...and Jupiter aligns with Mars...

And a happy 2012 to everyone. I was reminded this morning by my Oncologist, Dr. Mackler, that it has been two years (almost to the day) since my last treatment, which you may recall was a massive cocktail that turned me into an Uncle Fester lookalike taking months to recover from...and it was worth it....

2/2012 FINDINGS: and I quote... "there is curvilinear scarring in the right upper lung compatible with post-treatment changes from a known prior bronchogenic neoplasm. Currently, there is architectural distortion with paramediastinal fibrotic changes but there is no evidence for recurrent mass. There is some peribronchial thickening in the right upper lobe noted as well."

(Wait...there's more)

"No new pulmonary nodule. No pleural or pericardial effusions are present. There is no lymph node enlargment in the chest, There is mild atherosclerosis of the thoracic aorta. Coronary artery atherosclerosis is noted. No destructive osseous lesion."

IMPRESSION:" There is scarring in the right upper lung compatible with post treatment changes from prior lung neoplasm. No evidence for recurrent or metastatic disease in the chest."

The above evaluation was written by Dr. Fugenschuh, MD

MY IMPRESSION: It is no surprise that the doctor's name ends in HUH !

In English, the news could not have been any better. Dr. Mackler and Ann Novak agreed that I can now start my six month CT schedule,a real milestone in the case study I'm in. I haven't forgotten that I'm still three years out from the magical five year mark, but statistically, they tell me the chance for reoccurance drops dramatically after two years of being clear. Hope they're right...

For some reason I've been humming "Angel's Aquarius" since we left the cancer center this morning and I can't let go of Joann's hand...

My pregnant with twins CT tech from last October had a boy and a girl - all went well. Yep, a pretty good day all around...

LIVESTRONG

Ken

The best birthday present

Here we are on Avery's 5th birthday last month, four days before my 63rd. I like to say that she's five going on fifteen. Smart ? Oh yeah. I couldn't find my butt with both hands at 5...

The October,2011 CT scan is in the books and we're set for another four months. The mass continues to shrink and now measures .9 centimeters. That's 11/32 of an inch if you're talking to a carpenter, or 1/3 of an inch if you're not. It's also 30% smaller than four months ago. Where does it go I ask. Your body is eating it up they reply. Amazing. As a side note, my CT tech this month was eight months pregnant with twins and working 12 hour days to accumulate more time off after their birth - one tough young lady !

Had a very busy, great summer. Even managed to catch a few fish between honey-do projects. I did finally find that list... and burned it. Hope your summer was a great one also. Sounds like our upcoming Michigan winter is going to be a long one. Talk to you again in February.

Until then - LIVESTRONG

Ken

Admission of remission ? Not yet.

So I'll cut to the chase and tell you that this month's CT was again good. This one had Jo and I more nervous than usual since we learned that some lesions can double in size in as little as two months...yeah, let's leave it at "nervous". The one tumor that has disappeared is still missing and the other in the RH lobe that started out the size of a golf ball is now the size of a sugar cube and 3mm (about 1/8") smaller than in the last CT. Everything is going in the right direction but I still can't get my Oncologist, Dr. Mackler, to say I'm in remission. The best I can get out of him is that I'm doing "above average". He is a very cautious man. This is 180 degrees opposite of what the VA thinks of me. I was examined in the Ann Arbor VA hospital last month as part of a study of Vietnam veterans that were exposed to Agent Orange... yes, it was forty years ago (almost to the month),yes, I was there for a year, was in close contact with the planes that sprayed the stuff and had no clue what was in it. Could have been Ortho Weed-B-Gone for all I knew. Now we know otherwise... Anyway, the VA report says my condition has worsened in the past 18 months (???). Since I didn't see the report (you'd think I'd have been shown the secret handshake by now) I can only assume they are referring to the aftereffects of treatment, ie, numbness, swelling,shortness of breathe,fatigue and inability to stay on my feet for any length of time. By the way, which day was Spring this year ? Have a great summer everyone and talk to you again in the Fall.

LIVESTRONG

Ken

20% of 20% = 100% New math ?

Last week was Peyton's 1st birthday. Hard to believe. Seems like only a couple months ago we were writing about her entering our world. Peyton arrived a week before my last treatment a year ago. I remember asking the doctors "What's next ?" and they said "We wait and see if we hit it out of the park". Peyton (and Avery) made the wait easy..and hard.

