Thursday, January 18, 2018
Wednesday, January 17, 2018
Finding reason to it all
The mind fuck is real...
Getting a catastrophic disease is much more than the physical bodily reactions that come with the pain & discomfort. My mental stability seems like it's reaching a tipping point to where I just want to stop "fighting". And not that I am fighting anything major. I've seen many cancer patients at Ceders that look like they've been thru the grinder (and then some), yet I still am maintaining my cherubby look thanks to the steroids & anti-seizure meds. Still, I keep convincing myself that all of this suffering is actually due to a reason. That I am going-thru-this to evolve into a better person that will eventually help the world, or bring forth some sort of positive result thanks to the trails of pain I've been thru. But this all seems like bull-shit.
As humans we tend to desire some sort of justification for what we go thru. Whether we deserve it, earn it, or simply say it's "God's-will", we tend to feel that there is some sort of energy that guides us into precarious situations that are meant to teach us something, and that's how I've been feeling these last 18 months. Especially the last three dealing with this brain tumor metastasis, brain radiation, and clinical trails... but now it looks like none of this even fucking mattered.
Back in October when it was discovered that the Opdivo was no longer working it was suggested by another Oncologist to get a new biopsy of my tumor to determine any new mutations. This would help determine how this cancer would be evolving, and hence discover what would be the best trail available. Well, the biopsy did not happen, so November-December-January was spent mostly treating the brain tumors, getting roid rage and being mind-full of suicidal thoughts (med side-effects)...
https://csn.cancer.org/node/308922
But last week, my trail Onc decided on having me take a new blood-test that was state-of-the-art to check for cancer mutations in my blood. Apparently, it has upwards of an 75% positive results in identifying the cancer and its current state.
https://newatlas.com/cancer-blood-test-dna-mutations/50936/
Well, I got those results yesterday and it was deemed that the cancer I have is a rare form of non-small cell LC (about 1% of lung cancer patients have it) called ROS-1, AND that there is already an FDA approved pill to treat it.
AN FDA APPROVED PILL TO TREAT IT...
Xalcori Pill
My Onc continued to state that this pill has about a 65-70% success rate in cancer remission for about 14 months, which means I may actually catch the last season of Game of Thrones, but Jesus I can't help but be irritated over this latest news.
Sure, leave it to me to be a curmudgeon and look a gift horse in the mouth, but why the fuck did I not get this cancer blood test done back in October? Having gone thru all of this bull shit, being rejected for the trails, getting on the steroids and putting my family thru all of the aggravation due to my mental/spiritual sanity? What was the REASON for all of this?
FUCKING SIGH...
Yes, I am comforted that I may not have to go thru any trails and put my body into any form of precarious situation. But one thing that was counting on was that insurance would have covered all expenses 100%. Now I have to see if this new pill is covered (or what my copay may be) since the cost could be within the thousands per month. Even Chemo/Immunotherapy sessions were up there, about 50K per month. Hey, in hindsight I've reached my goal of manifesting One Million dollars!!! Except they went up my arm.
Yes, yes, yes... better news all around. But the mind fuck is real...
So is this:
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2017.00208/full
Getting a catastrophic disease is much more than the physical bodily reactions that come with the pain & discomfort. My mental stability seems like it's reaching a tipping point to where I just want to stop "fighting". And not that I am fighting anything major. I've seen many cancer patients at Ceders that look like they've been thru the grinder (and then some), yet I still am maintaining my cherubby look thanks to the steroids & anti-seizure meds. Still, I keep convincing myself that all of this suffering is actually due to a reason. That I am going-thru-this to evolve into a better person that will eventually help the world, or bring forth some sort of positive result thanks to the trails of pain I've been thru. But this all seems like bull-shit.
As humans we tend to desire some sort of justification for what we go thru. Whether we deserve it, earn it, or simply say it's "God's-will", we tend to feel that there is some sort of energy that guides us into precarious situations that are meant to teach us something, and that's how I've been feeling these last 18 months. Especially the last three dealing with this brain tumor metastasis, brain radiation, and clinical trails... but now it looks like none of this even fucking mattered.
