Checkup

Met with the doctor today for a checkup. It was nice walking into the Cancer Center, then walking out feeling great instead of like crap following a treatment. Everything went pretty normal. All of my blood work was great, and the exam showed no problems. I got a flu shot while I was there. I've got an appointment on November 28th for my next checkup. Between now and then I have to have another PET Scan to make sure everything is still good. Otherwise, the doctor's visit went well, and everything is looking great.

Getting Back to Normal

Even though I wouldn't have had a treatment last week, knowing that I am done has been such a sweet feeling. I feel like I am starting to get my life back, and knowing that I can start getting out and doing more things is so great.

I went down to the Bay Area this past weekend to visit Drew and Meals and Adam. We went to the Red Wings/Sharks game on Thursday (Wings won 4-2!), and played golf on Saturday - I played the best round of my life! Okay, so I still shot a 103, but I hit some of the best shots I've ever hit. We spent Sunday lounging around and watching football - my Lions beat Tampa to improve to 4-2 - and playing Guitar Hero. We finished up the weekend by watching Game 7 of the Red Sox/Indians series. It was a great trip.

I return to work tomorrow, and have lab work and a doctor's appointment scheduled for Thursday. I'm not sure what Dr. Weeks is going to tell me, but I'm just excited that I am going to walk out of there feeling great instead of feeling like crap...

For He's A Jolly Good Fellow

Last one! I had my twelfth and final treatment today. All the staff at the Cancer Center came in and sang "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow" to me and gave me a bottle of Sparkling Cider. It was a nice gesture. I blushed big-time, while my mom started crying. The nurses all over there have been very sweet. They did deliver the bad news that I would have to leave the port in my chest for at least a year more, and come in every 4-6 weeks to have it flushed. Very disappointing, as it is kind of uncomfortable, and I can't wait to have it taken out.

The day itself went about as normal. I have my usual "reversal of fortune" after my treatment. I felt pretty good after that, and was able to each lunch - grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup - this afternoon. I went to sleep for a few hours, but woke up feeling absolutely horrible and lost my lunch. I wasn't able to keep anything down, so I wasn't able to eat dinner. I watched game one of the Rockies/Diamondbacks series, then SportsCenter before heading back to sleep.

Catching Up

I must apologize, as I have fallen way behind on my blogging. It has been a very busy last few weeks. Let's see if I can recap and catch everyone up...

My tenth treatment on September 13 went fairly well - about as planned. I plugged away through the weekend, and was able to put in almost a full day of work on the following Monday. I had a really hard time getting up in the mornings for probably about a week after the treatment, but overall by Wednesday I was pretty much back to normal.

On Tuesday September 18 I had exams on my heart and lungs to make sure that everything was running smoothly, and the chemotherapy drugs didn't do any life-threatening/altering damage. These tests were pretty simple, and the results came back with everything looking good.

I pretty much did a whole lot of nothing until Saturday the 22nd, when my nephew Judah had his third birthday party. It was out at Howard Amon Park by the river. It was very nice, but a little windy. I bought him a pair of roller skates, which was a great gift except he already had a pair. Oh well - that's why they have gift receipts!

On Monday the 24th, I actually got out and played hockey for the first time since February. Though I had fun, I'm not ready to play. I had no legs, and no stamina, and overall was a pylon on the blue line. I was hoping to try and play a couple games in the first couple months of the season, even while still finishing treatment, but I don't think that's going to happen. I'll just make sure I am ready to roll by Mid-November.

Thursday September 27 I had treatment number 11 of 12. Unfortunately, it was probably the second worst treatment I've had. I vomited immediately after treatment again (not surprising), then went home and went to sleep for a while. I got up at around 6:00 PM feeling nauseous. I had some crackers and ginger ale to try and calm my stomach, but I couldn't even keep those down. It was a brutal night, as I couldn't even keep water down and got pretty dehydrated. I'm not sure what caused these difficulties, but I am certainly glad to be almost done.

I spent most of Friday sleeping, and napped on and off through football all day Saturday and Sunday. I felt crappy all through the weekend, but was at least able to eat and drink to stay nourished. I returned to work for a couple of hours on Monday, but struggled mightily and had to leave early. Tuesday I felt much, much better, and was able to put in full days the rest of the week.

There! Now we are all caught up. Overall, I am feeling pretty good. I am certainly ready to be done with all of this, and with only one more treatment scheduled, I can certainly taste it. I am just ready for life to get back to normal.

Routine

I had treatment number ten on Thursday (it looks like I will end up with twelve total). Everything has become pretty much old hat to this point - check in, sit in the waiting room for twenty minutes reading the same Newsweek every time, blood draw, drive home, mom picks me up, treatment begins, I fall asleep, "Scotty the Body" (Dr. Weeks chemo nurse) stops by, I get sick and lose my breakfast, mom drives me home, go to sleep for four hours, wake up, eat dinner, back to sleep for 10-12 more hours... Par for the course.

Friday proved to be a little rougher than the last couple of "day afters". I felt much crappier than in the past, and more or less slept all day. Not sure what the difference was, but Saturday was be much better. I went over to my parents' house to watch Michigan/Notre Dame - Michigan flattened them, though I'm not sure if it was Michigan looking good, or Notre Dame looking awful. Either way, that lifted my spirits. I've still been pretty nauseous most of the day, but I've been eating a lot of ice cream, which makes my stomach feel better. I'm ready for a good night's sleep.

What Happens in Vegas...

So, I had a great time in Las Vegas. The MercuryGate User Conference was outstanding, and I definitely made time to have a little bit of fun. The poker tables were not particularly kind to me, but I still had a great time. I probably partied a little too much on Tuesday night - I was stunned when I got back to my hotel room and the clock read 4:15 AM. I probably should have been a little smarter on that front, but hey, you only live once, right?

Vegas Baybee!!!

Had a solid, healthy week. I felt good most of Tuesday - Friday, and even had enough energy to hop on my exercise bike last night. I'm still not sleeping well, but overall I'm doing okay. Tomorrow I fly to Las Vegas for a Convention for work (staying at the Bellagio!). Unfortunately, the schedule of meetings is pretty packed, so I don't know how much time I will have to play - probably 3-4 hours on Sunday, and then after the meetings are over on Tuesday I'm hoping to have the energy/stamina to play for a few hours. I haven't played live poker since February, so I'm hoping to find some time. I'll give a trip report upon my return on Wednesday. I have my next treatment scheduled for Thursday.

The Debacle in The Big House

I knew Appalachian St. would be tricky for Michigan, but I still thought we would win. We looked flat, slow, and disinterested, and we got exactly what we deserved. It's quite depressing to think that less than four hours into the first Saturday of the year, our season is over, but that is exactly what happened...

I felt pretty crappy all day, and I know that the game had a lot to do with it. I've really discovered how my mood and mental mindset can affect how I am feeling after my treatments, and today was no different. I couldn't get myself to do anything today, and I was lacking any energy at all. I'm just going to go to bed early and try and feel better tomorrow.

Good News? Depends on Who You Ask...

So, on Thursday I had my appointment with Dr. Kevin Weeks. Strangely enough, it was the first time I had met him. He'd been on vacation since Dr. Sierra retired, so my previous appointments had been with Mitra Turner. I'm not sure what her official title is, but I'll give her the benefit of the doubt since she seemed to know what she was talking about. Anyway, the results of my PET and CT scans were outstanding. Everything has gone as well as could be expected. I had thought the plan was for me to have at most one more cycle (two more treatments) if everything looked good. Unfortunately, Dr. Weeks wants to have TWO more cycles (for more treatments), and then another PET/CT scan. I was not very happy to hear that. I really thought I was getting towards the end of this, but I still have quite a ways to go. I am not going to be done by the beginning of hockey season, which is very disappointing.

