Both of Us .org
News and views from two charming fellows in Northeast Minneapolis.
Now with Cancer!
Now with Cancer!
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
JB Fights Cancer
By JB aka JayBee
There has been a long absence of posts in this space, and that is because JSP and I have been going through some life changing experiences lately. On December 26, 2007 I received some bad news from one of my doctors. Some tissue that I had biopsied showed that I had metastasized melanoma, a particularly aggressive and difficult to treat cancer.
The tone and timber of this blog will be different from now on, there may still be the occasional food or entertainment reviews, political pieces, and writings about hobbies, but from this time forward this will be where we also document our journey through cancer. Below is a short synopsis of what has happened so far.
I had skin cancer (Melanoma) in 1998 and it appeared a that time that I was one of the lucky persons who seemed to have caught it early. I was 22 years old and I had gained a sense of my own mortality. Doctors at the time told me that the chances were that if it was going to recur that it would likely recur in the first five years. After many years had passed, I felt that I had been really lucky, and hoped it would never come back.
On December 26, 2007 I learned the result of a biopsy test that I had done on some small lumps which my dermatologist removed from my torso. The biopsy results conclusively indicated massive systematic Melanoma in my body. The results were not completely unexpected to me, but were still quite difficult to hear. The cancer that I had struggled with when I was 22, returned almost 10 years later.
Subsequent PET and CT scans, taken on December 31, 2007, showed that I have tumors in several places under my skin and two tumors in my lung. This confirmed the diagnosis of systemic cancer and gave me a baseline for how developed the cancer is at this time. An MRI that I also had done on December 31st showed that I have brain tumors. I learned of these test results from my doctor and his nurse on January 2, 2008.
The brain tumors were a shock to me, partly because I have not had headaches, motor skill problems, behavioral changes, or any other symptoms of brain tumors. As you can imagine the brain tumors were not welcome news. My oncologist promptly communicated that in his opinion the course of treatment for my brain tumors was to have whole brain radiation therapy to combat the smaller visible brain tumors and the unseen brain tumors. Once this treatment was completed he suggested that a Gamma Knife procedure be used to target one or more of the largest tumors that may not be knocked out by the first wave of radiation.
I have felt hesitant to submit to the brain radiation therapy, because I currently feel so good. I am afraid that in the short term, at least, that this will lower my quality of life. The potential side affects (including decreased cognitive function) are frightening, however I know that leaving the tumors to grow in my brain is not a wise option and that brain damage, if it should occur due to pressure from the tumors, would most likely be irreversible. With this in mind I am planning on gogin ahead with whole brain radiation therapy. My first radiation therapy session is this week on Thursday, January 10, 2008 at 2:00 PM. As I understand it this therapy will go for 2 weeks, M-F. I also understand that the effects are cumulative, so the last session swill probably be much harder than the first few. Optimistic thoughts are hard for me to come by about this, but the treatment seems preferable to not being treated.
On Wednesday, January 9, 2008 I'll talk with my Oncologist, Dr. A about systemic treatment options.
I am still going to work as normal and feeling fine, asymptomatic for the most part except for the small tumors I can locate in my skin.
Before my diagnosis, I was planning to play soccer four nights a week with my soccer team. I enjoyed playing in a game last night, and I shot our team's only goal. (We tied 1 - 1.) I am unsure about my ability to continue playing soccer while receiving radiation therapy, but if I can play, I will play.
In addition to the allopathic (traditianal medicine) treatments that my doctors have described, I am also using a book on the Gerson Therapy to guide my choices regarding dietary intake. I am hoping that moving toward a diet rich in fresh organic fruits and vegetables will help strengthen my immune system both to brace my body against the cancer and against potentially toxic cancer therapies.
I want to live a long time and I am thinking of my body as a garden and this cancer as a weed. I hope to be able to tend the garden and keep the weeds in check for years to come.
The tone and timber of this blog will be different from now on, there may still be the occasional food or entertainment reviews, political pieces, and writings about hobbies, but from this time forward this will be where we also document our journey through cancer. Below is a short synopsis of what has happened so far.
I had skin cancer (Melanoma) in 1998 and it appeared a that time that I was one of the lucky persons who seemed to have caught it early. I was 22 years old and I had gained a sense of my own mortality. Doctors at the time told me that the chances were that if it was going to recur that it would likely recur in the first five years. After many years had passed, I felt that I had been really lucky, and hoped it would never come back.
On December 26, 2007 I learned the result of a biopsy test that I had done on some small lumps which my dermatologist removed from my torso. The biopsy results conclusively indicated massive systematic Melanoma in my body. The results were not completely unexpected to me, but were still quite difficult to hear. The cancer that I had struggled with when I was 22, returned almost 10 years later.
