Jeff is out of surgery and resting comfortably. They were unable to remove the tumor laproscopically due to its size and the doctor did not feel that opening him up all the way was warranted given the risks and when an ileostomy would get us the desired outcome and be just as manageable. He did discover more bile in Jeff's abdominal cavity than he expected as well as not liking its appearance (he sent it off for culturing--suspicious of an infection). He also identified that there are multiple small lesions on his abdominal wall; could be new tumor locations as it tests positive for cancer or been there awhile. All we know is that it's not been identified on any previous PET scans.
Although Jeff and I are disappointed that the tumor wasn't removed we hope that bowel control will still be possible with this option which was really our long term goal. We are desperate to have our old lives back as long as possible; we still have so many things we want to do. We will proceed with radiation in about a month. The radiation oncologist feels that he can make a real difference in size and the colo-rectal surgeon is willing to have another go at it if the tumor will be more manageable.
Our lives never seem to be calm or easy and we are grateful for the support of our friends who are on this roller coaster ride with us. Recently a co-worker of mom's suddenly lost her husband, on his b'day nonetheless less; thank god they had spent the day together doing "couple things". Reminds us to PLEASE never forget to tell those you love that you do; don't assume they know. And get your damn colonoscopy! Love you all!
Monday, November 11, 2013
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Finally some news to tell you about
Well the time has come for surgery. Monday November 11, I am going in to have a colostomy done to help me live life again and not be strapped down to the house. As you may know, ever since my liver surgery where they had to remove my gall bladder, I have been going to the bathroom 30-40 times a day, almost non stop. During the healing process, the tumor in the colon decided to grow from a marble to a 25cm monster and has really messed up the colon / rectum area to the point that I must be in adult briefs all the time and cannot stop the flow of pooh. I do have some pills I use to stop the digestive process from happening, but they are only good for 4-5 hours maybe and then even they stop. The pills help me get some bucket list things done, but I always pay for it with pain (which now I have to take morphine based pills for), excessive bleeding, and of course the eating patterns have to change as well. Life then usually keeps me from sleeping more than 2 hours at a time if I am lucky because I must go to the bathroom. It is there 24 hours a day. Its been depressing and I have been speaking to a counselor a bit to get my thoughts and feelings under control.
I have had people ask me what daily life is like and since I do these bucket list items am I getting any better. NO!!! The cancer grows and I am keeping it a bay right now. I do the bucket list items with the help of those special pills, pain killers, diapers, and a lot of patience from family and friends who take me on these events. Sometimes I have to cancel events with my friends because I don't know how I am going to feel on a daily basis. I really cannot plan to far in advance, as this may be a let down and may be expensive. I try to work from home and do whatever my boss or customers ask me to do. That keeps me sane and stops me from thinking about cancer on a daily basis.
The good that may come from this surgery is that I will be able to return to work, go out to eat and do the things I used to do without the bleeding, as many pain pills and with less depression. I can't wait to be able to go to work. I know all of you are probably wondering if that is the pain pills talking, but no, I really enjoy my co-workers and my customers. I have worked hard my whole life and don't know what I would do if I didn't have work to fall back on as a support blanket.
I have taken a break from my radio frequency medicine because it makes you get a bit of diarrhea as it is shedding cancer cells and I didn't want another reason to go to the bathroom. I am starting it up again, because I believe it was making a difference and what's one or two more trips to the bathroom at this point anyways.
Sorry that I can't say that I am getting better, but sometimes holding one's ground is all that one can do. I plan on doing that for as long as I can. Life has taught me these last 3-4 months that life is fragile, I kiss Cheryl and Paige everyday. I don't think they quite get it, as much as I appreciate them. They make my world go around. In the last month, I have had a good friend of the family pass away from cancer, I just attended a benefit for another friends family member getting cancer. I have friends going into the hospital for heart problems and their family losing loved ones. I have had to replace an air conditioner, then a furnace. I seems as life just keeps throwing the curve-ball, but I am trying hard not to strike out.
If I was you, I would kiss as many people who mean something in your life as possible, and tell them that they mean a lot in your life.
Thank you for taking the time to read my blog and care for me - it means a lot.
