Results

*** RESULTS ***

A successful Dr visit. Although I don't have the copy of my scans in hand, the Dr told us that there is no change. That's a good thing.

We discussed the fact that this treatment doesn't "cure" cancer (but it sure has worked wonders in my body!!) and that we need to make sure that there are plans b, c, d, etc. There are many new drugs that are potentially available to fight metastatic kidney cancer.

I was referred to a nutritionist for some dietary counseling. My Dr and wife are conspiring to make me eat!! Admittedly, I have continued to shed weight. I am not consuming enough nutrients and fuel. (I've lost 8 pounds since my last visit, about 45 since I started treatment.) The nutritionist gave us some great tips on how to avoid nauseating smells and get more bites of food into my body.

We also discussed side effects and how difficult it was to manage them. I don't think we have a good solution. I honestly don't think there is a good solution at this point. However, if they get severe enough, I have permission to take a short break from treatment to try and reset things.

Overall, we're in a good place medically. I'd love to be able to say that I am coming off of treatment, but realistically, that's not in the cards. Not now. Probably not until it stops working, then we have other things to be thinking about anyway.

Thank you all for walking with us on this journey. We are grateful for each and every person lifting us up!

Noel

We adopted this wonderful “rescue dog” five years ago. I am convinced that Noël helped to save my life. I doubt I would have shown any symptoms of kidney cancer without this event. Four years ago, on Dec 20, 2011, I underwent surgery and had a radical nephrectomy. The surgeon also removed a 13cm tumor. Yikes! 

From Napkin Notes – Chapter 2

I lost sight of her again. I was running, but she was faster. I had to stay on the path, but she was darting through the trees and the underbrush. I could not keep up. The path was too twisted and uneven. I was running up, down, left, and right on the dirt. The afternoon sun was beating down on me through the golden and red leaves. My wife and neighbors were well behind me, but we were all yelling her name. I was doing my best to run ahead, but I was already short of breath. I was scared. She hadn’t been on her own like this, with so much freedom. I had to keep her within eyesight. 

We were camping, an activity I didn’t particularly enjoy. On a hike with our friends, our dog Noël had dashed off in pursuit of something and was nowhere to be seen. We had rescued her less than a year before. Noël had been in a local pet shelter for fifty-nine days. This nearby county shelter was not a “no kill” shelter, and after sixty days, the animals were euthanized. She was saved from that fate by FLAG (For the Love of Animals in Goochland), a local animal rescue group. Noël barely looked like a dog when we met her. She was just fur and bones. The fur she did have was patchy and sparse. 

Noël had clearly been on her own for some time. She was skittish around most ¬people and appeared to be deathly afraid of me. Lissa and Emma were certain: Noël was the dog we had to save. 

I didn’t want a new dog in our home. Lucy was my dog. I had chosen her and loved my German Shepherd–Rottweiler mix for thirteen years. Lucy had died just four months before Lissa and Emma ambushed me with rescue dog pictures. I was still grieving and didn’t want to have room in my heart for another pet. 

I continued running even though my lungs felt like they might explode. Bailey, the neighbors’ golden retriever, was keeping up with Noël, and I could just see a yellow ball of fur up ahead. All I could hope was that Noël wasn’t that far in front of her. 

Finally, I saw the dogs slow, some smell halting their joy run. I was able to catch up and put the leash back on Noël. I let out a huge sigh of relief, thankful that the rest of our weekend wouldn’t be spent wandering the wilderness, hoping to somehow bring Noël home. 

Our neighbors, Mike and Sheryl Bourdeau, had invited us camping, one last getaway before the cold of autumn set in. At least it was camping in a cabin and not in tents. I could handle staying in a cabin much easier than sleeping on the ground. We were celebrating Sheryl’s birthday, and that night Mike had a fantastic dinner of steaks planned. We toasted the birthday girl with red wine and ate gourmet cupcakes. We played games and thoroughly enjoyed one another’s company. The evening came to a close too quickly. As I was preparing for bed, I needed to use the bathroom. As I stood peeing, I watched in shock. My urine was sangria red. 
I couldn’t begin to think what was causing this. There was no pain. There was no other indication that something was wrong with me. I commenced freaking out

7 Alternatives To Not Shaving For Movember 2015

I think that it’s safe to say that many men loathe shaving each morning, and “No Shave November” is a perfect excuse for men to forgo this morning ritual. Although social media has helped to explode this concept in the past few years, this ritual has its roots in 2003, when 30 Australians decided to raise awareness of men’s cancer issues, prostate cancer and testicular cancer. 

