tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70039424651173003162024-03-06T15:02:59.822-05:00my lung cancer odysseymy odyssey from lung cancer diagnosis through lung cancer surgery for Stage 1 in Mar 2012 to as of now, May 2013, trying to survive Stage 4 lung cancer with metastasis to the brainAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14000299655117252000noreply@blogger.comBlogger165125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003942465117300316.post-31778527044214977302013-11-03T19:24:00.001-05:002013-11-03T19:31:42.188-05:00Improper UpdateExperimenting with hypnotherapy to grow and strengthen red blood cells. I play this CD six minutes before therapy or exercise, for example...<br />
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Praying for all of us trying to outlive lung cancer, may we all share another year with our family and friends, amen.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14000299655117252000noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003942465117300316.post-7738511132791987142013-10-22T20:37:00.001-04:002013-10-22T20:37:54.093-04:00Update about updates.Still Megan posting, but dad wanted to let you all know that small updates will be posted periodically at his facebook page until he can get to a full screen computer and post these himself.<br />
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/patrick.leer" target="_blank">See them here</a>.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14000299655117252000noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003942465117300316.post-27687188103168154872013-10-08T22:21:00.000-04:002013-10-08T22:22:51.363-04:00An Interlude, Daughter Guest Blogging from the Hospital<span style="font-size: large;">Don't let the title alarm you too much. Patrick is currently in the hospital and I asked if it would be okay to post an update on his behalf.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">My dad mentioned low white blood cells in his last post and wondered about an infection. Last Wednesday we got our answer when I woke up and found he was unable to get up from the chair where he'd spent the night after staying up late to watch Sons of Anarchy. After arriving by ambulance at the hospital, they determined his white blood cells were the worst they'd ever been because he'd managed to contact pneumonia.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">He claims I'm patient zero, I blame the cat, and who knows who she blames.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We had a scary two days where he did not respond to antibiotics, but after a 31 hour wait, we finally moved up from the emergency room into a private neutropenic hospital room. His vitals remained steady and his blood work finally began to improve.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">As it is, I've made you read too much to get to the point and my dad would grade my blogging poorly! His infection is mostly gone and being fought off. He's mostly healthy again. They did the MRI scan as requested by his doctor and found only improvement and stability when compared to the one he had done in July. Dad would've hugged the doctor who told us if he could have.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">But...note my overuse of the word 'mostly'. It's been two weeks since his fifth round of chemo, and he went through a huge ordeal this past week and it's left him very physically weak. He'll be discharged to somewhere that deals with inpatient physical therapy so he can regain his strength and independence.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We haven't found out where that place will be yet, but I am sure one of the first goals he will set will be to be dexterous enough that I trust him with my laptop so he can tell everyone how he's doing on his own! And don't worry he won't be able to see your comments - I fully plan to read them out loud to him, maybe even the ones from spam bots.</span><br />
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<i>-Megan</i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14000299655117252000noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003942465117300316.post-63036278715171999742013-09-30T22:21:00.000-04:002013-09-30T22:38:48.425-04:00Round 5 Chemotherapy I've fallen and I can't get up<span style="font-size: large;">"I've fallen… and I can't get up!" was a catchphrase of the late 1980s and early 1990s based upon a line from a television commercial for LifeCall.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Saturday it happened to me as I tripped over a blanket and dove head first into my bedroom carpet. … What do you do? … Cell phone as well as land line was in the next room. Round 5 Chemotherapy plus whomp on the head had so weakened me I was useless.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lnbe8nHbm5w/UkoxMh9bNsI/AAAAAAAANvQ/hJl_86qgbAs/s1600/headbruise+(800x533).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="214" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lnbe8nHbm5w/UkoxMh9bNsI/AAAAAAAANvQ/hJl_86qgbAs/s320/headbruise+(800x533).jpg" title="head bruise from chemo fall" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Laying there I remember a conversation from the chemo lounge about a fellow patient who fell twice … even once having to drive herself to the ER with a bloody towel pressed against her head wound.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Fortunately Megan who had been playing with our cat in the yard arrived to the rescue … weight and strength would negate the one person unassisted transfer I have used for Patti for decades … instead Megan found a trick on Google of positioning a heavy stiff backed chair in front of me for me to pull up on while sliding my wheeled office chair under me. …. Patti's old wheelchairs unfortunately do not have lateral movement.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Now …. if only I could successfully open bottle tops, cans and medicine bottles … it’s so annoying the little things we take for granted … even trying to plunge a commode with no upper arm strength.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">This morning heading in for a saline drip I was feeling good … that was until I started up the accessibility ramp. An onset of dizziness at first steep grade caused me to grasp the ramp bar and go down to one knee while Megan fetched the oncology cavalry! … Safely transferred to a wheel chair I continued in to the chemo lounge chairs …. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Given a once over by oncology nurses and one of the two senior partners I was pronounced good to go for saline drip and none the worse for the wear except my cool looking rug burn mark on my head.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The trip was determined to be likely just that … I tripped. The moment of weakness / dizziness this morning was likely dehydration … which I there for anyway.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Good news red blood counts remain high!!!!! … while blood cells were curiously low … infection? No other signs such as fever … and my vitals have not been better in months.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: comic sans ms, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><i>Patrick Leer</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Health Activist:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Caregivingly Yours, MS Caregiver @ </span><a href="http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3333ff;">http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/</span></a></div>
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My Lung Cancer Odyssey @<span style="color: #3333ff;"> </span><a href="http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3333ff;">http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/</span></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14000299655117252000noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003942465117300316.post-6019336480515426672013-09-24T23:30:00.000-04:002013-09-25T11:30:40.053-04:00Round 5 Chemotherapy for Stage 4 Lung Cancer <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Went
for a sunset walk with my daughter today in 62°F (16.6°)C fall temperatures.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Yeah
it was only a quarter mile contrasted to 5K over a year ago … then again my DX in August '12 was Stage 1 Lung Cancer and I was still getting NED (no evidence of active
disease) scans …<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Today I began "Round
5" of Chemotherapy (carboplatin + Altima) for Stage 4 Lung Cancer with brain mets.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Each
round of chemotherapy is </span><span style="font-size: 21.66666603088379px; line-height: 24.16666603088379px;">brutal and</span><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> bittersweet, especially today as I tried to balance
excitement over my soaring blood counts and learning that two of the 11
“survivors” I met at the Harrisburg <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FTBHarrisburg" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Free to Breathe Lung Cancer 5K Run/Walk</span></a> on August
24th, died over the past 4 weeks. … Stage 4 is a vulnerable existence. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I
grab at little things like being handed a 60 tablet RX … or a pulse oximeter
reading of 100% for lungs with a wedge out of one lung and three tumors in the
other lung ... what makes us smile is likely very different than others.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">-- </span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: comic sans ms, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><i>Patrick Leer</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Health Activist:</span><br />
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My Lung Cancer Odyssey @<span style="color: #3333ff;"> </span><span style="color: #3333ff;"><a href="http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Caregivingly Yours, MS Caregiver @ </span><a href="http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3333ff;">http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/</span></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14000299655117252000noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003942465117300316.post-53691321229618580952013-09-19T22:33:00.001-04:002013-09-21T11:00:04.952-04:00Stage 4 Lung Cancer Dawn peeing like a race horse<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Today day #150 since </span><span style="font-size: 21.66666603088379px; line-height: 24.16666603088379px;">chemotherapy began,</span><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> I
was supposed to begin Round 5 of chemotherapy, </span><i style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">mo’ carboplatin + altima</i><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">, over these past two weeks … however blood
