David Roney's "Bring On The Rain" Cancer Blog...

Good news from Mayo today!

First, let me say that I added a few people to my blog's email subscription list, so if you were added, I apologize for not seeking your permission first.  It just made sense to add people who often ask for updates, as this is the best place for me to articulate information.  I won't be offended if you un-subscribe (actually, I can't see who is and isn't.)

To those who'd like to still subscribe, you can do so on the blog in the upper left hand corner.  My updates are roughly quarterly, so you won't be deluged.

Ok, so after a few months of dealing with a little more stress than usual, I finally got to speak with the doctor again today.  If you recall, my test results from about 6 weeks ago were never clearly conveyed to me by the staff at Mayo, thus causing some frustration.  I had another round of tests last week.

It turns out that the higher indications in December and March were caused by the lab adjusting the sensitivity levels of the tests.  Thus, my higher levels in Decemebr, and again in March, were false positives.  A re-run of my December test apparently confirmed this, though I was never told this until today.  So my going back for more tests after only 6 weeks, and then another 6 weeks, was completely unnecessary (sorry insurance company)!  Many patients had the same false positives, and quite apparently, Mayo did not handle this situation very well.

The doctor apologized profusely, and said he wasn't told of the test sensitivity change until recently, which is why he had increased the testing increments in March.

So, to make matters a little more interesting, since the doctor wasn't told of the change to the old test, he wasn't informed of the new, more sensitive test either.  Thus, I will have to wait until my next round to set a new base-line and see the new test results.  But for the moment, there isn't much concern about higher levels.

The good news is that after 3+ years of regular surveillance and clean results, the doctor says I can now extend my surveillance to every 4 months.   The other piece of good news, at least for me, is that while the chance of me getting cancer again is roughly 25%-30%, the odds of me getting it in the remaining testicle are very slim.  Yes, that brings me joy, particularly because if I meet the right person, I'd like to have retained my reproductive capabilities. (If you've met my 2 incredible kids, you'll understand. :) )

Thus, after a few tense months, God has once again decided I belong down here. :)  Perhaps it's to grow my new foundation, the Respect Life Cancer Foundation.  But whatever the reason, I thank Him, of course, and you all for your prayers!!!

Mayo Not Instilling Confidence

I'm pretty frustrated with the Mayo Clinic.  First they screw up my blood test, then take another whole week getting a second test result. A nurse then calls today, after I called the office first, and tells me the level is "ok at .05, the same as last time."  Except, that isn't what it was last time, it was higher, which is why the doctor had me come in in 45 days instead of the usual 90 days in the first place.  It's also why we discussed chemo at length last time.  So while I'm pleased the number is lower, if it is, I'm not feeling much comfort with their lack of competence regarding the test results. 

I apparently need to speak with the doctor directly, if that's still allowed under Obamacare, and ask him why I came in again so soon if my numbers were as low last time as they claim they were today.  Some where there is a huge disconnect.  It ain't on my end.  Ugh!

The good news is, if my numbers are lower, that the steps I've taken to improve my health in the last 6 weeks have likely had an impact.  Six weeks isn't much time to get a body back in shape, but nonetheless, removing artificial junk from my diet, adding more natural foods/drinks, exercising, and focusing on overall nutrition probably didn't hurt, and will likely only help more in the future.  I'm sticking with it, as I feel much better, have been losing a little weight, and am a better example and thus parent to my kiddos.  On top of that, how can I ask God to stave of cancer if I don't do anything for the cause myself?

I'll let you know more when I do, but as the nurse suggested, "don't let the confusion ruin your weekend." :)

FOOD MATTERS

I watched a truly paradigm shifting and life changing movie last night called FOOD MATTERS.  I plan to watch it again over the weekend, and I HIGHLY recommend it to others.

As I learned back when I owned my pet food store in Denver, veterinarians know very little about pet nutrition.   Soon after that discovery, I learned that most medical doctors too are woefully ignorant about good heath and nutrition.  It has always seemed odd to me to see doctors very overweight and doctors who smoke.  They, like us, are human of course, but don't they know better?  Unfortunately no, and the film does a great job of explaining why.

