Prayers wanted

[blanikdog]

Well I got through the second assault on my bladder much better than the first. Just a bit of a fever and sore muscles, not even a headache or vomit. Still have sore muscles, but tonight I'M GOING DANCING! Your prayers all payed off. )

Healthy blanik

[The Baker]

Well I got through the second assault on my bladder much better than the first. Just a bit of a fever and sore muscles, not even a headache or vomit. Still have sore muscles, but tonight I'M GOING DANCING! Your prayers all payed off. )

Healthy blanik

Maybe it's because of the bit about 'more joy in heaven over one sinner' because they haven't heard a lot from me in recent times!
Anyway, good news.

[Usge]

Good on ya Blanik. Have a great time!!

[Hack]

Good for you, Blanik!

[Slow & Steady]

tonight I'M GOING DANCING! Your prayers all payed off. )

Healthy blanik

That's the right attitude Blanik... we all share a love of Distilling and through fellowship we come to love one another. That's the way God made us and I'm glad of it... change the mood, then change the world. You are a more kind and gentle soul than I have never known.

Husker, I hope that Barb and you are doing OK. I know by the calendar that you are dealing with the last treatment... tell Barb we all love her and pray for a lasting result... she is fighting the good fight, difficult yes... but a good fight never the less. She is lucky to have a good man such as your self to stand by her through her battle. May God Bless.

S&S

[Husker]

Husker, I hope that Barb and you are doing OK. I know by the calendar that you are dealing with the last treatment... tell Barb we all love her and pray for a lasting result... she is fighting the good fight, difficult yes... but a good fight never the less. She is lucky to have a good man such as your self to stand by her through her battle. May God Bless.

S&S

Barb had her last chemo a week ago last Thursday. At the same time, both of us came down with that F'n pig flu. Not a terribly bad flu, but it still knocks you down for about 5 days (about 8 days for Barb). Today is her first day back to work since the last chemo. I know what my 'first' day back was like (sucked bad, I was very 'worn out').

Now is the healing time. I think it takes a few months to get that poison out of her, but she will get better most every day (at least more better days than bad days). I think most of the nausia is gone, which is good. being that sick for that long was really hard on her.

The one thing that is still left, which I hope goes away (it does not always go away), is the neuropothy (sp) in her feet, hands and legs (mostly feet). That is sort of like feet being asleep, but they also hurt really bad. It is one of the known side effects of the Paxol chemo therapy. I know that bothers her pretty badly, and I pray that it gets better, or goes away 100%.

Well, now we get better, and she will have scans and follow up screenings starting soon. I am hopeful the worst of it is now behind us.

H.

[Usge]

I hope so too Husker. Gettin' the pigflu on top of everything is just crappy. Feel better and take care.

[blanikdog]

I've finally recovered from the rotten infection I had and in two days the buggers are going to assault my bladder again. Not really looking forward to it I have to say. I guess the good side is that I only have four 'assaults' to go, and am feeling good. I even ran my rebuilt still yesterday and she's a bewdy. Now to start a rum wash. Hopefully treatment this time will take four weeks rather than the ten weeks it's taken for two treatments. Fingers crossed.

Hope Barb is feeling better every day, Husker.

blanik

[Slow & Steady]

Blanik, I'm glad to hear you are feeling better. You had gone silent for two weeks and had us all worried. It's great you got some "stillin" time on your rebuild. Good luck on tomorrows treatment... I wish you smooth sailing. Spring is just around the corner for you in Australia, so change is in the air. I pray for an easy four final treatments and a great result.

Barb, I pray your neuropothy gets better with each passing day.

S&S

[high-grade]

My prayers go out to the Husker family, to Barb and Blanik.

I have read that ginger really helps dealing with the chemo nausea. You can make a nice tea out of powdered ginger, or just using fresh ginger for the tea, or ginger supplements.

Ginger is also great for an upset stomach, motion sickness and flatulence.

[Husker]

Thanks HG, for the tip. Barb has been pretty cautious on supplements she was taking, since there were numerous things that screwed around with how well the chemo was doing its job.

Well, I guess I will post an update to what is up with Barb.

She had her first follow scan a week prior to last Friday, and we got the results last Monday (10 days ago). The results were a mixed message. There was a line of shiny shadows on the left side (that was where the top 1/2 of her lung was removed). This was NOT what Barb had been hoping for. She was very hopeful for a NED (no evidence of disease). However, the oncologist could not give that as a diagnosis.

Now, the shadow "line" (and it was not a tiny line, but a pretty bright wide 'line'), was somewhat expected (as described by her oncologist). Often the first scan or 2 show this, and it is often residual radiation scarring that has not yet healed. Also, since BOTH of us had the flu, she was also attributing that to this scan. Again, not a NED that Barb was really quietly begging for, but not a 'bad' first scan. Barb WAS down for a couple of days after the meeting with the doc. I KNOW she was really really hopeful to hear NED.

