Russ Perez

I Know Jack

2008-07-30T16:29:00.000-07:00

Jacks mom was one of the leaders at the Summit this weekend. Jack inspires me to do something, that's for sure!

Summit Over

2008-07-30T13:12:00.000-07:00

The last day of the summit was a great day as were the rest. It was great to hear the panel and what they had to say on the questions from Lance and Doug. I agreed to come to this summit in hopes of finding an idea of a way i could get involved in the war against cancer. I went looking for a way that I could spend minimal time making a huge impact. I heard stories all weekend of great things my LIVESTRONG peers are doing in their communities and some nation wide. So, what I came home with was about 700 ideas of projects that I could start or join. My brain was boggled and I have narrowed the ideas down to 5. I organized those 5 into a now, short term, and long term projects. As I get started I will publish them all. The first project I call The Swing Vote Project. The ball is rolling and more to come at http://swingvoteproject.blogspot.com . I will also make a blueprint of each project so it could be used in other communities to make a difference.

Ohio leads the nation on Clinical Studies being performed

2008-07-30T13:11:00.000-07:00

Thought I should note something positive after slamming their recycling efforts.

Ohio needs to Recycle

2008-07-27T05:51:00.000-07:00

I can't believe how behind the times this state is when it comes to recycling. Even on the largest college campus in our country, there is not a recycle container to be found.
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Black Raspberries

2008-07-27T05:47:00.000-07:00

Researchers at Ohio State's Comprehensive Cancer Center may believe that Black Raspberries protect against cancer. I thought that was pretty interesting.
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www.LIVESTRONG.com

2008-07-26T22:59:00.000-07:00

www.livestrong.com , Check it out! Not to be confused w/ www.livestrong.org .

Senator Kennedy

2008-07-26T17:47:00.000-07:00

Word was just leaked that he will be speaking to us tomorow.
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Speaker

2008-07-25T13:45:00.000-07:00

Dr. Harold Freeman of the Ralph Lauren Cancer Center in Harlem.
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Groups

2008-07-25T06:41:00.000-07:00

Headed to our break out sessions.
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2nd Speaker

2008-07-25T06:20:00.000-07:00

Dr. Mike Caligerri, CEO, The James Cancer Center.

I'm sure I spelled his name wrong and will fix it later.
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Back at Merchon

2008-07-25T05:17:00.000-07:00

This morning starts back at the Mershon Auditorium. The Keynote speaker this morning will be Dr. Richard Carmona, 17th Surgeon General of the United States, 2002-2006.

Then at 10:15am we will break out in our designated groups.
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2008-07-24T17:45:00.000-07:00

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John McCain speaks at the Lance Armstrong Foundation Summit 2008 Presidential Town Hall on Cancer

2008-07-24T17:11:00.000-07:00

McCain makes joke that Obama is not here but speaking to a huge crowd in Europe; and that's just the press.

McCain reading everything he's saying.

Promises to make sure that the FDA and his staff will expand clinical trials in our country.

Claims all states are not using their anti tobacco funds as they are suppose to.

Under his plan tax credits will be issued for the purchase of Health Insurance.

Lance asking McCain questions.

What does Senator McCain do to stay fit?

Answer: hike, swim, light exercise. Campaigning is great exercise. Mentions a vacation home he does hikes around.

Zahn asks: As president would you support a federal tax on ciggerettes? McCain says no. He doesn't have confidence in congress to make sure its spent right. Mentions the 9 percent approval rate of congress. "congress is curupt". Says he doesn't want to raise taxes for anyone.

Lance asks: Should the FDA regulate tabacco? McCain anawes, Yes.

McCain goes on about us advertising in other countries about tabacco.

Zahn asks questions about curupt congress. McCain confirms he thinks current members are being bought and sold by tabacco companies.

McCain says he will increase funds given to the American Cancer Institute.
Zahn asks by how much, notes Obama said he would double. McCain says he would, "sixtuple it" by eliminating cork barrel projects that Obama is voting for. McCain backs up and says all he can says is he will increase it. He says he will eliminate projects such as studying the DNA of bears in Montana.

McCain vows to examine every agency of government and scrutinize them.

The Mic goes out and comes back on; McCain says, " this audio has been brought to you by the Democratic National Commitee." This guy is funny.

Meeting adjurned. Lance says Obama declined but does not get a "pass" and will give us the answers to these same questions soon.
Lance closes with:

The difference between a crowd and a community is that in a crowd everyone runs into each other and elbows each other to get ahead. In a community, people get together and conquer something together. We will become a cancer community this weekend.

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2008-07-24T17:06:00.000-07:00

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2008-07-24T16:43:00.000-07:00

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Our Host for the Evening

2008-07-24T15:56:00.000-07:00

Paula Zahn is our host for this event.
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1st Speaker

2008-07-24T15:50:00.000-07:00

Lance Armstrong
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stage.jpg

2008-07-24T14:21:00.000-07:00

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3 Rows Back

2008-07-24T14:16:00.000-07:00

We just got seated and I'm 3 rows from the stage.
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2008-07-24T14:10:00.000-07:00

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Gas

2008-07-24T13:56:00.000-07:00

Gas is $3.85 a gallon here in Ohio. We are on are way to Mershon Auditorium now for the Presidential Town Hall on Cancer.
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Ohio Statehouse

2008-07-24T12:11:00.000-07:00

I'm on my way to the Statehouse in Columbus for a reception for all the delegates. From there we are going by bus to Mershon Hall to attend the Presidential Town Hall. Media is everywhere, so McCain should be happy that he is getting some attention for the first time in weeks. There is talk that Obama will be there via satellite but I have yet to see or hear this officially. I know he spoke in Berlin at 1:00pm EST.
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Check In

2008-07-24T09:52:00.000-07:00

I'm all checked I for the Summit. All delegates have been assigned to one of three groups; Fundraising, Advocacy, or Elections. As you can see I will be working in Elections.
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Ding!

