Our Harry needs help

[Ace-Garageguy]

I wonder why we have to give so much personal info.

Are there required fields? 

Yes, I had to give them my email, my postal code, my street address.

Fairly standard when paying with a bank card or credit card, in my experience. 

The stated object is to make sure the data matches the data on file for the card. It's in part fraud-prevention. Any differences in the data you enter and what's on file for the card will cause the payment to be declined.

The e-mail requirement is to send you a confirmation and also to allow the recipient to send a thank-you.

[mikemodeler]

I took a look at some of the models coming out and realized that I had most of them in the stash or they were not of interest to me. That said, I contributed the cost equivalent of a couple of models and will be doing like others and looking for ways to sell off unneeded items for Harry's benefit. While we all have our struggles, mine pale in comparison to what Harry is facing and I have a feeling if the shoe was on the other foot, Harry would be leading the charge to help one of us.

We can all forgo a lunch out, another model kit, a night at the movies or whatever else might be considered a luxury to help Harry. 

[Harry P.]

First of all, a huge thank you to all of you who have supported me, either via prayers, PMs, financially, or all of the above. I can't tell you how much it means to me to have the support of so many of you guys. When Gregg calls this place "ohana" (family), he isn't kidding.

A quick update on my condition. I have finished (as of last Friday) three weeks of daily radiation treatments to shrink the tumor, which had been pressing on my sciatic nerve and causing me unbearable pain every day and especially at night, causing me many sleepless, pain-filled nights. It was agony. But the radiation seems to have worked to shrink the tumor, as I am now 95% pain-free and have been able to dramatically cut down on my painkillers. Before, I was taking hefty milligrams of both Vicodin and Neurontin three times a day to try and keep the pain bearable. Now I am off the Vicodin all together and am down to just two Neurontins a day... soon to be cut further to just one at bedtime.

Now that my pain is under control (thank God), I begin chemotherapy next week, with the hope being that the chemo will put the cancer into remission (basically making it inactive). Chemo will be on an as-needed basis as determined by the oncologist (not an everyday thing), and will continue until (if?) the docs give me the all clear.

Here's hoping...

 

[Nacho Z]

Now this is good news!  Glad to see it.  I am already looking forward to your next update with more good news!

[bobthehobbyguy]

Great news. Glad to hear about the pain meds reduction. As someone who has experienced sciatic pain in the past I can relate to how bad it can be. My thoughts and prayers are with you. I know you can beat this. 

[High octane]

I've also experienced sciatic pain in the past and remember a LOT of pain sitting, standing, and laying down. I wish you the best of luck Harry and hope that things go well for you from here on end.

[Cato]

Please see my post about Harry in the General section.

 

[Harry P.]

Update on my situation: Monday morning I will be going to the hospital to have a "mediport" implanted in my chest in preparation for chemo. It's a reusable "port" that is implanted under the skin and is connected internally via a short catheter to a vein; the point being that the IV chemo needle can be inserted into this port over and over again (it has some sort of self-healing "skin" on it), instead of having to stick me directly in a vein every time I undergo chemo or a blood test (constant blood tests are part of the chemo treatment). Once my chemo therapy ends, the port is removed and I'm technically none the worse for wear.

I'm told this port is implanted under local anethesthetic–they don't put you under. That sort of freaks me out, but they assure me that's the way it's done. Yikes...

[Snake45]

So you will soon be "the most plugged-in" person on this forum. With the scars and papers to prove it! Good for you!

Seriously, good luck, Harry.

[mikemodeler]

Thanks for the update Harry, continued prayers and wishes for a full recovery. 

[Gregg]

Kelly's dad had the port, and we knew it was there, but he said it didn't bother him.

He's now 85 (on Monday), and still cheering for the Dodgers....

:-)

 

[disabled modeler]

Harry....A friend of mine had the port put in...he never regretted it...it makes things just a bit easier for you.  Be strong and hang in there...prayers and thoughts are with you.

[crazyjim]

Gotta be better than getting a new jab all the time.  Good luck with the procedure Harry.

[BIGTRUCK]

We're all in your corner Harry, praying for the best..

Edited October 21, 2016 by BIGTRUCK

[Harry P.]

Just got home from the hospital, where I had a "mediport" implanted into my chest. They will hook up my chemo to this port every time I have a chemo session. The port surgery went smoothly, it only took about 1/2 hour.

[Snake45]

Glad to hear it all went smoothly.

And the prayers con-TIN-ue (Imus voice)....

[cobraman]

Glad that went well. Lets all pray that everything else does too.

[crazyjim]

I'll second Ray's statement.  Hang in there Harry.

[slusher]

Glad that went well. Lets all pray that everything else does too.

I'll second Ray's statement.  Hang in there Harry.

X3 Praying for you still Harry!

[cowboy rich]

Glad it went well Harry, know I've been quite awhile but you're still in my thoughts. All the best.

[High octane]

How are you doin' so far this month Harry, hopefully better or at least stable? Prayers are ongoing for you.

[Harry P.]

I had my first chemotherapy session this past Monday. Five hours sitting in a chair watching the IV's slowly drip into me. Talk about boring. After that was finished, they sent me home with a small, portable "infusion pump" that will continuously pump chemo drugs into my chest port 24 hours a day for a couple of days. That is scheduled to be empty and be removed tomorrow (Thursday). After that "kick start" of chemotherapy, it's chemo once every two weeks on an ongoing basis, along with blood tests to monitor exactly how my body and cancer are responding to the chemo. Depending on the blood test results, the chemo recipe (it's actually 4-5 different drugs that I get intravenously and simultaneously) may be tweaked in order to get the best possible results. Again, depending on how I respond, chemo will last for at least several months, maybe a year or more... as long as it takes before the doctor thinks the cancer is in remission. That's the plan. But there are no guarantees that the cancer will actually go into remission... that's the best case scenario. And of course we all know what the worst case scenario is, but I don't like to think about that. 

[cobraman]

When my sister was going through that she said they had tv's and she would also take a paperback. She also claimed the chairs were very comfortable. Also they had covers because she said it was cold in the room. Does this sound like what you had ? So sorry you have to go through this but praying it works out for you. Stay strong and hang in there.

[Harry P.]

Yeah, there's always a TV going... but it's the stupid daytime talk shows. I can only watch Ellen or Steve Harvey for so long. The chairs are not comfortable. I wish they were recliners so I could lay back and sleep, but the backs don't recline.

[Ace-Garageguy]

... I can only watch Ellen or Steve Harvey for so long....

Geez Harry. I didn't know psychological torture was part of the cure. I'd run out screaming after 10 minutes...to hell with the chemo.