As of today, February 11th, 2010, ten months and 18 rounds of chemotherapy after being diagnosed with stage four metastatic colon cancer to left lung and four mediastinal lymph nodes, I am in full remission or NEDS.( no evidence of disease.) Goliath has been defeated!!!
I am overjoyed to say the least.!!!! This is the best news possible. My battle with Goliath will never be over, but for now Goliaths troops have been destroyed and we just need to keep guard against any new uprising. We will do that with constant vigilance and continued chemical dispersal, to quell any rouge cells that might be hiding out in undisclosed locations.
Thank you all for your prayers and support. Everybody,s best wishes and help is very much appreciated. It has been a very emotional and stressful period of time for my family and I. Now maybe we can get back to a little normality and start living an active life again. It is a wonderful feeling to be able to look forward with hope, vigor and longevity instead of uncertainty and foreboding. To quote an old TV personality of my childhood and the 50's, Jacky Gleason of the Honeymooners, " How sweet it is!"
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Grounded due to weather
Day one round 18. That's 36 weeks,or nine months. That's full term isn't it ?I have been through, nausea, the cravings. The mood swings. The cold sweats, The urgent need for a rest room, and failed to make it in time. I know where every rest room is every place I go or find out if they have one before I go. I have monster sized cramps and sometimes I swear there is something moving around in there!! I know how hard it is to get up from the couch or to get in or out of a low car, or how frustrating it is to even reach my feet to tie my shoe. Well maybe that part is just because I am fat. Well you get my point. Is it remotely possible? Could you even Begin to imagine what might come out!!!!!! I proudly humble myself to all the wonderful mothers of the world.
I am going a little whacko. back on the steroids you know, and the week before my big scan and I am both hopeful and worried about what we might find.
I am so close to NEDS, however the longer one is on chemo the more likley that Goliath has built up resistance to the chemo. I am not out of the woods yet.
The weather has been overcast with winds and lots of rain, so my maiden flight has been delayed due to weather. It has given me time to tweak on it and come up with a simple solution to the battery position security, which brought the plane into balance. I have also masterfully diagnosed the flap malfunction. I didn't have the lead plugged in!! I also slightly modified one of the wing retaining pins and can now install and uninstall the wing. This makes for easier storage
It was fun having John helping me put it together. You know what they say about men and thier toys.
The weather looks clear this morning. Maybe I will run down to the airfield and see if there is any flying going on. Think I should give John a call and maybe we both can go out to play!
I am going a little whacko. back on the steroids you know, and the week before my big scan and I am both hopeful and worried about what we might find.
I am so close to NEDS, however the longer one is on chemo the more likley that Goliath has built up resistance to the chemo. I am not out of the woods yet.
The weather has been overcast with winds and lots of rain, so my maiden flight has been delayed due to weather. It has given me time to tweak on it and come up with a simple solution to the battery position security, which brought the plane into balance. I have also masterfully diagnosed the flap malfunction. I didn't have the lead plugged in!! I also slightly modified one of the wing retaining pins and can now install and uninstall the wing. This makes for easier storage
It was fun having John helping me put it together. You know what they say about men and thier toys.
The weather looks clear this morning. Maybe I will run down to the airfield and see if there is any flying going on. Think I should give John a call and maybe we both can go out to play!
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Flying high
Yesterday was infusion day (round 17) and back on the Oxaliplatin and steroids. Some old side effects are reappearing, ie; mouth cramps. Unable to drink any thing cold, an orange hue to my skin, headache. I feel heavier like I gained 50 pounds. I am feeling the fog rolling in again and I am off my feed. I kept pretty busy today. The steroids kicking in.
