August 21.
My oncologist decided to treat me with a chemo treatment called Temodar. Temodar comes in capsule form. It arrived by next day air VIA UPS yesterday (it must come from Care Mark specialty prescriptions). I require two separate prescriptions for the 5 day treatment.
The prescriptions came with pages of instructions and possible side effect warnings. They warn you not to get the contents of the capsules on your skin (it has caused tumors on lab rats). No, they just want me to eat 3 capsules per day.
They also prescribed something for my stomach that I am to take 30 minutes prior to taking the Temodar.
I took the drugs, as prescribed and went to bed. I really had no side effects that I noticed.
Next I go back to my psychologist on Wednesday. I went to see her for the first time last week. This is a great EAP benefit from Nationwide.
On Friday I go to see another oncologist for a second opinion on my diagnosis/prognosis.
On Monday I will go see the original optical nerve specialist. My optical nerve surgeon wants to get his opinion regarding the possible eclusion (removal) of my left eye. I then go to the optical surgeon for consultation.
Wish me luck on all of this stuff.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Ted's continuation with the doctors
I had a PET scan last Friday.
August, 16.
I met with the oncologist to go over the results. The good news is that it did not reveal any malignant tumors. There are some questionable areas, but nothing for sure.
Per the oncologist, I am diagnosed as stage IV cancer, based upon the previous findings.
The oncologist prescribed a chemo treatment that I start now.
August, 16.
I met with the oncologist to go over the results. The good news is that it did not reveal any malignant tumors. There are some questionable areas, but nothing for sure.
Per the oncologist, I am diagnosed as stage IV cancer, based upon the previous findings.
The oncologist prescribed a chemo treatment that I start now.
Friday, August 10, 2007
Ted's adventures with doctors
December 2006:
Reported problems with left eye sight to eye doctor.
May 4, 2007:
Reported problem with left eye sight to family physician.
May 21:
Family physician directed me to the eye doctor.
May 22:
Returned to eye doctor, they eye doctor referred me to retina specialist.
May 23:
Retina specialist, after testing, referred me to a optic nerve specialist.
June 5:
Optic nerve specialist referred me to Grant Hospital for an MRI. The MRI revealed a tumor behind the left eye.
June 11:
The optic nerve specialist referred me to an optic nerve surgeon.
Around July 1, I could no longer see out of my left eye.
July 9:
Met with eye surgeon after review, exam and discussion surgery was scheduled to remove the tumor for July 13.
July 13:
The surgeon removed the tumor. Visual diagnosis indicated that it was a malignant tumor. A sample was sent to Mt. Carmel. Their initial diagnosis indicated the cells were consistent with melanoma. They sent a sample to Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. They have since confirmed that the tumor is malignant melanoma (commonly referred to as skin cancer).
July 17:
Met with surgeon for post operation discussion.
Because this type of cancer does not normally originate in this location, I was sent to OSU east for a CT scan of my upper and lower torso to identify the source of the malignancy.
The lower CT scan revealed all as normal. The upper (chest, longs heart were normal) reveal a potential problem with my liver.
July 20:
Appointments with family physician, oncologist, and liver specialist.
The surgeon and my family physician referred me to an oncologist and a gastroenterologist (liver specialist).
The oncologist sent me to Riverside to have an MRI of my liver.
The liver specialist sent me to Riverside for blood tests.
July 24:
I went to see the oncologist. He said that I had a tumor on my small intestine and on my liver. He said my prognosis is not good. He then directed me to a radiologist at Riverside to treat the tumor in my eye.
July 27:
I went to the liver specialist. He said my blood test results do not indicate a malignant tumor on my liver. He gave me additional blood tests and directed me to go Riverside for a biopsy, with scan of my liver.
July 30:
I went to the Radiologist at Riverside. The Radiologist discussed using radiation on the tumor behind my eye. He expressed concern that the radiation treatment could damage my right eye. He suggested that we wait for the results of the livery biopsy.
Thursday, August 2:
Next I went to Riverside to have the biopsy with ultrasound scan of my liver. Interesting enough the doctors name was Lafferty, the name of my step-grandfather, who was the brother of my great grandmother Lou Ellen Lafferty Branham. He called me cousin!
Tuesday, August 7:
I get a call from the Oncologist office indicating that they scheduled a PET scan for me on Friday.
I had an appointment with the liver doctor. The results of the biopsy are not conclusive that I have a tumor on my liver. See him in three months.
I had an appointment with my family physician. I ask him if he would help me find someone at The James OSU hospital to look at me for a second opinion. He said he would make some calls.
