What Happened To Da Bacon?

[flintstone mop]

It's good to hear from you Frank,
Getting in front of the 'puter lets us know that you are not down for the count. My bout with Lymphoma and two operations reduced my weight about 40 pounds. I looked terrible and skinny at 150lbs. I didn't eat much for 10 days. And the doc said it was going to be rough to start eating. So keep the Ensure going and try to eat what you can tolerate.
My last two "treatments" of poison, I had that yukky flu feeling and felt weak as I left the facility. It took about two weeks before I was at 70% power.
I do not know how you are doing it, Frank, but keep pushing.
Life sux; but we work together and pray that the medical misery is over soon.
Fred

[wa2dtw]

Great to hear from you, Frank.  Hoping to hear that you are getting stronger and stronger.

[K1JJ]

Let's hope this treatment does the job, Frank.  We are all stuck in the time warp of technology... this is the best "blood-letting" technique they have right now, unfortunately.  It sux for sure.

Hang in there, OM.

T

[w3jn]

Frank, gimme a hollar if you or carol need anything at all.  Would love to help ya out (can't help with that plumbing issue unfortunately!).

[KD5TXX]

You don't know me from Adam, but once I called you and you talked me through troubleshooting my Viking.  I'm praying for you.  I hope that you don't have to go through anything like what you just went through again.  

[ka1bwo]

Frank,
You are part of our daily prayers

[kb3qay]

Frank - Glad to hear you're through the latest hurdle toward recovery. It takes a yard of guts to go what you've been through and come back for more. Iam not much of a praying man, but you are in my prayers. Carol too.

[The Slab Bacon]

Many thanks to all of youse guys!

To any and all that have had any major health issues, this quote continually sticks in my mind:

"Getting old ain't for sissies!"

Thanks and God Bless to all of you for your support!

Frank

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

To any and all that have had any major health issues, this quote continually sticks in my mind:

"Getting old ain't for sissies!"

Ain't that the truth! And as miserable and annoying as it gets, it still beats the alternative. 

Keep pushing back, Frank. Never give it the satisfaction.

BTW, hauled out the old Onan W2C Sunday to revive it and thought of you. It's a little worse for wear, too!

[n3lrx]

I spoke to Carol today,  Frank has contracted an unknown infection as a result of his weak immune system from the chemo. I just found out today that he's been in the hospital since Tues. Hopefully he's home by now, Carol said he may be released today (Fri.) There is also a possibility that the cancer is spreading. 

I won't go into too much more detail, hopefully Frank can tell you himself,  but for those of you who believe in prayer Frank and Carol really need your prayers.

Thanks all..

de YellRX

[flintstone mop]

Prayer is the only thing left sometimes. The Master Engineer is the only hope.
We'll be checking this thread often. There are some illnesses that can not be beaten. I remember the sad situation with DERB.....Let's hope Frank can beat it.
Fred

[ka4koe]

On our list. Sorry to hear this bit of news.

[Opcom]

+ here

[The Slab Bacon]

I went in for some follow-up on tuesday May 20th. Had a meeting with my interventional radiologist and got some mixed news. Some of which is not sitting well. The last tumor that they TACEed is on the way out, leaving only one more to go after, but my AFP protien (cancer marker in my blood) has shot up through the roof! They don't know why that has happened and are a bit puzzled. There is still one more tumor to get and they are deciding the course of action to treat it. But they are afraid that it may have spread to who knows where. The one last tumor in my liver should not cause it to be as high as it has rizen. So it was more tests to try to see if they find any more hiding anywhere before treating the last one in my liver. If they find anything, the interventional radiologist sez that I will be turned over to an oncologist for full systemic chemo. I don't look forward to that if it comes to it.

