Damn.

Eff Cancer Howard. You'll beat that shit.

 

Dang, Howard, what a bummer.  But you are are a fighter and sounds like you are getting good treatment.  Thoughts and prayers are with you!!!

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If I should ever die, God forbid, let this be my epitaph: THE ONLY PROOF HE NEEDED FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD WAS MUSIC - KV

Ding I'm sorry to hear that you are going though with all this Cancer crap. You seem pretty happy with the VA I will be checking out some of the VA health facilities when we get closer to making our move to the other side of FL.  Sending positive vibes your way. 

 

Bone Marrow Biopsy: Lots of worry over nothing, , , , , LOL!

Went to the Lake Nona VA bright-and-early Wednesday morning, 8/2/17. Hit the labs to have 5 vials of blood drawn. Went upstairs and checked in.

Mr. Dingpatch? Yes, here. The nurse takes me back to the "procedure" room and we have some small talk while she takes my vitals. Then the "Bone Marrow" PA comes in with a Resident in tow. The Resident introduces herself and asks if she can watch. Sure, join the crowd. More small talk until the lab tech comes in. OK? Ready to go.

Take off your belt and undo your zipper and such. Lay down here on your stomach, Get comfortable. Poke, push, prod on my left hip, , , ,. OK, here's the good place, as the PA explains everything to the Resident. OK. She circles the spot with marker. Swab, clean, swab, clean. OK, your going to feel a bunch of pricks as I give you the local. Not bad at all, and she was putting it as deep as she could around the spot the auger/needle was going to go. Not a "needle" and syringe, but a T-handled tool thingy that looks very similar to a t-handled allen wrench. OK, here we go. OK, me, I can't feel anything. Then, "I'm on the bone, here we go, you'll feel a lot of "pressure"". Push, twist, push, twist. Hmmmmm, , , , pretty unsettling knowing what she's doing. Lots of pressure, maybe a twinge or 2 of phantom pain. I'm ready, at any moment, for "The Big Pain", but it never came. "OK, I'm in and here's the first sample. Going to get some more and take a snip of bone." The lab tech is there checking the samples for quantity and quality. OK, the lab tech is "good to go" and she leaves with a little cold pack of me.

The Resident thanks me for letting her watch. Sure, any time. The Nurse and the PA get me all bandaged up and let me sit up on the side of the bed/table. Not too fast, we have a lot of people take-a-dive if they get on their feet too soon. Well, ya, it is somewhat stressful and you are on an unpleasant "natural high" when it's done. A life-long friend had driven me and I felt so very relieved on the way home!

Test results will take "a week or so".

So, since I found out last Thursday, 7/27/17, about having to have the bone marrow thingy, it has occupied 98% of my brain pan. Dr. G had told me that it would be "smooth as silk", being that her PA did bone marrow biopsies "all-day-long" every Wednesday. But, I chose to remain very apprehensive. Ended up that I was over-stressed for no good reason. Piece of cake! But, the last one 5 years ago was, as I thought at the time, "rough". It took the oncologist 3 times to get into the bone! I was laying on my side and he was pretty much pushing me off the table. He had his nurse get on the other side of the table and push my hip towards him! Afterwards, he asked me if anybody had ever told me that I have very hard bones? No, but you just did!

Oh, and the next afternoon I took a shower and then began changing the bandaging. I pull and tug at it all and I'm looking in the mirror to see what to get with my fingernails, and I see a "sticker" on top of it all. That PA is a joker for sure, she had put a "Disney Vacation Club - Hawaii" sticker on top of the dressing!

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Dora Hates You

Edited: 10/01/2017 at 05:47 AM by dingpatch

daam

Good Luck man

Bone Marrow: No word yet, but no alarm bells either, , , ,

Chemo: Saw my Oncologist at Health First on Monday, 8/14. Usual small talk. Well, the marrow may have some "weight" on the plans, but for now, , , , it will be the same chemo as before, but for 6 treatments instead of only 3. I asked Dr. V about the previously mentioned "aggressive" heavy-duty chemo and he said it was not indicated. IF, the original Lymphoma had come back within the first year yes, Heavy Duty Chemo. BUT, it has been 5 years, so the standard chemo is expected to be very efficient.

