I have Cancer :/ -- still doing well

[DonS 3,063]

How'd it go yesterday @jerryskids? 

[jerryskids 5,169]

4 minutes ago, DonS said:

How'd it go yesterday @jerryskids? 

Well... procedure was delayed.  Remember that bout of dizziness after I went running last Saturday?  I ran again Tuesday and it happened again, only worse.  Even after napping I felt sick, the room was spinning.  Eventually I vomited, then after the second time vomiting we went to the ER.  Ended up being admitted and came home last night, which is why I’ve missed all of the talk here about Chauvin etc.  They ruled out brain cancer or other physical issues with the brain (yay!) and think it is related to the middle or inner ear.  Occam’s razor tells me it is related to that procedure I had the previous week to pierce the ears and release fluids, which did help my hearing quite a bit.  The gave me Ativan which is a benzodiazepine like Xanax, so I’m getting my sleep on big time.

Anyway, I’m doing a little better, at home and taking it easy.  Things are still wobbly and a little nauseating, but I just got some eggs and toast down, and did eat a little yesterday.  The bronchoscopy is tentatively rescheduled for tomorrow; my wife is trying to reach them now to confirm.  Will keep you all apprised.   

[jerryskids 5,169]

Update:  Bronchoscopy to get the biopsy worked, unfortunately it looks like cancer.  Official pathology by Monday but they plan to discuss at their tumor board Tuesday morning. I already had a checkup planned with my ENT Tuesday at 11 so we’ll discuss options then.  Will know more after.  Presuming radiation or surgery for the acute tumors, along with some combo of chemo an immunotherapy.

Looks like the next phase of the journey is about to begin.   

[Gladiators 1,903]

Sorry to read that Jerry. Prayers sent.

[Strike 3,947]

Just now, jerryskids said:

Update:  Bronchoscopy to get the biopsy worked, unfortunately it looks like cancer.  Official pathology by Monday but they plan to discuss at their tumor board Tuesday morning. I already had a checkup planned with my ENT Tuesday at 11 so we’ll discuss options then.  Will know more after.  Presuming radiation or surgery for the acute tumors, along with some combo of chemo an immunotherapy.

Looks like the next phase of the journey is about to begin.   

Oh man. Sorry to hear this Jerry, and thanks for the update. 

[Fireballer 2,369]

Sorry to hear, Jerry.  I was telling my wife your story.  She's worked in chemo and radiation  years.  Her first statement was "Its amazing how far treatment has evolved, especially if it's early".  Godspeed.

[Frozenbeernuts 1,652]

1 hour ago, jerryskids said:

Update:  Bronchoscopy to get the biopsy worked, unfortunately it looks like cancer.  Official pathology by Monday but they plan to discuss at their tumor board Tuesday morning. I already had a checkup planned with my ENT Tuesday at 11 so we’ll discuss options then.  Will know more after.  Presuming radiation or surgery for the acute tumors, along with some combo of chemo an immunotherapy.

Looks like the next phase of the journey is about to begin.   

Not the best news. Cut these last few tumors out and then on to full recovery. Im rooting for the best outcome for you Jerry

[Cloaca du jour 2,064]

11 minutes ago, Frozenbeernuts said:

Not the best news. Cut these last few tumors out and then on to full recovery. Im rooting for the best outcome for you Jerry

Same!!!

[Thornton Melon 542]

Best of luck, skids. You still got this!

[EternalShinyAndChrome 2,493]

Damn.  You'll beat this like a red-headed step-child, Jerry! 

[Voltaire 4,554]

Ugh. At least the dizziness and vomiting was from seemingly the least bad option and looks like little more than a short term complication/ side effect that will clear up. Meanwhile, the big battle remains the same. Keep fighting, Jerry.

[Frozenbeernuts 1,652]

Stop over doing it too Jerry. I know its hard when you are used to an active lifestyle. Do very moderate exercise. 4 miles seems way too much

[jerryskids 5,169]

2 hours ago, Frozenbeernuts said:

Stop over doing it too Jerry. I know its hard when you are used to an active lifestyle. Do very moderate exercise. 4 miles seems way too much

Yeah, problem solved now, since I can barely walk from my chair to the bathroom without wanting to puke.

