My cancer journey

[Ed_K]

 Rest in peace Randy.

 My friend at the end of my drive " SUE " passed away this morning. She did the same as Randy by refusing to stay on the Med's, rest in peace Sue.

[Magicman]

I lost an acquaintance this morning, exact same circumstances.  He finally said that enough was enough.  RIP Gary.

[Ed_K]

 This is the week I start the cytokine again, I'm pretty loopy and off balance. I've been having problems with my Platelets, they've been down as low as 22. The red and white blood cells are a little low. I've had to stop the Dara and the cytokine a couple of times now and each time my light chains go up, this last time they were up to 379.6 in August they were 286.4 I hope that they go back down now that I'm back on the meds.
 I had doctor's appointments with my primary Dr. at the VA and with the cancer specialist, I complain about pain in my left leg and my neck. The primary Dr. scheduled a c-scan of the leg and my cancer Dr. got an MRI of my neck. I ended up with radiation on a spot on the smaller bone below the knee. I have an appointment with the radiation specialist again to do a map of my neck to figure out what to do. I read the report and looked at the MRI film but I cannot see what's wrong, when I turn my head to the left sometimes it will crack with a very loud sound and lights of yellow and white flashing in my eyes. I told them my head is going to fall off. The first time it happened to me I was looking back on the tractor and I thought I had broken my neck.

 Y'all have a great day.

[beenthere]

I pray that you can see a light at the end of the tunnel, and it is not far away. 

[Magicman]

My Prayers continue to be with you Ed during your courageous journey battling this cancer.  Thank you for keeping us in the loop and allowing us to be informed as much as possible.

[SwampDonkey]

Thanks for staying relevant and sticking around with updates in your journey. I go in for blood work tomorrow and MRI and X-ray on Monday. Just check-ups and such going on. I was told this will be a quarterly and then semi annual schedule for 5 years. And also I take testosterone gel as there is nothing within me to make it these days.

[thecfarm]

It's nice to hear that you are still on your tractor!!

[Ed_K]

 Today I had my mapping of my neck. The tumor that I had radiation during Christmas and new year's in 22/23 has started to grow back, it must be pretty good size again as my left shoulder an upper arm are getting pretty bad. the tumor is pushing on the T2 vertebral body. I think this means it's pushing on the nerve going to my shoulder. Anyway their rushing the dates for radiation, I go for the first of 5 on the 27 of Nov then they'll fit me in for the rest. Last time it was every 2 week's.
 I've been working on enclosing the 600 gal sap tank and building a cover for it, supposed to be 3 cover's that over lap using plastic roofing so you can open the one closest to the drain, then the middle and then the last by pulling a rope and pulley for each one. The side's I used 2" fiberboard and board and battens. I'm trying to keep the sap cold. I also got the keener sawmill running to saw some w/pine 1by's and 2by's to build all this.

 Y'all have a great day.

[Magicman]

Thank You for again giving us an update on your progress as you surge forward with your treatments.  My Prayer is that all will move forward as your medical team plans.

I love reading about your progress toward your sugaring operation.  

[thecfarm]

You have a great day too!!!!!! 

[SwampDonkey]

Hang in there Ed. 

Yeah, also, sugaring time isn't far off.

[Peter Drouin]

All you go through and still build stuff. 
You are one tough man.

[YellowHammer]

Yes, you are an inspiration.  Keep on keeping on! 

[nativewolf]

keep on trucking on trucking on Ed.  Good luck on the projects and best of luck on the radiation.  I'm going to be getting a week of testing in January myself but fingers crossed it will all be ok.  

[Ed_K]

 Crossing my fingers too, nativewolf.

 Thanks to everyone for looking in, I really appreciate it.

 Well today is the 27th so I'm headed to the radiation appointment at 1pm. I hope everything goes alright, I get a little scared of doing it. Last couple of days when it got to 50 degs Rita an I have been rebuilding a Scandinavian wood stove, we tore it all apart and used refractory cement and glued the top, sides and ends together used a propane room heater to set the cement. I then figured out that a big metal piece needed to go into the stove to keep the smoke from just going up through the stove pipe. I had to pull one end off and pry the sides out some to get the piece in. We then glued it back together and used a tie down strap to hold it and put the heater to it again. This morning I went over to the sugar house to check on it and found the heater had melted the strap, that was not good. I have the pieces to hook it up to the the sugaring arch smoke stack. Taking the stack apart to add the T in is going to suck, I either have to try to pull it apart just above where the T will and lift the upper parts up or use a step ladder on the roof to pull the pieces all apart. We still have 500 feet of 3/4" new sap line to pull up into the woods to replace line that's old, would like a few more days of 50 degs but the weather guy say snow tomorrow.

 Y'all have a great day.

[Magicman]

Thank You for the update Ed.

I have a customer that will be getting his radiation on the 2nd, so we rescheduled his sawing until the 9th.  

[NE Woodburner]

I'm asking for prayers for a very close friend who just had a kidney removed due to cancer.

He is in his 80's and came through the surgery well. I'm not worried about recovery as he is as tough as they come. My prayer request is that they got all the cancer, it didn't spread anywhere else and he gets a good report when the lab tests come in in a week or so.

[Ed_K]

 NE Woodburner, it's great your friend came thru the surgery ok. I hope he gets a good report.

[Ed_K]

 I had my 5th and final radiation, I hope this takes care of the tumor this time. It must have been a long time and stronger as I have a little sore throat this morning. 

 Snow came earlier this yr, we didn't get any till 1st of Jan. last yr. We weren't ready for it, as I don't have the chains on the tractor yet so we'll see if just 4 w/drive will do it.
 Got 5" so far an still snowing.

 Y'all have a great day.

[Russ]

I'm glad saw this stream of postings. When I think of what I've learned on-line I think of posters I've looked to for advice my time on this forum. I can't help of others with our shared interests too. Its been nice to have a shared interest that was more captivating to us than Politics or Religion. We've shared a wealth of information for the one purpose of supporting and helping each other. Not much we can do but I hope you can feel our how much you mean to us in our passing conversations and our prayers and thoughts help you.. I'll try to follow up bye for now.

[Ed_K]

It's been a few weeks and I can move my neck and head around with no pain. I told the doctor's my  head was going to fall off, the cancer Doctor finally gave in and got me an MRI. That showed the tumor and got me the radiation, only took 5 month. Anyway with the MRI when the report came back my cancer Doctor has decide to change my cancer medication. After the first of the yr, I'll be going back onto Pomalyst and a new drug Empliciti and Dexamethazone my favorite, it made my belly fat, yuck.

 I was on the Pomalyst a couple yrs ago, and from what I remember it had some bad side effects. The white blood cells tanked. I'm not done yet,so I'll just keep plugging along    .

 Y'all have a great day.

[thecfarm]

I hope you have a better day.