counts were out of whack, anemia ruled and instead I have needed two separate blood
plasma transfers ... or a </span><span style="font-size: 21.66666603088379px; line-height: 24.16666603088379px;">total</span><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> of 4 bags of blood plasma ... with even a small bag of lasix thrown in ... <o:p></o:p></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 21.66666603088379px; line-height: 24.16666603088379px;">in the meantime it’s force liquids … 96 oz daily and just 'pee like a race horse' …</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Keeping
fingers crossed blood counts stabilize and chemo can return beginning of next
week</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">... after all chemo is what is attacking cancer ... blood counts and such are a detour about me ... Stage 4 is too short to be taking breaks!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: comic sans ms, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: comic sans ms, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><i>Patrick Leer</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Health Activist:</span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
My Lung Cancer Odyssey @<span style="color: #3333ff;"> </span><span style="color: #3333ff;"><a href="http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Caregivingly Yours, MS Caregiver @ </span><a href="http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3333ff;">http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/</span></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14000299655117252000noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003942465117300316.post-26207133145368598602013-09-12T13:05:00.001-04:002013-09-12T13:22:18.847-04:00Stage 4 Lung Cancer Pratfalls<span style="font-size: large;">I was sooo excited Monday morning that the admission clerk at plasma facility used my middle name I dropped down on my knees like Wayne and Garth chanting, <i>“I’m not worthy! … oh sheet! … I can’t get back up!"</i> … with me stuck kneeling at the counter my daughter and staff dissolve into laughter as I begin my 130th day of chemotherapy (carboplatin + alitma).</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Considering I was in for a plasma transfer for anemia the absolute weakest physical moment would be immediately prior to plasma drip … what possessed me to kneel down? … I just cannot resist showboating. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Also it was first plasma transfer with new injection port … it’s kind of cool though certainly funky as I could not shower that area for a week … at least for me use of the port made the blood plasma less icy. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Later ‘feeling’ super charged after two bags of plasma I drove to a local convenience store for soda and to practice some independence. Proudly cradling my 2 liter Pepsi while keeping my balance …(I had left my cane in the car and was using display cases for balance) … that is until I went to hand the Pepsi to the clerk…</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Like a football field fumble chaos breaks loose …. Bottle spins on counter … spilling carbonation accelerating spin … bottle slides bottom first to floor shooting back a geyser of carbonation … I kneel down to pick up the bottle … WAIT! Did I just do this again? </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">… Two young clerks are staring at this all in disbelief as I am down on the floor sheepishly holding up a still dripping 2 liter Pepsi trying to explain that I cannot get up … actually one was about to burst holding back her laughter while the other shifted her urgency when I played the “c” word and blamed chemotherapy … </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">… any way they get me up … as I retell the story at home I find my daughter laughing hysterically for the second time this day and complaining that why when out with her I don’t do more stupidly entertaining antics. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">… trying to outlive Stage 4 Lung Cancer involves everything from exhaustion to fear to depression to joy and yes sometimes even comic relief ... </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Two weeks ago I DJ’d/MC’d 4th Annual Free To Breathe Lung Cancer 5K RUN/WALK … 3.5 months since DX of Stage 4 Lung Cancer with brain mets … receiving this thank you card was humbling … </span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cAfzMo2zZjQ/UjHxD7W7jJI/AAAAAAAANuw/auBcrdLILK0/s1600/Publication1+(987x973).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="393" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cAfzMo2zZjQ/UjHxD7W7jJI/AAAAAAAANuw/auBcrdLILK0/s400/Publication1+(987x973).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: comic sans ms, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><i>Patrick Leer</i></span><br />
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Health Activist:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Caregivingly Yours, MS Caregiver @ </span><a href="http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3333ff;">http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/</span></a></div>
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My Lung Cancer Odyssey @<span style="color: #3333ff;"> </span><a href="http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3333ff;">http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/</span></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14000299655117252000noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003942465117300316.post-60930142183345602572013-09-12T09:47:00.000-04:002013-09-12T12:40:23.108-04:00Mesothelioma Awareness Day ...Sept 26<div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 1.5em;"><i>"... Hi Patrick,</i></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>I'm not sure if you remember, but I contacted you a while back about your blog. I wanted to reach back out to you and let you know about a campaign that my wife and I have put together with the help of the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_411279230" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">September 26</span></span> is Mesothelioma Awareness Day, and we are trying to get 7200 voices talking and sharing about this rare cancer, to represent the 7200 hours that the average mesothelioma patient has to live. </i></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>As my wife is a rare survivor of mesothelioma, this day obviously means a lot to us. We aren’t asking for time, money, or donations of any kind, just voices to spread the word about this awful, and sadly little known cancer. I was hoping that you would help support our cause by posting a link to our campaign page, so that your readers can use their voices as well! </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Here is the link, please let me know what you think when you get a chance to take a look. Your help would mean the world to us! ..."</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #444444;">blog ... "</span><a href="http://www.mesothelioma.com/blog/authors/heather/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Dying To Be Heard</span></a><span style="color: #444444;">"</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: comic sans ms, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><i>Patrick Leer</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Health Activist:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Caregivingly Yours, MS Caregiver @ </span><a href="http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3333ff;">http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/</span></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
My Lung Cancer Odyssey @<span style="color: #3333ff;"> </span><span style="color: #3333ff;"><a href="http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/</a></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14000299655117252000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003942465117300316.post-20497809679196896682013-09-09T08:25:00.000-04:002013-09-10T16:48:53.899-04:00Stage 4 Lung cancer depression and the whipping post<span style="font-size: large;">… <i>from Facebook … Jackie to Patrick Leer</i></span><br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">"haven't seen anything by you in a few days... hope all is well as possible. Hang in there and keep the faith!! Hi to Megan and tell her to take a few minutes and breathe.... "</span></i><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Patrick to Jackie ... Round 4 of Chemo (carboplatin + almita) is worse since Chemo began in June ... remember an old Almman Brothers song 'Tied To A Whipping Post"? ... </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">"Sometimes I Feel ... Sometimes I Feel ... Like I've Been Tied To The Whipping Post ... Good Lord I Feel Like 'I'm Dying'…”</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">... minus the long hair, guitars and about 40+ years that about captures this week ... with blood counts crashing … I found myself anemic as the week ended and ‘qualified’ for my third blood plasma transfusion since chemo began, three months ago.. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">… anemic + chemo fatigue + chemo fog is not only a constant risk of physically falling but also episodes of falling asleep sitting at a table trying to eat … the danger in falling is what I may hit so I find myself as anemia worsens positioning myself more to prevent falls than function.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Loss of wheelchair van and my failing ability to transfer Patti created the first week in months where I could not visit with Patti … … truth be told as readers may have noticed chemo fog was so bad I have not even been able to post … </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">OK! … No Mas! No Mas! …. accepting that ‘quality of life’ is increasingly as challenging daily as trying to outlive lung cancer … I added mental health to my team this week … adding a psychiatrist and an anti-depressant (Lexapro) to my meds.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">It has been one helluva roller coast week … sooo looking forward (at the risk of sounding like a vampire) for some blood plasma today.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: comic sans ms, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>Patrick Leer</i></span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Health Activist:</span></span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Caregivingly Yours, MS Caregiver @ </span><a href="http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3333ff;">http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/</span></a></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;">
