For most of you, March 9 is usually spend mourning the death of The Notorious B.I.G., or celebrating Baron Bliss day in Belize. For me March 9 will take on a new meaning as it has been confirmed as the date my tumor will be removed from my leg. I had an appointment yesterday with Dr. Monson (my surgeon) and he said everything looked good, so it was time to get the surgery on the books. At this point my tumor is barely noticeable on my leg; there is no longer much of a difference in size between my left thigh and my right, which means we've come a long way since August when a blind person could have seen the size difference.
As for the radiation, everything is still going well. I have had 9 of 25 treatments to date and I've yet to experience any side affects. Dr. Stableford did have me begin to rub aloe vera on my leg to combat any future discomfort, so I have been doing that as instructed twice a day. Aside from finishing radiation, the only other task I have before surgery is another MRI and the first comprehensive CT scan since the day of my diagnosis. This will be a CT of my chest, abdomen, and pelvis, which are the areas where Synovial Sarcoma potentially could spread, so these scans will be a part of the monitoring of my condition over the next few years. I don't expect any surprises from these scans, as the scans were clear in August which was before my successful chemotherapy treatment, but the downside is before the CT I have to drink 30 oz. of the worst tasting white paste, this stuff is tough to keep down.
All the news I have today, but hopefully shortly I will be posting about a great fundraiser some friends and I are going to put on in an effort to raise awareness and money for Sarcoma. Stay tuned!
Michael
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Radioactive Man
Good morning everyone, I hope all are safe after the snowcalypse 2011. The biggest hazard as I see it are other drivers, especially those going way too slow. Have some self confidence people!
To date I have had 3 radiation doses, with one pending later today. So far it is pretty straight forward; I go in at 8:30, they take an x-ray of my tumor, and then they zap it for about 3 minutes. You can't feel a thing, though it is crucial to stay incredibly still so that the dose hits the mark. So far I haven't felt any of the side affects, but as it accumulates I'm excited to see the sunburn that results.
It is funny, because of the snow I was the only one to make it in on Monday for treatment, and then the clinic was closed yesterday as well. I showed up this morning thinking surely they were back on schedule, but I came to find out that they were delayed until noon. I can't believe nobody else showed up for treatment despite the conditions. Isn't it worth it to drive very slowly (as the only car on the road mind you) to get to an appointment that will help rid you of cancer? The answer is clear to me.
So beyond radiation appointments through February 11th, the next big date for me is another follow up with my surgeon on January 18th. I am hoping since we have all my radiation scheduled that this will be the day that we set the surgery date. To think that we are already to this stage of the treatment reminds me of how far we've come since the beginning of August 2010.
In the mean time, enjoy the icy roads and root for those Dirty birds Saturday in the playoffs!
To date I have had 3 radiation doses, with one pending later today. So far it is pretty straight forward; I go in at 8:30, they take an x-ray of my tumor, and then they zap it for about 3 minutes. You can't feel a thing, though it is crucial to stay incredibly still so that the dose hits the mark. So far I haven't felt any of the side affects, but as it accumulates I'm excited to see the sunburn that results.
It is funny, because of the snow I was the only one to make it in on Monday for treatment, and then the clinic was closed yesterday as well. I showed up this morning thinking surely they were back on schedule, but I came to find out that they were delayed until noon. I can't believe nobody else showed up for treatment despite the conditions. Isn't it worth it to drive very slowly (as the only car on the road mind you) to get to an appointment that will help rid you of cancer? The answer is clear to me.
So beyond radiation appointments through February 11th, the next big date for me is another follow up with my surgeon on January 18th. I am hoping since we have all my radiation scheduled that this will be the day that we set the surgery date. To think that we are already to this stage of the treatment reminds me of how far we've come since the beginning of August 2010.
In the mean time, enjoy the icy roads and root for those Dirty birds Saturday in the playoffs!
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
A New Year
Happy belated new year everyone. I hope all had a safe end to their holiday season. I can only speak for myself, but I was ready to say goodbye to 2010 and start anew in 2011.
I have now officially gotten through the danger zones associated with my last round of chemo. I still can't believe that I made it through 6 rounds without a single transfusion and only one bout with neturopenic fever. As I've harped on a few times, I have been very lucky with how I've handled the chemo and its side effects.
I start radiation tomorrow, which means that for the next 25 weekdays I will be getting zapped for about 30 minutes every morning in a continued effort to shrink my tumor before surgery. Last week I had to do what is called a simulation; basically they put me on the table in the position that they will do the radiation and take a CT of my leg. They next put a bunch of marks in sharpie on my legs to help the techs line me up the exact same way every time I go in for radiation. I am under strict orders to not wash the marker off, so I have to be careful not to scrub my legs or dry them aggressively when I shower.
