I am off celebrating my 10th year of being Cancer Free!

by Unknown:

Cancer is so limited...

It cannot cripple love.

It cannot shatter hope.

It cannot corrode faith.

It cannot eat away peace.

It cannot destroy confidence.

It cannot kill friendship.

It cannot shut out memories.

It cannot silence courage.

It cannot reduce eternal life.

It cannot quench the Spirit.

 

A Story to tell (this picture is 9 years old):

Several years before they found my cancer - I had pain in my left pelvic area the entire time. In December 1999 a doctor diagnosed a hernia. I had my first operation in December of 1999. A few weeks later I still had pain in the area. I started to train for a marathon (26 miles) and had a consultation with a different doctor. His diagnosis was a second hernia, or a tumor. This doctor insisted that I needed to have the second operation immediately, but I wanted to finish training. In June 2000 my father and I ran and completed the Newport Marathon. Three days later I had my second operation and the doctor found a golf ball size tumor. The doctor was unable to identify the specific kind of cancer and sent an autopsy to Spokane. They could not identify it either and they sent it to Seattle. Seattle had difficulties too and sent it to Washington D.C. Then, Washington D.C. identified this cancer as ‘Spindle Cell Sarcoma’ and contacted Seattle. After a few weeks we learned that it was a very rare cancer and Seattle identified it as: Monophasic Synovial Sarcoma, a soft tissue cancer. If this cancer spreads into the lungs a patient only has a 10% chance to live through the next five years. After my tests they were able to let me know this cancer had not spread to my lungs.

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Soon after we received the results my doctor in Richland contacted a specialist in Seattle. The

doctor in Seattle decided that I needed eight cycles of chemotherapy immediately, through a vein

port. A vein port, also known as a port-a-catheter, is a small plastic tube that goes into a major

vein under the collarbone. "Patients receiving chemotherapy typically need intravenous

medications. These normally require an IV in the patient’s hand or arm, but in my case the

surgeon implanted a vein port." (source Internet)

Because the doctor was afraid that the cancer would spread to my lungs, I started chemotherapy

in Seattle. I was in the hospital for five days and had three weeks off to recover. After three

cycles like this I had a third operation in November 2000. The surgeon took out the rest of my

cancer. After the last operation they gave me a 50% chance to live through the next five years.

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My body was used to physical training. The nurses ordered me a stationary bicycle. The doctors

were impressed and surprised that I was able to use the bicycle after such strong chemotherapy. I was in a really good shape. Also, the heart specialist was shocked by the test results. He mentioned that normally, after such strong chemotherapy, the patient will have trouble with the heart.

It was clear to me that I will loose my hair. I decided to have a short hair cut and donated my hair

to “Looks of Love.” I would like to add a funny experience. After the second day of

Chemotherapy I lost all of my hair. I did not want to wear a wig so I decided to put temporary tattoos on my head. My friends mailed me tattoos from all over the world.

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During my “recovery time” I was so weak that I sometimes needed to be in the hospital. After

six cycles I quit my chemotherapy treatments because I was not able to handle the pain any

longer. During this time I had shingles as well. It started on my forehead.

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I can describe my pain and symptoms as: bleeding of the gums, swollen gums, stomach ulcers,

swollen tongue, pain when I swallowed, stomach ache, extreme migraine, sensitivity to heat,

breakout in my face, forgetfulness, confusion, heartburn, loss of hair and eyebrows, nausea,

hormone problems, orange spit and bowel movement (the chemotherapy poison has an orange

color) -- my mucous membrane was effected.

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I thought to myself “now I am finished with all of my treatments, and now I can start to get

healthy again”, but after a few weeks my leg started to swell. I got lymphodema and I received

treatments for this as well. This sometimes happens after surgery, removable of lymph nodes, or

radiation treatments. I have finally gotten this problem pretty much under control. If my leg gets

too swollen, I have to wear a special stocking but sometimes my leg swelled up to 9 cm on bad days.

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In August 2001 I fell a few times. When my leg is in a certain position I am not able to hold my

balance. In October 2001, I saw a neurologist and had a very painful examination. During this

test I thought, I could “climb the wall”. After a few days, the doctor told me to have patience. It

may take 18 or 24 months for the nerve in my leg to heal, and maybe will heal 10% or 90%.

Now, I have to use a cane.

..

 

AND the story continues to 2011........ A lot to tell....

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Don't want to bother you...

 

Thanks for listening...

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Talk to you soon...when I am back.

 

Done