Latest messages for CancerCompass discussion http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,31941,0.htm Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ Miami, FloridaThursday, January 08, 2009    2pm Hi to everyone whom I considered a blessing for having this great space to support one another in a difficult path between many of us either patients, loved ones families and friends.My name is Jose Lagos from Miami, Florida , I am a 44 years old Hispanic male born originally in Honduras , Central America.Like many of us its like a 360 degree turn as it all started when I saw a small bump in my right leg thigh last October 2008 I went to my primary doctor whom thought it was hernia and/or lypoma a sort of fat tissue as since February of 2008 due to my overweight back then 274 lbs with a height of 6 feet I enrolled in a nutrition club not diet but its a cellular nutrition called Herbalifeand have lost about 40 pounds in 4 months and just when I was really taking care of myself and felt well no coffee, no smoking, and lots of antioxidents and multivitamin whom would think this would surface but things happened for a reason.I started to get spasms , crabs, and some pain which i automedicated myself with hot tea and eaten bananas it would go away and when they took my temperature I was fine so when things worsen and the bump grew bigger went to an emergency room for 3 days and noone knew what it was to make matters worse.First an xray which showed that it was not affecting my bones, then an ultrasound then an MRI that reflected 2 months activityand then biopsy after Thanksgiving then ortopedic then the news that it seemed lymphoma but a week later meeting with my oncologist he finally diagnosed me last week with merkel a rare cancer with a combination treatment of radiation and quimoterapy.I asked if he needed to conduct surgery to take it outthe tumor and he said NO that with the radiation and treatmentit would and should meltdown.They have done ct scans of bones, pelvis, abdomen , chest, and of soft tissue, to detect any metastasis and last Sunday an MRI of the brain due to seldom headaches and last Tuesday a PET SCAN which the techsaid that there was immense and intense activity in the area as they love sugar as I had nothing to eat before the test in the morning.Also I have been seen by the immunologist for the treatmentand finally next Tuesday I have an appointment with the radiation tech whom will analize my results to start radiation and this is were I would kindly apreciate any feedback of your experiencewith radiation.As far as side effects like for example loss of hair, apetite, what can and recommend based on your personal experienceswhich really would help many of us undergoing this.Has anyone had similar tumor and treatment?I agree that more funding should be allocated for research as there is not many and we should contact our members of Congress.Any thing I can help please let me know.all of you many an inspiration! God bless you all!Jose L--Message edited by CancerCompass staff. For personal protection, personal information removed. Consider private reply. Please review CancerCompass Member Guidelines at http://www.cancercompass.com/common/guidelines.html-- Jose Thu, 08 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT