Update II

[Innkeeper]

Well we saw the radiologist on Monday and the oncologist on Wednesday. We now have an action plan. I start radiation on Wednesday (12th) and chemotherapy the following Monday (17th).

The radiation will be done at Douglas-Wentworth Hospital in Dover where they have state of the art equipment. It will go for 28 days. That will be five days per week unless snow, Christmas, or other medical appointments happen. Then missed days will be added on until 28 sessions are complete.

The chemo will be done at the Cancer Center at Frisbie Hospital in Rochester. It will involve four days a month for four months. They have to install a port for the chemo. It is a day surgery procedure. Hopefully it will be before the chemo starts; otherwise they have to get in another more distasteful way.

It will be a rough time. You have all heard about all the normal side effects. My mother had a less common one, sores in her mouth. We have been advised to gargle with baking soda and water to avoid this one. There will be no alcohol allowed during radiation. At the end of each chemo cycle I can have a little wine.

That is the status at this point.

[VouvrayHead]

Good luck, IK...
I hope it goes effectively and smoothly...

[Kcwhippet]

Hang in there, Carl. We're with you.

[hotwine]

Ditto from here. All the best Carl.

[Thomas]

Keep the faith, Carl.

[newsguy]

thanks for the update, carl. stay strong, and keep the faith.

[Bucko]

It WILL be a bitch to go through, especially the stomatitis. Keep some good, creamy soups around. Best of luck, my friend.

[winophite]

I get to help put in the ports, I run xray(fluoro)equip. A little sleepy meds, some local, 20-30 min procedure, post op chest xray and youre out and ready to go. Well, you know get there an hour or two early and wait a while for recovery to leave. Sometimes straght to chemo for first treatment.

Keep your spirits high. Best wishes.

[winoweenie]

Glad yopu're into kicking the big "C" in the patootie Carl. I'll talk to you before going to San Diego Sunday. WW

[Drew]

Eileen and I will have you and Bev in our hearts and prayers.

Drew

[wondersofwine]

Not the merriest of Christmases this year but I hope it provides for many Merry Christmases to come. Praying for a good result.

[zenda2]

My best wishes, one Carl to another.

[glenora]

Carl and Bev

All of us at Glenora are pulling for the both you and certainly you are in our prayers as well!

Gene

[dananne]

Anne and I send all our best wishes for your recovery, and our thoughts will be with you.

[TheEngineer]

Carl,

Keep your spirits up and know that there are plenty of people beside and around you!

[Jackie]

I would probably use this occasion to eat as many fattening foods as I could... packing on a few pounds before the treatments start might just help you through it a little. Of course, that may just be a rationalization on my part...

At any rate, be SUPER SUPER good to yourself. Pampering is A-OK at this time.

Jackie

[Glass_A_Day]

I agree with Jackie Carl, aside from just taking care of what you need to do to get healthy, pamper yourself any way you can. Going through this, you certainly are earning it. You are in our thoughts.

[Innkeeper]

Thank you, thank you, thank you; all sixteen of you. And may God bless you.

[Georgie]

Hi Carl. I'm just catching up with the wine board. I'll continue to pray for you during this long siege. God will give you strength, I know. Lots of love,
Diane

[wineguruchgo]

My Mom went through Chemo and her cocktail didn't bother her one bit. She left the hospital and went shopping and to the movies right after.

As for the radiation? She didn't have it so I can't speak for that.

What I can tell you though is that every patient who is battling this disease and needs these two treatments has my Father and many others to thank.

In 1972 my Father was diagnosed with Lymphosarcoma and was a guinea pig for these new treatments called Radiation and Chemotherapy. What this man went through, for free (had to literally sign his life away) was pure torture. The Docs didn't know what worked and what didn't and the patients suffered through it.

They didn't know, at the time, if any of the procedures would work and for my Dad they did. It bought him an extra 6 years. I don't remember anyone being "in remission" forever, so this was a blessing for us.

Then we fast forward to Mom who had none of the side effect that Dad did and she lived a normal life. She too, had a port, and it didn't bother her a bit, and trust me, if it did we all would have known about it! hehe!

I guess what I'm trying to express to you is that the advances they have made are amazing and you shouldn't fear it. If my Mom got through it so can you.

Don't walk into that treatment with a limp, charge into it like a bull! Go get 'em tiger!