Update on my cancer

[W1GUH]

Dr's appt. last week was as good as all of them....still tolerating chemo perfectly; vital signs and blood work are exactly normal or better. That's good, and as long as the chemo remains effective I'm in "pretty good" shape.

But...even mild symptoms (sore mouth irritated when I eat and some kind of "catch" that makes big hiccups when I eat, but goes away quickly) get to be very irritating when one is looking at it as something that's always going to be there. They can't kill this cancer, so what I'm going through now is about the best I can expect. Well, I'll be alive a while....

But my energy level is up and down on a daily basis. I've learned that I can't plan anything. I can feel really good at night looking forward to a trip the next morning, only to wake up feeling very, very lethargic. So..I've learned not to make any plans or commitments - everything's gotta be on a day to day basis.

Well...guess it's better than being dead?

There is some hope, though. My oncologist has suspended one of the chemos I'm getting, Cisplaten, for the summer & thinks the other one, 5fu, will keep the tumors shrunk to the tiny size they are now. With any luck, getting an extended break from cisplatin will help me get my energy back. We'll see...

Disclaimer - I make no representation that I spelled cisplatin correctly! 5fu easy on to spell!

[W5GA]

I'm really glad to hear that you're doing ok Paul. You're going to beat this, my friend! Repeat after me as required...

[PA5COR]

Take day by day Paul, the news is as far it can good.
Cherish any good moment you have, and share it here, i'm glad things do work out as they go now for you, keeping my fingers crossed for further improvements, we can always hope ;)

Take care M8,enjoy being alive and reasonably well, summer is here to enjoy.

[w2amr]

Glad you are doing better Paul. Hang in there.:agree:

[ad4mg]

I hope the prognosis continues to improve, Paul. It's nice to see you back!

[suddenseer]

Paul, I gained weight during the experimental chemo at Ohio State University's Oncology dept's treatment. I have stopped giving it mental energy. It seems to be working. The last PET scan was clean. We are both going to beat this shit.

[w2amr]

Paul, I gained weight during the experimental chemo at Ohio State University's Oncology dept's treatment. I have stopped giving it mental energy. It seems to be working. The last PET scan was clean. We are both going to beat this shit.Happy to hear you are doing better as well.

[N8YX]

Very glad to hear it, Paul - we were quite concerned about your absence. Keep fighting the fight.

[KC9ECI]

Good news indeed.

[K7SGJ]

Glad to see you back Paul, happy things are moving in a positive direction; but then you have a lotta folks on your side, too. Get a haircut

[suddenseer]

Happy to hear you are doing better as well.It took two tries....but it looks like I beat it. I am ready to go back to work. have a solid job offer up near Fred, and Nicole I will take it.

[KC2UGV]

Keep fighting the fight Paul. You'll get through this.

[KG4CGC]

Good to hear you're still topside. Keep up the fight ☺

[X-Rated]

I also send my well wishes, Paul. Tim and many others have beaten theirs. We can only hope that you will beat yours as well.

[WØTKX]

Glad you're back to mess with us! :agree:

Cisplatin is nasty. Gave me hearing loss and a bit of tinnitus, may be permanent.
Hopefully, it did not mess with my kidneys. Got scanned a few days ago, waiting.

[w2amr]

Glad you're back to mess with us! :agree:

Cisplatin is nasty. Gave me hearing loss and a bit of tinnitus, may be permanent.
Hopefully, it did not mess with my kidneys. Got scanned a few days ago, waiting.Hoping for the best.

[rot]

Good deal Paul.
You hang tough.
I am beginng to see more and more ole friends getting diagnosed via early detection followed aggressive therapies. My wife was one. It is not that the diagnosis isn't bad enough..but the surgery , the radioation, the chemotherapy and just the upset in living that takes them to the edge makes a tough person even tougher. After about 5 years she is now just doing yearly checks and has to deal with radiation side affects.
Hell she is meaner now than ever and that is usually a good sign. :-D
Actually she is more laid back, but we don't want that rumor to get out.
It is sort of like you have to drop everything, get it done, take the hit and come back day after day. Soon you start seeing futher out, but we actually are quite fond of not planning...seem to give us more freedom to doing the spur of the moment thing.
Anyhoo..Wish you the best..live long and prosper dude.
rot

[NQ6U]

All the best to you, Paul. And don't get a haircut—remember what that did to Samson.