I had another chemo session after the doctor's appointment, which went exactly as the previous three sessions had gone. (Read about the previous sessions if you don't know what I mean.) It was strange, as all of my previous appointments had been in the morning, but this one was in the late afternoon. It totally through off my sleep schedule. I got home about 5:00 PM and immediately fell asleep. I woke up wide awake about 11:00 PM, and just watched TV until 4:30 or 5:00 AM. I went back to sleep, and didn't get up until almost 1:00 PM today. I hope I don't have anymore late afternoon sessions, as it made it tough to get anything done today.

Anyway, I am feeling okay. Still a little nauseous, but I'm eating a lot of ice cream, which helps my stomach feel better. I am going over to my parents' house tonight where I will be spending the night. Michigan kicks off it's college football season at 9:00 AM tomorrow morning, and I don't think I could get myself up and over there in time if I stay here, so I will just sleep in their spare room tonight. I am amped for this season. I expect Michigan to start 10-0 before going to Wisconsin on November 10. If we can get past the Badgers, and then Ohio St. at home the next week, we'll be playing in the BCS title game in New Orleans. But it all starts tomorrow against Appalachian St...

Radioactive Man

This session went pretty well. I was just exhausted for the few days after the session, but the nausea wasn't too bad, I had no headaches, and the over-the-counter supplement L-Lysine has helped keep the mouth sores away. I was actually able to put in a full day of work on Monday, which is the first time since I started treatment. Everything was good upon my return, except somebody was holding my stuffed Aflac duck hostage. That's fine...take advantage of the sick guy...I can deal...

Today I had my CT and PET scans. Basically they inject me with a radioactive sugar that any rapidly growing/dividing cells (like cancer cells) feast on. Then these cells will glow when I am scanned in an MRI machine. Pretty cool technology. Yesterday I couldn't eat any sugar or carbs so the cells would be "extra-hungry" for the injection. I didn't realize how carb-heavy my diet is...

On Saturday, I'm buying a new car! I've decided to buy a 2007 Jeep Wrangler. I found the one I want at a dealership in Idaho, about 3 hours away, and am going to pick it up on Saturday morning. I'm very excited. I've always wanted a Jeep, and I finally decided to do it.

The Light at the End of the Tunnel

So I had my eighth treatment today. There is a small possibility this is my last one (fingers crossed!). I have a CT/PET Scan scheduled for next Thursday, August 23. Hopefully this will show that all the cancer cells are gone, and I will be done with the chemotherapy. More realistically, they will want to do one or two more sessions to make sure. Either way, I feel like I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.

For the third straight time, I tossed my cookies right after treatment before leaving the cancer center. I'm not sure why it has been like this the last few sessions. They increased the strength of the anti-nausea medicine they gave me, and I did something a little different with breakfast (tried bagels and cream cheese instead of fruit and/or cereal). Didn't work. Anyway, once again I felt immediately better after that, and came home, had lunch, then took a nap.

I woke up and got a little work done, then watched the Tigers lose to the Indians. The Tigers have played absolutely awful the last few weeks, and with 8 games against the red-hot Yankees in the next 12 days, it's only going to get worse. Sooo frustrating. Mostly, I just lounged around through the rest of the evening. I felt okay - not great, not terrible. Headed to bed early to get a good night's sleep.

Doesn't Make Any Sense

I felt pretty good on Friday, but for some reason I felt worse on Saturday and Sunday. Somewhat lightheaded and nauseous all day long. On Saturday I went over to my sister's place and saw her new apartment, and today I had lunch over at my parents' house. Forcing myself to get out helped me feel a little bit better, but I still pretty much feel like crap, which doesn't make any sense to me, seeing as how I felt pretty good on Friday. I'm hoping to go to work tomorrow, but if I feel tomorrow like I felt today, I don't think it's going to happen...

Will I Boo, or Will I Cheer?

The first part of this session has gone okay. For the second straight time, I vomited during treatment at the cancer center. They tried a different anti-nausea medicine this time, but it didn't really work. Fortunately, I was able to keep my dinner down on Wednesday night, and being able to drink liquids helped keep me from getting dehydrated.

Today, I slept away most of the day. I didn't wake up until almost 11:00 AM, and then after breakfast, proceeded to go back to sleep until almost 4:00 PM. I got up and took a shower which helped me feel better, then sat down to watch Barry Bonds go for home run #755. As much as I hate Bonds, I will certainly cheer for him when he breaks the record. This is the "Steroid Era", and he has been the best player in the Steroid Era.

Back Home

So, I had a very good trip to the east coast. I flew into Philadelphia on Saturday, then drove up to Wes and Kathy's place in Jersey City. We took the train into Manhattan and met up with Erica and Dan for lunch. We went to a restaurant in Little Italy (I don't remember the name of it) and had a very pleasant lunch. Afterwards, we went to a little cafe and had pastries and coffee and played with one another's cell phones - Erica has both a Blackberry and an iPhone. What does she need with both?! :-P Anyway, it would have been a perfect afternoon except for it rained nonstop while we were up there. Either way, it was a fantastic lunch, and I appreciate the four of them coming out in the rain to meet me.

The rest of the trip went pretty smoothly. The bed and breakfast I stayed in was very nice, and the people that I trained in the office in Medford were fantastic. Ron, the boss, took me into downtown Philadelphia on Monday night, and gave me a mini-tour of all the historical places there. I saw Independence Hall, Christ Church, Carpenter's Hall, and the remnants of Ben Franklin's house. We had a nice dinner out there - we ate outside at a nice restaurant, and though the day was very hot and humid, the evening was very comfortable. On Tuesday night, I had my first real Philly Cheesesteak. I will say that (unfortunately) it didn't live up to the hype. Don't get me wrong - it was very good. But with all the hype, I was expecting an orgy in my mouth...

The only downside of the trip was the trip home. I had the nice Philadelphia to Minneapolis to Salt Lake City to Pasco trip. First, it took over an hour to get through security in Philadelphia. Then, my plane was delayed in Minneapolis, and I missed my connection in Salt Lake City. I was put on a later flight, which ended up being delayed almost an hour itself! All in all, I left my hotel in Medford at 6 AM EST/3 AM PST and didn't get home in Pasco until almost 10 PM PST/1 AM EST.

Flying East

Haven't posted in a while, as things have been pretty quiet. I've been feeling pretty well, and worked a full week this week. Tomorrow morning, I fly to Philadelphia for work. On Sunday, I'm planning to drive up to Manhattan and have lunch with Erica, Wes, and Kathy. I'm looking forward to seeing them. I'll have two full days of work, then fly back on Wednesday in preparation of my treatment on Thursday. Should be a good time!

Sleeping Beauty

So, I've felt better the last couple of days, and was able to get out of the house today and see some people. I stopped by my parents' house for a bit, and then stopped by Dana's parents' house to visit them. It was good to get out, even though I didn't feel anywhere close to 100%.

I made a conscious effort to sleep more during this session, and I feel like I've slept non-stop for the last three days. I have a really hard time getting out of bed in the morning, and as a result have found myself sleeping until 11:00 AM or Noon each of the last few days. Guess there really isn't anything wrong with that, as the number one way to start feeling better is rest!

Another Day in Paradise

Surprisingly, I felt okay when I first woke up. Typically, I feel pretty crappy in the morning, then feel okay in the afternoon, then start feeling crappy again in the evening. But I was actually not too bad, all things considered. I had some ginger ale and a doughnut when I first woke up (just to see if I could keep my food down), and then my parents came over and my mom made breakfast. It was nice having them over. I was able to get a little bit of work done, though I left the more complex tasks and issues for my return on Monday.

I spent most of the day watching the World Series of Poker Main Event Final Table that I had PPVed and Tivoed on Tuesday. I enjoyed watching that, though I napped off and on through it. My parents came back in the evening with dinner. I was able to keep it down, though I think I may have overate a bit. Overall today wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it was going to be. I went to bed around 9:30.