Now, keep in mind that I am still shot in the ass from the last round of chemo and hadn't shaken off the fatigue yet. I was actually starting to feel a bit better when the infection hit me. Tuesday after leaving the horsepistol from the follow up, I felt fairly OK. Then around 10:30 PM it hit me! It hit me like an oncoming locomotive! ! ! With absolutely no advance warning that it was coming! It was like you flipped a light switch from feeling normal to literally so sick I couldn't hold my head up. I started shivering, shaking, shuddering and finally colapsed! All within less than 10 minutes time! It took my wife and Rick (N3HIA) to get me to the horsepistol. I was so weak that I couldn't even stand up! 5 days in the hospital on massive doses of antibiotics, both IV and oral. I came home on Sunday May 25th. I am now home on "Home IV Therapy' still on massive doses of both IV and oral antibiotics. I now carry my little Gucci bag with a battery powered pump and bag of IV juice wherever I go. It's a bit of a pain in my ass, but it's sure beats the hell out of being in the hospital. I am supposed to be on this crap until thursday when the home IV nurse will pick up the equpment and remove the PICC line from my arm. One more time, this crap has left me pretty much washed out on top of the remnants of the last chemo.

I will let y'all know the outcome of the new batch of tests when I get them.

"Getting old just ain't for sissies!"

Once again, many, many thanks to all of you for your care and support through these hard times!
I can't say it enough.

Frank 
(sometimes called The slab Bacon)

[Ralph W3GL]

Hey Franky, stick in there, we all are on your side...

[W3RSW]

Amen Brother.

The very best to you and Carol.

[flintstone mop]

Frank I hope you can get some recovery time so that your body can get some strength back. These treatments and constant attacks are really taking its toll. Keep the Faith and I hope you are able to eat food that stays in your system or you can tolerate Ensure.
Ensure and a hamburger with cheese on the meat, no bread, got me through the sick and weak part of my Chemo. It wasn't nice. Flu like sickness and weak near the last three treatments. Felt good after a week; then a week later another treatment.
Glad that you are able to give us some news
Fred

[KC2FXE]

 
 Frank Keep fighting and dont give in

                 God be with you
                           John

[Carl WA1KPD]

Frank,
Good news is that you made it home again. Sorry this cancer has not taken the hint yet and left. But "Rocky", you keep getting back up and giving it another round. Thoughts are with the two of you and you know there are many praying, rooting and cheering you on. 

Carl
/KPD

[Opcom]

I get knocked down but I get up again. You're never gonna keep me down.
I get knocked down but I get up again. You're never gonna keep me down.

[The Slab Bacon]

Hi guys,
            here is the latest update.........

Talked to the Home IV people this morning, they will be coming tomorrow to remove the permanent catheter for the IV antibiotics. Thank God! This thing is getting to become a real P.I.T.A. That and the side effects of the not so liver friendly antibiotics have become very annoying. But thankfully that ends tomorrow and hopefully I can make some vain attempt at getting back to some semblance of normalcy.

Now on to the more important stuff......... I got the results of the last batch of tests with some mixed news. The chest CT scan was OK-fine and the cancer hasn't migrated to my lungs. So I guess that is somewhat good news. (especially after being a smoker for 45 years.....) But they still don't know what has caused my AFP protien level to go up so high. So I'm still waiting to hear fron the team of specialists. (I spoke to their assistant yesterday.) but it looks like another batch of degrading tests are forthcoming......... By the time they get done with me, I'll be injected, inspected, detected, neglected and rejected............

If they can determine that the cancer hasn't spread anywhere outside of my liver, they were planning to treat the last tumor with some new procedure that uses microwave energy to actually cook it in place. They told me that the recovery time is just about nill and it will be done totally as an outpatient. (I'll believe it when I see it!) They want to wait a few months before doing any more TACE treatments to let my body recover a bit.

I'll let everyone know when I know more, but that's the rub so far.

Frank

[KE5YTV]

Sounds positive Frank. Keep up the good fight. You know we're all pulling for you and sending our prayers.

Mike

[KA8WTK]

I'll be injected, inspected, detected, neglected and rejected............

But, speaking for myself, respected. I don't know if I could go through the same thing and still be as positive as you are. You are a wonder Frank.
My best to you and Carol.

Keep up hte good fight.

Bill KA8WTK

[Opcom]

That's amazing Frank. If you're up to it, find out the frequency of the microwave tumor-cooker. mad scientists want to know.

[KB2WIG]

" If they can determine that the cancer hasn't spread anywhere outside of my liver, they were planning to treat the last tumor with some new procedure that uses microwave energy to actually cook it in place "

I guess you'll need fava beans and a nice Chianti.

You'll beat this thing and then we all can have a nice party.


klc