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Author Topic: What Happened To Da Bacon?  (Read 182384 times)
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Edward Cain
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« Reply #25 on: November 05, 2013, 06:30:37 AM »

Hi Frank,
   As a lung cancer survivor, I've been through the chemotherapy routine. I had my entire right lung removed seven years ago and went through 6 months of chemotherapy.
   I know there are different regimes, but in my case, the chemotherapy was not much of a problem (except having to get to the oncologist's office three times per week). The side effects were mainly fatigue but I was still able to do my job as a patent examiner.
   I only know you through this website, but, from what I know, you are a fighter and a person with a positive attitude toward everything that comes your way.
   These two traits are all you need. Get well, my friend!

Ed Cain
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« Reply #26 on: November 05, 2013, 08:37:54 AM »

Hi Frank!

Do your best to get Well!
I wish you Good Luck!

/Morgan
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« Reply #27 on: November 05, 2013, 10:58:42 AM »


Hello Frank,

I wish you only the best of fortune and health to you.

- Mike
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« Reply #28 on: November 05, 2013, 06:55:49 PM »

Frank, I never met you, but I follow some of the threads here on AMfone.  Got my fingers crossed and am pulling for you.  Us hams have got to stick together!
de Jim
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« Reply #29 on: November 07, 2013, 02:00:40 PM »

Frank will not only kick its ass, he'll eat its lunch - provided it doesn't have any tofu or other weird crap in it.

Sked was too tight to drop in last week Frank, but we'll be talking soon. Managed to have dinner with Johnny, at least.
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« Reply #30 on: November 09, 2013, 05:25:12 AM »

Frank,
Sorry to hear about your health issue
Best wishes. Keep us up to date. Will
try and catch u on WFD

Chuck
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« Reply #31 on: November 09, 2013, 02:55:32 PM »

Thanks again everyone for the support! ! ! !

Well, I spent most of Friday at Johns Hopkins getting all of the preliminaries going. I met with the head of the transplant department, A handful of other doctors, and a very cute and sweet girl that is going to be my transplant coordinator.

The news is somewhat interesting, I thought I had 1 tumor but I actually have 2 of them. One is about 4 1/2 cm and the other one is about 1 cm. I will supposedly be contacted Monday by the TACE coordinator to set up scheduling for the procedure. I will have to meet with them first before the procedure. they should probably TACE me next week sometime. Now it gets better............

According to the transplant surgeon, Because of their "scoring system" The cancer actually makes me ineligible at this time for a transplant....... Go figger! The small tumor is small enough that it doesn't count, the larger one is too big and disqualifys me, go figger. And, my liver function is still too good for someone that has cirrhosis..........

So here is the plan of attack that they have laid out: I get TACED and they wait a month to check me. I go in for more bloodwork and another CT scan. If the tumor has not shrunk or not shrunk enough, I get TACED again, then CT and bloodwork after another month. This goes on until They get me a compatible liver. ( most likely will become somewhat routine maintenance until I get a transplant) It should take at least 6 months or so to find one. Now.....to add the proverbial fly to the ointment....... I have type B blood which is not real common, this could work for or against me in finding a compatible match. But If they get their hands on one and no one else needs it (less demand for type B) It may work in my favor and expedite things. We'll have to see.

Also the transplant specialist cleared up some of my fears about the transplant surgery. He has told me that that the hospital stay (if all goes well) will only be 7-10 days, then 3-4 month recovery at home, and go back to work a month or so later. Heavy doses of anti-rejection drugs at first, along with massive doses of steroids, and a few anti-biotics sprinkled in to finish off the cocktail. Tapering off to just light doses of the anti-rejection drugs for the rest of my life. They made it sound like it won't be so bad. they have told me that the anti-rejection issues with a liver transplant are much less than those from a kidney transplant.

More news to follow as it happenz...............

Frank
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« Reply #32 on: November 09, 2013, 04:15:08 PM »

It is impressive that they have such a detailed plan!
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« Reply #33 on: November 11, 2013, 10:48:13 AM »

OK Frank
sounds a little complicated, but the liver is one of the harder organs to deal with, apparently. Very delicate to work on and remove cancer.
Hang in there Frank
Fred
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« Reply #34 on: November 11, 2013, 03:34:28 PM »

Hey Frank,

Thanks for the information.  My blood type is B Positive so if you need any blood just let me know.  Also if I become an SK before you find one, your welcome to have my Liver.   Anything to help a fellow AM'er out!