[N7YA]

Thanks for stopping by and letting us know how you're doing, Paul. We care, and i know i speak for everyone, we would like to have you stick around for a while. Do what you gotta do, brother, we can use you on the island.

[n2ize]

Best of luck. Keep on keepin on on bro...

[N2NH]

Best of luck to you Paul. You are in NHE and my prayers. It can be done.

[ab1ga]

...
Do what you gotta do, brother, ....


Whoa there, Nellie, he doesn't get off THAT easy!

Paul, taking all the above schmalz as read, do you have any idea how worried some of us get? Crikey, I was goin' on three or four strokes a day toward the end there!

As a well-worn geezer ham, you know you have to check in to the net in proper fashion. If you don't, control is going to wake up one day, announce "nothing heard" and you'll wind up an SK!

So no more silent treatment, my heart can't take the strain, and it's the only part of me working half decently. In the spirit of Bill Maher, I announce "NEW RULES":

1. If Paul doesn't check in for one day, we assume he's tired.
2. If Paul doesn't check in for two days, we assume he's stoned.
3. If Paul doesn't check in for three days, we assume he's gettin' laid, but only once per calendar quarter. :)
4. If Paul doesn't check in for four days, he's festing.
5. If Paul doesn't check in for one week, we're planning a road trip.

qsl? de ab1ga kn

[N7YA]

Sounds fair to me. By these rules, Paul should stop in tomorrow to approve them.


And who told you the code name i use at the "Red Rooster"?

[W1GUH]

Glad you're back to mess with us! :agree:

Cisplatin is nasty. Gave me hearing loss and a bit of tinnitus, may be permanent.
Hopefully, it did not mess with my kidneys. Got scanned a few days ago, waiting.

So far, so good with the cisplatin effects and it's possible that I won't be doing that again. If this latest adjustment, eliminating that from my treatment, works -- I'll know at the end of August, there's a good chance that I won't need it again. I was surprised to hear that the 5fu, with its almost non-existent side effects, is the key to my treatment, the cicplatin only adds a "little bit of effectiveness."

Couild be that our dosages are different. Don't' really know what mine was -- if there is a next time, I'll look at the bag.

[KG4CGC]

KICK IT IN THE ASS, MAN!

[W1GUH]

Good deal Paul.
You hang tough.
I am beginng to see more and more ole friends getting diagnosed via early detection followed aggressive therapies. My wife was one. It is not that the diagnosis isn't bad enough..but the surgery , the radioation, the chemotherapy and just the upset in living that takes them to the edge makes a tough person even tougher. After about 5 years she is now just doing yearly checks and has to deal with radiation side affects.
Hell she is meaner now than ever and that is usually a good sign. :-D
Actually she is more laid back, but we don't want that rumor to get out.
It is sort of like you have to drop everything, get it done, take the hit and come back day after day. Soon you start seeing futher out, but we actually are quite fond of not planning...seem to give us more freedom to doing the spur of the moment thing.
Anyhoo..Wish you the best..live long and prosper dude.
rot

Yes, the number of current cancer patients was a big surprise to me -- I had no idea just how much cancer is around. People with cancer seem to come out of the woodwork to offer their support and encouragement.

Seems that, if I was unlucky enough to get cancer in the first stage, and to find that it's Stage 4 cancer, at least I was "lucky" enough to get a kind that has chemo with relatively mild side effects, plus it's one where surgery and radiation would be virtually useless. I was relieved to hear that from the doctor. Now, really, the biggest concern is that the current treatment continues to be effective.

But when I hear about cases like Sally Ride (had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer 17 months ago), it reminds me of...well, you know. BUT...again, different person, different cancer and it's all so highly individual that it's pretty much useless to judge you own chances based on what happened to somebody else.

