This past Thursday I learned just what thanksgiving is all about – I had a seizer and my family was there at my side the entire time… my parents… my brother, all of my in-laws – and of course my wife Kim- I am truly thankful for all their love and support.
As far as me I am doing great recovering and am on the road to recovery. I should be starting IV chemo sometime in the next few days.
On Thursday I met with my new neurosurgeon, Kim and my brother went with me for support – I was very nervous since I had just had the MRI on Monday and my radiation Dr. wanted me to see the neurosurgeon as soon as possible… we were all expecting the worst. What we got was generally good news… as I said I was expecting much worse. There is a small 7 millimeter growth near the original tumor site - it is within the range of the first tumor. It’s in a great spot (as great as one could be with a tumor in their head)… so we have three choices.
I’m sorry to be so negative but that is just part of my battle – I am going to have good days and bad days. What I need from you is the positive thoughts and prayers… and you know what really helps is the messages you leave on my facebook and the blog keep them coming they help me keep my positive thoughts. I love you all.
Life is still good – and I’m feeling great! Yesterday I had an MRI to see if there is any re-growth of the tumor. The MRI went great except that when the tech had to inject the contrast we ran into a problem. My veins are hard to find because of the radiation and chemo… she tried about 10-12 times to get a usable vein but couldn’t and let me tell you it hurt… being poked that many times does hurt. What we ended up doing is going to the main hospital to see if they could do it – well after only three tries she found a vein… rite in my knuckle and again it hurt like hell but worth it. I have a feeling I am going to end up with a port… now I understand why so many cancer patients have one.
Preliminary report looks good - a little swelling but good… I meet with the neurosurgeon on Thursday to find out more but I think and feel that there will be no re-growth if so very little and the chemo will take care of that. So wish me luck and keep on praying for me… it looks like its working. I will update you all on Thursday or Friday with what I find out.
Yesterday I had appointments with two of my doctors. I saw my chemo doctor and my neurologist... both of them said I am doing great and am better than most patients at this point. The chemo Dr. is going to set me up for round two of chemo and that is when the pills double… but it’s not every day – if I remember correctly it will be five days of pills then a few weeks off then five days of pills… etc. This could go on for at least six months but most likely a year or longer. He has some patients who have been on chemo for several years. Frankly I don’t care how long I am on chemo so long as I am healthy and the tumor does not grow back. Speaking of growing back I should be getting a new MRI in the next few weeks sooner than I thought. That will be the big test… we will find out everything then… if there is any regrowth... if so how big is it…? Do we need to go back in? I’m keeping positive and believe that I will have no regrowth. But still keep me in your thought and keep praying for me.
I just got reenergized. I am going to go to a brain tumor support group next week that I think will be very helpful. The woman I spoke with is a 20 year survivor… that’s very encouraging. I felt a boost of energy after speaking with her. This will be great talking to people who have been and are going through the same thing I am.
Other than that nothing new other than I was on the radio this past weekend talking about health care reform. How did that happen? Well I’m glad you asked. I took the family and some friends to one of my new favorite restaurants – Linda Beans Perfect Lobster Rolls. It was my third time there in less than two weeks and there was a radio station doing a live remote promoting the place. So I went on the air to say how great the place was. Not two minutes into the interview the DJ changes direction and goes from how great the lobster rolls are to Health Care reform. I was caught off guard but I think I gave a good answer. I said something has to be done but I don’t think Obama’s plan is perfect and anything run by the government will be run slowly and it will take time for patients to get approval for new medications.
And Please remember to watch my newest video blog - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2tT6s83IBo
This week has been good – I did a lot of sleeping. I’m still tired… the radiation takes time to get out of your system. But other than being exhausted I feel great… the best I have felt since this whole nightmare started. I don’t have a whole lot to share with you today since most of my week was spent sleeping. However I do have one good thing. I went to get my blood work done on Tuesday and the doctor said that my numbers are so good and I am doing so good that I don’t have to get blood taken every week any more… so that is great news.
cate of completion… it was very nice and I can’t say enough about how great everyone at Lynn Cancer Institute is. After the radiation was finished I had a celebratory lunch with my brother and father – it was a good time. When Kim got home with Cole I had some special daddy time with Cole and we went for a bike ride… There is nothing better than spending time with Cole. Then after the bike ride we came home to a great smelling house… Kim had made me a special dinner, so the three of us had a congratulatory dinner and I could not have had a better day. Thanks you to everyone. This is now one hurdle down. I still have a combat to fight but with the continued love and support I continue to receive I will win this battle and can’t thank you all for the love, support and prayers. I love you all.
overnor, countless celebrities, flown in black hawks, stood in the eye of hurricanes as they made land fall, flown in stunt planes, shot video in the middle of a riot, sky dived, bungee jumped, met the rich, met the poor climbed water falls in Cost Rica I have been able to do and see a lot… life has been very exciting – so if I don’t ever do anything other than spend time with family then I am doing not just doing remarkable and great but I will be awesome. Life isn’t about where you have been or what you have done, who has the most money or toys… it is about family – family family family.Not much to write about today – I am feeling great and things are going good for me. Including today I have five more zaps of radiation and Monday will be me last zap. My father is taking me so we plan on meeting my brother for lunch and celebrating that. But don’t think things will get easy for me after that. A few weeks after radiation is done my chemo pills double so I have no idea how that will make me feel So far with the chemo I am feeling fine a little nauseous but nothing I can’t handle so far. But I may get sicker form the new larger dose of chemo pills… I’ll just have to keep my fingers crossed that I don’t get sick from them… I would like to get some work done – and not having to go to radiation allows me to get more work done.
sits just next to where my tumor is… when it is on my shoulder it is rite where the tumor is. Has anyone heard of any other photojournalists having a brain tumor/cancer? It’s too much of a coincidence that the brain tumor/cancer is where the cameras sits. Please let me know if you have heard of this happening to any other fellow photojournalists.