2008-07-23T10:55:00.000-07:00

Now Boarding. Ohio bound. One stop in Arizona.
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Watch LIVESTRONG Summit 2008

2008-07-22T16:38:00.001-07:00

Not in Ohio? You can still watch the LIVESTRONG Presidential Town Hall on Cancer, listen to Senator John McCain's plan and watch live webcasts of all general sessions from the LIVESTRONG Summit. Go to livestrongblog.org for a complete schedule. Keynote speakers include Dr. Sanjay Gupta from CNN; Dr. Richard Carmona, 17th U.S. Surgeon General (2002-2006) and president of Canyon Ranch Institute; and Dr. Harold Freeman from the Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Care and Prevention.

LIVESTRONG Summit 2008

2008-07-17T13:02:00.000-07:00

I leave next Wednesday for Columbus, Ohio to attend the LIVESTRONG Summit 2008 at Ohio State University. I am so looking forward to it! A little bit irritated that Obama has backed out of the Presidential Town Hall on Cancer to take his trip abroad, so it's McCain by himself. I will have my BlackBerry with me and have taken this blog out of retirement. The story continues.

Seven days and counting..........

IT'S OVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-04-21T16:23:00.000-07:00

Well........I've been thinking of how to finish this blog and I'm at a loss for words, for the first time in my life.

Now that it's all over, the fact that I had cancer, is really hitting me for the first time. Like many, I have several roles in life; Husband, Father, Son, Brother, Coach, Sales Rep, Friend, neighbor, etc. , and because of those first two, I think I just went head first into this situation and never looked back. I had to be strong or at least appear that way to be the husband and father that I set out to be. If I would have freaked out, my family would have followed suit and my positive attitude could have been lost forever. So really, I think I was in denial this whole time. This blog gave me an outlet. An outlet that I would recommend to anyone. By having this blog, I never had to talk about my situation to anyone. I would just fire out my thoughts for the day and deal with cancer for the minutes that it took me to write an entry and then move forward like nothing ever happened. A major lesson I learned: If you ever need strength.......fake it long enough......and it WILL come.

I've also wanted to change some posts before I end my blog but have decided against it. The main post I thought about changing involves Dr. Quadro. I felt bad that I totally threw him under a bus and anyone that googles his name will come across my blog. My well thought out decision is to leave it alone. I never said anything untrue about him and he did have a incident in his background that made my whole family and I uncomfortable. Also, even after my PET scan he still had a bed ready for me for full chemo. If I would have went through with that, things would not be the same right now.

Now on to gratitude.........I want to thank everyone who took the time to check on me or got to know my family and I on this blog. I just checked and this blog as of about 10 minutes ago had 6,220 page loads which shows me that we have so much support in our family, friends, co-workers, customers, and even complete strangers. You really get to know who's who when you go through a crisis and we loved what we saw from everyone in our lives. Thanks for all the cards, emails, and phone calls that came in on a regular basis. I don't have time to list everyone individually, but everyone knows who they are, that stepped up and helped us out when we needed it. Special thanks to Dr. Miller, Dr. Logsdon, the Perez Family, Pennington Family, my mom, Becky, Kristy, the King Family, Erica, coach Dave and our Wild Pony Family, Marge & Nicole, Brian Dowd, Dan Amman, the Sommers, Brandi and Haileys Girl Scout Troop 2663, Myla Mar, Kathy and Tyler, all my friends at Edward Don, the best boss in the world..Gerri Katz, UC Davis, the Ahwahnee Hotel, Cache Creek Casino, Kathy Green, and Rick Meyer.

Grandma Chris, Aunt Donna, and Aunt Elva,

I guess God wanted a man in the club. Thanks for all your support and kind gestures. I really appreciate all of you. Thanks again.

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Brandi, Hailey, and Evan,

Thank you for being the best family in the world. Thank you for putting up with me when I was tired and cranky and I'm in debt to the three of you for the rest of my life. I love you!
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Uncle Tom and Aunt Tommi,

Thank you for all you both did for us. Words cannot describe how appreciative we really are. Thank you so much! Oh, and Aunt Tommi, I'm sorry I ever voted for Bush, you were right!

I hope that I someday have the chance to support someone the way that everyone out there has supported my family and I. I'll be looking for the chance and can't wait to find it.

The End.

Uno Mas

2008-04-17T21:10:00.000-07:00

One more day until the present becomes the past.

One more zap of radiation.

One more day until we can tell Hailey that daddy isn't sick anymore.

One more blog entry.

Tomorrow will be a great day!

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15 and 16 of 17

2008-04-17T20:59:00.000-07:00

Both treatment days went perfect. I feel like a healthy person!
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13 and 14 of 17

2008-04-15T16:01:00.000-07:00

Again, all good. No side effects at all. Today I got pulled into Dr. Logsdons office for my weekly face time with him. Again, he said we are in remission as far as he is concerned and he booked me a PET scan for 60 days from now. I will be seeing him and Dr. Miller every 6 months for a couple years.

