We hope you enjoy this and please know we are so grateful for your thoughts, prayers and suport. In a few days I will add a little note, audio from the funeral and some photos.
Saturday, October 24, 2015
Monday, August 3, 2015
Last Years Cancer Adventure
August 1, 2015
It has been over a year since posting anything about my Cancer Journey. Now I have new reasons, deeply personal and motivating reasons to share with you my experiences of the last year. My major reason is to hopefully influence for good those that have Cancer, or those that have loved ones who have Cancer, to potentially shorten the learning curve of owning and conquering their own personal Cancer Journey. I have posted on this blog and in conversation that if this Cancer means that it is my time to pass on to the next life, then so be it, I have had a great life with a great family. I still feel that way, but I want to make sure that I personally have done everything possible to beat and conquer this disease. I have invested hundreds of hours into researching Cancer treatments, especially alternative therapies that are not associated with the conventional medical system. I have adopted my own treatment program, and very little of it utilizes conventional Cancer treatment protocols.
Before I go any further I need to say that everything I include in this Blog is from my own personal experiences. Much of what I say is very controversial, and I don't expect many of you to agree with me on much of the information I share. I take full responsibility for my opinions. But if it gets the reader of this to form his own opinions through thought provoking research, then I feel like I have accomplished one of my main objectives. I have no medical background or training so consider this as you read ahead. No one else but myself can be blamed for anything that is included here.
Now I need to thank some special people. I know there is a huge number of friends, neighbors, relatives, work associates, and church members, who think about and pray for me daily. I can feel the strength and support from you all. Thank You! Like I said, there are a few very special people I would like to recognize. First, Susan's sister Diane and her son Richard, for their work in setting up the "Giving Tree", and "Anything for a Friend" donation campaigns, which raised some much needed financial support to accomplish some of the therapies I am doing. Also, Eric Brewer my cousin and my "Boss" at work, for his support and help with my employment situation. I don't know anyone with a heart as big as his. And my advocate Sherm Smoot. An old high school friend, that I consider to be a very close friend now, developed over the last year. Sherm is a Cancer research fanatic, and he has helped me develop my treatment program. I am so glad that a year ago I decided to give some credence to some of his "crazy" ideas.
Now to answer the "big" question. Am I winning or loosing the Cancer battle? Very good question!
How am I really feeling? Am I making progress to get rid of my Cancer? Let me tell you how I am feeling about the answers to these questions. Sometimes I feel like I am winning the battle, and sometimes I feel like helping Susan write my obituary. That's probably not specific enough for you!
The biggest issue I deal with on a daily basis is my energy level, and how quickly fatigue takes over.
Back in May I had CT Scan. It showed my tumors on my liver and pancreas were still there but not growing. The scan did pick up a new tumor in my back that had encapsulated my spinal column on .lumbar #1. The radiologist said I needed immediate radiation to stop the tumor from closing around my spinal cord, or paralysis could occur. So later that day I had my first radiation procedure with 10 more sessions over the next 10 days. The dose was pretty extreme and it did the job on the tumor, but it also did on me. Extreme fatigue and no energy has been a problem ever since then. So I am spending way to much time resting in bed.
My daily routine is first thing I take oxygen for 1 to 2 hours and take a product that is an anti-toxin and energy catalyst after the first hour of oxygen. Then I take my vitals, and input them into a computer program that tracks my vitals for me. I also record any reactions, both positive and negative that I felt from the day before. All of this information is reviewed by a case manager that is following my progress, whom I tele-conference with on a regular basis. Twice a week I travel to Midway, Utah to do Blood Ozone Therapy, and also Ozone Sauna, and rectal insufflation with Ozone. I will explain these therapies shortly. My diet is somewhat specific. For breakfast I have oatmeal, or whole wheat pancakes, or cottage cheese with flaxseed oil. The days I don't go to Midway I try to exercise for 1/2 hour or so. Some days I just don't have enough energy to do it though. Then I will take a nap and spend most of the rest of the day in bed reading or sleeping.
My weight is hovering around 160 to 165 pounds. In the past year I have lost 70 pounds! I have to work hard on not loosing any more weight than this. My appetite is good, and the only time I really get nausea is when I eat some really rich foods that I am not supposed to eat. My liver and pancreas are so big in the area they cover that my stomach is getting squeezed down and I feel full all the time.
