Oh, hey! So...I'm still alive! (another cancer update)
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Hey folks!
I know it's been a little while since my last update (okay, it's been almost 6 months), and I haven't been around Oppo much these days due to life stuff. But I'm still alive and kicking, so I thought I'd give everyone a super fun cancer update.
Since last I posted, I finished my first three rounds of pre-surgical chemotherapy, and qualified for two rounds of immunotherapy. The difference between the two is like night and day. Chemo basically is what you picture it to be. I lost all my hair, spent days in misery with nausea and vomiting, and so on. Immunotherapy was a comparative breeze. For starters, the infusion only takes about an hour (chemo took about 4-5 hours in the chair, and two days at home with a pump). The side effects were also easy, almost non-existent really.
The protein markers showing how rampant the cancer is running showed an immediate improvement. My doctors decided to get me lined up for surgery as quickly as possible, with a date of June 12th. This left me with about a month to get all my affairs in order in preparation for "worst case scenario" sort of stuff. Mrs. Aardvark and I planned and took part in a small wedding ceremony at a local brewery with 24 of our closest freinds and family. It only took 9 years and a cancer diagnosis to finally convince her, but it worked! After years of just calling her my wife out of convenience, we finally got the government involved!
Jump forward to the Friday before surgery. We order from one of our favorite restaurants as a sort of, "Hey, this might be our last meal" kind of situation. Wouldn't you know, my tumor that night collapsed the colon wall, creating a 100% obstruction. Saturday morning, back in the ER. They had to give me an NG tube from my nostril to my stomach (breaking my nose along the way) to pump everything out, while enemas and laxatives ensure my gut is sparking clean. They kept me admitted through the weekend, and kept my surgical date for Monday morning.
I was fully under anesthesia for the procedure, so 5 seconds passed for me while the doctors spent 5 hours cutting up my innards. They ended up taking just over two feet worth of transverse and descending colon. Thankfully, this left enough to reattach, so no ostomy bag for me yet! After repeated requests, they firmly refused to give me a piece of what they took out as a souvenir. Bummer, I know. They dissected the whole removed section, and much to everyone's surprise and joy, found no viable cancer tissue remaining, just a couple of dead tumors.
After a lot of broth, jello, and pudding cups, they sent me home in the late afternoon of day 4, which was followed by a month of bed rest for recovery. I ended up buying Diablo 4 the day I got home, knowing I would need something to occupy my time when I'm laid up in bed 18 hours a day. But as soon as my month in bed was finished, I jumped right back into working full-time. My first post-surgical appointment with my Oncologist was met with a lot of optimism. They firmly believe they got all of it in one surgery. But all the same, I was given three options.
- I'm technically in remission, so I could have walked away from all this and gone straight back to normal life. The odds of recurrence within the next 10 years is about 50/50.
- Six more rounds of chemotherapy. It would be the same regimen before, but without one of the drugs. This will drastically reduce the odds of recurrence, and potentially label me as cured.
- Do monthly sessions of immunotherapy for one year. Because this is not an official and standardized treatment plan, my insurance would cover little to none of it. Oh, and each session would cost roughly $10,000. As far as my odds of recurrence, no one could give me any sort of estimation.
I decided on Option 2. Chemo is a real shit-show, there's no doubt about that. But I've survived this far, so why not do everything possible to minimize the chances of doing it all over again? And lucky me, the one drug they took out is the one that apparently made me lose all my hair. The full beard is back!
So now I'm working full-time again. Not only that, but within my first few weeks back, I applied for, interviewed for, and succeeded in getting a new job within my organization. It's kind of a bummer though, because the top brass is dragging their feet in backfilling my old position, so I'm really doing two full-time jobs. But it's alright, I've got 4 rounds down, 2 rounds to go. I take the day of infusion off, then work from home the two following days, when I'm a toxic vomit factory and still actively receiving the last drug through a pump. Then back at it the following Monday while the last few side effects slowly wear off.
Once I'm done, it's more scans, then hopefully a clean bill of health! I registered the Corvette as non-op earlier this year. I'm looking forward to uncovering it, firing it back up, and driving it around for a bit before I hopefully sell it.
For your time, a flying Manta
2022 Acura RDX A-Spec | 2000 Chevrolet Corvette
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@SmugAardvark Sounds like a hell of a last six months! Glad to hear things are on the up and up.
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After repeated requests, they firmly refused to give me a piece of what they took out as a souvenir.
Doctors are such buzzkills...
You're a trooper for going through the continuous chemo, and I hope it gets every last drop of that shit out of you so that all of this is a thing of the past. But of course, I'm delighted you're doing well (and keeping a sense of humor through it all... even the scary bits).
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Wow... thanks for sharing this journey with us. Glad the prognosis is looking very good.
And glad you've got the (official) Mrs. Aardwark by you side for support.
Looking forward to a Corvette post before you pass it on.
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Option 2 definitely sounds like it's the only way to go.
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@SmugAardvark Fucking awesome update!
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@SmugAardvark Glad things are looking up, that's a rough 6 months!
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@SmugAardvark Fucking amazing, glad you're still with us. Many many congratulations!
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@SmugAardvark Get married, kick cancer in the balls, and work a new job while doing chemo. What the fuck have I done this year?!
Awesome attitude, wish you well over the coming weeks, months, years - sounds like things are on the up and up on all fronts.
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@SmugAardvark Damn dude… I’m glad you’re ok. This does put some stuff into perspective. Let’s hope for the best!
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Congratulations and Congratulations!!!
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@SmugAardvark Wow! Sounds tough, glad you are still with us!
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@SmugAardvark glad to hear everything! I can't imagine what going out for a potential final meal must be like.
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@SmugAardvark Thanks for updating us. Sounds horrible but could be so worse. Glad it's good news. Take care!
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As a friend of mine says, "congratulations or sorry that happened to you". Glad you're on the mend.
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That sounds like fucking awesome news! I'm glad you're on the up-and-up and I wish you many, many wonderful years with your new wife!
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@SmugAardvark Excellent ! May the force be with you
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Doesn't it feel like a privilege so be in a time and place where such amazing health care is available? 25 years ago, you might not be so lucky.....
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@SmugAardvark
That's all fantastic news mate, all but the wedding bit, getting stuck with the old ball and chain and everything. Only kidding, congrats on that. Also they won't let you have the bit they took out, I mean, it's yours. You've grown attached to it, well, it's gownonin you.
Here's to a full recovery fella. -
@SmugAardvark congrats on the nuptials and the clean bill of health!!!
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@SmugAardvark You’ve been through hell and you’re still with us. I can’t imagine what’s gone through your head and I surely don’t want to. Congrats on staying with us for the long haul. To many more years!!! Cheers.
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@SmugAardvark fingers crossed for you.
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@SmugAardvark
Hell yeah, glad you're still with us! My sympathies with the chemo side effects, I watched my dad go through something similar for his cancer. Hopefully, just like him, you kick cancer's ass for good at the end. -
@SmugAardvark Everyone says "fuck cancer" but you actually did it! Congrats!