Reversal of Fortune

I had my sixth treatment today, and as I have previously discussed, despite them telling me that I should react to every session the same way, this session was completely different. During each treatment I have gotten sick and nauseous, but for the first time I had a "reversal of fortune" and was not able to keep my breakfast down. It was a bit embarrassing, but I felt immediately better afterwards. After my treatment, I immediately went home and went to sleep.

I woke up after about three hours with a pounding headache. Overall, I actually felt okay, but this might have been the worst headache I've ever had (and I've had a couple of concussions in the past!). I unfortunately wasn't able to keep any food down, though. I wasn't able to keep dinner down, and even after that I couldn't keep my gatorade down that I was using to try and keep myself hydrated. I'm worried that not being able to eat or drink anything would make me feel awful tomorrow morning.

FAQ

I've been getting some of the same questions over and over again, most typically from people not up here in Washington, so those who don't see me on a regular basis. Let's see if I can answer a few of those:

Have you lost your hair?
No. You all know I wear my hair short anyway, but I haven't lost it. The rate of growth has slowed tremendously, though. Typically, I cut my hair once every 10-14 days. I've only had to cut my hair twice since starting my treatment in May. It's actually kinda nice.

Have you lost your appetite?
Definitely not. In fact, I think I am forced to eat more. In the week after each session, if I get even the slightest bit hungry, I get extremely nauseous. This forces me to eat a lot more than I probably want to (or should).

Have you lost weight?
Nope. In fact, due to the lack of losing my appetite, I've put on weight. They weigh me before each treatment, and before my first treatment, I was 204. Before my last treatment I was 212. I have plans once this is all over to eat right and exercise, but for now, I'm relying heavily on my comfort foods - Ice Cream Sandwiches, Jack in the Box, and Double-Stuf Oreos.

Do you have any pain?
No, not really. Headaches, but otherwise the pain is limited. The chest and back pain that led me into the hospital to get this all started is gone.

Are the Tigers going to win the World Series?
Yes, assuming we can pick up another guy for the bullpen (Eric Gagne? Brian Fuentes? Chad Cordero?). If not, we'll have a hard time beating Cleveland. Boston is overrated, and will lose their first playoff series. The Angels don't have enough offense to make a run, and Seattle doesn't have enough pitching. The entire NL is a joke. The real World Series will be Detroit vs. Cleveland in the ALCS.

Are you able to go out and do "stuff"?
Yes, I can. Typically, I feel pretty normal on my "off" weekends, and am able to live pretty normally - go out to dinner, go to the driving range, barbeque, etc. Every other Tuesday, a bunch of us in the office go to the movies. So far this summer, we've seen Spiderman 3, Shrek 3, Knocked Up, Ocean's Thirteen, and Live Free or Die Hard. It looks like we're going to see Ratatouille this coming Tuesday.

What does the chemotherapy feel like?
It's interesting. I'm feeling pretty good, even as the treatment is starting, but within 5 or 10 minutes it's like someone pulls the plug on my batteries. I get really tired and sick, and my head starts spinning a bit. It's a very strange feeling, and that's the best way I can describe it.

If there are other questions, don't hesitate to email me. I like hearing from everyone! :-)

Back to Work Too Soon

This session has been interesting. The "low" of the session has not been as low as previous sessions, meaning that while I have still had the nausea and fatigue, it hasn't been as bad as previous sessions, but has seemed to linger longer. Let's put it this way: In past sessions, on a scale of 1 (one step from death) to 10 (ready to run a marathon), I've been typically a 2 the first day or two after a treatment, and then slowly chip up to a 6 or an 7 by day four. However, this time, I feel like I've been a 3 or 4 non-stop since Thursday. It's been weird. I hope I'm feeling better tomorrow.

I did try to go into work today. I had my usual trouble getting out of bed, but I was able to get into the office by 9:30 or so. I probably shouldn't have. I felt like crap the entire time I was there, and though it was great to see everyone from the office, I couldn't focus and just wasn't able to get the job done. I finally waived the white flag around 1:30 and headed home. I napped for a couple of hours, but still didn't feel better and had to bail on the Fever game (The Tri-City Fever are a minor-league Arena Football League team) that a bunch of us were going to go to. I did get a little bit of work in in the evening, and played a little bit of poker for the first time since Tuesday. But I still felt pretty awful, and climbed back into bed around 8:30.

Woke Up This Mornin'

I've done much better this time around than the previous sessions. I still have quite a bit of the nausea, and I am still quite fatigued, but no lightheadedness, and no headaches, and no sores in my mouth (knock on wood!). I've still spent the last two days prone on the couch, but I really can't complain with how this session has gone. I've been catching up on The Sopranos - yes, I know I am like 8 years behind on The Sopranos, but I am hooked on it now... Overall, things are good, and even with the one-day delay on this treatment because of the holiday, I should be ready to roll for work on Monday morning.

Independence Day +1

Since my treatments are normally on Wednesdays, but the Fourth of July was on Wednesday and the cancer center was closed, they gave me the option to have my treatment on Tuesday or Thursday. Of course I took Thursday such that I could not be sick on the holiday. Had a good holiday barbecuing with the family for lunch, then playing Tiger Woods on the Wii with Nate, and checking out fireworks with Chris and Brandon. It was a good time.

My treatment went well today, and I actually felt okay for most of the evening (relatively speaking). I still had the fatigue and nausea and headaches, but it wasn't nearly as bad as the previous sessions. I lounged on the couch watching Seinfeld most of the day, and my parents brought dinner over and we watched Jeopardy. I pooped out pretty early, and was in bed by 8:30.

A Week in the Life Of...

Been insane busy this week, so I haven't had too much time to post. I think I've been pushing myself a little too hard, as I've been feeling sick most every morning, and having a helluva time getting out of bed. But overall I'm doing okay. I went to Tim's birthday party on Sunday, and had a work-related dinner on Monday. On Tuesday, I got my first ever professional massage. It was absolutely fantastic! Wednesday night, I took in a Dustdevils game (for those who don't know, the Tri-City Dustdevils are the minor league baseball team in town - Class A affiliate of the Rockies). It was a good time, and they won. And on Thursday, I decided to get out and get some exercise, so I went over to the driving range to show off my horrible golf swing. I really need lessons!

Anyway, I am doing okay. I just need to find a way to get some more sleep. With the Fourth of July being on Wednesday, my next session has been moved to Thursday. They gave me the option for Tuesday or Thursday, and I went for Thursday so I would be able to enjoy the holiday without being sick. Easy choice.

BTW, I'd love to give props to the "anonymous" poster making the hillbilly comments. Everybody is getting a kick out of them, but nobody knows who it is. I think it is Adam, but I am honestly not sure. Either way, I laugh my tail off every time I read them...

Birthday Cake

At my mom's request, I actually spent most of the day lying on her couch rather than my own today. She is certainly concerned about me, and I know it made her feel better to have me close by. And who am I kidding? I loved having someone there to take care of me too!

Today was Tim's birthday, and of course the crew at the office had cake and ice cream (I love it how the office makes such a big deal of everyone's birthday). Rikki actually swung by my parents' house to bring me a couple of slices of cake. It is very nice knowing that I'm still in the thoughts of everyone at the office when I'm out.

I got a little nap in on the couch while watching the White Sox/Cubs game. My mom, certainly wanting to be close by me, actually watched some of the 2006 US Poker Championships with me, and then watched the first inning of the Reds/Mariners game with me. Of course, she had absolutely no idea what was going on, but it was still a nice gesture, and my mom has been so good to me throughout the whole ordeal. I love you mom!

The nausea still had me pretty beat down. I had to concentrate whenever I ate or drank anything to make sure I didn't "refund", and the car ride to and from my parents house was an ordeal. But I powered through, and actually started feeling better the last couple hours of the day. I have plans to get out tomorrow and get a couple of things done, so we'll see what happens.

Same Thing Every Time, Huh?