Love you,
Jeff
I have had people ask me what daily life is like and since I do these bucket list items am I getting any better. NO!!! The cancer grows and I am keeping it a bay right now. I do the bucket list items with the help of those special pills, pain killers, diapers, and a lot of patience from family and friends who take me on these events. Sometimes I have to cancel events with my friends because I don't know how I am going to feel on a daily basis. I really cannot plan to far in advance, as this may be a let down and may be expensive. I try to work from home and do whatever my boss or customers ask me to do. That keeps me sane and stops me from thinking about cancer on a daily basis.
The good that may come from this surgery is that I will be able to return to work, go out to eat and do the things I used to do without the bleeding, as many pain pills and with less depression. I can't wait to be able to go to work. I know all of you are probably wondering if that is the pain pills talking, but no, I really enjoy my co-workers and my customers. I have worked hard my whole life and don't know what I would do if I didn't have work to fall back on as a support blanket.
I have taken a break from my radio frequency medicine because it makes you get a bit of diarrhea as it is shedding cancer cells and I didn't want another reason to go to the bathroom. I am starting it up again, because I believe it was making a difference and what's one or two more trips to the bathroom at this point anyways.
Sorry that I can't say that I am getting better, but sometimes holding one's ground is all that one can do. I plan on doing that for as long as I can. Life has taught me these last 3-4 months that life is fragile, I kiss Cheryl and Paige everyday. I don't think they quite get it, as much as I appreciate them. They make my world go around. In the last month, I have had a good friend of the family pass away from cancer, I just attended a benefit for another friends family member getting cancer. I have friends going into the hospital for heart problems and their family losing loved ones. I have had to replace an air conditioner, then a furnace. I seems as life just keeps throwing the curve-ball, but I am trying hard not to strike out.
If I was you, I would kiss as many people who mean something in your life as possible, and tell them that they mean a lot in your life.
Thank you for taking the time to read my blog and care for me - it means a lot.
Love you,
Jeff
Monday, September 23, 2013
Frustrations in life
Well, the last couple of months have been frustrating to say the least. My continuous efforts to control the bowels has been tiring. There seems no hope in sight. One setback after another has left me in adult garments and keeping me at home and away from life. Cheryl and I got frustrated and went and saw my colon doctor to see if there was anything going on besides the bile dumping. Wow, how about a 25 cm tumor. the colon is blocked by the tumor and having to go into diarrhea mode to get past it and on the other end the tumor is stopping me from closing off, so everything just leaks by anyways. We go with me chemo doctor and they have suggested a plan of chemo and radiation with maybe some surgery down the road to crap into a bag. At this point it is so big that it is starting to press against other things like the prostate and other needed organs and will soon have me in in incredible pain. We saw a colon rectum doctor today and right now we are goig in for surgery to remove them tumor now and go into surgery with less chemo and no radiation. If all goes according to plan, the doctor will be able to remove the tumor and I will have a bog to worry about instead of diapers. If the tumor is to big and presents a problem, then I will get a bag and still have to do radiation and chemo to shrink the tumor down until a safe surgery can be done. The doctor wont know until he opens me up. This happens October 8. Wish me luck and I could use a couple of prayers thrown in the mix as well. I have been quite depressed these last few weeks and its been hard to get rolling in life, when I cant participate and just have to stay home.
I went hunting with Rusty for a week. It rained the entire time. We didn't get a chance to hunt much, so we talked and watched some movies until we got a break to get out. We had to come home early though as I plugged up toilet and ruined the last night and day of camp by having to have us come home. I don't feel like i can apologize enough to Rusty, as I let him down when we finally had a shot at getting a bull the next day. The weather was clearing and we had found the heard. Our best shot would have been Friday am and instead of hunting we got home at 2:30 in the morning from traveling home all night. The cancer is starting to ruin things in life, cause that's what it does.
I have to thank Cheryl for holding the family up as I am not quite pulling my load as of late. Maybe this surgery goes well and I can get going again.
