Living with Cancer (from Cancer Survivors)

Has anyone heard from Asgara since this thread? I hope she is well and kicking ass.

She posted a long catchup message today on her blog. Last Five Chemos and the AftermathShe ends with this:

quote:

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End of my Troubles? No more medical issues this past year. Monthly trips to Doc’s office for port flushes and blood work. CT scans and x-rays every four months and everything has been looking great. I made it until Dec 2013 until things weren’t looking quite so great, but that’s another post. Now you may guess at why I’m posting again.

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Notice the question marks. I'm not quite sure what that all means, but I guess there is still some uncertainty.

Thank you. I had checked that blog, but didn't realize that last bit was a separate post. I miss her. If only prayers worked... Edited by roxrkool, : No reason given.

Hope that doesn't mean what I think it means. ?

Ok, first, I apologize for not keeping old friends updated.As nwr noticed I had some not so good news in December. My CEA (cancer marker) was going up even though my scan was clean. They redid the bloodwork in January and did a PET scan. CEA was still going up and PET showed some suspicious spots in my lungs though only one was showing uptake.My doctor, proactively, sent me to Mayo Clinic for second opinion and discussion of possible surgery. First I want to say, MAYO is incredible. The scheduling logistics alone should be a nightmare but they get everyone where they need to go when they need to be there, and they do it without making you feel like a number. I would highly recommend it if it didn't conflict with something I recommend higher... NOT getting cancer.Saw a medical oncologist and a thoracic surgeon. They did more blood work and did a dedicated CT scan. CEA still rising and they found 8 small spots spread randomly throughout both sides of my lungs.Surgeon seemed confident that they could wedge out all the cancer but they wanted me return home and start a new chemo cocktail first. This is SOP unless the tumors themselves are currently life threatening. This gives the doctors reassurance that the chemo is actually working on your tumors.I came home and immediately started chemo again. The plan was to have 4 sessions then another CT scan then contact Mayo. My CEA has been steadily dropping and the new CT showed no growth. I was hoping for some shrinkage but I'll take stable. Now I'm just waiting to hear back from Mayo concerning surgery.That's where I currently stand. This chemo is a slightly different cocktail and it is hitting me differently. I am off work again on short-term disability and should start long-term the end of May. Really missing work and hoping I get back soon.I really plan on getting back here again for discussion and camaraderie. Happy to see that I'm not forgotten. Also, VERY happy to see RAZD still hanging around. Love ya.For those of you on Facebook, feel free to send friend requests, just please send a private message also letting me know which nutcase you are .Update Your Browser | FacebookFeel free to ask questions if something I've written doesn't make sense, or if you just have questions.~Asgara, Queen of the Universe and Outlying Suburbs.Edited by AdminAsgara, : No reason given.

Sounds like good news. I was thinking of you just yesterday and wondering how you were. I'm currently still in remission since last chemo -- going on 18 months now, about the longest I've made it previously before the little buggers came back, so I'm hopin ...Got the bike out and ready to start another 1000 mile year if all goes well. My bike buddy will be 66 this year, so that will be a good ride.Is there a chance that if the chemo works real well that you can avoid the surgery? I expect ti will be done with one of those little robotic snaky arm devices to minimize intrusion trauma.Let us knowEnjoy!

Not sure I want to avoid surgery. "They" say that surgery is the only true cure. Chemo is just mop-up. One good thing, I've been told by those in the know that thoracic surgery is better than abdominal and I survived that .I thought robotic also but surgeon said he likes to actually feel through the lung tissue as he can sometimes find something that hasn't even shown up on scans yet. Gentleman I talked to at chemo not long ago had the same surgery at Mayo but with a different surgeon. He did it the same way.At the time I was talking to surgeon he figured opening up my left side ( on the side) and possibly doing laproscopic on right side but I think he was thinking there would be some shrinkage on right side.So glad to hear you are still dancing with NED and I will keep all pertinent appendages crossed for your continued health.This is chemo week and I'm not feeling the best but now it's time to take puppy to the dog park.

Puppy walks a are good. hmmm a touchy feely guy eh? Yep still dancin ... and ya gotta dance like no one is lookin

Thanks for the update. And it does seem more positive.Best wishes.

Good. Puppy love builds strength.I'm working out how an atheist might bend events to his will: I might have to sacrifice a televangelist, but I think we can bring this thing in...

I'm glad to hear Asgara is doing well but obviously she's not completely out of the woods. So I'd like to suggest that the Christians here commit to praying for Asgara -- and for RAZD. Let's pray that those spots on her lungs completely disappear and she gets a clean bill of health and that RAZD's remission becomes permanent.God is merciful and heals people even without prayer, and may even hear the prayers of unbelievers sometimes, but scripture does say that He won't hear the prayers of those who despise His word and His law. That's why I'd suggest that Christians commit to this.I'm lousy at keeping a prayer schedule so we need to remind each other.OK?

This is actually the first time I have came across this topic, which is part of the problem with being a part-time poster, obviously my attendance at EvC is actually very small, if you look at the gaps, sometimes I don't post for six months.I'm sorry to hear this RAZD, I know it's typical of a Christian to pray, but the truth is, even if that is not relevant to you, and useless to you, it's hard to NOT pray about something like this, it might seem annoying for us to even state, "we shall pray", but that doesn't mean it's as easy to "not care", and when you're a Christian, it is impossible, to "not care" ERGO impossible to, "not pray".I can only say, I still hope my prays are answered. I hope you are not suffering, and will at least hope AND pray your journey is not by worry and fear/stress. I know it's not relevant to your beliefs, but Jesus said not to worry, and His logic is right because let's face it worry makes things so much worse, it just adds salt to the wound. All the best mate.

All the best, baba. Sorry to hear of these things so late.All of my afflictions in life, are psychological/internal, so I don't know what it is like to go through these things, and don't want to say anything ignorant, but I know about stress.I know it is irrelevant perhaps, but as I said to RAZD, we mention prayer a lot, it's annoying I know, but it's hard to, "not care". I haven't suffered these type of illnesses, but I have suffered, we expect it in this world, I can only imagine that when folk don't cry out to God like me, it must be because they have balls of steel. all the best, super-Queeny.

Queen Asgara;I'm glad to hear the good news and that there is hope for a good outcome.Finding things that can fill the times while you wait for treatments to be over and tests results to be in were the key for me.Laughter is always good medicine.all the best,

Just thought I'd give everyone a quick update.I've gone through 6 of 12 chemo treatments and just got back from my 2nd trip to Mayo. I have a thoracic wedge resection on my left lung scheduled for Monday June 16th.Chemo has been working; my CEA marker is down to 6 again after a high of 18 on my last trip to Mayo and my lung spots are showing shrinkage.I get to be a part of two data gathering studies that I will explain if any one is interested.Here's to hoping the resection works and the follow up chemo clears out anything that's left. Please cross the pertinent appendages and swing the appropriate barnyard fowl.~~Asgara