The old saying that we are what we eat is underscored in the film, and highlighted is the tragically poor nutrition that most people experience in their lives - yes, even those of us who might think we are eating well.  It provided evidence on how proper nutrition, encompassing essential vitamins, can alleviate many of our body's ills and eliminate the need for costly pharmaceuticals.

But of all of the revelations in the film, the most striking to me was the information regarding nutrition and cancer, and that's where I begin to see things very differently.  I'd hate to ruin the film for you, as I could never do it justice here, but I hope if you are concerned enough for your health to spend 90 minutes on an incredible film!

 

Respect Life Cancer Foundation

 
Anyone who knows me well knows I've been a pro-life advocate most of my life.  And long before I ever had cancer, I was opposed to cancer organizations such as the Susan G. Komen Foundation, and its Race for the Cure, collecting funds and giving them to Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest abortion provider.  I was also against Lance Armstrong's LiveStrong Foundation, because they advocate experimenting (destroying) with baby embryos in an attemtp to cure cancer. 

The sad fact is that MOST cancer curing organizations and foundations support embryonic stem cell testing, though not as many openly support abortion AND embryo testing, as does Komen.

Now that I've had cancer, and could get it again, I feel called to do something about the deluded idea that we should cure cancer at the expense of others.  While everyone wants to cure cancer, few seem to realize the tragic destruction of human life that is taking place to that end.  I would certainly rather die than kill a baby to save myself.

The Respect Life Cancer Foundation, which I started just this month, is a foundation dedicated to educating people about curing cancer using moral and ethical means, and supporting those research facilities which follow a moral and ethical path.

Pretty soon we'll have our 501(c)3 tax exempt status, so you can contribute.  In the mean time though, I'd love to have your support by liking our facebook page and/or following us on Twitter. 

They are going to retest

Mayo called back and said they can retest with the 4-5 gallons (it seemed) of blood they extracted on Monday, but it will take several days to get the results.  I asked the nurse if this means the other result was thereby necessarily wrong and she said she wasn't really sure.  I'm not sure why after 12-15 blood tests over the past 3 years they'd switch testing methods, but mistakes do happen.  I just wish they ordered the wrong sandwich rather than screw up my blood test.   So I wait, despite my family flower being Impatiens. :)  Have a good weekend all!

May have to retest

Finally heard from Mayo today.  They indicated that the blood levels for the HCG Beta are high, but that they might have done the test using a different method, see below.

They are calling the lab to see how the test was done.  If it was done incorrectly, I will likely have to have my blood redrawn.  If it was done correctly, my levels have increased significantly.  My level had been in the .5-.6 range over the last couple years until December, when it climbed to .7, and March, when it climbed to .8.  Today's result showed a 2.0.  I'll let you all know more when I do.

Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG)

HCG (also known as beta-HCG) blood levels are elevated in patients with some types of testicular and ovarian cancers (germ cell tumors) and in gestational trophoblastic disease, mainly choriocarcinoma. They are also higher in some people with mediastinal germ cell tumors – cancers in the middle of the chest (the mediastinum) that start in the same cells as germ cell tumors of the testicles and ovaries. Levels of HCG can be used to help diagnose these conditions and can be followed over time to see how well treatment is working. They can also be used to look for cancer that has come back after treatment has ended (recurrence).

An elevated blood level of HCG will also raise suspicions of cancer in certain situations. For example, in a woman who still has a large uterus after pregnancy has ended, a high blood level of this marker may be a sign of a cancer. This is also true of men with an enlarged testicle or anyone with a tumor in their chest.

It is hard to define the HCG normal level because there are different ways to test for this marker and each has its own normal value.

Prayer Requests & Update

First, please pray for my dad.  We believe he's nearing the end of his wonderful life, as he had a significant medical event today.  He is resting, and we as a family are praying that he goes to God peacefully.

