Here is the latest update…
Dear Family,
First of all, let me say it has been a grueling week here in Houston. I absolutely could not have made it without the help of Mike and Linda Gail. I will forever be indebted to them for taking the time away from their home and family to sit with me at the hospital. Mike and Linda Gail also kept my mind off the cancer issues by driving me to various points of interest like the Houston Space Center and the Ducati/Aprilia/MV/Triumph dealership. We also went to the Houston Galleria, Sam’s Club, and Mattress Giant. A special shout-out to Jack at Mattress Giant for selling me a set of Jill Ireland100% pure latex pillows. I slept on one of these pillows for a few nights here in Houston and Linda Gail claims that I did not snore as much when I slept on the 100% pure latex pillow, but that’s another story. (NOTE TO LISA …. I’ll provide you with the telephone number to Mattress Giant when I get home.)
I arrived in Houston on Sunday, April 6th. On Monday I had my first meeting with the doctor assigned my case, Dr. Hagemeister. He is a professor here at MD Anderson and is considered one of the leading researchers in the area of lymphoma cancer. The testing and evaluations began immediately. Monday afternoon I had a cardiac scan. This is where they injected me with a small amount of radio-isotopes and monitored my heart while the radio isotopes did their thing. The next morning I had a bilateral bone marrow aspiration. This is where they shot me in both sides of my hips with a Porter Cable nail gun, then took one of those large drinking straws from McDonalds and siphoned off some bone marrow. At least that’s what it felt like. Fortunately for me, they put me to sleep for this procedure and boy am I ever glad. Afterwards I felt as though I had been run over by a truck. My back is STILL sore from th at procedure.
On Tuesday after the bone marrow, I woke up and was in the CT Scan Imaging Section of the hospital. In fact, when I woke up I was sitting in a wheel chair and was talking to Linda Gail. Wierd. As if the bone marrow aspiration a couple of hours prior wasn’t enough, I was entertained shortly thereafter with a lower GI / berrium enema. That was a lot of fun. QUESTION: Why is it always the best looking nurse in the clinic that performs these (butt) procedures? Just asking. It always seems to be that way. After the berrium enema, I then went through a full CAT Scan of my neck, chest and pelvis.
The next day I had nothing scheduled. Thank goodness, I needed the day of rest. However, this was the day Mike and Linda Gail took me to the Johnson Space Center. I was real sore for the entire day, but the exercise was exactly what I needed to keep me from “stoving up.” Too, it was extremely interesting to learn about our space program. We saw where the astronauts trained, we sat in the misson control area … remember, “Houston, we have a problem.” ….. and saw a full sized mock-up of the space shuttle (or, as Peyton used to call it, Space Shubble). I also touched a real moon rock and looked inside the actual space capsule from the last Apollo mission. Fun day.
On Thursday I also thought nothing was scheduled, so Mike wanted to go to the Plus-Sized Men’s Shop for new clothes; however, on the way my cell phone rang. It was the hospital telling me I was late for my pre-operative meeting at the clinic. Unbeknownst to me, I had been scheduled for surgery, a core-biopsy of my lower left jaw (the one I chew with), for Friday morning. We did an about-face and drove straight to the hospital. Thanks to Mike’s Garmin Nuvi GPS, I was only slightly late for my pre-op meeting with the nurse. I forget what we did after the hospital visit, but we never made it to the Plus-Sized Men’s Store. Sorry Mike.
Friday morning Mike, Linda, and I awakened early and checked out of the Best Western hotel. Mike and Punji, the towel-headed general manager, got into a near fist fight over a dispute with the bill. However, Mike was right on this one. The hotel was filthy and not anywhere worth the price they charged for the room. We then moved to the Rotary House, which is located inside the MD Anderson hospital complex, and it turned out to be a MUCH nicer facility. In fact, it received the honorary MICHAEL J. LECUYER SEAL OF APPROVAL. I made it on time to the clinic where the biopsy was to be performed and everything went well. They didn’t put me to sleep for the core biopsy, but I was in a “twilight” stage. Trust me, I was feeling no pain. Afterwards, they put a big bandage on my left jaw (the one I chew with) and we returned to our new room in the Rotary House to relax a bit.
Saturday was a free day, so, again, Linda Gail got me out of the hospital and we went shopping at the Houston Galleria. All I can say is WOW. This is a shopper’s paradise. We didn’t have the time to even scratch the surface of this world-class shopping venue. It was almost too much to process. Girls …. the Houston Galleria is a must-see if you are ever in the area.
Sunday was a bit sad for me. Mike and Linda Gail left early and returned to Indianapolis. It wasn’t until they left that I fully realized how truly important they were to me during the week. The importance of their presence is immeasureable (if that’s a word). As much as I tried to pretend that I would be okay after their departure, I was immediately lonely. Very lonely.
On the bright side, Sunday was Elizabeth’s 23rd birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY!!
Today, Monday, I met with Dr. Hagemeister for my final interview. This is the deal. The cancer, since my original diagnosis (Follicular Lymphoma) has mutated to a more serious cancer, Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma. The good news is that I detected it very early and the cancer is isolated to only a very small area. The bad news is that it must be treated aggressively. The treatment regimen outlined for me by the team at MD Anderson includes six treatments of CHOP-R chemotherapy. Treatment protocol of this type involves a 48-hour continuous feed of chemo drugs every three weeks, for eightteen weeks. I will have to wear a chemo pump at home while I am in treatment. Unfortunately, this treatment program results in hair loss, sores in the mouth, chronic fatigue, memory loss, nausea, blah blah blah. I just have to get my mind together and do it. Afte r two rounds of chemo, I am scheduled to return to MD Anderson to meet with the bone marrow transplant team. They are recommending an ALLO-Transplant in my case. This means the transplant material will come from a donor participant, as opposed to giving me my own healthy marrow harvested from my own body. When I meet witht the transplant team, each of you will be sent a donor kit. You will follow the instructions and send your sample back to MD Anderson (please!). Hopefully, someone in the family will be a match, otherwise they will search the national donor registry for a match. At some point in time I, along with whoever is chosen as a donor, will then return to Houston a third time for the transplant operation. This is done on an inpatient basis. After the transplant is completed the donor may return home. I, on the other hand, will be essentially quarantined in the hospital for 4 – 6 weeks, and must stay in the Houston area for a total of 90 – 100 days. The good news to this procedure is if the marrow “holds” there is a very real chance that my cancer will be cured. That’s right …. not remission, but CURED, as in addios, so-long sucker, goodbye, don’t come back. The down side is that there is a 15% chance of death related to this procedure. It’s my call, but the odds look pretty good from where I sit. I would much rather be cured than find myself having to fight a new round of cancer every two years or so. Tell me what ya’ll think?
That’s all for now. By the way, thanks to all of you who surprised me with financial support for this trip. I cannot thank you enough. I have tried to be a good steward of your money and will continue to do so. As most of you know. The cost of cancer treatment goes far beyond what insurance pays. It has litterally crippled my family’s fincances over the past two years. Combine this with providing for family necessities and it becomes almost overwhelming. The real test will come in a few months when I have to remain in Houston for three months. Hopefully, I will be able to rent a small apartment for a reasonable amount. I plan on calling the American Cancer Society for assistance with this. Whatever the case. I will make this all work out. I have to. Take my advice and purchase for yourself a cancer policy. I wish that I had. It is relatively inexpensive and y ou will never regret having done so.
Thanks again to all of you ….. my family ….. my heroes. I love all of you dearly.
Mitch