3 more treatments and this shit is in the past. I have a sales trip planned for next week to one of the remote parts of my territory. I haven't been able to leave Sacramento since January when this all started, so I'm pretty fired up to go sell somewhere outside the Central Valley.

One of my fears before this all started was returning to the soccer season looking sick or different to our girls. I'm very fortunate in that, this will not be the case. I look just as I did before this all started. Soccer starts at the end of May and runs for 18 weeks. I can't wait!

12 of 17

2008-04-13T21:39:00.000-07:00

No issues at Fridays treatment. It was a great day and night.

This weekend went by so fast and I felt fine the whole time.

5 treatments left!
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11 of 17

2008-04-10T21:35:00.000-07:00

Another great day. No pain. I felt 100% normal.

10 of 17

2008-04-09T22:04:00.000-07:00

I had mild stomach pains this morning but nothing to complain about. The rest of the day was a piece of cake. Seven more treatments to go.
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9 of 17

2008-04-08T16:35:00.000-07:00

Today was a rough day. We woke up to Brandi having a flat tire and Hailey barely made it to school on time. Then I started having some stomach pains around 9. I think it's because we ate mexican food last night. I went to my treatment and the radiation reserve lot was full, so I had to park a couple blocks away. I did my treatment and went home to take a stomach spasm medicine Dr. Logsdon gave me. Since he told me that it would knock me out, I had to reschedule the rest of my appointments for the day. I took a nice 4 hour nap and woke up feeling fine. Just one of those days I guess. I was able to get out around 3:30pm and get caught up a bit. Tomorrow is another day, thank God.

8 of 17

2008-04-07T20:36:00.000-07:00

This weekend went by in a flash. I did have some stomach pains Saturday morning because I ate a steak Friday night, which I know better than to do. The pain came and went. Later Saturday night Hailey and I went with some friends to see the California Cougars play. They're a professional indoor soccer team. After that we went to our friends house until 1 am. Hailey and I both slept in pretty good.

Sunday we played at the park, hung around the house, then went grocery shopping. No radiation issues.

Todays appointment was short and sweet. No issues to report. I haven't had a nap in about a week and I feel just like I did before all this started. We went to the gym again today after work. The gym is becoming an everyday event, slowly but surely.

Tomorrow is the treatment that puts us past the halfway point as far as radiation is concerned.

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6/7 of 17

2008-04-04T09:34:00.000-07:00

I'm so happy that my blog is uneventful. Yesterday was another perfect day. No fatigue, no stomach pains, no meds, just a normal day again. The light is SO clear at the end of the tunnel. At this point, in my mind, cancer is behind me. I'm going through the motions of the rest of my radiation even though I believe I don't need anymore. If the chemo took care of the large lymph nodes, it only makes sense that it killed any and all micro malegnancies that might have been present at the same time. The reality is I don't know crap about medicine or cancer so I'll finish doing whatever my doctors ask.

Yesterday I went to the gym after work for the first time since I started chemotherapy, another big step forward.

Today, my sister Kristy, is taking me out to lunch after my treatment because she lost a bet. I had told her to rent "August Rush" and she said the cover looked lame. I bet her that it would be the best movie she had seen all year. After she watched the movie she admitted defeat. To lunch we go.

On to another normal day.

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5 of 17

2008-04-02T14:09:00.000-07:00

I was in, I was out, and have felt perfect all day.
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Dr. Miller Appoinment

2008-04-01T15:23:00.000-07:00

My appointment and bloodwork went fine. Dr. Miller said that we won't be able to say with certainty that I'm cancer free until after a PET scan that will take place 60 days or so after my final radiation appointment. He did say that it was terrific news that my lymph nodes are back to normal size. What a great day!
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Great News

2008-04-01T12:25:00.000-07:00

After my 4th treatment which I received today, I got called into Dr. Logsdon's office. He told me that he has spent time going over the CT scan that I did for my Radiation Summilation. My lymph nodes are back to normal size at less than one CC. He also took a slice and compared the surface and was happy with what he saw. We have 13 more Radiation Treatments to go and then we will be able to proove that I am cancer free. This is the best news that I have ever heard!

I still have to go to Dr. Millers at 3 for my appointment. I can't wait to hear what he has to say as well.

Finally!
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Chemo Follow Up

2008-03-31T19:39:00.000-07:00

My chemo follow up appointment is tomorrow at 3:00pm with Dr. Miller. They are going to do bloodwork as well. Today I saw the bill for my chemotherapy treatment. It was more than $10,000 for that one treatment. Lucky for me, my insurance covered all but $30.
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Treatment 3 of 17

2008-03-31T18:57:00.000-07:00

I was in at 11:00 am and out at 11:15am. Today I was not tired one bit. I'm sure it was because of all the napping I did over the weekend.
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Radiation Treatment 2 of 17

2008-03-29T16:40:00.000-07:00

Friday was my second treatment. I went to go get zapped and then headed to UC Davis for a couple meetings. Right in the middle of the day I started getting some really bad stomach cramps. I called the doctors office and they said I was having spasms. They called in some anti-spasm medicine to the pharmacy I always use by my home. By the time I got the meds the cramps were gone. At least I have this medicine in case it happens again. When I got home I took a nap for a couple hours and woke up feeling fine. I think the cause of my cramps was that I was drinking freezing cold water all morning. I later read that I'm suppose to drink cool or warm liquid opposed to hot or cold. Brandi called me a wimp and told me, "try being a woman". Whatever.

