Hello! It’s been another 2 weeks and this time there has not been much to report on.
I can announce that I have gotten through the radiation treatment plan for my lower left back issues. My experience with this go around was MUCH better than the last two efforts that I reported on.
This time I had machine #2 (the new one) and not the 20 year old #1. That may have had everything to do with it. The only hassle was having to come to the hospital every day again for 12 straight week days.
I have also had to deal with blood thinning issues. My doctors want the test called the “PT/INR” to be between 2.0 and 3.0. (Normal people have blood “thickness” at around 1.0). So… they give you a medicine called Cumadin (don’t check my spellings of all these drugs… Just sound them out…) which is a long term maintenance drug. But because it is just that, maintenance, they need to jump start it with something called Luvanox, which is administered daily via (2) shots in the belly. This typically only goes on for 2-3 days, then you can just maintain with Cumadin. 2 ½ weeks later (and close to 40 shots in my belly) I am still only at 1.78! My waistline looks like a navigation chart of the galaxies. Fortunate they told me they are stopping the shots and just amping up the Cumadin in hopes of reaching the levels anyway.
Having daily shots administered at the hospital would normally be a burden but I was coming here for radiation anyway. And the timing of the halt of the shots luckily coincided with the radiation ending, so only the last two weekends were really impacted. I had to come in both Saturday and Sunday the last two weekends for the shots…
I confess, I was really tired of all the shots, the blood tests to see how stubborn my blood was being, plus all the other regular sicks and pokes for testing, chemo, etc… I am a human pin cushion. My arms are all bruised, and I probably look like some kind of junkie.
New topic: My hair is growing back weakly for some reason. I have also now added a goatee (because I can – call it a personal hair protest). My friends say I look like a mean/tough drill sergeant. Not the look I was hoping for or trying to convey. I don’t feel very tough these days. I fact, I have never been weaker in my life…
Other news: Channel 4 CBS did an interview with Dr. Tate and me due to that successful back surgery I did 8 weeks ago. It had been the first in South Florida and I guess the hospital pushed it as a PR piece that the Local News picked up. I must warn you so you won’t be too alarmed that my head appears to have swollen up the size of a Volkswagon. It is due to this Decadron steroid that I take (this is the same stuff that makes my legs weak and has turned my into an over-emotional person. I have to get off this stuff and hope to start weaning off it now that the radiation is done).
Anyway, if you are interested in seeing a video of the interview, here’s a link to it (copy and paste into your browser...):
http://cbs4.com/video/?id=41722@wfor.dayport.com&cid=5
If that doesn’t work, type this into their search field and it should pull up “Special Surgery Helps Spine Injury Victim”
The interview has turned me into a semi-celebrity at the hospital among the staff, with strange nurses and doctors saying Hi and congratulating me. Who knew cancer would lead to my 15 minutes of fame!
Our move efforts have been busy but pretty unproductive. Amy went of the first trip without me (I had to back out due to the new radiation plan requiring my daily presesnce…). She found about 8 homes she really liked and we are scheduling another trip for me to go back. Meanwhile we are trying to get our relocation outfit to get our house on the market. It has been a bit of a struggle with them and the realtors. Our home is in a very tough neighborhood to comp due to its size and location and the realtors can’t agree on a market price. This has become frustrating and we are really trying very hard to let God work this out for us and not keep trying to pull it back and worry about it. Especially since regardless where we can sell our home for, we will make a nice chunk of equity we didn’t have before. Its all God’s money anyway, right??? I read yesterday, very appropriately in Hebrews 13…
5Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
"Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you."[a] 6So we say with confidence,
"The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?"[b]
More on that in another blog.
In closing, I can report that I have been feeling pretty good over these last two weeks. Especially given the circumstance: Radiation AND Chemo… I have only really been fighting the fatigue from the radiation. Now that that’s done, I expect that I should be feeling much better as its cumulative effects wear off over the next 2-3 weeks.