Also now that I have finished chemo I have begun to try and get some strength back, as I am now able to work out with weights. It was suggested by my doctors that I not use weights during chemo because of my low platelet count, which could lead to internal bleeding, so I took their advice and avoided the dumb bells for over 4 months. I can tell you it has been a rude awakening this first week in regards to how much strength I've lost, but I am confident in time I will return to my prior form. In addition to my old workout routine I have added in some lower body exercises to work the areas around my tumor. My hope is that this work will make recovery much easier after my surgery and help me get back on my feet ASAP. Since my tumor is on my abductor muscle, I have begun doing some exercises I never thought I'd see myself doing, like this one here:
Needless to say I feel a bit weird being probably one of the only men to ever use this machine at the gym, but I am willing to do whatever it takes to make the surgery easier.
As for new year's resolutions, I have actually really tried to make a concerted effort to make some and live by them this year. After getting through this first stage and beginning to look beyond treatment to life after cancer I am making a real effort to eat healthier (more veggies/fruits, less red meat) and workout more. Those are pretty cliched resolutions I know, but seeing as how I am going through a bit of a health scare and have spent my fair share of time in the hospital, trust me, you want to do whatever it takes to not spend days/nights at the hospital.
The next post will be after a few rounds of radiation, so hopefully I won't suffer too much from fatigue, which is rumored to be the main side affect. In the mean time, I wish everyone luck on living up to their resolutions!
Michael
I have now officially gotten through the danger zones associated with my last round of chemo. I still can't believe that I made it through 6 rounds without a single transfusion and only one bout with neturopenic fever. As I've harped on a few times, I have been very lucky with how I've handled the chemo and its side effects.
I start radiation tomorrow, which means that for the next 25 weekdays I will be getting zapped for about 30 minutes every morning in a continued effort to shrink my tumor before surgery. Last week I had to do what is called a simulation; basically they put me on the table in the position that they will do the radiation and take a CT of my leg. They next put a bunch of marks in sharpie on my legs to help the techs line me up the exact same way every time I go in for radiation. I am under strict orders to not wash the marker off, so I have to be careful not to scrub my legs or dry them aggressively when I shower.
Also now that I have finished chemo I have begun to try and get some strength back, as I am now able to work out with weights. It was suggested by my doctors that I not use weights during chemo because of my low platelet count, which could lead to internal bleeding, so I took their advice and avoided the dumb bells for over 4 months. I can tell you it has been a rude awakening this first week in regards to how much strength I've lost, but I am confident in time I will return to my prior form. In addition to my old workout routine I have added in some lower body exercises to work the areas around my tumor. My hope is that this work will make recovery much easier after my surgery and help me get back on my feet ASAP. Since my tumor is on my abductor muscle, I have begun doing some exercises I never thought I'd see myself doing, like this one here:
Needless to say I feel a bit weird being probably one of the only men to ever use this machine at the gym, but I am willing to do whatever it takes to make the surgery easier.
As for new year's resolutions, I have actually really tried to make a concerted effort to make some and live by them this year. After getting through this first stage and beginning to look beyond treatment to life after cancer I am making a real effort to eat healthier (more veggies/fruits, less red meat) and workout more. Those are pretty cliched resolutions I know, but seeing as how I am going through a bit of a health scare and have spent my fair share of time in the hospital, trust me, you want to do whatever it takes to not spend days/nights at the hospital.
The next post will be after a few rounds of radiation, so hopefully I won't suffer too much from fatigue, which is rumored to be the main side affect. In the mean time, I wish everyone luck on living up to their resolutions!
Michael
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas everyone, sorry for the delay since discharge. As many of you know Christmas came a few days early for me in 2010, when on Wednesday the 22nd I was discharged from my 6th and final round of chemotherapy treatment. The last cycle went really well and my family and I are just so thankful that it is all over and we can move on to the next stage of the treatment plan.
As I look back on the 38 days I spent in the hospital since Labor Day Weekend, I really can't believe the end came so quickly. I can remember when I was about to be admitted for my first cycle, thinking man Christmas seems so far off in the future. I can honestly say that without such great family, friends, and coworkers, this journey would have been that much more difficult and lonely.
