Beating Cancer

“Best of luck Rich.

There are still plenty of hikers to meet, like me for one, so stick around and get well.”

“Looking forward to hearing your new voice, Rich!
without that crazeee accent...
:)

Good luck and heal quickly. I'll be waiting for the trip report...
last edited: 6/20/06 8:08:20 AM”

“Prayers have been said for you, your family, and those who are taking care of you.”

“12 hours is a long surgery...I'll be keeping you in my thoughts RichB.

AmyG”

“Hugs and lots of prayers!!!!!”

“More Positive thoughts are going your way from the West! There's just too much positive energy headed your way for you to do anything but heal...

SO... I'm planning on seeing you out there on the trail!

No Excuses acceptable... let's GO HIKING!”

“You'll surely be in my thoughts and prayers, and Godspeed on your recovery Rich.”

“Wow... You're in my prayers, Rich.”

“Any Word?”

“bearmagnet,

See the thread titled "Rich B - Surgery 6-20-06"”

“Got the email today that I knew was coming from my dad. It sounds like a minor case of prostate cancer (is there a minor or major type? I dont know). His brother went through this 2 years back. Its not the cancer that concerns me so much rather his overall health and how that will effect his treatment and recovery. He's been obese his whole life, at points he was over 400lbs, Prolly 350 now. I just heard a study about obesity and reoccurences (sp) of prostate cancer, its not good. Time will tell.”

“Scary stuff. Good luck and best wishes.”

“Birch, I hope everything works out OK for your dad. I'm not sure about major or minor cases with prostate cancer, but with the majority of cancers, you want to find and deal with them at the primary site and not after they spread to lymph nodes and invade other parts of the body. When that happens treatment is more difficult and usually involves more than just surgery to eliminate it.

I know a few people that had prostate cancer before it spread outside the prostate and all are doing well.

There's new surgery now being used for prostate cancer that can remove the prostate in a less invasive way. It's called robotic prostatectomy. Even radiation seeds have worked for some patients.”

“my uncle had the radiation seed, it worked well. My dad cant have (or has been advised against) the radiation due to his obesity and overall health. Thanks for the encouragement.”

“Minor might mean it was caught early? In any case,it sucks but I'm sure all will go well. Positive is the only way to be.”

“Hi. I'm drunk.

Damn. I Hate Sleeve Badges. I've tried to avoid them. Everyone could wear a badge so what the #&%!$ is the point?

I go for a CT scan in about 8hrs. I hate thinking about it. I despise it. Going just brings back the memories. Memories of a bad dream. Do you know what that's like? It's been 4 Months. It's my first trip since I've gone into "remission". It's my first trip back.

It sucks. I don't really use my car any more. I use it to get to the hospital or out of town.

I'm in "remission" but Dani is prepared for the worse. She doesn't want to be "surprised" again. She doesn't want to be blind sided by a bad diagnosis. I don't blame her.

And I am confident that I kicked Cancers ass. But there is always that doubt. No matter how small, the doubt is there. Kind of sucks, no? I try to ignore it but sometimes it gnaws at me.

But you know what? I may die tomorrow but I won. I met Dani. Fell in Love with her and married her. After searching for 39 years I found my perfect match.

I won.”

“BM. Hope for the best for you.”

“Good luck with the the test. Going to be tested for cancer does suck, but don't worry until you have to otherwise you'll just drive yourself crazy.”

“"No matter how small, the doubt is there. Kind of sucks, no?"...I don't get nervous for me but for all the people who love me...like Bill and my family...since I just went through a nightmare trip (yes, you have cancer and you're gonna die...next day, no you don't) you , and anyone else who has to deal with those check-ups, has my sympathy...good luck BM”

“good karma to you, dude”

“Hang in there Bearmag. Stay possitive.





Hey RichB, I've been thinking about you. How's your recovery going?”

“BM is likely at the doc now. Prayers for bm.”

“Good luck, Bearmagnet.”

“Sass, Recovery is going as I expected from the start. The surgery in my neck didn't heal and as a result when I tried swallowing, food and liquids were leaking out of the stitch line in my neck to the outside through what's called a fistula. It got infected, but that cleared up with antibiotics and I started hyperbaric oxygen therapy a few weeks ago to heal the wounds. I have 7 more treatments left, but it seems to be working and the wound looks better at least from what I can see on the outside. Next Thursday, if I swallow with no leaks, my feeding tube will come out and I'll be on my own to eat and drink again. I've had the feeding tube now for over 2 months and am tired of it so hopefully it'll be gone next week. I still can't talk and have no voice at all. After the leaking problem is solved, I need another surgery to create a puncture between my airway and esophagus where the doctor will insert a prosthetic device like one way valve so I can speak again. I'm hoping that wound heals with no leaks. It should be small so it probably will. While he's in there, he has to use a laser on my tongue base to remove some precancerous lesions. I'm hoping this next surgery will take place no later than mid September mostly because I want these lesions out before they become a problem, get bigger or turn into cancer.