<span style="font-size: large;">My Lung Cancer Odyssey @<span style="color: #3333ff;"> </span><span style="color: #3333ff;"><a href="http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/</a></span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14000299655117252000noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003942465117300316.post-85417395116508832782013-09-02T18:53:00.003-04:002013-09-03T09:02:54.097-04:00Faith and Amulet Therapy Stage 4 Lung Cancer<span style="font-size: large;">Stage 4 Lung Cancer with brain mets never gets less terrifying especially as I try to put it to bed each night. … Sleepless nights are rewarded by a Stage 4 dawn. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Coffee takes unsuccessful whacks at the chemo fog and fatigue before I realize … “Thank God” …I am alive and grateful for another day.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Beyond science lays faith … ‘God’, ‘prayers’ and ‘every conceivable well wish abounds on Facebook. … </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Devotional religious paraphernalia derive their power, not from the symbolism created by the object, rather by the faith of the believer in entrusting its power to God.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">My amulet inventory stretches 71 years back to my Dad’s WWII metal jacketed prayer book …</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-A7dQpm9EXFo/UiUVzaVftcI/AAAAAAAANuc/uhZPvG9EkSA/s1600/2013-08-21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-A7dQpm9EXFo/UiUVzaVftcI/AAAAAAAANuc/uhZPvG9EkSA/s320/2013-08-21.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Gifts of prayers and healing masses are shared in three ‘Perpetual Memberships' to Marianist Spiritual Alliance, Trinity Missions Mass Society, and Sisters of the Cenacle</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">… and most important of all … <i>“Pat, just in case you need a little inspiration here's a pic of Tommy. Notice the empty seat. .. he's saving that for you! Stay strong Warrior!”</i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VOvGPF_6sz0/UiUVg_6DkuI/AAAAAAAANuY/ogYt2oB4Yws/s1600/tommyswing+%2528960x720%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VOvGPF_6sz0/UiUVg_6DkuI/AAAAAAAANuY/ogYt2oB4Yws/s320/tommyswing+%2528960x720%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">The young man pictured is my cousin … born prematurely with infantile myotonic dystrophy … he’s also at age 7 a 5 yr survivor of liver cancer … while I whine about cisplatin and almita kicking my butt … Tommy took them on and won that fight at age 2</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Special children are the face of God … their inspiration is transcendent …. and Tommy ... <b>I will share that swing with you sooner than later </b>… right now I have to finish crying for your inspiration and hit send … thank you, little Cuz!!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: comic sans ms, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><i>Patrick Leer</i></span><br />
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Health Activist:</span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Caregivingly Yours, MS Caregiver @ </span><a href="http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3333ff;">http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/</span></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
My Lung Cancer Odyssey @<span style="color: #3333ff;"> </span><span style="color: #3333ff;"><a href="http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/</a></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14000299655117252000noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003942465117300316.post-14292884386217976402013-09-01T12:15:00.002-04:002013-09-01T16:29:10.499-04:00Tysabri in the chemo lounge<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Alive
with real life stories … chemo lounges are more educational than any
professional.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We
decided to use this 121<sup>st</sup> day of chemotherapy to try and
include Patti …<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Wracked
by guilt over not being able to be as involved as normal with Patti since my
cancer DX … maybe just maybe if Megan brought her by at the end of my treatment
session Patti may retain something about my treatment?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Arriving
I discovered a corner of the chemo lounge not only talking about Multiple
Sclerosis but receiving TYSABRI through IV drip bags!!!!! .. Apparently once a month they gather for
their Tysabri … I was slackjawed to learn … and more important to receive their
understanding of what I was facing … where has this group been??? … of course,
in a chemo lounge … where else?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Who
knows what Patti retains but she was engaged and chatty … visually impaired … IV poles and bags of
colored liquid likely seemed more festive than medical.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We
closed out the adventure with dinner at of Helena's Chocolate Cafe &
Creperie … and of course some laughter to end this day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-06ZerQGlU2w/UiNnXv70z3I/AAAAAAAANuE/f31owZx88yg/s1600/2013-08-31+(800x533).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-06ZerQGlU2w/UiNnXv70z3I/AAAAAAAANuE/f31owZx88yg/s400/2013-08-31+(800x533).jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Bottom
line I am alive!!!</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">…18 months since original
DX of Stage 1 Lung Cancer and now 4 months since DX of Stage 4 Lung Cancer with
brain mets … I am beginning Round 4 of chemotherapy. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: comic sans ms, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><i>Patrick Leer</i></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Health Activist:</span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Caregivingly Yours, MS Caregiver @ </span><a href="http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3333ff;">http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/</span></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
My Lung Cancer Odyssey @<span style="color: #3333ff;"> </span><span style="color: #3333ff;"><a href="http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/</a></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14000299655117252000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003942465117300316.post-51656545690518136922013-08-30T11:46:00.001-04:002013-09-24T20:20:23.457-04:00Stage 4 Lung Cancer Dawn #120 Stardust the Chemo Cat<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbAOlMKyD83T9sn_rAPgzw1Ic_PNN3R3IsKXiTRrNIAZCTKdB7tsBcjl1fnAAJBRrSIdMlWNH6_CxMETr8BZo6NZeNyTEgfjPgs7QqXe0tymm4YKKtkP2EbVSNURb4xj90ca_nx_NaVPtT/s1600/100_1286+(639x800).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbAOlMKyD83T9sn_rAPgzw1Ic_PNN3R3IsKXiTRrNIAZCTKdB7tsBcjl1fnAAJBRrSIdMlWNH6_CxMETr8BZo6NZeNyTEgfjPgs7QqXe0tymm4YKKtkP2EbVSNURb4xj90ca_nx_NaVPtT/s320/100_1286+(639x800).jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Yes I have shared some strange and unusual side effects of chemo but none quite like this … once was an anomaly, twice … let me tell you the tale of “Stardust the Chemo Cat”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>“All the king's chemo and all the king's medical people … leave Patrick in a post funk after each new Round of Chemo.”</i></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Well … except for Round 1 and Round 4. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Laying in my recliner, Father's Day weekend after Round 1 with zero appetite … our cat Stardust jumps through her cat window bearing a squealing “chipmunk” for me …talk about a post funk erasure … hearing the ruckus Megan with the speed of professional ball player grabs the chipmunk out of Stardust’s mouth returning it outdoors </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Then last night after starting Round 4 yesterday … I was dozing off and awoke to Stardust playing with what sounded like a squeaky toy … my eyes flung open realizing Stardust does not play with squeaking toys … it was something alive </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Yelling for Megan she appears and blocks the cat window while Stardust tries to get her squeaking squirming “vole” to cooperate without having to kill it. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Following each episode I have done my best to express my gratitude, but 'no thanks', for fresh rodent following a each new round of Chemo … </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Anyone else out there in the land of ‘trying to survive’ have a pet that cares enough to hunt and bring you food?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
--<br />
<span style="font-family: comic sans ms, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><i>Patrick Leer</i></span><br />
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Health Activist:</span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Caregivingly Yours, MS Caregiver @ </span><a href="http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3333ff;">http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/</span></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
My Lung Cancer Odyssey @<span style="color: #3333ff;"> </span><span style="color: #3333ff;"><a href="http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/</a></span></div>
</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14000299655117252000noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003942465117300316.post-83450301419160520202013-08-28T23:40:00.001-04:002013-09-24T20:17:47.705-04:00Stage 4 Lung Cancer Dawn #120 mediport<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Waking
up this morning to my 120th Stage 4 Lung Cancer morning, I was back in the Hospital for an outpatient
procedure … having a<span style="color: blue;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 21.66666603088379px; line-height: 24.16666603088379px;"><a href="http://www.navilyst.com/products/index.cfm/23" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Xcela™ Power Injectable Port</span></a> (m</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">ediport) installed by Dr. Jay Goodman, diagnostic and </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 21.66666603088379px; line-height: 24.16666603088379px;">interventional</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> radiology, at Holy Spirit Hospital.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Noticing
fellow cancer patients wearing them in the chemo lounge I took to asking and
support was universal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Sheer
number of injections over the last three months has made me realize how
challenging it can be for oncology nurses … plus with Chemotherapy Round 4 beginning