Back in October when it was discovered that the Opdivo was no longer working it was suggested by another Oncologist to get a new biopsy of my tumor to determine any new mutations. This would help determine how this cancer would be evolving, and hence discover what would be the best trail available. Well, the biopsy did not happen, so November-December-January was spent mostly treating the brain tumors, getting roid rage and being mind-full of suicidal thoughts (med side-effects)...
https://csn.cancer.org/node/308922
But last week, my trail Onc decided on having me take a new blood-test that was state-of-the-art to check for cancer mutations in my blood. Apparently, it has upwards of an 75% positive results in identifying the cancer and its current state.
https://newatlas.com/cancer-blood-test-dna-mutations/50936/
Well, I got those results yesterday and it was deemed that the cancer I have is a rare form of non-small cell LC (about 1% of lung cancer patients have it) called ROS-1, AND that there is already an FDA approved pill to treat it.
AN FDA APPROVED PILL TO TREAT IT...
Xalcori Pill
My Onc continued to state that this pill has about a 65-70% success rate in cancer remission for about 14 months, which means I may actually catch the last season of Game of Thrones, but Jesus I can't help but be irritated over this latest news.
Sure, leave it to me to be a curmudgeon and look a gift horse in the mouth, but why the fuck did I not get this cancer blood test done back in October? Having gone thru all of this bull shit, being rejected for the trails, getting on the steroids and putting my family thru all of the aggravation due to my mental/spiritual sanity? What was the REASON for all of this?
FUCKING SIGH...
Yes, I am comforted that I may not have to go thru any trails and put my body into any form of precarious situation. But one thing that was counting on was that insurance would have covered all expenses 100%. Now I have to see if this new pill is covered (or what my copay may be) since the cost could be within the thousands per month. Even Chemo/Immunotherapy sessions were up there, about 50K per month. Hey, in hindsight I've reached my goal of manifesting One Million dollars!!! Except they went up my arm.
Yes, yes, yes... better news all around. But the mind fuck is real...
So is this:
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2017.00208/full
Monday, January 1, 2018
Bringing it home...
October 18, 2017:
Onc: "The latest PET scan shows that the tumor has returned to your upper left lung lobe, and it's also spread to one of your lymph nodes & sternum"
Me: "Fuck..."
Onc: "Unfortunately we'll now need to stop the Opdivo since it seems it is no longer effective in treating your condition"
Me: "What are my options now?" More Radiation? Back to regular Chemotherapy?"
Onc: "Well, we can't really go back to standard Chemo since you've been on Immunotherapy for the last nine months. And Radiation is only optional if you have major pain, and it wouldn't really make a difference... perhaps a clinical trail..."
Me: "Fuck..."
I left the Oncologist's office defeated. Here I was expecting better results after a good length of time on a med that seemed to be working. Now I was back to square one. I called Polly and wept. It was as if the whole battle I fought the last 14 months was worthless. The fatigue, the irritability, the side effects, everything that I had done to my body was worth nothing. I got myself into a semi-depression...
The next day I flew to Vegas for a scheduled company trip that I had not planned attending. But under the insistence of my wife I decided to go and cheer myself up by going on an all-night bender. And it worked, for a bit.
I returned home feeling in-limbo, but ultimately contacted the Clinical Trials department at Ceders, as well as City of Hope. Up until this point I had been depending on my Oncologist to determine the next steps, but now I was to take the bull by the horns and determine what is available to me for my current status.
And by the end of October I luckily was allocated a spot for an upcoming trail at Ceders. Good news I thought! Since I had been without any sort of meds for almost one month and was getting concerned that the tumor was continuing to spread. And then...
October 28, 2017. Out of the Frying pan and into the Fire:
I was visiting my parents in San Diego when I began to feel a strange sensation in my hands as if there was a loss-of-control, a weakness. I shrugged it off thinking it was withdrawals after being one month off of Opdivo. Now, I had not revealed to my parents the latest results from the PET scan, nor did I say I was heading into clinical trails. Hell, I hadn't even mentioned that this was a malignant cancerous tumor all along. I thought by keeping them from the seriousness of my illness I was protecting them from any worries about my health. Then the Pandora's box exploded:
All of a sudden I felt the left side of my face go numb. "Holy Christ!" I thought. "I'm having a stroke"! I was quickly transported to the nearest ER, where I was given the standard stroke-test (pulling fingers, repeating words, checking vitals, etc). It was determined that I had not suffered a stroke but it would be necessary to get checked and ensure what was going on. With all the confusion, I broke down and finally confessed to my folks the sudden down-turn in my health. The results of the latest PET scan, the tumor spreading, the clinical trails...