The night ended up with us having friends over for some wine and Rock Band. It was a really fun time!

Today we went to breakfast with Brandi's family and then ran around town getting stuff done. When we got home today, I crashed for about 4 hours. I just woke up and feel perfect again.

On to Saturday night....
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...

2008-03-27T20:39:00.001-07:00

Its about bedtime and I made it through day one without a problem. I did take a two hour nap when I got home though.

LAF Summit 2008

2008-03-27T18:14:00.001-07:00

Today I opened an email from the Lance Armstrong Foundation. They let me know that I've been chosen as a delegate from my area to attend Summit 2008. I just googled it again and am pretty excited about attending this summer in Ohio. That is going to be an awesome weekend.

I feel fine by the way.

Radiation Zap 1 of 17

2008-03-27T11:32:00.000-07:00

Brandi and I arrived at Mercy around 10:45 am and were on our way out at 11:03 am. They shot me from the back and then my stomach. They then took an Xray and sent me on my way. I didn't feel anything but a bit warm. The medicine they have me taking before my treatments doesn't have me feeling any different. Tomorrow I will drive myself for sure. Let's see how the rest of the day goes....

Radiation Eve

2008-03-26T15:47:00.000-07:00

It's the day before radiation starts and I feel 100 percent today and yesterday was a perfect day as well. I haven't experienced any fatigue since Saturday. That 1 round of chemo (Carboplatin) really didn't set me back at all in comparison to what I was preparing for. I mean, I could definitely tell it was in my system but that's about it besides the couple days of fatigue I mentioned before. The Chemotherapy will be behind me officially after my follow up appointment with Dr. Miller on April 1st. Unofficially, I'm over it now.

On to getting blasted by radiation beams.......

My first zap is tomorrow from 11:00 am to 11:15 am. This whole experience has been a roller coaster. Brandi and I both feel like this is that last drop before we get to be done with the ride and move on. I was 10 times more worried the night before chemo started then I am now. I've read all about it and know that I'll be fine. Just hope it works and I'm done.

3.24.08

2008-03-24T19:31:00.001-07:00

The Easter Bunny left Evan a Nerf dart gun in his basket. We all loved it, so today we bought 3 more and a pack of 30 extra darts. These things are so fun! They have laser red dots that helps you aim. Each gun is only $5.50. These darts have been flying through our house ever since I got home. All for the kids of course...

Obviously, my energy level is good today with no sign of fatigue. I'm looking for a high energy day tomorrow because I have admin work to do all day which is not my cup of tea. I'm ready for radiation to start Thursday. The end of treatment is almost here.

Easter

2008-03-24T11:18:00.000-07:00

We had a near perfect Easter Day. It started with brunch at my parents house and that was so good and fun. The only thing missing there was Becky and Kristy. They had to work. Then we had Brandi's family and my mom over for dinner at our house.

Saturday I was really tired after that mall experience and yesterday was perfect as far as fatigue goes. I'm pretty sure that the chemo is behind me.

Easter Pics

2008-03-22T13:35:00.001-07:00

We waited two hours for pics today. What a crock!

3.21.08

2008-03-21T12:32:00.000-07:00

What a let down. The CT I did this morning is not for diagnostic reasons but to prepare for my radiation therapy. I will wait until next Thursday for my next appointment which is also my first radiation session.

I never really go back and read what I've posted but I did today. I noticed that I have never touched on how irritable I've been at night. For the last week, I've been really irritable and tired starting right around 5 or 6. The last two nights have been the worse, yet barely worth mentioning. This has all been pretty easy so far.

I also noticed that I never mentioned my dad has been doing all my yardwork to make things easier on me. I really appreciate it and it looks 10 times better than when I do it!

At this very second I feel perfect. I'm still taking my supplements mid day.

CT Scan

2008-03-21T07:35:00.000-07:00

I'm at my appt. now. This is my first CT with Sutter.

I can't wait for these results.

Positve Thought of the Day

2008-03-20T09:38:00.001-07:00

This ordeal started on Jan. 9th and is scheduled to end April 18th if all goes as planned. That being said, today I'm 74% of the way back to a normal life!

Urology Appointment

2008-03-20T09:28:00.001-07:00

This morning at 9:00am I went to my final surgery follow up exam with Dr. Bennnan. He gave me the "all clear" and says he won't need to see me again.
I would highly reccomend Dr. Brennan, Urologist, at the Mercy Medical Plaza in Sacramento. His follow up and communication with myself and his staff was top notch. 916.733.3333.

Radiation Appointment

2008-03-19T21:56:00.001-07:00

I met with Dr. Logsdon for about an hour. He went over again what we had talked about on the phone. No suprises. He scheduled a CT for me this Friday at 7:45 am. Can't wait! He also prescribed Zaphran 8mg to take a half hour before my treatment. He said it won't knock me out and should work well for my schedule. The appointment time they suggested is 11:00am. Starting March 27th I will have a 5-15 minute session everyday at 11:00am.

I am so wiped out right now. I started fading around 6.

1st Radiation Appointment

2008-03-19T14:41:00.001-07:00

March 27th I will receive my first of 17 sessions. My last session will be April 18th.

