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I caught the cancer

Burt

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Brew

Brew 3049

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51 minutes ago, Stringer said:

Well, put me on the list.  I had COVID a month ago. I had some residual symptoms like a cough and some fatigue, so I chalked it up to Long COVID.  Mid last week, I had some other random symptoms, came to Seton and they diagnosed me with leukemia.

I was immediately admitted and have been here ever since.  Started a 7 day Chemo protocol on Tuesday.  I then have to stay here for a few weeks as I will have zero immune system. They’re wiping all of it out and hopefully it rebuilds.  So, I’ll be in the same fucking room for 4+ weeks total.  It’s fucking crazy.  So out of nowhere.  

I’m 40 and in good shape, so I hope that helps my long term chances.  Sounds like 50/50 I’ll need a bone marrow transplant.  They’ve also had really big advances in targeting certain leukemia types the last 2-3 years, so that’s good for me as well

i have a wife and two kids (5 and 2) at home and not being able to come home to see them every day is heartbreaking.  I really hope this regiment goes well and I can do some out patient care in the future as needed.

 

Kick it’s ass.  One of my partners son went through treatments for leukemia. It was a long road but he’s doing extremely well now. 

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Sbbruin
Sbbruin

Well, other than my wife, and my doctor, you fuckers are the only ones to know.  I had an endoscopy last Thursday as I have had increasing difficulty swallowing food.  The scope showed a stricture (na

Sbbruin
Sbbruin

So some positive news, relatively.  Had both an endoscopic ultrasound and PET CT this past week.  Ultrasound showed a sizable tumor.  But PET CT showed very little spread.  And that’s the key.  Now th

Stringer
Stringer

Well, put me on the list.  I had COVID a month ago. I had some residual symptoms like a cough and some fatigue, so I chalked it up to Long COVID.  Mid last week, I had some other random symptoms, came

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conVINCEd

conVINCEd 21468

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55 minutes ago, Stringer said:

Well, put me on the list.  I had COVID a month ago. I had some residual symptoms like a cough and some fatigue, so I chalked it up to Long COVID.  Mid last week, I had some other random symptoms, came to Seton and they diagnosed me with leukemia.

I was immediately admitted and have been here ever since.  Started a 7 day Chemo protocol on Tuesday.  I then have to stay here for a few weeks as I will have zero immune system. They’re wiping all of it out and hopefully it rebuilds.  So, I’ll be in the same fucking room for 4+ weeks total.  It’s fucking crazy.  So out of nowhere.  

I’m 40 and in good shape, so I hope that helps my long term chances.  Sounds like 50/50 I’ll need a bone marrow transplant.  They’ve also had really big advances in targeting certain leukemia types the last 2-3 years, so that’s good for me as well

i have a wife and two kids (5 and 2) at home and not being able to come home to see them every day is heartbreaking.  I really hope this regiment goes well and I can do some out patient care in the future as needed.

 

Suck it up for those kids.  I still wear a N95 everywhere I go because I have a little nephew with leukemia.  Sister asked that we wear them  until he’s completely clear, and we are almost there.  

 

 

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Gatorubet

Gatorubet 30164

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1 hour ago, Stringer said:

Well, put me on the list.  I had COVID a month ago. I had some residual symptoms like a cough and some fatigue, so I chalked it up to Long COVID.  Mid last week, I had some other random symptoms, came to Seton and they diagnosed me with leukemia.

I was immediately admitted and have been here ever since.  Started a 7 day Chemo protocol on Tuesday.  I then have to stay here for a few weeks as I will have zero immune system. They’re wiping all of it out and hopefully it rebuilds.  So, I’ll be in the same fucking room for 4+ weeks total.  It’s fucking crazy.  So out of nowhere.  

I’m 40 and in good shape, so I hope that helps my long term chances.  Sounds like 50/50 I’ll need a bone marrow transplant.  They’ve also had really big advances in targeting certain leukemia types the last 2-3 years, so that’s good for me as well

i have a wife and two kids (5 and 2) at home and not being able to come home to see them every day is heartbreaking.  I really hope this regiment goes well and I can do some out patient care in the future as needed.