However, the scan also showed fluid around the heart, and a few other things. Again, likely results of the radiation (NASTY, NASTY stuff). So now she has a heart doctor, along with the oncologist.

She still has the neuropathy in her feet. It is a little better, but still bothers her (sometimes a lot). I do hope that gets better over time.

She has just started to get her hair back. It is very short (possibly 1/8" or so), and still pretty sparsely coming in, but it is coming in. She has found an eyebrow or 2 (single hairs, not whole eyebrows, lol). So slowly, things are returning to normal. It takes about 4 to 6 months to actually get all that chemo poison out of of your system, so I do not expect full recovery until at least most of that crap is out.

This year has really changed a lot of perspective on things for us. Even tonight, I am taking paperwork home, and over the next few days, we will get our will written (I pray we do not need it, but the time to do it is now, not later). That has been something I have been putting off for way too long.

Well, enough farting around from work, guess, I better sign out for now. I thank all of you, for the thoughts, prayers and kind words.

H.

[HookLine]

That is an okay result for now. Could have been a lot worse. Hang in there.

I get various symptoms of neuropathy, including in the lower legs. Not nice. Really fucks my day up sometimes.

And every adult should have a valid up-to-date will, you never know when your time will be up. Having your papers in order is one less major hassle for your loved ones to deal with at a very difficult time.

[stuartashers]

hay all good to hear all's getting better lots of good thoughts for you all.
My other half had a little girl 9/9/09 a week later she had fluid on he lungs and nearly died
no will either, bugger the government getting it all. shes fine now attitude's back to lol (both of theme)out numbered now two to one . Oh off topic sorry uncle Fester but every time I read your posts that voice pops in to my head and reads aloud. I think I watched to much telly as a kid lol.

[Husker]

Today, Barb had her 3rd follow up. A CT scan, on Mon, and today met with her oncologist. She got GREAT news today. A NED (no evidence of disease). She has been WAITING and praying for this.

Now, this is just the first follow up listing NED. However, after 5 yrs of NED, she can be considered cancer free, and no more likely to get cancer than she was prior to being diagnosed last spring.

Thanks all for the prayers. They have been felt.

H.

[kiwistiller]

Great news!

[olddog]

Great news , It must be the best christmas present yet

[smokerscully1]

Great news!! Merry Christmas to you and Barb

[Tater]

Really glad to hear it .

[Husker]

It really is a great Yule time spirit raiser for us.

I 'know' we are not out of the dangerous waters yet, but we certainly are much better off than we could have been.

H.

[HookLine]

Gotta take this one step at a time, but this is great news for you and the family.

A very happy Xmas in the Husker household.

[blanikdog]

Great, great news, husker. I hope I get the same in January. Regards to Barb.

blanik

[HookLine]

I hope I get the same in January.

+1 for you too, Mr B.

[Husker]

Great, great news, husker. I hope I get the same in January. Regards to Barb.

blanik

Barb told me to tell you she will be praying a little extra for you, dog. Things will be A1 for you in Jan!

H.

[olddog]

Its 36c here today and the forcast is for near 40c for Xmas

[Husker]

Its 36c here today and the forcast is for near 40c for Xmas

Yup, u ozzies are damn strange folk. Don't see how you can stand being upside down for so long, heh.

H.

[trthskr4]

Glad to hear Barb got a good report Husker. I've been kinda out of pocket lately but I did think about ya'll while I was busy doing other things. Merry Christmas to all and I hope you have a blessed new year.

[Usge]

That's great Husker ! Its a good start on a happy new year!

[Slow & Steady]

That is really nice to hear. Thank you for keeping us posted. Merry Christmas to you both!!!

S&S

[Husker]

I really hate to open a zombie thread, especially this one, but I do want to provide an update.

After 2 years of NED (no evidence of disease), we have gotten some bad news recently. Barb has been getting CAT scans, and or xrays every 3 months for the last 2 years. Over the last 6 months, she has started to have breathing problems. The CAT scan in June did not show any problems. The past couple of months, the breathing problems have gotten worse, and now she has a cough that sounds bad (sort of squeaky).

She had a CAT scan a couple weeks back, that showed a mass which appeared to be scar tissue pressing against the windpipe. She had a PET scan (active radio active glucose, that shows VERY active tissue), and the results were not good. There is a very active tumor, a couple inches in size.

So we are likely back to the treatment regiment again. We are not sure exactly what will be coming up. We should find out the treatment plan over the next couple of weeks.


Again, I typed this post about 10 times, before I finally hit the submit button. Posting stuff like this publicly is not something that comes easily for me. I talked to Barb about it, and she is happy getting any prayers she can.

H.

[blind drunk]

More prayers going to you both.