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Re: Welder Dave update

I agree

Dave

Originally Posted by farmersammm

This Covid thing is bad for everyone.

Re: Welder Dave update

This Covid thing is bad for everyone.

Re: Welder Dave update

Another update. My stem cell transplant has been postponed because of wave 4 of covid. My Dr. is continuing my chemo treatments and says it could be a good thing. The lower we can get my cancer level, the better chance the transplant can get it down to zero. My level was at 2 so hopefully it has stayed the same or gone lower. They are taking out the central line because they don't know when I can do the transplant. It can be done with a standard IV though. It's a good thing in one way the transplant was postponed. I'll be able to get more done with the better weather before winter comes.

Re: Welder Dave update

Well, glad your back, and in action here. Memory and balance was an issue for girlfriends mom after them treatments. I'd say she got it all back, and became herself again

Re: Welder Dave update

Got a PM so thought I should give the latest update. One round of chemo left on Thursday and then go in for the stem cell transplant on Sep. 29. I'll be in the cancer institute for a minimum 15 days. Hoping I don't have any bad side effects or anything. Been a little busy lately and didn't have much time to go on the forum. I'm doing pretty good except I still get a nagging back ache if I'm on my feet for too long or moving certain ways. Bending over or reaching tends to bother my back more. Trying to get up if I kneel down seems to be quite the chore. My friends truck got stolen so I got him to put my slip tank back in my truck. I went to put some diesel in it and had to go in the box to unlock the cap. No problem, I've got a Ford with the tailgate step. Got in the box easy peasy. Coming back down was not so easy. I probably looked like a fool but I actually sat down on the tailgate to put my feet on the step and then get down. I never thought getting out of a truck box could be such a challenge. When I went to go back in the box to put the cap back on, a light bulb went off in my head... there's a handle for the tailgate step! It slides in the tailgate and I completely forgot about it. It made a world of difference. Just being able to hold it for stability when stepping down made the operation so much easier. Little things you never think about suddenly become much more difficult than you ever thought. Really glad I had the tailgate step and the handle. Originally it wasn't something I would have spec'd. on the truck but it came with the truck on the lot and I am so glad to have it.

Re: Welder Dave update

Fix 502

Re: Welder Dave update

I noticed you were absent again. Sounds rough Dave, your tougher than I would be. I hope the best for you

Re: Welder Dave update

GREAT news welder dave

Re: Welder Dave update

Originally Posted by smithdoor

I use magic mouthwash over hour be for eating.
I just pickup a bottle today.
I use ever night it helps.
FYI you can have flavor add to magic mouthwash.

Dave

Whoa I never heard of such a thing but i'll remember it now & tell anyone who needs it how to make it, wild

Re: Welder Dave update

Originally Posted by Welder Dave

Been a while since I gave an update so here goes.1st the bad news. Went for chemo a week ago and ended up in the ER later the next day to get rehydrated. Still had the C-Diff bug which now the Dr. thinks caused most of the problems. Was absolutely horrible!!! My chemo for this week was cancelled to let my body heal and is also cancelled for next week.

Now the good news. Went to the Dr. today and was told all my blood work came back good but the best news was the level of cancer in my body was reduced by 95%!!! Started off at a 40, then went to 20 and is now at 2! Plan is to try and keep it stable at 2 and work towards 0 where the cancer is in full remission. Still hoping my taste buds come back but I'm able to eat and swallow some solid foods. For a while I couldn't even swallow my meds. Nice to have some really good news!

Awesome news Bud & I hope you get your taste buds back soon!! haha

Re: Welder Dave update

Awesome outcomes so far & awesome Attitude Dave & that's what it takes to push through one of my friends did Chemo & was taking Whey protein to build up Glutathione stores which are super antioxidants & the fact it's all amino acids that will rebuild you & turn over any damaged or bad flesh with the best new cells your body can make, I forget which amino but it repairs DNA & lastly Collagen is not just for old ladies who want to get rid of wrinkles is 50% of your bone & one of if not the most abundant protein in your body that said, it helps heal bones & cartilage & will strengthen ligaments and tendons helping prevent injuries. Everything i've said has been known in sports medicine for probably 30 years. Keep Fighting God speed brother!