Had appointments with both Dr. Henning and Mackler and all has returned to normal in the kidney department, so I assume stumbling down the hall at two, three and five in the morning is considered normal by 30-something year old Oncologists. We'll see how they feel about that when THEY hit 62. Dr. Henning, my radiologist, tells me he doesn't need to see me anymore as there's nothing on the CAT scans to see and Dr. Mackler revised my three month check ups to every four months. I hope this doesn't mean their warranty is up. Next CAT scan is scheduled in June and if all is well, we'll enjoy Michigan's twelve weekend long summer and shift to six month CAT scan intervals. Yep, 20% of 20% does equal 100%.

Life isn't about how to survive the storm But how to dance in the rain (thanks Gigi, love ya)
Everyone had enough of winter yet ? Me too.

LIVESTRONG

Ken

What a difference a year makes

Life is 10% what you make it and 90% how you take it.
November 3rd marked a year since I started treatment. Can you believe it ? November is also Lung Cancer Awareness month. More on that later. This morning we met with Dr Mackler and my case study co-ordinator, Ann Novak for last week's CAT scan results. As Joann told Paul afterwards , "I'm not calling from the Chevy dealer" so yes, the news was once again good. Thank you GOD. The larger mass that caused all this ruckus and last classified as near scar tissue has shrunk even more and the other that mysteriously disappeared in last August's scan is still MIA. Next February's scheduled scan has been pushed back to May because, 1. they feel I don't need it again so soon and 2. to give my kidneys a break from the contrast solutions that play hell with them.
And that pretty much says it all, other than I feel great and pushing a wheelbarrell full of acorns with a cute hitchhiker aboard didn't wind me a bit last weekend up in Port Austin.
Jo and I were invited to and attended the first annual National Shine a Light on Lung Cancer vigil at St Joe's in Ann Arbor on November 4th, one of 100 simultaneous meetings held across the country and the brainchild of the Lung Cancer Alliance, a grass roots effort initiated by Oncology professionals to bring lung cancer treatments into the 21st century (the program I was in), provide support for patients, families and caregivers and increase federal research dollars, especially for the early detection of lung cancer, which surprisingly, there currently is none. I'm glad Jo talked me into going. Terrific program presented by the cancer team at St Joe's and by now you must know how I feel about those people.
If you're interested, log onto http://www.lungcanceralliance.org/ It's a wealth of information, WILL cause you to quit smoking and debunks the many myths about cancer that we all should be aware of....and don't forget to sing in the lifeboat.
LIVESTRONG
Ken

LXII and still in the game

Age is mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter.

Can't say I've always felt that way. Was reminded that on my 40th birthday in Traverse City I threatened bloodshed if the waitresses were cued to sing...and meant it. 40 was an age I didn't want to be.

Come to think of it 50 wasn't much better. What was I thinking ?

September 17th (you didn't guess I was a VIRGO after reading these things ?) I turned 62. Had a terrific time at Ric and Deb's in front of an angry Lake Huron, Avery called to sing happy birthday, which was a hoot, spent an incredible evening reconnecting with old friends we haven't seen in years (my gift to myself), Paul showed up unannounced from K- Zoo for a round of golf with Matt and I (trounced us both) and Avery blew out both candles like 62 times...does it get any better than grandkids and birthday cakes ?. And in a couple of months another milestone, my first social security check. Had a great day and if I missed your's, and likely I did and will, hey, HAPPY BIRTHDAY and to hell with the number.

Hope you all had a great summer.

LIVESTRONG

LIVELONG

Ken

August CT

I've received a number of e - mails asking why I haven't posted the results from last week's CT scan. Guess that's what I get for announcing the end of this thing and then occasionally adding new posts. Sorry, didn't realize so many people were still looking.
If the news was bad I'd be in my new Vette right now. GM lost another sale, the news was good. Very good actually.
Three months ago Dr Henning told us that nothing new "lit up"and that was a relief in itself. Yesterday he said the same thing and then added that a 5-6mm nodule that was present in the last CT has disappeared and the remaining two masses are close to half the size they were last April. Could it be that the teatments that ended six months ago are still perking ? Frankly, I was afraid to ask. Two more CT's @ 3 month intervals to go and if all is well, we shift to a 6 month schedule. This is dictated by the case study we're in rather than CT results.
I told Joe and Lorraine (before we got the above news) and I'll say it again, that all in all, this is one of the best summer's of my life. Hope you can say the same.

LIVESTRONG and please add my friend Brian in your prayers.

Ken