6 months out

Last Friday I had my 6 month check up. Hard to believe that almost a year has passed since my diagnosis. I'm 15 lbs lighter than my highest point and my BP was 140/90 (they never comment about that; seems high, no?) Met with my Onc and he did the once over. This consists of feeling for enlarged nodes in all the suspicious areas. Nothing jumped out at him, bloodwork is normal and my lungs sound fine. I have been really anxious about intermitent thoracic aches and have experienced some stomach pain. The tough part about bringing it up is that it could be some passing virus or maybe an ulcer has developed from the anxiety of remission; could also explain the high BP. The Onc says, "If you have pain lasting more than a week, let me know. If you have relapsed the treatment doesn't change. We would most likely perform a bone marrow transplant and run another round of chemo." He also said, "Some people never go into remission and the first round response was excellent."

So despite a few coughs and some passing bouts of suspicious pain, I seem to be getting back to a normal state. I've managed to abstain from processed sugar since early June; eating lots of fruit which is easy in Michigan during the summer. My cancer well-fit class from July thru September was just what I needed to get moving again and wake up some dormant muscle fibers. The basement weights are once again thumping and clanging a few times each week. All in all, things are coming along.

We scheduled another CT scan for the first week in December unless I want to do it sooner to ease the aforementioned anxiety. Stay healthy.

Coiffure

Jan09
Apr09
Sept09

Pink Arrow Night

The second annual “Pink Arrow” football game occurred last night.

Quick brief: My children attend Lowell Schools whose mascot is the Red Arrows. In 2008, the football coach decided to create a game dedicated to those fighting cancer, survivors and those who lost their battles. The football players wore pink jerseys with names on the back to honor friends or family members. Attendees were encouraged to purchase pink game t-shirts as a donation to support cancer charities. It was a great success earning over $90k.

The second annual event was bigger. The tennis teams, cross country team and volleyball teams joined in the festivities. My daughter plays volleyball and they constructed an outdoor court at one end of the field to play prior to the game. Summer asked me to show up for a special seat only to find that between games they honored a few cancer survivors with a small pink and white volleyball signed by all the players. After the game, Summer was interviewed by the Grand Rapids Press…

“An estimated 3,000 fans watched Michigan's first outdoor high school volleyball match. The Pink Arrows swept Forest Hills Northern in three games played on a court set up in the high jump area at the north end of Bob Perry Field.
The volleyball match, which was sanctioned by the MHSAA, was particularly significant for Lowell junior Summer Moore. Not only did Moore, a backup setter, see her first action of the season, she played in front of her father, 44-year-old cancer survivor Paul Moore.
Moore was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins Lymphoma before Christmas last year and began chemotherapy the day after Christmas.
"He always stayed positive through the whole thing," Summer Moore said. "At the end of May and beginning of May, he was in remission, and he is doing better now. To have a parent go through this, and then to play in something like this, with him here is amazing.

"Ever since I was young, he got me involved in a lot of sports. Playing here today I am supporting him. I feel like I am giving something back to him."
Paul Moore's final two scans have been clear.
"So far so good," he said. "I had my last chemo in May and my hair started to grow back. The whole thing that Lowell is doing is something special, and the girls playing volleyball outside today was special."

Great kid.

Read the entire article here: Pink Arrows 2009

I was trying to think of something clever to say but there was so much happening that I felt humbled by the madness; emotions welling up, thousands of people, pink everywhere, lots of encouraging words.

I look forward to hearing the final $$ tally as there are plans to create a Gilda’s Club in Lowell.

Update

Last weeks scan results are in and there are no changes from the April ‘09 scan. Although I still am experiencing little transitory ”sparks” of pain in my chest and abdomen, the computed axial tomography doesn’t lie. I’m still remitting.

I’m also back to being muscle sore thanks to the fine folks at East Hills Athletic Club. My Cancer WellFit class is a little slow for me as we are still reviewing the machines and their various settings. After class, I typically toss the iron around and then run/climb/row to nowhere until I’m breathless and sopped. Good times.

I’ll try to get some new paintings posted soon.