__________________________________

I went for my quarterly screening at Mayo last week and received my results on Tuesday. My blood markers were the highest they've been in 3 years (since the initial surgery). They were up in December too, but not enough to draw much concern. Since they have gone up consecutively though, the doctor is concerned about the trend. As such, he wants me to go back in 6 weeks instead of the usual 3 months. Tuesday's scans were clear, but some cancers can manifest themselves microscopically for a while before turning into see-able tumors. That's why the blood tests are so important. 

If my levels remain the same or increase, it is likely I will need to have chemo to eradicate the cancer cells from my body. My doctor is saying 3-5 courses. I could also have surgery, but that doesn't seem to be the best option for a variety of reasons, though the recovery would be quicker.   Thankfully, the cancer, if it exists, is likely somewhere ELSE in my body - hopefully another spare part! 

In any case, I knew I had a 30% chance of getting cancer again, so the possibility that I do isn't much of a shock to me, albeit unwelcome as hell. :) Like before, I'm doing fine, as this isn't really anything I can control. It's all in God's hands, so if you can spare some room in your prayers during the next 6 weeks, I'd appreciate it. Of course, if you don't have a good relationship with God, please don't mention you know me! :)

While this isn't a big secret to me, as I blog about it, I have NOT told my kids.  So, please tell anyone with whom you share this information not to discuss it around my kids.

Thanks in advance for the prayers, and I hope you all are well!

All Clear!

After being politely, and appropriately, chastised by my doctor for waiting so long between appointments, he told me all my tests look good. That's welcome news! Of course, when he told me to come back more often, I told him I needed to sell more houses, and asked if he needed one. :) Thanks for everyone's prayers! They are very much appreciated, and obviously effective!

Time For A Checkup

Happy 2010 all! 

Today I have an appointment at Mayo to get my usual x-ray, CT scan and blood-draw.  I haven't had a check-up since last April, when I tried another provider.  I changed providers to try to save some money, but have since decided that cheaper beer might be more advisable than cheaper doctors.  Those results came back fine, but I had to coordinate too much of the process, drive all over town, and there was a huge difference in the quality of care and follow-up, so back to Mayo. 

Somehow I ended up with an afternoon appointment, which means I am going to be fasting longer than I normally would.  Keeping food from a Roney is not usually a rewarding experience for anyone; we get grumpy fast. :)  And the funny thing about fasting is that it goes by sooooo slowly.  It's good practice for Lent I guess.

Anyway, I have my followup appointment with the oncologist on Monday, so I'll post results then.  I feel fine though, and have again put it all in God's hands.

Have a great weekend!

Blood work was fine

I realized that my blood work posting didn't take for some reason so I'm re-posting it now.  Sorry for the confusion.  My blood work came back fine from Mayo last month, just before Christmas.  That was welcome news indeed!   I'm not due to go back until April, I believe, and will update you all again at that time.

Thanks for you continued support and prayers, and have a happy and healthy 2009!

First results look good

After 6 hours at Mayo today, I'm a bit beat.  But, the CT scan and X-Ray look good.  It's really amazing how the docs can show you a scan of your body on a computer screen and scroll around your body to view different organs.  Contrary to what some might believe - and the doctor backs me up on this - I am not full of S%@&!  :)

The barium shake was not as bad as previous times, but it's still hard to get down.  It helps when one is fasting though, because you're almost too hungry to care.   The IV fluid that makes your blood boil during the CT is still weird, but I'm getting used to it.  I guess you can say that I'm getting used to the whole routine.  And, interestingly, I get so many tests that I know more about my body than the average person knows about theirs.  Life has its silver linings I guess.

I'm still awaiting the blood work results, which get sent to Rochester, MN, then back to Scottsdale.  Based on the CT and X-Ray, though, the doc didn't think I had too much to worry about.  Very happy to hear that!

The only bad news is my deductible starts anew on 1 January.  But I think Obama is supposed to cure cancer in his second week in office, so I should be ok.