Radiation Treatments

2008-03-19T13:35:00.001-07:00

Dr. Logsdon just let me know that I will be getting 17 treatments of Radiation

3.18.08

2008-03-18T19:56:00.000-07:00

Another pretty darn good day. I did get worn out at the end but no big deal. My appointment to start Radiation Therapy is at 1:00 pm tomorrow and should take about 2 hours. This is a simmulation appointment. They will mark my body in the spots they'll be beam'n and let me know how many sessions I will need. I am hoping I can plan all my appointments at the end of each day.

I am blessed to be going into the second half of my treatment at 100%. I was planning to be a little roughed up at this point.

2008-03-17T18:41:00.001-07:00

St. Patricks Day

2008-03-17T18:37:00.001-07:00

I feel like a broken record when I say I felt great again all day. No Fatigue. I started taking my vitamins and wheat grass mid day instead of the morning. It might be in my head but I think that move has given me more energy late in the day.

For St. Patricks Day, we ate green ice cream cones after dinner. Last night we went to the grandparents for Corned Beef and Cabbage. About as exciting as St. Patties Day gets around here.

We can't wait for Wednesday. I really hope they scan me.

Friday and Saturday

2008-03-15T09:22:00.000-07:00

The weekend is starting well. Last night was my Dads birthday dinner. We all had a great time. Yesterday, I felt 100% all day with no fatigue.

Today we have a busy agenda. At 11:45am we are going to watch Coach Dave's son, Zach, tryout for the Select soccer team at the park in Stonelake. Then we are going to see the new Horton Hears a Who? Finally, we will end up at our good friends birthday for the evening. As of this minute, I feel 100% and I haven't even had my wheat grass yet. I'll be 115% in a matter of minutes.

Today is going to be a terrific day! It's inevitable.

Wednesday and Thursday

2008-03-13T22:59:00.000-07:00

I guess it's been a few days since I"ve posted. I've been so busy at work and home.

Well, I'm pretty much ready to say I'm past the chemotherapy. I've felt really good since Saturday. Fatigue is barely an issue. I do really need my 8 hours of sleep but that's it. I am getting a little winded when I workout with my dumbells at night. I was prepared for way worse than this Carboplatin Chemotherapy has actually been. I've had colds that were worse. It has been a breeze.

On to Radiation Therapy. I have my simulation appointment on Wednesday. They will tattoo me with dots where they will be doing the Radiation and creating a mold of my body. I will also be getting scanned. Dr. Logsdon told me that he expects those cancerous nodes will not be visible this time. I hope he is right.

Brandi and I are starting to talk about the celebration that will take place when this treatment is done. We are looking for an "all inclusive" spot in Mexico to take the kids for a couple days in May or early June. Or maybe a cruise? I want to find a place where we can get a good group deal and invite everyone and their mother to be able to book a stay at the same time. I know it's early but we're almost there. If all goes as planned, my treatment will be over on April 25th.

Tuesday

2008-03-11T19:06:00.001-07:00

I had a great day at work today, almost everything went my way. I felt 100% all day. I'm wiped out now and an Atavan away from retiring for the night.

Dr. Miller told Bertha that it's fine for me to workout with my weights. Starting tomorrow, I'm going to wake up an hour earlier and do a mild workout. I think it will help with my energy level. There's only one way to find out.

Monday

2008-03-10T19:58:00.001-07:00

Today was a great day again. I have the score at 6 good days and 1 bad day since beginning chemo. That's 86% and I'll take it!

I am very tired at the end of each day. I feel like it's midnight right now. I can deal with tired though, not a problem.

Brandi, the kids, and I went for about a mile walk tonight. I felt really good afterwords. I put a call into Bertha today to ask if I could work out with my weights a little bit. She said she thought I could but wanted to ask Dr. Miller and get back to me tomorrow.

I found a new friend today; Iced Soy Green Tea Latte at Starbucks. So good and like a shot in the arm at the same time! I wonder what the nutrients label would read on that one? I bet it would be pretty good.

Going to bed now.

Sunday

2008-03-09T20:39:00.001-07:00

It was a perfect Sunday. The weather was beautiful and we had a great day. I felt perfect 100% of the day today. It was a winner for sure.

Things are starting to resemble normal again. This week I have no medical appointments, no tests, no treatments, and I'm not even taking any medicine, besides chemo that is. Just a normal work week. I can't wait!

Back On Track

2008-03-09T09:27:00.000-07:00

We finished last night feeling fine. I woke up this morning to feel normal which is fantastic compared to how I felt yesterday morning. We'll hope for the best moving into today.

......

2008-03-08T17:02:00.001-08:00

Alicia came and took our kids to play with hers this morning. Camron and Alicia took the kids to the park and met Kristy and Erica there. Thank you guys for showing our kids such a fun day!

Brandi stayed with me and we kinda toughed through that rough morning together. I still have yet to vomit but it was a very rough morning.

On to tonight.

Tides Have Changed

2008-03-08T08:02:00.000-08:00

The cake walk is over for now. I feel like hell today. I feel very hot but my temp. is only 99.1. We have to go to the emergency room if it hits 100.1. My stomach is still unsettled but my streak remains. Everytime I fall asleep I've been having bad dreams since I laid my head down last night.

I think everyone knows that there are going to be days like this when you go through chemotherapy. I can only hope that they don't come to often. This sucks.

