If thc or cbd worked to cure melanoma, I'd have licked this a long time ago. 

Like Dakota..I've been dealing with this as well (currently going through my second bout), but your post made me LMAO   and it's good to see that you still have your sense of humor..that is VERY important in times like this and will help you get through a lot.

Praying for you.

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If thc or cbd worked to cure melanoma, I'd have licked this a long time ago. 

Like Dakota said..I've been dealing with this as well (currently going through my second bout), but your posts made me LMAO  :lol: and it's good to see that you still have your sense of humor..that is VERY important in times like this and will help you get through a lot.

Praying for you.

My thoughts and prayers with both of you and Dakota.  If the Forum provides comfort,  humor,  and/ or anything else that can help each of you,  that by itself makes the Forum essential.

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My thoughts and prayers are with you 02.  Good luck with everything this week and please do not hesitate to reach out if you need anything.

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There are 10 kinds of people in this world.  Those who understand binary and those who don't.

Jags02, I hope everything goes well with the heart sonogram and surgery.

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Here's hoping for a smooth ride, 02. On the bright side, you're in a MM state, so it hurts even if it doesn't hurt, amIrite?

Seriously, it sounds like you caught it early and are on the right track. We're all with you, brother.

Well, ideally I would have caught it 1 1/2 years ago when a marble-sized cyst was first detected, but losing my job and insurance made me wait. If I was thinking correctly I would have had this surgery this past January when I nearly had a doctor's visit scheduled, but I couldn't quite work out a date that was good for both me and my doctor. I'm very fortunate, at least as it appears so far, that it's still stage 3 and hasn't yet spread.

Hindsight is always so much clearer than foresight.

It sucks when an unavoidable life decision hinges so much on finances, but that's a subject for another forum.

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If something can corrupt you, you're corrupted already.
- Bob Marley


 

The bright side in all of this is that the next day, Thursday afternoon, I'll be watching football. Life can go on.

Football will help you keep your mind off cancer. Life will go on. It is important during times like this to think about the good things and keep your spirits up.

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The bright side in all of this is that the next day, Thursday afternoon, I'll be watching football. Life can go on.

Football will help you keep your mind off cancer. Life will go on. It is important during times like this to think about the good things and keep your spirits up.

And you think obsessing over Jaguar football is a good thing for him? I guess that makes sense if you're taking the "it could always be worse" approach.

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Never argue with idiots. They drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.

Football will help you keep your mind off cancer. Life will go on. It is important during times like this to think about the good things and keep your spirits up.

And you think obsessing over Jaguar football is a good thing for him?

Where did you get "obsessing" from?

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Good luck 02. Hopefully the test went well today and you are on your way to getting that thing removed.

Since it is currently raining ash from the sky and boiling hot, you won't be missing any outdoors time this week.

Relax and recover and enjoy the Thursday night game.

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Dang Jags02! Bro for real. I will send one up for you.
I will admit something.

I always look for your "lists" on depth charts, players, etc.

Lick that crap and get better big guy.

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And you think obsessing over Jaguar football is a good thing for him?

Where did you get "obsessing" from?

My guess would be from roughly 91% of your posts and threads you start.

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What lies behind us, and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.







 

You're in my thoughts 02. I hope everything goes well and you have a speedy recovery.

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Hang in there, '02. Have a couple of those great Northwest beers to celebrate this step.

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Season Ticket holder since 2004.

 

        

My big day was yesterday and the nasty tumor is gone. The surgeon said it sprouted something like 100 fake veins to feed off my blood supply and grow. He had to cut them all out. I'm somewhat glad the guy has been doing this for nearly 35 years. 

The initial plan was to have me go home the same day, but I wasn't breathing strongly enough and had to spend the night in ICU. Good things though because at one point I had a severe leg cramp, and it was awesome how quick they responded to take care of it knowing just what to do.

I managed to get him just to time for NFL Kickoff.


I have some oxycodone for the pain which has been manageable. so far, and I'm figuring out how to deal with this nasty drain attached to me. In two weeks I'm scheduled to get the drain out and have a follow-up with the surgeon, and soon after will start some treatment. They want to do some radiation to make sure they get anything that might have lingered inside me and to do some immunotherapy to strengthen my immune system.  I'm scheduled to return to work a week after I get the drain out, but if I'm not ready I'm seeing my doctor to get my time off extended.