tomorrow there is no immediate end in sight. ... Because CT Scans and MRI's are important to my targeting and </span><span style="font-size: 21.66666603088379px; line-height: 24.16666603088379px;">evaluation</span><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> of treatment I needed the upgraded model ... and of course - thanks to CIGNA for understanding and </span><span style="font-size: 21.66666603088379px; line-height: 24.16666603088379px;">approving</span><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">At least
tomorrow after the wrapping comes off it should look more cool. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWRSEDcp41BxRfF8TELa3-4EmdhgdfrXx63gzYZgOHg0mcSRMitWaw0LXzNAuXfHLyKt7uT4Eepe6oBb1VM3LTcREkNyujKZE4g_sXESzFLO3dGyo5Yvj7TdeF3TVcSGOII2cg5-jqHFop/s1600/2013-08-28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWRSEDcp41BxRfF8TELa3-4EmdhgdfrXx63gzYZgOHg0mcSRMitWaw0LXzNAuXfHLyKt7uT4Eepe6oBb1VM3LTcREkNyujKZE4g_sXESzFLO3dGyo5Yvj7TdeF3TVcSGOII2cg5-jqHFop/s320/2013-08-28.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Pictured
above any time there is anesthesia I wear a name tag … even though today was
only ‘Twilight Anesthesia’ I want everyone on that team to know my name… should
procedure go wrong … </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">... nothing went wrong and soon I was enjoying a club sandwich in bed … something I have not enjoyed in years. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><i style="font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Patrick Leer</i><br />
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Health Activist:</span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
My Lung Cancer Odyssey @<span style="color: #3333ff;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc;"><a href="http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/</a></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Caregivingly Yours, MS Caregiver @ </span><a href="http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3333ff;">http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/</span></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14000299655117252000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003942465117300316.post-8506371476463069662013-08-26T20:06:00.001-04:002013-08-26T20:27:44.732-04:002013 Free To Breathe 5K Harrisburg<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A
Stage 4 Lung Cancer with brain mets DX is the great white shark of medical diagnoses
… its one single minded objective is to kill me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Hope
and awareness rumbled by my DJ/MC tent Saturday morning as nearly 500 runners
and walkers participated in <a href="http://palungcancerpartnership.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Pennsylvania Lung Cancer Partnership</span></a>’s <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FTBHarrisburg" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">2013 Free ToBreathe 5K </span></a>on City Island … stretching a 3 mile living ribbon of lung cancer awareness
across the Susquehanna River into Harrisburg and back … empowering!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3tXtpm4-24AuUkdzspGahOJUJf5jSMXcgiwuXDWr7MgKEPakm6S2vjxT70u8rWkNaEvLj-mgiB0nq8dwSbfqC0UHQpvLFnWUMqKQFAVMqp4GgtgVBNPaItfGqdTerNKprKWe8_XRx7shY/s1600/race.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3tXtpm4-24AuUkdzspGahOJUJf5jSMXcgiwuXDWr7MgKEPakm6S2vjxT70u8rWkNaEvLj-mgiB0nq8dwSbfqC0UHQpvLFnWUMqKQFAVMqp4GgtgVBNPaItfGqdTerNKprKWe8_XRx7shY/s320/race.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Most
important last year 7 survivors were in attendance … this year, 11 were
registered though only 8 are pictured. … More, more, and more … inspirational!</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6DezrKn50IE/UhvoWNteM-I/AAAAAAAANs0/2Iz2p6QnUM8/s1600/survivors.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="176" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6DezrKn50IE/UhvoWNteM-I/AAAAAAAANs0/2Iz2p6QnUM8/s320/survivors.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Since
last summer I searched for ‘survivors’ and finally this past Spring connected
by an oncology nurse, while I was still Stage 1,</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">the woman to the far right shared she was
told she had 4 months to live 4 years ago DX’d with Stage 4 … her advice to me
was “take control” of your treatment … surrounding
her in the chemo lounge were three more 4 yr+ survivors and a 10 yr lung cancer
survivor all of whom shared similar </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 21.66666603088379px; line-height: 24.16666603088379px;">original prognoses. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 21.66666603088379px; line-height: 24.16666603088379px;">… WE are not statistics ... WE are people fighting to outlive lung cancer</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">The
young woman to my left was DX’d at age 19! … young women are the fastest growing
subgroup … it’s an increasingly toxic world out there from radon to diesel to pollution
… if you have lungs you can get lung cancer … KNOW your body</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-42CyfYDdYtk/UhvqJqNYG-I/AAAAAAAANtA/MvowD1olmxo/s1600/100_1385+(533x800).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-42CyfYDdYtk/UhvqJqNYG-I/AAAAAAAANtA/MvowD1olmxo/s320/100_1385+(533x800).jpg" width="214" /></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I
had an opportunity to hug Dr. Troy Moritz, my thoracic surgeon who cut the
primary tumor out of me in March 2012. Knowing the importance of spouse
caregiving to me I was out of the hospital on the third morning and just 6 weeks later pushing my
wife’s wheelchair around City Island.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Those
were the Stage 1 days and my world turned upside down 4 months ago when my DX
jumped to Stage 4 Lung Cancer with brain metastasis. …<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">10
whole brain radiation treatments and 12 weeks of aggressive chemotherapy I returned
to DJ … with the help of my daughter … I danced and pranced, DJ’d and MC’d,
hula hoop contests … and oh yeah Stage 4 DJing needed to sit down a couple breaks to finish
smashing some stigmas. </span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NyD6zNHulEM/UhvrcoWcspI/AAAAAAAANtM/bUHynngxIBA/s1600/2013-08-027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="287" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NyD6zNHulEM/UhvrcoWcspI/AAAAAAAANtM/bUHynngxIBA/s400/2013-08-027.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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PS Thank You! Tom Wingert of Lucky Shot photography</div>
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<i style="color: #222222; font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Patrick Leer</i></div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Health Activist:</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Caregivingly Yours, MS Caregiver @ </span><a href="http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3333ff;">http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/</span></a></div>
<div>
My Lung Cancer Odyssey @<span style="color: #3333ff;"> </span><a href="http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3333ff;">http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/</span></a></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14000299655117252000noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003942465117300316.post-29814905176056104162013-08-22T20:43:00.000-04:002013-08-23T17:00:38.966-04:00Disability Stage 4 Lung Cancer<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Sitting
down with my oncologist Tuesday … we talked about latest symptoms of fatigue,
fatigue and more fatigue … chemo fog ... intermittent knee pain … intermittent dizziness … intermittent
shortness of breath … phlegmy cough and mucus with chemotherapy. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Chemo fog and associated mental confusion so impaired my ability to complete Patti's Long Term Care </span><span style="font-size: 21.66666603088379px; line-height: 24.16666603088379px;">renewal ... that what should take a week of paperwork took weeks ... and </span><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">almost caused me a </span><span style="font-size: 21.66666603088379px; line-height: 24.16666603088379px;">catastrophic</span><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> misfiling of her renewal.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Expressing
my desire to try radiation on the remaining tumor (after all I went through 10 </span><span style="font-size: 21.66666603088379px; line-height: 24.16666603088379px;">whole brain</span><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> radiation </span><span style="font-size: 21.66666603088379px; line-height: 24.16666603088379px;">treatments</span><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> with out a problem and worked throughout the treatment) ... she explains that while
radiation could attack the tumor it would do nothing about the potential spread
of cancer … this is Stage 4 and metastasis is a constant threat … seen or
unseen. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirTSUsrbuOBXKfvpB0j4LmSsi2kpQAKEteHZZutDLdph5puU74UmPeehoS1i7726VZE-XEKwC2eTS3-69HfWsJNnQqDOTD7FQvsz8TQ7Ze3iot_IfZmDUxuHZdS9X6EpFhVcN36C6sOF9N/s1600/100_1326+(495x800).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirTSUsrbuOBXKfvpB0j4LmSsi2kpQAKEteHZZutDLdph5puU74UmPeehoS1i7726VZE-XEKwC2eTS3-69HfWsJNnQqDOTD7FQvsz8TQ7Ze3iot_IfZmDUxuHZdS9X6EpFhVcN36C6sOF9N/s200/100_1326+(495x800).jpg" width="125" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">After
12 weeks off getting my butt kicked by aggressive chemotherapy, I share that I NEED to
return to work … except I hear the unimaginable
words</span></span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> “you <b>may</b> never work a full day again” ... “you <b>may</b> never return to your
previous level of abilities”</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">…chemo side </span><span style="font-size: 21.66666603088379px; line-height: 24.16666603088379px;">effects</span><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> can be </span><span style="font-size: 21.66666603088379px; line-height: 24.16666603088379px;">cumulative</span><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> and each patient is different ... this is the worst time for chemo patients in her opinion ... combining side effects with quality of life ... my oncologist suggests considering applying for social
security disability for me and inquire about hospice
nursing at home to help take the load off Megan.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Cold
hands reach up from the chemo fog and scratch<i> "depression" </i>on the symptom list
before dragging me down the rabbit hole … <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">We agree
to postpone Chemo Round 4, take a brief break from chemo, digest '</span><span style="font-size: 21.66666603088379px; line-height: 24.16666603088379px;">quality</span><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> of life' issues and talk again next