As could be expected, I spent most of the day prone on the couch. I find it kind of strange that as fatigued and tired as I was, I don't think I napped at all the entire day. Just spent the afternoon vegging, watching TV with my laptop close by to work a little, email a little, websurf a little... Still didn't quite have the mental stamina to fire up some poker tables, though.

The nausea was much worse today than it has been in previous sessions. It's funny - before every session, I talk with Suzie the chemotherapy nurse about the previous session, and (as I've posted) each session has been pretty different - more nausea in some sessions, less in others, more headaches in some sessions, less in others, etc. She says that is kind of strange - while everyone reacts to the treatments differently, typically each person reacts to each session the same way every time. Well, I've had very different reactions each time. For example, I haven't had too much nausea the previous sessions, but this time I've been beat down pretty good by it. Then again, today I didn't really have any issues with headaches, whereas that has been my biggest side effect the past few times around.

Anyway, I'm still plugging along. I appreciate the wellwishes everyone is sending, and I can't imagine doing this without all you guys.

Shrimp Creole

So I had my next treatment in the morning. In an effort to not feel as bad immediately afterward as last session, I paid more attention to breakfast. My mom cooked me some scrambled eggs, toast, grits, kielbasa, and fruit salad. It was quite delectable, and though I of course wasn't feeling great after the session, I certainly felt better than last time.

I spent most of the day curled up on the couch, watching random crap: Around the Horn and Pardon the Interruption on ESPN, an episode of 24, the movie "Hitch", part of the Red Sox/Braves game, an episode of The Simpsons, an episode of The Sopranos, and of course SportsCenter. I felt pretty crappy most of the day - I was nauseous, and had a pounding headache. I had a ham sandwich for lunch, and despite feeling nauseous, I kept it down. For dinner, my mom brought me some Shrimp Creole (you haven't lived until you've tasted my mom's Shrimp Creole). It tasted sooooo good, but unfortunately the nausea got the better of me and I couldn't keep it down (sorry for the visual). That "process" did make me feel a little better, though I didn't want to risk trying to eat some more. I just decided to save the rest for tomorrow.

I talked to Drew via Google Chat for a bit. We covered the usual (read: Fantasy Baseball). Ironically enough, Drew is going through his Hematology and Oncology Pediatrics rotation. So he actually probably knows more about my treatments than I do! Anyway, he was telling me about some of the kids he's treating, dealing with leukemia, and tumors in scary places (like the spinal cord), and though I certainly am not enjoying this summer, I do certainly remember that it could be worse. I can't imagine being 10 or 11 and going through this.

Finally pooped out around 10:00. Climbed into bed, planning to take it easy tomorrow. I hope to get a little work done, and maybe play a little poker in the evening.

Long Time No Post

Been a while since I posted anything, so I figured I should give an update on the eve of my next treatment. I've been doing okay - just ridiculously tired all the time. I feel like I can take a nap constantly, and I've got bags under my eyes all the time. What's strange is that even though I am so tired, I am having trouble sleeping (which I know is compounding the problem). I seem to fall asleep just fine, but I wake up like an hour later and can't go back to sleep. Very frustrating.

Overall, I'm doing okay, though. Been working full days, and I went to the movies this evening. Saw Ocean's Thirteen with a bunch of the crew from work. It was pretty good - way better than Ocean's Twelve, but not nearly as good as Ocean's Eleven.

Even though at this point in time I know what to expect from the chemotherapy sessions, I am still quite nervous leading into treatment number 4. But, I guess that's to be expected, and once I get through this, I can say I'm Halfway Done!

Back to the Grind

Returned to work today. Felt okay, and was able to put in a full day. It was nice to put my mind on something else. I certainly have had lots of time to think about absolutely nothing, so it was good to be able to concentrate on UPS Freight and Central Transport Tariff Changes... My stomach still felt a bit queasy, and I felt warm the entire day, but I powered through it. I appreciate all the support from my co-workers. Almondy and Kristina bought me beer and goldfish crackers to cheer me up, and Tim, Amy, Rikki, and Michell sent me Get Well Wishes via email while I was down last week. Thanks for your support!

Swinging the Bat

I felt much better today. Was able to get out and get some things done, and was able to get some exercise. Got a workout on Brandon's new Wii, playing Boxing and Bowling and Tennis. I also went out and played some softball at the park around the corner. It was the first time I'd swung a bat since playing IMs at Stanford, but I still held my own, including a ringing double to left field in my third at bat. It was good to get some exercise, and though I expect to be quite sore tomorrow, it certainly made me feel good. Emotionally, I'm still dragging a bit, and I'm certainly not in the happiest place right now, but getting out and doing stuff like that helps, and I know that this is purely temporary.

Groundhog Day

Today was very similar to yesterday. I felt fairly good the first part of the day, then kind of felt worse and worse as the day went on. By 7:00 PM I was lying in the fetal position on the couch wishing for the days of yore - drinking beer, playing poker, watching hockey... The fatigue had me just too tired to do anything, and I had a little bit of nausea that had me munching on Saltines most of the evening. Overall, though, I guess I shouldn't complain, as I am doing much much better than last session.

I have plans to get up and out tomorrow and do something productive. My car is at my parents' house, so at the very least I am going to go over there and pick it up. I'll probably fire up some poker tables on Stars and see if I can mentally grind through a few hundred hands. I'll also get out and maybe go for a walk or something to get a little exercise, even just a couple of laps around my neighborhood.

No-Show From LeBron

I felt okay for the first part of today. My parents came over, and my mom made breakfast, and I was feeling pretty good. Nowhere near 100%, but better than yesterday, and certainly much much better than two Thursdays ago. I was able to get a little bit of work done, and caught up on some Tivoed programs.

About 2:00 PM I started feeling a little bit worse, though. I seemed to run out of gas, and my nausea returned. I refused to take the Phenergen this time, as I felt like I could deal with the nausea better than the side effects from the pills. I tried to nap, but couldn't really fall asleep. Finally about 3:30, I forced myself up to take a shower and clean up, which made me feel a little bit better.

My dad came over to watch Game 1 of the Spurs/Cavs series. I'm very disappointed in LeBron James' performance. I was amazed at how many possessions there were for Cleveland where LeBron didn't even touch the ball, especially in the first half. LeBron needs to carry his team - they will be swept if LeBron scores 14 every game.

Round Three

Though they classify it the start of "Cycle 2" (each cycle consists of two treatments), I'd feel better calling this "Round 3", as it is my third treatment. I met with Dr. Sierra, who informed me that he is retiring effective June 29. I was very surprised to hear that. I would think that he would taper off on patients before retiring, rather than just cutting them all off, but whatever - it is his call, and I respect him. He has referred me over to Dr. Kevin Weeks within the same practice, who is the oncologist I tried to see in the first place! Everything should work out fine.

I discussed with Suzie, the chemotherapy nurse, how crappy I felt in the days after my last treatment. She told me that most of that was normal, and I would just need to power through it. However, she surmised that the lightheadedness was actually caused by a lack of fluids, so I should be sure to drink more Gatorade and more water in the days after the session, especially with the hot summer here. Duly noted.

I felt worse immediately after than I had in the past sessions. I was feeling very nauseous before we ever even hit the car to drive home. I'm not sure if it was the breakfast I ate (a bowl of Cinnamon Life and some Watermelon) or what, but I'll try and eat something better next time.

Anyway, I got home and took a Phenergen for the nausea, though I don't like those pills at all. The side effects really knock me down - tiredness, lightheadedness, severe headaches, dry mouth. I slept on and off on my new couch (courtesy of Tina!) for a few hours, then forced myself up to watch Game 5 of the Anaheim/Ottawa series. I was stunned that Anaheim mowed down Ottawa so easily, and it brought back a little pain to me, because my Red Wings outplayed Anaheim in the Conference Finals, and had one or two bounces gone our way, we would have been hoisting the Cup instead of that dirty mofo Chris Pronger...

After the game, I watched the highlights on SportsCenter, then went straight to bed. I was asleep by 8:15 PM, hoping that I will feel better tomorrow than I did the day after my last treatment.

