I need prayers...

[ZachMan]

Well I was diagnosed with cancer back in Septemeber. I have/had T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma (lymph node swollen up to grapefruit size in my chest) and luckily after my 2nd of 6 rounds of chemo (hyper-CVAD, yeah google it, lol) I was and am in remission. It sucks being young with cancer, but if I wasn't young and strong I could have never had the chemo I had or fight back like I do so it can be a blessing. So I have been really high spirited about all this and never really thought about relapsing or dieing, etc. Unfortunatly my doctor didn't let me or my folks in on what all is scheduled to be done to me...just gave us a little info at a time and not the big picture. I was told if I take good to the chemo I'll only have chemo because the type I had is so strong.

So the problem is after I am done with chemo I think I am ready to turn the page in this chapter of my life and get back to a normal life and finally take a breath of fresh air from all this. Well no, I meet with my doc (right before I finish chemo) and he mentions radiation, 5 days a week for a month. I didn't fight it too much, but I still am concerened about it because its gonna be real real close to my heart. So a month passes by and I get a bunch of scans done and they are thank God all clear. I meet with my doc again (after my last round of chemo) and now he mentions a BMT (bone marrow transplant). I'm in complete shock as I am in remission and my marrow and spinal fluids have always been clear, in fact I had 11 (yes eleven) spinal taps with chemo injected into my spine to make sure it stayed clear throughout this whole time. I would be getting an auto BMT, which is taking my own clean bone marrow out and then hitting me with chemo 100x stronger than before for 5 days then giving me back my clean marrow so I won't die (so blood cells can grow back) and its considered the "super cleanser" to the cancer, I guess the big last hit or something.

SO I am faced with making the choice of having this BMT done, which is 50/50 among doctors, some are for it some say its a waste.... of course my doc is for it. I am going to get a second opinion (probably flying to MD Anderson or New York) after meeting with the transplant team on the 28th. Plus to top it all off I am now uncertain about even my radiation as I have read alot online and heard some bad side affects can happen to your heart long-term, which sucks. No point in doing it if I will die of a heart attack at 40.

Anyways here is a post on the cancer boards for a more "in depth" idea of whats going on:

http://ubb-lls.leukemia-lymphoma.org/ubb/Forum16/HTML/001090.html

I just need prayers and hopefully God will put the right answers in my hands and I'll make the right choices. Also pray that I am able to keep my head up during all this, I forget sometimes no matter how bad it all was and will be I am "cancer free" today and this is all to keep me that way.

 

[Matt S.]

Absolutly. You are on my list. Do you mind if I have some friends pray for you to?

Keep fighting it brother and remember the promise of healing.

 

[CROSBIKE]

i assume your name is zach. You most definitely have my prayers zach. God has a plan for everything he throws at you and never gives you more than you can handle.

 

[family TJ]

I wish you the best. I donate every year to foundations that try to cure cancer as I lost my mom when I was just 17. Good luck and don't give up the fight. Might look into the hospitals in Columbus Ohio as they use to have one of the best in the country.

 

[Tree Frog]

You have my prayers...

 

[ZachMan]

Absolutly. You are on my list. Do you mind if I have some friends pray for you to?

Keep fighting it brother and remember the promise of healing.

Thanks man, please do prayers are all I got.

 

[ZachMan]

i assume your name is zach. You most definitely have my prayers zach. God has a plan for everything he throws at you and never gives you more than you can handle.

Yeap thats me, its hard to remember that sometimes. Just when I am about to break down it seems everything starts to settle again, its truely a life changing experience.

 

[Scott Mac]

Done. Wish you the best.

 

[ZachMan]

I wish you the best. I donate every year to foundations that try to cure cancer as I lost my mom when I was just 17. Good luck and don't give up the fight. Might look into the hospitals in Columbus Ohio as they use to have one of the best in the country.

Sorry about your mom, cancer is an ugly thing.

Thanks, yes PLEASE if you know of a GREAT hospital let me know, I am willing to fly anywhere for a second opinion, right now it looks like MD Anderson or New York.

 

[YELLAHEEP]

Stay strong brutha - you've already endured way more than your share in this lifetime. I'll do what I can to send some positive mojo your way.

