GamecockOperator can use our support and motivation (Page 3 of 3)
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Originally Posted By MarkBinSC: @gamecockoperator Wow, you have had a tough week. So happy to hear that you will be discharged soon. Praying for your continued recovery and healing. God bless Mark thanks so much for the prayers and kind words. I was lucky and was discharged on that friday. I went home however on oxygen tanks. Then they came and delivered the Trilogy machine, and the oxyen concentrator, and all 7 tanks of oxygen. I basically have to be on oxygen now for an unknown time period. they had it set up that i'd have this little cart that carried 2 oxygen tanks (E style, the bgger of the 2 styles) and i'd be pulling the cart around behind me everywhere i go. talk about a drag. it was a quality of life thing, i had a boat anchor it felt like tied around my neck and i couldnt go anywhere with them without a whole production of step having friends help me load the o2 tanks into the truck or car, me getting comfortable, and hooking up the o2 to me once everythings loaded in the car, and then when we got to where we going having to get them all out and pull the tank wherever i go... then wash and repeat, until im ready to go home or to the next stop.. And then at home every night i have a trilogy machine (like a super c-pap machine) that i have to be on all night long every night while i sleep. I can handle the night time machine and the oxygen concentrator when im awake i plug up to it instead of the trilogy machine and wear it while im home. i then only use the tanks when i go mobile.e. Last week i had an appointment with my pulmanologist and i told them i was going out of town monday for my 20th wedding anniversary. I told them it would be so much nicer if i didnit have to lug around tanks of 02 but rather had one of those backpack/shoulder pack machines that produced o2 for you on battery while you walk around. It was like pulling teeth to get the company to even admit they hd them but finally they were set to bring it by monday (today) first thing which to them was 1100.. because i had told them i was going to my anniversary vacation, at 12. they had to evidently do a test to make sure the backpack can support me or not. well they didnt show up until 1215, but by the time it was all said and done, I got the backpack machine!!! NO MORE OXYGEN TANKS TO CARRY!! thank goodness... now i feel like i am nw half a man at least as i can get mobile somewhat more easily now. Im so thankful for that. So we left the house for our trip / vacation 2 hours late, didnt leave till 2 pm, but its been great so far, as i nowh have the portable pack ccharging, and all is going good with it. So far im very tankful that its working out. hopefully i'll get healthy and not need the 02 at all, but for now its a victory. thanks again for all your prayers and kind words.. i'll keep yall updated. |
"Stand your ground. Don't Fire unless Fired upon. But if they mean to have a war, Let it begin here." - Capt. John Parker
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Originally Posted By sigking: Just stopped in to see how you are doing @GamecockOperator Hope all is well as can be. Sigking, thanks for dropping by here and asking about my well being. As of late, I'm truly blessed. I am a full believer that the prayers and support that you, and the rest of the folks here on ArfCom, as well at other locations really helped me, and still do honestly help me, in this fight against cancer. My physicians as of late are very pleased with where i am regarding the cancer. While Multiple Myeloma does not ever go into remission, I'm as close as can be to what would be a remission. They call this with my cancer as being "well managed" because while I have cancer still, it is at a point where we've beaten it down low enough to barely be detectable. This has happened because of all that I went through originally. The Radiation, the chemo (various types and levels) and lastly the Bone marrow and stem cell transplants. All of those got me to a point that I was on the downward slope for the cancer being in control, and now I'm on a daily Chemo regimen that helps keep the cancer at bay, which is how they consider it to be "well managed". All of that is wonderful, however during the treatment due to my vertebrae, (7 compression fractures) sternum, and rib fractures all at the same time contributed along with the severe osteoporosis (brought on by the cancer) has had me loose 7 inches roughly in height and we wont even talk about teeth and the dental side of things. and then there is the fact that im now on Oxygen too :( side effects to the medicines I think, mostly the chemo i think has caused me to have to have the oxygen pack system for everywhere I go. it is a drag, but it is a necessary fact of life. so in a nutshel thats all that has been going on these last few years since i was real real sick and in the hospital for that long period.. I cannot stress how much i am thankful for the support I received from you guys here at arfcom, and especially the support from Palmetto State Armory. ya'lls support made it mentally possible for me to physically survive and fight hard even through the darkest of days with the cancer when i felt it was winning the fight against me... but anyways.... thats about where we're at n ow, I have an appointment every 3 months now with my Oncologist instead of weekly or monthly I'm thankful that im as well managed as i am with the cancer, even though i am still not able to do most things and run out of breath quickly, im still soooo thankful that i am not worse off than i am. Anyways, thank you so much for asking about me. it really meant alot. |