Thanks for the good words, rot.

[W1GUH]

Best of luck to you Paul. You are in NHE and my prayers. It can be done.

Somebody saw Ted! So did I last Friday. If you like Seth MacFarlane, you'll like Ted!

[W1GUH]

Whoa there, Nellie, he doesn't get off THAT easy!

Paul, taking all the above schmalz as read, do you have any idea how worried some of us get? Crikey, I was goin' on three or four strokes a day toward the end there!

As a well-worn geezer ham, you know you have to check in to the net in proper fashion. If you don't, control is going to wake up one day, announce "nothing heard" and you'll wind up an SK!

So no more silent treatment, my heart can't take the strain, and it's the only part of me working half decently. In the spirit of Bill Maher, I announce "NEW RULES":

1. If Paul doesn't check in for one day, we assume he's tired.
2. If Paul doesn't check in for two days, we assume he's stoned.
3. If Paul doesn't check in for three days, we assume he's gettin' laid, but only once per calendar quarter. :)
4. If Paul doesn't check in for four days, he's festing.
5. If Paul doesn't check in for one week, we're planning a road trip.

qsl? de ab1ga kn

Well, OK, now that I know the rules there's a chance I just might follow them! But No. 2 is in error. You can pretty much assume I'm stoned almost all the time -- retirement can be great! No more worries about peeing in a bottle and getting it all over my hands and the floor!

Thanks!

[W1GUH]

Here's another update -- one that's very sweet for me. I finally opened a bill from MSKCC today. Had to -- the color showing through the window was red and that usually means it's time to pay attention. As it turned out it was far, far lower than I'd feared & not really a problem. Whew!!!! Looks like I can actually afford to stay alive. Now....transitioning to Medicare.

Still feeling just fine physically and my energy level continues to rise and I feel close to 100%. Expect that to continue for the next few weeks.

[WØTKX]

Right on Paul! :monkeydance:

Sucks about Sally, but she lived a life, did good stuff.

My scan results from last week... all systems AOK! :spin:

Still #$%&ing moving tho, what a PITA.

[N7YA]

Here's another update -- one that's very sweet for me. I finally opened a bill from MSKCC today. Had to -- the color showing through the window was red and that usually means it's time to pay attention. As it turned out it was far, far lower than I'd feared & not really a problem. Whew!!!! Looks like I can actually afford to stay alive. Now....transitioning to Medicare.

Still feeling just fine physically and my energy level continues to rise and I feel close to 100%. Expect that to continue for the next few weeks.


Great news, Paul! Keep fighting!

[NA4BH]

I had no idea just how much cancer is around.


It would astound you. Every city, every hospital. Staggering.

Sounds like you kicked the son of a bitch in the balls and then slam dunked them. Go after it.

[PA5COR]

AAt least good news Paul, keep up what you are doing, it seems it has a positive influence ;)

[K7SGJ]

Good news Paul. Just goes to show, it really isn't the meds as much as retirement, going to all the ham fests, buying old radio shit, and all the haircuts. Talk about life changing events, Dayum.

[W3WN]

Great news Paul. Glad to hear it.

But you stiff me for Field Day ever again, let alone a Pirates game, and I get all of your boar anchors in compensation, kapeesh?

[WØTKX]

Does he have any Ten Tec rigs? ;)

[PA5COR]

bastid.......;)

Does he have any Ten Tec rigs? ;)

[W1GUH]

Right on Paul! :monkeydance:

Sucks about Sally, but she lived a life, did good stuff.

My scan results from last week... all systems AOK! :spin:

Still #$%&ing moving tho, what a PITA.

Scan results sound good - go for it! My next scan is mid-August....expect good results. Matter of fact I met with my doctor today and he expects that 5fu will be all I'll need for the foreseeable future. Here's hoping.

And the transition to Medicare so far has been easy and seamless. Gave them my info today.

Thanks!

[W1GUH]

It would astound you. Every city, every hospital. Staggering.