October 28, 2017. Out of the Fire and into Brimstone:
Still in the ER, I received a CT scan of my Chest & MRI of my brain to determine what was the cause of the numbness felt earlier in the day. The results said it all: The tumor had spread into my brain, and was causing swelling in the areas where they were colonizing.
Me: "They...?"
ER Doc: "You have more than one tumor there..."
Me: "Fuck me..."
And so the journey into this madness not only continues but it's taking me deeper into the rabbit hole. The last two months have been by far the worst of this whole cancer experience after it was deemed I had 6 tumors of various sizes in my brain. This, unfortunately, made me ineligible for any clinical trails. Plus, I would need to get this tumor situation resolved before I would be considered a candidate again. So, Brain Radiation therapy for a week...
Add on top of that a steroid prescription to help reduce the brain swelling and you have a very moody and jittery Duke. Now, as we close 2017 I've still not heard of any certainly of my participation in any clinical trails yet. The PET scan I received a couple of weeks ago yielded better results in terms of the tumors being reduced, but it may take upwards of 4 months for these things to be completely healed. That would mean almost 6-7 months total without any form of medication since the Opdivo was stopped in October. Plus, being on this steroid has certainly changed my mood as well as my looks. I'm feeling pretty low at the moment, but in hindsight I guess many battles have their ups & downs.
In hindsight, 2017 offered me a look into what steel I'm made out of, especially during my low moments. I've faced my own mortality and have accepted it, albeit I still worry about my young family and their well-being should I pass sooner than expected. But realizing that HOPE & FAITH is all we can cling too is enough to get me up again and continue the good fight. That and good friends that have encouraged me along the way.
To them I say a heartfelt Thank you.
And too you, dear reader, I wish you a prosperous 2018.
The Big Casino
Onc: "The latest PET scan shows that the tumor has returned to your upper left lung lobe, and it's also spread to one of your lymph nodes & sternum"
Me: "Fuck..."
Onc: "Unfortunately we'll now need to stop the Opdivo since it seems it is no longer effective in treating your condition"
Me: "What are my options now?" More Radiation? Back to regular Chemotherapy?"
Onc: "Well, we can't really go back to standard Chemo since you've been on Immunotherapy for the last nine months. And Radiation is only optional if you have major pain, and it wouldn't really make a difference... perhaps a clinical trail..."
Me: "Fuck..."
I left the Oncologist's office defeated. Here I was expecting better results after a good length of time on a med that seemed to be working. Now I was back to square one. I called Polly and wept. It was as if the whole battle I fought the last 14 months was worthless. The fatigue, the irritability, the side effects, everything that I had done to my body was worth nothing. I got myself into a semi-depression...
The next day I flew to Vegas for a scheduled company trip that I had not planned attending. But under the insistence of my wife I decided to go and cheer myself up by going on an all-night bender. And it worked, for a bit.
And by the end of October I luckily was allocated a spot for an upcoming trail at Ceders. Good news I thought! Since I had been without any sort of meds for almost one month and was getting concerned that the tumor was continuing to spread. And then...
I was visiting my parents in San Diego when I began to feel a strange sensation in my hands as if there was a loss-of-control, a weakness. I shrugged it off thinking it was withdrawals after being one month off of Opdivo. Now, I had not revealed to my parents the latest results from the PET scan, nor did I say I was heading into clinical trails. Hell, I hadn't even mentioned that this was a malignant cancerous tumor all along. I thought by keeping them from the seriousness of my illness I was protecting them from any worries about my health. Then the Pandora's box exploded:
All of a sudden I felt the left side of my face go numb. "Holy Christ!" I thought. "I'm having a stroke"! I was quickly transported to the nearest ER, where I was given the standard stroke-test (pulling fingers, repeating words, checking vitals, etc). It was determined that I had not suffered a stroke but it would be necessary to get checked and ensure what was going on. With all the confusion, I broke down and finally confessed to my folks the sudden down-turn in my health. The results of the latest PET scan, the tumor spreading, the clinical trails...
October 28, 2017. Out of the Fire and into Brimstone:
Still in the ER, I received a CT scan of my Chest & MRI of my brain to determine what was the cause of the numbness felt earlier in the day. The results said it all: The tumor had spread into my brain, and was causing swelling in the areas where they were colonizing.
Me: "They...?"
ER Doc: "You have more than one tumor there..."
Me: "Fuck me..."