"Stand your ground. Don't Fire unless Fired upon. But if they mean to have a war, Let it begin here." - Capt. John Parker
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Originally Posted By GamecockOperator: Sigking, thanks for dropping by here and asking about my well being. As of late, I'm truly blessed. I am a full believer that the prayers and support that you, and the rest of the folks here on ArfCom, as well at other locations really helped me, and still do honestly help me, in this fight against cancer. My physicians as of late are very pleased with where i am regarding the cancer. While Multiple Myeloma does not ever go into remission, I'm as close as can be to what would be a remission. They call this with my cancer as being "well managed" because while I have cancer still, it is at a point where we've beaten it down low enough to barely be detectable. This has happened because of all that I went through originally. The Radiation, the chemo (various types and levels) and lastly the Bone marrow and stem cell transplants. All of those got me to a point that I was on the downward slope for the cancer being in control, and now I'm on a daily Chemo regimen that helps keep the cancer at bay, which is how they consider it to be "well managed". All of that is wonderful, however during the treatment due to my vertebrae, (7 compression fractures) sternum, and rib fractures all at the same time contributed along with the severe osteoporosis (brought on by the cancer) has had me loose 7 inches roughly in height and we wont even talk about teeth and the dental side of things. and then there is the fact that im now on Oxygen too :( side effects to the medicines I think, mostly the chemo i think has caused me to have to have the oxygen pack system for everywhere I go. it is a drag, but it is a necessary fact of life. so in a nutshel thats all that has been going on these last few years since i was real real sick and in the hospital for that long period.. I cannot stress how much i am thankful for the support I received from you guys here at arfcom, and especially the support from Palmetto State Armory. ya'lls support made it mentally possible for me to physically survive and fight hard even through the darkest of days with the cancer when i felt it was winning the fight against me... but anyways.... thats about where we're at n ow, I have an appointment every 3 months now with my Oncologist instead of weekly or monthly I'm thankful that im as well managed as i am with the cancer, even though i am still not able to do most things and run out of breath quickly, im still soooo thankful that i am not worse off than i am. Anyways, thank you so much for asking about me. it really meant alot. Thanks for the update and I'm glad to hear of your progress. I met you in person once right after your broken rib from bending over the desk chair to pickup something you had dropped. At that point the doctors didn't know exactly what was going on with you, if I remember correctly. I had told you about the problems my brother was also having with his spine and brittle bones and you mentioned a possible gluten allergy. I don't know if you remember that or not, it was many years ago (2018ish I think). Anyway, glad you're still in the fight and you are an inspiration to those that follow you here. God bless. |
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Originally Posted By sigking: Thanks for the update and I'm glad to hear of your progress. I met you in person once right after your broken rib from bending over the desk chair to pickup something you had dropped. At that point the doctors didn't know exactly what was going on with you, if I remember correctly. I had told you about the problems my brother was also having with his spine and brittle bones and you mentioned a possible gluten allergy. I don't know if you remember that or not, it was many years ago (2018ish I think). Anyway, glad you're still in the fight and you are an inspiration to those that follow you here. God bless. you're very welcome on the update. I'm thankful that you care enough to ask how im doing still. I vaguely remember that, and i apologize for not remembering more, but unfortunately Chemo has really messed with my memory. i do remember the times of just the broken ribs, and the thoughts that it was celiac's disease, and gluten allergies. I'm thankful that it was not that in a way as i truly enjoy foods that have gluten in them lol, although i think i'd rather have a gluten allergy than cancer. lol. believe it or not my bones got worse after breaking just ribs, and well during that time i also was having severe back pains, because i had been having compression fractures of my back/spine. this has made me now today to have lost a total of 6.5 or so inches in my height, where i was 5 foot 11, im now 5 foot 4 inches. Unfortunately there is nothing that can be done to regain my height according to the doctors at this time. Oh and another issue i had around that time, right before i was diagnosed with it being cancer i had been going back to my bed from the bathroom... turned from my dresser to my bed, and snapped my sternum. now THAT hurt. it of course was another pathological fracture due to the cancer. so when they admitted me to the hospital once i was diagnosed with cancer they started radiation treatments that was increasingly more painful because of the positions they made me get into with all that broken. How is. your brother doing? did they figure out what what was going on with him? Thank you for the compliment about being in the fight and being an inspiration. I dont feel like it much, but i just try to be as positive as possible and try to keep on setting a positive example for people. I really appreciate the kind words and prayers. |
