Asking for prayers [Updates at Posts #113, #131 and #157]

username · Feb 10, 2023

Glad to hear it my guy

lizardbreath · Feb 10, 2023

Fight the good fight, blessings my Brother.

tripsright · Feb 10, 2023

Wonderful update, Dawg!

2oldgator · Feb 10, 2023

Happy for you Dawg!

bperkins10 · Feb 10, 2023

Dawg, I am glad to here the good reports and I have been praying for you along the way. God can do amazing things.

I know some of you in this thread were praying for my cancer battle and I greatly appreciated that very much. I know prayers are what got me get through all of this.

Here is a recap and update of my cancer journey.

April 1 had routine colonoscopy that showed a pretty large tumor. After scans, cancer was seen in a few surrounding lymph nodes, and was diagnosed as stage three cancer because it had not metastasized.

In October I finished my chemo treatments. Those treatments are not fun and had to have three of the last four in the hospital (three 4 day stays). I was scanned again and the scans came back with no detectable tumor.

In November they scoped me again and found that the tumor had shrunk but was not gone. It did not show on the previous scan because it was covered by scar tissue. It had shrunk enough to do the ileostomy which was going to happen no matter what (even if tumor gone) because of years having ulcerative colitis.

Dec 1st: I had an ileostomy to remove my colon. That went very well.

Jan 6: Re-scanned and found no cancer. Pathology report showed tumor was contained in the colon and the lymph nodes that the cancer was in previously showed no cancer. Long story short is that currently all tests show that cancer is gone. Will be getting scanned every three months for the next two years and then every six months four an additional five years.

I currently am getting use to a new normal which is a good thing because I am not dealing with the UC anymore. I have two side effects from the chemo and would appreciate additional prayer. I have blood clots in my right leg and in the portal vein in my liver. I also have neuropathy in my hands and feet. I cant' feel my feet or my fingers. Hopefully these things go away soon.

Once again, thank you for all the prayers.

lacuna · Feb 10, 2023

DawgFanFromAlabam said: ↑

Mods - please merge with the other couple of posts about my cancer if that’s where it should go.

Update on my cancer journey. Diagnosed August 2022 with stage 2 liver cancer. 3 weeks of the most intense radiation they can give in Oct./Nov. 2022 at MD Anderson in Houston. January 2023 was side effects - fatigue, digestive issues, etc. A few good days but a lot of days I didn’t feel like getting out of bed. Doctors told me these symptoms may last another 3-6 months. A minuscule price to pay.

Went for 3 month follow up scans and blood work in Houston yesterday. The 7cm tumor is gone! No other signs of cancer elsewhere.
Radiation oncologist said I responded very well to treatment and the tumor is gone, just a “crater” (his term) remains that will fill with scar tissue over the next 3-6 months. Medical oncologist was giddy - such a successful treatment.

Quarterly scans for the next 2 years and, if all clear after that, then yearly scans the rest of my life.

My life. God has blessed me with more time. I am so humbled by His grace.
Click to expand...

Best news ever, isn't it. Amazing strides in the ongoing fight to defeat this beast. When I heard my diagnosis of stage 4 cancer just 4 years ago this month, I was almost certain I would never see the end of 2019. Yet here I am, 4 years later still enjoying my family and the extended years God has granted to me.

I rejoice with you and all who have defeated this pernicious disease.

Anyone reading this, please consider donating to St Jude and M D Anderson that others may live.

lacuna · Feb 10, 2023

bperkins10 said: ↑

Dawg, I am glad to here the good reports and I have been praying for you along the way. God can do amazing things.

I know some of you in this thread were praying for my cancer battle and I greatly appreciated that very much. I know prayers are what got me get through all of this.

Here is a recap and update of my cancer journey.

April 1 had routine colonoscopy that showed a pretty large tumor. After scans, cancer was seen in a few surrounding lymph nodes, and was diagnosed as stage three cancer because it had not metastasized.

In October I finished my chemo treatments. Those treatments are not fun and had to have three of the last four in the hospital (three 4 day stays). I was scanned again and the scans came back with no detectable tumor.

In November they scoped me again and found that the tumor had shrunk but was not gone. It did not show on the previous scan because it was covered by scar tissue. It had shrunk enough to do the ileostomy which was going to happen no matter what (even if tumor gone) because of years having ulcerative colitis.

Dec 1st: I had an ileostomy to remove my colon. That went very well.

Jan 6: Re-scanned and found no cancer. Pathology report showed tumor was contained in the colon and the lymph nodes that the cancer was in previously showed no cancer. Long story short is that currently all tests show that cancer is gone. Will be getting scanned every three months for the next two years and then every six months four an additional five years.