Despite that my routine complaint is that “I am sick of being sick”, I definitely feel like I am getting off pretty easy compared to many of the horror stories I hear about in different support group settings and in the books I read. I thank and praise God for that. I know your all’s prayers are working! Please keep them going!
I’ll end on my all time favorite bible verse that seems so appropriate for a situation that demands a day to day out look and approach… It is also from Hebrews:
Hebrews 12: 1-11
1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
4In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons:
"My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
6because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."[a]
7Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? 8If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. 9Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! 10Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. 11No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
You all are my “cloud of witness” that is mentioned in verse 1. And I love you all for that.
Love, in Christ,
Eric
Friday, October 26, 2007
Monday, October 8, 2007
On the Move and Great News! 10/8/07
Unlike the last blog, a LOT has happened in the last two weeks for me. Some good, some bad, but overall, I have some outstanding news to pass on at the end.
For starters, the work situation has finally sorted itself out and we have some news that may be shocking: We are moving! After being in South Florida for almost 11 ½ years, my company is transferring us to Chicago. As of January 1, 2008, I will be the District Sales Manager of Chicago and Milwaukee areas (what comprises the “Chicago District”) for all of the sales functions: New Construction, Modernization and Service Sales.
We are very excited about this opportunity and the fact that we are returning home (but nowhere near as much as our parents are… especially my mom). We are also a bit nervous about the timing of a move given my treatments and what I am going through, but we feel strongly that God has a new season planned for us. He has always provided for this family in abundance and we know He will guide us through this, as well. We had turned this situation over to Him (and took it back many times, I promise you…) as much as any decision we ever have and have peace in it. We have already started working hard getting the house ready to show. And I’ll keep you updated on our house hunting.
Next up is the drama of last week…
The weekend was a full one. My brother, Scott, was visiting from Austin, TX, and Amy, mom and dad, were working hard on painting the kitchen cabinets and adding new door pulls, de-cluttering shelves, packing boxes to take to storage (to make the house seem bigger). On Sunday afternoon I was feeling good and helped reinstall door pulls and even installed a new cook top and was definitely pushing myself as far as I ever had with regard to bending over and working, but I truly needed to contribute. I was feeling emasculated just sitting on the couch all weekend while everyone else was working. Especially since so much of this stuff I have done in the past and even like to do… I went to bed Sunday feeling really tired but really good about finally contributing to the house prep.
Monday was an OK day physically and I was both excited and nervous about Tuesday a.m., when I would finally have my very first Aquatic Physical Therapy appointment, having had to cancel and postpone the first planned start after my last emergency hospital visit. Then Tuesday a.m. came and I awoke with a LOT of lower back pain on my lower left side. I probably should have stayed home, but I was determined NOT to miss this appointment. I went and told the therapist about the new low back pain and we went VERY easy. The appointment went awesome, but afterwards, the pain was now ramping up. I struggled home and couldn’t even get dressed. I lay in bed all day monitoring work via e-mail and phone and trying to use ice packs and pain meds to manage the pain that was still growing. By 5pm, I couldn’t get out of bed or even walk without Amy’s help. By 7pm, there was no way for me to lay, sit, or stand without pain, regardless of the amount of pain meds I took. It was frightening. Laying face down was the most comfortable I option I had. We decided to try to make it through the night then get admitted by my Doctor first thing, rather than go through another Emergency Room admission plan. See the 7/30/07 blog for how that route goes... The night was expectantly long, with me needing to use a make shift Gatorade Bottle urinal for my 60 minute interval pee schedule, but we got through it.
The next morning, the pain was the same and we struggled to my doctor’s office at 9:45am where we decided to do full scans to see what was going on with my back and check all of the tumors rather than wait until late November. We went to Admissions at 10:15am and I sat in a wheelchair until 12 noon, when they finally had a room ready for me. I then didn’t get any of the ordered pain meds until 1:30pm, which made only a small positive impact. The doctor then ordered a different pain med plan that the nurses didn’t get done before I had to go to “an MRI” scheduled for 3:30pm. My “an MRI” turned out to be three and I was in the machine for just under 2 hours. And yes it was the old one. Again. To her credit, Dr. Lozada had ordered an anesthesiologist to initiate “twilight” for me, but the guy never showed up. Again (second time). Fortunately, I was able to get through it with no meds and the pain was getting bearable. I think I can officially say that I have finally conquered my MRI claustrophobia.
