Miller's Cancer Update, Long - 12/13/17 10:55 PM
Hi All;
I am on 5 differnt forums so am doing a form letter I can copy & paste to all. I went back to Vanderbilt University Medical Center Hospital, Clinic for my 4th Chemo treatment Mon Dec 11th. Had to be there at 8:00 AM but early morning traffic can be horrendous at that time of day coming in on the interstate so we had to leave rather early to be sure we got there on time. My oldest Daughter drives my Wife & I so my Wife doesn't have to drive me by herself. Started with blood work, then had to go to Radiology in the Hosp area for a PET Scan. This was followed by a Lumbar Infusion which injects medicine into a joint in my spinal column, does't go into the spinal cord so relatively safe & hardly no pain, just one stick with a needle which goes into a sac in the joint. This feeds medicene into the spinal cord & on up into my brain to kill any cancer cells which may try to enter them. Ate a bite of lunch & then went for my Drs appointment at 1:00 PM. She had the results from the PET Scan.
Have good news & bad news. Good news is it appears The Chemo is doing its job, no shiny spots appeared on the X-Rays from the scan as they did prior to my treatments which indicate cancer cells. Bad News is looks as if Y'all may have to put up with me for a Spell Yet (Yep I'm a "Southern" Middle Tennessee Redneck HillBilly). Even though when it comes to Alcohol I am a Teetotaler I live in the heart of Jack Daniel country. About 7 mile by road, likely about 5 as the Crow Flies, as they say. When there is a gentle breeze blowing from the South West (predominant direction for this location) I can step out in my yard & smell the Sour Mash a-brewing.
I was set up for 6 treatments & will continue with the following two to be safe. Next one is sceduled for Jan 3rd, 2018. Last one will be around Jan 22, though we have not had this date confirmed yet. Have been having them on Mondays 3 weeks apart but of course one was not scheduled for New Years day so was put off to Wed the 3rd. Will likely have another PET Scan around 3 weeks following my last treatment & hopefully that one will confirm I am again in remission. Amazingly one of the clinic personal who administered one of my treatments was the same lady who treated me 30 years ago when I went through this then. I told her I though that was a good omen as she pulled me through before, I was counting on her doing it again. She has only treated me the one time, but I did see her yesterday & gave her a big hug. She is set to retire in about a year she said.
Hope maybe I'll be able to shoot a bit this year, haven't done much for the last couple of years. I have lost about 70 lbs, most prior to the cancer, so maybe I'll be able to get out a bit more now once I regain my strength from the Chemo..
I am on 5 differnt forums so am doing a form letter I can copy & paste to all. I went back to Vanderbilt University Medical Center Hospital, Clinic for my 4th Chemo treatment Mon Dec 11th. Had to be there at 8:00 AM but early morning traffic can be horrendous at that time of day coming in on the interstate so we had to leave rather early to be sure we got there on time. My oldest Daughter drives my Wife & I so my Wife doesn't have to drive me by herself. Started with blood work, then had to go to Radiology in the Hosp area for a PET Scan. This was followed by a Lumbar Infusion which injects medicine into a joint in my spinal column, does't go into the spinal cord so relatively safe & hardly no pain, just one stick with a needle which goes into a sac in the joint. This feeds medicene into the spinal cord & on up into my brain to kill any cancer cells which may try to enter them. Ate a bite of lunch & then went for my Drs appointment at 1:00 PM. She had the results from the PET Scan.
Have good news & bad news. Good news is it appears The Chemo is doing its job, no shiny spots appeared on the X-Rays from the scan as they did prior to my treatments which indicate cancer cells. Bad News is looks as if Y'all may have to put up with me for a Spell Yet (Yep I'm a "Southern" Middle Tennessee Redneck HillBilly). Even though when it comes to Alcohol I am a Teetotaler I live in the heart of Jack Daniel country. About 7 mile by road, likely about 5 as the Crow Flies, as they say. When there is a gentle breeze blowing from the South West (predominant direction for this location) I can step out in my yard & smell the Sour Mash a-brewing.
I was set up for 6 treatments & will continue with the following two to be safe. Next one is sceduled for Jan 3rd, 2018. Last one will be around Jan 22, though we have not had this date confirmed yet. Have been having them on Mondays 3 weeks apart but of course one was not scheduled for New Years day so was put off to Wed the 3rd. Will likely have another PET Scan around 3 weeks following my last treatment & hopefully that one will confirm I am again in remission. Amazingly one of the clinic personal who administered one of my treatments was the same lady who treated me 30 years ago when I went through this then. I told her I though that was a good omen as she pulled me through before, I was counting on her doing it again. She has only treated me the one time, but I did see her yesterday & gave her a big hug. She is set to retire in about a year she said.
Hope maybe I'll be able to shoot a bit this year, haven't done much for the last couple of years. I have lost about 70 lbs, most prior to the cancer, so maybe I'll be able to get out a bit more now once I regain my strength from the Chemo..