My vitals are normal, my blood lab numbers are looking really good, and my tumor marker numbers in my blood are reducing which is really good. The blood numbers and tumor marker numbers were all out of wack during the time period of the radiation on my back a couple months ago. I feel like I am making progress. Back at the first of the year I set a "turn the corner" date of July 1st. When I got the tumor in my back I adjusted that date back 2 months to September 1st. By then I should be on the road to recovery with the alternative therapies and products that I am using. This does not mean that I will be completely out of the woods. Currently today, one of my big issues is that my ankles, feet, and lower legs are extremely swollen with water retention. This has been going on for about a week or two. I am having difficulty sleeping through the night. The tumors in my liver and pancreas feel like they are suffocating me. I like to use a scale of 1-10. If needing hospice care is 10, and being a normal healthy person is 1, I would say that right now I am about a 7. Before radiation I was around a 5 to 5 1/2.
There are some really good things happening too. When I got the CT scan in May the radiologist mentioned in her report that my tumors in the liver were in the process of necrosis. This is like a scrape on the knee scabbing over during the process of healing. This really excited me! It means that my tumors have started the healing process. They have gone through Lysis, where they get kind of pussy and gooey, just like a knee scrape does. Then they go through Necrosis, where they scab over.
The tumors will continue to scab over and break down as the healing process continues, called apoptosis. The bodily functions of healing will continue until the body absorbs the tumors and they become waste product. With all the Cancer tumors I have in my liver, and the big one on my pancreas, (a little smaller than a baseball), I have a long road ahead of me before I totally recover from my Cancer.
It is now 1 1/2 weeks later: I have not felt real well for a week or so, so I haven't done any work on this during that time. I mentioned above that my ankles and feet were swelling. Also that I was feeling like I was suffocating, and couldn't sleep at night. Last week I had an appointment with my Oncologist. He indicated that I had an excessive amount of peritoneal fluid in my chest cavity and suggested that I have it drained out. So yesterday I had that procedure done and they extracted 5 1/2 Liters of peritoneal fluid out of my diaphragm. Needless to say, I feel much better today. The peritoneal fluid is produced by the blood capillaries in the chest. Those blood capillaries circulate the supply of blood to the diaphragm area, and is then processed through the Liver. If the Liver is not functioning effectively enough, the capillaries will hold the blood and trigger the production of peritoneal fluid to take care of any potential inflammation or infection in the diaphragm. What this means is that my Liver is basically failing. For about a month I have been taking a liver/gall bladder supplement, but I need to research what else I can do to help my Liver.
I better take some time now to explain what therapies I am doing. Last year in October I could tell that the Chemotherapy treatments I had been using since January was leading me to a dead end,...literally. The chemo had slowed the growth of the tumors from growing but my body was starting to feel like it was being devastated, loosing ground quickly of its vitality and energy. I was researching for alternatives for many hours every day. Most of the alternative protocols had similarities, like diet, ozonatated water, nutritional supplements, certain medical equipment procedures like Rife machine, most included learning module programs, etc. I adopted some of these therapies for myself but there was one thing that bothered me. Most of these alternatives depended on the body to heal itself, and I felt like at stage 4 with pervasive tumors in my liver, I needed an antidote product that would help me get rid of my cancer. During my research I kept coming across this one protocol that looked very intriguing. But I kept dismissing it because it was so expensive and the company was from a foreign country, a perfect scam I kept thinking. Then Sherm Smoot called me and asked if I have heard of this company, that he was getting involved in their program and had purchased the product. Sherm was relentless in his efforts to persuade me that this product is exactly what I needed to help me in my Cancer battle. After a couple of weeks of thorough investigation and Sherm hot on my heels I felt really good about investing in and utilizing the "Product" and "Program".
The reason product and program are in quotation marks above is that the Company has some marketing guidelines and rules that must be followed. This Company is very legitimate and is as professional an organization as I have ever been involved in. As members and associates, we are not allowed to use social media (internet, face book, blogs, etc.) to promote and market their Product and Company names. So in this blog I will refer to the "Product" and "Program" as what they represent.
The Company prefers the one on one relationship method as the way to share information. Most of you on this blog know me, and if you desire to know more, don't hesitate to call me.
So about Thanksgiving time last year I joined the Company and have been using the "Product" and "Program since the middle of December. At this same time my Oncologist and I decided not to do any further Chemotherapy, and in my December appointment he told me "Well I guess there isn't anything further I can do for you." He did not want to know anything about the alternative stuff I was doing and still doesn't today. I told him I still wanted to have a monthly visit and checkup from him including blood work where he can interpret the results for me. He hesitantly agreed to this.
The other alternative therapies I wanted to include in my regimen is Ozone therapy, any way I can get it. In 1926 Dr. Otto Warburg discovered that the cause of cancer is the lack of oxygen at the cellular level. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for his research and discovery. In 1944 he received his second Nobel Prize for his discovery of the Hydrogen Transferring Enzyme, the only Dr. of medicine to receive two Nobel Prizes. When you go to the doctor for a checkup, one of the first things the nurse does is pulls her oxymeter out, puts your finger in and checks your oxygen level. WHY?