I’m so disappointed because we hosted this Pat’s Run for our gym, about 20 people came over.  I haven’t been there since all of this started last August, between cancer and Covid restrictions.  A month ago I viewed this as my “I’m baaaaaack” party to show everyone I licked this thing and am moving forward.  Instead, in a span of a week, I get this stupid vertigo and a cancer report which is, well, let’s just say not promising.  Hell, I could have faked my way around the cancer part, but the vertigo made me sit there like an invalid.   

[Frozenbeernuts 1,652]

1 hour ago, jerryskids said:

Yeah, problem solved now, since I can barely walk from my chair to the bathroom without wanting to puke.

I’m so disappointed because we hosted this Pat’s Run for our gym, about 20 people came over.  I haven’t been there since all of this started last August, between cancer and Covid restrictions.  A month ago I viewed this as my “I’m baaaaaack” party to show everyone I licked this thing and am moving forward.  Instead, in a span of a week, I get this stupid vertigo and a cancer report which is, well, let’s just say not promising.  Hell, I could have faked my way around the cancer part, but the vertigo made me sit there like an invalid.   

I can only imagine how frustrating that is. Fortunately for you you have the fight to beat this and come back as healthy as you were before this all began.

[Voltaire 4,554]

4 hours ago, jerryskids said:

Yeah, problem solved now, since I can barely walk from my chair to the bathroom without wanting to puke.

I’m so disappointed because we hosted this Pat’s Run for our gym, about 20 people came over.  I haven’t been there since all of this started last August, between cancer and Covid restrictions.  A month ago I viewed this as my “I’m baaaaaack” party to show everyone I licked this thing and am moving forward.  Instead, in a span of a week, I get this stupid vertigo and a cancer report which is, well, let’s just say not promising.  Hell, I could have faked my way around the cancer part, but the vertigo made me sit there like an invalid.   

You could have faked the cancer part? Does that mean your voice doesn't give you away? 

[jerryskids 5,169]

10 hours ago, Voltaire said:

You could have faked the cancer part? Does that mean your voice doesn't give you away? 

I meant I could have suppressed my feelings about the biopsy news.  It’s harder to suppress puking if you move too quickly.

[DonS 3,063]

48 minutes ago, jerryskids said:

I meant I could have suppressed my feelings about the biopsy news.  It’s harder to suppress puking if you move too quickly.

Speaking of voice (no pun intended), how are you doing with your speaking apparatus?  Getting the hang of it? 

[tanatastic 2,061]

This really sucks. We need to go back to only fake cancer threads, this chit is too real!

[jerryskids 5,169]

7 minutes ago, DonS said:

Speaking of voice (no pun intended), how are you doing with your speaking apparatus?  Getting the hang of it? 

It’s OK. I’ve found that while I’m supposed to stay hydrated, drinking too much liquid contributes to the voice being gurgly.  So if I anticipate the need to talk, say on a Teams call, I’ve been cutting back on the water prior to it. 

It does take pressure on my stomach though, which is not good in my current vertigo state, so I’ve been using the electrolarynx more recently.

I’m always my hardest critic though.  People at the hospital say “wow, you sound great with that in so short of a time.”  To me it sounds like shiot.  Like literally, I’m gurgling through shiot.

[tanatastic 2,061]

1 hour ago, jerryskids said:

It’s OK. I’ve found that while I’m supposed to stay hydrated, drinking too much liquid contributes to the voice being gurgly.  So if I anticipate the need to talk, say on a Teams call, I’ve been cutting back on the water prior to it. 

It does take pressure on my stomach though, which is not good in my current vertigo state, so I’ve been using the electrolarynx more recently.

I’m always my hardest critic though.  People at the hospital say “wow, you sound great with that in so short of a time.”  To me it sounds like shiot.  Like literally, I’m gurgling through shiot.

You can still talk trash like The Rock.

 

[wiffleball 4,631]

Well, for what it's worth, they cat scanned my brain pan and sinuses and throat and whatnot today Then they stuck a tube with about 40 ft of cable attached to it up my nose.

 

I'm just saying, I think it takes the USS Missouri less time to retract its anchor then it did for those guys to pull that damn cable camera out of my nose.

 

Jesus, feels like I snorted a kilo.

 

 

...or so I've read...

[Mike Isles 583]

3 hours ago, wiffleball said:

they stuck a tube with about 40 ft of cable attached to it up my nose.

 

Not to hijack. I had that. That was rough coming out. 
 

Go ‘skids. Pulling for you. You have more power then I do. 