73,
Joe, GMS
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« Reply #35 on: November 23, 2013, 01:21:57 AM »

Hey Frank,
Thanks for the information.  My blood type is B Positive so if you need any blood just let me know.  Also if I become an SK before you find one, your welcome to have my Liver.   Anything to help a fellow AM'er out!
73,
Joe, GMS

Hmmmmm............. Velly intelesting!
Thanks Joe.

However I think they would frown a little on it if one was to walk in with organ in hand and them to install it for you..... Kinda like walking into a restaurant with a steak in your hand and asking them to cook it for you....... Grin  Grin
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« Reply #36 on: November 23, 2013, 01:43:59 AM »

Well, here is the latest. I met with and had a long consultation with "Interventional Radiology" (The TACE people last Monday) They layed the whole deal out to me. I am going to require at least 2 TACEs, possibly 3. (One per tumor) Due to some kind of medical politics, they can only give a certain amount of this Hi-Test chemo juice per month, so if they try to get both while they're in there, one may gat a bit shortchanged on the juice.

So it is get TACEd, wait 3-4 weeks, get another MRI and get TACEd again, repeat until both tumors are shrunk or killed.

My specialist was very adamant that they wanted MRI images to TACE me, but..... From all of the previous years in the automotive trade many years back, I have a bunch of metal in me. (not condusive to MRI imaging) Well..... after having 10 X-rays last tuesday They have determined that I am safe for MRI imaging. The only metal left is 2 pieces in my left arm. So I'm now cleared for MRI imaging.

So, here is the schedule as of today. MRI and bloodwork on Tuesday, 12-2 and first TACE on Wednesday 12-4. Followed by more of the same........

Now, to add insult to injury, I was let go from my job (of 25 years) this afternoon at 1:30 PM. Go figger, when it rains, it pours.

Frank
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« Reply #37 on: November 23, 2013, 11:48:08 AM »

Hey Frank,
Thanks for the information.  My blood type is B Positive so if you need any blood just let me know.  Also if I become an SK before you find one, your welcome to have my Liver.   Anything to help a fellow AM'er out!
73,
Joe, GMS

Hmmmmm............. Velly intelesting!
Thanks Joe.

However I think they would frown a little on it if one was to walk in with organ in hand and them to install it for you..... Kinda like walking into a restaurant with a steak in your hand and asking them to cook it for you....... Grin  Grin


I am signed up to be a organ donor.  Martha has strict instructions that you get my liver.  Unfortunately if I am dead, I can't hand it to you personally!!   We have to put a little humor in all of this  Smiley
73,
Joe, GMS 
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« Reply #38 on: November 23, 2013, 12:12:41 PM »

Hi Frank,

Hope all goes well in the procedures, OM.

Just a thought and maybe you have already explored this possibility, but there is an evolving  technology that permits a beam to burn out tumors  in three dimensions. IE, it will actually stop and go no farther in than programmed. Pin point to a particular spot.   The unit is the size of a small building and last I read several hospitals are now or will share a central unit in Mass.

Chuck / K1KW works at a company that is developing and producing it. I understand it is close or in operation.   Send him a PM if you are not familiar with it.  There's always new hope and another path to pursue.

T
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« Reply #39 on: November 23, 2013, 01:35:22 PM »

Tom,
  If you are talking about a gamma knife, another friend of mine owes his continued existince to one. He had a brain tumor and they zapped from several directions at once. Requires very good "mapping" and being able to hold the target perfectly still. Each beam is low power so as to not harm good tissue, but where they intersect the effect is that of a higher bower beam.

Bill
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« Reply #40 on: November 23, 2013, 06:54:27 PM »


Just a thought and maybe you have already explored this possibility, but there is an evolving  technology that permits a beam to burn out tumors  in three dimensions. IE, it will actually stop and go no farther in than programmed. Pin point to a particular spot.   The unit is the size of a small building and last I read several hospitals are now or will share a central unit in Mass.

T

If it involves protons, I helped build one of the first commercially available machines Summer before last.

A NDA prevents my saying more...

It does work, especially on solid mass tumors.  No isotopes are involved.