Hopefully your oxygen level is above 90. This means that you have enough oxygen in your blood to oxidize the cells to remain healthy. Cancer cells hate oxygen. Cancer cells cannot grow and reproduce in an oxygen rich environment. Ozone is H203. It has 2 extra oxygen molecules. When it is introduced to the body it enters the blood stream, tissues, and cells to provide an oxygen rich environment to help the cells oxygenate and oxidize to maximize the health of the good cells and get rid of the cancer cells. With these wonderful benefits plus a listing of many more that a person enjoys from ozone therapy, why is it not available in our conventional medical system? Why do I have to go all the way to Midway, Utah to get treatment? The reason that jumps out to me is that ozone is FREE! Pharmaceutical Companies can't package it or synthesis it. There is no money in it. Why should a medical practitioner promote the benefits of ozone if he can't make any money doing it? Plus the harassment he would get from his colleagues. It just isn't worth it! So the well intended
Dr., homeopath, or other medical practitioner who isn't part of the mainstream medical system who only wants what is best for their patients is where you have to go right now.
In contrast, in Europe, the Far East, So. America, and almost everywhere else in the World, Ozone therapy, and many other alternative therapies are widely accepted and practiced. Many U.S. Cancer patients who want alternative Cancer treatments travel to these countries to get what they need. The regulatory agencies of their medical systems must not be as stringent or powerful as our FDA and AMA regulatory agencies. I could go on and say more but I think I have said enough on this subject.
It has been over a year since posting anything about my Cancer Journey. Now I have new reasons, deeply personal and motivating reasons to share with you my experiences of the last year. My major reason is to hopefully influence for good those that have Cancer, or those that have loved ones who have Cancer, to potentially shorten the learning curve of owning and conquering their own personal Cancer Journey. I have posted on this blog and in conversation that if this Cancer means that it is my time to pass on to the next life, then so be it, I have had a great life with a great family. I still feel that way, but I want to make sure that I personally have done everything possible to beat and conquer this disease. I have invested hundreds of hours into researching Cancer treatments, especially alternative therapies that are not associated with the conventional medical system. I have adopted my own treatment program, and very little of it utilizes conventional Cancer treatment protocols.
Before I go any further I need to say that everything I include in this Blog is from my own personal experiences. Much of what I say is very controversial, and I don't expect many of you to agree with me on much of the information I share. I take full responsibility for my opinions. But if it gets the reader of this to form his own opinions through thought provoking research, then I feel like I have accomplished one of my main objectives. I have no medical background or training so consider this as you read ahead. No one else but myself can be blamed for anything that is included here.
Now I need to thank some special people. I know there is a huge number of friends, neighbors, relatives, work associates, and church members, who think about and pray for me daily. I can feel the strength and support from you all. Thank You! Like I said, there are a few very special people I would like to recognize. First, Susan's sister Diane and her son Richard, for their work in setting up the "Giving Tree", and "Anything for a Friend" donation campaigns, which raised some much needed financial support to accomplish some of the therapies I am doing. Also, Eric Brewer my cousin and my "Boss" at work, for his support and help with my employment situation. I don't know anyone with a heart as big as his. And my advocate Sherm Smoot. An old high school friend, that I consider to be a very close friend now, developed over the last year. Sherm is a Cancer research fanatic, and he has helped me develop my treatment program. I am so glad that a year ago I decided to give some credence to some of his "crazy" ideas.
Now to answer the "big" question. Am I winning or loosing the Cancer battle? Very good question!
How am I really feeling? Am I making progress to get rid of my Cancer? Let me tell you how I am feeling about the answers to these questions. Sometimes I feel like I am winning the battle, and sometimes I feel like helping Susan write my obituary. That's probably not specific enough for you!
The biggest issue I deal with on a daily basis is my energy level, and how quickly fatigue takes over.
Back in May I had CT Scan. It showed my tumors on my liver and pancreas were still there but not growing. The scan did pick up a new tumor in my back that had encapsulated my spinal column on .lumbar #1. The radiologist said I needed immediate radiation to stop the tumor from closing around my spinal cord, or paralysis could occur. So later that day I had my first radiation procedure with 10 more sessions over the next 10 days. The dose was pretty extreme and it did the job on the tumor, but it also did on me. Extreme fatigue and no energy has been a problem ever since then. So I am spending way to much time resting in bed.