All Quiet on the Western Front

Haven't posted in a while, which means things are going well. I met up with TJ on Sunday for lunch, which was nice. Had barbeque dinner at my parents' house on Monday for Memorial Day. On Tuesday, I went to work for a few hours, though I didn't have the stamina to put in a full day. The rest of the week has been without incident. I think from the whole ordeal, plus other "personal" matters, I've been a little emotionally drained. But overall, I guess I can't complain.

What can I say about LeBron James? I watched him beat the Pistons in double-overtime in Game 5 of their series, giving LeBron a 3-2 series lead. The guy was simply Jordan-esque tonight, and I don't see any way that he doesn't win Game 6 giving himself a 4-2 series win. (Notice I didn't mention his team anywhere. LeBron doesn't have teammates, and he doesn't need teammates. Seriously, he could win this series with me, Drew, Meals, and some random drunk guy playing the floor with him...) Detroit sucks. Cleveland sucks. LeBron rules.

Cleveland Sucks!

Felt much better today, though still nowhere near 100%. I was able to get out and go to my parents' house (twice), as well as stop by Dana's parents' house. Still pretty weak, but no headaches, and not lightheaded. I didn't need naps throughout the day, and was able to do a little bit of work, and play poker for a couple of hours.

I have however noticed some "areas of interest" in my mouth. One of the side effects of chemotherapy is sores in the mouth. I had a severe problem with canker sores in high school, but I stopped drinking soda, and that made the problem go away. Well, I still vividly remember the feeling in my mouth when the sores were starting to develop, and I have that feeling on the inside of my lower lip. I'm rinsing my mouth with water and baking soda, as well as with "Biotine", a medicated mouth rinse recommended by the chemotherapy nurse. Hopefully that will stem the tide.

In the evening, I flipped back and forth between the Pistons/Cavaliers game, and the Tigers/Indians game. Unfortunately, both the Pistons and the Tigers lost. LeBron James took over the game for the Cavaliers. The fadeaway three he made with two minutes left was just sick, and the jumper over Rip Hamilton with 16 seconds left was a dagger. LeBron and the Cavs remind me of Jordan and the Bulls in 1990. I expect the Pistons to win this series, but I'm going to predict that Cleveland wins the NBA Title in 2008. You heard it here first!

Same Story

I was still struggling today. The headaches were gone, but I was still very fatigued, and very lightheaded. I wanted to push myself to get out and do something productive, but it just didn't happen. I spent most of the day (again) lying on the couch watching TV, napping periodically. I felt like such a bum, but everytime I stood up, I felt even worse. I told myself that this was it, and regardless of how I feel tomorrow, I'm forcing myself out of this spiral and getting out and doing *something* productive. Tim called me in the afternoon, and TJ is in town for his grandfather's birthday, so I am going to make arrangements on Sunday to see him.

Zero Energy

Today was another rough one. I had zero energy, and was light-headed the entire day. Luckily, the pounding headaches from the day before were gone. Once again, I spent most of the day prone on the couch. I tried to do a little work in the afternoon, but my mind couldn't focus, and I caught myself making some silly mistakes. I was certainly emotionally drained, too. I found myself feeling a bit depressed, so I need to make sure to keep my emotional status in check.

Overall, I really shouldn't complain, though. My only side effects have been fatigue, nausea, and headaches. There are many worse side effects out there that I have not had (knock on wood!), and I should be thankful that I am at least not in too much discomfort. My mom has been spoiling me, which I of course love. I'll power my way through this, and be good and ready for hockey season in October.

Bummin' Around

Today was probably the worst day I've had since this whole ordeal began. I was absolutely exhausted and nauseous all day long. My back was killing me, and my head was pounding so much that I couldn't fall asleep. I felt like a bum spending all day laying on the couch, but I just didn't have the energy to get up and do anything. Luckily, my mom came over to make breakfast for me.

I got an early phone call from Erica Platt, seeing how I was doing. It was nice to hear from her, as we were able to relate on the NHL Playoffs. I'm still down from the Red Wings losing in the Western Conference Finals, while her Sabres were bumped out in the Eastern Finals by Ottawa.

Finally, around 4:30 PM, I sucked it up and got myself off the couch to take a shower and clean myself up. I walked out to my mailbox to try and give myself an infusion of fresh air. My dad came over at 5:00 with dinner to watch the Pistons game 2 against Cleveland. Though they didn't play well, the Pistons won again, going up 2-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Second Verse, Same as the First

Had my second session today. This one was in the afternoon. All went well, just as before. About halfway through, I started getting some really bad back spasms. Not quite sure what brought them on, but they lasted for about 15 minutes, then went away as quickly as they came on. Very strange...

Felt pretty good for most of the evening. Played some poker (not my best session ever) and did a little bit of work. About 8:30 PM I started feeling pretty crappy. I got very nauseous, and my head started pounding. I took some Phenergan for the nausea, and went to sleep around 9:30. All in all, though, I don't think I can complain about how the evening went.

GG Wings

Even though this is the eve of my next chemo session, this post has nothing to do with my health. Instead I want to reflect back on the Red Wings season. We lost game 6 of the series 4-3 to Anaheim, falling in the Western Conference Finals 4 games to 2. We certainly had a valiant effort, as we were down 4-1 with nine minutes to go in the game, and rallied, putting the Ducks back on their heels. We just simply ran out of time.

Way back in October, I went with Wooley and Drew to a Red Wings/Sharks game in San Jose. The Sharks dominated the game, winning 5-1 and dropping the Wings to 3-6-1 on the season. I commented to the boys that the Wings seemed to lack any continuity on offense, and reminded me of the Minnesota Wild - we'd win some games with our defense and goaltending, but likely wouldn't be able to score enough to make a legitimate run at the Stanley Cup.

Well, the Wings got a little bit of a run going. They got the power play clicking, and the Datsyuk/Zetterberg/Holmstrom line started rolling. I still had my doubts, but we were playing well (especially at home) and I was enjoying the ride. Dom Hasek stayed healthy, and when we swept a home-and-home with Nashville in early March, I knew we could do something special. Part of me wanted us to finish second in the West, though, as I didn't want any piece of Calgary in the first round. Well, we won the West, and tied Buffalo for best record overall...and along with it a date with the Flames in the first round.

Even though we were the #1 seed, and Calgary the #8, our history of first round failures were weighing heavily on us, and the so-called "experts" were split on how the series would turn out, but we outplayed them in every game, and registered the most lopsided six-game series I'd ever seen. We followed that up with a hard-fought six-game series win over San Jose in another series the "experts" labeled us as underdogs. And though we fell short against Anaheim, we outplayed them in four of the six games, and would have won game 6 had there been three or four more minutes on the clock...

This season has been up and down, and I can't hide the disappointment in the loss tonight. That being said, after a few days of grieving, I will be able to look back and realize what a successful season this was. Sports Illustrated predicted us fifth in the west. ESPN sixth. TSN said we would be lucky to make the playoffs! I have been spoiled over the last 15 years, with all of the Stanley Cups, and President's Trophies. But as it stands, we get to raise another Division Championship Banner to the rafters of the Joe, and can say we were one of the last three teams standing after seven and a half grueling months. And with Datsyuk and Maltby re-signed, and Hasek saying he wants to come back for one more year, there's no reason not to expect to see the Wings playing into the Conference Finals again.

Lilja Must Die

Haven't posted in a while, so I figured I'd give an update, even though there isn't too much of an update to give. I felt great the entire week, and was able to put in 40-45 hours at work. I've run out of gas a little earlier than normal; I normally can stay up until midnight or 1 AM no problem, but nowadays I'm ready for bed by 9 PM. I really can't complain, though, as things certainly could be much much worse.

My next session is scheduled for this Wednesday in the afternoon. I am now much more prepared for what to expect, and certainly don't have the anxiety that I had in the days leading up to the first session.