Although I admire the cause, I can’t help but feel that most of my friends and colleagues who skip shaving for these 30 days don’t really get much out of it except for talking about their manly beards. This doesn’t really help the fundamental cause and the cancer issues that face us men.  I hate shaving, and I think that my face is better suited to sporting a goatee than smooth skin.  I however, will not be participating in Movember this year, and I’d like you to think about some other things that could make a bigger impact in your world. 

Here is a list of things that you can actively do for Movember:

1. Check yourself – If we fundamentally look at Movember, we’re trying to protect guys from prostate and testicular cancer.  Do you know the signs and risk factors?  Do you know how to self-examine? Let’s start with raising awareness at home.  Fathers, testicular cancer is the most common cancer in young men between 15 and 35.  It is also highly treatable when found early! Have you talked about this with your sons? Prostate cancer is typically diagnosed in older men, and there is a 1 in 6 chance that you’ll be impacted by this disease.  As you reach your 40’s, you need to start talking with your health care providers.  Again, this cancer is highly treatable when found early!

2. Make or buy dinner – Do you know someone that is going through cancer treatments right now? Make them a healthy dinner, or go buy dinner from a nice restaurant and bring it home to them.  Cancer Patients (I prefer the term Cancer Warriors) have a lot to manage each day.  Dinner is important both from a nutritional perspective and a family time perspective.  Help ease their daily burden just once and provide dinner. 

3. Rake leaves – It is fall in much of the country.  If you know someone with cancer, grab a couple of buddies, some rakes and yard bags, and go to your friend’s home.  Unannounced.  Clean up the yard and take away the leaves.  It's even better to do this if your friend isn't at home. Don’t take credit.  Just do it.  Your cancer warrior friend has bigger battles ahead than dealing with their fallen leaves. 

“There is no limit to the good that you can do if you don’t care who gets the credit.” – Gen George C. Marshall

4. Donate $30 to the ACS – The American Cancer Society is the "Official Sponsor of Birthdays". Their mission is to help fight cancer in every way possible. They help patients, caregivers, and researchers. Take $1 for each day that you would not shave and send it to the American Cancer Society.  They are a fantastic organization.  They help cancer research for all body parts, too!

5. Don’t Ask, Just Do – Anything, really.  Do you have an idea to help a Cancer Warrior?  Act now.  Just do it.  Above all, don’t say to them, “Let me know if you need anything.” This puts the burden back on to the Cancer Warrior.  There is a lot to manage in their lives, and frankly, it’s easier for that person to shrink away from letting you know how completely overwhelmed they feel.  They need help with everything during treatment. 

6. Help the caregiver – Take the caregiver out for coffee, or a movie.  The caregiver is stressed, too.  The caregiver needs a little break.  Help them step out of this situation for just a little while.  Listen.  Show compassion.  Be a friend.  

7. Shave – Really, we don't look all that good with uncontrolled facial hair.   

There are many ways to prove your manhood.  Growing a beard for 30 days is passive. 

Be active.

Do something.

FOUR YEARS AGO TODAY...

November 5, 2011

Although I had been writing Napkin Notes for many years, November 5, 2011 was the date Napkin Notes took on a new meaning. It was the day my life changed. Looking back, I might even be tempted to say that my life changed for the better in many ways.

Here's an excerpt from Napkin Notes:

CHAPTER 2: Sangria Red

“If God sends you down a stony path, may he give you strong shoes.” Irish saying

I lost sight of her again. I was running but she was faster. I had to stay on the path, but she was darting through the trees and the underbrush. I could not keep up. The path was too twisted and uneven. I was running up, down, left and right on the dirt. The afternoon sun was beating down on me through the golden and red leaves. My wife and neighbors were well behind me, but we were all yelling her name. I was doing my best to run ahead but I was already short of breath. I was scared. She hadn't been on her own like this, with so much freedom. I had to keep her within eyesight.

We were camping, an activity I didn't particularly enjoy. On a hike with our friends, our dog Noel had dashed off in pursuit of something and was nowhere to be seen. We had rescued her less than a year before. Noel had been in a local pet shelter for 59 days. This nearby county shelter was not a "no kill" shelter and after 60 days, the animals were euthanized. She was saved from that fate by F.L.A.G. (For the Love of Animals in Goochland), a local animal rescue group. Noel barely looked like a dog when we met her. She was just fur and bones. The fur that she did have was patchy and sparse.