Day 4 7:45 PM

2008-03-07T20:13:00.000-08:00

Another day completed. I feel like I can slow down a little bit know that the weekend is here. I am beat!
My skin is feeling really dry. We'll need to address that over the weekend.

So, bad dreams, dry skin, and mild fatigue is as bad as it's been. I'll take that.

Dr. Logsdon's(RT) office called today and said he wants me to come in on March 17th rather than April 4th. That will put my treatment completion date two weeks sooner. We will be doing some scans to see the progress of what the chemo is doing for me right now. Then we will do a Radiation Simulation.

Right now I'm starting to feel my stomach getting a little unsettled. This is the first time I've felt anything in my stomach so far. Hopefully my 27 year vomit free streak will remain intact through the night.

I'm so lucky to have made it through this first week without missing any work and without ever feeling bad. I would have thought it would have been a little worse.

Day 4 - Noon

2008-03-07T12:04:00.000-08:00

Halfway throug my fourth workday since chemo and all is still good. I feel tired but thats it. I have two kids so I'm always tired anyway. No big deal yet.

Day 3 5:00 PM

2008-03-06T16:56:00.000-08:00

The day ended fine with no side effects at all. I am wiped out though.

Day 3 7:00 AM

2008-03-06T07:26:00.000-08:00

I'm still good. No hard times as of yet.

On to a normal day at this point.

5:00 PM

2008-03-05T17:22:00.000-08:00

I've made it through my first two workdays without any side effects since receiving the chemo. I am so happy about that.

Bertha called back to say that everyone handles it in a different way so you never know. She told me that Dr. Miller said that probably day 4, I would be having some nausea and fatigue. I read that the nausea affiliated with Carboplatin could last 24 hours.

Nausea is my second to worst fear in chemo. For one, I haven't thrown up in so long it seems frightening. Next, I can't work if I'm throwing up or nausious. So, this could be GREAT news if I could go through the peak of nausea over the weekend. Day 4 would be Friday.

My worst fear is losing my hair. For the fact that my kids would see my sickness. The good news is hair loss is rare with Carboplatin.

All and all, it was a great day. Now, I'll go home at let my kids wear me out!

2:00 PM

2008-03-05T14:04:00.000-08:00

Still nothing. It's been an average work day so far. As of right now I have yet to feel a thing, besides sleeping more than usual last night.

I have a call into Dr. Miller and Bertha, his triage medical assistant, to ask if this is normal. They told me it was going to slug me. I'm just wondering when?

7:00 am

2008-03-05T07:06:00.001-08:00

I feel fine today again. I went to bed much earlier than normal and woke up later than normal, but other than that I'm fine. Business as usual today.

I am going to see the customers that are closer to home like downtown hotels and hospitals so I could get back if I start feeling bad.

Two thumbs up for sure!

9:00pm

2008-03-04T21:06:00.001-08:00

I'm still feeling great. I was expecting to be getting beat up a bit by now, but nothing yet.

5:00 pm

2008-03-04T17:11:00.000-08:00

Everything is fine right now. I'm getting a little tired, I think? I did take 1mg Atavan so that might be whats making me tired. I'm sure it's coming, but right now I'm pretty darn close to feeling normal.

2:30 pm

2008-03-04T14:36:00.000-08:00

So far I'm fine. I feel a little tired but that's it. It's probably the calm before the storm.
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Over

2008-03-04T11:36:00.000-08:00

We're on our way home now. I feel fine. As of right now I have a streak going of 27 years without ever throwing up. Something tells me that streak will come to an end sometime soon, but you never know. I'm planning on working today and every day this week as of right now. We're playing everything by ear. I'm not afraid to take some time off but at the same time, I'm not taking time off if I'm able to work. We'll see.
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Other Meds Given

2008-03-04T11:12:00.000-08:00

The drugs they gave me in the IV for nausea were Kytril and Decadron.
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Chemo In

2008-03-04T10:31:00.000-08:00

The drip of Carboplatin just started. It should take an hour, they said. Four doses total at 1350 mg. They gave me some nausea medicine in the IV before the Carboplatin.

Cece is my nurse and she's a very nice lady with a good sense of humor. This place is so bright and upbeat.

Brandi has been with me every step of the way and today is no exception. Its very nice to have her here with me except when her embarrassing ring tone went off and everyone was looking at us.

We're doing great!
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03.04.08

2008-03-04T07:19:00.000-08:00

Today is the day that I will go on the offensive, for the first time since surgery, in my fight against this stupid cancer. I'm a competitive person and I turned this journey into a competition a long time ago. Today is my turn to be aggressive. I'm SO ready! I know that the next couple weeks are going to be a bit of a drag, but that's okay. I know that every second of worry, every sick moment, and every minute of fatigue will put me a second, a moment, and a minute closer to full recovery.

There is a paragraph in the book, "It's Not About the Bike" by Lance Armstrong that has came to be my "light at the end of the tunnel", I read it everyday. It reads:

.....What you learn in cancer surviorship is that after all the shouting is done, after the desperation and crisis is over, after you have accepted the fact of your illness and celebrated the return of your health, the old routines and habits, like shaving in the morning with a purpose, a job to go to, a wife to love and children to raise, these are the threads that tie your days together and that give them the pattern deserving of the term " a life". ............

I'm ready to return to my normal "life" and it starts today. My coworkers are all boarding planes tommorow in the cities where they live to go to a company wide event in Florida. I hope this is the last work function that I miss.