"Stand your ground. Don't Fire unless Fired upon. But if they mean to have a war, Let it begin here." - Capt. John Parker
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Update : well guys i had a checkup this week with my oncologist that performed my bone marrow transplant 4.5 years ago, and she said that I'm doing great.. as far as the cancer is concerned.. granted there are side effects from the cancer, and the medications but she was even considering taking me off of my daily chemo to see how i am able to do without it, since the dosage is now so small that there is no data to say it does any good or bad at its current dosage. we had to have it reduced about 6 months ago because it was effecting my liver negatively since I've been on it for so long. the physical changes to my bone structure however are permanent, as is the changes to my lung size and capacity, which unfortunately may mean that I'm stuck on oxygen for the foreseeable future. so I don't know.. Lately I've had good news and that's great.. but sometimes I'll tell you, i get stuck in my own head, and well, that can be a bad place. A little being down, due to the physical changes permanence and what not. I miss being able to do things i used to. but i try to remind myself that I have it not near as bad as many, and i have so very many folks here, and else where pulling for me and rooting for me, and praying for me. It can be hard at times, but the biggest positive i have is Gods blessing and his help at having made me strong enough to make it through all that I've been through. Even if i don't understand the reasons in it all, I'm thankful to be here still, and I'm thankful for His blessings, and all of you who have supported me over the years. Especially PSA, Jamin, Josiah, and the rest of the PSA Family and of course D16man. Thanks guys. Anyways, that's the update for now. I hope everyone is doing well. |
"Stand your ground. Don't Fire unless Fired upon. But if they mean to have a war, Let it begin here." - Capt. John Parker
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Originally Posted By MarkBinSC: Thanks for the update Gamecock. I can’t imagine dealing with the issues that you have been through. Please know that we are all here for you. Thanks MarkBinSC. I appreciate it more than you know. you're welcome for the update. it's been quite an ordeal, that i never though i'd be fighting. but it has taught me a lot of things, so its not all been bad. It sure has made me aware of what i am thankful for. :) |
"Stand your ground. Don't Fire unless Fired upon. But if they mean to have a war, Let it begin here." - Capt. John Parker
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Originally Posted By Rangar: Just checking in on you. I hope you're doing better. Hang in there. hey brother. thanks for checking in on me. I appreciate you thinking about me. I'm doing pretty good lately. My Doctors are pretty happy so far with my numbers overall when it comes to how the cancer is being suppressed or controlled by my daily chemo program. Overall i still get fatigued easily, am still on oxygen.. and have some days that are better than others. Nausea is a constant battle some days too. Having the chemo daily messes with me for sure, but i guess that is to be expected, which is why some days are better than others. I have a telemed appointment with my charleston Doctor on tuesday, and then on the 28th i go back into see my local oncologist in my monthly appointment and blood draw. Hopefully when i go on the 28th, my bloodwork will still be as good as it has been lately. so thats about it overall, i could bore you with more but for now i think that sufficed. anyways, thank you so much for thinking about me and my health. Its cause of you guys who kept praying and fighting for me on this side that helped keep my spirits up that im still around and i thank you all for that more than you can ever know.. take care. |
"Stand your ground. Don't Fire unless Fired upon. But if they mean to have a war, Let it begin here." - Capt. John Parker
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I'm glad to hear that you're doing better!! I hope the negatives that you're having to endure fade away quickly. As far as the fatigue, I've been dealing with that for a couple of years. I got a new doc and I told her about it. She asked if I was taking vitamin B-12 daily. Nope, just occasionally. Started taking 1000mg every morning and evening and the change was amazing. It's water soluble, so you can't take too much. You might give it a try. |
"When robbery becomes the purpose of the law, and the policeman's duty becomes...the plunder of property - then it is an outlaw who has to become a policeman".
