| From: kito40 - Gold (Original Message) | Sent: 6/6/2003 8:41 PM |
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This is an update as to what's been happening since my tumor removal in January. There have been new pictures added to my webpage and this thread will be added there too. Visit it at www.whyquit.com/whyquit/A_Kim.html and see me bald! London, Ontario, Canada is the home of one of the largest cancer clinics around. It also houses some of the top Doctors in the field. People come from miles to receive radiation and chemo treatment. Fortunately I only live a 1 hour drive from London and my home town has its own chemo treatment facility. Jan 28/03-London- Feb 10/03-London- The last treatment, and my ears are feeling plugged. I'm told radiation causes the wax to go hard, thus impair hearing.Feb 11/03-Home- My hair starts to fall out and I finally shave it off 3 days later.Feb 12/03-Home- I have a bone scan and an ultrasound. I'm told I have three spots on my adrenal gland and my family Dr. contacts London. They decide chemo is the next step and set me up with the chemo Dr. at home.March 6/03-London- I see the Neurosugeon who removed the tumor and he says I have done exceptionally well and I won't need to see him again.Mar 11/03- I receive a notice from the Ministry of Transportation that my driver's license has been suspended until I have been one full year seizure free which will be December, 2003. Mar 19/03-Home- I start chemo which consists of once a week for two weeks and one week off, times 6 sessions.Mar 26/03-Home- I see an Ear Specialist who says I have fluid in the middle ear which is quite common with radiation. The only thing he can do is put tubes in, but he can't give me an anesthetic while I'm taking chemo.Mar 27/03-Home- I have a Cat Scan and the results say I have one spot on my adrenal gland. My family Dr. says that ultrasounds are not that accurate and I only have the one spot.April 14/03-Home- I have an MRI to the head done, results say the spot behind my left eye has not grown any since January. What spot behind my eye? this is the first I've heard about it.April28/03-London- My Oncologist explains to Kelly and I that the spot on the original scan done in December after the seizure was mistaken for a blood vessel, but on the MRI in January it had shown growth. The spot was zapped during radiation and has not grown any since. I was told that chemo should take care of it too. I was also informed that it can come alive again and needs to be monitored. It is operable if need be.May 7/03-London- I have a follow up appt with my radiation Dr. He says I am doing and looking good. He explains that once the head is radiated they really don't like to do it again, but they can radiate the one spot.June 5/03-Home- My chemo Dr. has just returned home from a conference in Chicago and the top chemo specialist there said that 4 treatment sessions are just as effective as 6 when it comes to lung cancer (which was my primary cancer). So June 12 will be my last treatment ....... yahoo!I have an MRI for my head booked for July16 and I will need to book an abdominal cat scan. I will also have to get my ears done too. And with fingers crossed I'm hoping to hear the words "You are Cancer Free" So my last year and a half has been a full plate for both me and my family and its not over yet. Do you know how many times I've been poked with needles during all this time, Kim the biggest whuss when it comes to needles. I feel like a human pin cushion. Do you know what its like to feel so run down, tired and exhausted for 6 months? I have a hard time wondering what feeling normal is, I have slept nearly half of it away. The feeling of not wanting to do anything and I mean nothing. This is one of the things that smoking will do to you. Doesn't withdrawal for 3 days sound a whole lot better? Fighting a few craves or triggers is a whole lot easier that what I have been through this past year and a half. If I had only known years ago. Think about it, quitting is so much easier! Believe me, I know!
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One year, two months,
four weeks, two days, 7 hours, 49 minutes and 57 seconds.