My daily routine is first thing I take oxygen for 1 to 2 hours and take a product that is an anti-toxin and energy catalyst after the first hour of oxygen. Then I take my vitals, and input them into a computer program that tracks my vitals for me. I also record any reactions, both positive and negative that I felt from the day before. All of this information is reviewed by a case manager that is following my progress, whom I tele-conference with on a regular basis. Twice a week I travel to Midway, Utah to do Blood Ozone Therapy, and also Ozone Sauna, and rectal insufflation with Ozone. I will explain these therapies shortly. My diet is somewhat specific. For breakfast I have oatmeal, or whole wheat pancakes, or cottage cheese with flaxseed oil. The days I don't go to Midway I try to exercise for 1/2 hour or so. Some days I just don't have enough energy to do it though. Then I will take a nap and spend most of the rest of the day in bed reading or sleeping.
My weight is hovering around 160 to 165 pounds. In the past year I have lost 70 pounds! I have to work hard on not loosing any more weight than this. My appetite is good, and the only time I really get nausea is when I eat some really rich foods that I am not supposed to eat. My liver and pancreas are so big in the area they cover that my stomach is getting squeezed down and I feel full all the time.
My vitals are normal, my blood lab numbers are looking really good, and my tumor marker numbers in my blood are reducing which is really good. The blood numbers and tumor marker numbers were all out of wack during the time period of the radiation on my back a couple months ago. I feel like I am making progress. Back at the first of the year I set a "turn the corner" date of July 1st. When I got the tumor in my back I adjusted that date back 2 months to September 1st. By then I should be on the road to recovery with the alternative therapies and products that I am using. This does not mean that I will be completely out of the woods. Currently today, one of my big issues is that my ankles, feet, and lower legs are extremely swollen with water retention. This has been going on for about a week or two. I am having difficulty sleeping through the night. The tumors in my liver and pancreas feel like they are suffocating me. I like to use a scale of 1-10. If needing hospice care is 10, and being a normal healthy person is 1, I would say that right now I am about a 7. Before radiation I was around a 5 to 5 1/2.
There are some really good things happening too. When I got the CT scan in May the radiologist mentioned in her report that my tumors in the liver were in the process of necrosis. This is like a scrape on the knee scabbing over during the process of healing. This really excited me! It means that my tumors have started the healing process. They have gone through Lysis, where they get kind of pussy and gooey, just like a knee scrape does. Then they go through Necrosis, where they scab over.
The tumors will continue to scab over and break down as the healing process continues, called apoptosis. The bodily functions of healing will continue until the body absorbs the tumors and they become waste product. With all the Cancer tumors I have in my liver, and the big one on my pancreas, (a little smaller than a baseball), I have a long road ahead of me before I totally recover from my Cancer.
It is now 1 1/2 weeks later: I have not felt real well for a week or so, so I haven't done any work on this during that time. I mentioned above that my ankles and feet were swelling. Also that I was feeling like I was suffocating, and couldn't sleep at night. Last week I had an appointment with my Oncologist. He indicated that I had an excessive amount of peritoneal fluid in my chest cavity and suggested that I have it drained out. So yesterday I had that procedure done and they extracted 5 1/2 Liters of peritoneal fluid out of my diaphragm. Needless to say, I feel much better today. The peritoneal fluid is produced by the blood capillaries in the chest. Those blood capillaries circulate the supply of blood to the diaphragm area, and is then processed through the Liver. If the Liver is not functioning effectively enough, the capillaries will hold the blood and trigger the production of peritoneal fluid to take care of any potential inflammation or infection in the diaphragm. What this means is that my Liver is basically failing. For about a month I have been taking a liver/gall bladder supplement, but I need to research what else I can do to help my Liver.
I better take some time now to explain what therapies I am doing. Last year in October I could tell that the Chemotherapy treatments I had been using since January was leading me to a dead end,...literally. The chemo had slowed the growth of the tumors from growing but my body was starting to feel like it was being devastated, loosing ground quickly of its vitality and energy. I was researching for alternatives for many hours every day. Most of the alternative protocols had similarities, like diet, ozonatated water, nutritional supplements, certain medical equipment procedures like Rife machine, most included learning module programs, etc. I adopted some of these therapies for myself but there was one thing that bothered me. Most of these alternatives depended on the body to heal itself, and I felt like at stage 4 with pervasive tumors in my liver, I needed an antidote product that would help me get rid of my cancer. During my research I kept coming across this one protocol that looked very intriguing. But I kept dismissing it because it was so expensive and the company was from a foreign country, a perfect scam I kept thinking. Then Sherm Smoot called me and asked if I have heard of this company, that he was getting involved in their program and had purchased the product. Sherm was relentless in his efforts to persuade me that this product is exactly what I needed to help me in my Cancer battle. After a couple of weeks of thorough investigation and Sherm hot on my heels I felt really good about investing in and utilizing the "Product" and "Program".