We're off to take the kids to my parents house and then II'S ON.

Two thumbs up!

Chemo Eve

2008-03-03T19:25:00.000-08:00

Well I can't believe its finally here. I'm as ready as anyone can be to receive chemo. I hope this will be a knockout punch in this fight. I'm very confident that it will be. What the chemo doesn't kill, the radiation will, starting four weeks from today.

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Dr. Logsdon Called

2008-02-29T21:33:00.000-08:00

I had a good talk with Dr. Logsdon today. He let me know that if it was himself in my position that he would do the same thing and be treated with this "cutting edge" treatment. He also told me that yes, this study is young, but it's not being done by some random doctors from some random hospital. These studies were led by a doctor from The Royal Marsden Cancer Center in the UK. The Royal Marsden is a larger cancer facility than M.D. Anderson at The University of Texas, which is the largest cancer center in the United States. The doctor at the Royal Marsden Cancer Center that led this study is Dr. Alan Horwich. Dr. Logsdon said that Dr. Alan Horwich is one of the "biggest brains" in the Testicular Cancer field, internationally. Dr. Horwich is the editor of the textbooks doctors use to study Testicular Cancer and The Treatment and Management of Testicular Cancer.

So.....This "cutting edge" treatment I'm doing is coming from one of the most highly regarded doctors in the world when it comes to Testicular Cancer. Dr. Logsdon studied at M.D. Anderson at the University of Texas. Dr. Miller studied at Stanford. My consultant that has helped me along the way is a retired Radiologist, former Chief of Radiology, who studied at Harvard.
Together these guys have a TON of experience and they are collaborating on my case. How could I not be positive? I really think it would be ignorant of me to be down in any way. I'm so lucky! Really.

Radiation

2008-02-28T22:36:00.001-08:00

My Radiation Therapy will begin after my first and only chemotherapy cycle which is 3 to 4 weeks. Even though I'm only getting one single dose of Carboplatin, the cycle still last 3 to 4 weeks.

Studies - CRT

2008-02-28T21:39:00.000-08:00

Study 1 - 1989 - 1996 UK
33 patients with stage II A/B were treated with the chemotherapy of Single Agent Carboplatin(C) and then Radiation Therapy(RT) . Those 33 were compared to 80 that were treated with RT alone. The 5 year relapse free survival rate (RFS) for the 33 treated with CRT was 96.9%. The 5 year RFS of the 80 treated with RT alone was 80.7%.

Study 2 (Same Medical Group) - 1998 - 2006 UK
26 patients treated with CRT. There was no reported grade 3/4 toxicity. Their 3 year RFS is 100%.

Dr. Logsdon talked with these doctors in person about treating me with this method. The doctors were happy to hear it from what I've been told. Dr. Miller gave me all my options but was leaning towards CRT for sure. CRT it is.

Doctors Office

2008-02-28T16:34:00.000-08:00

Went to the doctors office to get a copy of the study. I now have it in hand. While I was there Bertha, Dr. Millers triage nurse, asked if I wanted to have my meeting with the nurse to go over everything for chemotherapy. I agreed, of course, did the consultation with her, and scheduled my Single-Dose Chemotherapy for Tuesday March 4th. I'm a very happy camper! I think it has everything to do with Dr. Milller and the staff at his office. Finally, starting Tuesday, we will be fighting back, against the cancer in my body.

I'm SO happy and Brandi is as well!

Answers

2008-02-28T11:12:00.000-08:00

I just got off the phone with Dr.Miller. No suprises. Thank God!

He gave me my options: full chemo, radiation, or the study that's being done on the combination of both. Dr. Miller thinks the study looks very attractive because we will get the benefits of both without too much of either. So that's what we're going with. Like I said, this study is new with around 100 studied so far. Dr. Miller is printing it out for me and I'll have it in hand soon. I'm excited to be part of something progressive in the study on cancer.

The doctors office has submitted everything to my insurance company and that approval process has taken around 48hours in the past. After approval, I will have an appointment with a nurse to go over the logistics of the chemotherapy and then next week I will receive my single-dose of Chemotherapy, Carboplatin to be specific.

Today

2008-02-28T08:22:00.000-08:00

Today, I am expecting the phone call from Dr. Miller. I hope to hear what the Tumor Board had to say as well as my treatment path defined. I believe the board is meeting at 9am.

Bed Ready?

2008-02-26T12:38:00.001-08:00

So Brandi calls me and tells me that a nurse called saying my hospital bed is ready. Bed ready? What? I'm not suppose to have any inpatient anything at this point. I of course freak out and called Dr. Millers triage nurse, Bertha. She called me right back and let me know that our plan is still the same and there is no bed waiting for me. We figured out that my previous doctor must have not canceled the bed he reserved for my inpatient full chemotherapy cycles at his hospital. Wew! I thought maybe some test results came back and they needed me right in or something.

I hope this isn't a sign that full chemo is lurking it's head around the corner again. Who knows? This cancer bullshit is such a maze. We'll soon see and deal with it as it comes.

Tumor Board

2008-02-26T09:15:00.000-08:00

I can't wait to get the call from Dr. Miller on Thursday. I'm nervous and excited to hear the what the board has to say.