Watched the Wings blow game 5 of their series against Anaheim. Andreas Lilja made an inexcusable turnover in front of our own net in overtime, which Teemu Selanne buried no problem. And of course the only reason we were even in overtime was a horrible penalty by Pavel Datsyuk in the last two minutes, which led to a fluky goal to tie it up. The Wings have dominated the last two games, and the only reason we lost them both was because of JS Giguere in net for Anaheim. He did it to us in 2003, and he's doing it again. That being said, I still have confidence we can win game 6 in Anaheim on Tuesday, and force a game 7 back at the Joe.

I'll Help You Out

I have been emailed by a few people that some people aren’t sure how to post comments on this blog. It’s actually pretty easy. So easy that I can create a how-to guide in five easy steps:

1. At the bottom of each post is a link of the ilk “2 comments”. Click on this link.
2. On the right hand side is a section entitled “Leave Your Comment”. In that box, type in your comment.
3. Below that is a radio button marked “Other”. Click it.
4. Type your name in the “Name” box that appears.
5. Finally, click the button for “Publish Your Comment.”

That’s it! I definitely enjoy reading everyone’s comments, so I certainly encourage all to let me know what you think. Go Wings!!!

The Office? Still There!

I returned to work today, and the outpouring of support from my friends here at the office (and Rikki) was much appreciated. Surprisingly, the office did not burn down while I was away, which is certainly a good thing. Dana surprised my coworkers and me with some homemade treats, which everybody certainly enjoyed.

I was fatigued most of the day, but getting back to the normalcy of emails and phone calls and tariff changes and rate increases certainly helped my mental state of mind. I look forward to a long and productive week.

24 tonight! Next week is the season finale. Jack Bauer is my hero.

Halo 2

Today I was able to get out of the house and have some actual factual people interaction. I went to Brandon’s baseball game – they won again; they’ve only lost one game all season. Dana, Brandon, and I followed that up with a trip to Dairy Queen. After I stopped quickly by Walmart for a couple of things, we went back to Dana’s house where Brandon and I played some Halo 2 on Xbox. I’m awful at Halo 2. I mean really bad. Whatever happened to TimeSplitters on PS2? I was good at that!

Overall, I felt good today. A little fatigued, but still no nausea or headaches. I overheated a bit at the baseball game, but just when I thought I couldn’t take any more, some clouds blew in, and the temperature dropped about 20 degrees. Somebody up there is watching me…

Just Plain Beat

Today was worse than yesterday, but still not bad. I was just extremely tired all the time, and I slept most of the day away. But no headaches, nausea, or anything else other than fatigue. I guess I can’t complain at all.

My mom and Dana came to visit, which lifted my spirits. Plus the Red Wings took down the Ducks in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, so that always makes me feel good.

Hopefully They'll All Be Like This

Surprisingly, I felt pretty good today. I felt lightheaded and tired most of the day, and for whatever reason I had to go to the bathroom like every 15 minutes. Otherwise, the day went well. Hopefully this is how I’ll react to every session! I did start to feel nauseous towards the end of the day, but I took some Kytril (which was the drug sample my mom picked up yesterday), and it made me feel better.

I basically lounged around most of the day. I worked a bit, played some poker, and watched the Pistons beat the Bulls to take a 3-0 lead in their series. All in all, it was a good day.

The Beginning of Treatment

So, chemotherapy session number one came and went today. I spent three hours at Columbia Basin Hematology and Oncology Center where I had by my count 8 different substances fed into the port in my chest via IV. After the treatment, I felt pretty good and went to Walmart with my mom to pick up my anti-nausea prescription (Zofran), as well as a few other things.

When we went to pay for the prescription, we got a shock, as the Zofran was over $500 for twenty pills! I talked to the pharmacist, Kyle, about any alternatives, and he said that Zofran is usually reserved for where other nausea medicines haven’t worked, and use it as a last resort. He called Dr. Sierra’s office to confer with one of the chemotherapy nurses, Cynthia. She said that something weaker would be fine, and changed the prescription to Phenergan, which was only $6.

While at Walmart, I ran into a woman named Kathy who overheard me talking to the pharmacist about my chemotherapy. She went through chemotherapy for breast cancer a couple of years ago. In addition, she volunteers in the Wellness Center at Columbia Basin Oncology. We chatted a bit about what I should expect, and some of the things it is important to do. Probably the biggest thing I took from it was advice to not push my friends and family away. I’ve already caught myself doing that several times, and I need to make a conscious effort to not do that. To anybody I’ve already tried to push away (especially Dana and mom), I apologize profusely, and I will make it my #1 priority to be there for you guys, as I know this is tough on you too.

After grabbing a sandwich from Subway, I went home, took an anti-nausea pill, and went to sleep. Unfortunately, the phone would not stop ringing. Some well-wishers, which I certainly appreciate, but mostly telemarketers, which really annoyed me.

However, one of the phone calls was from Kyle the pharmacist. He said that Cynthia from the Cancer Center called him back, and I shouldn’t take the Phenergan, and he would exchange the prescription to Kytril. He said I should call Dr. Sierra’s office to confirm this was okay. Of course, I panicked, as I had already taken one of the pills. I called Cynthia, and she said that the Phenergan should be okay. I asked why she called them and told them to switch, and she said that she was concerned that the Phenergan wouldn’t be strong enough. She does have some drug rep samples back at the office of a stronger anti-nausea drug that I could pick up, though I can’t remember the name of the drug. My mom said she would head over to the office and pick them up for me. After all this, I went back to sleep.

After waking up from my nap, I sat down and played a little poker. I played some $50 NL on FullTilt, and though I certainly didn’t have my A-game, I was able to double my buyin in an hour. Unfortunately, my head started pounding, and I started getting nauseous, so I had to call it a night from the game. I decided to relax and watch some TV before heading to bed. My mind was racing over what tomorrow will bring.

Heading Home

(Sorry to edit this post – I accidentally deleted it.) My last session with the fertility clinic went as expected, and I had a safe and happy drive home. I came home to a clean and sanitized house. On Thursday my mom and Kim (my sister Crystal's husband Nate's mom) sanitized every surface of my house in preparation for my chemotherapy next week. I appreciate everything they have done for me.

Very Goodly Ice Cream Sandwich

So, the clear film over my incision from my port fell off overnight, and it took most of the scabbing with it. My incision now looks very similar to the incision from the biopsy, once Dr. Cordero took the strips off. This is a good thing (I think). I simply plan to keep it dry, and apply the iodine solution to it, and all should be good. If it still doesn’t look good come Monday, then I will call Dr. Kasthuri.

I drove the couple hours up to Bellingham to see TJ. He just had a chemotherapy session yesterday, but seems to be doing well. The blisters on his face and arms are doing better, and he seemed to have a good amount of energy. We chatted for a few hours over various topics, from lymphoma to the Tri-Cities to movies. We had some Schwan’s Ice Cream Sandwiches. That might have been the single best ice cream sandwich I have ever had in my life. As TJ's roommate Jordan put it, "Schwan's makes ice cream sandwiches very goodly."

His outlook on the whole situation was wonderful. It seems like we are on the same page with the whole thing, which makes me feel better, as I had been feeling a little weird in that I’m not as concerned about the whole situation as I felt I should be. While Hodgkin’s Lymphoma is very serious, it has a very “off the shelf” treatment with an extremely high success rate. (Parallel: for a cold, you know what to do: Vitamin C, lots of fluids, lots of rest, chicken noodle soup, etc. For Hodgkin’s Lymphoma: ABVD. Strangely enough, it’s that simple.)

I’m feeling better after talking to him. I felt like I was looking at myself 4-6 weeks from now, and I see that TJ is doing well. This gives me confidence that I should be able to keep my life as normal as possible this spring and summer.

Phone Tag

I had session #2 at the Fertility Clinic. Once again, everything went smoothly.