Thanks to all of you for your continued prayers and good wishes!   And in case my blood work doesn't come back before Christmas, please have a very Merry one!!!

It's that time again...

Hi all,

Just want to keep you up to date.  Tomorrow I have my second round of surveillance at the Mayo Clinic.  Hopefully they have found a new flavor for the barium shake, but I'm not holding my breath...because I will probably need to tomorrow. 

I'm going in for the usual CT, X-Rays and Blood work, but probably won't hear anything until after Christmas.  I'm not too worried to be honest.  The last round was fine and I can't do too much to change the outcome anyway.  It's all in God's hands.  Given that, if you can spare a prayer or two, I'd be quite grateful!  I'll let you all know how it turns out when I get the results.

In the mean time, have a very Merry Christmas!!!

All clear!

I just met with my oncologist who said the blood, scans and x-rays all looked good. In fact, some of the blood levels looked better than last time. He said he has no concerns whatever at this time, and doesn't want to see me again until January. Thank God! And thank you all for your prayers!

Surveillance Check 1

I went to the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale today to have blood drawn, get x-rays, and have CT scans done.  Since I had been fasting since midnight, which wasn't required, they were able to move me along more quickly.  Basically I ended up having a barium shake for breakfast.  I don't really recommend it. Yuck! :)  I also got iodine shot into my blood stream intravenously.  That's where you feel like you're on fire and have to use the restroom.  It's kind of cool the second time around, knowing what to expect.

I won't get my results back until Monday afternoon, so I'll blog about what the results say then.  As always, thanks for your prayers!

It's almost that time again.

Hi all!  I feel great and am having a wonderful summer.  The kids and I have been to the cabin, Michigan to see family and friends, and Colorado for some outdoor fun.  Not sure what I'll do if the real estate market turns around. :)

Well it's hard to believe but it's time for the quarterly battery of tests to see if I'm all clear.  The tests are next Wednesday, 30 July, and I will hear results 4 August at my oncology appointment in the afternoon.  I'll certainly keep everyone posted via the blog.   Thanks again for all of the prayers and good wishes, and I hope you are all having a great summer too!

Note: Picture was taken in July at Otsego Ski Club in Gaylord, MI, where I learned to ski at age 3.  The kids are skiers too.

What we do now...

I got a haircut on Friday - the best one ever.  OK, so it may not LOOK like my best one ever, but the mere fact that I needed to cut it was a wonderful experience.  It wasn't particularly long prior to the cut, but I had assumed I would be shaving my head soon in anticipation of loosing all of my hair for several months, so I didn't have it cut when I normally would have.  Thus, an enjoyable haircut on Friday.  Sometimes it's the little things.  :)

More on Thursday's appointment... Surveillance is basically the term used to keep a very close eye out for more cancer.  It is the process of vigilantly getting my blood work checked, CT scans, and other tests in an effort to make sure the cancer has not returned.  Based on my conversation with my oncologist on Thursday, I will be under quarterly surveillance to start.  So in August, if my blood levels and CT scans look good, I will have passed another major hurdle.  If the blood levels rise during that time, it's back to planning for chemo - something I'd obviously like to avoid.

Surveillance is not something doctors recommend to all patients.  In fact, sadly, many cancer patients don't follow their health closely enough to allow them to prevent, or catch early, the onset of more cancer.  Like Lance Armstrong, people often know there is something wrong with them but neglect to get themselves checked out for fear of getting bad news.  In Lance Armstrong's case, he might have prevented the spread of cancer throughout his body had he not ignored the tumor he felt growing within him.   Eventually he got symptoms he just couldn't ignore.  Based on my not missing a single appointment, and the fact that I usually arrived early, my doctor felt I was a good candidate for surveillance instead of chemo for now.  Me too. :)

We have long heard that preventive medicine is the best medicine.  I happen to agree...now.  I wish I had eaten better and exercised more.  Perhaps I wouldn't have gotten cancer in the first place.  Who knows.  I'm learning to train myself, with the software I discussed in a previous post, to eat better and make sure I am getting the required nutrients each day.   I am also learning that there is a dichotomy between the taste buds and my body.  Though there is occasional agreement, I have found that much of what the mouth craves, the body would rather not process.  Since the body is bigger, and controls more important functions, I'm going to listen to the body a little more.