 

Tell the Mrs. that I read about a study in PubMed that said that daily blow jobs would severely reduce risk of leukemia advancing - especially if you’ve been separated from each other for weeks without sex. 

 I can’t remember the name of the journal or the author, so just tell the wife I’m a really trustworthy fellow who is up on cancer science. 

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SDG

SDG 3319

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1 hour ago, Stringer said:

Well, put me on the list.  I had COVID a month ago. I had some residual symptoms like a cough and some fatigue, so I chalked it up to Long COVID.  Mid last week, I had some other random symptoms, came to Seton and they diagnosed me with leukemia.

I was immediately admitted and have been here ever since.  Started a 7 day Chemo protocol on Tuesday.  I then have to stay here for a few weeks as I will have zero immune system. They’re wiping all of it out and hopefully it rebuilds.  So, I’ll be in the same fucking room for 4+ weeks total.  It’s fucking crazy.  So out of nowhere.  

I’m 40 and in good shape, so I hope that helps my long term chances.  Sounds like 50/50 I’ll need a bone marrow transplant.  They’ve also had really big advances in targeting certain leukemia types the last 2-3 years, so that’s good for me as well

i have a wife and two kids (5 and 2) at home and not being able to come home to see them every day is heartbreaking.  I really hope this regiment goes well and I can do some out patient care in the future as needed.

 

Reminder for all the  healthy Surly’s you can sign up to donate bone marrow someplace like  https://bethematch.org or https://www.giftoflife.org.  

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RDCanecutter

RDCanecutter 26346

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6 hours ago, Stringer said:

Well, put me on the list.  I had COVID a month ago. I had some residual symptoms like a cough and some fatigue, so I chalked it up to Long COVID.  Mid last week, I had some other random symptoms, came to Seton and they diagnosed me with leukemia.

I was immediately admitted and have been here ever since.  Started a 7 day Chemo protocol on Tuesday.  I then have to stay here for a few weeks as I will have zero immune system. They’re wiping all of it out and hopefully it rebuilds.  So, I’ll be in the same fucking room for 4+ weeks total.  It’s fucking crazy.  So out of nowhere.  

I’m 40 and in good shape, so I hope that helps my long term chances.  Sounds like 50/50 I’ll need a bone marrow transplant.  They’ve also had really big advances in targeting certain leukemia types the last 2-3 years, so that’s good for me as well

i have a wife and two kids (5 and 2) at home and not being able to come home to see them every day is heartbreaking.  I really hope this regiment goes well and I can do some out patient care in the future as needed.

 

Well that sucks. Nothing quite like the surprise ice-water bath of a diagnosis. Glad they jumped right on it rather than making you wait. The first few days will seem long but just keep looking ahead because this will pass.

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Jerry Callo

Jerry Callo 8674

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10 hours ago, Stringer said:

Well, put me on the list.  I had COVID a month ago. I had some residual symptoms like a cough and some fatigue, so I chalked it up to Long COVID.  Mid last week, I had some other random symptoms, came to Seton and they diagnosed me with leukemia.

I was immediately admitted and have been here ever since.  Started a 7 day Chemo protocol on Tuesday.  I then have to stay here for a few weeks as I will have zero immune system. They’re wiping all of it out and hopefully it rebuilds.  So, I’ll be in the same fucking room for 4+ weeks total.  It’s fucking crazy.  So out of nowhere.  

I’m 40 and in good shape, so I hope that helps my long term chances.  Sounds like 50/50 I’ll need a bone marrow transplant.  They’ve also had really big advances in targeting certain leukemia types the last 2-3 years, so that’s good for me as well

i have a wife and two kids (5 and 2) at home and not being able to come home to see them every day is heartbreaking.  I really hope this regiment goes well and I can do some out patient care in the future as needed.

 

Damn, Stringer.  Sounds like you're in the right place.  Let me know if you need something - I snuck Shiner past the nuns at Seton after my wife had our first kid.  I'd be happy to to do it again.