:thumbup:

 

[5-90]

I can understand, but not fully. I lost my grandfather two years ago to pancreatic cancer, and the family still hasn't fully recovered (it was aggressive - by the time they caught it, they found out it was also inoperable.)

Granted, I don't think granddad had the physical reserves to last through chemo (he was a strong man, but didn't like to weigh over 150# (he tipped about 90# when he went.) No reserves in the event that he couldn't eat - which is why I find people who carry a little extra around tend to be healthier...) but I can understand some of what you're going through anyhow. And, having had to recover from some major traumatic insults on my own, I do know what healing can be like.

I'm hoping you do have the reserves for this - if not, build them up now. You're going to have a hard time eating on the "strong chemo" you mention (if you thought you'd lost your appetite before, just wait...) and you're going to need all the help you can get - even from your own body.

The bad news is that you're young, and can't get out to do what you want for a while. The good news is that you're young, and better able to recover from major systemic insults (like cancer and chemo) - better to have had it now than in 20-30 years' time, when you would probably be less physically able to deal with it. Draw on the strength of those around you to help you make it through this ordeal - and all will be stronger because of it.

I'll keep you in my thoughts.

 

[ZachMan]

I can understand, but not fully. I lost my grandfather two years ago to pancreatic cancer, and the family still hasn't fully recovered (it was aggressive - by the time they caught it, they found out it was also inoperable.)

Granted, I don't think granddad had the physical reserves to last through chemo (he was a strong man, but didn't like to weigh over 150# (he tipped about 90# when he went.) No reserves in the event that he couldn't eat - which is why I find people who carry a little extra around tend to be healthier...) but I can understand some of what you're going through anyhow. And, having had to recover from some major traumatic insults on my own, I do know what healing can be like.

I'm hoping you do have the reserves for this - if not, build them up now. You're going to have a hard time eating on the "strong chemo" you mention (if you thought you'd lost your appetite before, just wait...) and you're going to need all the help you can get - even from your own body.

The bad news is that you're young, and can't get out to do what you want for a while. The good news is that you're young, and better able to recover from major systemic insults (like cancer and chemo) - better to have had it now than in 20-30 years' time, when you would probably be less physically able to deal with it. Draw on the strength of those around you to help you make it through this ordeal - and all will be stronger because of it.

I'll keep you in my thoughts.

Thanks,

I am a big guy and like the days I can't eat (I think the chemo definately sets a fir to your metabolism) I was 322lbs before chemo and at my lowest I got down to 258, today I am right around 270lbs. I plan (once its all done) to get down to 220-200lbs, I'm 6'4". So losing weight does help me out and I welcome it, but yeah you gotta eat, even being big you'll fell even worse wit hchemo on an empty stomach, yuck..

BTW, my uncle had pancreatic cancer too, its awful...they gave him a 2% chance of making it it and said he never would live more than 5 years. Well he is still here today and all that was 9 years ago.

 

[OverlandZJ]

Your in our prayers here Zach.

 

[whompinxj]

cancer sucks. I also lost my only grandfather to cancer, he fought it for about 4 or 5 years, after many chemo treatments he gave up and spent the rest of his life with his loved ones at his childhood home. he was a big guy and in great health and im sure that if he didnt give up he could have fought it. However he decided not to spend all of his money on hospital bills and devided up what he had left among his 6 daughters. my prayers go out to you and every other cancer patient in the world.

 

[moneypitxj]

i will be praying for you brother. God is always listening and the power of prayer in numbers is awsome. always read your bible.

God bless, brad

 

[Rev Den]

Here for you.

Thoughts and Prayer most deffinatly.

Rev

 

[UNCC_99XJ]

You're in my thoughts Zach. As CROSBIKE said, God's got a plan for everything, and he's not gonna give you more than you can't handle.

 

[ZachMan]

Thanks guys, it means a ton.

 

[Slug 369]

Definitely will be praying for you while you battle the cancer. Stay strong.

 

[old_man]

I'll be praying and so will our whole church.

I'm a cancer survivor, 19 years colon cancer. You can get through it.

PM me your name and address.