Its Been a Year!

Its been a year since my last post on here and just to let you know that is the good news. No recurrence of MCC is a blessing for me. Each day begins with a prayer and the hope that I am cancer free another day. The statistics for Stage III Merkel Cell are a little scary at first but for now I am one of the fortunate ones to be well. The knowledge of what may happen with MCC never leaves that little tiny spot in my brain that says don't get cocky.

In the mean time my arm has reduced in size to almost normal and I have about 90% of normal movement and use back for my hand. I have what is known as "woody edema" of the arm from my armpit to my palm. My armpit still feels strange with the gap left by the removal of the axillary lymph node pod and the outer side of my right breast is still tender to the touch. It is also numb I guess due to the loss of some nerve connections.

I've had PET scans, ultrasounds and x-rays during the past year and fortunately no MCC has reared its head. However, I had the left side of my Thyroid gland removed due to a node that had grown in it. After a needle biopsy the doctors were questioning some cells that they saw that didn't look right. After the excision of the gland the node was declared benign. So now I take Synthroid every day to make up for the loss of the gland. According to my blood tests the level of TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) is still not at an optimal level. The doctor began my dosage of Synthroid at 0.050 then raised it after several months to 0.075 then again raised it to 0.1 where I am today. I don't believe it is at the right level yet but that will be determined at my next blood test and doctors follow up.

So, I would say I've had a very good year for a 66 year old man in my shape. I hope and pray that MCC will be conquered sooner than later and that all those contending with this cancer find relief and a cure sooner than later.

Another Milestone

I had a PET scan done Tuesday. I returned to see my doctors today. We reviewed the scans and found no trace of MCC. I know the chances of recurrence are always out there but today I'm happy. We set a date for the next PET scan in 2016 and my appointments with my doctors. God blessed me today and I don't take this lightly. Wife and I had barbecue ribs tonight in celebration. My oncologist said I have woody edema of my right arm and I said great, now I don't need a bat to play baseball (LOL). God bless you all!

The Cure...Is it Worth It?

Its two weeks and then some since the last radiation treatment. The doctor says I'm a late bloomer. My skin reaction to the radiation didn't really begin until the last treatment. In the past I've been cut open on several occasions to make repairs or to take out defective parts. However, nothing compares to the twenty-four hour a day torment of radiation burns.

This is the point at which approximately 50% of the dead skin has been removed and only about 5% is still weeping plasma.

The process, tomorrow, will be to soak the affected area with a mix of peroxide and water for 20 minutes to soften the dead tissue and then to use tweezers to pull the dead skin off. Usually when the skin begins to bleed then the pull is stopped and begun in another area. By the way, there is no pain killer given during this process.

Tomorrow will be my sixth episode of skin removal and hopefully getting close to finishing.

Yes, this is gross. Yes, the pain at times is excruciating. However, if this makes someone think twice about getting a sun tan then I've accomplished my goal.

Pain ... It Really Does Hurt

This is the fourth night since the last radiation treatment. Even with pain killers and salves this wound is kicking my butt. Your prayers are greatly appreciated.

Radiation Treatment # 28 Last Treatment Tomorrow

Today's trip to Oschner Hospital Clinic was number 27. Tomorrow's treatment will be the last radiation for this episode of Merkel Cell Carcinoma. We had a meeting with Dr. Scroggins after the treatment to discuss the future of treatments going forward.

I'll receive notice of a follow up appointment for a visit to take place in six weeks from today and he will schedule a PET scan for 3 months from today. So it looks like after tomorrow its going to take a couple of months of healing for the damaged skin from the radiation to get back to normal; whatever that will look like.

The pictures below are the ones taken after today's treatment. I have to say that the pain in the last week has been extraordinary. I don't know if I would have agreed to have this procedure if I had known the amount of pain radiation would cause. The skin is tight due to the swelling from the lymphodema. Its sort of like a soccer ball all aired up. The depth of the burn is much deeper than an ordinary sunburn would be. The pain is a cross between having my arm covered with wasps stinging me and laying my arm in a lit fireplace. Sometimes both at the same time. Fortunately I have pain medication that masks about 90% of the pain.

Well, I will revisit this blog as events warrant and try to keep it updated. If the Lord is willing this will be the end of Merkel Cell Carcinoma on the Bayou. If a future PET scan shows a tumor or a lesion should appear then I'll deal with it at that time. God bless you all!!

This is the fore arm showing the area where the lesion was removed.

This is an overhead picture of the forearm showing the swelling that has occurred due to the lymphodemia.

For comparison is a picture of my left forearm showing the normal skin.

This is the elbow from above showing the demarcation line between the radiated skin and the healthy skin.

This photo is of the inside of my right elbow. Doc says there are lymph nodes in the elbow that have to be targeted.