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troph

troph 24678

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1 hour ago, Sbbruin said:

Went out to the island solo, thinking it’s no big deal.  But I was soooo exhausted the whole time.  Fuck this cancer bullshit.  Honestly I fucking hate this shit.  

I was thinking about you the other day. “I love the ocean” are words I say so often most around me tune it out. I hear you brother. Hang in there, life isn’t fair. It’s ok to hate it, loved seeing your pics of it tho. 

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Texzilla58

Texzilla58 4719

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Dammit, my best friend from h.s. and college lives in Texas and just texted me that his wife was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer.   He just had a reoccurrence of his prostate cancer.  Keeping MDA busy. 
Fuck cancer x a gazillion

That’s awful news on the wife. I’ve lost a cousin, my daughter in laws dad, and a good friend to Pancreatic in the past two years. Not much they could do for mine, hope she gets a miracle. It’s a fucking horrific disease.
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Gatorubet

Gatorubet 30164

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15 minutes ago, Texzilla58 said:


That’s awful news on the wife. I’ve lost a cousin, my daughter in laws dad, and a good friend to Pancreatic in the past two years. Not much they could do for mine, hope she gets a miracle. It’s a fucking horrific disease.

Yeah. Lost a law school classmate within 6 months of diagnosis. 

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RDCanecutter

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I get CT scans every three months. Been fortunate so far, lesions either stable or shrinking. Nurse called today to tell me the most recent one was good too.

Whoo-hoo. Can't get worse for an entire three months, because that's the next scan.

I would like to thank every science type who stayed home every weekend studying so they could eventually create wonder drugs while my silly ass guzzled pitchers in the bars. This drink is for you.

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NorthLoop

NorthLoop 14141

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On 5/29/2022 at 11:10 PM, NorthLoop said:

Surgery went well. Most of the mass was cystic (fluid) that had grown as a result of the smaller tumor. The whole thing was about the size of a tennis ball (WTF right?). The pressure from the cyst was what was making her act weird and lose motor functions, which is why my sis took her to the ER in the first place. The neurosurgeon said that they got out some of the tumor but most brain tumors burrow themselves in and you can't fully remove them with surgery without cutting out part of the brain, and even that doesn't do it. We won't know for sure until the biopsy comes back in a week, but the surgeon believes it's a type that is very treatable (it's a very long name and I can't remember it). The surgery was last night and she didn't sleep well after. She slept most of today but when she was awake she was still confused and acting weird like before. Doc says this may just be because of swelling and pressure due to the surgery. I sure as fuck hope so. We'll see tomorrow if her cognition improves. 

So all in all this has been mostly good results. Not out of the woods yet with a return to her normal brain function, and not out of the woods with the type of cancer it is, but odds are in her favor. 

 

Oh... and she's been taking care of my 95yo grandpa for the last year at her house. So I'm here tonight drinking beer with him and making him burgers. This sucks for him as he'll probably have to go to assisted living now, which I think he'd rather die than do. This dude is another story. He's beaten cancer 3 times, has 2 artificial hips, and a pacemaker. When he was 16 he got kicked off of Canadian Naval ship on it's way to the Pacific when they found out his age. 

So I don't think I ever updated this. 

Mom's cognition slowly came back to normal over the course of the summer, but not before some phone scammers took her for 1200 bucks (something she never would've fallen for before). Not the end of the world. We switched her to the neuro dept at UTSW in Dallas as opposed to Baylor McKinney after not being all that impressed with Baylor's level of not giving a fuck. Great decision as UTSW is on their shit. They put her on the bare minimum of chemo, which is basically 5 pills every 6 weeks, and they scan every time to see if she needs to continue. She just started last week so we'll see. She said she had no nausea from it but I'm still bringing her some gummies I bought in Colorado this weekend. But all in all she's back to normal mentally. 

 

The sad news is that my grandpa had to go into assisted living a few days after my mom's surgery. He died 5 days later. It was almost like we knew that would happen. I think he held on as long as he could while living with my mom but just reached his endpoint. He had been very weak and frail for a long time but damn that mofo was a tough SOB and was only gonna go out when he felt like it. My kids got to see him one last time when they came to see my mom so I'm glad for that.  95 is a good run. 