Major suckage about the job, OM.  "Just downsizing" or was it just for you?  25 years is a long time to hang with an operation and then just be cut loose.

Best of luck, live long & prosper, as Spock said.

73DG
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« Reply #41 on: November 23, 2013, 08:07:47 PM »

Bill and Dennis,

Yes, as it was described to me it involves protons.  (or was it photons?)

I've seen the idea talked about on the web ten years ago, but evidently the technology is starting to become accurate and practical. I understand it is a $20 million machine.

Probably like a TRS-80 in its infancy at this point.  Works, but will improve dramatically in the years ahead.

T    
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« Reply #42 on: November 23, 2013, 09:55:57 PM »


Now, to add insult to injury, I was let go from my job (of 25 years) this afternoon at 1:30 PM. Go figger, when it rains, it pours.

Frank

Ah, shit.  I'm so sorry to hear that, Frank. 
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« Reply #43 on: November 24, 2013, 08:12:46 AM »


FRANK
25 years and good bye???
I hope it's not a health care issue that they terminated you. Seems very suspicious.
Thanks for the updates. The plan sounds complicated, but you will get though it.
Fred
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« Reply #44 on: November 24, 2013, 11:17:08 AM »


Now, to add insult to injury, I was let go from my job (of 25 years) this afternoon at 1:30 PM. Go figger, when it rains, it pours.

Frank

Ah, shit.  I'm so sorry to hear that, Frank. 

Ditto. It's not like you need more crap to deal with in the midst of all this. This is happening to a lot of folks now, unfortunately. Get through the medical obstacle course first and foremost. Everything else needs to be secondary.
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« Reply #45 on: November 26, 2013, 12:52:40 AM »

First of all, many, many, many thanks to every one of y'all for your support! !
I can't thank youse guys enough, it really does good for the soul! !

Now, for the change in attitude. (No, I'm still the same old ornery bastard I've always been!) But......................

I was really bummed out about losing my job last friday. After 25 years, it hurt pretty bad and I was having trouble coming to terms with it. After some soul searching and thinking about it, I have come to terms with it and look at it a bit differently now! As far as I'm concerned, I am now officially retired! ! ! 

For the last year or so, the stress of trying to save a company that is just barely an RCH from going belly up was really getting the best of me. I was getting to the point of not sleeping, eating a really bad diet, and all of the other shit that usually kills some of us! ! ! ! Well...... I finally came to terms with the whole mess yesterday and started to feel good about the whole mess and now consider it just simply a "bump in the road".

Lets face it, at almost 59, with a medical history of diabetes, liver disease, and now cancer, I'm now pretty much "damaged goods" and unhireable. The TACE doctors have told me that the chances of surviving this are better than not, and I should get through this. And now officially retired, whats not to like! ! ! !

As far as My job went, I now feel like a huge weight has been lifted off of my shoulders! I actually got the best night's sleep I've had in years last night. I woke up and felt fantastic today! !  Better than I've felt in 4 years! Now looking forward to enjoying my retirement! (If the war dept doesn't drive me nuts) Time for some serious Frank time! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Frank
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« Reply #46 on: November 26, 2013, 06:34:08 AM »

Ya know Frank,
The stress gone from the worries of work might help you to focus on your inner strength to get through the trials ahead. You don't need something else to drag you down.
You're FREE. Now get well
Fred
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« Reply #47 on: November 26, 2013, 09:03:40 AM »

Frank, I think Carol will now become your Best Care Department.
  ...and think of all the neat stuff you can do together now.

Through thick and thin,
  Second wind
Will see you through
  Good times too.
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« Reply #48 on: November 26, 2013, 09:24:20 AM »

Frank,

I'm really sorry to hear about all the bumps in the road that you have been facing, but I'm sure that you will come out fine.  Retirement is a good thing and you can concentrate on all the neat stuff that you have been wanting to do.

Best wishes to you for a very positive outcome and hope to hear you on the air.

73,  Jack, W9GT
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« Reply #49 on: November 26, 2013, 10:41:20 AM »

Frank,

Hope everything is going well.  Don't worry about the lost job, they did you a favor.  You need to focus on getting well and maybe they saw it the same way. Hope to hear you on 75M. Who is going to bust my chops better than you?

Fred
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