I am completely Human again!

yeah, that kinda sounds weird.  But when you have had a piece of plastic and metal in your chest for over a year, you will feel the same way!

 


Today my mediport came out.  The mediport, or power port, was inserted into my chest so that I didn't have to take the chemotherapy drugs intravenously.  How grateful I am for it.  During chemo, they would just stick the needles in my chest and away I went.  After a while, I would notice that some of our friends who didn't have ports would have to get needles in their feet or legs, or any other place the nurses could find because the veins in their arms and hands were shot!  So this piece of equipment was definitely appreciated!  So much so that I tried to keep it, but they wouldn't let me! :(
But today wasn't without entertainment.  One of my side effects from heavy sedation or anesthesia is that I break out into song!  That's right, the nurses and doctors get a free concert!  My artists of choice always seem to be Michael Jackson, Jackson 5, Jimmy Buffett, or someone like that.  Quite odd!  But, from what I am told, it gives the nurses a great laugh, so I am happy about that.
So this being the last staple of the constant journey against cancer, I now consider myself fully on the road to recovery.  Definitely not normalcy.  That will never be the case for me ever again.  Every time I look in the mirror, I will remember this experience.  But I am on my way!

FINALLY!!!!!!!!!

The prednisone is now a thing of the past!  I can't tell you how grateful I am that I done with that stuff!  Yes, I am grateful that it has kept me alive for so long until my body decided to wake up and function on its own again.  But I am so grateful that now I can start dealing with these nasty side effects and make progress.  No more mood swings, weight gain, sore joints, and all that has come with this drug.
It's quite a sobering thought that I would not be alive without this drug.  I am grateful for modern medicine and what it has done for me.  Because of that, I will accept what it has done to me.

Another Doctor to the List

I went and met with an endocrinologist today, Dr. Wheaton.  She was very nice, but still didn't have any more answer than we already had.  So that means more blood work, more tests, and more waiting.  I am satisfied to say that my whole problem is "adrenal crisis."
I tell you, prednisone makes my chemotherapy treatments feel like a walk in the park!  Dr. Wheaton wants me to stay at 5 mg of prednisone until we figure stuff out, and then have me go down 1 mg per MONTH!  Yes, that is right...MONTH!!!  How much does that stink?

The Fun Never Ends

So tonight was Fabriena's family birthday dinner.  At dinner, I was feeling okay.  Then all of the sudden, I begin to feel nauseous.  Miranda and I walk outside, and I just about pass out!  So we all know where our thoughts run...passing out and throwing up, and emergency room again.
Luckily, I stayed conscious, and was able to make it through.  But man did I feel horrible!
I can't wait to be off this medicine in two months!

For the Beauty

Last night was Fabriena's birthday surprise party down in Sandbridge (VA Beach).  We had it at a beach house.  Today after church we went back down to clean a little from last night, and then spend the rest of the day.
Miranda and I just watched the water on a clear blue sky.  It was amazing.  What a gift from the Architect and the Creator of the world.  The words of the song echoed in my mind...

"For the beauty of the earth...
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
this our hymn of grateful praise."

I am grateful to be here to experience the beauty of the earth.  A little bit more vibrant and majestic than it used to be to me!

Dear Family, Dear Friends

Miranda and I went to Washington to visit Sandra and Josh and listen to Sandra sing at the Washington DC Visitor Center.  It's always fun to listen to her.  And I love sitting next to people as they just gasp over her and how good she is, not realizing that they are sitting next to her brother!  It's pretty funny.
Anyway, Miranda and I had a chance to speak with President Lamar Sleight, a member of the Temple Presidency.  He and his dear wife have been some of the most supportive and encouraging people to Miranda and me during our fight with cancer.  What is even more amazing is that they support us, when they need support.  Sis. Sleight is struggling in her own fight against cancer.  As we spoke and exchanged reports, Pres. Sleight told me that Miranda and I have been on their minds a lot lately, and they didn't know why.  But they had been praying extra hard for us.  Hearing about my recent battle with prednisone put the pieces of the puzzle together for them.
How grateful I am for people like Pres and Sis Sleight.  They listen to the Holy Ghost and act.  They pray for others, and think of others before themselves.  What an inspiration to me!

Again...Almost

I was in the ER again.  I woke up, feeling horrible.  Just about ready to lose it all over again.  Vomit, passing out, you know, the regular thing.  Miranda took me right to the hospital.  The doctors have no definite answer, but they ruled out heart problems, which is nice.  They think that it could be because I am such a "lightweight" when it comes to medicine (good thing I have never had alcohol before!), and tapering off the prednisone, my body is really getting thrown through the ringer.

