slusher Posted September 7, 2016 Posted September 7, 2016 I begin treatment Friday. Three weeks of radiation, five days a week. Also will begin chemotherapy in pill form concurrent with radiation. Once the radiation treatments are done, chemo will ramp up (more aggressive) and will continue on an ongoing, as needed basis... assuming that I respond to the treatment, that is. The doctors all seem confident. In fact, the radiologist said I will soon be back to living a normal life. That, of course, would be the best possible outcome. But there are no guarantees. I will either respond well to treatment and beat this... or I will not. It's as simple as that. I am very scared, but to be 100% honest, I have a feeling I will beat this. I believe also you can beat it Harry.!
Ace-Garageguy Posted September 7, 2016 Posted September 7, 2016 You WILL beat it, Harry. Positive waves.
mikemodeler Posted September 7, 2016 Posted September 7, 2016 I begin treatment Friday. Three weeks of radiation, five days a week. Also will begin chemotherapy in pill form concurrent with radiation. Once the radiation treatments are done, chemo will ramp up (more aggressive) and will continue on an ongoing, as needed basis... assuming that I respond to the treatment, that is. The doctors all seem confident. In fact, the radiologist said I will soon be back to living a normal life. That, of course, would be the best possible outcome. But there are no guarantees. I will either respond well to treatment and beat this... or I will not. It's as simple as that. I am very scared, but to be 100% honest, I have a feeling I will beat this. Harry,It is very easy for me to say you will beat this and to not be afraid, but the truth is until I walk in your shoes, I can only offer my support and prayers, which I have and will continue to do.What encourages me is your statement about your doctors and their confidence. I don't think they would be so quick to tell you that life will be interrupted but back to normal if their experience and knowledge didn't lead them to think that. Any of us would be scared like you, but hopefully your children are there to comfort you and assist you with whatever you may need and as many have stated here, your online family is there for you as well.Thank you for sharing a very personal part of your life and don't be afraid to ask for help. Continued prayers and wishes for a full, speedy recovery.
misterNNL Posted September 8, 2016 Posted September 8, 2016 My wife and I both wish you the best possible outcome in your personal battle with this disease.She and I are both cancer survivors.She is a two time breast cancer survivor and has been cancer free for almost 25 years.I am a colon cancer survivor myself so I personally know the feeling of hearing the actual words from your doctor when he delivers the diagnosis.Personal faith and belief in your recovery are very important right now.
unclescott58 Posted September 8, 2016 Posted September 8, 2016 I just noticed this thread for the first time. Wow! Harry, we need you around to criticize the lack of mirrors, etc, on our models. ? Today cancer is not the life threatening disease it once was. The treatments have gotten so much better. I'm willing to bet you'll come out okay on this. To help you along, I will be keep you in my prayers.
RandyEarle Posted September 8, 2016 Posted September 8, 2016 About 6 months ago, I had a doctor tell me I had cancer. I wasn't producing enough blood. After 29 transfusions, they found out I had 18 bleeding ulcers in my stomach. No cancer was found after bunches of tests and a bone marrow test. 4 months ago, I was told I had a tumor on my spine. It was leasions from professional wrestling and college ball. Too many quacks running around....get a 2nd opinion.
Bernard Kron Posted September 8, 2016 Posted September 8, 2016 (edited) Just saw this, Harry. Your dedication and commitment to our group is profoundly appreciated by us all. We will wait patiently as you turn your energies to a successful recovery. All my best wishes to you and your family. Edited September 8, 2016 by Bernard Kron
Harry P. Posted September 9, 2016 Author Posted September 9, 2016 Just got back from first radiation treatment. First chemo treatment (in pill form) also starts today... 4 pills after dinner. We will see...
mikemodeler Posted September 9, 2016 Posted September 9, 2016 Just got back from first radiation treatment. First chemo treatment (in pill form) also starts today... 4 pills after dinner. We will see...Harry,I am of the mind that things have to be put into numbers for me to better understand them. That said, you have completed day 1 of 15 of your radiation and hopefully the side effects aren't too bad. I am sure the road will get bumpy but you gotta think big picture! Keep positive and you will beat this!
bobthehobbyguy Posted September 9, 2016 Posted September 9, 2016 Keep us posted if you are feeling up to it. Hopefully the side efects won't be too bad. You know we are all pulling for you Harry.
Luc Janssens Posted September 9, 2016 Posted September 9, 2016 You will fight it, cancer is like a punk, once looking into a barrel of a 44 magnum, they're history!