week.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: comic sans ms, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><i>Patrick Leer</i></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Health Activist:</span></div>
<div>
<div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
My Lung Cancer Odyssey @<span style="color: #3333ff;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc;"><a href="http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/</a></span></div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Caregivingly Yours, MS Caregiver @ </span><a href="http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial; font-size: small;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3333ff;">http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/</span></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14000299655117252000noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003942465117300316.post-54764558722834042512013-08-20T08:34:00.000-04:002013-08-20T08:34:12.816-04:00Making a Difference … One BREATH at a time<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Updated:
Monday, August 19 2013, 09:22 AM CDT Written by: Sherry Christian Contributor:
Rachel Snody (<a href="mailto:RSnody@SBGTV.com">RSnody@SBGTV.com</a>)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Patrick Leer and Ann Parfitt, two
Central PA survivors could be spending their days enjoying their families,
friends and life. But they're making a difference by educating others on this
often mis-labeled cancer. …”<br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--></span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“…</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://local21news.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/making-difference-one-breath-at-time-1378.shtml" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Making a Difference …One BREATH at a time</span></a>…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://local21news.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/making-difference-one-breath-at-time-1378.shtml" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="113" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5zV5cw9Vawk/UhNeHiEnENI/AAAAAAAANrw/xkVfL45Xbok/s400/Free-to-breathe_1378+(450x129)+(2)+(450x129).jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> (click either pic or blue </span><span style="font-size: 21.66666603088379px; line-height: 24.16666603088379px;">hyperlink</span><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> to open 3 minute interview)</span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>"...You'll also find 62-year-old Patrick Leer
at the event, he's the DJ, despite battling stage 4 lung cancer himself. Along
with his music, his message is never give up. He's targeting the younger
generation, made up of people like his 25-year-old daughter Megan, who is also
his ‘cancer coach’.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It's amazing to see Patrick walking, let
alone participating in events considering the cancer spread to his brain. But
he's more worried about Megan's peer group, who may not get regular exams
because they think because of their age, they're immune. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But with 160,000 American's losing their
battle each year, well that's just not settling well with Patrick. <b>"160,000 a year can't keep dying,
that's, that's terrorism."</b><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><i> </i>"Free to Breathe" is this Saturday,
August 24th on City Island. forecast "mostly sunny and a delightful 77</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">˚F (25</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 21.66666603088379px; line-height: 24.16666603088379px;">˚C)</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">." </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 21.66666603088379px; line-height: 24.16666603088379px;">The welcome rally starts at 9 a.m. Be sure to stop by and see Ann and I ... and so many more!!!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: comic sans ms, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><i>Patrick Leer</i></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Health Activist:</span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">My Lung Cancer Odyssey @</span><span style="color: #3333ff; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/</a></span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;" /></span><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Caregivingly Yours, MS Caregiver @ </span><a href="http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3333ff;">http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/</span></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
<br /></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14000299655117252000noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003942465117300316.post-30568520774491226492013-08-19T04:37:00.000-04:002013-08-19T07:04:37.361-04:00OFF ROAD adventures with a cane ... Lung Cancer Stage 4<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Groovin' on a Sunday afternoon with </span><span style="font-size: large;">OFF ROAD adventures with a cane ... plus </span><span style="font-size: large;">Lung Cancer Stage 4 with brain mets...</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oLo0QAliT9Y/UhHXnSGyl6I/AAAAAAAANrU/9YmzLollLjo/s1600/2013-08-18txt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oLo0QAliT9Y/UhHXnSGyl6I/AAAAAAAANrU/9YmzLollLjo/s400/2013-08-18txt.jpg" title=""Shadow of Death" Frankstown Path " width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4pX_Z7XZqIE/UhHYRvSSnkI/AAAAAAAANrc/lecSIvn6olo/s1600/2013-08-019text.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="268" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4pX_Z7XZqIE/UhHYRvSSnkI/AAAAAAAANrc/lecSIvn6olo/s400/2013-08-019text.jpg" title="tractor on a rock" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: comic sans ms, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><i>Patrick Leer</i></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Health Activist:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">My Lung Cancer Odyssey @</span><span style="color: #3333ff; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/</a></span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;" /></span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Caregivingly Yours, MS Caregiver @ </span><a href="http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3333ff;">http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/</span></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14000299655117252000noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003942465117300316.post-44850526393687792042013-08-17T13:17:00.000-04:002013-08-28T22:52:10.533-04:00Stage 4 Lung Cancer Dawn #110<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Waking up this morning to my 110th Stage 4 morning, “Loose Yourself” by Emimen echoed in my head … fighting to outlive cancer he is absolutely on target … <i>“Success is my only motherf#&king option, failure's not”.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Radiated and/or wracked by chemo side effects I rise each day before ‘traditional’ morning to another Stage 4 Dawn … part of a ‘grateful to be alive’ army that will suffer mind numbing annual fatalities but cannot and will not fail. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Plus … Lung Cancer Revolutions loom ... </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Remember Saturday morning cartoons??? Stop and take three minutes to watch this cartoon by Pfizer Oncology about…</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b style="font-family: inherit;">How Molecular Profiling Is Changing the Fight Against Lung Cancer </b></span></div>
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/7N-uHQkaJps" width="560"></iframe><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">… then SHARE it with family, friends, social media … hell if you have a smart phone … stop strangers on the street and show it to them … if you have those phones you touch and share … well start touching … the absolute worse you can accomplish is possibly save some lives by giving more people a chance to outlive lung cancer.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Old school and prefer to read? Perhaps even raising a pinkie as you </span>sip <span style="font-family: inherit;">a cup of coffee ... No problemo …</span><b style="font-family: inherit;"> <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/08/14/gene-study-uncovers-origins-many-common-cancers/#ixzz2cAcOcQZL" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">“Gene breakthroughs spark a revolution in cancer treatment”</span></a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Revolutions are LONG overdue … </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Love this tweet from the Twittersphere ... </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">... The answer to "Do (Did) you smoke?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> after a <i>#lungcancer </i>diagnosis</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">..... <b>"I Breathe." </b><i>#lcsm #NoMoreBlameGame</i></span><br />
<span style="text-align: left;">-- </span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: comic sans ms, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><i>Patrick Leer</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Health Activist:</span></div>
<div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: small; text-align: start;">
My Lung Cancer Odyssey @<span style="color: #3333ff;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc;"><a href="http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/</a></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: small; text-align: start;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Caregivingly Yours, MS Caregiver @ </span><a href="http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3333ff;">http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/</span></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14000299655117252000noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003942465117300316.post-77509840916723086172013-08-16T14:34:00.000-04:002013-08-16T16:56:36.743-04:00a hunk, a hunk of burning knees<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Stage 4 Lung Cancer mornings though I am grateful
for each and every one … can be one surprise after another.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Youch! This morning I slid out of bed onto (to
paraphrase Elvis) a pair of <i>‘a hunk, a hunk of burning knees’.</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Swallowing two ibuprofen put the fire out ... while my
‘cancer coach’ consulted the Internet and concluded it was a ‘side effect’ of Decadron.