As far as me I am feeling great doing good and after a recent visit to my doctors my outlook is even better. My EEG came back great! The doctor said there was no sign of seizures and that I am doing better than average. They all seem to be surprised at how well I am doing. When your doctor is surprised at how well you’re doing you know you’re doing remarkably good. I have eight sessions of radiation left then I stay on chemo for a few weeks then I am of both radiation and chemo for a few weeks before I my chemo doubles and radiation is gone forever. When the chemo doubles its only five days a month and it is still the pills so I hope I handle it well. I still can’t drive for another five months so I will need to figure out what to do with my time. I will try to work for myself and help my partners with thelaw.tv. As long as I can get a ride to wherever I need I think I’ll be okay.
The definition of cancer is – a malignant tumor of potentially unlimited growth that expands locally by invasion and systemically by metastasis.
That is what I have cancer – wow I still can’t believe I have it. Not just cancer but brain cancer. I was living my life as normal as could be and then one day I wake up have a seizure and find out latter I have brain cancer. It is still hard to believe. What is more shocking is how prevalent cancer is. I can’t escape it. If it’s not a friend it’s a friend of a friend everyone knows somebody with cancer. Cancer is everywhere! It’s
on the news it’s on my favorite TV shows it’s everywhere. Izzy on Gray’s Anatomy has brain cancer. (Although I think their portrayal of it is not realistic). Cancer is everywhere. We just can’t escape it.
I just watched GMA and saw a story about a ten year old girl who has breast cancer and had to have a double mastectomy… ten years old and she has breast cancer! WHAT’ THE HELL IS GOING ON?! This is should not happen! But this young girl was and is strong… someone else for me to draw strength and inspiration from. If this young lady can go through something that most adults find impossible I can get through it too… I know I can get through and survive my brain cancer. This is what I do I find people and ways to draw my strength from. It is hard to wake up and live a normal life… if and when I am found to be cancer free I think life will be difficult to live. It’s the uncertainty that cancer is. When I am cancer free I will still wake up each day not knowing if that’s the day it could come back. How do you live life that way? I’ll just have to find out.
Cancer will be a part of my family’s life forever. I know it’s hard for Kim to watch me go through this… she may not have cancer herself but she is living with it as much as I am… in fact I think it’s harder at times for her and the rest of the family than it is for me.. if something does happen to me they are the ones left behind… they are the ones left to pick up the pieces. Cancer is a six letter word but it should really be a four letter word. Cancer… if it happened to me it can happen to you. Each day is a gift… don’t sweet the small stuff… enjoy life.
I was recently asked “Did you know, deep down, that you were seriously sick before the doctor told you? I think the human body knows more about itself than any physician or medical test. I ask this because I knew 100% that I was pregnant before any pee or blood test proved it true. Conversely, I think positive thought (which you have a million times over!!!!) can be just as healing as modern medicine (radiation, chemo).”
I had no idea I was sick – I felt normal as could be… the doctors were even surprised that I had no signs. They thought that I would have at least had a few headaches from the tumor pushing on my brain. The first sign was when I had my first seizure… this day started of normal. Cole was off from school so we had what I like to call a daddy day. I took him to Chuck E Cheese and we had a great time. After Chuck E Cheese we went home and played until Kim got home. Kim came home and the three of us went out to dinner. After dinner both Kim and I felt sick… we thought we had food poisoning… this is when my fist seizure happened. Kim found me shacking and unresponsive in the bathroom.
I do agree that positive thought is the key to recovery… that is why I do the blog – not just to educate people but for me to get whatever is going on in my head out. Positive thought is what will let me dance at Cole’s wedding.
On a different note – I think the Chemo pills are starting to take its toll on me… I’m starting to get a little sick a little nauseous. The anti-nauseous pills seem to keep it under control.
I was recently asked the question… “In your blog you made the distinction between level 4 and stage 4. What's the difference?”
Stages of Cancer
Ø Stage 1cancers is localized to one part of the body.
Ø Stage 2 cancers are locally advanced.
Ø Stage 3 cancers are also locally advanced. Whether a cancer is designated as Stage 2 or Stage 3 can depend on the specific type of cancer; for example, in Hodgkin's Disease, Stage 2 indicates affected lymph nodes on only one side of the diaphragm, whereas Stage 3 indicates affected lymph nodes above and below the diaphragm. The specific criteria for Stages 2 and 3 therefore differ according to diagnosis
Ø Stage 4 cancers have metastasized, or spread to other organs or throughout the body. Like breast cancer moving from the breast to the lungs or even the brain.
Levels of Brain Cancer
There are many different types of malignant or cancerous brain tumors. In most cases, a brain tumor is named for the cell type of origin. The most common type of primary brain tumors are the gliomas. Gliomas arise from the glial cells which are supportive cells that surround, nourish and protect neurons. One type of glioma is an astrocytoma. Astrocytomas are graded 1 through four, depending on the degree of aggressiveness. The most aggressive astrocytoma is grade four (this is what I have), is also called a glioblastoma (GBM). Of all brain tumors, a GBM has the greatest potential for rapid growth. The good thing about brain cancer is that it does not metastasize to other parts of the body and con not become a stage four cancer.
Had a great weekend – met some friends from Naples at Sawgrass for the day and was able to just hang out and shop with them without talking about cancer. It’s nice to know that there is more to life than just cancer. Kim’s day was made by getting a new purse. Once the day was over I was exhausted. I’m still not 100% of my old self… but I’m getting close… so I just took a nap when I got home. Other than that not much going on so today’s blog is going to be short. Keep those questions coming and thanks again for all your love and support.
still… and it has been standing still ever since.