I currently am getting use to a new normal which is a good thing because I am not dealing with the UC anymore. I have two side effects from the chemo and would appreciate additional prayer. I have blood clots in my right leg and in the portal vein in my liver. I also have neuropathy in my hands and feet. I cant' feel my feet or my fingers. Hopefully these things go away soon.
Click to expand...

Once again, thank you for all the prayers.
Click to expand...

@bperkins10 ...They will continue. May God bless you in your struggle with this beast.

kes · Feb 10, 2023

Glad to hear this news!

malscott · Feb 10, 2023

DawgFanFromAlabam said: ↑

The 7cm tumor is gone! No other signs of cancer elsewhere.
Radiation oncologist said I responded very well to treatment and the tumor is gone, just a “crater” (his term) remains that will fill with scar tissue over the next 3-6 months. Medical oncologist was giddy - such a successful treatment.

Quarterly scans for the next 2 years and, if all clear after that, then yearly scans the rest of my life.
My life. God has blessed me with more time. I am so humbled by His grace.
Click to expand...

Truly a miracle. God Blessed you. May his shining and healing light continue to protect you.

So happy for you. How cool is that? OMG. A miracle, for sure.

Good for you!Live long and prosper!

Blessings

Go Gators

SuperMOM · Feb 10, 2023

Great News Dawg!

Glad to hear it.

seffnergator · Feb 11, 2023

Good luck and healing going forward.

gcger520 · Feb 11, 2023

seffnergator said: ↑

Good luck and healing going forward.
Click to expand...

Awesome. Too good not to believe!

malscott · Feb 11, 2023

Bperkins, Lacuna, Dawgfan, Ray, and others -- thanks for having the courage to share your stories. And also reach out for support.

It's good to let folks know, and it must be somewhat cathartic to let it out and share your reality and truth- the struggles, the journey, and some wins. While I love this site, the true value for me is to be a part of the meaningful and mindful process. If I know, I can direct my prayers.

Thank you...

Blessings

Go Gators.

Mika · Feb 11, 2023

Dawgfan, that is Hom 100% looking out for you. This is Him reminding you that you still have purpose in your life. Give thanks and continue to give glory to God. He is better than we deserve. Thank you very much for being brave and letting us into your life. Know that you are not alone. He is with you always, and so are we despite our allegiance to different schools. Stay blessed.

Skink · Feb 12, 2023

lacuna said: ↑

@dawgfanfromalabama ~ I only today learned of this thread and the ordeal you have been going through. To read the growth of your tumor has slowed and is not spreading is wonderful news. You and your family have much to be grateful for and I know the praises and thanks were ringing in your household over Thanksgiving.

Along with others, I too applaud your decision to go with MD Anderson. My husband, g8rtrucker and I live in Colorado, having moved here from Florida four years ago. I had endometrial cancer and a complete hysterectormy at Shands in February, 2016. The surgeon who did the procedure and the pathology report concluded the surgery was a success, believing the cancer was completely contained inside the excised uterus and had not spread. I was told post surgical treatment was not needed. Our eldest son is a surgeon and the reports did not sit well with him. Our 3 adult children told us they wanted us to move closer to any one of them as we were aging and would eventually need their assistance. Our daughter and younger son and their families lived in Austin and our older son and family are in Grand Junction. We heeded their request and made the decision to move to the Western Slope of Colorado. We moved into our new home in December 20, 2018 - Almost 3 years after my hysterectomy.

Strange, curious sensations in my mid-abdominal area came and went for a couple of weeks, starting even before we moved from Florida. But we were busy and stressed with the move and since they were causing me no pain or discomfort I ignored them. Before the end of January '19 they had intensified into painful attacks that had me doubling over in pain and left gasping at the intensity. My son found me a good primary care pysician who suspected it might be a cancer recurrence. Tests and scans determined it was a tumor of some size located 'near' the lower vena cava next to the aorta. My son consulted with his colleagues and it was decided I should have a transplant surgeon take a look at it and biopsy it. I was sent to Anschutz, University of Colorado's Shands equivalent.

I had already made up my mind I would not have it removed surgically if it entailed what we all feared, as it did. It was attached, rooted into the vena cava and would require a risky procedure to remove and replace a section of the vein. Dr Ana Gleisner opened my abdomen and found the tumor attached - as feared - to the vena cava next to the aorta and pressing against my right kidney. She removed about half of it and closed me back up. In the post surgical conference while in recovery she told us she was capable of removing that section of the vein and replacing it with a functional part - but she said - she did not want to do it. Given my age she thought the risk too great. Her decision sat well well with me as I had already decided I would opt out of having it done to go with conventional treatment.