As a corticosteroid Decadron can reduce inflammation around joints.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Whatever …blessed by a personal cancer coach keeping me 'focused' and two ibuprofen a most important morning began.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXlA-Cs0BO48sla1WryKPRtDH8TXQNX6QcJ3uU1dwxDuVtscw_ypAZDBvlWKiV4NflLXuvAcFFQc4nug3Og-RFMcCtY6KOmDkQWRiafFmTyK-eTt2EBwW8NLoNqzoYGwUurd458vtMmAuM/s1600/sherrychristian+(256x256).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXlA-Cs0BO48sla1WryKPRtDH8TXQNX6QcJ3uU1dwxDuVtscw_ypAZDBvlWKiV4NflLXuvAcFFQc4nug3Og-RFMcCtY6KOmDkQWRiafFmTyK-eTt2EBwW8NLoNqzoYGwUurd458vtMmAuM/s200/sherrychristian+(256x256).jpg" title="Sherry Christian CBS 21 Harrisburg" width="200" /></a><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><a href="http://smatworkhbg.com/panels/sherry-christian/" style="line-height: 115%;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Sherry Christian</span></a><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 115%;"> of </span><a href="http://local21news.com/" style="line-height: 115%;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">CBS 21 News</span> </a><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Harrisburg was
interviewing me </span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #333333;">on City Island to promote lung cancer awareness and the <span style="line-height: 24.16666603088379px;">Pennsylvania</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Free To Breathe
Lung Cancer 5K Run/Walk … along with two other Free To Breathe lung cancer activists
later in the day. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">I need to ‘shout out’ CBS 21 News, and Sherry
Christian in particular …. Until our stories get out of social media and into
mainstream media 160,000 people a year may keep dying of lung cancer</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Breast Cancer kills 40,000 women a year yet Lung Cancer will kill 70,000 women this year ... this under funding and stigmas of lung cancer has got to stop ... thank you for
reaching out from the bigger screen.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><i>(I understand the piece should run Monday, Aug
19<sup>th</sup> on CBS 21 Morning News between 6:30 AM- 7:00 AM then again on
CBS 21 evening news.)</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rdRrTX9jjgE/UBQiuuowEmI/AAAAAAAANXg/Vonn0nMeDZk/s1600/FTB_5K_RunWalk_Logo-U_For_Web.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rdRrTX9jjgE/UBQiuuowEmI/AAAAAAAANXg/Vonn0nMeDZk/s200/FTB_5K_RunWalk_Logo-U_For_Web.gif" width="200" /></a><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Pennsylvania Lung Cancer Partnership<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Free to Breathe® Harrisburg<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>4th Annual Lung Cancer 5K Run/Walk </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>& 1-Mile
Walk </b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">August 24, 2013<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.freetobreathe.org/harrisburg"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">www.freetobreathe.org/harrisburg</span></a><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: large;">.</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="color: #333333;">PS … special thanks to Johanna Kilbride of
</span><a href="http://www.jubelirerstrategies.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Jubelirer Strategies</span></a></i><span style="color: #333333;"><i>, Philadelphia, PA for your tireless behind the scenes campaigning to promote lung cancer awareness … somewhere
in all this … WE will ALL give people a fighting chance to outlive lung cancer.</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><i>Patrick Leer</i></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">Health Activist:</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: x-small;">My Lung Cancer Odyssey @</span><span style="color: #3333ff; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/</a></span></span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Caregivingly Yours, MS Caregiver @ h<span style="color: #3333ff;"><a href="http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">ttp://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14000299655117252000noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003942465117300316.post-71924589937741734382013-08-14T22:12:00.001-04:002013-08-16T06:04:37.273-04:00BREATHE: if you have lungs you can get lung cancer<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.thepamediagroup.com/brands/patriot-news/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">The Patriot-News</span></a><span style="color: #333333;"> is central Pennsylvania’s
award-winning top daily local news source, serving Pennsylvania for 150 storied
years. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/DrLindaRhodes" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Dr. Linda Rhodes</span></a><span style="color: #333333;">, Patriot-News Columnist is a
former Pennsylvania Secretary of Aging and author of The Essential Guide to Caring
for Aging Parents (Penguin 2012).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Arial Rounded MT Bold', sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #333333;">I am humbled that </span><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"><b>My Lung Cancer Odyssey</b></span></a>
</span></span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; line-height: 115%;">continues to raise awareness of lung cancer, specifically the stigmas. <i>… </i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; line-height: 115%;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; line-height: 115%;"><i>... “If you have lungs, you can get lung
cancer.” <o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.pennlive.com/living/index.ssf/2013/08/lung_cancer_non-smokers_are_no.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>NON-SMOKERS ARE NOT IMMUNE TO LUNG CANCER</b></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zCfOb1xRznI/Ugw2lloQDQI/AAAAAAAANp4/XNldM3fwnkE/s1600/lung-ca-bookmark-for-webpng-37f4852592266d59+(153x441).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zCfOb1xRznI/Ugw2lloQDQI/AAAAAAAANp4/XNldM3fwnkE/s1600/lung-ca-bookmark-for-webpng-37f4852592266d59+(153x441).jpg" /></span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">Remember these symptoms …</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"> BREATHE<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>B</u></b></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">lood in cough<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><b><u>R</u></b></span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">ecurring respiratory infections<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><b><u>E</u></b></span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">nduring cough that is new or different<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><b><u>A</u></b></span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">che or pain in shoulder, back, or chest<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><b><u>T</u></b></span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">rouble breathing<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><b><u>H</u></b></span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">oarseness or wheezing<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><b><u>E</u></b></span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">xhaustion or weakness<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><i>If any of these symptoms are troubling you see
a doctor. </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit; line-height: normal;"><i>Patrick Leer</i></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">Health Activist:</span><br />
<div style="color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">My Lung Cancer Odyssey @<span style="color: #3333ff;"> </span><span style="color: #3333ff;"><a href="http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/</a></span></span></div>
<div style="color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Caregivingly Yours, MS Caregiver @ <span style="color: #3333ff;"><a href="http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/</a></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 14.999999046325684px;">MultipleSclerosis.Net @</span><a href="http://draft.blogger.com/goog_1235909160" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; line-height: 14.999999046325684px; text-decoration: none;"> </a><a href="http://multiplesclerosis.net/" style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.999999046325684px;"><span style="color: blue;">http://multiplesclerosis.net/</span></a></span></div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14000299655117252000noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003942465117300316.post-10289971171101179472013-08-11T16:27:00.001-04:002013-08-14T15:31:23.918-04:00buffalo hump, turkey gullet and now bobblehead BP<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Ain’t trying to share about trying to outlive lung
cancer grand?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I detour into the science of chemotherapy and
blood counts and innovations like palliative care teams for a couple entries …
and it’s the weird and unusual named symptoms that turn the tide.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Masked deep in Chemo Week 8, day 3 was a new phenomenon
… ‘bobblehead’ blood pressure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">During my second saline drip of Round 3, I reported