I have decided to move on in life and have decided to take up flying model airplanes. Why flying? It's in my blood. I have always wanted to fly. There have been so many pilots in our family. There has been Lt.Charles (Chuck) Porterfield, Copilot, B-24 Liberator. Lt.Robert (Bob) Densmore. Copilot/Pilot B-17, Flying Fortress. Both honorably Serving their country during the hostilities of WWII serving with the 8Th Air Force in the European Theater of Operation. Then there was Ltcdr,Troy Porterfield, USNR ,Pilot, flying A Grumman Avenger off a small aircraft carrier in the Pacific Theater of Operation as well as Lt. Leonard Porterfield, USNR, pilot, F4F-Wild Cat Fighter, also flying off carriers in the Pacific. Also during WWII. Troy and Leonard were cousins of my father. Grandpa David's brothers boys. And we should never forget to honor these men. My Dad took flying lessons for a time. He too has had the joy of controlling an airplane. I spent four years in the Air Force wrenching on F-4 Phantoms and then F-15 Eagles. I have been a passenger in a P-51 Mustang. What a great thrill , a C-130 several times ,and several types of Helicopters when working Offshore. And continuing on in the blood line is now, My sister Karyns son, Chris Murray, Copilot with American Eagle flying passenger aircraft.
So now I am too old and physically unable to take up flying real airplanes, But these models are real airplanes. They are smaller in scale but they fly by the pilots input. I will use a remote controller. I of course will be standing on the ground controlling the aircraft so I have to fly by sight and not feel. However I will need to employ all principles of flight. Responces are quick. The aircraft I have chosen to buy and fly is a Cessna 182 Skylane about 3ft.in length and a wingspan of four feet. It's prop driven by electric motor and made of Z-foam .Z-foam is strong and light and repairs easily with glue. It is a high wing with tricycle landing gear, good for novice flyer's. It has throttle control ,elevators, rudder, ailerons and flaps. It also has running lights and landing lights. The nose wheel has steering and a shock absorber. Sounds way to cool for a novice pilot but this airplane is a trainer. I have also bought a flight simulator and have logged a lot of hours on the sim. Basic flight school. I have upgraded the controller and receiver and the controller has dual rate settings- low and high. Low for novice and high for more experienced pilots. Having flaps seems a lot for a model but it allows for dead slow landings, a good thing for novices. If you are interested in seeing this airplane Log onto http://www.flyzoneplanes.com/ and click on RC planes then click the airplane top right. Cessna 182 Skylane RTF & RXR. Flying one of these small aircraft is not easy and is a challenge. That is why I like it. It will give me a sense of accomplishment to be able to master the skill of basic flight and to continue to improve and master faster and more responsive aircraft. In model aircraft the most challenging aircraft are multi-engines. One of my flying goals is to own and fly a P-38 Lighting. I will name it the Charles L Porterfield II. So in honor of all the fly boys in the family, I am going to sign off now. over and out.
I have decided to move on in life and have decided to take up flying model airplanes. Why flying? It's in my blood. I have always wanted to fly. There have been so many pilots in our family. There has been Lt.Charles (Chuck) Porterfield, Copilot, B-24 Liberator. Lt.Robert (Bob) Densmore. Copilot/Pilot B-17, Flying Fortress. Both honorably Serving their country during the hostilities of WWII serving with the 8Th Air Force in the European Theater of Operation. Then there was Ltcdr,Troy Porterfield, USNR ,Pilot, flying A Grumman Avenger off a small aircraft carrier in the Pacific Theater of Operation as well as Lt. Leonard Porterfield, USNR, pilot, F4F-Wild Cat Fighter, also flying off carriers in the Pacific. Also during WWII. Troy and Leonard were cousins of my father. Grandpa David's brothers boys. And we should never forget to honor these men. My Dad took flying lessons for a time. He too has had the joy of controlling an airplane. I spent four years in the Air Force wrenching on F-4 Phantoms and then F-15 Eagles. I have been a passenger in a P-51 Mustang. What a great thrill , a C-130 several times ,and several types of Helicopters when working Offshore. And continuing on in the blood line is now, My sister Karyns son, Chris Murray, Copilot with American Eagle flying passenger aircraft.