Re: Welder Dave update

Thought I would give another update on my cancer treatment and progression. I had a central line installed about a week and half ago, they use to collect/separate stem cells from my blood. It had to be on a larger artery and was put it just below my right collar bone close to my heart. It hurt pretty good for the 1st couple of days. I had to give myself 2 shots in the belly with a drug to help me produce more stem cells for the collection. I had to have 20,000,000 stem cells for them to proceed with the collection process. I'm lucky that I can have more than 1 stem cell transplant so they wanted to collect enough stem cells for 2 transplants. The 2nd batch of stem cells in cryogenically frozen and can be used at a later date years down the road. I spent 2 days laying in a bed all day while they circulated my blood about 10 times and collected around 6.1 million stem cells. It didn't hurt at all but made me really tired. I had to self catheterize (like I've doing) and use a urinal because you have to be hooked up the whole time. I 've been self catheterizing for about a month and a half and hoping I get back to being able to go on my own. The urologist thinks my bladder was damaged when I got the compression fractures in my back. The stem cell collection went on yesterday and Tuesday and I'm feeling better today just taking it easy. I could have had the central line removed as they don't need it for the actual stem cell transplant but leaving it in eliminates them having to put another IV line in to do the actual transplant where they clean up inside my bones with high doses of cancer fighting drugs and put my stem cells back in. Apparently it can have side effects and make me sick so I need to stay in the cancer institute for a minimum of 15 days. My cancer level was at a 2 which is good but they're hoping with the transplant I can get to 0 which is basically full remission. I go in for that on Sep. 29. I don't know if I'm looking forward to it or not. Would be nice to get the cancer in full remission but spending 15 days or more in basically a hospital isn't very exciting. Good thing is the cancer institute really takes care of you and you get a big private room.

Re: Welder Dave update

Sounds great

Dave

Originally Posted by Welder Dave

Thought I would give the latest update. My cancer level stayed at 2 which is great and even better is my hemoglobin level went up 20% and is close to the normal range. I'm not having bad side effects from the chemo and the injection was upped a little after being reduced earlier. My D. is very impressed with my progress and even paid me a compliment. He said I was the 1st person he's known to run a bobcat while getting chemo. I take it pretty easy but also ran the track loader with a backhoe and dump truck a little. I get tired pretty fast though.

I need to get my Red Face going so I can weld some hooks on the backhoe to keep the stabilizers from folding up when the backhoe is off the machine. Really good news is that my 2nd vertebroplasty procedure to repair the fractures in my back is scheduled for Aug. 4. I'm looking forward to that and hoping it gets rid of the nagging back ache I sometimes get. I was a little confused on the stem cell/bone marrow transplant. They start taking my blood on Aug. 10 as an out patient procedure and I get the actual transplant where they put the blood/stem cells back in sometime in Sep. They will also give me really strong chemo drugs to clean out my bones and I'll be admitted for 3 to 5 weeks. I could get really sick but hoping everything goes well so I'm not in agony like I was with the C-Diff. So far I'm doing great battling the cancer. Hope I didn't jinx myself.

Re: Welder Dave update

Sounds like you’re getting excellent treatment, praying for the best results possible!
Stay strong Dave looking forward to some more welding posts when you’re up to it!

Re: Welder Dave update

Thought I would give the latest update. My cancer level stayed at 2 which is great and even better is my hemoglobin level went up 20% and is close to the normal range. I'm not having bad side effects from the chemo and the injection was upped a little after being reduced earlier. My D. is very impressed with my progress and even paid me a compliment. He said I was the 1st person he's known to run a bobcat while getting chemo. I take it pretty easy but also ran the track loader with a backhoe and dump truck a little. I get tired pretty fast though.

I need to get my Red Face going so I can weld some hooks on the backhoe to keep the stabilizers from folding up when the backhoe is off the machine. Really good news is that my 2nd vertebroplasty procedure to repair the fractures in my back is scheduled for Aug. 4. I'm looking forward to that and hoping it gets rid of the nagging back ache I sometimes get. I was a little confused on the stem cell/bone marrow transplant. They start taking my blood on Aug. 10 as an out patient procedure and I get the actual transplant where they put the blood/stem cells back in sometime in Sep. They will also give me really strong chemo drugs to clean out my bones and I'll be admitted for 3 to 5 weeks. I could get really sick but hoping everything goes well so I'm not in agony like I was with the C-Diff. So far I'm doing great battling the cancer. Hope I didn't jinx myself.

Re: Welder Dave update

I was told if my CEA is less than 3 no cancer but no CAT scan till 12.
The highest I ever had after 2010 was in 2018 was CES 2.6 but the PET scan showed stage 4.

The number is only a reference number. But may not work for everyone.

PET scan and biopsy is only thing that tells the real story.

Dave

Originally Posted by Welder Dave

You're not alone. LoL I was/am confused too but the Dr. explained it's just a number they use to tell what level of cancer someone has in their body. Healthy people are 0 but you can have cancer and also be down to 0 where the cancer is not affecting you. If I stayed at 2 would still be great and that's the plan for now. Ran into the volunteer who has the same type of cancer and he's currently a 6. I told him he is my greatest inspiration as he was 1st diagnosed in 2009! 12 years and going strong. I'm going to be that guy and go 15+ years.

Re: Welder Dave update

Originally Posted by jrporter

Dave, I don't totally (or at all) understand what those numbers mean (e.g. 40 vs 20) but I know what a 95% reduction means. Great News!

