Merry Christmas....maybe

[MikeV]

To all my friends and acquaintances here on the forum, I want to share something with you.
Today I start on a journey I never expected to take. I know some of you have been there..done that, or know someone who has, but this is all new to me.
Today I start radiation treatment for lung cancer. I will get radiation twice a day, every day (M-F) for the next 6 weeks and Chemo every Tuesday. After the 6 weeks we will do more testing to see the results and where to go from there.
Heck of a way to spend Christmas, huh?
I am not in any pain or discomfort and still do my daily routine at my car wash and a few service calls here n' there, as well as helping those of you that still have Futura equipment.
All I ask is that for those of you who Pray...send up a prayer or two for me when you think about it.
God Bless and have a Wonderful Christmas and a great new year.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

Mike, I wish you well. My dad was diagnosed with lung cancer back in 2001 at the age of 74. He went through pretty much the same treatments you describe. We lost him at the age of 85 on New Years Eve of 2011, from something different. He had 10 good cancer free years, thanks to modern medicine. I would suspect more advances have been made in those 12 years since he was treated. I plan to read your posts here, 10 years from now. Good luck.

 

[rph9168]

Mike. Sounds like you have a positive attitude about it. I had a friend that ended up having one lung removed and lived 20+ good years afterwards. He never gave up hope and I think that had a lot to do with it.

Good luck and God Bless.

 

[MEP001]

Just think, if he'd had both lungs removed he might've lived 40 more years.

Best wishes to you, Mike.

 

[cdreed06]

Prayers out to you Mike. Have a Merry Christmas.

 

[mjwalsh]

To all my friends and acquaintances here on the forum, I want to share something with you.
Today I start on a journey I never expected to take. I know some of you have been there..done that, or know someone who has, but this is all new to me.
Today I start radiation treatment for lung cancer. I will get radiation twice a day, every day (M-F) for the next 6 weeks and Chemo every Tuesday. After the 6 weeks we will do more testing to see the results and where to go from there.
Heck of a way to spend Christmas, huh?
I am not in any pain or discomfort and still do my daily routine at my car wash and a few service calls here n' there, as well as helping those of you that still have Futura equipment.
All I ask is that for those of you who Pray...send up a prayer or two for me when you think about it.
God Bless and have a Wonderful Christmas and a great new year.

Mike Vukelic,

Thanks for sharing, it gives some of us the opportunity to reach out ... back to you. I will never forget nor not appreciate your hospitality & patience when I visited with you in Houston less than a year ago. Hopefully, at least one lung will carry on ... think of the new Pope as an inspiration when it comes to having only one lung functioning. When I toured around Houston ... one thing where it shined was in its medical capabilities ... hopefully ... your medical coverage is also keeping that potential concern minimal. Of course, your greatest power is in the Lord God, Jesus Christ ... so Faith & Prayers are an integral part of proceeding. I have been told by some Theologically inclined that suffering should not go to waste ... that makes sense to me!

Merry Christmas to you & your family & to the rest of our online community that William Pitzer founded & that Jackson Vahaly is helping to carry on. I believe Kate Carr is also helping some.

Mike Walsh King Koin of North Dakota

 

[MikeV]

Thanks to all of you and especially for your thoughts and prayers.
Just finished radiation and my first chemo treatment. Had a talk with the Doc and he thinks the cancer may have spread to my bones. I guess a little bad news always precedes the good news. At any rate, they are confident they can make it all go away. Operating at this point is not an option. I think it's because of the lymph node thing. Still feel fine but with just a little back pain, Doc thinks that is from the bone infection. I'll keep you all updated as to my progression to remission. Thanks again for your thoughts and prayers...keep 'em coming.

 

[Reds]

Mike, my heart goes out to you. I am a 3 time cancer survivor (head & neck). I have had traditional radiation(1994), proton beam radiation (2013), chemo, skull base surgery, and surgery to my brain cavity to remove tumor (2010). It is always a tough battle and you need to keep a good attitude. I know that having a good attitude while you are facing this challenge can be extremely difficult. Good friends, good family, good doctors, and divine intervention are the 4 pillars that will support you throughout this difficult journey. Don't give up the fight. You are in my thoughts and prayers. Are you being treated at M D Anderson?

