quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
striker1, regarding your message- yes, go ahead.

Thank-you, Para.

Guys, my wife asked for permission to post a link to a fundraiser page, and it was granted. Thanks very much Para!

I am not one to ask for help, but at the same time I’m really proud of my beautiful wife for having served during desert storm and for being a strong loving mother. She’s having to go through this with me and it’s really tough for her too.

Here is the GoFundMe link, I hope. We’ve never used it before:

https://www.gofundme.com/8gtx8-team-ron

Today has been rough. My excellent oncologist gave us a good prognosis but there are a lot if things that could go wrong, including the risk of a sudden GI bleed when the chemo starts to attack the lymph node that has grown into my duodenum. Pain is a big concern for the short term; I have been taking either 2 or 3 oxy pills every 3-4 hours. Can’t lie down at all, so I sleep sitting up with a warming pad on my back.

Found out a friend of mine (from church) will be the surgeon who installs my port in the next week. That’s great news as he is just an outstanding guy and it gives me one less thing to worry about.

Thank you all again for your prayers and well-wishes! This is a stellar online community and it has helped keep my mind occupied both with my 2009 and 2011 diagnoses and this current relapse.

Prayers for you and the family.

Just left the hospital, got my PICC line installed. Next step is chemo tomorrow and then a port installed early next week.

Have added you to my prayer list a while back strike1. Continued prayers being sent.

Can we make a donation via paypal?

Thanks and stay strong brother.

Thank you ORC. My PP is my email.

Happy to report the link works just fine!
You can beat this again Ron! We are all rooting for you...

PS: On the heating pad note to help you sleep...
I just had to get one for a family member, and found the best one to be by Sunbeam, as it has the option to turn OFF the 2 hour "Auto Off" function so your sleep won't be interrupted every 2 hrs to reset! 12" X 24" pad.

Sunbeam XpressHeat, Model 2013-912
Has a 5 year Limited Warranty
6 digitally controlled heat levels... plenty warm!

Hope this helps!
Don

I predict she's gonna need a larger goal....

Good luck to you and your family as you start on this pathway.

Thanks Don and Georgeair!

K S1, I will pp a bit to help. God Bless.

I hate these threads since I've fought the dragon myself. After 2 1/2 years no recurrence and life is becoming normal again.

Striker1, I wish you the very best in your fight. You've beat the odds before and you will again. It sounds like you have a great team on your side.


Your remarks regarding your wife and what she is going through hits home for me. I felt so sorry for mine with what she was having to put up with and there was nothing I could do to change that.


Like Don, I still have my port. My oncologist wants me to keep it for a total of 4 years just to play it safe. No big deal.

If there is anything I can do for you, my email is in my profile.

Jim

Thanks Jimbo54. My port leaked after a few years so it had to come out. Now I get a second.


Today I think I have the food intake figured out.

I’m on an all liquid diet, so everything I like is NOT on that list. I’ve learned that eating too much broth or a whole protein shake at one time is a bad idea.

The problem is that my duodenum is severely restricted. I was having intense pain and needed more Oxy. If I eat about 1/3 at a time, about 20 to 30 minutes apart, the stomach and duodenum are much happier.

So far the big favorites are cream of chicken, cream of veggie, and watered down cream of wheat, the latter with salt, pepper, and butter. I have had trouble with tomato soup, and although I like V8, there’s just too much sugar in it. I’m trying to figure out a blender recipe for veggie drink like V8 but almost no sugar.

I haven’t tested a liquid hamburger yet. Not sure I want to suffer the possible consequences!

striker ~ I can see why limiting the amount you are consuming at once, and increasing the frequency is going to work better for you at this time!

Later, as you shrink the restriction of your duodenum, you'll be able to increase your intake without the discomfort I'll bet.

Keep on "Keeping ON".

Don

Just sitting around watching Dunkirk.

Damn, must be the heavy steroids causing allergies.

Thanks to each of you for your well wishes and assistance! So happy to have my wife chauffeuring me and my mom in from AZ to fuss over me.

Headed to my oncologist in about 20 minutes to start the first round of chemo.

Best wishes to you, Striker. We're all pulling for you and praying for you.

Thanks ShneaSIG! Thanks ORC, got your item!

Prayers and best wishes to you and your family. God bless!

This morning’s big update from my oncologist: (shorthand, copied from a text)

“Primary tumor of concern is ‘grape fruit’ size into the duodenum. Chemo will rapidly shrink lymph nodes / tumor from outside in within weeks to a month. Biggest danger is perforation in duodenum which is a bus ride to ER. Doc says only seen two chemo resulting holes in duodenum in about 20 years. I’m set up for it though.”

“At chemo now. Hemoglobin is back to 7.6, will get two units here tomorrow.”

striker1,

At what level would you guess your pain meds are keeping your pain at bay?

95%
90%
85%

Better than 95% or lower than 85%?