I'm about to become a statistic ... And why you should enjoy every day!

[martinaee]

Thanks so much. It's somehow cliché sounding to past-me, but it really does mean a lot that other people are reading this.

lovecpf

 

[Dragfree]

Hang in there, martinaee, get the best medical advice you can and follow it. Ask questions and do your research to be sure you understand your situation and your options. There's lots of good information on the web from first-rate sources like Sloan-Kettering, Mayo, Hopkins, UCSF, et al.

This can be one of the best gifts in your life, if it helps you to become fully present to the present moment. Look for the blessings and you will find them. For instance, this can be a powerful positive force in your relationship with your wife, if you deal with it together.

As a survivor of stage 3B prostate cancer (five years and counting), I speak from personal experience.

 

[KITROBASKIN]

You have done us a favor, more than a favor, by writing and sharing this. Thank You.

 

[Me+Light=Addiction]

Impressive how you are dealing with this already Martin. Alot of times life is not fair and when it all piles up the way you deal with it depends the outcome.

Good luck with all your coming test/scans!

 

[bdogps]

All the best to you mate. The thing with your wife digestive system, do she eat wheat? Some people are gluten sensitive and do not realise it. I would strongly recommend reading this book called "Brain Maker." I know there is not much science yet, into what roles your gut flora plays in your bodies system. I read there is around 10,000 species of organisms that live in your gut. Imbalances of good bacteria and bad can do havoc to your system. It might be worth a shot reading the book and giving it a try. Once again, all the best to you mate and thank you for sharing.

 

[martinaee]

All the best to you mate. The thing with your wife digestive system, do she eat wheat? Some people are gluten sensitive and do not realise it. I would strongly recommend reading this book called "Brain Maker." I know there is not much science yet, into what roles your gut flora plays in your bodies system. I read there is around 10,000 species of organisms that live in your gut. Imbalances of good bacteria and bad can do havoc to your system. It might be worth a shot reading the book and giving it a try. Once again, all the best to you mate and thank you for sharing.

Hey, yeah she's been thinking about gluten intolerance for a long time, but I'm not sure that's it. Now she's thinking possibly gall bladder issues, but who knows.

Like I said it's kind of unfair somehow, because at least with what I have we know exactly what we have to do to work on curing me, but with digestive issues there are SO SO SO many unknown things and problems still. It could definitely be a food type/group intolerance or allergy or it could be an actual problem with an organ function or something. She's been to so many doctors over the years and it never seems to solve anything.

Thanks for the book recommendation. I'll have to look that one up. I know she knows a lot about intestinal bacteria and stuff. She's obviously always reading tons of info about these subjects online trying to work on getting herself better.

 

[martinaee]

Hang in there, martinaee, get the best medical advice you can and follow it. Ask questions and do your research to be sure you understand your situation and your options. There's lots of good information on the web from first-rate sources like Sloan-Kettering, Mayo, Hopkins, UCSF, et al.

This can be one of the best gifts in your life, if it helps you to become fully present to the present moment. Look for the blessings and you will find them. For instance, this can be a powerful positive force in your relationship with your wife, if you deal with it together.

As a survivor of stage 3B prostate cancer (five years and counting), I speak from personal experience.

That's great to hear you are doing so much better from your own experience with prostate cancer. Being present in reality and "awareness" are definitely in the big words I'm starting to constantly think to myself about. Acceptance is another one. You just have to move past the why me stage and get into the: "okay, this is what is so let's deal with it" stage.

I do feel I'm dealing with it well, but I also have to admit I have SO much support that is making dealing with this almost seem unfair to me. By that I mean I think about so many people in the world who probably are by themselves and have to go through this or even worse illnesses completely alone and that just makes me sad.

 

[martinaee]

I remember briefly hearing about this, but now my wife pointed out that Michael C. Hall, the actor in Six Feet Under and Dexter, had Hodgkin's Lymphoma too around 2009-2010. He seems to be doing very well now though I guess.

 

[more_vampires]

We're pulling for you man! Keep us posted!

 

[martinaee]

Hey guys. I had a bone marrow biopsy today. This is a video (NOT ME) that is pretty similar to what I had today. I think the man doing my procedure used an electric drill through instead of a manual tool you turn to drill with. Overall this is basically the same thing though. Just slightly different tools.



Also here is where they go into the bone. Into the top of the Iliac crest. (see picture) imagine sliding a really thick needle into the side of a pancake. So from that angle.

Not so bad overall. It was pretty quick. The numbing part hurt a bit but not too badly. And only a few seconds of really sharp pain when they took out one of the first more liquid-y samples from the bone. In the video you can see the last sample is a small sample of more solid spongey bone marrow. Overall it's not too bad. Outpatient and quick with only a few really uncomfortable moments. Definitely better overall than my neck lymph node biopsy where I was put under.

-Martin

 

[bdogps]

Looks painful![emoji15] I hope everything works out mate.

 

[martinaee]

Looks painful![emoji15] I hope everything works out mate.