After an allday game of phone tag, I talked to Suzie, Dr. Sierra’s chemotherapy nurse, about the incision where my port was installed. She said I should contact Dr. Kasthuri about my concerns over the incision. I plan to call his office on Thursday.

Suzie moved my appointment for my first chemotherapy session on May 9 from 1:00 PM to 9:00 AM. It really didn’t matter to me, so I obliged to her wishes.

I watched the Wings thrilling comeback in Game 4 against San Jose. Restored my faith in them just a bit. My oh my, Game 5 is going to be epic on Saturday...

Closing the Roof

I spent most of the day working from the hotel room. The internet service was spotty at best, but I guess you get what you pay for.

I went out to Safeco Field to watch the Mariners/White Sox game. I had a great time, and the Mariners actually won a game. They closed the roof midway through the game, which I was very excited about. This was the seventh or eighth time I’ve been to Safeco Field, and the first time I’ve seen them close the roof.

My incision from the insertion of the port is not doing very well. It is really scabby, and looks to have a small area of infection. In addition, when they inserted the port, they slipped it down below the incision. Well, the port has somehow slid up in my chest, and is actually right behind the incision. I plan to call Dr. Sierra’s office tomorrow to see what he thinks about that. I hope this doesn’t delay my treatment.

Home Away From Home

So I had my first session at the Fertility Clinic. I won’t go into any details, but the session went as expected. No need to add anything more than that.

I checked into the Red Lion Inn in Tukwila. Part of the hotel is under construction/renovation, so I was able to get a great rate to establish my “home away from home” for this week. I had a little issue with their internet service, but they were very helpful, even to allowing me to go from room to room to find the “perfect” room.

I watched the Wings lose in Game 3 to San Jose. I really don’t like our chances in this series, which is unfortunate, as I really thought we had a legitimate chance to win the Cup this year.

I have plans to go to the Mariners/White Sox game on Tuesday, and I am going up to Bellingham to visit TJ on Thursday, so I will certainly be able to stay busy.

A Partner in Crime

Overall, I felt pretty good this week, though I have definitely felt more tired than usual, especially today. I made reservations to stay at the Red Lion Inn in Tukwila while in Seattle for the sperm banking next week, and I am certainly looking forward to “getting away” for a week, as the stress of the whole situation has gotten to me a bit.

I haven’t mentioned it yet, but some of you are aware of an eerie coincidence. My boss Tim Story’s 22-year-old son TJ was diagnosed with Nodular Sclerosis Hodgkin’s Lymphoma about a month before I was. It has been nice having the support structure of someone going through the same thing I am.

TJ lives in Bellingham in the Seattle area, so I will be able to visit him next week and see how he is doing. Everyone should visit his blog at http://omgcancerbbq.blogspot.com/ and send him support as well. Plus he has a great sense of humor, and his recanting of his trials and tribulations are funny and honest. It’s good to see how my experiences have paralleled his.

Arranging to Save the Little Guys

I went to Kadlec Medical Center to have a port installed in my chest. This is basically a little bubble that the oncologist will use to inject the chemotherapy into my body.

After a nice three-hour wait at the hospital, I was drugged up and had the port installed. Dr. Saravanan Kasthuri performed the procedure.

I came home about 2:00 PM, and went to sleep for a bit. I woke up at 3:30 PM, feeling some pain in my neck and shoulder. Vicodin took care of that, though.

After discussing with Dana, as well as my parents, we thought it would be wise if I “banked” some sperm, as a potential long-term side effect of chemotherapy is infertility. So I placed a call over to Pacific Northwest Fertility Facility in Seattle to arrange to store some of the little guys.

The process is actually a three-day event, spread over a five-day period. I made arrangements to be in Seattle the week of April 30 to get this process rolling.

I called Dr. Sierra’s office and rescheduled the start of my chemotherapy for Wednesday May 9.

Bigger Than We Thought

I met with Dr. Sierra in the afternoon, and he first let us know that the cancer cells had not spread to my bone marrow. He then showed my mom and me the PET Scan. This showed the mass in my chest was actually 11 cm x 8 cm (!). It also revealed the cancer had spread to two more lymph nodes in my diaphragm. In addition, there is an “area of interest” in my nasal passage that showed up on the PET Scan, but not on the CT scan. This area actually classifies me in Stage IV instead of Stage II, though that would have no effect on my treatment.

He put together a game plan of 4 four-week cycles of chemotherapy (that's a treatment every two weeks for 16 weeks), followed by another PET Scan to check the progress. We scheduled for chemotherapy to begin on Wednesday April 25.

I went to the dentist to have my teeth cleaned. It pays to be dating a dental hygienist.

Sexiest Man Alive

I met with Dr. Cordero again to check on the incision from my biopsy. I had concern that it was infected, but luckily it was not. That being said, it was not healing as quickly as he would have liked. He determined that the wound was too moist, and perhaps I was not drying it off after showering as thoroughly as I should have.

He removed the strips, and didn’t put any more on. He advised keeping the incision open and dry, even to the point of going shirtless at home.

On a related note, I declared myself “Sexiest Man Alive.” My mom nearly choked on her coffee at this statement.

At 9:45 AM, I went over to the Medical Imaging Center for a CT Scan and a PET Scan. They fed me four Xanax to relax me, and then injected me with radioactive sugar that the cancer cells would feed on. The scans would then be able to show how far the Lymphoma had spread.

The CT Scan and PET Scan went off without a hitch, and I headed home, still quite relaxed from the Xanax.

Drew and Meals Tie the Knot

Dana and I traveled to San Francisco for Andrew and Meals’ wedding. We had a fantastic time, and the ceremony was absolutely beautiful. I am so happy for them, and I wish them all the best.

I felt great for most of the trip, though I did have some back pain the second half of Sunday. Vicodin fixed that, though…

Bone Marrow Biopsy

I worked in the morning, and then went back over to Dr. Sierra’s office for a Bone Marrow Biopsy to see if the cancerous cells had spread into my bone marrow. I was very nervous about this test, as I had heard that this is a very painful procedure. Luckily I was wrong.

The test was not very painful at all. Of course I was completely drugged up. My mom drove me home, where I proceeded to call Dana, though I don’t remember the conversation at all. Then Adam called, and I didn’t remember that discussion either. I went to sleep around 2:00 PM.

I woke up at 4:00 PM, feeling surprisingly well. I watched the Red Wings beat the Flames in game 1 of their series, then packed for my trip the next day.

Getting the Ball Rolling

We never heard from Dr. Cordero, so we kept our appointment with Dr. Sierra at 8:30 AM. He proved to be a very good doctor – good bedside manner, very knowledgeable, and very concerned with my ability to go to Andrew and Meals’ wedding this coming weekend.

That being said, he did want to progress fairly quickly with the staging of the Lymphoma, and scheduled me for many tests over the next week and a half, starting with an Echocardiogram this afternoon.

I headed over to Kadlec Medical Center for the Echocardiogram, which was basically like an Ultrasound an expecting mother would have, except it was on my heart. It was quite interesting to see my heart in this test.

I had lunch in the deli in the hospital. Of course I had Cream of Tomato soup.

Nodular Sclerosis Hodgkin's Lymphoma

At my appointment with Dr. Cordero, he gave me the full diagnosis nodular sclerosis Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. This is the most common kind of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, and is treated with a very high success rate.

He checked out the incision from the biopsy. He said it wasn’t healing as quickly as he thought it would, but it certainly isn’t anything to be concerned about. He changed the strips covering the wound, and made plans for me to come back in two weeks.

Dr. Cordero also offered to call Dr. Rado and/or Dr. Weeks and see if either of them can get me in any sooner. We’ll see what he can do.

Stupid Baseball

I woke up in the middle of the night with tremendous back spasms. We are not sure if this is related to the Lymphoma, or just a side effect of throwing a baseball around the previous day with Dana's son Brandon. Either way, I drugged myself up with Percoset, and was feeling much better.

