Last week I went to see my regular doctor about the strange sensations and headaches I have been having. It has seemed too long to blame it on caffeine withdrawals and my doctor agreed. So he ordered a MRI brain scan and a stress test for my heart. Based on how good I feel on my runs I thought the stress test was a real long shot, but couldn’t hurt to know how well the ticker is working.
The MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) is really cool. Many years ago in one of my physics classes we studied the physics behind the MRI so I was excited about experiencing it. The MRI turned out to be everything I expected. It felt like I was in a machine someone dreamed up for a science fiction movie. The noises the machine produce, oscillating buzzing noises, sounded like the best sound effects in a sci fi movie. It sounded like they were shooting me with various types of invisible ray guns.
The stress test was interesting too. I lay in a bed with exercise bicycle pedals. They hooked my up to an EKG and also took some ultra sound pictures of my heart before, during and after I exercised. I had to get my heart rate up to 145, which wasn’t easy. The machine starts out with little resistance and increases the resistance slowly every 2 minutes. I was pedaling for 15 minutes before my heart rate reached 145. My legs were about to give out and I was sweating like a pig. (Does a pig really sweat?)
Today I got the results and my thinker and ticker are doing just fine. My symptoms have been improving, so my doctor says to just see if they go away. I’m fine with that. I’m done having my body poked and scanned for awhile.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Monday, July 20, 2009
$$$ I’ve won the Lottery $$$
I feel like I have won lottery. My PET scan came back squeaky clean and my blood counts are normal. I’m back on my normal schedule of four months between PET scans. The next PET scan will be just two months shy of my second anniversary of starting chemo. After two years my odds of making it five years and beyond are pretty good and the PET scans will be done less frequently. As more time goes on with good PET scans, the more likely it looks like I am cured of cancer.
After my last post I did start to have weird feelings again. The strange feeling is hard to describe, but I feel kind of a tingling in my skin and at the tip of my tongue. I’ll get slight headaches and will feel some nervousness or a little jittery. Sometimes the strange feeling keeps my up at night. I was pretty confident that it wasn’t the cancer coming back, but I was still very anxious to see my doctor. I told him all about it including going cold turkey with caffeine. He said the strange feelings are most likely caffeine withdrawals. Furthermore, since I have undergone one of the strongest chemotherapy treatments that are administered, my body may have more difficulty handling things like caffeine withdrawals. My doctor also said that it can actually take four to six weeks to be completely free of caffeine. He ordered some additional blood tests just to be sure something else isn’t causing the strange feelings. Most of those tests have come back negative and next week I get the remaining results.
I also have a constant tingling in my toes and sometimes my fingers. The tingling in the toes started when I was taking chemo and has never stop since then. Sometimes it gets pretty intense and can be annoying. The tingling, called peripheral neuropathy, is from nerve damage cause by one the chemo drugs called Vincristine or Oncovin (the O in RCHOP). The nerve damage can take up to three years to repair, and in some cases is permanent. I can live with this; it is better than the alternative. One thing is for sure, the tingling does not get in the way of my happiness.
Some things are beyond our control and we have to live with it. But so much in our lives are within our control, like caffeine, eating well, exercising and taking the time for those things that truly give us happiness. Life is the most precious thing we have, nothing else compares to it, yet it is amazing how we so easily waste it and throw it away.
After my last post I did start to have weird feelings again. The strange feeling is hard to describe, but I feel kind of a tingling in my skin and at the tip of my tongue. I’ll get slight headaches and will feel some nervousness or a little jittery. Sometimes the strange feeling keeps my up at night. I was pretty confident that it wasn’t the cancer coming back, but I was still very anxious to see my doctor. I told him all about it including going cold turkey with caffeine. He said the strange feelings are most likely caffeine withdrawals. Furthermore, since I have undergone one of the strongest chemotherapy treatments that are administered, my body may have more difficulty handling things like caffeine withdrawals. My doctor also said that it can actually take four to six weeks to be completely free of caffeine. He ordered some additional blood tests just to be sure something else isn’t causing the strange feelings. Most of those tests have come back negative and next week I get the remaining results.