[jerryskids 5,169]

5 hours ago, wiffleball said:

Well, for what it's worth, they cat scanned my brain pan and sinuses and throat and whatnot today Then they stuck a tube with about 40 ft of cable attached to it up my nose.

 

I'm just saying, I think it takes the USS Missouri less time to retract its anchor then it did for those guys to pull that damn cable camera out of my nose.

 

Jesus, feels like I snorted a kilo.

 

 

...or so I've read...

What were they looking for?  I know you had some lesions in your throat which were a concern.

[Voltaire 4,554]

On 4/26/2021 at 2:04 AM, tanatastic said:

You can still talk trash like The Rock.

 

After listening to this, maybe out of an overabundence of caution, I wouldn't encourage jerry to go anywhere near Dwayne Johnson since he doesn't seem to like voice enhancement technology. 

[Voltaire 4,554]

5 hours ago, wiffleball said:

Well, for what it's worth, they cat scanned my brain pan and sinuses and throat and whatnot today Then they stuck a tube with about 40 ft of cable attached to it up my nose.

 

I'm just saying, I think it takes the USS Missouri less time to retract its anchor then it did for those guys to pull that damn cable camera out of my nose.

 

Jesus, feels like I snorted a kilo.

 

 

...or so I've read...

Have they told you what they found/didn't find?

[DonS 3,063]

56 minutes ago, jerryskids said:

What were they looking for?  I know you had some lesions in your throat which were a concern.

Throat trauma caused by too many BBCs? 

[wiffleball 4,631]

On 4/24/2021 at 12:41 PM, jerryskids said:

Update:  Bronchoscopy to get the biopsy worked, unfortunately it looks like cancer.  Official pathology by Monday but they plan to discuss at their tumor board Tuesday morning. I already had a checkup planned with my ENT Tuesday at 11 so we’ll discuss options then.  Will know more after.  Presuming radiation or surgery for the acute tumors, along with some combo of chemo an immunotherapy.

Looks like the next phase of the journey is about to begin.   

Dammit.

[fandandy 3,311]

Update?

[jerryskids 5,169]

1 hour ago, fandandy said:

Update?

I'm meeting the medical oncologist tomorrow after which, hopefully, I'll have a treatment plan.  But since you asked, the pathology was confirmed -- the nodule in my lung is a squamous cell carcinoma, which means in all likelihood it metastasized from my neck.  There is very little good about this; basically the conversation is shifting from IF I'll die from this to WHEN I'll die from this. It seems like we'll play "whack a mole" for as long as possible and hope that something does the trick more permanently.

For a person like myself, the lack of a treatment plan is in some ways the hardest part.  I'd expect some combo of chemo and immunotherapy.  Radiation is a maybe; there are pluses and minuses, one of the pluses being an interesting possibility called the "abscopal effect."

https://www.google.com/search?q=abscopal+effect+radiation+immunotherapy&oq=abscopal+&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j35i39j0l8.4563j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

I also plan to ask about molecular profiling:

https://www.carislifesciences.com/caris-cares/

From the above website, Mayo works with them.

I want the oncologist to know that I'm not some 80+ year old with a bunch of other health problems who is in some ways relieved to have an excuse to die.  I'm young and I want to fight this thing.

I'll end on a good note:  I met my laryngectomy surgeon last week; he also happens to be the head of the ENT department at the Phoenix Mayo.  It's good to be the king.  When he heard I still had hearing and vertigo problems related to fluid buildup, he left the room and found two residents to put tubes in my ear.  Right then.  I didn't even sign the waiver until after the procedure.  I've heard great for the past week, which I need to remember to not dismiss as it is a big life improvement.  I also got some exercises to help with the vertigo -- apparently you can move your head around to put "crystals" back where they belong in your inner ear.  It actually works somewhat; I'm largely over the dizziness as well.  

[Fireballer 2,369]

15 minutes ago, jerryskids said:

I'm meeting the medical oncologist tomorrow after which, hopefully, I'll have a treatment plan.  But since you asked, the pathology was confirmed -- the nodule in my lung is a squamous cell carcinoma, which means in all likelihood it metastasized from my neck.  There is very little good about this; basically the conversation is shifting from IF I'll die from this to WHEN I'll die from this. It seems like we'll play "whack a mole" for as long as possible and hope that something does the trick more permanently.