Despite all that, I feel pretty good and expect to feel better once I can start eating and drinking on my own. I got used to liquid nutrition, but there's nothing like real food.”

“Thanks all. Scans Suck but I survived. Fasting, including liquids, and then driving to the Hospital really sucks ass. Still groggy from lack of food and caffeine.

Rich - Would Whiskey help those infections? :D Here's to a quick recovery.

You know, I'm a dumbass. We get to the hospital and I head to the PET Scan Floor. Dani stopped me and we squabbled over which Scan I was getting. She shoved the order in front of me - CT with Contrast. It's a Full Body scan, too

#&%!$! What a horrible "surprise". To those who don't know a PET involves radioactive Sugar injected into a vein. Piece-o-cake. Full body CT scan with contrast means I have to chug @ a quart of chalky "berry flavored" Barium, get a Barium enema, and a Barium IV. All on an empty stomach.

Although the technician was a Jamaican Hottie, I had a hard time relaxing my butt muscles. I was so psychologically unprepared.

Of course, after the 30 minute procedure I need to find a restroom and it's not gonna be pretty. I pass on the one right outside the scan rooms because of all the activity around it. The next one is a little more secluded and has been my room of choice before.

And I think I've had 3 or 4 trips to our bathroom since. Just spewing radioactive garbage out my bum. :D


MHH - I signed the consent form and the damage/death odds stuck out like never before. 1-40,000 for death are nice odds but for the first time I sat on that table worried. Dani was in the waiting room. What if I died on the table and never saw here again? How long would it be before they realized she was out there? Leaving her like that would suck, to say the least.”

“Thanks for the update RichB.”

“My Barium solution tasted a little like orange juice. They then gave me another glass of it after the quart, plus they injected something into my blood, while doing the scans.

Second scan shows things improving. Next scan in about 30 days.”

“bm, you are addicted to trailtalk. no way id be on here after having gone thru all that. id be curled up in the fetal position on the couch sucking my thumb. stay tough, dude”

“Glad you got the results you were hoping for and it's very touching to see how much you're in love.”

“LOL CB! There are way worse things than Barium Baths. ;)”

“was the barium enema also berry flavored?”

“Hey BM:

Funniest thing is you told us it was a CT scan! I guess getting drunk does help you forget.

I hope the results are good. I can imagine the stress - I just get blood draws and the whole thing gets to me some times - especially the waiting, and when the results were equivocal, I freaked out.

I've done some barium swallows - so I know the taste.

Slim: I'm glad to hear things are improving.

RichB: I'm glad you're staying positive. I devoted some time when I was on the N-P trail to thinking about you and trying to send some good things your way (not sure if it works - but it always makes me feel better).”

“I guess I was lucky. I had to get a CT last week and only had to get the iodine injection for contrast. Which sucked - made my hands feel like they were on fire and it made me feel like I had just pissed myself. My results are supposed to be in next week so my anxiety levels are up until then. Probably not cancer in my case, but I'm sure that's one possibility they are looking at.

Prayers to you and Dani.”

“ped - I probably wanted to block it out. ;)

tech - why did you get a CT scan scheduled? I got that warm hands/pissed pants feeling the first time. Along with the metallic taste. But haven't really experienced it since.”

“Oh yeah, also that metallic taste. Kind of pissed me off that the tech didn't tell me that ANY of that stuff was going to happen, I only expected it because I read up on CT's before I went.

I've had issues with sudden out-of-breath episodes while at rest for about 6 years now. So far I've had blood work twice, standard chest x-ray twice, some kind of radiological injection w/x-ray to view lung function, exercise test w/the meter they force you to breath through, several EKG's, and 2-day Halter monitor test which is basically a portable EKG that monitors you 24/7. And two brief unofficial pulsox tests, the one where the red light is clamped on your finger.

And so far every test has come back "you're a normal X year-old". Except the pulsox which shows a large drop in my oxy saturation from 98 to 92 percent when I'm out of breath. Did them myself when I was visiting others that had them bedside but taken off (the nurses had taken them off, not me!). And finally the latest chest X-ray when they said they saw "an area of interest" which necessitated the CT scan. With prodding they still wouldn't say if it was just a blurry area or if they actually saw something.

Thus my anxiety. After 6 years of not knowing what the hell is going on I'll actually be half happy if they DO find something on the CT scan!”

“Damn. That would freak me out, especially for 6yrs! Good luck.”

“"was the barium enema also berry flavored?”
sacco
12:15:12 PM
8/23/06

Maybe dingleberry!”

“Wow. I missed that comment. I think I need a drink.......”