From there I was wheeled to CT Scan where I waited for an hour in the hallway. I finally go back to my room around 7:30pm, where I got my first food since breakfast. At 8:30pm, I got a cell phone all from Dr. Lozada saying the scans showed two (2) pulmonary embolisms in the lungs (clots thrown from my legs) and this was an emergency situation and I needed surgery that night to install a filter in my main vein from the lower extremities to my torso. I guess you could say I literally dodged (2) bullets. A head or heart shot means stroke or death. Fun. I did finally get the pain med plan, a Delaudin pump, installed, and was finally able to lie on my back or right side comfortably. A HUGE improvement.
They then called in Dr. Tate and his team (he did the back surgery for me) at 9:30pm and I was wheeled back in my room at 11pm after yet another amazing go around with the technology they are using surgically… The filter is like an umbrella they guided up through my femoral vein and then expanded. This will catch any future clots. Plus I am now also on blood thinning meds, so right now I am the safest man on the planet with regard to protection from blood clots and pulmonary embolisms.
Now for the good news...
In all of this mayhem, Dr. Tate had reviewed the films of the scans and as able to tell us that there was a “substantial” reduction in the lung tumor mass!!! The other tumor sights also showed reductions AND there were no new tumors!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hallelujah!!!!!!!! Praise God!!!!!!! All of this #$%^&@ crap is working!!!! All of this hassle has meaning so far. I can’t tell you how very happy I am to report all of this.
The next day I found out the lung tumor is dying from the inside out, which is also another piece of good news, because that is apparently the way you want tumors to die.
So I did find out the back pain is being caused by the pesky tumor situated right on my sacroiliac joint (on the left side) and I needed to radiate it to kill it faster than the chemo would. The plan is to go back to radiation and chemo, and I will be doing 10-15 treatments for my back again. It will be a hassle to go to the hospital EVERY day again, but the final piece of the “back puzzle” should be complete after this.
I need to go to bed, so I will sign off.
Praise the Lord for his healing. Please pray for me that He will continue to heal me. We need to pray more than ever now knowing that it is working!
God bless you all,
Eric
For starters, the work situation has finally sorted itself out and we have some news that may be shocking: We are moving! After being in South Florida for almost 11 ½ years, my company is transferring us to Chicago. As of January 1, 2008, I will be the District Sales Manager of Chicago and Milwaukee areas (what comprises the “Chicago District”) for all of the sales functions: New Construction, Modernization and Service Sales.
We are very excited about this opportunity and the fact that we are returning home (but nowhere near as much as our parents are… especially my mom). We are also a bit nervous about the timing of a move given my treatments and what I am going through, but we feel strongly that God has a new season planned for us. He has always provided for this family in abundance and we know He will guide us through this, as well. We had turned this situation over to Him (and took it back many times, I promise you…) as much as any decision we ever have and have peace in it. We have already started working hard getting the house ready to show. And I’ll keep you updated on our house hunting.
Next up is the drama of last week…
The weekend was a full one. My brother, Scott, was visiting from Austin, TX, and Amy, mom and dad, were working hard on painting the kitchen cabinets and adding new door pulls, de-cluttering shelves, packing boxes to take to storage (to make the house seem bigger). On Sunday afternoon I was feeling good and helped reinstall door pulls and even installed a new cook top and was definitely pushing myself as far as I ever had with regard to bending over and working, but I truly needed to contribute. I was feeling emasculated just sitting on the couch all weekend while everyone else was working. Especially since so much of this stuff I have done in the past and even like to do… I went to bed Sunday feeling really tired but really good about finally contributing to the house prep.