During this last treatment I was approached by the nursing staff to spend some time with another young sarcoma patient. There was a young man on my floor who was having a lot of problems with both the physical and mental aspects of chemo. He lived over 2 hours from Emory and his family couldn't afford to take off work days, so he spent a lot his treatment alone in his room wondering what would become of him after all of this. On Monday when I first talked to him it was one of the most sobbering things I've seen since beginning treatment. The poor kid had lost probably 75 pounds and was fighting back tears as we made small talk. I realized during this how fortunate I have been not only for the way my body has reacted to the treatments, but also how I have had so much help mitigating the emotional/mental aspects as well.
As we continued to visit you could see his spirits improve, and over the next few days he would come over and just hang out in my room to avoid being all alone, which I was happy to cater to. The good news is like in my case, his treatment was actually proceeding quite well, and his chances of being back to normal come summer are as good as mine. When I think about him now I am reminded how lucky I am, but also how even the little things (like just lettting him sit in my room in silence) can make all the difference for a lonely patient. When I said farewell on Wednesday I promised him I would visit during his next cycle, so hopefully I can continue to help him where I can as he fights this tough battle.
It is fitting that the end of chemo coincides with the end of 2010, so I can close the book on both and look to a new start in 2011. Radiation is going to start on January 6, so for 25 weekdays after that I will basically have the equivalent of a dental cleaning every morning. When compared to nearly 40 days and nights of hospital time, that seems like a piece of cake, but what do I know right?
Merry Christmas again to everyone, and thank you all so much for playing such a huge roll in my fight against sarcoma. I really mean it when I say I couldn't have gotten to this point without all your support!
As I look back on the 38 days I spent in the hospital since Labor Day Weekend, I really can't believe the end came so quickly. I can remember when I was about to be admitted for my first cycle, thinking man Christmas seems so far off in the future. I can honestly say that without such great family, friends, and coworkers, this journey would have been that much more difficult and lonely.
During this last treatment I was approached by the nursing staff to spend some time with another young sarcoma patient. There was a young man on my floor who was having a lot of problems with both the physical and mental aspects of chemo. He lived over 2 hours from Emory and his family couldn't afford to take off work days, so he spent a lot his treatment alone in his room wondering what would become of him after all of this. On Monday when I first talked to him it was one of the most sobbering things I've seen since beginning treatment. The poor kid had lost probably 75 pounds and was fighting back tears as we made small talk. I realized during this how fortunate I have been not only for the way my body has reacted to the treatments, but also how I have had so much help mitigating the emotional/mental aspects as well.
As we continued to visit you could see his spirits improve, and over the next few days he would come over and just hang out in my room to avoid being all alone, which I was happy to cater to. The good news is like in my case, his treatment was actually proceeding quite well, and his chances of being back to normal come summer are as good as mine. When I think about him now I am reminded how lucky I am, but also how even the little things (like just lettting him sit in my room in silence) can make all the difference for a lonely patient. When I said farewell on Wednesday I promised him I would visit during his next cycle, so hopefully I can continue to help him where I can as he fights this tough battle.
It is fitting that the end of chemo coincides with the end of 2010, so I can close the book on both and look to a new start in 2011. Radiation is going to start on January 6, so for 25 weekdays after that I will basically have the equivalent of a dental cleaning every morning. When compared to nearly 40 days and nights of hospital time, that seems like a piece of cake, but what do I know right?
Merry Christmas again to everyone, and thank you all so much for playing such a huge roll in my fight against sarcoma. I really mean it when I say I couldn't have gotten to this point without all your support!
Saturday, December 18, 2010
One Day Delay
Morning everyone, I hope all are enjoying the last weekend before the holidays. It has been pretty dang cold here in Atlanta, which is compounded of course by the fact that I am totally without fur save on my arms; luckily I won't be going outside until next Wednesday.
So as you all know I was scheduled to be admitted Thursday morning, but due to the treatment being pushed up 4 days from the normal schedule, my platelets hadn't received the memo and they weren't quite high enough for me to start. Luckily, they were high enough though that I was able to start on Friday, so one day is no big deal. I feel sorry for another guy who is literally on the same schedule as me, about to start his last treatment, and he ended up being delayed for the same reason until Monday, so I feel bad for him, especially since I almost suffered the same fate.
So far so good though here in day 2. I can't tell you how much easier it is to deal with the daily routine here when you know you won't ever have to do it again. As excited as I am, it is a little bittersweet to say goodbye to the great nursing staff over here. I have really gotten to know all the ladies up here in unit 71, and I am definitely going to try and stay in touch as, they have such a difficult job that goes without a lot of glory and praise.
Fun fact I learned this week about cancer: for you guys out there, statistically you have a better chance of getting male breast cancer than you do a synovial sarcoma (which is pretty dang low), so please don't forget to keep an eye on those man boobs!