“Bear, that sounded like quite a CT scan with swallowing all that barium. I never had one like that, but had a bad allergic reaction to the contrast dye injection so I don't get them now. MRI injections don't bother me so I don't know what happened with the CT injection. I hope everything works out for you.

Ped, thanks for the good thoughts on your trip. It must have worked because like I said, I feel pretty good.

Techntrek, I hope you get some good news from your test and you feel well again soon.”

“What's really odd is that I itch. That last few days I've itched cause of skeeters in the backyard. Today I itch and I'm not so sure I can attribute it to skeeters. In fact there are no bite welts were I'm itching. I hope its psychosomatic. It's kind of freaking me out. This #&%!$ sucks. Guess I'll have to call my Dr. Tomorrow.

God I hope it's paranoia.”

“That's what happened when I had an allergic reaction to the CT scan dye. Severe itching and rash all over. It lasted a week and I had to go on steroids to cope with it. It was horrible and drove me nuts.”

“I quite like Barium myself...LOL...but, I usually have injections so don't have the pleasure of gulping down Barium...I remember thinking it was like a milkshake when was hungry...RichB, I don't know that I'd put myself through what you have..we all make our choices...just reading about your present experience reminds me of months of throat pain where even breathing was agony...

techntrek...it's a drag when diagnoses are so hard...this is why I'm grateful to live near the Mayo Clinic...they specialize in solving just that sort of problem...I think it's cause they work as a team...”

“BM- I am humbled by your bravery and modesty.”

“Hold the Mayo, please!

Bearmagnet, I will be in Adams Morgan tomorrow to drown some sorrows with my very dearest and oldest of friends.

How YOU doin'?”

“Incessant itching is also an early symptom of Hodgkins. My first symptom and one I ignored for months.........and months. Been avoiding itching around Dani. It's centered around my ankles.

Also have a tiny fluid filled blister on my wrist. Only had those during chemo.

Just got off the phone with my Dr's Nurse Coordinator. She was unaware that itching was an early symptom. Neck scan is negative. That's all they have so far. My appointments been bumped up for tomorrow, just to ease my mind.

MarkO - I think I might be up for Adams Morgan Tomorrow. You got my cell?

Jack - any "bravery" on my part is a front fueled by alcohol. :D”

“"Bravery" is exactly what I had in mind.

Where once there were three of us, now there are but two.

I have your number......___ 492 ____, eh?

My friend lives in upper N.W. and we will be using public transportation to be on the safe side....ha ha!!

I'll be there sometime in early afternoon and give you a ringy-dingy.

Your sense of humor and youth would be a nice addition to an otherwise solemn occasion!”

“Matahari, I didn't have much choice in the matter. It was either sign the consent form and go through with the surgery or go home to die. I was already sick and in the dying stage at that point and didn't like the feeling at all so when my doctor told me he can fix it, then I'm taking the opportunity and running with it. I'm glad I did because like I said before despite a couple glitches that I expected anyway, I feel pretty good and things will only get better as long as the cancer doesn't have the nerve to come back and attack my new throat. My new throat feels better than my old one and after having throat pain since 1999, now I have none. I glad my old throat is in some research lab being used to find cures for cancer. Good riddence to what was left of it anyway. While I lost some function in some areas I gained some in others. My mouth isn't as dry as it was since I don't breathe out of my nose and mouth so my eating should be better and less chance of tooth decay. More comfortable too without my mouth as dry as it was. I don't cough my brains out like before because I can't choke on food or saliva like before. I'll get a voice back and my old voice wasn't that great anyway so that might be about even in that department. Neck breathing isn't as good as nose and mouth breathing and requires more maintenence than just blowing your nose to clear things out, but there are ways around the pitfalls. I made a device to breathe through that uses 1/8" open cell foam and sewed a small envelope to enclose the foam using mosquito netting with a neck strap made of nylon. The foam dampened with a little water helps humidify the airway to keep mucus levels down and filters air before it enters. It also adds resistance to keep my lungs strong since neck breathing has no resistance compared to air drawn through the throat and nose. The thing works great and I've been out hiking with it and so far I'm hiking no different than before.

The bottom line is never quit if you have options. Most times things seem worse than they are and you can always find ways around almost anything.
last edited: 8/24/06 10:18:37 AM”

“Thanks for the well-wishes. Hopefully I'll get some good news on Tuesday.”

“MarkO - 'scuse my slowness. If y'all are having a solem thang then I wouldn't want to intrude.”

“Bearmagnet, its not all that solemn.
Maybe that's a poor word choice.
This will be more a celebration of life and staying connected and I thought you would be up for that what with your new lease on life.
Besides, you could slap us around if necessary with your swift wit and I'm bettin' you know your way around Adams Morgan better than a couple of guys who haven't really hung out there in the last twenty years.
I'll let you know if my pal feels any differently, but I think he would like you and your company has always been good.”