Sept 22nd, 2019

This was a week of doctors. It started off with the MRI and follow-ups from the 2 neurologists at Thompson Survival Cancer Center, then I met the new doctor that took Dr. Flanders's place, then Humana sent a Nurses Physician, then a follow-up with Dr. Anderson. I voiced my disappointment with Dr. Flanders being gone. So Friday I chilled out, bought some stuff for Saturday.

  Saturday me and Denise changed the Kitchen sink and Faucet out. I am ashamed to admit it but I had forgotten how to do that, the last one I remember installing was in 1982 when we built this house. Youtube was again my friend, lol.

  I found out this week that Dr. Buskell retired, so there is another doctor gone. Dr. Gandi wants me to see Dr. Zic at Vanderbilt to make sure this KeyTruda isn't going to kick my T Cell Lymphoma into overdrive. Seems I can't win for losing some times. Hopefully, it won't and this will destroy the rest of the tumors. I guess I owe a big thank you to Monsanto for Round-Up. (Sarcasm)    

I truly do hate to delete posts about holistic doctors from the comments because there are a lot of things that can be fixed with holistic medicine, that is not why I delete them. With certain diseases, yes, there has to be a better way and probably is, but we're not going to get it. Nobody despises the FDA more than I do, but going tribal usually ends up in death. I watched a friend, Russell Means who tried it and by the time he added conventional meds, it was too late.   

MRI again

Had another MRI done yesterday and the big tumor is still missing but the small one is has returned. I also had an appointment with the Neurologist and the Doctor of the Gamma Knife. They want to do another one the 28th to see if the small one is a glitch and possibly a bunch of blood veins. They said that they both felt like the big one wasn't cancer as previously thought but a Stroke I had. At this time a stroke sounds better than brain cancer.

   My Oncologist (Dr Flanders) has either quit or resigned. There was another doctor, they said he use to be the main Oncologist before Flanders. He wants me to see Zic at Vanderbilt to make sure the KeyTruda isn't reacting with my Non-Hodgkin's T Cell Lymphoma and making it worse. So if I get this straight the drug that can kill the lung cancer can kill me by activating the T-Cells and strengthening them. At some point, this has to be weird. Who knew using Round-Up would cause that.   

09-11-2019

   I worked in the Kitchen today on the sink, put 2 drawers in the blanks under the sink. I've wanted to do that for years and found a kit. It had a diagram to measure by that was close. Then I emptied the water tank and filled it with water so they will have fresh water in this drought. Fed Dora and the Llama some Pears too.

 

9-10-2019

   It has been a while since I last posted. So far most things have gone good. What I have noticed is that in the heat I have a hard time. The new Puppy (Zoe) has been a handful. She ran away the other day and I went after her without O2. I caught her and carried her back to the dog cage in the basement and had to stop 4 times on the way. I crawled up the back steps and luckily I had left the O2 machine running.  I don't know what my heart rate got up to but after about 10 minutes of breathing it in, sitting up (laying down was impossible for the pain), I checked and it was 154. I ended up with a migraine for 2 days and slept the whole day on Saturday. 

   Today I went to TSC, was headed for the CO-OP but the Interstate was blocked and traffic was bad, it looked like Sevierville and Gatlinburg traffic, so I diverted to Newport. Again I had not taken my Puffer or O2 with me. I got in the store at TSC and loaded a bag of chick starter and a Mineral Block for the Donkeys & Sheep. I was winded and thought for a second I would have to just stop and sit down, but I didn't. I pressed on slowly to the register and then on to the truck. Unloading to into the truck left me winded again, but I took my time and was able to return the buggy like I always have. So I get home and unload the salt, here I am again.

   I don't get to feed or take care of the chickens and guineas, Denise does that, and that makes me feel useless. I do wash the dishes but it is not the same. In the heat... it is not my friend.  

   I go the 16th for another MRI of the brain then to see the Neurologist and make sure the tumors are still gone. Then the 17th I have another KeyTruda infusion and the 18th they (Insurance Company) have scheduled a Nurse Practitioner for a home visit. I'll show her my broke big toe that is still swelled twice the size it should be. I did it on August 8th. 

  Eventually, they will do a CT to see how the tumors are responding, but I'm not sure when that is. I'm hopeful that it will be good, but it doesn't feel like it is.    

August 26th 2019

We went today for a follow-up and the first of my Imfenzi infusion which the insurance sent us a letter saying it would not pay for Imfenzi but it would pay for Keytruda. Keytruda is approved for Stage 4 Lung Cancer where Imfenzi is only approved for Stage 3. They used my already installed Port, kit took about an hour and a half this time, next time will be about an hour.

   The Radiation doctor, Dr. Anderson staged it a 3B since there were no brain tumors found and the sack that surrounds the lungs was empty. Dr. Flanders has it Stage 4, so who knows.

I take this on every 3 weeks and will do a year and possibly longer if needed. The list of side effects is scary but no scarier than Imfenzi was.       

August 20th 2019

   Well, it has been a while now and the Esophageal Spasms have decreased, not stopped but less than they were. My back is healing well with the use of Bag Balm and I can't remember the name of the other one, but they work. I should have used them this whole time. You MUST make sure before a treatment they are washed off or else the radiation will be much worse.

   I'm slowly gaining my appetite back, I still get sick if I eat a lot. I've been reading on this Imfinzi medication that I will do every other week for a year and it scares me, the list of side effects are as long as chemo, maybe longer. It ain't over yet.

  The CT showed the right tumor that was 6.4 cm is now 3cm and dying. The right side went from 2.8 cm to 12 mm. Imfinzi is supposed to complete the death of the cancer tumors if it doesn't get me first.

  My big toe is still as big as 2 big toes and painful to walk on. I've been rubbing the pain cream on it and it helps.

We took the calves to Newport Livestock so we could buy the rest of the hay we need, but that was a pipe dream. They brought little and way short of what we were expecting so I think I'll go back to Mascott, but when I'm able to help with the loading of the cows.

   Denise says I'm still to avoid contact with people, not happening, lol. Tomorrow I'll unload the hay.

   And today, I am drinking my first Dr Pepper in weeks with making it flat.    

August 15th 2019

   I've been doing the breathing treatments and they seem to be working, better than I thought they would. My lungs are opening up and I'm coughing up some of the fluids and blood-tinged spit. That said my breathing is still labored. Without O2 my stats run sometimes in the 80s but most times in the lower 90s with my heart rate going fast. I start that next leg of treatment soon.

   Tomorrow I'll pay Mark and Zac to catch and load the calves. I'll be there but not as active as I usually am. I'll work the gate. We get them loaded and sold that money will buy the last of the hay. Hopefully, we will have some leftover for gravel but the market ain't good on cattle here. The only people making money on cattle are the sales lot and grocery stores. 10 years from now small cattle farmers like we are will be driven out and replaced by Factory Farms where they will say how much and how they want to raise their cattle. Mark's hip is gone and I'm not in good shape, so we're both considering a lifetime without cattle.