 

 

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Sbbruin

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On 8/13/2022 at 6:54 PM, Sbbruin said:

Went out to the island solo, thinking it’s no big deal.  But I was soooo exhausted the whole time.  Fuck this cancer bullshit.  Honestly I fucking hate this shit.  

Well that exhaustion kept getting worse, then better then worse, then over the last week debilitating.  Lightheaded and dizzy with the slightest exertion.  Fainted Friday night going to the bathroom.  Canned going to the Bruin game Saturday.  It just kept getting worse and finally today at the suggestion of my oncologist went to urgent care.  Did a hemoglobin test as anemia was suspected.  It was 4.8.  Urgent care doc told me to head directly to the ER (wife drove), wrote a directive that cut me straight to the front of the line, and after some tests got 2 units of a blood transfusion.  Feeling a bit better, but admitted overnight and now in my hospital room.  Going to bed.  Fun never stops.

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Hate 20104

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Well that exhaustion kept getting worse, then better then worse, then over the last week debilitating.  Lightheaded and dizzy with the slightest exertion.  Fainted Friday night going to the bathroom.  Canned going to the Bruin game Saturday.  It just kept getting worse and finally today at the suggestion of my oncologist went to urgent care.  Did a hemoglobin test as anemia was suspected.  It was 4.8.  Urgent care doc told me to head directly to the ER (wife drove), wrote a directive that cut me straight to the front of the line, and after some tests got 2 units of a blood transfusion.  Feeling a bit better, but admitted overnight and now in my hospital room.  Going to bed.  Fun never stops.

Fuck cancer. Keep kicking it’s ass Bruin!
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Sbbruin

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On 9/7/2022 at 12:07 AM, Sbbruin said:

Well that exhaustion kept getting worse, then better then worse, then over the last week debilitating.  Lightheaded and dizzy with the slightest exertion.  Fainted Friday night going to the bathroom.  Canned going to the Bruin game Saturday.  It just kept getting worse and finally today at the suggestion of my oncologist went to urgent care.  Did a hemoglobin test as anemia was suspected.  It was 4.8.  Urgent care doc told me to head directly to the ER (wife drove), wrote a directive that cut me straight to the front of the line, and after some tests got 2 units of a blood transfusion.  Feeling a bit better, but admitted overnight and now in my hospital room.  Going to bed.  Fun never stops.

Well, I guess a little update might due.  So after a 3 night hospital stay with critical anemia, I got out, did my post-chemo/radiation scans, and good news is the tumor is reduced by about 50%.  Bad news- "oh, you have pulmonary embolisms (i.e. blood clots) in both of the main arteries to your lungs.  I guess not entirely uncommon with cancer.  Cancer can cause coagulation.   So great, onto blood thinners.  But meanwhile I was bleeding out of my ass from a combination of chemo induced hemorrhoids and ulcerating colon from the chemo.  So I needed to get  the colorectal guy to go in there and do his thing, but he can't while I'm on blood thinners, but has to or I'll continue to bleed out.  Catch 22.  So I am switched to Lovanox, which is an injectable blood thinner than can be stopped and it'll be out of you system in 24 hours.  So for 2 weeks I had to inject myself in my stomach (full syringe deal) 2x's/day.  Got the roids dealt with, and simultaneously did an endoscopy to check the cancer from the inside.  Biopsy did confirm I still had cancer, which of course I knew.  Then the fun starts.  I wake up and tell the nurse I think I have to pee.  I try and can't.  Oh well, I'll go home and pee.  Get home, bladder feels pretty full, and no go.  And it starts to get critical.  Rush back to City of Hope, and they insert a catheter.  So I had a pee bag strapped to my leg and a hose up my junk for a WEEK.  I don't recommend it.  What a fucking hassle.  So I get it out, am peeing ok, so head to a rosary for my dear friend who passed from brain cancer.  He was my rock during all of this, and he was now gone.  Anyway, funeral the next day, feeling ok, but the next day I feel like shit.  So thoroughly exhausted I can't keep my eyes open.  Slight fever.  Monday call and they tell me to come in.  Run tests.  Oh, you have a bladder infection from the catheter AND it looks like you have a blood infection.  Time for another hospital stay.   Fevers start raging, full delirium type fevers, have 2 different IV antibiotics, but am feeling like death for 2 days.  Start to come around a little on that Wednesday (of last week), but fevers still present.  Ended up 4 nights in the hospital.  Now on oral antibiotics.  And blood thinners.  And flowmax to make sure I can pee.  Then a blood test shows my hemoglobin is back down to 6.9.  So yesterday get 2 pints of blood.  Not bleeding anywhere so the suspicion is my bone marrow is struggling to produce the red blood cells I need.  Great.  But feeling better today.  Oh, and as a result of the blood clots, had to postpone surgery for 2 months, so now Dec 5th.  And that is the gnarliest part of all of this. The surgery will forever change my life.  I will lose about 3/4 of my esophagus, and about 1/3 of my stomach.  The remaining stomach will be pulled up to create a new "esophagus" and leave me with very little stomach capacity.  So basically gastric bypass even though I'm probably max 20 lbs overweight.  