I also have a constant tingling in my toes and sometimes my fingers. The tingling in the toes started when I was taking chemo and has never stop since then. Sometimes it gets pretty intense and can be annoying. The tingling, called peripheral neuropathy, is from nerve damage cause by one the chemo drugs called Vincristine or Oncovin (the O in RCHOP). The nerve damage can take up to three years to repair, and in some cases is permanent. I can live with this; it is better than the alternative. One thing is for sure, the tingling does not get in the way of my happiness.
Some things are beyond our control and we have to live with it. But so much in our lives are within our control, like caffeine, eating well, exercising and taking the time for those things that truly give us happiness. Life is the most precious thing we have, nothing else compares to it, yet it is amazing how we so easily waste it and throw it away.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Lost My Fire, Now I Have It Back
I was really nervous waiting to hear about the results of my last PET scan that was done about 6 weeks ago. A couple of weeks before that PET scan I was feeling some discomfort in my groin area where I had hernia surgery and a tumor removed. I just didn’t have the same fire that made me boldly go into my oncologist office with the attitude that everything will be ok. My PET scan did show an uptick in the surgery area. All other indications were good, so it was most likely inflammation of scar tissue. That would also explain the discomfort. But to be safe another PET scan was scheduled to be done 6 weeks later. Then things got worse a couple of weeks ago.
To get through some challenging times at my work I started drinking massive amounts of coffee. Caffeine has been a long time addiction for me. I’ve quit a few times, but always quickly succumb to its momentary euphoria it gives with that first cup in the morning. Caffeine controls me in many ways. Nothing starts in the morning until I get my fix and I’ll do just about anything to make that happen. Before going on a business trip I’ll check with Google Maps to see where the closest Starbucks is to my destination. It became clear a couple of weeks ago that I had to do something about this addiction.
After I got through my challenges at work I cut back to relatively normal levels of coffee drinking. I started to feel strange about the same time. I wasn’t sure if the strange feelings were due to reducing caffeine intake, or it was something else, like the cancer coming back. The feeling is hard to describe. I felt tired and kind of tingly all over my body, kind of like I was lacking oxygen. I started to get real paranoid that maybe the cancer was coming back. Then I started to get depressed. However, I didn’t have any problems when I ran or rode bicycle. In fact, the only time I felt really good was when I exercised hard. Because the exercise went well, I had hope that the problem was related to the caffeine. I finally decided the only thing to do was to go cold turkey and completely quit caffeine. That’s was about a week ago and in a couple of days I was feeling great. The fatigue, most of the funny feelings and the depression went away.
I have PET scan again this Wednesday and will meet with my oncologist on Friday. I feel confident about this one. I haven’t been feeling any discomfort in my groin and I feel strong. I took control over caffeine and I got my fire back.
To get through some challenging times at my work I started drinking massive amounts of coffee. Caffeine has been a long time addiction for me. I’ve quit a few times, but always quickly succumb to its momentary euphoria it gives with that first cup in the morning. Caffeine controls me in many ways. Nothing starts in the morning until I get my fix and I’ll do just about anything to make that happen. Before going on a business trip I’ll check with Google Maps to see where the closest Starbucks is to my destination. It became clear a couple of weeks ago that I had to do something about this addiction.
After I got through my challenges at work I cut back to relatively normal levels of coffee drinking. I started to feel strange about the same time. I wasn’t sure if the strange feelings were due to reducing caffeine intake, or it was something else, like the cancer coming back. The feeling is hard to describe. I felt tired and kind of tingly all over my body, kind of like I was lacking oxygen. I started to get real paranoid that maybe the cancer was coming back. Then I started to get depressed. However, I didn’t have any problems when I ran or rode bicycle. In fact, the only time I felt really good was when I exercised hard. Because the exercise went well, I had hope that the problem was related to the caffeine. I finally decided the only thing to do was to go cold turkey and completely quit caffeine. That’s was about a week ago and in a couple of days I was feeling great. The fatigue, most of the funny feelings and the depression went away.
