It is stories like these that brighten my day. This little girl is cancer free. She and her family can stop worrying about her running out of time!
Jordan Jemsek
Friday, January 20, 2012
6 month check up
I had my 6 month check up this morning with the fine folks at Charlotte Dermatology. With the minor exception of half a dozen pre-cancerous lesions burnt off with liquid nitrogen everything looks good. The majority of the places were on my arms with one on my face.
My doctor has recommended that I go through a Levulan Kerastick (Blue U) treatment to help slow down the growth of the pre-cancerous cells on my arms. Basically, this will involve a topical solution of aminolevulinic acid 20% applied to both arms, hanging out in the patient lobby for 90 minutes, then exposing both arms to some high tech blue lamp for 17 minutes. The procedure is then repeated in one month. I am told that this procedure should eliminate most of the other "bad cells" lurking under the skin. Stay tuned for updates on that once the insurance pre approves it and I get it scheduled.
As for the DSAP, it appears to have slowed down just a bit...probably because I have been inside since October and not riding my bike as much as I should!!! I just have to remember to apply liberal amounts of sun screen to my legs when I do go outside and continue on my rehab from tanning beds.
Next full body check up.....one year!
My doctor has recommended that I go through a Levulan Kerastick (Blue U) treatment to help slow down the growth of the pre-cancerous cells on my arms. Basically, this will involve a topical solution of aminolevulinic acid 20% applied to both arms, hanging out in the patient lobby for 90 minutes, then exposing both arms to some high tech blue lamp for 17 minutes. The procedure is then repeated in one month. I am told that this procedure should eliminate most of the other "bad cells" lurking under the skin. Stay tuned for updates on that once the insurance pre approves it and I get it scheduled.
As for the DSAP, it appears to have slowed down just a bit...probably because I have been inside since October and not riding my bike as much as I should!!! I just have to remember to apply liberal amounts of sun screen to my legs when I do go outside and continue on my rehab from tanning beds.
Next full body check up.....one year!
Thursday, January 19, 2012
The little WINS and painful reality of cancer
Wow....it is so difficult to really sum up what this morning has meant to me. I sit hear reading with great excitement this news out of Israel: Cancer Vaccine and dare let myself think of the day when like every other horrible disease we can all get a shot that will greatly reduce our chances of having to ever worry about running out of time waiting for a cure.
Then, I open my email to find a sad note from a family I met only through email and my connections to LiveSTRONG. After chronicling the daily activities of a father, husband, son, and brother in handling not only a recurrence of his cancer but also kidney failur, the last email today was "He's gone." The family shared a wonderful holiday season after he made a decision to discontinue all treatments and simply go home. He was able to enjoy Christmas and see his daughter do her gymnastic routine one last time.
I then open up Facebook just to see what my family and friends are up to and find this story in the Cyclist Combatting Cancer page: Eli's Army . Why????
As Lance stated at last year's Ride for the Roses, we have to find a way to keep people from running out of time waiting for a cure. I hope the research and clinical trials in Israel are the start of this cause. Unfortunately, my heart aches for two families that I only know through the internet because they had loved ones who ran out of time today!!
Then, I open my email to find a sad note from a family I met only through email and my connections to LiveSTRONG. After chronicling the daily activities of a father, husband, son, and brother in handling not only a recurrence of his cancer but also kidney failur, the last email today was "He's gone." The family shared a wonderful holiday season after he made a decision to discontinue all treatments and simply go home. He was able to enjoy Christmas and see his daughter do her gymnastic routine one last time.
I then open up Facebook just to see what my family and friends are up to and find this story in the Cyclist Combatting Cancer page: Eli's Army . Why????
As Lance stated at last year's Ride for the Roses, we have to find a way to keep people from running out of time waiting for a cure. I hope the research and clinical trials in Israel are the start of this cause. Unfortunately, my heart aches for two families that I only know through the internet because they had loved ones who ran out of time today!!
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