So that's where I'm at.  Been trying to keep things in perspective, but it is really beating me down with all these fucking curveballs.  But I'm alive, and I have a path forward, however fucked up it may be.  So I guess I count myself as one of the lucky ones.

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Sbbruin

Sbbruin 21785

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On 8/4/2022 at 7:58 PM, Stringer said:

Well, put me on the list.  I had COVID a month ago. I had some residual symptoms like a cough and some fatigue, so I chalked it up to Long COVID.  Mid last week, I had some other random symptoms, came to Seton and they diagnosed me with leukemia.

I was immediately admitted and have been here ever since.  Started a 7 day Chemo protocol on Tuesday.  I then have to stay here for a few weeks as I will have zero immune system. They’re wiping all of it out and hopefully it rebuilds.  So, I’ll be in the same fucking room for 4+ weeks total.  It’s fucking crazy.  So out of nowhere.  

I’m 40 and in good shape, so I hope that helps my long term chances.  Sounds like 50/50 I’ll need a bone marrow transplant.  They’ve also had really big advances in targeting certain leukemia types the last 2-3 years, so that’s good for me as well

i have a wife and two kids (5 and 2) at home and not being able to come home to see them every day is heartbreaking.  I really hope this regiment goes well and I can do some out patient care in the future as needed.

 

@Stringer praying for you.  Hope things are looking up?  No need to update unless you want to.  Just know people are thinking of you.

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Sbbruin

Sbbruin 21785

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12 minutes ago, NorthLoop said:

So since you're not overweight to begin with, are you just gonna have to eat very high calorie food moving forward? 

Just a lot of small meals I guess.  Haven't met with the nutritionist yet, but that's the expectation.  The fun part is I'll have a feeding tube for a month or 2 so I'll get goo pumped in my stomach a few times a day (wait, wut?).

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South Austin

South Austin 52200

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31 minutes ago, Sbbruin said:

Well, I guess a little update might due.  So after a 3 night hospital stay with critical anemia, I got out, did my post-chemo/radiation scans, and good news is the tumor is reduced by about 50%.  Bad news- "oh, you have pulmonary embolisms (i.e. blood clots) in both of the main arteries to your lungs.  I guess not entirely uncommon with cancer.  Cancer can cause coagulation.   So great, onto blood thinners.  But meanwhile I was bleeding out of my ass from a combination of chemo induced hemorrhoids and ulcerating colon from the chemo.  So I needed to get  the colorectal guy to go in there and do his thing, but he can't while I'm on blood thinners, but has to or I'll continue to bleed out.  Catch 22.  So I am switched to Lovanox, which is an injectable blood thinner than can be stopped and it'll be out of you system in 24 hours.  So for 2 weeks I had to inject myself in my stomach (full syringe deal) 2x's/day.  Got the roids dealt with, and simultaneously did an endoscopy to check the cancer from the inside.  Biopsy did confirm I still had cancer, which of course I knew.  Then the fun starts.  I wake up and tell the nurse I think I have to pee.  I try and can't.  Oh well, I'll go home and pee.  Get home, bladder feels pretty full, and no go.  And it starts to get critical.  Rush back to City of Hope, and they insert a catheter.  So I had a pee bag strapped to my leg and a hose up my junk for a WEEK.  I don't recommend it.  What a fucking hassle.  So I get it out, am peeing ok, so head to a rosary for my dear friend who passed from brain cancer.  He was my rock during all of this, and he was now gone.  Anyway, funeral the next day, feeling ok, but the next day I feel like shit.  So thoroughly exhausted I can't keep my eyes open.  Slight fever.  Monday call and they tell me to come in.  Run tests.  Oh, you have a bladder infection from the catheter AND it looks like you have a blood infection.  Time for another hospital stay.   Fevers start raging, full delirium type fevers, have 2 different IV antibiotics, but am feeling like death for 2 days.  Start to come around a little on that Wednesday (of last week), but fevers still present.  Ended up 4 nights in the hospital.  Now on oral antibiotics.  And blood thinners.  And flowmax to make sure I can pee.  Then a blood test shows my hemoglobin is back down to 6.9.  So yesterday get 2 pints of blood.  Not bleeding anywhere so the suspicion is my bone marrow is struggling to produce the red blood cells I need.  Great.  But feeling better today.  Oh, and as a result of the blood clots, had to postpone surgery for 2 months, so now Dec 5th.  And that is the gnarliest part of all of this. The surgery will forever change my life.  I will lose about 3/4 of my esophagus, and about 1/3 of my stomach.  The remaining stomach will be pulled up to create a new "esophagus" and leave me with very little stomach capacity.  So basically gastric bypass even though I'm probably max 20 lbs overweight.  

So that's where I'm at.  Been trying to keep things in perspective, but it is really beating me down with all these fucking curveballs.  But I'm alive, and I have a path forward, however fucked up it may be.  So I guess I count myself as one of the lucky ones.

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ztejas

ztejas 43382

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1 hour ago, Sbbruin said:

Well, I guess a little update might due.  So after a 3 night hospital stay with critical anemia, I got out, did my post-chemo/radiation scans, and good news is the tumor is reduced by about 50%.  Bad news- "oh, you have pulmonary embolisms (i.e. blood clots) in both of the main arteries to your lungs.  I guess not entirely uncommon with cancer.  Cancer can cause coagulation.   So great, onto blood thinners.  But meanwhile I was bleeding out of my ass from a combination of chemo induced hemorrhoids and ulcerating colon from the chemo.  So I needed to get  the colorectal guy to go in there and do his thing, but he can't while I'm on blood thinners, but has to or I'll continue to bleed out.  Catch 22.  So I am switched to Lovanox, which is an injectable blood thinner than can be stopped and it'll be out of you system in 24 hours.  So for 2 weeks I had to inject myself in my stomach (full syringe deal) 2x's/day.  Got the roids dealt with, and simultaneously did an endoscopy to check the cancer from the inside.  Biopsy did confirm I still had cancer, which of course I knew.  Then the fun starts.  I wake up and tell the nurse I think I have to pee.  I try and can't.  Oh well, I'll go home and pee.  Get home, bladder feels pretty full, and no go.  And it starts to get critical.  Rush back to City of Hope, and they insert a catheter.  So I had a pee bag strapped to my leg and a hose up my junk for a WEEK.  I don't recommend it.  What a fucking hassle.  So I get it out, am peeing ok, so head to a rosary for my dear friend who passed from brain cancer.  He was my rock during all of this, and he was now gone.  Anyway, funeral the next day, feeling ok, but the next day I feel like shit.  So thoroughly exhausted I can't keep my eyes open.  Slight fever.  Monday call and they tell me to come in.  Run tests.  Oh, you have a bladder infection from the catheter AND it looks like you have a blood infection.  Time for another hospital stay.   Fevers start raging, full delirium type fevers, have 2 different IV antibiotics, but am feeling like death for 2 days.  Start to come around a little on that Wednesday (of last week), but fevers still present.  Ended up 4 nights in the hospital.  Now on oral antibiotics.  And blood thinners.  And flowmax to make sure I can pee.  Then a blood test shows my hemoglobin is back down to 6.9.  So yesterday get 2 pints of blood.  Not bleeding anywhere so the suspicion is my bone marrow is struggling to produce the red blood cells I need.  Great.  But feeling better today.  Oh, and as a result of the blood clots, had to postpone surgery for 2 months, so now Dec 5th.  And that is the gnarliest part of all of this. The surgery will forever change my life.  I will lose about 3/4 of my esophagus, and about 1/3 of my stomach.  The remaining stomach will be pulled up to create a new "esophagus" and leave me with very little stomach capacity.  So basically gastric bypass even though I'm probably max 20 lbs overweight.  