unusual dizziness when standing after rising, not cookie cutter dizziness but
almost more feinting than dizzy … my oncology nurse using a blood pressure cuff
noted a 20 point drop in systolic blood pressure (aka top BP number) and a 10 point tumble in diastolic
blood pressure (aka bottom BP number)…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">… both returned to normal in brief moments of stabilized
standing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When switching from (Cisplatin+Alimta) to
(Carboplatin+Alimta) … my oncologist remarked we are switching side effects
…Carboplatin may affect the blood more than Cisplatin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Certainly some circumstantial evidence to that
affect as it took just a couple days longer to have such deteriorating conditions through Stage
1 and Stage 2 warrant a ticket to blood plasma… <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SbgeyZ7GSlM/UgfwQFwyfiI/AAAAAAAANpY/qHbxW51Vkfw/s1600/2013-08-10+(800x533).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SbgeyZ7GSlM/UgfwQFwyfiI/AAAAAAAANpY/qHbxW51Vkfw/s320/2013-08-10+(800x533).jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Yet after only 10 days of (Carboplatin+Alimta)
with blood pressure ebbing and flowing when standing and both RBC and HGB blood
counts hovering to fall over the cliff I won a blood transfusion ticket in only
... 11 days … to the freezer of chemotherapy … a double blood transfusion …
wiser this time I wore my ‘Uncle Buck’ hat and jacket<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">To me, me not using a cane these past mornings
border the miraculous but I know it’s the science cooked with my growing
patience … up + stabilize = walking … kind of
catchy isn’t it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Even better news was a call from Patti’s
visiting dentist</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X2MkQC7hZd0/S_i-e4kpVlI/AAAAAAAAIpk/tuHHSyKXvS8/s1600/nocavities.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X2MkQC7hZd0/S_i-e4kpVlI/AAAAAAAAIpk/tuHHSyKXvS8/s200/nocavities.jpg" width="134" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> … “no cavities, no gum issues!!!” <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Part of why I try to average visiting her facility
3 X a week is dental hygiene. Prompting her with assisting with brushing her
own teeth is her final activity of daily living she can physically and mentally
participate in … it takes extra work and more important extra time – not something
sta</span><span style="font-family: Arial Rounded MT Bold, sans-serif;">ff can always offer Patti.</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Arial Rounded MT Bold', sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Through chemo I have to avoid her facility for
my own immune system ... God Bless Patti’s staff they had stepped in even
better than I could as a one person show … truth be told I teared up talking
with a dentist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So how do I share trying to outlive lung
cancer? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #333333;">Wednesday we had a family pizza night participating
in a Pizza Hut fundraiser donating $2 per pizza sold to </span><a href="http://participate.freetobreathe.org/site/TR/FreetoBreatheSignatureEvents/General?pg=entry&fr_id=2000" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Free To Breathe 5k/Run</span></a><span style="color: #333333;">.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Thursday I go in for a saline drip and with red
blood counts crashing I win a ticket to double blood plasma. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Friday I’m literally “chillin” at Holy Spirit Hospital with my plasma
dressed for Winter in August.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Saturday I’m getting all weepy over Patti’s
dental cleaning. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif"; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">Today my 88 year old Aunt called to check on me
… just short of a 5 year lung cancer survivor herself … her very voice
inspires!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k8F17qxeMMY/Ugva3JAtc6I/AAAAAAAANpo/Dq8T5IiRWOM/s1600/100_1308+(772x800).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k8F17qxeMMY/Ugva3JAtc6I/AAAAAAAANpo/Dq8T5IiRWOM/s320/100_1308+(772x800).jpg" width="309" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #333333;">Tonight my daughter and I will watch the
premier of the final season of “</span><a href="http://www.amctv.com/shows/breaking-bad" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Breaking Bad</span></a></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: large;">” … not only has it become an
indirect creative learning tool for us but a shared and riveting ‘cancertainment’
show … cooking homemade dinner has always been a tradition … she’s the cook tonight…
menu = homemade veggie chili !!! </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Most important … first and foremost I am
grateful to be alive to share ... another week of ... My Lung Cancer Odyssey trying to outlive lung
cancer!</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: 'Arial Rounded MT Bold', sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial Rounded MT Bold, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 27.499998092651367px;">-- </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial Rounded MT Bold, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 27.499998092651367px;">Patrick Leer</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial Rounded MT Bold, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 27.499998092651367px;">Health Activist:</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial Rounded MT Bold, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 27.499998092651367px;"><span style="color: #333333;">Caregivingly Yours, MS Caregiver @ </span><a href="http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: blue;">http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/</span></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial Rounded MT Bold, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 27.499998092651367px;"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial Rounded MT Bold, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 27.499998092651367px;"><span style="color: #333333;">My Lung Cancer Odyssey @ </span><a href="http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: blue;">http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/</span></a></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial Rounded MT Bold, sans-serif;">MultipleSclerosis.Net @<a href="http://draft.blogger.com/goog_1235909160"> </a><a href="http://multiplesclerosis.net/">http://multiplesclerosis.net/</a></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14000299655117252000noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003942465117300316.post-85033900701914715072013-08-06T10:34:00.000-04:002013-08-06T11:03:33.393-04:00My Lung Cancer Odyssey ... newsworthy?<span style="font-size: large;">From “The Sentinel” Newspaper …</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">15 hours ago • By Christen Croley, The Sentinel</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqqQ8r3e2BlruIezDHVAT4s24dXFW22jqjGIY8G6DfXkSqT5Bv9hzeiGE0Uz9obX-oED-kmPrO5n1_YFbEcCguFelMJEl5ZtzD6aY-ZUHOQBPUiutYUMSEorxM6tRaSOZcDrM-QUf7_zRI/s1600/sentinellogo+(200x200).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqqQ8r3e2BlruIezDHVAT4s24dXFW22jqjGIY8G6DfXkSqT5Bv9hzeiGE0Uz9obX-oED-kmPrO5n1_YFbEcCguFelMJEl5ZtzD6aY-ZUHOQBPUiutYUMSEorxM6tRaSOZcDrM-QUf7_zRI/s200/sentinellogo+(200x200).jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>“MECHANICSBURG — For the past 24 years of his life, Patrick Leer’s own health concerns were of little consequence in the face of his wife’s multiple sclerosis …“</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><i><a href="http://cumberlink.com/news/health/mechanicsburg-man-fights-stage-iv-lung-cancer-cares-for-wife/article_29f8d3a4-fe14-11e2-89cc-001a4bcf887a.html" target="_blank"><b>MECHANICSBURG MAN FIGHTS STAGE IV LUNG CANCER, CARES FOR WIFE WITH MS</b></a></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Thank you Christen Croley and “The Sentinel” for promoting awareness of lung cancer and upcoming Pennsylvania Lung Cancer Partnership’s <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://participate.freetobreathe.org/site/TR/FreetoBreatheSignatureEvents/General?pg=entry&fr_id=2000" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Free To Breathe 5K Run/Walk</span></a> </span>on City Island on August 24th.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
--<br />
<span style="font-family: comic sans ms, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><i>Patrick Leer</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Health Activist:</span></div>
<div>
<div style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; text-align: start;">
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Caregivingly Yours, MS Caregiver @ </span><a href="http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3333ff;">http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/</span></a></div>
<div style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; text-align: start;">
