Getting Ready to start

Dad went in on Friday to have his port inserted.  He managed to convince the nurse and the Doctor to put it on his left side because he shoots his rifle on the right side! What a ding dong!  They got him in much later than they were supposed to but I think he enjoyed watching one of the Sheriff's deputies sleeping while he was supposed to be watching an imate there to get a port put in.

The port is about the size of a quarter and sticks out about 1/2".  He said if he was a drug user he'd have it made...no track marks!  He said he could just inject his drugs right into the port. LOL!

He had his PET Scan this morning and he will begin his Chemo on Monday of next week.  I know he is worried, you can see it in his eyes.  I keep trying to tell him to be positive, that is one of the best things he can do at this point.  He is in good health other than the cancer so I am hoping that he will tolerate the Chemo and still be able to be a part of everything here at work.

I'll let everyone know how he's doing after his first treatment!

K

ECG, Port and Treatment

Just a quick update.

Dad is in this morning for his ECG to make sure his ticker is working fine before they insert the port in his chest on Friday.

He of course said that he needs to convince them to put it on his left side because his rifle sits on his right side when shooting!!  He said that the nurse already told him that there is a guy that has one that they did on the other side so he could carry his golf bag lol!  Only my Dad...

If everything goes according to schedule he will begin treatment on Monday or Tuesday so please take a minute to say a quick prayer and send good vibes to him!

I'll update when things get rolling to keep you all posted.

Thanks!

What in the heck is myxoid chondrosarcoma??

Myxoid Chondrosarcoma...those two words are the ones that have turned all of our lives upside down!

It seems that no matter where I look I get the same general definition of it:

  "Extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma (EMCS) is an uncommon clinicopathologically well-defined tumor, but its pathogenesis and biologic behavior are poorly understood. "

Makes sense to me!  Not!!!  All I know is that my Dad has this virtually unknown cancer.  This cancer never goes into remission which means that he will have to fight it for the rest of his life.  I do know one thing:  CANCER SUCKS!!!!

 

 

You go your whole life knowing your parents will go before you (God willing for them).  I watched my Mom lose her parents and although I was young I still hate myself for not being closer to both of them.  I loved my Nana (my Mom's Mom) soooo much!!!  My Grandpa too but I was always closer to my Nana.  I am so afraid that I disappointed them with my actions before she died.  They were nothing bad but typical "pre-teen" antics that I am sure they didn't agree with. 



 

I can only hope that I haven't disappointed my parents.  I haven't always made the most logical "socially accepted" choices in my life.  I have always made my choices based on what I felt was right...screw society and what it told me...something I think my Mom and Dad taught me from an early age, although they may not agree with that lol.  It may have come back and bit them in the butt in later years but I am one tough woman who knows what I want and will fight to the end of the world for it.  That I know, I can thank my awesome parents for!!!

 

I hope that it doesn't seem that I am taking over the blog for Dad but I am who I am because of him and my Mom!!  I love my Dad more than anything...I love my Mom more than anything...I had the pleasure of growing up and having the best childhood that anyone could wish for. 

 

I remember being in the 4th or 5th grade standing in the hot lunch line when my neighbor Mando teased me and told me that my Dad was a plumber!  My Dad was in construction, he wasn't a "plumber!!"  I took off after him (mind you, I was probably 5'6" at the time...a freakishly tall child and he was maybe 5').  The principle grabbed my arm as I chased him through the lunch room and I pulled my arm out of his grasp, which I know pissed him off.  I ended up spending the next week eating lunch in Mr. Morenci's office...little did I know at the time how much plumbers made!!!  I would have just sat back and laughed...nonetheless, he was insulting my Dad and I was gonna beat him down!!!  I still have that attitude!!  You mess with my family or anyone I love, and you face the "wrath of Kim!" 

 

Cancer is going to have to face the Wrath of Kim now!!  I will do anything in my power to eradicate this awful, cruel disease that takes the "cream of the crop" for it's own selfish needs!

 

Cancer....watch out because I can run much faster than I could in 4th or 5th grade and I will NOT stop chasing you for attacking my Dad!

 

 





The verdict is in...

What Cancer Cannot Do
Cancer is so limited....
It cannot cripple love.
It cannot shatter hope.
It cannot corrode faith.
It cannot eat away peace.
It cannot destroy confidence.
It cannot kill friendship.
It cannot shut out memories.
It cannot silence courage.
It cannot reduce eternal life.
It cannot quench the Spirit.

Author Unknown

Dad went to the Oncologist today to determine what exactly would take place and what treatment they would pursue.

Of course when I call him to see what was said he told me "I am going to die."  Knowing him I said "we are all going to die you smartass, what did the Doctor say?"