Current Prognosis: 98%+ confidence in being "cured".

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Dora Hates You

Edited: 10/01/2017 at 05:56 AM by dingpatch

Excellent!



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I was right.

Sincerest of hopes

 

Well, , , , yesterday I hopefully had my last 'test" for awhile, , , ,

MUGA Scan: Went to the Viera VA clinic yesterday morning for a multigated acquisition (MUGA) scan. NBD. They put an IV in my arm, gave me a shot of the "prep" juice and told me to go have a seat or get something to eat and drink and come back in 25 minutes. Had some breakfast in the canteen and went back in. They gave me the nuke med portion and I laid down on the scan table. Two (2) 10 minute scans (at 2 different angles).

>>>> "A multigated acquisition (MUGA) scan creates video images of the lower chambers of the heart to check whether they are pumping blood properly. It shows any abnormalities in the size of the chambers (called "ventricles") and in the movement of blood through the heart. Other names for this test include cardiac blood pooling imaging, nuclear heart scan, nuclear ventriculography, and radionuclide ventriculography.

Some people may need a MUGA scan before chemotherapy to find a pre-existing heart condition. Doctors also use MUGA scans as follow-up care to identify potential long-term heart side effects called late effects. Cancer survivors who may need follow-up MUGA scans include:

People who have had radiation therapy to the chest, spine, or upper abdomen.

People who have had a bone marrow/stem cell transplant or certain types of chemotherapy.

For these survivors, the test can identify heart-related late effects, which may occur more than 5 years after treatment. Learn more about the long-term side effects of cancer treatment.'

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Dora Hates You

Sounds like you're being well taken care of, ...
... or at least a lot of tests, pokin' n proddin' and samples and what not.


Thanks for keeping us informed ...
... or at least giving me knowledge.


Keep on keeping on!!






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Puerto Rico 11 - 24 - 2013

Treating B-Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is generally divided into main 2 types, based on whether it starts in B lymphocytes (B cells) or T lymphocytes (T cells). There are many different types of B-cell lymphomas. Treatment usually depends both on the type of lymphoma and the stage (extent) of the disease, but many other factors can be important as well.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) tends to grow quickly. Most often, the treatment is chemotherapy (chemo), usually with a regimen of 4 drugs known as CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone), plus the monoclonal antibody rituximab (Rituxan). This regimen, known as R-CHOP, is most often given in cycles 3 weeks apart. Because this regimen contains the drug doxorubicin, which can damage the heart, it may not be suitable for patients with heart problems, so other chemo regimens may be used instead.

Stage I or II

For DLBCL that is only in 1 or 2 lymph node groups on the same side of the diaphragm (the thin muscle that separates the chest from the abdomen), R-CHOP is often given for 3 to 6 cycles, which might be followed by radiation therapy to the affected lymph node areas.

Stage III or IV

Most doctors will give 6 cycles of R-CHOP as first-line treatment. After several cycles, doctors may get imaging tests such as a PET/CT scan to see how well treatment is working. People who have a higher risk of the lymphoma coming back later in the tissues around the brain and spinal cord may be treated with chemo injected into the spinal fluid (called intrathecal chemotherapy). Another option is to give high doses of methotrexate intravenously. (This drug can pass into the spinal fluid.)

For younger patients with a higher risk of the lymphoma coming back (based on the International Prognostic Index [IPI] score), high-dose chemo followed by a stem cell transplant might be an option. But it's not yet clear if transplants are better as the initial treatment. Most doctors feel that if a transplant is done as part of the first treatment, it should be done in a clinical trial.

If the lymphoma doesn't go away completely with treatment or if it recurs (comes back) after treatment, doctors will usually suggest another chemo regimen. Several different regimens can be used, and they may or may not include rituximab. If the lymphoma shrinks with this treatment, it might be followed by a stem cell transplant if possible, as it offers the best chance of curing the lymphoma. Stem cell transplants are not effective unless the lymphoma responds to chemo. Unfortunately, not everyone is healthy enough for a stem cell transplant. Clinical trials of new treatments may be another good option for some people.