And so the journey into this madness not only continues but it's taking me deeper into the rabbit hole. The last two months have been by far the worst of this whole cancer experience after it was deemed I had 6 tumors of various sizes in my brain. This, unfortunately, made me ineligible for any clinical trails. Plus, I would need to get this tumor situation resolved before I would be considered a candidate again. So, Brain Radiation therapy for a week...
In hindsight, 2017 offered me a look into what steel I'm made out of, especially during my low moments. I've faced my own mortality and have accepted it, albeit I still worry about my young family and their well-being should I pass sooner than expected. But realizing that HOPE & FAITH is all we can cling too is enough to get me up again and continue the good fight. That and good friends that have encouraged me along the way.
To them I say a heartfelt Thank you.
And too you, dear reader, I wish you a prosperous 2018.
The Big Casino
Saturday, December 23, 2017
Immunotherapy: Miracle Drug? December 9th, 2016 - October 4th, 2017
During my last treatment of Chemotherapy I broke out in a rash due to one of the meds given. By this point it was my 6th session and things didn't seem as steady as expected for my Oncologist. So she decided to radically change my treatment protocol to a new wave of Cancer fighting meds just approved by the FDA.
•Nivolumab (Opdivo)
•Keytruda
•Tencentriq
My Oncologist couldn't say much about them, but she directed me to investigate more about the meds online and determine which I would want to try.
Me: "Wait! Isn't it your responsibility to know all this info and tell me what is best"?
Onc: "Well, it just got approved, and I think it's best for you to determine what you would like to intake into your body".
Me: "So you have no idea of how this will affect me physiologically..."
Onc: "You can find that information online..."
Me: "and you're charging me?"
I opted for OPDIVO since their tagline is "A chance to live longer!", albeit when reading the fine print it states that it's 3 months more than those taking traditional Chemo. But hey, Game of Thrones would premiere soon and I figured three months is all I need.
The side-effects page is a lulu too:
Honestly though, this was the best decision I made. The treatment schedule would be every 2 weeks, plus it shortened the session from 6 hours to 1.5 hours. The cherry on top of it all is that the side effects were minimal, if non-existent. I was able to work the next day with not a lot of physical effect, tho a little fatigue would set in.
I kept monitoring my experience with Opdivo as 2017 rolled in as some of these treatment side effects compound over time.
January...
Onc: "Your CEA is getting lower"
Me: "And I have no pain. So far, so good..."
February,
Onc: "Your CEA continues to get lower"
Me: "I made it to 50! Happy Birthday to me!"
March,
Onc: "Your PET scan continues to show improvement in your lungs and hip"
Me: "Holy Crap, no major side effects in three months! I wonder if I can have some wine..."
April,
Onc: "Potential cure?"
Me: "Two Big Macs and supersize those fries..."
May,
Onc: "CEA is less than the minimal measured bracket"
Me: "VEGAS!!! Bartender, I'll have another Old Fashioned..."
June,
Onc: "Time for another PET scan"
Me: "How about a Brain scan?"
Onc: "No need if you don't have any side effects"
Me: "Shot of Jameson and a Zagorka (Bulgarian beer)...
July,
Me: "What's this pain in my hip...?
The July PET scan unfortunately showed that the tumor was starting to spread to the lower half side of my hip, which was causing the pain when I walked. Obviously some major bad news as here I thought I was getting in the clear with Opdivo. But you'll also notice the change in my behavior during the first 6 months of 2017, and needless to say I fucked myself up by not taking care of my food intake. Not that I was prohibited anything, but a measured approach towards food & alcohol intake was, and is, key to helping your body heal.
On the good side of the PET scan, my lungs were clear and it looked like the tumor was gone.
I consulted with the Clinical Trail Oncologist and he agreed with my regular Onc that I should continue with Opdivo treatments for now, but also get a few sessions of radiation on the hip to help with the pain. So in August, 2017 I began my second round at the Radiation dept at the Big Casino.
August,
Onc: "CEA remains good"
Me: Why does CEA matter if it is good, yet the tumor spread"
Onc: "..."
September,
Onc: "CEA remains stable"
Me: "Stable?"
October,
Onc: "Hmm, CEA has gone up tho not that much. Also, your liver enzymes are reading higher than normal. I'll need to schedule another PET scan"
Me: "Okay..."
And then, on October 18, 2017:
It’s a great big, beautiful, wonderful,
incredible, super-spectacular day.And
your heart is humming with good times coming and you got that happy feeling
things are going your way.All
the bells are ringing and a little bird’s singing while he sits on your
windowsill.Singing
yessiree, I can surely see, it will plainly be, most definitely.A
super-spectacular day!