As always, thanks for reading and caring,
Love you all,
Jeff
I went hunting with Rusty for a week. It rained the entire time. We didn't get a chance to hunt much, so we talked and watched some movies until we got a break to get out. We had to come home early though as I plugged up toilet and ruined the last night and day of camp by having to have us come home. I don't feel like i can apologize enough to Rusty, as I let him down when we finally had a shot at getting a bull the next day. The weather was clearing and we had found the heard. Our best shot would have been Friday am and instead of hunting we got home at 2:30 in the morning from traveling home all night. The cancer is starting to ruin things in life, cause that's what it does.
I have to thank Cheryl for holding the family up as I am not quite pulling my load as of late. Maybe this surgery goes well and I can get going again.
As always, thanks for reading and caring,
Love you all,
Jeff
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Symphony of life, the highs and lows.
Sometimes you have a vision of how your life is going to go. I had a great plan of biking a lot to get myself into shape and juicing to help get the liver a real good kick start to regrowing. None of that seemed to ever get on track. Shortly after coming home while going to the restroom, I popped my back out of place and have been miserable since. Along the way, I also got a hemorrhoid and picked up intestinal problems associated with the removal of my gallbladder. We didn't even know that my gallbladder was removed until I got ready to take my 50th chemo treatment and read the post operative report. It was distressed and needed to come out. I wish the surgeon would have said something, because I have been fighting painful diarrhea within 20 minutes of eating anything. That leads to no nutrition making it into your system, fatigue from having to stay up to 2 and 3 in the morning, and all around general misery. It's not good for a colon cancer patient to not take in nutrients, and the intestine will already get challenged from the disease and chemo. The excess bile from the liver gets stored in the gallbladder and get slowly released into the intestines to help breakdown fatty foods, without the gallbladder it dumps into the intestine directly without any regulation and thus the problem. Long term issues may never be fixed, but a diet change and some supplements will help. Do I have anyone thinking their life is mucho better yet?
I did finally get into to see my back doctor (it only took a month of agony) to get shots which has helped over the last 2 weeks. Thursday I start a physical therapy regimen to help build up strength again to my core.
I did take my 50th chemo treatment. Cheryl, Cari and Paige all were there in attendance. They got me a 50 balloon and the chemo nurses got me a blanket and sang me a song. I was quite emotional any very touched. I am in a pretty small class at this point, there are only a few above me with more treatments and fighting hard to stay alive for a cure. We all have goals and things we still want to experience before we pass and doing our damnedest to do it.
I recently signed back up with Facebook to catch up with everyone again, but I am still going to post to this blog. I still feel this is the best way to say and to express the full experience with friends and family.
Besides my personal health, I wanted to take a minute and give a shout out to a couple of people in my life. Cheryl took on all my ailments and still had to deal with getting her own thyroid removed. She did this the day before my 50th chemo. Her results came back negative for cancer. She is so strong and I am so ever proud of her and glad she is by my side. I also have a friend who has fought colon cancer like me tooth and nail. Even though his battle is coming to an end and will wait for us to join him with our heavenly father, his courage to have some sense of control to comfort family and friends moves me so much. I always think of how do you know when to say enough is enough and try to "sneak out of the room" quickly and cause as little pain as possible. Maybe GOD does speak when its time. On the complete other end of the emotional scale, congrats to my sister for having a beautiful baby girl last night. This was one of those goals that I wanted to be around for and I am so thankful for more time given to me. I don't know how long I will be around and if she will even get old enough to remember me, but I held her in my arms last night and it was wonderful. Uncle Jeff won't mind a few baby sitting jobs and some stinky diapers.
As always, thank you for reading and caring,
Love Jeff
I did finally get into to see my back doctor (it only took a month of agony) to get shots which has helped over the last 2 weeks. Thursday I start a physical therapy regimen to help build up strength again to my core.
I did take my 50th chemo treatment. Cheryl, Cari and Paige all were there in attendance. They got me a 50 balloon and the chemo nurses got me a blanket and sang me a song. I was quite emotional any very touched. I am in a pretty small class at this point, there are only a few above me with more treatments and fighting hard to stay alive for a cure. We all have goals and things we still want to experience before we pass and doing our damnedest to do it.
I recently signed back up with Facebook to catch up with everyone again, but I am still going to post to this blog. I still feel this is the best way to say and to express the full experience with friends and family.