For a person like myself, the lack of a treatment plan is in some ways the hardest part.  I'd expect some combo of chemo and immunotherapy.  Radiation is a maybe; there are pluses and minuses, one of the pluses being an interesting possibility called the "abscopal effect."

https://www.google.com/search?q=abscopal+effect+radiation+immunotherapy&oq=abscopal+&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j35i39j0l8.4563j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

I also plan to ask about molecular profiling:

https://www.carislifesciences.com/caris-cares/

From the above website, Mayo works with them.

I want the oncologist to know that I'm not some 80+ year old with a bunch of other health problems who is in some ways relieved to have an excuse to die.  I'm young and I want to fight this thing.

I'll end on a good note:  I met my laryngectomy surgeon last week; he also happens to be the head of the ENT department at the Phoenix Mayo.  It's good to be the king.  When he heard I still had hearing and vertigo problems related to fluid buildup, he left the room and found two residents to put tubes in my ear.  Right then.  I didn't even sign the waiver until after the procedure.  I've heard great for the past week, which I need to remember to not dismiss as it is a big life improvement.  I also got some exercises to help with the vertigo -- apparently you can move your head around to put "crystals" back where they belong in your inner ear.  It actually works somewhat; I'm largely over the dizziness as well.  

Fuk, Jerry.  Cancer is so damn scary.  From what I remember, you took pretty good care of yourself and exercised. Former smoker?  Any jobs that exposed you to chemicals? Family history?

[jerryskids 5,169]

48 minutes ago, Fireballer said:

Fuk, Jerry.  Cancer is so damn scary.  From what I remember, you took pretty good care of yourself and exercised. Former smoker?  Any jobs that exposed you to chemicals? Family history?

All of the above.  I had been exercising and eating well (my definition of well anyway) pretty regularly in the past 5+ years.  But I used to chew.  And on again/off again with drinking more than a healthy amount.  And both parents had cancer.  Basically the trifecta of bad indicators.  Dad died of colon cancer, but my mom recovered from gallbladder cancer that got into her lymph system — we moved her to Phoenix to live with us, do chemo, and die in 6 months.  Only she didn’t get the memo and the cancer went away.  Even the docs were like “no shiot, really?!”  She went on to live cancer free.  So I’m hoping for whatever that gene was.   

[MTSkiBum 1,593]

1 hour ago, jerryskids said:

I'm meeting the medical oncologist tomorrow after which, hopefully, I'll have a treatment plan.  But since you asked, the pathology was confirmed -- the nodule in my lung is a squamous cell carcinoma, which means in all likelihood it metastasized from my neck.  There is very little good about this; basically the conversation is shifting from IF I'll die from this to WHEN I'll die from this. It seems like we'll play "whack a mole" for as long as possible and hope that something does the trick more permanently.

For a person like myself, the lack of a treatment plan is in some ways the hardest part.  I'd expect some combo of chemo and immunotherapy.  Radiation is a maybe; there are pluses and minuses, one of the pluses being an interesting possibility called the "abscopal effect."

https://www.google.com/search?q=abscopal+effect+radiation+immunotherapy&oq=abscopal+&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j35i39j0l8.4563j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

I also plan to ask about molecular profiling:

https://www.carislifesciences.com/caris-cares/

From the above website, Mayo works with them.

I want the oncologist to know that I'm not some 80+ year old with a bunch of other health problems who is in some ways relieved to have an excuse to die.  I'm young and I want to fight this thing.

I'll end on a good note:  I met my laryngectomy surgeon last week; he also happens to be the head of the ENT department at the Phoenix Mayo.  It's good to be the king.  When he heard I still had hearing and vertigo problems related to fluid buildup, he left the room and found two residents to put tubes in my ear.  Right then.  I didn't even sign the waiver until after the procedure.  I've heard great for the past week, which I need to remember to not dismiss as it is a big life improvement.  I also got some exercises to help with the vertigo -- apparently you can move your head around to put "crystals" back where they belong in your inner ear.  It actually works somewhat; I'm largely over the dizziness as well.  

Best of luck and I hope they can come up with a plan.

 

I know many people from all over the country fly into MD Anderson in Houston. You might want to pay them a visit since you have the means to fly back and forth.

[Reality 2,710]

Well fock. Love your attitude, fock cancer.

[jerryskids 5,169]

54 minutes ago, MTSkiBum said:

Best of luck and I hope they can come up with a plan.