Sounds like you kicked the son of a bitch in the balls and then slam dunked them. Go after it.

Yea, it does seem to be kicked into a non-problem state, but I can't take much credit for that. All I'm doing is following Dr's instructions and showing up for treatment. It's the good people at MSKCC that are doing the kicking and dunking! Even keeping a positive attitude is easy when you've got so many good, talented, very caring people to help out.

Thanks!

[W1GUH]

Great news Paul. Glad to hear it.

But you stiff me for Field Day ever again, let alone a Pirates game, and I get all of your boar anchors in compensation, kapeesh?

Sounds fair to me -- might assuage some of my guilt about jerking people around because it's been jerking me around! Besides, during this cleaning frenzy I'm in I'm thinking I have TOO MUCH STUFF!!! That could be a favor to me.

Thanks, Ron, for the good words.

[W1GUH]

Good news Paul. Just goes to show, it really isn't the meds as much as retirement, going to all the ham fests, buying old radio shit, and all the haircuts. Talk about life changing events, Dayum.

Hmmm...both my cancer and my collector habit appear to be incurable. Related? Must be!

Thanks for the good words.

[W1GUH]

Does he have any Ten Tec rigs? ;)

Nope. Is there a Ten-Tec BA? THAT'D be a must have!

[W1GUH]

AAt least good news Paul, keep up what you are doing, it seems it has a positive influence ;)

Thanks, Cor.

[NQ6U]

Good news, Paul, glad to hear you're doing well.

And you're right about the curability of collection addiction. Never had it until I got into ham radio, now it's damned near impossible for me to pass up some cool old piece of hardware at the swap meet. I got a Drake TR-7 coming and am currently searching for a Ten Tec QRP rig, neither one of which is something I really need but there's this Argo 556 on eBay right now...

[W1GUH]

Good news, Paul, glad to hear you're doing well.

And you're right about the curability of collection addiction. Never had it until I got into ham radio, now it's damned near impossible for me to pass up some cool old piece of hardware at the swap meet. I got a Drake TR-7 coming and am currently searching for a Ten Tec QRP rig, neither one of which is something I really need but there's this Argo 556 on eBay right now...

Enjoy that TR-7, you're gonna love it!

FYI, just in case, Pete, The Manual Man (http://www.manualman.com/) does a superb job on his TR-7 service manual repros. Has all the fold-out diagrams just as the orignal manual had them. I find working from a hard copy to be a lot more convenient than from a computer screen. You can find free downloads that'll do in a pinch, but a radio like that....

Also, should you need them, extender boards are available. I'll look up where I got my set.

Finally, the thing about a TR-7 is that it's a lot fussier than a rice box. Rice boxes are pretty much impervious to voltage and temp., but my TR-7 didn't like it at all when I left in in the car on a frigid night. Plus, I can't run it in the car with the engine off -- the voltage drops too much when just on the battery & the FM_'ing gets severe.

OTOH, when it's happy in its environment, that's one fine radio to play with. But then, it's Drake. Would you expect anything else?

[W3WN]

Sounds fair to me -- might assuage some of my guilt about jerking people around because it's been jerking me around! Besides, during this cleaning frenzy I'm in I'm thinking I have TOO MUCH STUFF!!! That could be a favor to me.

Thanks, Ron, for the good words.Anytime.

You're still on the hook for a game at PNC Park. And a visit to Field Day, although we can make that part of a M/S contest effort from here, if I ever get my act together and do some more work on the shack.

[W1GUH]

Anytime.

You're still on the hook for a game at PNC Park. And a visit to Field Day, although we can make that part of a M/S contest effort from here, if I ever get my act together and do some more work on the shack.

That's it! A World Series game this fall -- Pirates and Tigers.

[W3WN]

That's it! A World Series game this fall -- Pirates and Tigers.I'm all for it, but considering what MLB charges for tickets, you're going to have to buy them.

[W1GUH]

Well...we could watch in a bar together...something to do in October til the Pirates and Tigers meet again next season.