Besides my personal health, I wanted to take a minute and give a shout out to a couple of people in my life. Cheryl took on all my ailments and still had to deal with getting her own thyroid removed. She did this the day before my 50th chemo. Her results came back negative for cancer. She is so strong and I am so ever proud of her and glad she is by my side. I also have a friend who has fought colon cancer like me tooth and nail. Even though his battle is coming to an end and will wait for us to join him with our heavenly father, his courage to have some sense of control to comfort family and friends moves me so much. I always think of how do you know when to say enough is enough and try to "sneak out of the room" quickly and cause as little pain as possible. Maybe GOD does speak when its time. On the complete other end of the emotional scale, congrats to my sister for having a beautiful baby girl last night. This was one of those goals that I wanted to be around for and I am so thankful for more time given to me. I don't know how long I will be around and if she will even get old enough to remember me, but I held her in my arms last night and it was wonderful. Uncle Jeff won't mind a few baby sitting jobs and some stinky diapers.
As always, thank you for reading and caring,
Love Jeff
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Made it home
I got home from the hospital on Tuesday around 7pm. Very glad to be there. My time in the hospital was quite short, the nurses called me an "average breaker". I will be spending the next few weeks resting and recovering. I have a 10 lb. limit on lifting, but the doctor suggests going for lots of walks to aid in my recovery. I have been doing that better than he guessed I would so far at this point and that's why he released me 5 days ahead of schedule. He also put me on a no driving restriction for 4-6 weeks. That was crushing. It just has to do with my reaction time and my injury. The faster my muscles recover and the quicker my reactions get then I could drive sooner. I laughed and asked how that compared to a 60-70-80-90 year old drivers who already have slower reaction times, but he just smiled and didn't add a comment in for that.
I thought I should add some detail for the surgery for everyone. This was not a curative surgery as there is still cancer in my body, but what it did was removed 20% of my liver that had one large tumor in it that was not reacting to chemo and was growing rapidly. However, this was only half of what they were going to take as they thought the surrounding tissue would need to be cleaned up as well. The surrounding tissue did not have tumors, but only cells and those cannot be seen in surgery and there is also lots of good tissue mixed in. I had no complications in surgery, very little loss in blood and good recovery in post op from the anesthesia. The doctor said I did not have a liver that looked like it had be through 49 chemo treatments and it looked surprisingly healthy.This allowed me to skip the ICU all together and move right to Huntsman for surgery. I was up that night taking my very first walk and then I was taking walks in the morning, afternoon and evening. Sleeping and taking pain meds in the middle. I wasn't in a lot of pain though and they got me of morphine rather quickly. I had all my IV's out of me on Sunday except for the one they pulled the day I left which was intentional. I still have to take a shot a day for the next 25 days to handle coagulation around the stomach area. I only take pain meds when I need them which has been rare, usually around bedtime to get a solid nights sleep. My Frankenstein staple stitches look rather ugly on the body, but I had planned on retiring from my chest and abs modeling job anyways. I will need 6-8 weeks at least to heal before any chemo treatments are possible. This will give the liver the best chance of regenerating itself as possible. I can grow as much as half the amount they removed.
I want to thank everyone who called or left me pre-op good luck messages, I went in with a really good attitude and spirit.
I really have to thank everyone who came to visit me at the hospital. You being there made my days go by so fast and quite frankly were the reason I got home so soon. You always kept my spirits lifted, walked with me, helped me get around the room. The people that do not have this kind of support just are always thinking about how sick they are or how much pain they are in and just don't recover as fast. I also want to thank everyone who is providing us with meals. Despite me being home, Cheryl is working hard to make up hours at her new work and catching up with her rehabilitation for her shoulder and some chores at home that I can't do. Cheryl not having to worry about shopping for and taking time to plan so many dinners and me getting more sleep is helping more than I can say. We are still trying to catch our breath here at the Woodard household.