Noel had clearly been on her own for some time. She was skittish around most people and appeared to be deathly afraid of me. Lissa and Emma were certain. Noel was the dog that we had to save.

I didn't want a new dog in our home. Lucy was my dog. I had chosen her and loved my German Shepherd - Rottweiler mix for thirteen years.  Lucy had died just four months before Lissa and Emma ambushed me with rescue dog pictures. I was still grieving and didn't want to have room in my heart for another pet. 

I continued running even though my lungs felt like they might explode. Bailey, the neighbors' Golden Retriever, was keeping up with Noel and I could just see a yellow ball of fur up ahead. All I could hope was that Noel wasn't that far in front of her.

Finally I saw the dogs slow, some smell halting their joy run. I was able to catch up and put the leash back on Noel. I let out a huge sigh of relief, thankful that the rest of our weekend wouldn't be spent wandering the wilderness, hoping to somehow bring Noel home.

 Our neighbors, Mike and Cheryl Bourdeau, had invited us camping, one last getaway before the cold of autumn set in. At least it was camping in a cabin and not in tents. I could handle staying in a cabin much easier than sleeping on the ground. We were celebrating Cheryl's birthday and that night Mike had a fantastic dinner of steaks planned. We toasted the birthday girl with red wine and ate gourmet cupcakes. We played games and thoroughly enjoyed each other’s company. The evening came to a close too quickly. As I was preparing for bed, I needed to use the bathroom. As I stood peeing, I watched in shock. My urine was sangria red.

I couldn't begin to think what was causing this. There was no pain. There was no other indication that something was wrong with me.

I commenced freaking out.

I found Lissa and told her what had happened.  I grabbed my phone and tried to look up potential causes. There was hardly any signal. I stepped out on to the cabin porch, held my phone above my head and tilted it at just the right angle to get some data signal. Blood in your urine was called gross hematuria. I read through potential causes.  At the end of a very scary list were two causes Lissa and I hoped could be the answer: vigorous exercise and an excessive amount of beets. Not only had I been running earlier, trying to catch Noel, an activity that isn't a normal part of my routine, but Cheryl's birthday treats involved a Red Velvet Cupcake from a gourmet shop. Though I never would have guessed, Lissa suggested that the shop might have used concentrated beet juice to color the cupcake. We calmed ourselves down, enough to sleep, hoping that it was a freak occurrence and not something to truly worry about.

It would take another three weeks to verify I had a 13 cm (grapefruit sized) tumor enveloping my left kidney. I would have surgery on December 20. I would come home on December 22 and start a new part of my life: Cancer Warrior.

Family Picture taken on November 5, 2011.

So, it's come to this...

So, it's come to this, I thought to myself... 

I sat in the doctor's office and was having a three-way discussion regarding side effects. I seemed to have been slipping back into a disturbing pattern. I was getting pretty sick more and more frequently. I had high hopes as we started summer. We adjusted my meds down, and I stopped getting sick. I felt more human. It didn't last. 

We came up with a good plan. I'd proactively take some anti-nausea meds a few days before my "scheduled" throw up days. Maybe that would push off that side effect. 

As my wife, the doctor, and I wrapped up the conversation, I started to get ready to leave. I thought we were ready to go. 

I head Lissa ask, "Oh, and do you think we could get a Handicap Parking Permit for Garth?"

What?!? I am not handicapped! Yes, there are days that the fatigue wins, and walking can be tiring. There are many days that I kick the fatigue's butt and I feel like I could run a race. I do not see myself needing a special parking permit. Well, not on most days, anyway. 

So, it's come to this... 

The paperwork was ready before we left the office. The DMV visit was uneventful, and a few days later I received my permit. I leave it in my truck, just in case. You never know when it might be useful. 

So, it's come to this...

I look at that permit each time I drive somewhere. I see it as another challenge. Can I choose to NOT use it this day? Can I beat this? Can I choose to be stronger than this sickness? 

Damn straight I can. 

In Liebe, dein Dad

Garth remembers some of his time in Germany.

Hat tip to Alex Kulle, Thomas Rodeck, and Craig Parsons. I am sure you never expected this picture to make it to the internet!