I have PET scan again this Wednesday and will meet with my oncologist on Friday. I feel confident about this one. I haven’t been feeling any discomfort in my groin and I feel strong. I took control over caffeine and I got my fire back.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Excelsior Firecracker Run
Yesterday my wife Renee and I ran in the Excelsior/Lake Minnetonka 2 mile/10k. Excelsior is a historic small town on Lake Minnetonka and is only a couple of miles from our home. Downtown Excelsior has many restaurants, specialty shops, art shops, and a trolley car that takes you to a trolley boat called the Minnehaha, and a beautiful park on the lake. The 4th of July celebration in Excelsior starts off with a 2 mile and 10k runs, then a sand castle building contest, a kid’s parade, and kid’s fishing contest. (When my two boys were little they would decorate their bikes and kick scooters for the kid’s parade.) Later in the evening the world-renowned Minnesota Orchestra plays in the park band shell and then a huge fireworks display is lit off from a barge floating in Lake Minnetonka.
Renee and I started going to the Excelsior 4th of July celebration about 25 years ago, long before we lived in the area. At that time we did not have a boat and would setup a picnic in the Excelsior Commons Park and swim at the beach while passing time before the big show. In those days the fireworks was not shot off from a barge but rather on shore near the outfield of the baseball diamond. The fireworks launch site was so close you felt you were a part of the pyrotechnics team. There would be times sparkles from a low exploding fireworks would continue to burn and sparkle all the way down into the crowd. It was fireworks with a thrill of danger. The move to the barge was a good move.
This was the first year I participated in the Firecracker run and Renee’s first ever participation in a running event. Renee ran the 2 mile and I ran the 10K (6.2 miles). She is not ardent runner, but rather has slowly worked into it during her workouts. Renee and I often go together to the Lake Minnetonka LRT Regional Trail to workout. When we started about 3 years ago she would fast walk while I would run. Running would cause discomfort in her knees so she started fast walking for about 4 miles. After awhile the walking wasn’t enough for a good aerobic workout, so she started to run short sections of her course. As time went on the running part of her workout grew longer until she was pretty much running the entire 4 miles plus. After the 2 mile Firecracker run she is ready to do more, starting with some 5k runs and maybe working up to 10k runs.
Below are some photos of the Excelsior Firecracker run. I brought my little Casio camera on the run. I took many pictures but most of them didn’t turn out because of the lack of light due to the overcast and the bouncing around from my running. But a few turned out and here they are.
Feeling good after the race.
Renee and I started going to the Excelsior 4th of July celebration about 25 years ago, long before we lived in the area. At that time we did not have a boat and would setup a picnic in the Excelsior Commons Park and swim at the beach while passing time before the big show. In those days the fireworks was not shot off from a barge but rather on shore near the outfield of the baseball diamond. The fireworks launch site was so close you felt you were a part of the pyrotechnics team. There would be times sparkles from a low exploding fireworks would continue to burn and sparkle all the way down into the crowd. It was fireworks with a thrill of danger. The move to the barge was a good move.
This was the first year I participated in the Firecracker run and Renee’s first ever participation in a running event. Renee ran the 2 mile and I ran the 10K (6.2 miles). She is not ardent runner, but rather has slowly worked into it during her workouts. Renee and I often go together to the Lake Minnetonka LRT Regional Trail to workout. When we started about 3 years ago she would fast walk while I would run. Running would cause discomfort in her knees so she started fast walking for about 4 miles. After awhile the walking wasn’t enough for a good aerobic workout, so she started to run short sections of her course. As time went on the running part of her workout grew longer until she was pretty much running the entire 4 miles plus. After the 2 mile Firecracker run she is ready to do more, starting with some 5k runs and maybe working up to 10k runs.
Below are some photos of the Excelsior Firecracker run. I brought my little Casio camera on the run. I took many pictures but most of them didn’t turn out because of the lack of light due to the overcast and the bouncing around from my running. But a few turned out and here they are.
Renee at the registration line. We got there early.
Renee at the starting line.
Two mile runners start out at Excelsior Commons.
Renee (#144) just crossing the starting line.
The finish line is back at the park. Most of the run is a loop.
Renee coming up to the finish line.
I'm in the middle of the pack at the starting line of the 10k.
Start of the 10k. It is so packed with runners I can hardly run.
It doesn't take long for the runners to stretch out. St. Alban's bay is on the right and Excelsior bay on the left.
St. Alban's bay as I cross a bridge over a channel between St. Alban's and Excelsior bays.
Running down Minnetonka Blvd.
The race course brings us by some beautiful scenery. Here are some wetlands.
About a mile from the finish line. Excelsior bay in the distance.
Lake St. Excelsior. The finish line is just around the corner.
Feeling good after the race.
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