundation for Advancement in Cancer Therapy (F.A.C.T.).
In her book, she share’s some of her 30 plus years of knowledge on cancer and the fact that we (Americans) don’t focus on the cause of our cancer, but our “traditional” treatments are to address the “symptoms”. She also shares that there is no one fix for every cancer, in fact every cancer and every person is different and should be treated as such. What a great idea!
Her focus is to find the cause of your cancer and address it.
I would recommend that you read this book especially if you fit into one of these categories;
1. You don’t have cancer yet
2. You just complete traditional cancer treatments and you were told you are “cancer free”
3. You just learned you have cancer and do not what to follow the “traditional” route of chemotherapy or radiation.
Until next time – You Keep Fighting Cancer and ENJOY THE DAY!
Sunday, May 2, 2010
You Fighting Cancer – Burzynski Treatment 20-22
Well it’s been a couple weeks since I last updated, but have a few things going on to share.
Blood counts this week showed a drop in platelets to 31. I have started taking Tykerb again which may have some effect on the platelet counts.
From the last CT Scan new fluids around my abdomen were found, which my oncologist would like to get a sample and drain, but with my platelets so low we have not done that yet. The oncologist wants to check the fluid for cancer cells. Which we know would be bad. The option that we are looking at is to give me a couple rounds of platelet infusions and go into surgery to drain the fluid. This fluid issue may also be the cause of my blood counts.
I have also had a flare up with the rash since Spring has started. I had been outside one day for just a few minutes and that’s about all it took to flare up my rash on my face, neck, and back. My back was not even exposed to the sun.
Talking with the Nurse PA, she advised me to cover up as best I can when in the sun and use the highest sun screen “lotion” I could find. The gel does not react well with the rash. So, far the lotion is not reacting very well either. It needs to be washed off as soon as possible and Regenecare put back on.
I feel from time to time to tell that not only do you have to deal with the cancer and that journey, but to tell you that you will be dealing with insurance, bills, and your work place. Though the insurance people that I talk to on the phone seem to only want to help they are limited to their company’s “policies”.
Which means in my case as I learn is not all too uncommon in a lot of peoples cases, is that for my treatment from the Burzynski clinic is not paid in any portion. The sad part is thus far the treatment seems that we are having some success even with the very low dosages of all the chemo drugs recommended. With a tumor reduction by 12% is amazing at this point. Why would an insurance company not support that?
The sad part is for the people that are not in a position to get the specialized treatment for their cancer as I am blessed with. Are you thinking that I’m promoting the new health care plan, you are wrong. Though I believe we need to do something, I do not believe the route we are taking is the correct path. The governments track record in running some things like postal services, Medicare, social security and I could go on, but will not and end this. All I can tell you is that the people that I talk to on the phone nearly every week to settle insurance issues are really very nice.
The bright side is that Summer is here in Kansas and I’m here to enjoy another day with my wife, dogs, family, and friends and is all I ever look forward to.
This brings me to a point I would like to make and try to talk about each posting and that is to Enjoy the Day and to do what we all can to reduce all “stress” from our lives. And in today’s world stress is more that abundant in most people’s lives. Though stress is not the only cause or possibility for cancer and other diseases, but I believe it is a large part of the puzzle. Your mind, body, and attitude play a very large role in this journey and how it will play out. You need to have faith, a passion for life, compassion for others, and reason to keep fighting cancer or all that you will see and go through will work on your mind and thoughts. And your mind and thoughts are just the things you need on your side and to keep positive, so guard your thoughts in this time.
Till next time You Keep Fighting Cancer and Enjoy the Day.
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