Thanks again for caring and your thoughts,
Jeff
I thought I should add some detail for the surgery for everyone. This was not a curative surgery as there is still cancer in my body, but what it did was removed 20% of my liver that had one large tumor in it that was not reacting to chemo and was growing rapidly. However, this was only half of what they were going to take as they thought the surrounding tissue would need to be cleaned up as well. The surrounding tissue did not have tumors, but only cells and those cannot be seen in surgery and there is also lots of good tissue mixed in. I had no complications in surgery, very little loss in blood and good recovery in post op from the anesthesia. The doctor said I did not have a liver that looked like it had be through 49 chemo treatments and it looked surprisingly healthy.This allowed me to skip the ICU all together and move right to Huntsman for surgery. I was up that night taking my very first walk and then I was taking walks in the morning, afternoon and evening. Sleeping and taking pain meds in the middle. I wasn't in a lot of pain though and they got me of morphine rather quickly. I had all my IV's out of me on Sunday except for the one they pulled the day I left which was intentional. I still have to take a shot a day for the next 25 days to handle coagulation around the stomach area. I only take pain meds when I need them which has been rare, usually around bedtime to get a solid nights sleep. My Frankenstein staple stitches look rather ugly on the body, but I had planned on retiring from my chest and abs modeling job anyways. I will need 6-8 weeks at least to heal before any chemo treatments are possible. This will give the liver the best chance of regenerating itself as possible. I can grow as much as half the amount they removed.
I want to thank everyone who called or left me pre-op good luck messages, I went in with a really good attitude and spirit.
I really have to thank everyone who came to visit me at the hospital. You being there made my days go by so fast and quite frankly were the reason I got home so soon. You always kept my spirits lifted, walked with me, helped me get around the room. The people that do not have this kind of support just are always thinking about how sick they are or how much pain they are in and just don't recover as fast. I also want to thank everyone who is providing us with meals. Despite me being home, Cheryl is working hard to make up hours at her new work and catching up with her rehabilitation for her shoulder and some chores at home that I can't do. Cheryl not having to worry about shopping for and taking time to plan so many dinners and me getting more sleep is helping more than I can say. We are still trying to catch our breath here at the Woodard household.
Thanks again for caring and your thoughts,
Jeff
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Celebration!!!!
Jeff is out of surgery and as the MD put it our medical miracle. Only needed to remove about 20% of the left lobe and did not have to do a node resection.Dr. Kim palpated his bowels and did not feel additional masses nor did he see any suspicious areas elsewhere on the liver. Essentially this means no viable tumors left, only microscopic disease.
He will be going directly to Huntsman to a medical-surgical room which is skipping about 2 steps that we thought we would make.
Thank you to all of you for your support and love. Your prayers must have worked. We cherish each and every one of you and are so glad you are on this journey with us. I want to thank all of you in advance who will be helping out in the next few weeks. It is soooo appreciated; I am afraid things will get crazy and I will lose track of who I give gratitude to. Thank you to Dr. Kim for his skills and awesome bedside manner. And thank you to our angels in heaven who stood by Jeff's side during the last few hours. We couldn't have done this without any and all of you both here and there.
With love and happiness in my heart,
Cheryl (and Jeff in thought)
He will be going directly to Huntsman to a medical-surgical room which is skipping about 2 steps that we thought we would make.
Thank you to all of you for your support and love. Your prayers must have worked. We cherish each and every one of you and are so glad you are on this journey with us. I want to thank all of you in advance who will be helping out in the next few weeks. It is soooo appreciated; I am afraid things will get crazy and I will lose track of who I give gratitude to. Thank you to Dr. Kim for his skills and awesome bedside manner. And thank you to our angels in heaven who stood by Jeff's side during the last few hours. We couldn't have done this without any and all of you both here and there.
With love and happiness in my heart,
Cheryl (and Jeff in thought)
Saturday, May 4, 2013
Another Monthly update
Well its time for another monthly update. I have been slow to update this month because I am contemplating a serious matter for myself and for all my family. It seems the latest 2 rounds of chemo are helping other tumors in my body, but I have one golf ball size tumor in my liver that won't play along. This one tumor seems to be chemo resistant and keeps growing. According to my doctors I am hitting the cancer with the best one two punch that I could and my next arsenals are not as strong or I may have to do a trial that won't guarantee anything either.