Until next time from my penthouse suite at Emory Midtown!
So as you all know I was scheduled to be admitted Thursday morning, but due to the treatment being pushed up 4 days from the normal schedule, my platelets hadn't received the memo and they weren't quite high enough for me to start. Luckily, they were high enough though that I was able to start on Friday, so one day is no big deal. I feel sorry for another guy who is literally on the same schedule as me, about to start his last treatment, and he ended up being delayed for the same reason until Monday, so I feel bad for him, especially since I almost suffered the same fate.
So far so good though here in day 2. I can't tell you how much easier it is to deal with the daily routine here when you know you won't ever have to do it again. As excited as I am, it is a little bittersweet to say goodbye to the great nursing staff over here. I have really gotten to know all the ladies up here in unit 71, and I am definitely going to try and stay in touch as, they have such a difficult job that goes without a lot of glory and praise.
Fun fact I learned this week about cancer: for you guys out there, statistically you have a better chance of getting male breast cancer than you do a synovial sarcoma (which is pretty dang low), so please don't forget to keep an eye on those man boobs!
Until next time from my penthouse suite at Emory Midtown!
Monday, December 13, 2010
Ahead Of Schedule?
Good afternoon everyone, I hope all had a great weekend!
It was really nice to be back at work today after a long quarantine last week. It was Wednesday afternoon when my doctor called to tell me that my immune system had dropped to the point where I was extremely susceptible to infection. Not wanting to risk getting the flu or pneumonia I worked from home from Wednesday afternoon until the end of the week; it just isn't worth the risk this time of year to be around so many people and potentially end up in the hospital for 3 days- right before I'm going to be there for 6. I was hoping my white counts would bounce back before the weekend, but they dropped even lower on Friday when I went in for labs; a bit of a weekend buzz kill. All told between Wednesday afternoon and Monday morning I left my house exactly once, so it was a pretty slow weekend.
I had a radiology consult today, where my doctor pushed up the beginning of my radiation treatments to 12/27 which was great news. In my head I had assumed that radiation wouldn't start until sometime after the new year, which meant it wouldn't end until potentially late February, and then you take a month off before surgery so best case I was looking at surgery sometime in mid March. Now that we are starting in December, I feel like I was just given about 3 weeks of my spring, so I am very excited about this turn of events. I think a lot is due to how well I've handled the chemo, so they aren't scared to just jump right into the next step. So now we are looking at radiation going until the end of January and then surgery at the very beginning of March, this would hopefully put me back on my feet fully recovered by the beginning of April, just in time for The Masters.
So here we are only a few days before beginning the 6th and final chemo treatment. I can't believe it is nearly over after already logging 37 hospital days, I'm only 6 away from being done. I am confident this week will go well as my attitude will be even better than normal knowing that it is the last go around. Even more exciting is that approx. 2 month from next Tuesday I will begin to see some hair grow back! While the convenience associated with being bald has been nice, I'm more than ready to have a head of hair to deal with. Now that I know what my head looks like, I definitely may consider a bald cut down the line, but in the mean time I'm going to grow these locks as long as they are appropriate in the business world. I am deciding between two iconic hair styles to wear as I welcome myself back to the haired world:
1. The feathered look of 80's movie bullies:
2. The "Legends of the Fall" Brad Pitt look:
Such tough decisions!
It was really nice to be back at work today after a long quarantine last week. It was Wednesday afternoon when my doctor called to tell me that my immune system had dropped to the point where I was extremely susceptible to infection. Not wanting to risk getting the flu or pneumonia I worked from home from Wednesday afternoon until the end of the week; it just isn't worth the risk this time of year to be around so many people and potentially end up in the hospital for 3 days- right before I'm going to be there for 6. I was hoping my white counts would bounce back before the weekend, but they dropped even lower on Friday when I went in for labs; a bit of a weekend buzz kill. All told between Wednesday afternoon and Monday morning I left my house exactly once, so it was a pretty slow weekend.
I had a radiology consult today, where my doctor pushed up the beginning of my radiation treatments to 12/27 which was great news. In my head I had assumed that radiation wouldn't start until sometime after the new year, which meant it wouldn't end until potentially late February, and then you take a month off before surgery so best case I was looking at surgery sometime in mid March. Now that we are starting in December, I feel like I was just given about 3 weeks of my spring, so I am very excited about this turn of events. I think a lot is due to how well I've handled the chemo, so they aren't scared to just jump right into the next step. So now we are looking at radiation going until the end of January and then surgery at the very beginning of March, this would hopefully put me back on my feet fully recovered by the beginning of April, just in time for The Masters.
