About nine months ago, I had my semi-annual physical,
& I had an increase in my white blood cells,
so my Doctor made an appointment with an oncologist.
The oncologist took a bone marrow biopsy,
& the results showed that I have Chronic Lymphatic Leukemia, (CLL).
They call CLL the friendly cancer. Many people live a long life with this condition.
He then set me up for a CT scan of my lungs,
& abdomen to see what could be causing my problem.
The scan showed some enlarged Lymph nodes in my stomach, but the
biggest surprise was a growth in my left lung.
So I had to have another CT scan for a biopsy in my lung.
The biopsy showed negative cancer cells,
but they say that with a needle biopsy , a cancer cell can be missed.
My doctor compared this to poking a needle into a blueberry pie, you can miss the berries.
After that, I had to have an Arthroscopic ultrasound of my stomach, entering through my
mouth. They took a biopsy which also showed no cancer.
My oncologist then recommended that I have a CT scan every 3 months in order to keep a watch on it.
Three months ago I was told that I had Mesothelioma,
which is considered a terminal disease.
A person usually lives only about a year after being diagnosed with this.
My oncologist said he wouldn’t do any chemo-therapy,
because I was feeling so good. He said chemo would make me very sick.
He decided to wait, & keep an eye on it, & have another CT scan in 3
months.
The last scan showed that the mass in my lung had shrunk to about half
its size, so he told me I don’t have cancer, because cancer never shrinks,
unless you’re taking chemo, or radiation.
The Doctor couldn’t explain the reason for this, but sometimes this happens.
He jokingly asked if I had gone to another doctor for chemo-therapy,
but then he said it must be Barb’s home cooking.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Barb, & I know that our prayers were answered.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I’d also like to say that I haven’t felt ill in all of this time, since the discovery of my malady.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TO TOP IT ALL OFF!
I had cataract surgery a few weeks ago,
& I’m having an eye exam this Friday, so i can get a new prescription.
It’s real hard doing this typing when I can’t see very well yet.
I’m hoping the new glasses correct this problem.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WE”VE BEEN PUTTING OFF SHARING THIS ABOUT MY HEALTH,
UNTIL WE GOT THIS GOOD NEWS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WE FEEL A LOT MORE COMFORTABLE SHARING THIS NOW.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BARB, & I ARE THRILLED, & LOOKING FORWARD TO OUR FUTURE YEARS TOGETHER!!
-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1
60 comments so far
CharlieM1958
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14937 posts in 2416 days
#1 posted 1106 days ago
That’s fantastic news, Dick!
I’m betting on you to beat any odds the doctors might ever give you. A positive outlook on life, coupled with a wonderful relationship likw you and Barb have, is the best prescription for a long and happy life.
-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"
MsDebbieP
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18335 posts in 2358 days
#2 posted 1106 days ago
BIG HUGS to both of you.. and another hug for good measure!
Bless you; bless you; bless you.
COngrats on the good news and keep eating that home cooking!!!!
-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
GMman
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3885 posts in 1895 days
#3 posted 1106 days ago
Very glad to hear from you good buddy you know we could compare notes I also have Chronic Lymphatic Leukemia since 1993 and the only problem I have sometime I feel tired so I lay down for a while and then I am ok it only happens once in a while.
Also had cataract surgery 3 years ago after 4 weeks I got my glasses and see very well, as far as computer and TV and in the house I don’t need the glasses only for distance and driving.
I hope you keep feeling good.
Say hello to Barb.
Toolz
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913 posts in 1940 days
#4 posted 1106 days ago
Great news Dick, hope that sucker keeps on shrinking.
-- Larry "Work like a Captain but Play like a Pirate!"
reggiek
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2236 posts in 1467 days
#5 posted 1106 days ago
Very, very glad to hear this. I have enjoyed your posts and beautiful projects since I joined LJ’s. Your advice and opinons have been an invaluable part of this community….it would have been a tremendous loss to all of us here if the news had not been this good. Needless to say, you have improved my outlook today immensely…considering all the bad news that is out there….it is heatwarming to see some silver linings in the clouds. My best to Barb…and to her cooking (I am sure she was a big part of the equation).....I am sure she is relieved and heartened by this news…as are all of us that take part in this community.
-- Woodworking.....My small slice of heaven!
a1Jim
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89117 posts in 1775 days
#6 posted 1106 days ago
I share your Joy Dick I so very happy for you and your family , I know your eye exam will be a good one too.
God bless you both.
-- W James Brokenbourgh Custom furniture maker http://artisticwoodstudio.com/
SPalm
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4174 posts in 2079 days
#7 posted 1106 days ago
All I can say is a big YEA! My wife just went through a big medical thing this last week, and yesterday it was resolved for the good. So I also know relief.
Keep it up Dick, we need you here.
Steve
-- -- I'm no rocket surgeon
woodsmithshop
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923 posts in 1743 days
#8 posted 1106 days ago
glad to hear that all is ok with you now. my b.i.l. just had 2/3 of one lung removed, and now chemo, he is having problems, no appetite, shortness of breath, we just hope he gets better.
it is good to hear you are doing ok.
-- Smitty!!!
Mary Anne
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1056 posts in 1406 days
#9 posted 1106 days ago
Fantastic news! It is great to flummox the doctors like this now and then.
Sounds like you knew the good news would be coming. That’s great!
pommy
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1695 posts in 1889 days
#10 posted 1106 days ago
Dick thats fantastic new my friend i for know that LJs would not be the same with out you i am so glad that all seems to be going the right way for you both you deserve all the good luck in the world for you both
Andy
-- cut it saw it scrap it SKPE: ANDREW.CARTER69
Rustic
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3007 posts in 1794 days
#11 posted 1106 days ago
Awesome hope it stays good news
-- www.carvingandturningsbyrick.com, Rick Kruse, Grand Rapids, MI
Bob #2
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3808 posts in 2219 days
#12 posted 1106 days ago
I am truly happy for you Dick and Barb too.
It’s an awful worry not knowing and anticipating the worst.
I’ll look forward to your posts once you get your new specs.
Cheers
Bob
-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner
jasony
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47 posts in 1276 days
#13 posted 1106 days ago
That’s great news, Dick. Many healthy birthdays.
I recently stumbled upon this TED talk about diet and cancer and it really got me thinking about what we eat. It’s a very well presented 20 minute talk that I think should be mandatory watching for everyone who has a history of cancer in their family. I really think it’s 20 minutes well spent (the last bit with the Q&A isn’t as good because his mic is off).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9bDZ5-zPtY
ABB
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24 posts in 1275 days
#14 posted 1106 days ago
Congratulations for the good news and here’s hoping you keep showing them wrong!
-- Allen, WA
littlecope
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2380 posts in 1699 days
#15 posted 1106 days ago
Great News, Mr C!! :)
-- Mike in Concord, NH---Unpleasant tasks are simply worthy challenges to improve skills.
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