Chemo cancelled!

I'm sitting in my car in the Mayo garage having just been told that the key blood marker that had been indicating a need for chemo has dropped significantly enough in just 30 days that my doctor is recommending surveillance instead of chemo at this time.

I can't begin to express my gratitude to God for sparing me, but more importantly my precious kiddos, from the effects of such a potentially difficult treatment at this time. Nor can I ever express the necessary thanks to all of you who have been praying on my behalf. And so many people have stepped up to offer assistance that I can't even keep track. I have truly been blessed!

I will post more later on the doctor's thoughts and the planned surveillance.

Thank you all!

Get automatic update emails...

I found a way to make it easier for people to keep updated with my blog.  At left, you will see a box that says "Enter your email address."  Go ahead and do so, and when done, hit the big gray "Subscribe" button.

You will then be taken a web page where you will need to enter a few letters that come up on the screen into a box.  After doing that, just click on the big gray box that says "Confirm subscription request." 

One final step requires that you check your email for a confirmation email where you will need to confirm your subscription.  Believe me, the process is much easier than the explanation. 

Nutrition Software - Donation to Research

Given my condition, I embarked on a mission for find an affordable and user-friendly software program to assist me in making sure I am getting the correct nutrients, as well as make sure I am staying away from poor food choices.

In the past I had used some on-line software that kept the information off-site and allowed me to log in from anywhere in the world.  The problem with the first feature is that it makes the software more expensive.  The second feature isn't necessary since I usually take my laptop.  After careful review of several programs, as well as reading several reviews of different programs, I am using Diet Power.

Diet Power is a software program that downloads to your own computer.  It's pretty cheap, normally $49.99, but I found a way for everyone to save $5 on the software.  Simply click here and you can get more information on the software and start a 15 day free trial.  For the purposes of full disclosure, they claim they will send me $9 for every person who signs up through me to save $5.   I will in turn donate any money I receive to cancer research.   To be clear, I didn't choose the software for that reason.  In fact, I didn't know about that until after I began to use the software.  But it turns out I can do something good with the money.

The features are pretty cool.  Whether dieting, watching nutrition or just logging exercise, the program does it all.  So far it has helped me learn to eat better and lose a few pounds that I gained post surgery.
It also suggests a certain number of calories each day based on what it deems is your actual metabolic rate, or the rate at which you burn calories sitting still.  In any case, check it out for yourself during a free 15 day trial and see if you feel better and look better.  I know I do, and at this point, I need all the help I can get!

Chemo Schedule - Part I

I got a call from Mayo today telling me the schedule for the first two weeks.  It looks like I start around 8:30 AM on each of the first five days of week one, then go again on Tuesday and Wednesday of the following week.  They are sending me the famous itinerary with the remaining dates.

Though I wasn't too worried about the last surgery, I'm a little anxious about the chemo.  Getting stuck with an IV and then being attached to it for several hours a day isn't all that appealing to a guy who rarely can sit still.  It's likely, though, that I'm not going to be too up for moving around once the drugs start entering my body.  I'm also not excited about the nausea that I will likely endure.  Besides a little anxiety, I'm in good spirits and am looking at the big picture.  Six to eight weeks of chemo is nothing compared to an Obama or Hillary presidency.  Did I just say that? :)  Seriously though, this time is but a small blip of the rest of my life and keeping perspective on it will help get me through it...I hope.  :)

I really appreciate all of those who have offered to pray and/or help out, especially those who are going to help with the kiddos.  They are a little apprehensive of this whole thing but have not found ways to verbalize it too much yet.  As soon as I loose my hair and look a little sickly, they will need further assurances that I'm going to be fine.  To me, that's the most important role here.