My Lung Cancer Odyssey @<span style="color: #3333ff;"> </span><span style="color: #3333ff;"><a href="http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/</a></span></div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14000299655117252000noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003942465117300316.post-2056515739762330252013-08-05T21:24:00.000-04:002013-08-06T08:37:05.017-04:00WEBINAR: Improving Lung Cancer Treatment With Palliative Care<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.nationallungcancerpartnership.org/lung-cancer-info/resources-for-patients-and-loved-ones/webinars" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">IMPROVING LUNG CANCER TREATMENT </span><span style="color: blue;">WITH PALLIATIVE CARE</span></a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Webinar by</span><span style="font-size: large;"> National Lung Cancer Partnership featuring Jennifer Temel, MD, Massachusetts General Hospital</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NdAQWh_1mUY/UgBQN4ocUBI/AAAAAAAANoo/0OkiRnuCozU/s1600/Partnership_logo_print.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Improving Lung Cancer Treatment With Palliative Care" border="0" height="60" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NdAQWh_1mUY/UgBQN4ocUBI/AAAAAAAANoo/0OkiRnuCozU/s200/Partnership_logo_print.jpg" title="WEBINAR by National Lung Cancer Partnership - Improving Lung Cancer Treatment With Palliative Care" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Well worth the watch!!!! I would also recommend a bowl of popcorn, it runs a about an hour ... </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Also rumaging around on their website I found their <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.nationallungcancerpartnership.org/care-plan" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">LUNG CANCER personalized care plan </span></a> ... </span>a user friendly download tool for those not only fighting to outlive lung cancer but for family, friends and caregivers ... not as detailed as my three 2" binders of My Lung Cancer Odyssey but a helluva lot easier to carry around and/or share. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: comic sans ms, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><i>Patrick Leer</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Health Activist:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Caregivingly Yours, MS Caregiver @ </span><a href="http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3333ff;">http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/</span></a></div>
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My Lung Cancer Odyssey @<span style="color: #3333ff;"> </span><span style="color: #3333ff;"><a href="http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/</a></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14000299655117252000noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003942465117300316.post-53721659575608774282013-08-02T21:15:00.000-04:002013-08-03T21:16:01.420-04:00Improving Lung Cancer Treatment With Palliative Care<span style="font-size: large;">Watched my first ‘webinar’ last night about “palliative care” and innovations making palliative part of the ‘curative’ stage from day one … big city hospitals even have ‘palliative care’ teams available to lung cancer patients.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>“Palliative care is a comprehensive approach to caring for the whole patient that considers symptom management and social, emotional and spiritual support throughout treatment.”</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">the word ‘psychosocial’ lit up my darkest shadows …</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Thank you </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Regina Vidaver, PhD, <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.nationallungcancerpartnership.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">National Lung Cancer Partnership</span></a> </span>and <a href="http://www.massgeneral.org/doctors/doctor.aspx?id=17359" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Jennifer Temel, MD</span></a>, Massachusetts General Hospital</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I’m supposed to get a link early next week to re-view the recording of this webinar … I will post in My Lung Cancer Odyssey. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The first week of Chemo Round 3 ended with me back in for a pre-weekend saline drip. I guess its progress only one drip vs 2 or 3 per week during Chemo Rounds 1 and 2.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Does it feel like progress? I need a cane all the time now. Permanent or temporary? I’m told only time will tell. So easy for those without cancer to discuss time in the abstract. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I am fall down on my knees grateful I have no pain. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Kudos to modern drugs that have reduced nausea from the daily equation. </span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G2JlUgiezF0/Uf0Ktv8IB_I/AAAAAAAANoA/HeOb_hTC65U/s1600/blood+(800x349).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="140" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G2JlUgiezF0/Uf0Ktv8IB_I/AAAAAAAANoA/HeOb_hTC65U/s320/blood+(800x349).jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Having no appetite I live on snacks but I’m told that is OK especially as my blood work keeps coming back OK ... and I remain within just a couple pounds of Body Mass Index (BMI) or in my case ... 175 lbs (79 kg)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">A hacking cough had developed waking me throughout the night … but ‘we’ discovered it was “too many” hands in the meds prepping am and pm meds. Once on the same page cough is history and a lesson learned that not everything is about cancer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I am not the world’s most patient person … I am trying to learn that I will need patience to outlive lung cancer. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: comic sans ms, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><i>Patrick Leer</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Health Activist:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Caregivingly Yours, MS Caregiver @ </span><a href="http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3333ff;">http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/</span></a></div>
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My Lung Cancer Odyssey @<span style="color: #3333ff;"> </span><a href="http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/</span></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14000299655117252000noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003942465117300316.post-74209220831531945772013-07-29T17:52:00.000-04:002013-07-29T17:52:38.439-04:00Cisplatin vs Carboplatin <span style="font-size: large;">Boatloads of science can be discussed but for today having just begun Chemo Round #3 featuring a switch from (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cisplatin" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Cisplatin</span></a>+<a href="http://newsroom.lilly.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=714361" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Alimta</span></a>)</span><span style="font-size: large;"> to (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carboplatin" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Carboplatin</span></a>+Alimta) … </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I can share that after my first (Cisplatin+Alimta) treatment I wanted nothing to even taste much less eat … I lost 20 lbs living on popsicles and Boost for the first three weeks of Cisplatin </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">… following today’s (Carboplatin+Alimta) I treated Megan to lunch at <a href="http://www.panerabread.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Panera Bread</span></a>. We both inhaled bread bowls, hers potato soup mine tomato soup +++++ I also went for their ‘big kids’ grilled cheese sandwich. …. The eating frenzy was not over without a coffee ice cream cone for desert at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rakestraws-Ice-Cream-Company-Store/179649795421702" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Rakestraw’s </span></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">With two of three right lung tumors shrinking and the other one arrested, I salute you Cisplatin … you are the baddest-ass butt-kicking descendant of Mustard Gas around.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QjG9J-zptSs/UfbjtfS7vMI/AAAAAAAANnk/abZ-FlHYvNE/s1600/2013-07-29+(800x533).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QjG9J-zptSs/UfbjtfS7vMI/AAAAAAAANnk/abZ-FlHYvNE/s320/2013-07-29+(800x533).jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Today I sing of your cousin Carboplatin!!! I need to restore my body … thank you for the appetite. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">More to follow but for now it’s all delicious!!!</span><br />
--<br /><span style="font-family: comic sans ms, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><i>Patrick Leer</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Health Activist:</span><br style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" /><div style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Caregivingly Yours, MS Caregiver @ </span><a href="http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3333ff;">http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/</span></a></div>
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My Lung Cancer Odyssey @<span style="color: #3333ff;"> </span><span style="color: #3333ff;"><a href="http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/</a></span></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14000299655117252000noreply@blogger.com6