UNTIL....!!!!
Wednesday, December 13, 2017
Breaking Huevos - November 2016
There was a time I started to watch episodes of "Breaking Bad" to see how the main character was dealing with his own Cancer diagnosis (and not just the cooking part, although it did cross my mind). In one of the episodes, Walter White gets a PET scan and chats with the scan tech about how soon the results would be ready, but then notices the reflection of the scan tech's monitor a large blob on the screen. Thinking the tumor had grown, WW reacts by cooking a large amount of meth to compensate for what-he-thinks is the cancer spreading leading to his quick demise, but in the end results in something different. Keep this in mind as I outline November/Thanksgiving 2016.
After receiving the AVASTIN, the med my Oncologist suggested (the bleeding eyes one) I had a nasty migraine that lasted about 5 days. I had expected the typical 2-day chemo side effects but I had never had a migraine that left me bed ridden for a week. Plus I started coughing up blood again. The Oncologist ordered a CT of my brain & my lung that ultimately resulted in a negative result for the former; however for the lung:
Sencha
•Onc: "Alejandro, your chest scan shows progression of your tumor in your upper Left lobe. Are you having problems breathing?"
•Me: "No, just the bloody mucus & cough"
•Onc: "I'm going to refer you to a Pulmonary Specialist. We may need to place a stent in your lung to open up the airway"
•Me: "But I can breathe fine. How much has the tumor spread? Can it be surgically removed?"
After receiving the AVASTIN, the med my Oncologist suggested (the bleeding eyes one) I had a nasty migraine that lasted about 5 days. I had expected the typical 2-day chemo side effects but I had never had a migraine that left me bed ridden for a week. Plus I started coughing up blood again. The Oncologist ordered a CT of my brain & my lung that ultimately resulted in a negative result for the former; however for the lung:
Sencha
•Onc: "Alejandro, your chest scan shows progression of your tumor in your upper Left lobe. Are you having problems breathing?"
•Me: "No, just the bloody mucus & cough"
•Onc: "I'm going to refer you to a Pulmonary Specialist. We may need to place a stent in your lung to open up the airway"
•Me: "But I can breathe fine. How much has the tumor spread? Can it be surgically removed?"
•Onc: "Ahem... well, it's gone further into your upper lung and HMO won't approve any surgery for 4th Stage patients. Let me go ahead and order that referral".
•Me: "Ok... but are you sure the brain came back negative... My head feels like it's in a blender. What can I take for the migraine?
•Onc: "Your brain scan came back normal. Just take more Tylenol."
Brain normal, THAT's an understatement...
By this point I was very frustrated with my medical team, especially my Oncologist, and proceeded to inquire about getting a 2nd opinion, but it would't be that easy since my medical insurance at the time was an HMO and I would need to get approvals beforehand. Especially if I wanted to see anyone outside of my network. City of Hope was charging about one thousand (out of pocket) for an initial consultation. There was another place in Torrance that was recommended, but it's in Torrance. In the end, though, I stayed with the Big Casino after I scored a consultation with their Lung Cancer Clinical Research Director. And for the first time, after six months of my original diagnosis, I understood exactly what was going on within my body.
The Clinical Trail Onc proceeded to explain the type of cancer I have, how it spread, and followed up with showing me all the scans I've had and how things have improved/worsened. I got a better grasp at how this disease was affecting my body, but more importantly how it was not. It was fascinating to see how my hip bone was healing by creating new-bone around the tumor. Also, I was introduced back then to the Clinical Trails department and was offered a chance to be a part of a trail. One of my biggest regrets was not jumping at this opportunity then, especially after he talked more about the latest lung scan.
He concurred with the results that the tumor had spread into my lung and showed me on his screen a huge blob emanating from the center of my chest and spilling upwards into my upper long.
•Me: "Okay... what now?"
•Clinical Trail Doc: "I suggest that you follow up with your Oncologist's instructions and see the Pulmonary Spec. You should also have your biopsy tested for mutations as this will help identify the DNA make up of the tumor should you decided to get involved with trails."
•Me: Can I kiss you now?"
I left his office reassured that there was still hope in getting myself treated, though clinical trails are no easy road to success either. There is a lot that goes behind the scenes before a patient meets trail requirements, and then there are the unknown side effects and monitoring by the trail team during each phase.
But in the end none of this mattered...
