Today was another good day and I have even began walking. The doctor has ordered my to maintain a 2,000 calorie diet and to walk each day. Tomorrow I go back to MDA for my 2nd chemo treatment. Please pray that tomorrow's treatment goes well and really works. If it does the pain in my stomach may disappear. My appointment is at 10:45a and I receive treatment for 4 hours. Please pray during that time. My daughter will post the exact time the chemo begins in the morning so you'll know when to pray. Please stay tuned.
Many people have been asking why I didn't catch my cancer sooner, so today I thought I'd discuss the symptoms I had with both cancer diagnosis. Three years ago I went to the doctor for routine blood work because I just celebrated my 50th birthday. I was having no symptoms but my PSA (Prostate-specific antigen) came back high. Every three months they tested my PSA and the levels continued to rise. I never had symptoms. The cancer was caught early and I was able to have my prostate removed. I was then cancer free. I can't emphasize enough to be tested, have your blood work done, etc. If I wouldn't have gotten my blood work done there is a good chance the cancer would have spread through out my body.
Stomach cancer is a sneaky disease. Many times stomach cancer isn't caught until it's too late. To have a full body cat scan you must have a good reason or the doctors won't order it and insurance won't pay for it. I've had a few lower abdominal cat scans because of the prostate cancer, but they never had a reason to go any higher. As a result, they never scanned my stomach or esophagus. I believe insurance should pay for an annual full body scan for cancer survivors.
A few months ago I was working out pretty hard and started having pains in my lower back and upper stomach/lower chest. I thought I had pulled a muscle. A couple of months later I was having trouble eating and the food would go straight through me. At this point I began going to the doctor to figure out the problem. During this time my blood work never indicated there was a problem. This cancer surprised me and the doctors. The doctors did a good job and didn't miss anything.
Overall, GO GET TESTED!
I'd like to share a prayer with you that 2 different friends have shared with me:
HEAVENLY FATHER, I call on you right now in a special way. It is through your power that I was created. Every breath I take, every morning I wake, and every moment of every hour I live under your power. FATHER, I ask you now to touch me with that same power. For if you created me from nothing, you can certainly recreate me! Feel me with the healing power of your spirit. Cast out anything that should not be in me. Mend what is broken. Root out any unproductive cells, open any blocked arteries or veins and rebuild any damaged areas. Remove all inflammation and cleanse any infection. Let the warmth of your healing love pass through my body to make new any unhealthy areas so that my body will function the way you created it to function. Father, restore me to full health in mind, body and spirit so that I may serve you the rest of my life! I ask this through JESUS CHRIST our LORD, Amen.
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You are right about getting tested. One of my sisters had a colonoscopy 2 years ago. She had no symptoms. 4 days later she had surgery to remove 18 inches of her colon. She had stage 4 colon cancer. She went through chemo. Last Nov. she was declared cancer free.
ReplyDeleteWithout the test, she would not have known until it was too late. Her blood work showed no signs. Get tested!