So here we are only a few days before beginning the 6th and final chemo treatment. I can't believe it is nearly over after already logging 37 hospital days, I'm only 6 away from being done. I am confident this week will go well as my attitude will be even better than normal knowing that it is the last go around. Even more exciting is that approx. 2 month from next Tuesday I will begin to see some hair grow back! While the convenience associated with being bald has been nice, I'm more than ready to have a head of hair to deal with. Now that I know what my head looks like, I definitely may consider a bald cut down the line, but in the mean time I'm going to grow these locks as long as they are appropriate in the business world. I am deciding between two iconic hair styles to wear as I welcome myself back to the haired world:
1. The feathered look of 80's movie bullies:
2. The "Legends of the Fall" Brad Pitt look:
Such tough decisions!
Monday, December 6, 2010
The Home Stretch
Greetings!
Well finally after a cozy and luxurious 6 day stay I was discharged from Emory Midtown this past Saturday afternoon. Being ahead of schedule apparently isn't a big deal on the weekend, because with only one Dr. doing rounds across two hospitals, I ended up delayed by 4 hours. No matter how anxious I am in that situation, I always try to realize that the reason I'm not being dealt with is because sicker patients are receiving care. Would I rather be one of the guys the Dr. has to treat for four hours, or would I rather watch tv and wait? I will take the latter all day.
So here we are with just one treatment left, I usually hope that the week(s) between cycles go slowly so I can enjoy the time and food on the outside. It is different this time though, because I would check in tomorrow morning if that meant I would be done for good the following Sunday. As usual the big issue to avoid this week is infection. I am enjoying some time at the office early this week until my white blood counts dive into the danger zone, in which case I will quarantine myself at home to avoid the dreaded fever.
Due to how well I've handled treatment, I have had the luxury of maintaining a fairly normal life between cycle, which not many Sarcoma patients can also say sadly. Though this normal life has included a variety of exceptions, mainly involving not being around crowds nor consuming alcohol (which are often done at the same time/place). My quarantine from these activities will be over very shortly though, and I am looking forward to my first beer since August 7th (not that I was keeping track). Despite my excitement for that first beer, I have thought long and hard about drinking & bars since my diagnosis. After having had some of the most toxic substances known to man go through my heart, kidneys, and liver since September, the last thing I want to do is cause anymore strain on my body by filling it with booze. Of course it is tough when going to bars is still the common entertainment choice for people of my age and social group. Regardless, I am committed to a healthier lifestyle going forward, I mean after all I spent all this time effort and money to keep this body upright, the least I can do is treat it with some respect and try to make it last. It will be a difficult transition to not be living it up with friends as much, but in the end I think I might just enjoy the journey more so by taking this path. Who knows?
Michael
Well finally after a cozy and luxurious 6 day stay I was discharged from Emory Midtown this past Saturday afternoon. Being ahead of schedule apparently isn't a big deal on the weekend, because with only one Dr. doing rounds across two hospitals, I ended up delayed by 4 hours. No matter how anxious I am in that situation, I always try to realize that the reason I'm not being dealt with is because sicker patients are receiving care. Would I rather be one of the guys the Dr. has to treat for four hours, or would I rather watch tv and wait? I will take the latter all day.
So here we are with just one treatment left, I usually hope that the week(s) between cycles go slowly so I can enjoy the time and food on the outside. It is different this time though, because I would check in tomorrow morning if that meant I would be done for good the following Sunday. As usual the big issue to avoid this week is infection. I am enjoying some time at the office early this week until my white blood counts dive into the danger zone, in which case I will quarantine myself at home to avoid the dreaded fever.
Due to how well I've handled treatment, I have had the luxury of maintaining a fairly normal life between cycle, which not many Sarcoma patients can also say sadly. Though this normal life has included a variety of exceptions, mainly involving not being around crowds nor consuming alcohol (which are often done at the same time/place). My quarantine from these activities will be over very shortly though, and I am looking forward to my first beer since August 7th (not that I was keeping track). Despite my excitement for that first beer, I have thought long and hard about drinking & bars since my diagnosis. After having had some of the most toxic substances known to man go through my heart, kidneys, and liver since September, the last thing I want to do is cause anymore strain on my body by filling it with booze. Of course it is tough when going to bars is still the common entertainment choice for people of my age and social group. Regardless, I am committed to a healthier lifestyle going forward, I mean after all I spent all this time effort and money to keep this body upright, the least I can do is treat it with some respect and try to make it last. It will be a difficult transition to not be living it up with friends as much, but in the end I think I might just enjoy the journey more so by taking this path. Who knows?
Michael
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