The reason product and program are in quotation marks above is that the Company has some marketing guidelines and rules that must be followed. This Company is very legitimate and is as professional an organization as I have ever been involved in. As members and associates, we are not allowed to use social media (internet, face book, blogs, etc.) to promote and market their Product and Company names. So in this blog I will refer to the "Product" and "Program" as what they represent.
The Company prefers the one on one relationship method as the way to share information. Most of you on this blog know me, and if you desire to know more, don't hesitate to call me.
So about Thanksgiving time last year I joined the Company and have been using the "Product" and "Program since the middle of December. At this same time my Oncologist and I decided not to do any further Chemotherapy, and in my December appointment he told me "Well I guess there isn't anything further I can do for you." He did not want to know anything about the alternative stuff I was doing and still doesn't today. I told him I still wanted to have a monthly visit and checkup from him including blood work where he can interpret the results for me. He hesitantly agreed to this.
The other alternative therapies I wanted to include in my regimen is Ozone therapy, any way I can get it. In 1926 Dr. Otto Warburg discovered that the cause of cancer is the lack of oxygen at the cellular level. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for his research and discovery. In 1944 he received his second Nobel Prize for his discovery of the Hydrogen Transferring Enzyme, the only Dr. of medicine to receive two Nobel Prizes. When you go to the doctor for a checkup, one of the first things the nurse does is pulls her oxymeter out, puts your finger in and checks your oxygen level. WHY?
Hopefully your oxygen level is above 90. This means that you have enough oxygen in your blood to oxidize the cells to remain healthy. Cancer cells hate oxygen. Cancer cells cannot grow and reproduce in an oxygen rich environment. Ozone is H203. It has 2 extra oxygen molecules. When it is introduced to the body it enters the blood stream, tissues, and cells to provide an oxygen rich environment to help the cells oxygenate and oxidize to maximize the health of the good cells and get rid of the cancer cells. With these wonderful benefits plus a listing of many more that a person enjoys from ozone therapy, why is it not available in our conventional medical system? Why do I have to go all the way to Midway, Utah to get treatment? The reason that jumps out to me is that ozone is FREE! Pharmaceutical Companies can't package it or synthesis it. There is no money in it. Why should a medical practitioner promote the benefits of ozone if he can't make any money doing it? Plus the harassment he would get from his colleagues. It just isn't worth it! So the well intended
Dr., homeopath, or other medical practitioner who isn't part of the mainstream medical system who only wants what is best for their patients is where you have to go right now.
In contrast, in Europe, the Far East, So. America, and almost everywhere else in the World, Ozone therapy, and many other alternative therapies are widely accepted and practiced. Many U.S. Cancer patients who want alternative Cancer treatments travel to these countries to get what they need. The regulatory agencies of their medical systems must not be as stringent or powerful as our FDA and AMA regulatory agencies. I could go on and say more but I think I have said enough on this subject.
Thursday, May 1, 2014
May first
Many of you are probably wondering if I'm still here among the living! Yes I am.
Right now I'm sitting here at the chemo center in a lazy boy getting my last batch of chemo for the
Week. I feel pretty good right now.
Monday I got an updated CT Scan. The results were pretty positive. The growth of the cancer tumors in the liver has stopped and the tumor in the pancreas is 2 centimeters smaller. So it seems that the cancer is under control with the treatments. The plan for the future is I will have 1 more chemo treatment in 3 weeks, and that will probably be the last one. The sandistatin shots for the endocrine cancer I will continue to get every 3 weeks for some time in the future. The scan did not show much deterioration of cancer cells in the tumors like the one before did. That's unfortunate but overall I feel good that the proliferation o fast growth of the cancer has stopped and is under control.
Everything else in life has been uneventful. Work, some play, and lots of time with family.
This past Sunday Thomas and Whitney had their first baby, baby boy, Cash is his name. That makes 10 grand kids for Susan and I. He and mom are healthy and doing good at home.
Sorry for such a long time since the last post. When there isn't anything of real importance or significance to share with everybody I don't feel like sharing everyday normal stuff. Just know that I am doing well and living life like everybody else, if I don't post anything for awhile. I appreciate everyone's concern and support, it really makes me feel good that so many people care.
After chemo treatment today I am going to watch my daughter Heidi in her golf tournament at the white barn golf course. She is on Northridges high school team and it's a riot to go and watch her play. She is getting pretty darn good!
Friday, March 14, 2014
Friday, March 14th Update
I completed the third round of Chemo yesterday. It went well, but today I am feeling a little under the weather, very tired and a sore stomach. I think maybe the shot I got yesterday to boost my white blood cell counts up is getting to me a little. Anyway, the Chemotherapy doesn't seem to affect me to bad.