Atlas Shrugged
Atlas Shrugged
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thank you.. and thank you for the suggestion of b12.. i take many many pills daily, but none of them are vitimin pills. perhaps i should start a simple multi vitimin or a straight up 1k b12 as you do. I dont know, but if it made that much improvement in you, maybe theres hope for me. I seriously dont know if the fatigue and the other issues i have will ever go away. i know that im fighting them, with all i can physically and mentally... and i use the doctors words as an absolute authority when it comes to waht i must take and do in order to get well, and so far its been doing to keep it all in tact without loosing or forgetting anything pill related. I'll run the suggestion by my doctors and see what they say. It'll probably be a yes if i know them. I cannot see any negatives to taking it at this time...I truly am thankful that you guys post up and inquire about my current condition from time to time. It means a lot to me, and i thank you from the bottom of my heart. Take care, and I'll post again soon if anything changes health wise or otherwise. |
"Stand your ground. Don't Fire unless Fired upon. But if they mean to have a war, Let it begin here." - Capt. John Parker
| thanks so much brother. It's been a rough road, and im not without pain, and other issues, but i'm still kicking, and trying to fight this to the very end, lets hope that end is many years away yet. I couldnt have been able to fight it like i did in the beginning without you guys, when i wwas in the hospital, having you all pulling for me and doing so much for me back then really kept me fighting and trying to do everything i could to keep my spirits up.. it was bad back then... my cancer doc told me the other month that they were so happy with how far i've come and almost couldnt believe it because of how bad i was off... compared to now. so i'm very very thankful.. thank you for asking about me and thinking and praying for me still... God knows i need all the prayers i can get. |
"Stand your ground. Don't Fire unless Fired upon. But if they mean to have a war, Let it begin here." - Capt. John Parker
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Originally Posted By aztrooper: A bump to see how @GameCockOperator is doing. I have been following the thread, and just wanted to stop in and say hello, and hope you are doing well sir! AZ Trooper... Thank you so much for keeping up with me, and my condition. I appreciate you doing so, and am very happy to say HI! and I'm doing pretty dang good all things considered. As of my last oncology appointment, the doctor says that the maintenance Chemo that i am on daily is still doing its job and keeping the cancer at a very low, managed level, based on my bloodwork. Multiple Meyloma will never go away completely, as it kinda just festers in the background as its a blood in your bone marrow cancer. So while a cure is out of the question at this time, until medical science can advance far enough to do so, im in a good place. Like i said, i'm on a maintenance dose of chemo every day, which is taken orally, for 21 days of a month, then im off the chemo for 8 days, and then the cycle repeats. All that said, I still have to deal with the chemo sickness, the fatigue, the nausea, and the other side effects that come along with the condition. My bones were so damaged by the cancer before we caught it, I have developed severe osteopirosis, basically my skeleton is as fragile as like an 80 year old woman. I'm still very limited physically, because of all tht the cancer did originally. The breaking of my vertebrae and ribs and sternum have lasting effects. I've permenantly lost 6.5 inches in height, and am slowly developing a hunch kinda over. I've got about 65% of my movement of my head, as when i look up, i cannot tilt my head but so far. This has also developed pain in the neck area, as well as the existing pain from the 6 or so vertebrae that broke in my lumbar region that caused the permenant loss of height. I'm perpetually on 270 mg of morphene sulfate a day, three doses of 90mg 3 time a day basically to curb the pain to allow me to have enough relief to function and to not be in constant pain. Any exhertion, however does cause the pain to return, and i can forget about doing many things physically that i used to be able to do. Since the loss of height happened, and the shortening of my torso by the breaking of the spinal bones, the internal organs of my torso have been compressed. Most significantly the lungs. This has caused me to not be able to take full complete breaths, and of course since i cant breathe it in, i cant exhale it completely if i had. This has caused me to not be able to oxygenate my blood completely. Thus they have put me on Oxygen about 3-4 years ago. While i've made some progress with the amount of carbon dioxide that resides in my blood normally, at this time there is no plans to ever remove me from being on the oxygen, which kinda sucks. Being thethered to a oxygen machine all day every day 24/7 kinda sucks. Having