Today, I met my radiation oncologist for the first time. I bet being a radiation doctor is pretty hard. I feel fortunate as my doctor is really one of the nicer doctors I have ever met. It will probably make the whole process that little bit easier.
He is classifying my case as stage 4 due to the erosion into the bone at the base of the skull. His treatment plan is for me to initially do 2 to 3 rounds of induction chemo. That will be followed by close to 40 sessions of IMRT radiation treatments concurrent with more chemo.
Tomorrow, I will see my chemo oncologist for the first time.
I'm eager to get started with the chemo. I feel like the tumors on the right side of my neck have gotten much larger in just the last three weeks. The radiation doc says the chemo will start shrinking the tumors leaving less mass for the radiation stages.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
12 comments:
I am really sad to hear about your cancer. You will need every ounce of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual strength. Remember to enjoy life as you are fighting this. Use your support system with your family and friends. Above all, God is firmly in control even when your body is not.
Bryant
Hey Mark & Bobbie,
We wish you the best in your treatments, that you'll both have great strength. Please feel free to reach out to us any time 24/7 for help or a chat. We'll pray for you frequently and frequent this website with some tidbits on what's going on with us. Hopefully I'll be in town Atlanta in the next month or two, I'll let you know.
Sincerely,
Kenneth & Shannon
Mark -
My sister is a 10 year survivor of breast cancer, it was discovered when she was 32. The road was not easy but with strength, prayer and support of friends and family she is loving life everyday - something she didn't have time for before her surgery and treatment. We'll pray for you and with your permission include you in our prayer list at church. Cynthia and German are members here too. Rest and find Peace in knowing you are loved and supported in prayer.
Chip
Mark,
My thoughts and prayes are with you and your wife. Not sure if you remember me but we went to high school together (name was kristi adam at that time). Jenn Wu forwarded your email to me. Most importantly is to keep a positive outlook and enjoy every moment of life.
Kristi Tarbell
Mark, you will have a chance to travel more, watch your children play and grow old with Bobbi. You’ll have the courage to beat it. You have the loving support of family, friends and loved one.
Focus all your energy on the treatment challenges, one day at a time. There are many cancer survivors out there; living proof that there is hope.
Enjoy life and may God give you strength.
Chenny & Juan
Hi Mark,
I never met you yet, but I'm related to Bobbie. My name is Tim (my sister is Alissa)
I want to tell you that I am very sorry about your situation nowadays. I've read a lot about other people's concernment toward you and they were right...
and maybe this sounds somehow like a cliché but ... don't let yourself go downwards. I was nurse myself before and saw a lot of miracles happens because of the fact people kept believing.
Sincerely. Tim
By this, I add some story, if you like it, pleasse let me know and I will continu to write it down.
Long time ago (about 3500 years), before even Buddha or Jesus was born, somewhere in India, the group of people who were warriors, conquered almost whole India and gave themselves the name of Brahmans.
Those Brahmans divides the peoples into society groups… as we know now as ‘castes’. The first & very highest are the Brahmans. 2: comes the nobles. 3: normal people, 4: the slaves
So, discrimination was born…
Brahmans did a lot of ceremonies, offers, … but vanity and greed did captured their heart. Ceremonies were only superficial and nothing more than repetitive things they do to keep themselves busy.
Normal people whom no longer were blinded by this, prayed very hard for a man to come save them from this painful situation.
So our story begins 1 year before the birth of Buddha:
*An old and wise man named Asita is telling a story to his disciples:
Once there was an old man, walking in a storm of snow and wind. Fainted because of the hunger and cold and lying there waiting for death to come take him. Suddenly appears a bear, a fox and a rabbit.
The 3 saw this old agonizing man and pity him. The bear decided to catch some fish, the fox did searched for some grapes. The old man saw this all happening and was surprised and decided to make a fire.