So that's where I'm at.  Been trying to keep things in perspective, but it is really beating me down with all these fucking curveballs.  But I'm alive, and I have a path forward, however fucked up it may be.  So I guess I count myself as one of the lucky ones.

That's tough to read, man. Makes me want to take better care of myself (not saying that you didn't/don't - shit just happens sometimes). 

And maybe worst of all you still have Russell Westbrook on your basketball team. 🙂

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RDCanecutter

RDCanecutter 26346

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1 hour ago, Sbbruin said:

did my post-chemo/radiation scans, and good news is the tumor is reduced by about 50%.  

Beat the shit out of this motherfucker.

As for the rest, next time I expect surreptitious photos of the nurses.

And that infected catheter was totally because you touched yourself, you nasty filthy goat-man.

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Sbbruin

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Posted
7 minutes ago, ztejas said:

That's tough to read, man. Makes me want to take better care of myself (not saying that you didn't/don't - shit just happens sometimes). 

And maybe worst of all you still have Russell Westbrook on your basketball team. 🙂

I, like most Laker fans I know, have gone from disgust to straight apathy.  It is really hard to even care about the Lakers right now.  At least I have the Dodg...oh wait.

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Brisketexan

Brisketexan 104782

Posted
Posted

Well, SB.....shit, that sounds like the least fun ride at Disneyland, slightly worse than "Mr. Toad's Wild Rape-atorium."

But, you know, very glad you have a path forward to not die.  That's good.  So, yeah, South Austin's gif.

In any case, sorry you're going through this.  Glad you have had strength and support to do so.  And know that a good measure of support and cheerleading comes from a board full of assholes + one guy who's really awesome if a bit verbose but he's really nice and well-meaning and all the ladies say he's handsome (that guy is me, by the way).  Kick its ass, keep us posted, and all that other good stuff.

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Post Oak

Post Oak 20191

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Sbbruin said:

Well, I guess a little update might due.  So after a 3 night hospital stay with critical anemia, I got out, did my post-chemo/radiation scans, and good news is the tumor is reduced by about 50%.  Bad news- "oh, you have pulmonary embolisms (i.e. blood clots) in both of the main arteries to your lungs.  I guess not entirely uncommon with cancer.  Cancer can cause coagulation.   So great, onto blood thinners.  But meanwhile I was bleeding out of my ass from a combination of chemo induced hemorrhoids and ulcerating colon from the chemo.  So I needed to get  the colorectal guy to go in there and do his thing, but he can't while I'm on blood thinners, but has to or I'll continue to bleed out.  Catch 22.  So I am switched to Lovanox, which is an injectable blood thinner than can be stopped and it'll be out of you system in 24 hours.  So for 2 weeks I had to inject myself in my stomach (full syringe deal) 2x's/day.  Got the roids dealt with, and simultaneously did an endoscopy to check the cancer from the inside.  Biopsy did confirm I still had cancer, which of course I knew.  Then the fun starts.  I wake up and tell the nurse I think I have to pee.  I try and can't.  Oh well, I'll go home and pee.  Get home, bladder feels pretty full, and no go.  And it starts to get critical.  Rush back to City of Hope, and they insert a catheter.  So I had a pee bag strapped to my leg and a hose up my junk for a WEEK.  I don't recommend it.  What a fucking hassle.  So I get it out, am peeing ok, so head to a rosary for my dear friend who passed from brain cancer.  He was my rock during all of this, and he was now gone.  Anyway, funeral the next day, feeling ok, but the next day I feel like shit.  So thoroughly exhausted I can't keep my eyes open.  Slight fever.  Monday call and they tell me to come in.  Run tests.  Oh, you have a bladder infection from the catheter AND it looks like you have a blood infection.  Time for another hospital stay.   Fevers start raging, full delirium type fevers, have 2 different IV antibiotics, but am feeling like death for 2 days.  Start to come around a little on that Wednesday (of last week), but fevers still present.  Ended up 4 nights in the hospital.  Now on oral antibiotics.  And blood thinners.  And flowmax to make sure I can pee.  Then a blood test shows my hemoglobin is back down to 6.9.  So yesterday get 2 pints of blood.  Not bleeding anywhere so the suspicion is my bone marrow is struggling to produce the red blood cells I need.  Great.  But feeling better today.  Oh, and as a result of the blood clots, had to postpone surgery for 2 months, so now Dec 5th.  And that is the gnarliest part of all of this. The surgery will forever change my life.  I will lose about 3/4 of my esophagus, and about 1/3 of my stomach.  The remaining stomach will be pulled up to create a new "esophagus" and leave me with very little stomach capacity.  So basically gastric bypass even though I'm probably max 20 lbs overweight.  