So now I am too old and physically unable to take up flying real airplanes, But these models are real airplanes. They are smaller in scale but they fly by the pilots input. I will use a remote controller. I of course will be standing on the ground controlling the aircraft so I have to fly by sight and not feel. However I will need to employ all principles of flight. Responces are quick. The aircraft I have chosen to buy and fly is a Cessna 182 Skylane about 3ft.in length and a wingspan of four feet. It's prop driven by electric motor and made of Z-foam .Z-foam is strong and light and repairs easily with glue. It is a high wing with tricycle landing gear, good for novice flyer's. It has throttle control ,elevators, rudder, ailerons and flaps. It also has running lights and landing lights. The nose wheel has steering and a shock absorber. Sounds way to cool for a novice pilot but this airplane is a trainer. I have also bought a flight simulator and have logged a lot of hours on the sim. Basic flight school. I have upgraded the controller and receiver and the controller has dual rate settings- low and high. Low for novice and high for more experienced pilots. Having flaps seems a lot for a model but it allows for dead slow landings, a good thing for novices. If you are interested in seeing this airplane Log onto http://www.flyzoneplanes.com/ and click on RC planes then click the airplane top right. Cessna 182 Skylane RTF & RXR. Flying one of these small aircraft is not easy and is a challenge. That is why I like it. It will give me a sense of accomplishment to be able to master the skill of basic flight and to continue to improve and master faster and more responsive aircraft. In model aircraft the most challenging aircraft are multi-engines. One of my flying goals is to own and fly a P-38 Lighting. I will name it the Charles L Porterfield II. So in honor of all the fly boys in the family, I am going to sign off now. over and out.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Clear as mud, or boy am I confussed.
Had an oncology visit with " DOC" and she expressed her concern about having too many C/T scans, saying they pose a risk of generating Cancer!! That the radiation was harmful! I replied in a dumb founded mono syllable fashion, They use radiation to cure cancer, don't they? And the chemo, Oxaliplatin is an internal form of general radiation,Right? She answered yes to both questions. So now I ask ,doe's the risk of getting cancer from the scans pose a bigger risk than not checking on the cancer I all ready have?? Boy I am really confused now. God forbid I might get cancer!!!Holly smolly, this next scan might give me cancer and then what? Do I go and get radiation treatment for it?? Or even worse, I might have to get chemotherapy treatments!!! OH NOOO!!! Wait a minute! Is this a joke or something?. Your pulling my leg ,right Doc? Well that's not exactly how the real conversation went, but that is what was running through my mind. It's all to crazy for me sometimes.
The next scan will be sometime in February,when ever Imaging will call and set up an appointment. It will be a full torso scan from my hips to my neck and we will use it as the new baseline. This scan will check all organs and some bones. I am hoping and believe I will be in NEDS. I have to do a small amount of prep for this scan, like take Banana flavor barium drink!( banana-yuck-gag ) Why don"t they give us a choice. Sir, would you prefer cherry or perhaps chocolate fudge ripple with whipped cream and nuts? Or maybe even bacon flavored. Everybody loves bacon. Anyway I digress.
The results of the scan will effect how my treatment go's. If there is any evidence of Goliath, then I will remain on full Chemo, with oxaliplatin. If I am in NEDS then I will start a maintenance chemo,What I am on now. It is the same drugs just less the oxaliplatin, and maybe a slightly reduced dose. It,s not perfect, but it is way, way ,way better than the alternative.Wow, the phone just rang and it's Imaging. February 8Th. is the scan day. So lets toast scans, It was scans that found Goliath and maybe it will be scans that show, That Goliath has been defeated. SCANS ,HEAR ,HEAR!!
The next scan will be sometime in February,when ever Imaging will call and set up an appointment. It will be a full torso scan from my hips to my neck and we will use it as the new baseline. This scan will check all organs and some bones. I am hoping and believe I will be in NEDS. I have to do a small amount of prep for this scan, like take Banana flavor barium drink!( banana-yuck-gag ) Why don"t they give us a choice. Sir, would you prefer cherry or perhaps chocolate fudge ripple with whipped cream and nuts? Or maybe even bacon flavored. Everybody loves bacon. Anyway I digress.
The results of the scan will effect how my treatment go's. If there is any evidence of Goliath, then I will remain on full Chemo, with oxaliplatin. If I am in NEDS then I will start a maintenance chemo,What I am on now. It is the same drugs just less the oxaliplatin, and maybe a slightly reduced dose. It,s not perfect, but it is way, way ,way better than the alternative.Wow, the phone just rang and it's Imaging. February 8Th. is the scan day. So lets toast scans, It was scans that found Goliath and maybe it will be scans that show, That Goliath has been defeated. SCANS ,HEAR ,HEAR!!
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