Monday was an OK day physically and I was both excited and nervous about Tuesday a.m., when I would finally have my very first Aquatic Physical Therapy appointment, having had to cancel and postpone the first planned start after my last emergency hospital visit. Then Tuesday a.m. came and I awoke with a LOT of lower back pain on my lower left side. I probably should have stayed home, but I was determined NOT to miss this appointment. I went and told the therapist about the new low back pain and we went VERY easy. The appointment went awesome, but afterwards, the pain was now ramping up. I struggled home and couldn’t even get dressed. I lay in bed all day monitoring work via e-mail and phone and trying to use ice packs and pain meds to manage the pain that was still growing. By 5pm, I couldn’t get out of bed or even walk without Amy’s help. By 7pm, there was no way for me to lay, sit, or stand without pain, regardless of the amount of pain meds I took. It was frightening. Laying face down was the most comfortable I option I had. We decided to try to make it through the night then get admitted by my Doctor first thing, rather than go through another Emergency Room admission plan. See the 7/30/07 blog for how that route goes... The night was expectantly long, with me needing to use a make shift Gatorade Bottle urinal for my 60 minute interval pee schedule, but we got through it.
The next morning, the pain was the same and we struggled to my doctor’s office at 9:45am where we decided to do full scans to see what was going on with my back and check all of the tumors rather than wait until late November. We went to Admissions at 10:15am and I sat in a wheelchair until 12 noon, when they finally had a room ready for me. I then didn’t get any of the ordered pain meds until 1:30pm, which made only a small positive impact. The doctor then ordered a different pain med plan that the nurses didn’t get done before I had to go to “an MRI” scheduled for 3:30pm. My “an MRI” turned out to be three and I was in the machine for just under 2 hours. And yes it was the old one. Again. To her credit, Dr. Lozada had ordered an anesthesiologist to initiate “twilight” for me, but the guy never showed up. Again (second time). Fortunately, I was able to get through it with no meds and the pain was getting bearable. I think I can officially say that I have finally conquered my MRI claustrophobia.
From there I was wheeled to CT Scan where I waited for an hour in the hallway. I finally go back to my room around 7:30pm, where I got my first food since breakfast. At 8:30pm, I got a cell phone all from Dr. Lozada saying the scans showed two (2) pulmonary embolisms in the lungs (clots thrown from my legs) and this was an emergency situation and I needed surgery that night to install a filter in my main vein from the lower extremities to my torso. I guess you could say I literally dodged (2) bullets. A head or heart shot means stroke or death. Fun. I did finally get the pain med plan, a Delaudin pump, installed, and was finally able to lie on my back or right side comfortably. A HUGE improvement.
They then called in Dr. Tate and his team (he did the back surgery for me) at 9:30pm and I was wheeled back in my room at 11pm after yet another amazing go around with the technology they are using surgically… The filter is like an umbrella they guided up through my femoral vein and then expanded. This will catch any future clots. Plus I am now also on blood thinning meds, so right now I am the safest man on the planet with regard to protection from blood clots and pulmonary embolisms.
Now for the good news...
In all of this mayhem, Dr. Tate had reviewed the films of the scans and as able to tell us that there was a “substantial” reduction in the lung tumor mass!!! The other tumor sights also showed reductions AND there were no new tumors!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hallelujah!!!!!!!! Praise God!!!!!!! All of this #$%^&@ crap is working!!!! All of this hassle has meaning so far. I can’t tell you how very happy I am to report all of this.
The next day I found out the lung tumor is dying from the inside out, which is also another piece of good news, because that is apparently the way you want tumors to die.
So I did find out the back pain is being caused by the pesky tumor situated right on my sacroiliac joint (on the left side) and I needed to radiate it to kill it faster than the chemo would. The plan is to go back to radiation and chemo, and I will be doing 10-15 treatments for my back again. It will be a hassle to go to the hospital EVERY day again, but the final piece of the “back puzzle” should be complete after this.
I need to go to bed, so I will sign off.
Praise the Lord for his healing. Please pray for me that He will continue to heal me. We need to pray more than ever now knowing that it is working!
God bless you all,
Eric
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