I was able to get an appointment with Dr. Sierra for Wednesday April 11.

Finally a Diagnosis

I received a call from Dr. Cordero saying the tests came back, and it was indeed Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. We would discuss more at my appointment on April 3.

We started calling the oncologists on the list given to us by Dr. Cordero. Dr. Thomas Rado didn’t have any appointments for 2 months. Dr. Kevin Weeks (recommended by Dana, as he had treated her father's lung cancer) had nothing for 1 month. We could get in to see Dr. Ruben Sierra next week, but he wouldn’t make any appointments until he saw the lab results, which were being sent over from the hospital.

And We Continue to Wait

We called and made an appointment with Dr. Cordero for Tuesday April 3 to discuss the results of the test.

We tried to schedule an appointment with an oncologist, but were told to wait until we got the results from the biopsy.

Home Sweet Home

At 2:00 PM, I finally went to my home, where I relaxed and took it easy. Dana came to see me around 4:30 PM, and of course that buoyed my spirits.

My oxygen levels were back to normal, and I was able to exceed the target on the breathing apparatus.

I went to bed at 8:30 PM in preparation for returning to work the next morning.

Draft Day

My blood oxygen levels were still low overnight, but I was feeling better. I was able to eat, and shower (for the first time since Wednesday). I even was able to participate in our annual fantasy baseball draft.

I continued to work with the breathing apparatus, and was certainly feeling better. That being said, I pooped out significantly earlier than normal, and fell asleep around 8:00 PM.

Going Home, But Not Really

I wasn’t feeling great in the morning. I got light-headed when I stood up, and I couldn’t keep any food down. Dr. Cordero came and said everything looked good, and it would just take some time.

They took another Chest X-Ray, which everything looked good. Dr. Cordero changed the dressing on my wound, putting strips on that he said would stay until our next appointment.

Eventually, I started feeling better, and was even walking around the hospital. My oxygen levels were still slow while I slept, but the breathing apparatus helped.

At 3:30 PM, I was discharged, where I went to my parents’ house to recuperate. The car ride home made me feel not-so-good, but getting home and getting a little bit of sleep helped.

At 8:30 PM, Dana, her son, and her mom came to visit me, where we sat up and chatted till almost 10:00 PM. It made me feel much better, and led me to fall asleep with a smile on my face.

Remember to Breathe

Even after being on oxygen all night, my oxygen levels were still quite low. Dr. Cordero surmised that because of the procedure, I wasn’t taking deep enough breaths.

I was given a plastic apparatus to take deep breaths, and help my oxygen levels.

My oxygen returned to normal levels while I was awake, but continued to drop while I slept.

In the afternoon, the nurse removed the catheter, and I was eventually able to urinate on my own. It felt good.

Because of the low oxygen levels, they wanted to keep me one more night.

Around 6:30, my dad came to visit and watch the NCAA Tournament. I still can’t believe Tennessee blew that game against Ohio State.

Fluid in the Lungs

I went in for the Left Mediastinotomy. After sitting in the waiting room for two hours, I was finally pulled in for the procedure, where I was knocked out. Dr. Cordero sliced and diced me. The procedure started around 3:00 PM.

I awoke in recovery in a complete haze after approximately two hours. My eyes couldn’t focus, and I could barely breathe. I had a Flash Pulmonary Edema, where my lungs were filling up with fluid. I was coughing up blood.

They gave me a water pill, which cleared up most of the fluid in my lungs. However, this filled up my bladder so quickly that I was unable to go to the bathroom. Multiple attempts to insert a catheter failed, as my bladder was too tight to allow any penetration.

I was put to sleep again. They then successfully inserted a wire-guided catheter. I awoke to find myself in my hospital room at 9:15 PM with my mom, my girlfriend, and a tube coming out of my penis.

I was hooked to a machine that was measuring (amongst other things) the oxygen level in my blood. It was low, so they hooked me up to an oxygen supply. It was about 10:00 PM, and I went to sleep.

Still Diagnosing to Be Done

Dr. Cordero said the results of the biopsy indicated lymphoma, but the markers that would indicate Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (which is what he thought it was), were not there. That means “inconclusive” rather than NOT Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

He wanted to do a full biopsy – a Left Mediastinotomy on Wednesday.

My mom and I walked across the street to the hospital to preregister.

I returned to work to find my stuff still there.

And the Results Are In...

I received a phone call from Dr. Cordero’s office scheduling an appointment for Tuesday March 20 to discuss the results.

Hurry Up and Wait

I received a call from Dr. Cordero saying that they would need to send out the cells from the needle biopsy to Spokane for “staining”, and it would likely be another week.

Time to get Needled

I worked in the morning, and then went to the hospital for the “CT Guided Core Biopsy”. Dr. Scott Hammersmith performed the procedure, and then sent me home.

Not the Germ-Cell Tumor

Appointment with Dr. Cordero. He told me that the blood test was negative for indications of a Germ-Cell Tumor, and I would now need the needle biopsy to indicate what we were dealing with.

Dana and I went across the street to the hospital to pre-register for the procedure. We had lunch in the deli there, and I determined that I love Kadlec’s Cream of Tomato soup.

Andrew's Bachelor Party

Spent the weekend in Vegas for Andrew’s bachelor party. Andrew was able to answer some questions for me, and more just made me feel a little more relaxed with the whole thing.

Back to Work

I returned to work.

Headin' Home

Home from the hospital right around lunchtime. I was told the results would be in the next Tuesday, and I scheduled an appointment with Dr. Cordero for March 6.

A Big Mass - Lots of Possibilities

With the biopsy scheduled for the afternoon, I was not allowed to eat for the day. I once again spent most of the day sleeping, though I had my laptop brought to me such that I could do a little work.

Around 2:00 PM, I was wheeled down to the room where they would be doing the biopsy. Here is where I met Dr. John Blizzard and Dr. Juan Cordero. They advised me of some other options that this mass could be:
* Thymoma
* Germ Cell Tumor
* Lymphoma
* Seminoma

They felt the Germ Cell Tumor would be the most common of the four for a male my age, and this could be detected with a blood test. They decided to postpone the needle biopsy, and do the blood test.

Even though nothing more was going to happen, I was advised to stay in the hospital for the night, and I would go home in the morning.

Both Dr. Hephinger and Dr. Cordero agreed that I should be able to make my trip to Las Vegas for Andrew’s bachelor party on March 2-4, as long as I made sure to take it easy. Unfortunately, they both agreed that it wouldn’t be wise to play hockey at this point in time.

I watched 24 in the hospital. I love 24.

Late Night Trip to the Emergency Room

I awakened at 1:30 AM with severe chest pains. I figured it was a little fluky, like I fell asleep in a wrong position. I got up, got something to drink, felt better, and went back to sleep.

I awakened again at 3:00 AM with more severe pains. Now I knew it was something a little more significant. I got up, got dressed, and looked up the closest hospital (Kadlec) on the computer. By this point, I was feeling better, and decided to lay back down (still dressed) to see if I could go back to sleep. Within minutes, I started hurting again, and drove to the Emergency Room.

I had an EKG, Chest X-Ray, and CT Scan, and was given a nitroglycerin pill (in case it was a heart attack). After that, I fell asleep in the Emergency Room. It was around 5:30 AM.

At 7:30 AM, the ER doctor came and told me they found some sort of a mass in my chest. He suspected it was a Thymoma, but we wouldn’t know for sure until more tests would be run. He said I would likely be sent home, and admitted to the hospital the next day. It was at this point that I called my parents and girlfriend Dana.

Around 8:15 AM, they decided to admit me to the hospital to run more tests. They took many blood samples, and the hospitalist, Dr. Donna Hephinger, made plans to have a needle biopsy on Monday afternoon. I spent most of the day sleeping in the hospital, preparing for the next day. My mom and girlfriend spent most of the day with me. My dad came to visit, too, where he uttered the now famous quote: “I didn’t come here to watch him sleep.”