Wednesday, December 29, 2010

All I Want For Christmas...

Christmas is a time of year where all you want is your loved ones to be happy. It is also a time of year when it makes you feel so great to spread a little cheer to someone in need of it. The Cancer Center in late December is an interesting mix of happiness, merriment and hope with a overpowering feeling of sadness for those who are struggling with a horrible disease. The staff does all they can to bring smiles to the faces of those in pain and they should all be admired for their efforts. Truly for those who work at the Cancer Center, it is more than a job to them. They are the hands and feet of God.

I was at the Cancer Center twice the week before Christmas. After all, doesn't everyone want a PET Scan for Christmas? NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

12/20/10 - I had my PET Scan today. This is one of those tests that take a while. It is not that the scan takes long. It is that you are first injected with some kind of fluid that needs time to run through your system before the scan. After the injection I waited about 90 minutes in recliner watching TV. The scan itself takes about 20 minutes.

12/23/10 - I get the results of my PET Scan and blood tests today. I will meet with Dr. Mateo again being DR. Goy is in France visiting his father for Christmas.The good news was that my IG levels are actually high. This means I did not need another IVIG at this time. As far as the results of the PET Scan it is not good news, but not bad news either. It is more of a wait an see news. The scan did confirm the existence of an enlarged lymph node and it did show as being a little hot (which means there is a higher level of cell activity). In all honesty if I was just a normal healthy person with no history of lymphoma it would be seen as nothing to worry about. But I am not that normal person and they want to be extra special careful. I have been scheduled for another CT Scan and PET Scan at the end of February. My IG levels will also be rechecked at this time. I look at it this way... I could be a nervous wreck for the next two months and worry about this or I could be positive and not worry about anything unless my doctors say there is a reason to. I chose not to worry. Life is way too short the spent time worrying about things that "could" be a problem. If it becomes a problem, I will deal with it. Until then I will simply live my life and make the very best of each day.

If after reading this you are concerned for me, please don't be. It is very likely that most of us are walking around with enlarged and inflamed lymph nodes this time of year. I must admit the one thing that makes me crazy about being a cancer survivor is that I can't get a sniffle without someone thinking I am sick again.

My CT and PET Scans are scheduled for 2/23/11

My follow up appointment with Dr. Goy is scheduled for 2/28/11

I plan have a new post after I get my scan results in the end of February.
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As we approach the New Year, we often spend much time thinking about the future. Here are some thoughts to ponder when planning the future:


This is from Rick Warren's Daily Devotional on how to face an uncertain future:
The Bible offers three timeless principles for facing an uncertain future:

1. Let God set your goals. It’s foolish to make any plans without first consulting God. He’s the only one who does know the future, and he’s eager to guide you through it. The Bible says “We may make our plans, but God has the last word” (Proverbs 16:1 GNT). In other words, planning without praying is presumption. Start by praying, “God, what do you want me to do?”

2. Live one day at a time. While you can plan for tomorrow, you can’t live tomorrow until it arrives. Most people spend so much time regretting the past and worrying about the future, they have no time for today! Commit to making the most of each moment of each day. Jesus said, “Don’t be anxious about tomorrow. God will take care of your tomorrow too. Live one day at a time” (Matthew 6:34 LB).

3. Don’t procrastinate. Procrastinating is a subtle trap. It wastes today by postponing things until tomorrow. You promise yourself that you’ll do it “one of these days,” but then “one of these days” turns into “none of these days.” The Bible says, “Do not boast about [what you’re going to do] tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth” (Proverbs 27:1 NIV). What have you planned to do that you haven’t done yet? When do you intend to start working on it?

And here is a wonderful scripture on how God gives us strength to deal with whatever the future has in store for us:
The Lord will guide you continually,
giving you water when you are dry
and restoring your strength.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like an ever-flowing spring.
Isaiah 58:11

I truly hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and I wish you all a blessed New Year.


more to come...

