Happy fourth of July everyone! I hope you are all out having fun with picnics and spending time with family and friends. Thank you all for helping to make my birthday a million times more enjoyable than my birthday last year. It's good to be reminded how old you are getting. Thank you so much for the well-wishes, cards, e-cards, personal song selections, homemade cakes, and gifts. Yesterday, I had to go to medical short stay to get bloodwork and I needed another platelet transfusion (no real news there). I also got yet another CT scan of my chest since my breathing has not really gotten much better or worse. Fortunately, the scan showed no significant changes. That evening, our families got to enjoy an evening together without talk about cancer (but of course, when our families get together, there's always some talk of cancer). To give Karen a reprieve from cooking, both moms cooked 2-3 Taiwanese dishes each and we had a blast with all the great home cooking. It was nice to just be in each other's company outside of the hospital setting. And to top everything, Karen baked a delicious double layer cake in my favorite Steelers colors.
So here's the lowdown on the 411 on Operation Opening a Can of Whup-Ass on Cancer (OOCW-AC). I was quite appalled to find out that the highly recommended militiamen that I hired to protect the princess donor cells and to decimate the cancer cells ended up just not being up to the task. Initially, these militiamen were vigilant and focused on their jobs. They thought it was a piece of cake. But as time passed, they started kicking up their feet, watching European football nonstop, and getting bloated on corn chips. Part of the reason why was that all the princess donor cells looked like Angelina Jolie (you'll like the reference dad: why again?) in those Tomb Raider costumes. So militia guys figure: "You don't want to mess with these girls! They can take care of themselves. Hey, move your head, I can't see the TV." Well, that was the beginning of the end folks. Cancer cells got wise to all this and employed a series of ambush guerrilla warfare tactics to take control of the entity called Joe. We don't know where Angelina Jolie is and it is assumed she is MIA or KIA. Her whereabouts are unknown.
Now, obviously, I don't really appreciate cancer cells being all up in my bidniz. They have free run of the joint right now, eating all my food, reprogramming my DVR, tipping over my rare Sumatran centerpieces... Hence, the Elite Special Forces have been employed and these guys are good. They're going to be led by a miniaturized Special Agent Jack Bauer who has signed on for the job. Jack tends to be a rogue, but he promises to lead this special task force to victory. As we speak, the ESF are infiltrating the entity call Joe and will be awaiting specific attack orders. These are shoot to kill orders. If necessary, heavy arterilly, fighter jets, and gunships are ready to be deployed, but we are not underestimating the ability of Jack Bauer and his men.
(Side note: ever notice how if Jack Bauer is teamed up with local police or FBI or something that all the police and FBI guys are dressed in full body armor and helmet with eye shield, but Jack not only does not put on a helmet, but often he'll pull off his flak jacket and leave it on the floor. He should at least where goggles or something.)
Okay, for those of you who thought the last 2 1/2 paragraphs were too technical or I am showing signs of mental illness, it is clearly obvious the first bone marrow transplant failed. All of the doctors at West Penn had a big discussion (also taking into consideration Cleveland's suggestions for treatment). Our doctors here are in consensus that treating me with a high dose chemotherapy right now would be too toxic. Since something has to be done to keep the disease in check, I will be receiving "lighter" inpatient chemotherapy with an agent called decitabine. It's given every 8 hours over 3 days (9 doses) and I'm told it's pretty well tolerated. I still will need to have the stronger induction chemotherapy at some point, but this will at least buy more time for my lungs to heal or for the lesions in the lungs to further declare themselves. I'm being admitted again to the hospital tomorrow (Thursday) for a "tune-up" day because I'll need both blood and platelet transfusions. I'll start the chemo on Friday. Please pray that we made the right decision!
God's love,
Joe
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6 comments:
That was one of the hardest plots I had to follow, but I think I did it.. Glad you had some good time with family :-)
As always, you are in my prayer.
only you could imagine a cancer cell as angelina jolie as lara croft. you must be delirious :)
xoxox,
lisa.
Okay, so you admit it...you are a lunatic. Not that there is anything wrong with that (Seinfeld reference). Not only does Bauer take off the jacket, but usually he has been tortured or killed (for a little bit) and then revived and able to sprint after the bad guys. That is just what you are doing now....so your new nickname will either be "24" or Jack, right? I personally vote for "24".
Of course you made the right decision. YOu sought the wisdom of many counselors, and everybody is praying and praying, and God gives wisdom to those who ask! So don't do no secind gessing, pardnur! That being said, of course, you will question it as we tend to by our human nature.
Still reading, still praying. (And I don't even have a plot in my "comment" here on the world wide intra-net....and it is still hard to follow!) 99th auntie
Oh Joe, I love you. You are the most remarkable person I have ever known in my life. What an honor to read your blog everyday. It is such a blessing to me and uplifts me always. You must be so special to the Lord that no words can say. Your reward will be above and beyond anything that we can imagine - for being so faithful. Love in Christ, Ellen
Praying for you as you start chemo tomorrow. Decitabine kept me going for several months and the side effects were a breeze compared to most. Can't promise you'll always feel great, but I do hope it treats you gently while whooping up on some cancer cells. It's an interesting drug and has a lot of potential to do good, I think. Not sure if you've seen anything like it before but for me it was a newbie, which is why I credit it for keeping the disease at bay for me for several months.
Ed and I have access to top secret planes and missles. Let us know when we should deploy them to the land of Joe.
~Shelley
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