It's kind of fun to visit and build relationships with other patients athe Chemo center. Tuesday I met John. He is about 65 years old, has Lymphoma,and is just about done with his treatments. He is close to being cancer free. He told me last week he took his grand kids ice fishing at Causey reservoir. Come to find out he loves to fish!, so we had lots to talk about and plenty of pictures to show each other for a couple hours. He lives in Ogden but grew up on the Oregon coast near the Mckenzie river. He still has family up in Oregon and spends 2-3 months a year up there fishing the rivers for steelhead and salmon. He has 2 boats he keeps up there, and a boat he keeps here in Ogden. He wants to figure out how to fish Flaming gorge, and has been frustrated with the times he has gone there and not been able to catch fish. So we made a deal to help each other. We exchanged information and hopefully can hook up with each other this year.
It's now Friday morning. Yesterday I visited a nutritionist/herbalogist with a friend of mine. For many weeks now I have thought that there is a lot I can do to improve my diet and eat better, to increase the potential of the results to beat this cancer. We worked up a program and am committed to change many of my eating habits. Sorry Jeff, no more Golden Arches. (My son Jeff manages a Mcdonalds)
Today has been pretty rough so far. I didn't sleep good last night, and am very tired today. So I decided not to go to work and stay home and take it easy. I need to go to the clinic and get another shot to boost my white blood cell production, and will do that soon.
Again, thanks for all your thoughts, prayers, and concerns for me. I feel strength from all of you. Later
Monday, March 10, 2014
C-T Scan
It's afternoon Monday, about half-way through today's Chemo session. This morning Dr. Johnson
(Oncologist) reviewed the CT scan with Susan and I. The results are somewhat encouraging. The growth of the tumors have slowed down, and there is dead cancerous tissue in the tumors. So the Chemo-therapy is working on attacking the cancer tumors. The Chemo-therapy treatments will continue for About 4-6 months more.
A major concern is the blood lab results showed a very low level of white blood cell counts, so Dr. Johnson advised me to be careful not to be around sick people, especially little children and large groups of people. He suggested I do whatever I can do to keep my energy level up, and to get more rest. After this round of chemo, I am scheduled to get 5 shots, ( 1 each day for 5 days) to stimulate my bone marrow to produce more white blood cells.
Overall, Dr. Johnson is positive about things. He says it's unusual that I don't show more signs of side effects. He usually schedules the follow-up CT scan after the 3rd or 4th cycles of chemo, not the 2nd.
I guess I pressured him to do it sooner then normal. He feels the next couple rounds of chemo will show a more progressive change on he tumors than the first 2 rounds showed on the scan.
I will follow-up with another entry after this chemo session on Thursday to let you know how things are going. I appreciate everyone's concern and support through this ordeal.
Happy B-Day Dad
Happy Birthday Dad! 83 today.
Nothing new or extra ordinary to report from last entry last week. Had a great lunch Thursday with
Good friends, Mike, Bob, Sherm, and Brent. It's amazing how our personal characteristicts stay the same throughout our lives!
I actually went and played nine holes of golf with Dallas, #4 son yesterday. Had a good time, didn't
Get very tired, (we rode a cart) and played pretty well, once I figured out 15 yards more club is needed on every shot.
It is now Monday morning.
Today is a big day. Friday was C-T scan day. This morning at 8:30 I have a consultation with the Oncologist to determine how well the treatments are working so far. Plus I start the next round of
chemo today. My plan is to update you all during chemo today. So I will post another entry in about 5 hours.
Sunday, March 2, 2014
The New 'do...
For many people loosing their hair while undergoing cancer treatment is a major deal.
For others it was always in the cards and the treatment just sped it along.
He does look like Dave kind of...
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Feb. 26 Update from Jose
It's been several weeks since posting anything here. I feel bad cause there are so many that want to know the status of what is happening with me. I can't think of a good reason but some bad ones are I'm technologically challenged, I a spent way to much time watching the Olymipics the last couple weeks, I. Hate writing stuff about myself, etc. Through this cancer experience, giving timely updates is just one more thing to add to the list of things I need to repent of. Sorry everyone, I promise to do better
The second round of Chemo was last week, ending on Thursday. It has been a little rougher on me.
I get way tired easily and if I don't get rest I get sick by early evening. My daily routine has been up by 6 am , feel really good till noon, start to fizzle out by 3 to 4, feel crapy by 6 pm, unless I get about a 2 hour nap in the afternoon, then I feel pretty good till 9 or so.
Susan, Heidi, and I spent the week of Feb. 8-15 in Indian Wells, Cal. My parents, Joe & Carol also went at the same time. We had great weather and a great time of doing just about absolutely nothing but sitting by the pool for the week. Perfect.
