A new battle to fight, a war to wage

[Isuzusweet]

So, it begins; tomorrow will be my first session of chemo to battle the mass that is growing in my stomach.......

It started innocently enough very late last year with difficultly swallowing Melba toast. I put it down to the Melba toast absorbing moisture and swelling up in my throat........had no problems with other food, until the New Year; then it was bread; then my morning muffin got stuck......something wasn't right.

I finally phoned the doctors office in the middle of March starting the process of many tests, (Blood work, chest X-rays, Barium swallow, anti reflux pills for a month, followed by a Gastroscopy), where upon the doctor quietly told me I had a serious problem. Referred to a Thorasic surgeon, who I saw the next day; PET scan, CT scan, another Gastroscopy and finally a Laparoscopy and Gastroscopy at the same time to ascertain wether the cancer had stayed in the stomach, and to stretch open my stomach so I could eat again.

Up to Onocology, chemo lessons, PIC installed across my chest, (very weird feeling feeling a tube being threaded inside you); picked up a host of pills to take and injections to self administer; set up nursing aftercare to service my PIC and take off a chemo bottle I have to wear for 24hrs after the hospital chemo visit. Four bouts of chemo, spaced two weeks apart, followed by surgury, followed by another four bouts of chemo. I hope to have this done by the onstart of winter.

I've lost 40 lbs so far in the last three month and have another 25 week reserve at the current rate of loss per week.

I can't blame this on polishing my Airstream.....I haven't done that yet.

What is your Airstream cancer survivor story and how owning or wishing you owned an Airstream help your positivity. I have an Argosy motorhome that I really want to work on and am excited to start with a 6BT Cummins conversion this fall.

I am going to beat this..........; this campaign is the most important battle I'll be waging.

Cheers
Sidekick Tony

[SteveSueMac]

May you have the healing you want. Best to you!

[skyguyscott]

Lots of us here pulling for you, no doubt. Keep us updated as much as you like. I'm sure there's some places you've yet to haul your airstream!

[djarrett]

Tony -
I'm gonna keep good thoughts for you as you're now on my prayer list.

Lots of strides the last few years in cancer research.

Chin up!

D

[Lily&Me]

Sorry to hear of your illness, and hope the chemo sets everything right for you.

Good luck,

Maggie

[eubank]

Hang in there, Isuzusweet! My own story is from 2012, when I was diagnosed. Two months of radiation in the offing, we found an RV park in Santa Fe (location of hospital) that had some spaces specifically for patients. (Hardly the sweetest sites, but none of us were looking.)

So my five years have passed, and now I see the doctor only once per year. And that's exactly the position that I am SURE you'll be in! Do your time, and then start enjoying life like never before!



Lynn

[mimiandrews]

I'll join the others in wishing you successful treatment. Been there. Breast cancer surgery, chemo, and radiation 18 years ago.

[Piggy Bank]

Be strong and be kind to yourself.

Very sorry you have to go through this. I do hope that having trips to plan and things you want to see and do will occupy your downtime to help you as you battle through this.

[mbubbaca]

Yes, I too have been down this road. 2 years of misdiagnosis. 1/2 a day at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville found a tumor blocking 80% of my lower bowel. Surgery and Radiation.
On the way back from the Mayo on the day of my last radiation treatmen, my wife looked at me and said, " You think it's time to do all those things and go to all those places we've talked about?"
Me "Yes"
Wife " What about the poodle, we can't just leave her? Maybe we should get a motorhome or something."
I said, "The only thing we're getting is an Airstream."
It has been liberating to have the ability to go and do so many things. It's been great to just sit in it in the driveway.
Since cancer, I've had a stoke and a fractured pelvis. I will not allow these things to get in my way of living riveted.
You are reaching out to a rich group of supporting caring people. Allow them to share and support you as you work your way through this.

[aftermath]

Tony, best wishes in your recovery. Your open and honest post will help many. I only wish that more guys in your position will now get in and see a doctor.


Your attitude will be your best shot at recovery. I love it with you said, "I am going to beat this." Yes you are.


I am a guy who survived breast cancer. Then I needed to have surgery to repair a heart valve and then topped all of that off with a benign tumor in my head that had to be radiated. The daughters say I am the energizer bunny.