The worst part was the first of three samples they removed which was the more liquid of the 3 samples. There was a nurse on the opposite side kind of holding my arms a bit and I gripped her hard on that one. It felt like somebody grabbed a nerve in there with their fingers and squeezed hard, but it only lasted for a few seconds.

For anybody who ever has to get it done I'll say it's very doable. Especially by people who know what the are doing. Definitely not fun, but nothing to mentally destroy yourself over leading up to it. I think I had an Ativan before the procedure which is supposed to relieve anxiety a bit, but beyond that nothing. I have to watch the bandaging for 24 hours, but I seem to be doing fine. There was a miniscule chance of internal bleeding with this procedure, but I'm totally fine.

Overall not such a biggy. You've gotta do it in this situation so just don't mentally psyche yourself out going into it and just get it done!

-Martin

 

[bdogps]

From my experience, pain can always get worse from your previous experience. For example, I had a ingrown toe nail removed. I heard people screaming in pain and thought they were soft. Then it was my turn, the foot doc stuck the needle the first time, it was okay. Then he just kept poking for couple more times and I was ready to yell in pain myself. I thought that was the worst experience in pain I ever had. Then post kidney removal, the area where they removed my kidney gives me trouble for some reason. If I stretch or turn the wrong the pain can bring me to my knees.

Hopefully you do not have to through that again. [emoji15]

I did not watch the video, I get squeamish.. It is not the blood, it just the pain.

 

[Mr Floppy]

She's been to so many doctors over the years and it never seems to solve anything.

I wish I could recommend a good naturopath. Doctors really don't know much when it comes to gut stuff. A friend of mine had terrible gut issues. After seeing many specialists, he eventually saw a naturopath who said something about gut flora, and referred him to another specialist where he went through an experimental poo transplant. Not saying that is what is wrong but sometimes the alternative therapists may have a better idea

 

[frosty]

Good luck to you.

 

[Str8stroke]

I can't even imagine what or how this feels. So, I don't know what to say. Other than, hang in there and be strong.

I was a big Dexter fan, and I remember seeing Mr. Hall with no hair and hearing he had some rare disease/cancer. He does seem to be doing well. From what I just read, it looks as though he was diagnosed in early 2010 and its 5 years later. So that is positive.

 

[martinaee]

bdogps - Yeah hopefully not. There is a super small chance I'll have cancer in the marrow now, but hopefully not (crosses finger) If I do... I don't know if that means I'd have another one of these down the line...? I don't know. Oh well lol.



Mr. Floppy - Yeah she has looked into/I think goes to a naturopath. She knows about that experimental fecal transplant. She hasn't had that and I don't know if it would work for whatever she has but maybe she can try that down the line. Thanks. And yeah
you're right---one of the most frustrating things is that we go to doctors expecting them to accurately be able to diagnose everything, but the reality is they don't know so much. She gets frustrated because in the past doctors have acted like they know immediately or that it's "all in her head". I can guarantee you it's not after seeing her crying night after night sometimes :/ How did that procedure turn out with your friend? I appreciate how much support and sympathy I'm getting for this, but like I said before I feel it's unfair to my wife who has been going though something for so long and often feels like people don't really understand she's going through severe pain/an actual condition because it isn't something common or diagnosed or easily understandable as serious like "cancer" is.



frosty - Thanks bud!



Str8stroke - Yeah, Michael C. Hall seems to be doing fine now. This is weird because 2010 is when I graduated from college. I know I'm supposed to feel "grown up" inside, but mentally time has sped up so much for me and if I'm being honest with myself I still feel more like a college age kid than "adult" Hall seemed to have basically exactly what I have so it is reassuring that he seems to be doing fine (at least from the few videos I've seen). It's remarkable that he kept filming for a while while he knew he had it initially. I don't know if he stopped working on TV shows while getting chemo/treatment, but I'm going to assume so.

 

[martinaee]

Just realized this will be my 1000th post so I thought I'd use it to say thanks to everyone on CPF. I almost wanted to make a separate thread in a different CPF forum, but I guess I'll put it here since this will be a long-term meaningful thread to me.

I think I started looking at CPF in 2008 or so when I was still in college and got my first "real" flashlight which was a Fenix LD20 q5. LOL I lost that light photographing a wedding along with a Streamlight Microstream a few years back.

I think I only started posting in 2012, but this has been an awesome place to be a part of as everyone is nice and the forums spans the super technical to the general use and use philosophies to fun things and everything else not even related to flashlights/led emitters.

THANKS EVERYONE AND CPF!!! KEEP IT GOING FOR YEARS TO COME

 

[Mr Floppy]

How did that procedure turn out with your friend?

he's gone for a world trip and haven't seen him for ages. I am guessing it worked out. I'm not a close friend so I don't know the full details.

 

[Taz80]

Hi Martinaee, I wish you the best. Its important to keep a positive attitude. Try to hang out with people who treat you normally and make you laugh. And try to stay away from the downers the doom and gloomers, you don't need to hear about other peoples crap when you have your own to deal with. Also this will be, in some ways, just as hard on your wife as you.