I have dug so deep and I can't find anything on the study from Great Britain that they are considering for me. It must be pretty new. I trust my doctor 100% and I'll do whatever he says no matter what. I'm sure he'll discuss options like all doctors do. The real answer comes when you ask, "What would you do if you were in my shoes?". The answer Dr. Miller gives to that question will be my treatment plan that we start next week.

On to work.

PET Scan Office

2008-02-25T11:29:00.000-08:00

Today, in between my morning appointments for work, I picked up a copy of my scan images and PET Scan Report from the imaging center that did my scans. My records at home are now as current as the records my doctor has.

.
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FYI

2008-02-22T17:18:00.000-08:00

Today I received permission from my doctor to start the supplement program below.
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Supplements

2008-02-21T20:21:00.000-08:00

I think that I have sucked all the information I can out of the cancer nutrition books my mom gave me. Tonight I went to The Vitamin Shoppe and bought the supplements that I've decided on. I will take the following daily, along with my multi vitamin, shot of wheatgrass, and green tea:

Flax Seed Oil - 1000 mg
Cinnamon Extract - 500mg
B-50 Complex
C- 250
Lecithin(from soy)- 1200 mg
Apple Cider Vinegar-240mg
Zinc- 30 mg
Iodine(from kelp)- 210 mcg
Calcium- 600mg

Based on what I've read and my health stats, I think my doctor will be fine with me taking these 9 tablets. I would never take anything without consulting my doctor first. I'll email him tonight.

Results

2008-02-20T17:11:00.000-08:00

My lungs are clear, which is fantastic news! The other side of that coin is that my suspicious lymph nodes are indeed cancerous.

I learned that Dr. Miller and Dr. Logsdon (the Radiation Oncologist) have been collaborating efforts on my behalf. If you we're to meet both these guys, you would think I have a dream team working for me. Up until today I've felt like I had to control this process because I felt like I was juggled around a bit and nobody else was taking charge. I'm stepping back from that line of thinking because Dr. Milller and Dr. Logston have a good handle and genuine interest in my case.

They both agree that they want to find a way around full chemotherapy and that the area is to big to treat with radiation alone. Both doctors have been doing research and talking to other experts on my behalf. They came across a new treatment plan that has been being studied in Great Britain. It involves a little chemo (1 dose for 1/2 an hour total) and radiation treatment. While this study is young, very young, it has been successful close to 85 to 90 percent of the time. Dr. Miller says this looks very attractive to both of them as a treatment plan for me, but wants to dig into it a little deeper.

Before the doctors make a final decision on my treatment, Dr. Miller is bringing all my info to a Tumor Board that he is part of next Thursday morning. I understand that this board is made up of Pathologists, Oncologists, Radiation Oncologists, and radiologists. He will have the actual slides of my tumor, my CT scan, my PET scan, and bloodwork with him. If I understand it correctly, every test that has been done on me will be getting second and third opinions next Thursday. This, to me, is HUGE.

My treatment, whatever it is, will start the week of March 3rd.

Finally, we thought it was cool that somehow the doctors found my Blog. Dr. Miller asked to have a new picture put on here so I'll switch that up when I get home.

That's it for now, my thumbs are getting sore.

.

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......

2008-02-20T09:27:00.000-08:00

Five hours until we know my future treatment path. You'd think that the answer I want to hear is, "no chemo", but that's not the case. All I want to hear is that thing on my lung is "nothing". That would make my day. A bigger bonus would be to hear that my enlarged lymph nodes are "nothing" as well. That is a big stretch though.

At least we will finally know my stage and treatment path . I don't think I've ever had anxiety like I have right now.

4 hours 36 minutes and counting.
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Lucky Again

2008-02-19T15:28:00.000-08:00

Besides having cancer, I've had some really good luck lately.

I asked Debbie, a very nice lady that schedules for Dr. Miller, if I could be called if anyone cancels before Friday. It just so happened that someone canceled their appointment tomorrow at 2pm. That appointment is now mine. If she doesn't deserve a Starbucks card, I don't know who does!

Tommorow is the day. No matter what the news, the day will end good. Coach Dave of our soccer team gave me tickets to see the Kings play Atlanta tommorow at Arco. I can't wait to see Bibby in a Hawks jersey.
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Friday

2008-02-19T15:05:00.000-08:00

The soonest appointment I could get is Friday at 2pm to get my results from Dr. Miller. I received this appointment in a voicemail so I didn't have a chance to complain, cry, or beg for a sooner appointment. The staff there is really nice so I'm going to see if they can put me "on call" in case someone cancels their appointment.
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......

2008-02-19T10:08:00.000-08:00

I called Dr. Millers office to ask them to help me get my results and they are calling the PET scan office now. I'm getting so anxious and I want my results!
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No Results Yet

2008-02-19T08:02:00.000-08:00

I called the PET scan office this morning. The lady that answered the phone said my results weren't ready. She seemed irritated that I called and asked why I'm calling her and not my doctor. She's going to be even more irritated when I call at noon and 4. I know that all we are waiting for is a doctor to write a summary report. These PET tests costs between 3k and 6k. You'd think they would be able to staff for same day results.

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Holiday

2008-02-18T17:00:00.001-08:00

I was so fired up, to start tightening the screws, to get my results the minute it turned 8 am this morning. I was so pissed that they were closed for the holiday!
I'll call them in the morning first thing.

At work, I trained Bob again. We worked on getting new accounts and were successful in two local hotels, so the day ended good.

Tonight we're going to Disney on Ice which will be a great distraction for us all.
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