Friday August 10:
Went to the purple area at Riverside Hospital. They did a PET scan of my entire body. First I had to be injected with some radioactive materials (they actually carry it in a lead container so as to not to radiate the hospital staff!). I had to wait 45 minutes for the radioactive juices to get in place. They do this to identify concentrations of malignant tumor cells. The scan took about an hour. I should get the results early next week.
Reported problems with left eye sight to eye doctor.
May 4, 2007:
Reported problem with left eye sight to family physician.
May 21:
Family physician directed me to the eye doctor.
May 22:
Returned to eye doctor, they eye doctor referred me to retina specialist.
May 23:
Retina specialist, after testing, referred me to a optic nerve specialist.
June 5:
Optic nerve specialist referred me to Grant Hospital for an MRI. The MRI revealed a tumor behind the left eye.
June 11:
The optic nerve specialist referred me to an optic nerve surgeon.
Around July 1, I could no longer see out of my left eye.
July 9:
Met with eye surgeon after review, exam and discussion surgery was scheduled to remove the tumor for July 13.
July 13:
The surgeon removed the tumor. Visual diagnosis indicated that it was a malignant tumor. A sample was sent to Mt. Carmel. Their initial diagnosis indicated the cells were consistent with melanoma. They sent a sample to Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. They have since confirmed that the tumor is malignant melanoma (commonly referred to as skin cancer).
July 17:
Met with surgeon for post operation discussion.
Because this type of cancer does not normally originate in this location, I was sent to OSU east for a CT scan of my upper and lower torso to identify the source of the malignancy.
The lower CT scan revealed all as normal. The upper (chest, longs heart were normal) reveal a potential problem with my liver.
July 20:
Appointments with family physician, oncologist, and liver specialist.
The surgeon and my family physician referred me to an oncologist and a gastroenterologist (liver specialist).
The oncologist sent me to Riverside to have an MRI of my liver.
The liver specialist sent me to Riverside for blood tests.
July 24:
I went to see the oncologist. He said that I had a tumor on my small intestine and on my liver. He said my prognosis is not good. He then directed me to a radiologist at Riverside to treat the tumor in my eye.
July 27:
I went to the liver specialist. He said my blood test results do not indicate a malignant tumor on my liver. He gave me additional blood tests and directed me to go Riverside for a biopsy, with scan of my liver.
July 30:
I went to the Radiologist at Riverside. The Radiologist discussed using radiation on the tumor behind my eye. He expressed concern that the radiation treatment could damage my right eye. He suggested that we wait for the results of the livery biopsy.
Thursday, August 2:
Next I went to Riverside to have the biopsy with ultrasound scan of my liver. Interesting enough the doctors name was Lafferty, the name of my step-grandfather, who was the brother of my great grandmother Lou Ellen Lafferty Branham. He called me cousin!
Tuesday, August 7:
I get a call from the Oncologist office indicating that they scheduled a PET scan for me on Friday.
I had an appointment with the liver doctor. The results of the biopsy are not conclusive that I have a tumor on my liver. See him in three months.
I had an appointment with my family physician. I ask him if he would help me find someone at The James OSU hospital to look at me for a second opinion. He said he would make some calls.
Friday August 10:
Went to the purple area at Riverside Hospital. They did a PET scan of my entire body. First I had to be injected with some radioactive materials (they actually carry it in a lead container so as to not to radiate the hospital staff!). I had to wait 45 minutes for the radioactive juices to get in place. They do this to identify concentrations of malignant tumor cells. The scan took about an hour. I should get the results early next week.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Recent Adventures of Ted and Carol
We recently took a cruise out of Miami, Florida to visit locations in the southern Caribbean. We visited various ports. We sailed out of Miami, Fl. on the Royal Caribbean Brilliance of the Seas.Our first stop was Labadee, Haiti. Did some snorkeling, sun b
athing, swimming off of the beach, and bought a few of the locals items for gifts.
Next we visited Oranjestad, Aruba, an island off the coast of Venezuela. We took a tour of the island.
The tour included a boat ride that had a hull with glass windows to see the reef and many fish.
We visited the "famous" Natural Bridge.
Oh no, bridge broke! (this is an older section).
And finally the light house.
Next we docked at Willemstad, Curacao, another island off the coast of Venezuela.
We took a tour of the island that ended at a private resort beach. I went snorkeling in the bay, I saw many colorful fish and coral. Carol enjoyed sunbathing on the beach under the palm trees.
Our next stop was at the Panama Canal (Cruising Canal); Cristobal Pier, Panama. Our ship was pulled by the 8 locomotives into the 3 connecting locks and we floated up to the lake.
Our next stop was Costa Rica. There we visited a banana plantation and processing plant.
After we got off of the ship we visited some gators in the everglades. Here a a couple of guys just out sunning themselves.
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