But, feeling guilty, the rabbit didn’t have anything to offer and decided to throw himself in the fire. The old man rushed to extinguish the fire attempting to save the rabbit’s life… but too late… . The old man, the bear and the fox cried for many hours. After that, he thanked the rabbit for his sacrifice and ate the rabbit.
*The disciples of Asita don’t believe in this story. But Asita told them that it was his master Gosala whom told him that.
Short after what did happened with the rabbit, Gosala was trembling and decided to lay down for 10 long days… which after those 10 days, he attainted illumination
(= enlightment)
*Still his disciples didn’t believed a word he said. Some of his disciples asked Asita if he did attainted enlightment. Asita said that there are a few people on this earth who can.
Short after this story, he asked one of his disciples named Naradatta to go look for a man who is enlighted.
So Naradatta walked for miles toward a village. But suddenly, he was attacked by a tiger, but the tiger strangely let go of him leave him with a scratch on his shoulder.
On that very same day, a young boy named Chaprah who is a slave, carried some silk tissue to go sell them on the market. But cowardly on its way was attacked by a stranger also looking younger than him.
When chaprah went back to the house of his master and got punished, Chaprah’s mother supplied the master not to beat him anymore and to beat her in his place. The master said that it wouldn’t be interesting if he beate her, because she won’t be worth a dime if she had cicatrices left on her body.
So the master said that Chaprah had to go find the stolen silk if he didn’t want his mother to be sold.
Story to be continued…
Mark and Bobbie,
We are keeping you in our prayers every night, Please count on us know if you need anything. These are hard times, but for sure with strength and strong belief you guys will make it.I believe in that.Please stay positive no matter what, god will protect you. Take care. ~Rita and Babak~
From Marco Menti
----------------
Dear Mark and Bobbie,
My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer when I was ten, therefore 28 years ago. Back then there were not that many treatements available and survival rate was around 20%. She got surgery, she went through radiation, she survived and she is visiting me from Italy almost every year.
Myself went though two open heart surgeries, the last one 9 years ago. I am now here, working and travelling.
I guess the point I am trying to make is: you never expect anything like that, but unfortunately it happens. Hold tight, be strong, take one step at a time and you will enjoy things again. I will keep you in my prayers. I am with you guys.
Hi Mark,
I was so sad to hear of your recent diagnosis, but am so encouraged by your positive attitude as you face this. I want you to know that you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers. I know you are far away from me, but if there is anything I can do to help you, please let me know. If you have any questions about your medications, etc ... Also, please, there are so many drugs that are wonderful to combat the side effects of chemotherapy - please don't go without those - make sure you get them and use them so you can continue to live your life and enjoy your life while you are going through this. It's not going to be easy, but it certainly can be improved significantly with medications. Hang in there!
Lisbeth (Roberts) Bowlin
Unsinkable ships sink.
Unbreakable walls break.
Sometimes the things you think would never happen,
Happen just like that.
Unbendable steel bends.
If the fury of the wind is unstoppable,
I've learned to never underestimate,
The impossible!
Hi Mark. This is Danny Lo's wife Donna. I'm a nurse in Greensboro but I work in OB. I met you at Tommy & Ning's wedding. This is actually the 1st time I had heard of NPC so I did a google search for "emedicine nasopharyngeal cancer" and they had what seems like a good article there. I'm sure you are quickly becoming an expert on NPC. I'm wondering if you would share what symptom(s) you had that led you to go to a doctor? I'll be thinking of you and your wife and following your blog. I'm going to pray for you, too. I thought your photos from the wedding were incredible (especially the ones of the ring bearer of course since he's mine:). Please let us know if there is something we can do for you.
Hi Mark this is your cousin Lucy. I just want to drop a word of encouragement before you begin the treatment process-- stay strong even when your body is experiencing change day-to-day-- you can live in peaceful existence with this demon.
I will wait for you to control this disease so you and Bobbie can visit us in California again.
Lucy
Post a Comment