For these reasons, I will be heading into liver surgery on May 23. They will attempt to remove 20-33% percent of my liver and re-sect it back together. I will need 5-10 days in the hospital and another 8 weeks of recovery time to let my liver heal and grow about 50% of the amount taken back. I am on my last batch of chemo now and won't start again until after 8 weeks of recovery. The cancer may grow and go nuts while off the chemo, but I will have to deal with that then. Now is the best chance of surgical success and surviving the procedure.
Well that's the details, I hope you will keep me in your thoughts for a bit more.
Thanks for reading and caring,
Jeff
For these reasons, I will be heading into liver surgery on May 23. They will attempt to remove 20-33% percent of my liver and re-sect it back together. I will need 5-10 days in the hospital and another 8 weeks of recovery time to let my liver heal and grow about 50% of the amount taken back. I am on my last batch of chemo now and won't start again until after 8 weeks of recovery. The cancer may grow and go nuts while off the chemo, but I will have to deal with that then. Now is the best chance of surgical success and surviving the procedure.
Well that's the details, I hope you will keep me in your thoughts for a bit more.
Thanks for reading and caring,
Jeff
Monday, March 18, 2013
Monthly update
My oh my how time flies. I am late for my update. Nothing really new to report other than finding medications for all the sores on my head and now they are disappearing. It is taking some hair along with it, but the patches are trying to fill in. Just recovering from the 7th treatment in this latest round and the 46th overall (2484 hours of chemo roughly). Life isn't to bad though and I cannot really complain. I played two 9 hole rounds of golf this weekend and didn't do to well and was quite frustrated actually, but then I had to step back and thank God that I had the opportunity to be with friends and even play golf. Last weekend I was in Las Vegas for the NASCAR race with my good friends Eric and Michelle. Thursday nite World of Outlaws race was good as well as the races on Saturday and Sunday. Sunday's weather was just about perfect, sunny and about 67°F. We tail gated in the morning and after the race. Friday's weather was not so good as it rained and snowed and cancelled qualifying, but as always the company was great and the laughter was priceless. I have a little golfing outing coming at the end of March in St George. Hopefully the weather will be in the 80's and sunny.
I will have one more chemo treatment in April and then another PET scan to see what the cancer is doing. The doctor says if the cancer backs off like it has the last four treatments, I may be in store for another break over most of the summer. That would be nice. Cheryl and I are reading up on some more diet changes to see if natural treatments can stop or slow the advancement of the cancer to prolong the break. If you have heard of something, send me an email as we are always looking online for any answers. If it involves listening to countless hours of rap music to try to scare the cancer away, I may just choose to die, but anything else is worth a shot.
Thank you very much for your prayers, reading this blog and caring,
Jeff
I will have one more chemo treatment in April and then another PET scan to see what the cancer is doing. The doctor says if the cancer backs off like it has the last four treatments, I may be in store for another break over most of the summer. That would be nice. Cheryl and I are reading up on some more diet changes to see if natural treatments can stop or slow the advancement of the cancer to prolong the break. If you have heard of something, send me an email as we are always looking online for any answers. If it involves listening to countless hours of rap music to try to scare the cancer away, I may just choose to die, but anything else is worth a shot.
Thank you very much for your prayers, reading this blog and caring,
Jeff
Monday, February 4, 2013
Some good news
Well after the holidays, freezing cold weather, a busted up back, living on pain pills, turning 45 years old for hells sake, the first PET scan has come in. Good news. The cancer was not in the lungs, almost completely gone from the lymph nodes, no cancer in the surrounding stomach area, and there was significant reduction in the cancer residing in the liver. The chemo really kicked some butt this time. No new treatments in the forecast as the new protocols do not match up with my situation. I will be taking another 4 rounds of chemo and check again in April.
Thanks to all of you who pray for me, it must be working. Bonus for me as I am so glad to be here sitting on the computer thanking you. I hope you don't mind keeping this relationship for a few more years - I like being here.
Thanks again,
Jeff
Thanks to all of you who pray for me, it must be working. Bonus for me as I am so glad to be here sitting on the computer thanking you. I hope you don't mind keeping this relationship for a few more years - I like being here.
Thanks again,
Jeff
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)