You're not alone. LoL I was/am confused too but the Dr. explained it's just a number they use to tell what level of cancer someone has in their body. Healthy people are 0 but you can have cancer and also be down to 0 where the cancer is not affecting you. If I stayed at 2 would still be great and that's the plan for now. Ran into the volunteer who has the same type of cancer and he's currently a 6. I told him he is my greatest inspiration as he was 1st diagnosed in 2009! 12 years and going strong. I'm going to be that guy and go 15+ years.

Re: Welder Dave update

My doctor has standing order if need rehydrated.
Pain in the but too.
Sounds like everything is doing great 👍.

Dave

Originally Posted by Welder Dave

Been a while since I gave an update so here goes.1st the bad news. Went for chemo a week ago and ended up in the ER later the next day to get rehydrated. Still had the C-Diff bug which now the Dr. thinks caused most of the problems. Was absolutely horrible!!! My chemo for this week was cancelled to let my body heal and is also cancelled for next week.

Now the good news. Went to the Dr. today and was told all my blood work came back good but the best news was the level of cancer in my body was reduced by 95%!!! Started off at a 40, then went to 20 and is now at 2! Plan is to try and keep it stable at 2 and work towards 0 where the cancer is in full remission. Still hoping my taste buds come back but I'm able to eat and swallow some solid foods. For a while I couldn't even swallow my meds. Nice to have some really good news!

Re: Welder Dave update

Nice to hear things are improving.

Re: Welder Dave update

Dave, I don't totally (or at all) understand what those numbers mean (e.g. 40 vs 20) but I know what a 95% reduction means. Great News!

Re: Welder Dave update

Been a while since I gave an update so here goes.1st the bad news. Went for chemo a week ago and ended up in the ER later the next day to get rehydrated. Still had the C-Diff bug which now the Dr. thinks caused most of the problems. Was absolutely horrible!!! My chemo for this week was cancelled to let my body heal and is also cancelled for next week.

Now the good news. Went to the Dr. today and was told all my blood work came back good but the best news was the level of cancer in my body was reduced by 95%!!! Started off at a 40, then went to 20 and is now at 2! Plan is to try and keep it stable at 2 and work towards 0 where the cancer is in full remission. Still hoping my taste buds come back but I'm able to eat and swallow some solid foods. For a while I couldn't even swallow my meds. Nice to have some really good news!

Re: Welder Dave update

Good luck Dave....keep fighting

Re: Welder Dave update

FYI You ask your doctor to remove the folly chather at home they give kit. The good news it come easy.

I some tell my nurse at time chemo "ITS MILLER TIME" they I do not drink by liver test so just a joke.

Dave

FYI I stop drinking at age 14,
I saw my family dieing from alcohol and picked liver.
I did stop my father from drinking and he lived to 82.

Originally Posted by Welder Dave

Worst taste is 30ml of potassium straight up!!!

Had chemo today and taking all precautions so I don't have to spend another week just getting better to go for chemo again. Chemo is supposed to last 4 to 6 month's! Feel pretty good good today but over did it yesterday hooking the battery charge to my truck, etc. Battery held a charge overnight so hopefully brought it back to life. Go for stem cell transplant around mid August and urologist tomorrow. Really hope to get rid of catheter. Had beans for lunch which I consider semi-solid food. I could be a real rooten tooten SOB and to heck with anybody else! Everybody needs a real good fart every once in a while!

Re: Welder Dave update

I have been on Chemothera since January.
It so mush fun all the surprises and the prescription to fix the surprises.
The first time in 2009 I had bag it stop most surprises.
When the bag was gone now had the surprises.
This time take the prescription, I learned what to do and when to the prescription to avoid surprises.
HAPPY DAYS ( ok not bad )

Dave

Originally Posted by Welder Dave

Worst taste is 30ml of potassium straight up!!!

Had chemo today and taking all precautions so I don't have to spend another week just getting better to go for chemo again. Chemo is supposed to last 4 to 6 month's! Feel pretty good good today but over did it yesterday hooking the battery charge to my truck, etc. Battery held a charge overnight so hopefully brought it back to life. Go for stem cell transplant around mid August and urologist tomorrow. Really hope to get rid of catheter. Had beans for lunch which I consider semi-solid food. I could be a real rooten tooten SOB and to heck with anybody else! Everybody needs a real good fart every once in a while!

Re: Welder Dave update

Worst taste is 30ml of potassium straight up!!!

Had chemo today and taking all precautions so I don't have to spend another week just getting better to go for chemo again. Chemo is supposed to last 4 to 6 month's! Feel pretty good good today but over did it yesterday hooking the battery charge to my truck, etc. Battery held a charge overnight so hopefully brought it back to life. Go for stem cell transplant around mid August and urologist tomorrow. Really hope to get rid of catheter. Had beans for lunch which I consider semi-solid food. I could be a real rooten tooten SOB and to heck with anybody else! Everybody needs a real good fart every once in a while!