The doctor basically told him that the type of Sarcoma (Lipo chondrosarcoma) that he has is probably one of the most rare cancers known.  The odds of one getting this particular type is 1/1000.  The chances of winning the lottery multiple times would be better than a person getting this type of cancer (yep...he should have been playing the lottery all of this time).  The Dr. did say that there are only about 50 people (I am assuming adults but don't know for sure) in the US that have this type of cancer so he is a shoe in for the clinical trials that are offered. 

The long and short of it is: 

• Surgery on his thigh is pretty much a waste of precious time.  The Dr. said that he would have to be completely healed before he could even be considered for the Clinical Trials.  He also said that the tumor will be a good point of reference.  It will allow them to keep an eye on it and see if it stops growing or starts shrinking after trying the meds.
• Biopsy on his lung is pointless.  He doesn't have "Lung Cancer" he has sarcoma tumors in his lungs.  That is pretty much a given so why put the stress and strain on his body to run tests to get the answer that they all pretty much know already.
• He will have to go through Chemotherapy.  Yes he will lose his hair.  How much?  No one knows until it happens...I chuckle thinking of my Pops with no hair!  I think he'll look cute though.  If not, we'll get him one of those baseball hats that have the hair attached heeheehee.
• He will lose weight and have fatigue.  Crap, does this mean that he's going to be grumpy at work all of the time?  Great...I am buying a nerf gun this weekend, one sarcastic remark and he's getting it!! 
• He has a terminal illness and will never be cancer free :-(  This cancer never goes into remission. 
• If all goes right, he will be around to drive us nutty for quite awhile! 

I did find a really good website for the Sarcoma Foundation of America at http://www.curesarcoma.org/

I guess my new mission is become as educated as possible about Sarcoma! 

In closing I can say that this hasn't killed his appetite any!  We are meeting for chimichangas later! Whoo Hoo!!

I will update again after he decides what direction he wants to take and we can all take this unknown journey with him!

Have an awesome weekend!!  Don't forget to spend time with those that you love!
Kim

Here we go again....



For all that followed my Dad's cancer battle a few years ago I am not happy to say that we are once again in the battle.

My Dad had a pretty rare cancer a few years back.  He had two tumors removed from his upper thigh area and went through Radiation treatment.  As directed, he followed up on all of PET Scans and Dr.'s appointments after that and we were all pleased to see that there was no cancer!

Dad went in for his routine PET scan a few weeks ago.  He received a call back stating that they needed to do a follow up MRI scan as well.  As you can imagine we all were sitting on pins and needles wondering why they needed a follow up.  My Mom had been in California as her Aunt had passed away and she was tending to all that was needed there.  I told Dad that although she was out of town he needed to get in NOW and not to wait one minute longer.   My Mom didn't know what was going on but managed to get an earlier flight so she could be at the appointment.  As soon as she saw me walking in with Dad she knew something was up...we were busted!

I of course am his daughter and worry about him way more than I let on. He is not only my Dad but he is my Boss and the one I lean on the most!  I spend 5 days a week with him and experience a side of him that not many children get to see. Let me say...sometimes it's not pretty! I see a business side of my Dad that still, to this day leaves me in awe of him. Oh, don't get me wrong...he drives me nutso most of the time (well about 95% of the time) but it is incredible to see a man that has survived one of the biggest economic depressions that this country has seen in years and still has a thriving business. He has managed to keep ALL of his employees working and bringing home a paycheck even if it means (to my Mom's dismay) using personal funds to get us through.  He should be so proud of himself as he started Sonoran Products, Inc. by himself using a card table as his desk.  He was the salesman, delivery driver and custodian for many months until he hired others.  Although I don't tell him enough, my Dad is my "Superman."

Back to important issues...He had a biopsy done on his thigh and it came back malignant.  The MRI also showed that he had some spots on his lung that hadn't been there on the last scan.  There were, I believe two spots on his other lung that had been there for awhile but had not grown or changed.  The other spots were new however and the others had grown slightly. 

From what we know right now, he will have the tumor removed surgically and follow up with radiation.  They need to do a biopsy on his lungs but from what I understand they are more than likely Sarcomas as well.  He is looking at Chemo for his lungs and may have to be on it for the rest of his lifetime.  From what I understand (and believe me...I am NOT a Dr.) this type of cancer is brutal and they cannot detect it on a PET scan until it is about the size of a pea.  He may have dozens of cells that are just waiting to grow therefore the lifetime Chemo, to try and keep it from making it's way to a tumor.

For all of you that know my Dad Jerry, I will try and keep everyone updated through this blog.   For those of you that know my Dad WELL, you know that he is a huge Dirty Harry fan.  For those that are staunch Democrats (or Republicans for that matter) that have something to say about Clint Eastwood's appearance at the Republican National Convention this is not the venue for comments.  This is my Dad's blog and my Dad happens to think that Clint Eastwood ROCKS!!  He has his new and improved "Cancer Binder" that says:

"You've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel lucky?' 

Well, do ya cancer?"