Not A Good Day

So, I have been on prednisone since about September.  I have been coming down off of it because it's one of those drugs that you can't "cold turkey" your way off of it.  But I have been having a real hard time coming off.  My adrenal glands just aren't kicking in the way they should.  I have been on high dosage for so long, they have all but shut down.  Now they won't wake up!
So I get up this morning, go to the bathroom, and just start vomiting.  Miranda is freaked out, and so she takes me to Patient First, the clinic close to our home.  I get in to see someone, and no sooner, throw up everywhere, and then pass out.  The next thing I remember is Miranda, catching me again (just like she caught me in ABG chamber), pushing me out of the trash can they gave me to throw up in.  The nurses help me regain myself, and then stick a swab down my throat so they can run tests.  Not a good idea!!!  More vomit, more passing out.
After a little bit, they want to do some test with me.  I lay down, and they take my pulse and blood pressure.  They they sit me up, and do the same tests.  And then they have me stand up and do the same tests.  Well, I didn't eve get through the sit up portion of the test.  And I bet you can guess what happened!  Yep, I started throwing up, and passed out again.
So all of this is going on, and I really remember none of it.  I was passed out enough, and trying to come to enough, that I don't remember a thing.  I can't imagine what Miranda is thinking.  She called our parents to let them know what was going on.  My mother came to Patient First.  Eventually they took me to the hospital.
So I get to the hospital, and have tons of tests run to find out what is going on.  I have needles sticking out of me and everything else.  I am sure that I was quite the sight!  The hospital tried to run the whole lay down, sit up, stand up test.  Luckily this time, when I sat up, I was able to detect that I was able to pass out again, and was able to lie down quick enough to ward off that episode again.
Throughout this whole process, I had a slue of visitors.  All of our parents had come and gone at some point.  The administrator of the hospital and a doctor that Chi Chi is friends with come down and say hello.  Mom actually stayed with Miranda and me throughout most of the ordeal.  She did take off once to get her own procedure done (had an MRI on her knee).  Miranda's sister, Shelby, came to stay with us when she had that done.
So after all of these tests and theories, the doctors concluded that I am suffering "adrenal crisis."  The adrenal glands in the body produce steroids that influence hormones, electrolytes, blood sugars, and other stuff like that.  Prednisone does the same thing.  And so when I take prednisone, my body is telling itself to shut down because an outside source is doing its job.  So the adrenal gland stops working.  Well, what this means for me is that as I was tapering down off the medications, I wasn't receiving sufficient steroid to produce all the stuff that I need.  And how does my body react to it?  Vomit, passing out, and all that fun stuff!
So the doctors put some prednisone in my IV, and in minutes, I felt totally fine again.  Eventually I got to go home.
This has been quite a traumatic day.  I hurt.  My body is tired and sore.  I don't ever want to do this again!

You had a what?!?!...

Well, today was a first for me.  I had a biopsy on a lump on my chest.  Before that I had a mammogram.  Yes, that's right...a mammogram.  I never thought I would have to do that.  And I tell you what, it hurt!  Part of the reason it hurt is because I still have the mediport in my chest, and so that was being scrunched.  Yeah, that didn't feel good.
Interesting experience.  One that I don't want again!

A Champion Day

Tonight I had a work meeting.  I am in a business called ACN, that deals with telecommunication and energy products and services.  One of our Regional Vice Presidents, Joel Frager, came to speak to us.  It was a great meeting.
Afterward, I introduced myself to him.  He mentioned that two of my business partners, Dennis Jones and Chris Davis, have talked to him about me and my situation.  He has also been touched indirectly by cancer.     He asked me how I was, and I was happy to report that I was cancer free.  He gave me a big hug, and said, "You know, you are a true champion."
It made me feel great.  Not prideful, but great.  I realize how lucky I am to be a survivor.  I have beaten the odds.  And I know that I am not the only one.  There are many like me.  And to you I say, "You are a True Champion."
We also had a check up with Dr Lee, my oncologist.  He said that things are looking very good.  He showed us before/after pictures of the lump in my neck and mass in my chest, and how it has shrunk.  it is amazing!
We also mapped out a schedule with him for the next five years.  Doctor visits, CAT Scans periodically to make sure that nothing comes back.
And to make things even better, Ryan and Stephanie welcomed Seren Kanani into the world!

Great News

I met today with Dr Duckett, my pulmonologist.  We reviewed my latest lung capacity tests, and he said they were "incredible."  Obviously he is saying that in comparison to what they used to be, but i will take it!  So that was nice.  Then we mapped out the remainder of the prednisone calender.  And the magic date is...

APRIL 20!!!!!

So in a few short months, I will be off this stuff and ready to roll along again!  What a great excuse for another party!