The radiation area stretches from under my chin to the side of my chest under my right armpit. From there it extends to my spine across my back then up to my neck. Then it radiates down my arm on the outside and back up the inside of  my arm to the armpit. What you see here is about 30% of the radiation field.

Well, that's enough of a pity party for me. Thank you all for your prayers and with God's grace he may grant me more time to enjoy my family and friends for the future.

Radiation Treatments Week V

We completed week five of radiation treatments yesterday. That's a total of 23 dosages of radiation. Monday begins the last week of treatments and I'm glad they will be over. After yesterday's treatment I was too tired to post anything. In fact I've spent the entire day today resting and trying to store up some energy. The first three weeks of treatments as expected were not too debilitating for me. A little fatigue had set in and there was no real pain to the area being treated.

With the start of the fourth week I began to experience real fatigue, dull aching over the entire site of radiation and some deep pain in my arm. Its two weeks later now and I'm worn down. Each week the time period of the radiation dosage has been increased by a few seconds. It started out in the first week at 5 seconds for the long dosage. I get four long doses to four different sites and two short doses to another two sites. The short duration doses have remained at 1 second for the entire period of treatments. However the long doses have steadily increased in duration and yesterday they lasted 30 seconds each. When I left the hospital my arm was a tinge of pink over the brown tan. I was lightheaded and too tired to walk more than a few feet at a time. The treated area was tingling and very sensitive to being touched.

Thursday's are scheduled for a visit with the radiologist every week so he can check me out and review the progress of my treatment. I like my doctor but sometimes not what he tells me. Thursday; day before yesterday as he was checking my burn area he said the tanning and discoloration of my arm was what he expected. He asked me about pain or any other complaints. I related to him how I felt and how the pain was during the week. He then tells me the treatments are proceeding as he expected and then says it will get worse this week.

I'm glad its the last week of treatments because more discomfort is not something I look forward to. I'll post pictures of the final skin changes after the final treatment this coming week.

Cancer Lead Me Astray but Only for a Little While

No one wants to think of themselves in a negative way. I've always tried to be positive in my life and I believe for the most part that I've been successful. I wasn't going to delve into this but if I'm going to tell the whole story of Merkel Cell Carcinoma then I'm bound to reveal all that I can.

About six weeks ago I was picked up in an ambulance at my home mid afternoon on a Wednesday. I had been fighting chronic bronchitis since October of 2014. For me this wasn't unusual. For the past thirty years I develop chronic bronchitis as soon as the wind turns out of the North and brings different pollen and spores south with the clouds. Nothing new, just nose drizzles, coughing, sinus congestion and sneezing. Its the same every year so I don't worry about it. This year it began to clear up around January, a little ahead of my MCC diagnosis.

After my initial diagnosis it only took a few weeks before the chronic bronchitis returned. I assumed this recurred because of the MCC so I just medicated it and kept going. However, after the two surgeries it became more and more problematic. It became increasingly difficult for me to carry out daily activities and breathing became more difficult. I started to have breathing problems to the point where I felt that only half of my lungs were functioning. Finally on that Wednesday my wife was at work and my eight year old granddaughter was visiting me for the day.

I made my way to my recliner in the living room, sat down and knew that I was in trouble. I called my wife to come home and take me to the VA clinic so I could get an examination. I knew I had to go to the emergency room but I didn't want to panic my wife while she had to drive home. When she arrived home I told her to call for an ambulance.

Once at the hospital I received a battery of tests that revealed what they termed excessive volume overload of fluid in my lungs. Congestive Heart Failure was next on the list as well as Pulmonary Edema for the trifecta.

I remained in the hospital for four days and was released reluctantly by the doctors who were treating me. They had managed to remove 22 pounds of fluid from my body in four days and I was ready to go home. I now try to remain on a no sodium diet and follow all the restrictions they put on me.

Okay. The preceding information was to lead to this revelation. I'm human! I didn't accept the fact that cancer is serious for me. I'm an expert at concealing my emotions after 45 years of PTSD. What this episode revealed to me is that I may die from this cancer but I must live as well as I can for as long as I can.

I put myself in jeopardy. I ate continuously. I ate everything I could that was fried and the more the better. I skipped insulin doses and saw my sugar go to the 300 range. It didn't matter to me. My life was over so why bother. The effort to breathe was a shock to me when I realized I had done this to myself. I felt like a fish on a dock gasping for air in the full knowledge that I may not live much longer.

Well, I'm determined not to go through that again and am trying to manage my health as best I can. I believe it was the prayers of all those who call me friend, father, brother, dad that changed me. To God and their prayers I'm grateful.

When someone is diagnosed with cancer please watch their behavior and gently guide them to a healthy lifestyle if at all possible.