 

[MikeV]

WOW, Reds, you have been through it all haven't you. Amazing!! Am so glad you are still with us. You are a living testimony that this thing can be beat. I totally agree that a positive attitude and the 4 pillars are so important in our struggle with the dreaded big C. I have a strong support group, both here on the forum and my friends and family. 1 brother and 9 sisters-in-law, 2 brothers-in-law and all their families.
No, not being treated at M D Anderson. Long story there but I am going to a small clinic near my home. They tailor the treatment to the patient rather that the "one size fits all" treatment that the big name hospitals provide. Their results are far above the national averages.
We shall see. I am expecting to get through all of this by the summer as I have an installation to do in Florida.

 

[Fatboy769]

Mike, prayers going out to you and your family.

 

[Waxman]

I wish the best in health and happiness for you! Remember to laugh, as laughter is the body's medecine against ailments. I am not being glib; watch your favorite comedians and laugh as much as you can.

 

[Buzzie8]

My thoughts are with you. I was diagnosed with Crohn's about three years ago and it sometimes makes the day-to-day difficult at the wash. I admire that you are still able to do it. Only those who own car washes know that the day-to-day can be a lot more grueling than most people think. Hope your treatments are successful and pain free.

 

[jimbeaux]

Mike, just read your post and lifted up Christmas prayers for you and your family. May God Bless You and bring you through this ordeal.

 

[MikeV]

Thank you all for your kind thoughts and prayers. Had a minor setback over Christmas and had to go to the emergency room at the local hospital. Seems I somehow got some internal bleeding that was causing an acid reflux like distress. Got on meds and iv's and am now back home and feeling a lot better. Will continue radiation next week and will be getting a bone scan. I'll keep you posted as to my progress. Thanks again for your support.

 

[rph9168]

Hang in there Mike.

 

[MikeV]

Its been a rough couple of weeks here. Had to go back into the hospital just after new years for fever and pain. Fever to a cancer patient is not a good thing. Spent a couple of days there and now back home. Did the bone scan thing and it turns out that the cancer has metastasized to my bones...sternum and l-4(?)vertebrae This causes considerable pain in my chest and lower back then radiates down my legs. Tylenol usually takes care of the pain. They did a new CT Scan this week and will plot out a new radiation plan to combat the bone cancer. Also they gave me some Zometa along with my last chemo treatment. This is supposed to retard the growth of the bone cancer. And the beat goes on.....

 

[Reds]

Mike, keep plugging and try to keep a good attitude. My prayers are with you.

 

[mjwalsh]

Its been a rough couple of weeks here. Had to go back into the hospital just after new years for fever and pain. Fever to a cancer patient is not a good thing. Spent a couple of days there and now back home. Did the bone scan thing and it turns out that the cancer has metastasized to my bones...sternum and l-4(?)vertebrae This causes considerable pain in my chest and lower back then radiates down my legs. Tylenol usually takes care of the pain. They did a new CT Scan this week and will plot out a new radiation plan to combat the bone cancer. Also they gave me some Zometa along with my last chemo treatment. This is supposed to retard the growth of the bone cancer. And the beat goes on.....

Mike,

Our hearts go out to you & your caring family. At times like this, we find out the difference between just the warm fuzzy shallow feeling of "luv" & the quiet caring determination of true grit & the more durable kind of "love". We have a local priest who grew up on a local farm & was a former wrestling champion & also gave up a lucrative engineering career ... who says that in times of suffering ... by offering it up to God we really do not let it go to waste! Granted ... much easier said than done sometimes ... it takes a real deep FAITH!!! Like Reds said "Keep your spirits up"

Mike Walsh www.kingkoin.com

 

[rph9168]

My thoughts and prayers are with you.