DLBCL can be cured in about half of all patients, but the stage of the disease and the IPI score can have a large effect on this. Patients with lower stages have better survival rates, as do patients with lower IPI scores.

https://www.cancer.org/cancer/...g/b-cell-lymphoma.html

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Dora Hates You

Howard, I just saw this one man our whole family is thinking about you guys.  If you need anything you know how to get a hold of us even if it's just a car ride so you don't have to drive to/from treatment or a home cooked meal so you don't have to make it yourselves.  We could try some of the foods Rydyr likes to eat when his appetite is lacking too.  

And ask your doctor for a Mary J. Wanna referral!  Marinol/Dronabinol is 100% legal synthetic THC and will have to do until the laws get worked out in FL for big pharma to stop controlling it through the FDA.  Our experience over the last year and a half with Rydyr using it daily has been that it's very safe and effective.

Our best to you and your wife, the Stockton family

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"Don't count the days, make the days count." -Ali
#rydyrstrong

Hang in there Dingpatch, thinking of you and sending prayers!

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Jesus invented surfing...
Matthew 14:22-33

www.facebook.com/churchonthebeach

UPDATE

Saw the Oncologist on Thursday, 8/31.

Bone Marrow: Clean as a Safeway chitlin!

MUGA Scan: My heart is A OK and good to go for chemo.

I start six (6) courses of chemo on the 14th of September; Rituxan on the 14th, and CHOP on the 15th. Repeat every three (3) weeks. Last chemo on December 29th.

Then, another P.E.T. scan in January, and we will see where we go from there, , , , ,.

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Dora Hates You

UPDATE - CHEMO

Started chemo on Thursday, 9/14. Thursday was the Rituxan (R) component. Lots of "pre" stuff in bags, and a couple "pushes" in syringes, and, and, and, a 50ml bag on Benadryl, and anti-nausea stuff . My port works fine, so no needles other than the initial "plug in" The Benadryl is a mother; it made me feel loopy and woozy as heck (4 big pours pf vodka is less of a challenge!). Then, the rituxan, a big 400ml bag of clear liquid. Blood pressure check every 30 minutes. Started peeing it out within 20 minutes and every 30 minutes thereafter. Felt shitty the rest of the day and night from the Benadryl. Total session took about 5 hours.

On Friday it was the CHOPS. Lots of small "pre" bags and "pushes" of this-and-that. Then, 2 big pushes of a red syringe that took about 15 minutes to complete (makes you pee pink/red for the rest of the day). No Benadryl. Then, the medium sized bag of a "main" component. Total time was about 4 hours. Felt fine during it all and for most of the rest of the day; had a decent dinner and went to the watering hole and had some Vodka. BUT, later, in bed, it all started to change; my belly felt crappy and I felt kind of "buzzy" all over; slept very little. Took the Prednisone this morning. I see the oncologist this coming Thursday and am going to ask him for Ativan.

The shit is already kicking in this morning; my tongue has a "hot soup burn" feeling and my coffee tastes not so pleasing.

More to follow.

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Dora Hates You

Edited: 05/26/2018 at 04:23 AM by dingpatch

Bummer. Good luck with it. I'll take a look at my miracle fruit bush and see if there are any berries on them. They make your taste buds better. I doubt I have any fruit as I looked pre-irma. Look online for miracle fruit. You can buy it online. Turns sour/bitter into sweet. fakes the taste buds out.

Thanks Dave. I'll check into it.

I feel like microwaved poop today.

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Dora Hates You

Sorry you're not feeling well; good thoughts for an easier time going forward...

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[Feminism is] a socialist, anti-family, political movement that encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians. ~Pat Robertson

Good luck, Dingpatch.

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I :heart; Q

Marinol/Dronabinol

May not be for everyone, but Rydyr calls it his "miracle medicine".

Pure synthetic THC and helps with his nausea, lack of appetite, mood swings, and sleeplessness. I hate that it's a prescription drug, but hasn't taken anything else in the last year and a half for these symptoms and even takes it before breakfast/school in the morning and at night to eat/sleep well.

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"Don't count the days, make the days count." -Ali
#rydyrstrong