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'02

Sounds like Dr. Zelko over near Emanuel. He was pro when I had to have something cut out.

Glad to hear you are home resting. Hope you enjoyed watching the pats lose.

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So I've had an interesting development. I'm not sure what to do about this exactly, but with it being the weekend there's not too much I can do. My drain has apparently clogged up at the opening, or has somehow detached inside, so that nothing is emptying into the bag, however, that's not to say stuff isn't draining. I woke up with my T-shirt drenched from liquid forcing its way out the side of the tube that's in me.

I've managed to take the soaked padding and tape off of the tube where it enters me and replaced it with fresh gauze to maybe soak up stuff, but I don't know what I'm in for now. I'm fairly sure only my actual surgeon would be able to do anything about the drain as, aside from the suction bag, it's just a tube that goes a ways inside me. I figure if I called anyone they would only tell me to go to the IR where I'd have to wait 4 to 6 hours for a doctor to only be able to re-do my dressing while charging me $800. 

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'02

I would at least call them. Were there any post op instructions they sent you home with that might have instructions in this case? Plugged drain sounds like a potential for infection and it would suck to add that complication to your recovery.

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Best of luck to you Fred. Just do the best you can with what you're handed. Try looking around for alternative healing methods in addition to whatever the Doctor recommends. Rick Simpson's oil might be a good start. My grandfather had skin cancer that developed from a mole he picked on his nose.

Had we known what we know today he may have lived a lot longer compared to what was available in 1990 healing method wise. Just don't lose hope or get overly grim about it. You're one of the more positive and logical posters we've ever had on here. I am sure you'll apply that line of thinking during these moments in your life.

Again, best of luck to you brother!

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"What do I know of cultured ways, the gilt, the craft and the lie? I, who was born in a naked land and bred in the open sky. The subtle tongue, the sophist guile, they fail when the broadswords sing; Rush in and die, dogs - I was a man before I was a king."

Best of luck to you Fred. Just do the best you can with what you're handed. Try looking around for alternative healing methods in addition to whatever the Doctor recommends. Rick Simpson's oil might be a good start. My grandfather had skin cancer that developed from a mole he picked on his nose.

Had we known what we know today he may have lived a lot longer compared to what was available in 1990 healing method wise. Just don't lose hope or get overly grim about it. You're one of the more positive and logical posters we've ever had on here. I am sure you'll apply that line of thinking during these moments in your life.

Again, best of luck to you brother!

It sounds like my surgeon has me doing some alternative healing to begin with by having me do immunotherapy instead of chemo. I contacted Campus Oncology so I can do the treatments close to home instead of an hour away in heavy traffic where the hospital/university is that they have me going to. At any rate, Campus brought up doing chemo there, and it was great being able to tell them I won't be doing chemo. They did say they wanted me to talk to their doctor too, and I will, but I'm quickly dumping him as my oncologist if he even tries to get me to do chemo.

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'02

So I've had an interesting development. I'm not sure what to do about this exactly, but with it being the weekend there's not too much I can do. My drain has apparently clogged up at the opening, or has somehow detached inside, so that nothing is emptying into the bag, however, that's not to say stuff isn't draining. I woke up with my T-shirt drenched from liquid forcing its way out the side of the tube that's in me.

I've managed to take the soaked padding and tape off of the tube where it enters me and replaced it with fresh gauze to maybe soak up stuff, but I don't know what I'm in for now. I'm fairly sure only my actual surgeon would be able to do anything about the drain as, aside from the suction bag, it's just a tube that goes a ways inside me. I figure if I called anyone they would only tell me to go to the IR where I'd have to wait 4 to 6 hours for a doctor to only be able to re-do my dressing while charging me $800. 

I just had a surgery that required two drains and my experience was similar. Just keep the padding as fresh as you can. 

If you're worried about it, your post-op instructions should have a number to call, even during the weekend you can get somebody. If not, call your GP's exchange and talk to a regular doctor. They'll know what to do or if you need to worry.

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