Harry P. Posted September 9, 2016 Author Posted September 9, 2016 As of right now, 5:21 Central time, I am in excruciating pain. The painkiller isn't doing it for me. I need something stronger.
Luc Janssens Posted September 9, 2016 Posted September 9, 2016 As of right now, 5:21 Central time, I am in excruciating pain. The painkiller isn't doing it for me. I need something stronger.Wasn't this talked through when your doctor explained the procedure?
Harry P. Posted September 9, 2016 Author Posted September 9, 2016 Doctor said I can have stronger painkillers, but the offices are all closed now. I'll have to wait and see if they have weekend hours.
bobthehobbyguy Posted September 9, 2016 Posted September 9, 2016 Harry they should have an answering service. No way you should have to tough it out.
jwrass Posted September 9, 2016 Posted September 9, 2016 Harry,Perhaps a trip to the ER would be prudent..... First treatment may be a reaction to treatment meds!!!!!In my Prayers......Jimmy "RASS"
Luc Janssens Posted September 10, 2016 Posted September 10, 2016 Doctor said I can have stronger painkillers, but the offices are all closed now. I'll have to wait and see if they have weekend hours.he should've made sure you had a prescription ready if needed, or is he a newbie?
JollySipper Posted September 10, 2016 Posted September 10, 2016 Your Doc can send a prescription online to your pharmacy....... he doesn't need to be in the office to do that, my Doc does it all the time.......Hoping for the best for you.............
cobraman Posted September 10, 2016 Posted September 10, 2016 I agree, make a call. Don't suffer all night.
slusher Posted September 10, 2016 Posted September 10, 2016 Strong pain killers will or should make you sleepy but that may be a good thing right now.....
disabled modeler Posted September 10, 2016 Posted September 10, 2016 Harry...I have been on many strong pain killers....immune to many of them now but I agree you do need stronger ones or try something different than your taking...some work for others and not yourself. I am on some major ones and they do help with the pain from my nerve damage. Hope you get to feeling better soon.
charlie8575 Posted September 10, 2016 Posted September 10, 2016 Harry,Perhaps a trip to the ER would be prudent..... First treatment may be a reaction to treatment meds!!!!!In my Prayers......Jimmy "RASS"Agreed. When my mother had breast cancer, the instructions from her doctor were "if you don't feel good or are in extreme discomfort and it's after hours, go straight to the ER." They will give oncology patients first priority behind life-threatening emergencies (e.g., strokes, heart attacks, serious accidents.)There's no reason to add to your suffering.Charlie Larkin
Harry P. Posted September 11, 2016 Author Posted September 11, 2016 (edited) I've been to the ER concerning this issue four times already since June. Each time, they told me there's nothing they can do; they say they are no longer allowed to prescribe narcotics (which is what I am on for pain) due to rules changes made under Obamacare. They are not even allowed to write a refill for an existing prescription if it's a narcotic. I need a written prescription from a doctor.Today I was just about out of painkiller, I didn't have enough to last the weekend. I called my doctor, he said he was out of town and not back in the office until Tuesday. So in a panic I called my oncologist and asked her if there was any way she could write the prescription. I got lucky. Even though her offices are closed today (Saturday), it just so happened that she was going to be in her office for a short while for personal reasons, and she said she would write the prescription and leave it for me to pick up... taped to the door.So I went and got it, and headed straight for the pharmacy. And here is where my crappy insurance company once again became my biggest obstacle.What had happened is that my "regular" doctor had written the original painkiller prescription at a dosage of once every 8 hours. A few days later, in my oncologist's office, I told her the pain killer wasn't doing the trick. She told me that I can safely take it once every 4 hours, no problem. So I started doing that, and of course ran out of pills a lot sooner than the original dosing (once every 8 hours) had called for. So when the pharmacy tried to put through my new prescription (same painkiller but once every 4 hours instead of 8), the insurance rejected it. In their records, the original "every 8 hours" prescription was projected to last until a certain day, and they would not authorize a refill yet. So it took a series of phone calls between my insurance company and the pharmacy, the insurance company and me, and finally a three-way conference call to finally explain to the insurance why my original prescription had run out so soon. Finally the insurance company authorized the refill.That was my Saturday. We may very well have the best doctors in the world, and the best medical care in the world... but we have a third-world medical care system. Even the docs I talk to are frustrated. It's a convoluted, bureaucratic mess of red tape, delays, miscommunication, and over-regulation. I am experiencing our medical care system for the first time, and I can tell you the system and how it works has me more frustrated than my medical condition itself. Edited September 11, 2016 by Harry P.
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