So that's where I'm at.  Been trying to keep things in perspective, but it is really beating me down with all these fucking curveballs.  But I'm alive, and I have a path forward, however fucked up it may be.  So I guess I count myself as one of the lucky ones.

no-excuses-wedding-crashers.gif

 

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Brisketexan

Brisketexan 104782

Posted
Posted
14 minutes ago, Gatorubet said:

“Mr. Bruin, we have to remove 3/4ths of your dick and refashion it.”

“What!!!!”

”Just kidding…..your esophagus, not your dick….hahaha!!”

 

See - just look on the bright side of life…

3/4 of his dick???  I mean, what would he even DO with the inch leftover?

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South Austin

South Austin 52200

Posted
Posted
10 minutes ago, Chet Steadman said:

@Sbbruin I have no reason to ever root for the Bruins but they’ll be my second fave team from here on out.  

Here’s to running the table and <checks notes> the official start of QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson’s Heisman campaign beginning tomorrow night at Stanford 

C’mon now. He has cancer. Not AIDS.

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Dbeasy

Dbeasy 15007

Posted
Posted

Sbbruin, hang in there. I can tell by your posting style that you have the right type of mindset to deal effectively with this challenge. 

For the rest of Surly, right now you might be just doing your thing. I certainly was, until some personal and family health issues changed the whole equation. I’d highly recommend every surly person over 45 take a few minutes to sit down and think about the rest of your life, and how you might make different decisions if you found out some health issues had the potential risk to shorten your runway, or make your quality of life much worse. . 

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CoTex

CoTex 1160

Posted
Posted
7 hours ago, Sbbruin said:

Simplified, this'll be my new life, except they'll cut out part of the stomach too.

spacer.png

I want to help.

If you’ll give me the name of the marina and the slip number, I’ll look after your boat for you.  I’ll need your credit card for the flight from Texas and incidentals but don’t worry, I’ll take care of everything and it will be just like you want it when you’re recovered.

Don’t thank me - helping others is my calling.

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troph

troph 24678

Posted
Posted

@Sbbruin you know you can’t really eat when you are in decent seas with a hand on the helm and and eye on the tell tales while you’re heeling. Let’s get you back to that so you don’t have to think about your stomach. Please keep your head up, if not for me your surly sailing protege then for your family. 

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Sbbruin

Sbbruin 21785

Posted
Posted
22 minutes ago, CoTex said:

I want to help.

If you’ll give me the name of the marina and the slip number, I’ll look after your boat for you.  I’ll need your credit card for the flight from Texas and incidentals but don’t worry, I’ll take care of everything and it will be just like you want it when you’re recovered.

Don’t thank me - helping others is my calling.

PM sent.  What a great group.

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