My Oncologist did not follow through with the Clinical Trail Doc's recommendations and proceeded to stick to her plan of having the Pulmonary Specialist put the stent in my lung while she came up with a new Chemo protocol. I argued that I wanted to get my biopsy tested, but she conveniently brushed this away by saying that the HMO would not approve the cost.
So... for the third time in 2016 I was laying on the surgery slab at Ceders-Sinai, waiting to get this stent inserted in my lung to aide my "perceived" lack of breathing (even tho I did not have any breathing issues), and all due to the cancer tumor spreading.
And just like that episode of "Breaking Bad" I mentioned earlier, where it was discovered that Walter White's tumor did not in fact spread, but that the blob was actually radiation fibrosis (scarring from radiation treatment):
IT WAS NOT THE TUMOR IN MY LUNG THAT SPREAD BUT WAS ACTUALLY RADIATION FIBROSIS.
In the end:
• I did not need the stent after all, there was no blockage in my lung.
• They did not see any evidence that the was a tumor alive, only radiation scarring.
• I was given a "lung-cleaning" for shits & giggles.
• And yes, the Tumor had not spread.
How the fuck did we go from That to This? Especially after three fucking doctors saw the same scan and came to the same conclusion?
Oh yeah...
•Me: "Ok... but are you sure the brain came back negative... My head feels like it's in a blender. What can I take for the migraine?
•Onc: "Your brain scan came back normal. Just take more Tylenol."
Brain normal, THAT's an understatement...
By this point I was very frustrated with my medical team, especially my Oncologist, and proceeded to inquire about getting a 2nd opinion, but it would't be that easy since my medical insurance at the time was an HMO and I would need to get approvals beforehand. Especially if I wanted to see anyone outside of my network. City of Hope was charging about one thousand (out of pocket) for an initial consultation. There was another place in Torrance that was recommended, but it's in Torrance. In the end, though, I stayed with the Big Casino after I scored a consultation with their Lung Cancer Clinical Research Director. And for the first time, after six months of my original diagnosis, I understood exactly what was going on within my body.
The Clinical Trail Onc proceeded to explain the type of cancer I have, how it spread, and followed up with showing me all the scans I've had and how things have improved/worsened. I got a better grasp at how this disease was affecting my body, but more importantly how it was not. It was fascinating to see how my hip bone was healing by creating new-bone around the tumor. Also, I was introduced back then to the Clinical Trails department and was offered a chance to be a part of a trail. One of my biggest regrets was not jumping at this opportunity then, especially after he talked more about the latest lung scan.
He concurred with the results that the tumor had spread into my lung and showed me on his screen a huge blob emanating from the center of my chest and spilling upwards into my upper long.
•Me: "Okay... what now?"
•Clinical Trail Doc: "I suggest that you follow up with your Oncologist's instructions and see the Pulmonary Spec. You should also have your biopsy tested for mutations as this will help identify the DNA make up of the tumor should you decided to get involved with trails."
•Me: Can I kiss you now?"
I left his office reassured that there was still hope in getting myself treated, though clinical trails are no easy road to success either. There is a lot that goes behind the scenes before a patient meets trail requirements, and then there are the unknown side effects and monitoring by the trail team during each phase.
But in the end none of this mattered...
My Oncologist did not follow through with the Clinical Trail Doc's recommendations and proceeded to stick to her plan of having the Pulmonary Specialist put the stent in my lung while she came up with a new Chemo protocol. I argued that I wanted to get my biopsy tested, but she conveniently brushed this away by saying that the HMO would not approve the cost.
So... for the third time in 2016 I was laying on the surgery slab at Ceders-Sinai, waiting to get this stent inserted in my lung to aide my "perceived" lack of breathing (even tho I did not have any breathing issues), and all due to the cancer tumor spreading.
And just like that episode of "Breaking Bad" I mentioned earlier, where it was discovered that Walter White's tumor did not in fact spread, but that the blob was actually radiation fibrosis (scarring from radiation treatment):
IT WAS NOT THE TUMOR IN MY LUNG THAT SPREAD BUT WAS ACTUALLY RADIATION FIBROSIS.
• I did not need the stent after all, there was no blockage in my lung.
• They did not see any evidence that the was a tumor alive, only radiation scarring.
• I was given a "lung-cleaning" for shits & giggles.
• And yes, the Tumor had not spread.
How the fuck did we go from That to This? Especially after three fucking doctors saw the same scan and came to the same conclusion?
Oh yeah...
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