March 15, 2007

Cancer Update

I thought this time that I'd just let you read the e-mail that my dad sent out to the family...

Hello Everyone,

I had my visit with with Dr. Nambudiri, my oncologist today. I found out that the tumor I had was a stage 3B type 2 cancer. This means, in a nutshell, that it is a moderately aggressive cancer that may have begun to spread in my body. I will definitely will have to undergo chemotherapy since without treatment, there is a 42 percent chance of the cancer returning.

Unfortunately, it is going to be a long course of treatment. I will be taking three to four different medications, some every two weeks and another possible treatment every week One drug needs to be administered over two days every two weeks via a pump attached to my blood stream to a port which will need to be mounted in my chest. I will be having blood tests taken every week to monitor my blood count among other things to make sure I am doing OK. The whole treatment will last at least six months!

The doctor said that people react in various ways to the treatment. I will most likely be able to work in at least some capacity as long as I am not too tired or ill. Obviously, my many visits to the clinic will take one to three days a week, so that in and by itself will keep me from working full time for a while. I will not be physically restricted and the doctor said that I should try to eat well and get as much exercise as I am able to. If my immune system become suppressed, during those times I may have to avoid contact with crowds or people who are sick. This will also be monitored. I also may have trouble with nausea but the doctor said that they have good medications now that control it.

He also talked to us about a new treatment just becoming available that involves using antibodies to help fight cancer cells. This treatment has been successfully used in fighting advanced cancer and studies are now under way to determine how effective this is in fighting my type of cancer. Side effects of the treatment are mild and few. If I took part in the study, I would have a 50 percent chance of getting the antibodies and 50 percent chance without. In both cases, I would get all of the traditional and proven medications. Since the traditional treatment is not 100 percent effective, I think that I will take part in the study since it sounds like it could be very effective with little risk, but I will find more information about it before I sign up.

Tomorrow I have an appointment to have x-rays of my chest and a CAT scan of the rest of me to determine if any tumors have appeared elsewhere. Next Thursday I will talk to Dr Nambudiri to discuss the results of the tests and when chemo will begin. Let's hope that another tumor has not formed. Later, I have an appointment with the surgeon to talk about what is involved with installing a port in my chest. That will most likely occur the following week. I don't yet know for sure, but chemo will probably begin the first or second week in April. There is definitely a lot of stuff to sink in!

Anyhow, I am feeling pretty good physically right now and have been walking quite a bit. There now is very little discomfort left from the surgery, so that is good! I think that I am in good spirits and I try to laugh a lot to keep the demons away. :-D

Again, thank you all so very much for your prayers and kind thoughts.

Bob

March 08, 2007

Job Hunting and Road Trips

Well, as most of you know, I'm currently looking for a second/new job. The problem is that I hate job hunting. It is the hardest thing to make myself do, and if I can find an excuse not to, I usually don't (which is the big problem here). That being said, today I am actually forcing myself to get out there and put in some applications. I've been working on a list of places (some which have been told to me by wonderful people at church). Some I'll be able to do here at home (which is soo nice), and some I'll actually have to hit the streets on. I'm going to need lots of prayers on this (not only for finding the right job, but just for getting out there to look).

In other news, tomorrow I'm going to be driving about 5 hours away to visit my aunt, uncle, and cousins, and go to the yearly Gala put on by the group my cousins are in. I've been going now for around 6 years (pretty much since my oldest cousin joined) and this will be her last year in it. It's always a wonderful show. The the group is called Accompany of Kids. You should check out the website if you have the time, I believe they have sound clips and photos and such on there. And if it makes anyone interested, I'll be going again next year (the gala is always the first 2 weekends of March), and you're invited. My aunt likes company (as long as she knows who's coming).

*Edit: While on the job hunt, I ran across this. Enjoy!