You will be amazed at how a serious health condition can change your outlook on life, and for the better. Now, get this done, get it over and then get out in the Airstream. Oh, and stay away from the Melba Toast. That is some bad stuff.



Dick

[ke6gkv]

stay strong Tony, your now on our prayer list. kurt

[westcoastas]

Tony, I wish you the best. I'm impressed with your forthrightness and ability to laugh - sometimes that's the best medicine. I'm also encouraged and in great admiration of those who have posted and have gone through their own personal health trials. This past winter I hung out with my full-timer friend in the Arizona desert as he went through and recovered from his chemo and radiation treatment. I don't know the particulars of what you will go through but I'm betting there will be good days but a lot of bad days...and that's where we can be there for you. My friend and I tried very hard to solve the world's problems over campfires during the cold winter days and nights, and while we didn't seem to have as much success as we hoped, I think talking together helped my friend. So perhaps you could use this forum as your virtual campfire and let us know how things are going. You have a lot of friends here.

I went through my own health scare with quadruple bypass surgery and when I got through it, I was better for it...better because I looked at the rest of my life differently and I got to it. You have something to live for and that's everything. I look forward to reading of your trials and progress. Anyone who has gone through chemo and radiation knows there is no getting around it - it sucks. But they both will be worth it. My friend is living proof of that.

[centennialman]

Tony....you are in the thoughts and prayers of many of us out here. We are all pulling for you and hope you will keep us updated. Get through this and get back to work on your projects...that's the best therapy ever!!

[ROBERT CROSS]

Tony...
Prayers sent...👍

Your starting off with a great attitude, in my own experience thats one of the most important considerations.

In 2013 I was diagnosed with agent orange related blood and prostate cancer. After 18mos of radiation and drug treatment I'm still in remission.

It may seem difficult but keep a positive outlook, lean on Family & friends.
Accept but don't give in to the current situation.

Bob
🇺🇸

[knunut]

Tony, My journey was Colon Cancer ,Surgery Chemo then it moved to Liver and 7 month's of chemo. Sitting in that chair for 4 hours getting pumped up and wearing a pump for 3 day's was interesting ! I always saw someone worse than me tho. And i thought of my sister and she has MS. That gave me strengh along with a great oncologist and family. Forum family also.The first rally i missed i rcvd. a card from them all !!.It also helped and i carried to ALL my chemo appts.
Dr. also tried a mono clonal anti body ,that really worked.!! As they say there are now many things on the "Shelf" that they can try.
The emotional roller coaster was more than i predicted.
My CT test etc. seem to be clear this year.May your journey be as succesful as mine. My thoughts and prayers for you.

[tevake]

That a bummer Tony. No wonder you've been such a cranky bugger lately.
This cancer deal is just good training for the challenges of the upcoming engine swap.
We all saw what Mel went thru, you got to be ready for a job like that.

Hang in there Bro, were pulling for ya!

Cheers Richard

[Minno]

Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
There are many cancer treatments now, where one doesn't work another will.


Kay

[rowiebowie]

Sorry to hear of your problem, but you sound like you are staying positive and determined to beat it.

Fortunately, I don't have a personal cancer story (other than getting whittled on by my dermatologist regularly). However, I learned from my Dad to not be stoic to the point of your own detriment. Once, while he was hospitalized, he stopped eating. Not due to his condition, but rather a side effect of medication (several, it turned out, he did not need).

The short story is, day after day, his doctor would pop in and ask "How are you doing today?" to which Dad replied "Not eating too good." This apparently went on for nearly a week (unknown to me), and I noticed he was dying right there in the hospital under the nose of nurses and his doctor.


Now, it wasn't completely their fault. Turns out he wasn't eating more than a bite or two each meal. So he told my Mom to eat his food. The nurses came and removed an empty tray and the Doctor was not aware he was basically not eating.

I found they were giving him several drugs for problems that he didn't have. I asked the doctor to take him off these unnecessary drugs. Sure enough, his appetite returned over the next few days and my Dad recovered from that episode. But it could have been avoided if only he had responded "I haven't eaten anything in days" instead of "I'm not eating too good".

Here's to hoping your doctors have a good handle on your treatment. Don't forget to be completely honest with them, ask questions, and get answers.

[mayco]

Crap Tony.

[GCinSC2]

Tony,

Best wishes for successfully battling the C and get it over with and back to having real fun really soon.

Gary