http://mantlecell.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

There is so much to be Thankful for

As I think back to the spring of 2008 when I wasn’t feeling well and had so many questions to now where it is all a distant memory, I truly do have so much to be thankful for.
Over the past couple of months I seem to have picked up and upper respiratory infection that I just can’t kick. I met with a few doctors and have been on a number of antibiotics to no avail. I had an appointment with Dr. Goy in September and it seems that my immune system is pretty low. It would seem that it does take time for our immune system to fully recover after all the chemo treatment I had. It sometimes needs years to get back to normal. We have these things called GA levels and apparently mine are lower than they should be. I went to see Dr. Goy to see what he suggested I do. He first wanted to make sure it was only an infection so he had me get a CT Scan. Thankfully it came back clear. He then suggested that I get an IVIG infusion.
  • Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is a blood product administered intravenously. It contains the pooled IgG (immunoglobulin (antibody) G) extracted from the plasma of over one thousand blood donors. IVIG's effects last between 2 weeks and 3 months. It is mainly used as treatment in three major categories:
    • Immune deficiencies such as X-linked agammaglobulinemia, hypogammaglobulinemia (primary immune deficiencies), and acquired compromised immunity conditions (secondary immune deficiencies) featuring low antibody levels.
    • Inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.
    • Acute infections.
The only issue with me getting this treatment was there was a blood shortage and supplies were limited. I would have to wait for a while. It ended up being a pretty long wait about two months. I had the IVIG treatment on 11/24/10.

Below is the update on my checkups:

11/15/10 – It is that 4 month scan time again. Today I had my CT Scan

11/18/10 – Today I get my results to my scans. I met with Dr. Mateo (a new doctor on Dr. Goy’s team). Overall my scans looked good... Thank God!!! The one thing that did show up on my scan was an enlarged lymph node in the right hilar (one of the areas I have had tumors in the past. Now there are many reasons why someone could have an enlarged lymph node, and with the upper respiratory infections I have been having it is most likely enlarged because of that. Due do to my history, Dr. Mateo is being overly cautious and scheduled me for a PET Scan in December. Dr. Mateo also advised me that my GA levels are low so he scheduled me for my IVIG infusion.

11/24/10 – I met with Dr. Mateo again. To be proactive, he scheduled me for a second IVIG in about a month just in case my IG levels do not improve from the treatment I get today. I did finally get the IVIG infusion. It took about 4 hours.

My schedule for the next month is as follows:
• 12/17/10 – Blood test for IG levels
• 12/20/10 – I will have my PET Scan
• 12/23/10 – I will get the results of the PET Scan, have IVIG infusion if I need it.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. I really do have so much to be thankful for. I have great family and friends, a loving wife and the best daughters ever. God is Good, God is Great!!!!!!!!

I know I have included this in my BLOG before but here is a great song about being thankful that I would love to share with you. It is called "Thank You for Hearing Me" by The David Crowder Band. Enjoy!!!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_v-YPbbNRPY

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!!

More to come…

http://mantlecell.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

My Adventure has hit the 2 year mark… and I am stronger and healthier than ever

7/12/10 – Has it been 4 months already. Boy does times fly. I had my scan today. I will see Dr. Goy in a couple of days for my results.


7/14/10 – I am VERY HAPPY to say that all is well. I can not thank God enough for my good health. I met with Dr. Goy. He was his normal great self. I think he takes great pride on how well I am doing. My next scan will be in 4 months on November 15th. I will get my results on November 18th.

In a few days it will mark the 2 year “anniversary” of me being diagnosed with Mantle Cell Lymphoma. It was July 17th, 2008 that I received the news of my condition. It seems so long ago. My family and I will celebrate this day with a trip into New York City to see the Broadway play Wicked. Last year on this day we also celebrated this day by going to a Broadway play (Billy Elliot). I think it is real important to take a bad day in our life and make it into a something positive, special and fun. Life is way too short to spend time thinking about down times. Besides, I am very blessed. I have great doctors, a fantastic family whom I love very much and a GREAT GOD who loves me so much that he surrounds me with his love and all these wonderful people in my life.

My next posting will be in November after I get my scan results.

http://mantlecell.blogspot.com/

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Graduation Day

3/8/10 – It sure seems like 3 months comes and goes very quickly. Didn’t I just do this? Well, I had my CT scans today. I am meeting with Dr. Goy on Friday March 12th to get my results.

3/12/10 – I met with Dr Feldman and Dr. Goy today. My scans are all clear. YES!!!!!!!!!!! If this news isn’t good enough I was told that I have graduated from needing to be scanned every 3 months to every 4 months. God is Good, God is Great!!!!

My next scan is scheduled for July 12th and my follow-up appointment with Dr. Goy is on July 14th.

Here are a couple of beautiful songs that can be a great source of comfort for anyone dealing with life’s challenges.

Carried Me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKUV5rYFfk0

You Were On the Cross
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCPsZ-Vi6Ck

A Happy Easter to all.

My next posting will be in July after I get my scan results.

More to come… Peace

http://mantlecell.blogspot.com/