to take a portable 02 pump with me also sucks, but it is better than having to tote along a tank of gas like i would have had to do if they hadnt developed the technology to have a portable lightweight oxygen pump. Because of all this ive mentioned, there is a TON of things i cannot physically do anymore, and i wont bother listing them at this time, suffice it to say, it's very frusterating to me, as i was the type of person who would do just about anything that got into my mind, anything from renovating a home, to building and swapping motors in my 'hot rod' camaro, to simple yard work etc. So thats basically my current conditions, i know its probably more than you had bargained for, but i felt being thorough was best. I'm very thankfull for the support i've received here on Arfcom from my fellow members, and as well as from Palmetto State Armory. All you guys have been a Godsend. I attribute all of y'all with having effected my morale enough to have not only made me want to fight hard, but to have continued to fight on as long as I have. I'm resigned now to fighting this hard, all the way to the end, may it be a voyage that is a very long drawn out one so that i may live deeply into my 80s. (I'm about to turn 49 in 13 days or so) I dont know how long folks can live with Multiple Meyloma, but I'm resigned to trying to set a longivity record because of y'all, my friends, my family, and those that are closest to me have helped give me that will to fight it. I honestly dont know where i would be now, if it had not been for everyone here having rallied to my support when i first was diagnosed and spent those 2.5 - 3 months in the hospital. I'm on about 7 different medications daily and some of those are just to counteract others i take. I think that's about it, I hope i havent missed anything, but if i have or if you or anyone else has any questions please do not be shy to ask. I'm more than happy to answer any of them, as I'm very open about my fight and what i've endured and continue to. Thank you again for checking in with me, it means alot that you were thinking about me enough to ask. |
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Originally Posted By aztrooper: Great to hear you are doing well, all things considered. Originally Posted By aztrooper: Great to hear you are doing well, all things considered. thanks, yeah all things considered. Im very thankful that im still here and have somewhat a good quality of life all things considered. Things could be a lot worse, so im very lucky. thank you for inquiring and following up on me. it means alot that you guys are supportive like yall have been. Originally Posted By MarkBinSC: Thanks for the update, you have been through so much. Prayers that you are able to continue to manage your condition and enjoy life. God bless you're welcome. it is my pleasure if you will to keep yall updated, ive valued yalls support so very much over the years, and greatly appreciate it. Thanks for the continued prayers, as i definately can use and need them. I'm doing the best i can, and will continue to do so. half the battle is to keep a positive outlook i feel! |
"Stand your ground. Don't Fire unless Fired upon. But if they mean to have a war, Let it begin here." - Capt. John Parker
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hey brother. Thank you for remembering me, and being interested still in how my treatment/cancer is progressing. At this time, I'm still on chemotherapy 21 out of 28 days a month. those 7 days between 21-28 is the mandatory week off of chemo. on day 29, the month starts over and i begin a new 21 day regimen. this is more of a managment system of treatment for my cancer, and keeps it prety much at bay or at least thats what i can figure out about it and what theyve said. As you may or may not know, a few years ago i was diagnosed needing oxygen because my lungs are now operating in a confined space with my height having been compromised due to the 5-6 fractures in the back vertebrae. I have been on a stead 2 liters for years now, and i have an appointement for regular check up with the pulmnologist tomorrow. That said, its been hard lately for me to catch my breath and easier to run out of my breath, etc, so i think somethings wrong an dim gonna have to go ahead and up the litre or something. I know the doctor will say you have to loose weight, but thats easier said than done, and ive been trying to do that all my dang adult life with little to no long term results. Anyways, other that the nit picky things ive listed above, problems with my back persist, and im constantly on the opioids sadly for pain. Id say over all im doing pretty good. just been trying to keep on keeping on if that makes sense. If you have any questions please feel free to ask away guys.. im an open book to yall thanks again for all you guys have done in the past, and thanks again for thinking of me to ask again for a status update. |
"Stand your ground. Don't Fire unless Fired upon. But if they mean to have a war, Let it begin here." - Capt. John Parker
