My news

[moonshadow]

Ah yes FFA... may your tumors grow at the speed of congress.

... a little humor for ya...

[Ray]

FFA - best wishes for a positive outcome.

Ray

[Dust]

I'm praying for you, too.

As far as alternative medicine, I've heard bits about fasting and cancer, as well as high dose vitamins. Might be things to research if you are interested in alternative approaches to dealing with this, or even to augment treatments from the western MDs.

[Coder]

FFA, keeping you in my prayers!

[Dottie]

Stay strong and positive , you'll get through this, we're all behind you.

[miloshlavka]

Good luck to You, FFA!
Health & freedom!

[Freedomforall]

Updates.
Did not sleep at all Monday night. This was despite one Torodal shot, two morphine shots, 2 dilaudid shots, and Gabbapentin. I have always had a high resistance to meds, but this is crazy. I think the tumors are affecting pain receptors. Had a CT scan on my legs last night.. The results were good. Also had a brain MRI today. No results yet. They attempted a spinal tap on the tumors, but were unsuccessful. They are going to try again.

Thank you all for the wishes!!

[Freedomforall]

This is a picture of the MRI scan showing the tumors in my spinal fluid. They have not been able to determine if they are benign or malignant. Removal of these is going to be difficult and quite possibly leave me with disability issues that could include paralysis.

[Freedomforall]

Stay strong and positive , you'll get through this, we're all behind you.

Thank you all for the support. My head is spinning and I am just trying to not panic.

[denimini]

Let us hope they are benign.
I also hope that you have some supportive people around you, as well as all of us here.

[Freedomforall]

Hello everyone,
I would like to say thank you to everyone who for your thoughts and encouragement. It has been an exhausting week that will continue for some time. I cannot count the number of MRI's and CT scans that I have had. I also had two spinal taps in which they attempted to draw fluid from the masses. The Neurosurgeon mentioned several different treatment options at the beginning of the week but never elaborated on any of them. His plan was to biopsy the masses and continue from there. Thursday was wretched. They used the x-ray machine and probed needles in my spine. I heard the tech say they had drawn at least 7mm of fluid from one of the masses. The doctor never met with me or gave me the results of the test from Thursday. I asked the nurse multiple times when the doctor was going to meet with me. She said they even tried to reach him by phone. The nurse came to my room around 9pm and said that surgery was scheduled the next morning. I was aghast. I reminded her that the doctor had not met with me to discuss this.

This morning, (Friday) my nurse came in and threw a gown on my bed. She wanted me to put it on and said the doctor would meet me in the operating room. My wife was not even there yet and I refused. I asked for the doctor and they said he was not coming to my room. I then called and asked for a supervisor. They sent a lady to my room. The lady saw my phone and asked if I was recording her. I admitted that I was because trying to recall everything said to me was near impossible. Our law allows me to do that. She tried telling me it was illegal. I remained calm and explained to her that it was not illegal.
She left and a few minutes later my door flew open. It was two big security guards who stood over my bed with their hands on their guns. The first one asked if there was a problem. I told him there was not. He tried telling me that I could not record on private property. I was afraid they were about to drag me out of bed or shoot me. They finally left and a really kind male nurse came in. He was flabbergasted and asked what was going on. I explained to him that I did not want to go to surgery without meeting with my doctor. He assured me it would be no problem.
Ten minutes later the doctor showed up and it sounded like a midnight infomerical for some get rich quick scheme. He proceeded to tell me that he could not get his Lexus out of the driveway and spent all morning digging out snow just so he could be there for me. Then he said he had to hitch a ride in. My wife was on speaker phone at this point and had some questions. He refused to answer them. His explanation of the surgery was that he would make a big long cut on my back and remove my backbone. I was not allowed to ask any other questions as he then started telling me that this was a one time opportunity and if I did not let him do the surgery it would be a long time before he would be available again.

I checked myself out of the hospital. I refuse to be treated with such little respect. If death comes to me, then so be it.

[SkirtsDad]

Wow, pretty unbelievable. It sounds like you made a wise choice. Are you able to go elsewhere? Wishing you all the best. SD

[crfriend]

Definitely, absolutely, time for another opinion.

Calling "security" over that matter was inexcusable, and the fact that the gorillas had guns on them makes me question the sanity of the establishment. Idiocy!

However, don't ignore the situation; seek another opinion.

A day from Hell, truly.

[Elisabetta]

Hello everyone,
I would like to say thank you to everyone who for your thoughts and encouragement. It has been an exhausting week that will continue for some time. I cannot count the number of MRI's and CT scans that I have had. I also had two spinal taps in which they attempted to draw fluid from the masses. The Neurosurgeon mentioned several different treatment options at the beginning of the week but never elaborated on any of them. His plan was to biopsy the masses and continue from there. Thursday was wretched. They used the x-ray machine and probed needles in my spine. I heard the tech say they had drawn at least 7mm of fluid from one of the masses. The doctor never met with me or gave me the results of the test from Thursday. I asked the nurse multiple times when the doctor was going to meet with me. She said they even tried to reach him by phone. The nurse came to my room around 9pm and said that surgery was scheduled the next morning. I was aghast. I reminded her that the doctor had not met with me to discuss this.

This morning, (Friday) my nurse came in and threw a gown on my bed. She wanted me to put it on and said the doctor would meet me in the operating room. My wife was not even there yet and I refused. I asked for the doctor and they said he was not coming to my room. I then called and asked for a supervisor. They sent a lady to my room. The lady saw my phone and asked if I was recording her. I admitted that I was because trying to recall everything said to me was near impossible. Our law allows me to do that. She tried telling me it was illegal. I remained calm and explained to her that it was not illegal.
She left and a few minutes later my door flew open. It was two big security guards who stood over my bed with their hands on their guns. The first one asked if there was a problem. I told him there was not. He tried telling me that I could not record on private property. I was afraid they were about to drag me out of bed or shoot me. They finally left and a really kind male nurse came in. He was flabbergasted and asked what was going on. I explained to him that I did not want to go to surgery without meeting with my doctor. He assured me it would be no problem.
Ten minutes later the doctor showed up and it sounded like a midnight infomerical for some get rich quick scheme. He proceeded to tell me that he could not get his Lexus out of the driveway and spent all morning digging out snow just so he could be there for me. Then he said he had to hitch a ride in. My wife was on speaker phone at this point and had some questions. He refused to answer them. His explanation of the surgery was that he would make a big long cut on my back and remove my backbone. I was not allowed to ask any other questions as he then started telling me that this was a one time opportunity and if I did not let him do the surgery it would be a long time before he would be available again.

I checked myself out of the hospital. I refuse to be treated with such little respect. If death comes to me, then so be it.

I can't believe you were treated this way FFA.Please get a second opinion asap and not let one bad apple ruin you having the chance to get this cancer resolved.Moon and I as well as all of SC care about you.

My Prayers are with you and your family.Sorry you're enduring so much trying to be taken care of.

[Freedomforall]

Thank you all. It means so much.