Delayed Introduction
-
Oh Bobby I'm so sorry to hear that it is bad news again this time. What to say, other than I really hope that this round will beat it down for good. I hope also that being healthier this time will make the side effects easier to bear as you say. What awful news but sending you good wishes and the very best of luck for getting through this.
Glad you're not letting this stop you from appreciating the art you love. Hope we'll be able to chat again when you're ready
-
I'm so sorry to hear about your news and I hope this journey gets easier for you and the treatment does it's job. I'm glad you are staying and I look forward to seeing much more of your art.
-
I always thought that losing my eyesight would be a huge blow to my art--I never considered losing feeling in my hands!
That's got to be really awful.
-
Yeah Matt, when I touch things it feels like needles in my fingertips... I've learned to ignore the sensation, it's not painful, just incredibly annoying like someone is squeezing your hand and forgot to let go. If I hold a mouse for over 4 hours, I feel a stiffness in my grip that takes a while to dissipate.
If I am writing, and I love to do that, the stiffness happens in both hands. My feet are 5 times worse, my toes can't touch anything without squeezing sensations shooting past my ankles. I rarely cover them when I sleep, so of course that leads to foot cramps in your arches.
Weird though if I stand and walk around the pain is a little more bearable. It has gotten better since being on my meds. But yeah for almost 2 years now, I have no sensitivity in my fingers, everything feels like everything. I can't tell how lightly to press without serious concentration.
This is gonna sound stupid, but it's like picking your nose with a pen, the pen has no sensitivity where to scratch or pull. It can't differentiate what can be accessed. Now try doing something normal, like holding your wife's hand, and it feeling no different unless you press down so hard as to cause your grip to remind you that yes you are holding her hand.
Thank God for a wacom stylus, I don't have to judge, it does most of the work for me. But holding it for too long, even loosely sucks...
-
@Bobby-Aquitania We'll be rooting for you.
-
Hi Bobby, I'm very sorry to hear about this but wishing you all the best - love from Utah (and prayers) ...our time here is so short and it's nice to get to interact with such nice people around the world when the art binds us.
Thank you for sharing!
-
Bobby I'm really sorry about your bad news. I have really enjoyed reading your comments and seeing your art. I think its great that you are not letting this stop you from continuing to learn and grow. I wish you the best and will keep you and your family in my prayers.
-
Oh Bobby, I so sorry to hear that. My best wishes and my prayers are for you today.
-
I'm sorry to hear about this Bobby. You always have helpful things to say here. I'll be thinking about you.
-
Update:
It's bizarre what 28 days can do to change your life. 28 days ago, my colon surgeon was worried my cancer had returned there from the colonoscopy pictures she took in December. Those came back negative, but she wanted to be sure. So she did another one in January around the surrounding area, and she told me 2 weeks ago... " I biopsied the heck out of that! " And it came back negative for sure, though she did catch some polyps both times, she has cleared me for at least 6 months if not longer... she even hinted at 5 years if I was a normal patient. I suspect it will be a yearly or bi-yearly thing to be safe.
But because my levels were still high, was the original reason she did the first one. Something was happening somewhere. And as I mentioned 28 days ago, it had returned in my liver. Which was evident in my exterior as I was quite jaundice, even in the yellows of my eyes as a matter of fact. So they scheduled the 12 chemos in sets of 4. After the 1st one, my teeth already loose up front were getting worse, so I had to endure a day at the dentist that was right out of the movie Marathon Man.
Last year when this had happened, I went to a dental surgeon who put me out, and removed 4 teeth total. This time, I was completely awake for each needle, and they took out 5 and 1/2, as the dental surgeon had failed to take all of it the first time. SO yeah, that day sucked eggs. And I am putting it nicely... that was all done in a week that I had chemo treatment #2, in order to stay on schedule.
Happily today, my liver function has returned to normal. I just got a call from my oncologist at my home... so he is gonna up my dosage this Thursday for chemo #3, and if I can handle that, by chemo# 4 in 2 weeks, I will have a new scan to see how I am responding over all. If all goes well, I could have my new TACE procedure (explained above 28 days ago) sooner. Though I suspect I might have to have at least 4 more treatments to play it safe.
But in either case, today I am celebrating. I've earned it. It's been a LONG 28 days for me. I hope I am this jovial 28 days from now. I just wanted to share my good news with my SVS friends, and that while I haven't been around as much as I like, I have been lurking as much as my body will let me. This place keeps me going with all the amazing art done here. I consider it to be a factor in my healing, and many of you have my thanks because of that.
Have a great week SVS!
-
Wow, that's really positive news. I hope things carry on that way and there is much fun and art making to be experienced
-
@Bobby-Aquitania I just read your original post and this update, and I checked out your site. I'm glad you're on track artistically and physically. Artists really need to make art, don't they? May God strengthen you on your journey. (I hope you don't mind a religious reference--it 's where my heart is at and it's coming from my heart!)
-
Not at all @anthemsweet ... I'm Filipino, and my culture is fairly religious, almost to a fault as seen by the unfortunate remarks from a certain boxer that I no longer admire. I'm not a practicing Catholic, but I was raised that way. I consider it to be a very personal thing. Above all I believe in practicing love, not hate. If cancer has taught me anything, it's that life is too short to dwell on the little unimportant things. My wife is my reason for living, my son, my friends and my family keep me sane... the rest is gravy.
-
@Bobby-Aquitania Love heals. Hate kills. Good practice!
-
Oh Bobby, I'm so pleased to hear you have good news to share this time, that is fantastic
I really hope that things continue to get better from here, sending all positive healing thoughts! Glad you are still able to be with us and enjoy your art -
Congratulations! I'm so happy for your good news. Hope things continue in the right direction.
-
Thank you Bobby for sharing your journey, prayers for your continued healing.
-
@Bobby-Aquitania So good to hear Bobby!
-
@Bobby-Aquitania Such a great update Bobby! Continuing to send positive thoughts your way!
-
So sorry to read your having to endure all this! My most sincere wishes for your speedy recovery