So we returned to Grand Junction and I consulted with an oncologist here in town selected by my surgeon son. The portion of the tumor removed at Anschutz had been biopsied and it was found to be the same endometrial cancer removed 3 years prior at Shands. My son was right to question their conclusion I needed no post op treatment back in 2016. My new oncologist consulted closely with oncologists at MD Anderson who had treated people like me. I have a neurolgical disorder with stability and balance issues that inhibits my ability to walk. I have walked using two canes for about 10 years. The chemo treatment most successful in treating cancers like mine would worsen the disorder and likely cripple me. Dr JoAnne Virgilio - Frageelee, as I affectionately call her - said she wanted to cure me, not cripple me. She cut back on the chemo dosage but amped up the radiation. It was aggressive, but so was the cancer. My treatment was every week day for 6 weeks. A month after I rang both bells in the infusion and radiation centers, the PET scan determined the stage 4 cancer was gone. I was in remission and have remained so for 3 and a half years. The beast of cancer is beatable.

Earlier in your thread a brief mention in passing was made of a thread I started 3 and a half years ago about my fight to defeat the beast of cancer. Many people have added their own encouraging thoughts and stories to it. Yours would also be welcome should you wish to add it to the thread that is pinned at the top of the Gator Tail Pub.

DFFA, May God Bless You with Healing in this Coming New Year
Click to expand...

Amazing story @Lacuna! ! Thank you for sharing your victory for all who fight with the beast. If I could see just one thing in my lifetime it would be the cure

Skink · Feb 12, 2023

DawgFanFromAlabam said: ↑

Mods - please merge with the other couple of posts about my cancer if that’s where it should go.

Update on my cancer journey. Diagnosed August 2022 with stage 2 liver cancer. 3 weeks of the most intense radiation they can give in Oct./Nov. 2022 at MD Anderson in Houston. January 2023 was side effects - fatigue, digestive issues, etc. A few good days but a lot of days I didn’t feel like getting out of bed. Doctors told me these symptoms may last another 3-6 months. A minuscule price to pay.

Went for 3 month follow up scans and blood work in Houston yesterday. The 7cm tumor is gone! No other signs of cancer elsewhere.
Radiation oncologist said I responded very well to treatment and the tumor is gone, just a “crater” (his term) remains that will fill with scar tissue over the next 3-6 months. Medical oncologist was giddy - such a successful treatment.

Quarterly scans for the next 2 years and, if all clear after that, then yearly scans the rest of my life.

My life. God has blessed me with more time. I am so humbled by His grace.
Click to expand...

What an amazing success story. Thank you for sharing with us DFFA — and CONGRATULATIONS!!

DawgFanFromAlabam · Jun 17, 2023

Just had my 7 month post treatment liver cancer scan/bloodwork because of getting that pacemaker in month 6. The pacemaker is AWESOME, makes me feel 20-30 years younger!

Scan was clean! No sign of cancer anywhere. Bloodwork showed my liver tumor marker is WAY down. Doc said I’m not out the woods yet but it doesn’t ever look any better than this!!

I feel Christ’s presence in my body. He is healing me. He is answering my prayers and those of so many friends and folks I’ve never even met like “rival” Gator fans that opened their hearts to an old Dawg fan they don’t even know. I will take that feeling to my eventual grave. My words are inadequate to express my admiration and thanks. Please still lift me up - God is hearing us!!!

Without early detection that He provided, I would have died before the end of last year. Amazed and alive by Grace.

incoldblood · Jun 17, 2023

Great to hear Dawg, thanks for the update. If that 20 to 30 years younger is in dawg years, then 3 to 4 years for us humans.

bperkins10 · Jun 17, 2023

Thanks for the update. Glad to hear things are looking good. God is good.

I get my 6 month scans on 6 July. Praying those come back clean.

Wanne15 · Jun 17, 2023

DawgFanFromAlabam said: ↑

Just had my 7 month post treatment liver cancer scan/bloodwork because of getting that pacemaker in month 6. The pacemaker is AWESOME, makes me feel 20-30 years younger!

Scan was clean! No sign of cancer anywhere. Bloodwork showed my liver tumor marker is WAY down. Doc said I’m not out the woods yet but it doesn’t ever look any better than this!!

I feel Christ’s presence in my body. He is healing me. He is answering my prayers and those of so many friends and folks I’ve never even met like “rival” Gator fans that opened their hearts to an old Dawg fan they don’t even know. I will take that feeling to my eventual grave. My words are inadequate to express my admiration and thanks. Please still lift me up - God is hearing us!!!

Without early detection that He provided, I would have died before the end of last year. Amazed and alive by Grace.
Click to expand...

I’m glad to hear you’re going to be with us in the future. Jesus don’t love dawgs though so the debil must have given you a pass. Play that fiddle good boy.

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