My hair has fallen out: so 10 days ago I got the buzz cut. Susan was scared to death when soon after the no hair dew, she woke up at night and wondered how in the heck she ended up in bed with my brother Dave! She really did.
Next week I will go in for a follow-up Ct Scan to determine how well the treatments have been in reducing the Carcnogins in my body. Hopefully the results will be positive. Included in the second round of Chemo I did get an injection of Systantin? To reduce the Neuro-Endocrine cancer cells.
This is a monthly injection and was the primary treatment for my cancer until it was diagnosed how fast the cancer was growing.
I have continued to work for 3-5 hours a day, but don't know how much longer I will be able to do it.
The next round of Chemo will start March 10th, and much will be determined on how well I feel after that.
It's very gratifying to feel the support, concern, and love from so many good folks.
I promise to give more regular updates.
Jose
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Many days later
It's now Wednesday afternoon, February. 5. Sorry I haven't posted anything for awhile.
Last Thursday I went to work. It was good to feel useful. Friday I worked for a couple hours,
Then went to a movie. Saturday, Jacob twisted my arm to go fishing with him, Todd Racker,
A fishing buddy of ours, and Holden, my grandson. It was a blast but very tiring. We caught
31 lake trout, I'm not bragging cause I only caught 2.
Monday, Tuesday, and today I worked for about 4 hours each day before fading fast.
I have really had no side affects or I'll feeling from the first round of Chemo treatment.
The only problem is running out of steam after 3-4 hours without a nap.
Monday I had my blood checked and all is good. My white blood cell count and platelets
Are within tolerance levels.
I appreciate all the love and support I feel from so many of you out there. It definitely
helps in fighting this. Thanks.
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Day 3 of Chemo
It is Thursday morning. Yesterday was a piece of cake, no real affects of the treatments.
I got really tired early in the evening and sleep was pretty rough last night, but I made it through
without any major problems. Today I feel really good, about like normal.
I appreciate the concern and love you all are sharing with me and my family. Everyone is getting
along fine. Thanks for the comments made to this blog. It's great to hear from cousins that I haven't seen or heard from for a long time. I want to reply to Don and Nola Swenson. Both of you and your whole family have always been special to me. Mike has been such a great friend. I love you guys.
See you at bear lake this summer.
The Chemo treatments are over for 3 weeks. I guess if I keep feeling good I will get back to work
or go fishing.
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Chemo day 2
Day 2 of Chemo not much different than day1. There is a battle going on in my gut, and is very sore and tender. The clinic that I am getting treatments in has 15 recliner stations, and they were all full most of the day. Some of the patients are my age or younger, most are older. It's interesting how nice and courteous and positive everyone is to one another.
It's great to read the comments made to this blog. Those from work; Clint, Adam, Patti/Kenny; and family; Jenny, and Reed Glassman, it's been 2 to 3 years since we've talked. Thanks, it's fun to read your comments and feel your support.
Tonight Heidi gets to do her thing to my hair. So far it's still all there but the nurses say 2-3 days and it will start falling out. I hope she's not to creative.
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Day 1 of Chemo
Monday, Jan. 27.
It is now early Tuesday morning. All I can say is the first day of Chemo was no big deal.
I have a tired but and sore lower back from sitting in a recliner for 6 hours, but no response
to me physically, except for a little more than usual abdominal pain. Hopefully it's the Chemo
battling it out with those cancer cells.
In 2 hours I will be starting round 2. I'm actually looking forward to it. These treatments will
hopefully save or extend my life for future time, and if there are some side effects and downtime
It's worth it.
The biggest thing I have learned through this whole ordeal so far, is to feel the love and support
From so many who care about me. Your thoughts and prayers are helping a lot to deal
positively with this. Thank you all!
It is now early Tuesday morning. All I can say is the first day of Chemo was no big deal.
I have a tired but and sore lower back from sitting in a recliner for 6 hours, but no response
to me physically, except for a little more than usual abdominal pain. Hopefully it's the Chemo
battling it out with those cancer cells.
In 2 hours I will be starting round 2. I'm actually looking forward to it. These treatments will
hopefully save or extend my life for future time, and if there are some side effects and downtime
It's worth it.
The biggest thing I have learned through this whole ordeal so far, is to feel the love and support
From so many who care about me. Your thoughts and prayers are helping a lot to deal
positively with this. Thank you all!
Saturday, January 25, 2014
Intro
This blog will be a a way for those who know and love Jose to follow his fight with and get updates on how things are going. It has been amazing how many people have contacted him for that reason and so to keep him from being on the phone all the time please feel free to refer to this blog for updates, to post messages to Jose or the family. There will also be links to submit photos, stories ans such about Jose to his family so that they may have that. Thank you all for your love and support.
An unexpected journey...