 

I know many people from all over the country fly into MD Anderson in Houston. You might want to pay them a visit since you have the means to fly back and forth.

Appreciate it.  I’ve heard of MD Anderson.  It’s hard to believe that the care would be markedly better than Mayo, which is ranked in both ENT and Lung services.  But I may have mentioned that I’ve met this oncologist twice and... I wasn’t wowed.  At that time though he wasn’t directly involved in my care plan, so I’m going to give him the benefit of the doubt pending our meeting tomorrow.  If it doesn’t go well though (mostly if I don’t sense urgency and/or if they don’t have a plan), my wife has been notified that I may put on a little bit of a scene.  Generally she wouldn’t like that but she understands my concerns. 

[Mookz 1,287]

Skids, just how low carb are you?  Some believe that cancer cells are fueled by sugar.  

[jerryskids 5,169]

6 minutes ago, Mookz said:

Skids, just how low carb are you?  Some believe that cancer cells are fueled by sugar.  

Great question and one I’m struggling with.  Cancer cells are fueled by sugar; that is how a PET scan works for instance.  So one would think that low carb is good, to possibly starve out the cancer. But... I’ve also been losing weight, which happened last summer as my lymph nodes grew from cancer.  So I’m been trying to eat some carbs, generally low glycemic index if possible, in an effort to maintain weight (low carb is too damn good at weight loss unfortunately).  So for dinner last night I had a large piece of sea bass with a caper/butter sauce, sautéed spinach, and mashed sweet potatoes with coconut milk (low glycemic index starch).  I also had some dark chocolate for dessert.  And I lost 1.2 pounds.

What I’m really struggling with though is what to do once chemo starts.  Chemo works by targeting high growth areas; that is why you lose hair for instance.  So on a certain level, it may make sense to eat a lot of carbs, to kick the cancer into higher gear, to give the chemo an easier target.  I’m just now starting my research on this, but I don’t have high hopes for a definitive answer.  As I’ve said before, the medical establishment doesn’t know much about diet.

[Mookz 1,287]

5 minutes ago, jerryskids said:

Great question and one I’m struggling with.  Cancer cells are fueled by sugar; that is how a PET scan works for instance.  So one would think that low carb is good, to possibly starve out the cancer. But... I’ve also been losing weight, which happened last summer as my lymph nodes grew from cancer.  So I’m been trying to eat some carbs, generally low glycemic index if possible, in an effort to maintain weight (low carb is too damn good at weight loss unfortunately).  So for dinner last night I had a large piece of sea bass with a caper/butter sauce, sautéed spinach, and mashed sweet potatoes with coconut milk (low glycemic index starch).  I also had some dark chocolate for dessert.  And I lost 1.2 pounds.

What I’m really struggling with though is what to do once chemo starts.  Chemo works by targeting high growth areas; that is why you lose hair for instance.  So on a certain level, it may make sense to eat a lot of carbs, to kick the cancer into higher gear, to give the chemo an easier target.  I’m just now starting my research on this, but I don’t have high hopes for a definitive answer.  As I’ve said before, the medical establishment doesn’t know much about diet.

I hear ya.  That is a lot to consider.  Maybe going stone cold keto would be more for someone who's already in remission.  

[jerryskids 5,169]

26 minutes ago, Mookz said:

I hear ya.  That is a lot to consider.  Maybe going stone cold keto would be more for someone who's already in remission.  

Yeah, if I hit that phase, super keto makes sense.  As do some other things like antiangiogenesis which I think I've mentioned, which isn't consistent exactly with keto.

Basically I hope to have that problem.   

[Thornton Melon 542]

Damn, it was tough reading that, but with your good attitude and hopefully your mom's genetic makeup, you'll beat this. Good luck, skids.

[Voltaire 4,554]

The conversaton shifted from 'if' to 'when' ... damn, man. I don't have anything witty to say to that.

Hopefully your mom's anti-cancer genes kick in. If not, I hope that they can drag your time out in a pain-free manner for as long as possible. And it's not you're not facing this from a wheelchair, you have a lot of life and energy in you yet to get the most out of what you have left. 

When Carl Sagan was dying, he wrote some pretty eloquent stuff. I read that in my early twenties, maybe even my teens, and I imagined that I'd want to re-read that again when the time came. Tuesdays with Morry, the same.