Subsequent PET and CT scans, taken on December 31, 2007, showed that I have tumors in several places under my skin and two tumors in my lung. This confirmed the diagnosis of systemic cancer and gave me a baseline for how developed the cancer is at this time. An MRI that I also had done on December 31st showed that I have brain tumors. I learned of these test results from my doctor and his nurse on January 2, 2008.
The brain tumors were a shock to me, partly because I have not had headaches, motor skill problems, behavioral changes, or any other symptoms of brain tumors. As you can imagine the brain tumors were not welcome news. My oncologist promptly communicated that in his opinion the course of treatment for my brain tumors was to have whole brain radiation therapy to combat the smaller visible brain tumors and the unseen brain tumors. Once this treatment was completed he suggested that a Gamma Knife procedure be used to target one or more of the largest tumors that may not be knocked out by the first wave of radiation.
I have felt hesitant to submit to the brain radiation therapy, because I currently feel so good. I am afraid that in the short term, at least, that this will lower my quality of life. The potential side affects (including decreased cognitive function) are frightening, however I know that leaving the tumors to grow in my brain is not a wise option and that brain damage, if it should occur due to pressure from the tumors, would most likely be irreversible. With this in mind I am planning on gogin ahead with whole brain radiation therapy. My first radiation therapy session is this week on Thursday, January 10, 2008 at 2:00 PM. As I understand it this therapy will go for 2 weeks, M-F. I also understand that the effects are cumulative, so the last session swill probably be much harder than the first few. Optimistic thoughts are hard for me to come by about this, but the treatment seems preferable to not being treated.
On Wednesday, January 9, 2008 I'll talk with my Oncologist, Dr. A about systemic treatment options.
I am still going to work as normal and feeling fine, asymptomatic for the most part except for the small tumors I can locate in my skin.
Before my diagnosis, I was planning to play soccer four nights a week with my soccer team. I enjoyed playing in a game last night, and I shot our team's only goal. (We tied 1 - 1.) I am unsure about my ability to continue playing soccer while receiving radiation therapy, but if I can play, I will play.
In addition to the allopathic (traditianal medicine) treatments that my doctors have described, I am also using a book on the Gerson Therapy to guide my choices regarding dietary intake. I am hoping that moving toward a diet rich in fresh organic fruits and vegetables will help strengthen my immune system both to brace my body against the cancer and against potentially toxic cancer therapies.
I want to live a long time and I am thinking of my body as a garden and this cancer as a weed. I hope to be able to tend the garden and keep the weeds in check for years to come.
5 Comments:
Cookie wrote:
There is a man on the Gerson therapy who is blogging his journey. I thought you might like to read it. The site is: http://www.bertscholl.blogspot.com/
I too am on the Gerson therapy becasue of breast cancer.
My thougths are with you!
Miss Melanoma wrote:
Hey JB,
First let me say I've only read a bit of your blog but already love that you'd add "now with cancer!" to the title. Sounds like you've got a great sense of humor in the face of such crazy stress. That's inspiring. Thanks also for stopping by my site and dropping me a line.
I'm so sorry to hear of your recurrence. It sucks to believe that it happened almost 10 years later when I'm sure you had hoped melanoma was a thing of the past. Hell of a way to start the new year, dude, but it seems you've really explored your treatment options and that you've made some wise choices.
I'm sending you crazy good positive vibes! And hoping that the radiation allows you to enjoy your soccer team, too. Please keep us posted on how things go. I'm interested in hearing about the Gerson therapy, too, and am looking forward to hearing about that. I had a friend that it worked wonders for.
Keep in touch,
-MM
JB aka JayBee wrote:
Cookie and Miss Melanoma,
Thank you so much for saying hello!
Cookie, I will check out the blog you suggested about the fellow writing about the Gerson Therapy.
Miss Melanoma, yes, i have a good sense of humor about this all right now. I think when I tell people they are really confused because I talk about it so lightly now. I am lucky in so far as I am feeling great, and I am sure the challenge for me will be to keep that sense of humor and levity when I feel physically bad.
Kristen wrote:
JB,
Phillip told me about your diagnosis and I was shocked and sorry to hear that you once again have to struggle with this disease.
If there is anyone I know who is strong enough and has a positive enough outlook on life to take this on, it is you. Your sense of humor, your positive attitude and your commitment to beating the cancer on many fronts is admirable and will make an enormous difference in the results of your treatment.
I have heard so many stories of people who have turned their lives around just by taking on the dietary changes that you have. You are so smart to take these additional measures to strengthen your immune system!
All of my love and my thoughts are with you and Jason. Michaela also sends her love and support. If you ever need anything, please let us know.
Kristen