A little over two weeks ago Jose was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer with liver metastasis. He had gone in to his primary care physician Dr. Gochnour after some weeks with abdominal pain and changes in appetite. After an ultrasound and CT scan, he was blown away at the diagnosis of cancer and that it was probably well advanced. That diagnosis was confirmed by biopsy. For a family of mostly boys that live invincible lives, we were all very shocked and saddened as the prognosis surfaced with an average mortality rate of 5-10 months without treatment.
Due to a few discrepancies from the tests, results were sent to Mayo Clinic for further evaluation. The initial report we received back concluded that he had Neuroendocrine Tumors of Pancreatic Origin. This is a much less common type (about 3-5%) of pancreatic cancer. This type of cancer is traditionally slower moving, and treated by other means than chemo. For a few days this information offered a silver lining of hope that a longer life expectancy may occur. After a consultation at the Huntsman, and with clarification from the Mayo Clinic, we found out that Jose's more rare form of pancreatic cancer was even more abnormal. The proliferation rate, or the rate at which the cancer typically spreads, was more than double (and almost three times) the norm. In an instant that silver lining slipped away as this cancerous enemy raging inside changed the rules. It was advised by doctors and the Oncology teams, at both the Huntsman and McKay, that the cancer be treated aggressively with chemotherapy beginning as soon as possible. So the battle begins with chemo starting this coming Monday January 27th. Jose has chosen to receive treatments at McKay-Dee with Dr. Johnson.
Facing this unexpected journey/battle in life, Jose looks forward with a heart of faith and firm testimony in the Plan of Salvation. The physician at the Huntsman asked Jose what his understanding of his Stage 4 Cancer diagnosis and prognosis was. Jose replied he knew that there was no known cure and that the treatments were to extend his life at best. The physician also explained that the treatments for this type of cancer would be as aggressive, intense, and extremely hard on him as that of the most advanced lung cancer. Jose will receive two rounds of chemo treatments, each one with three successive days of drug treatment with two different chemo drugs, spaced twenty-one days apart. After the second round of treatment, they will re-evaluate the cancer and will be able to determine how well the cancer has responded to treatment and will give a more clear prognosis. The median time frame with a positive treatment response is 1 year.
After everything came to light from the doctors visit and once the physician had left, Jose's eldest son, West, asked him how he was with this new information we received. Jose, without any hesitation, responded as he had before, "I hope for the best and plan for the worst. I have lived a great life and have been blessed with an amazing family. I don't want to die but if it is my time then I am ok with that. I have a much stronger testimony and faith in the Plan of Salvation than people would probably think. I know Christ is my Savior."
Due to a few discrepancies from the tests, results were sent to Mayo Clinic for further evaluation. The initial report we received back concluded that he had Neuroendocrine Tumors of Pancreatic Origin. This is a much less common type (about 3-5%) of pancreatic cancer. This type of cancer is traditionally slower moving, and treated by other means than chemo. For a few days this information offered a silver lining of hope that a longer life expectancy may occur. After a consultation at the Huntsman, and with clarification from the Mayo Clinic, we found out that Jose's more rare form of pancreatic cancer was even more abnormal. The proliferation rate, or the rate at which the cancer typically spreads, was more than double (and almost three times) the norm. In an instant that silver lining slipped away as this cancerous enemy raging inside changed the rules. It was advised by doctors and the Oncology teams, at both the Huntsman and McKay, that the cancer be treated aggressively with chemotherapy beginning as soon as possible. So the battle begins with chemo starting this coming Monday January 27th. Jose has chosen to receive treatments at McKay-Dee with Dr. Johnson.
Facing this unexpected journey/battle in life, Jose looks forward with a heart of faith and firm testimony in the Plan of Salvation. The physician at the Huntsman asked Jose what his understanding of his Stage 4 Cancer diagnosis and prognosis was. Jose replied he knew that there was no known cure and that the treatments were to extend his life at best. The physician also explained that the treatments for this type of cancer would be as aggressive, intense, and extremely hard on him as that of the most advanced lung cancer. Jose will receive two rounds of chemo treatments, each one with three successive days of drug treatment with two different chemo drugs, spaced twenty-one days apart. After the second round of treatment, they will re-evaluate the cancer and will be able to determine how well the cancer has responded to treatment and will give a more clear prognosis. The median time frame with a positive treatment response is 1 year.
After everything came to light from the doctors visit and once the physician had left, Jose's eldest son, West, asked him how he was with this new information we received. Jose, without any hesitation, responded as he had before, "I hope for the best and plan for the worst. I have lived a great life and have been blessed with an amazing family. I don't want to die but if it is my time then I am ok with that. I have a much stronger testimony and faith in the Plan of Salvation than people would probably think. I know Christ is my Savior."
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