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Thanks so much you guys. I'm feeling Ok for the most part, however my Cancer Dr. at MUSC wanted to be completely sure that my kidneys are ok, as my creatinine level has impacted up and down from like the score of 1.5 to 1.7. For those who are not in the know the Creatinine needs to be ideally at or right around 1.2 to 1.4 in your blood. well when they pulled mine originally was 1.8 so it alarmed my doctor, and she checked my lungs level which at the time good, because I've been being managed with blood pressure medicine for one, and a slew of others. Now my kidneys level was at a 1.7 and then checked here in Columbia a 1.5 so they recommended an ultrasound to ensure there was nothing going on with the kidneys. I went and had that done, all looks pretty good on there from what ive been told so far, but I've not met with that doctor yet to talk about it. that doctor being the Nephrologist that my cancer doctor referred me to in Columbia. Once i go back and talk to them i'll know if all indeed is good, by them reading the ultrasound to me and letting me know. As it is my 1.5 is that my kidneys routinely sits at, is stage 3 chronic kidney failure. The cancer is not growing according tot the cancer doctors, and depending on what the nephrologist says is what we'll hve to change or do differently ot account for what the cancer docs say. I'm hopin nothing will change too much, as i'd like to make it to my next major anniversary before we have to change any of the cancer treatments. but time will tell and we'll have to continue to do whatever the doctors say to do. which we have all along. thankfully. so thats about where we are for now. hope i make some sense still.. been sick lately and things been a bit hard to recover from which dont understand how cause i have - trees in my yard lol. just about any ways. lol. oh well... take care. |
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Thank you so much... I had a good Christmas and New year. I spent time with my immediate family, and have even tried ... well made an effort on my end to try to forgive a member in my family for past transgressions. Life is short after all and well we both have had a rough road to hoe with our health.. i dare say she's had it worse than me, although hers was in my opinion self inflicted. but i digress.... we did have one major worry and disruption over the holidays, where we split the family. My wife went to stay with her father across the neighborhood with our oldest. (yellow lab but its our only children so it counts!) She was to have surgery over the holiday as the wife and I both were off work for a couple weeks and could take care of her without worrying about working and having someone else taking care of her. SO we did this because her younger sister (my brown lab) and her new Cousin(my mother in law's new lab/spaniel mix) stay with us at our house and with the surgeon incision on her chest being about 7 or 9 inches long, we didnt want to run a chance of it being ripped open by playing, or pawing or scratching or jumping or any other number of things that doggos do when they're together with other doggies.. well they performed the surgery and removed the lipoblastoma which labs are evidentially prone to have (fatty tumors?) and we had it sent off to be tested.. as she healed we were on pins and needles for about a week and a half until the lab results came in and we got the call that she is good to go with a clean bill of health!!! YAY!! the lipoblastoma was benign and nothing to worry about at all so its been removed, shes healing up nicely and now is back with us at the house and so is my wife now which is even better :) and all is back to normal. I did have an appointment today with the nephrologist and she said alls good right now lets just keep monitoring it and make sure the numbers arent doing anything crazy. so im happy with that for now, last thing i want is kidney issues on top of things too. but so far all good according to her interpretation of my numbers. we did discuss my weight agian and she did give me some more ideas about how to possibly get insurance to pay for the semaglutide stuff since they wont because im not diabetic. when you think they would because of how much they would help to possibly stop and remove and maybe even prevent.. they could possibly get me off of blood pressure, get me off oxygen, etc, etc... if i could loose weight.. and now because of the cancer and what its done to the body and the amount of pain im in normally exercising and any streneous activity in general is just about impossible... which means im sedentary more than not.. which in itself means guess what, it is that much harder to loose weight no matter how little i eat... its a vicious circle im in... ugh.. anyways those are just some of the day to day things im dealing with, and over all how thinsgs have been. I did have a great holliday season though and i hope you and yours did as well.. much love to you all, thank you all for the continued prayers, and support. I dont know where i'd of been without yall at my back. |