CancerCompass message board discussion started by Oaklanders on 5/5/2008 http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,23758,0.htm Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ I have been an observer of this sie for almost a year now. Personally, the many messages of hope and support shown here have helped me in so many ways. Thank you to all of you for that - even though you were unaware of me. Briefly, my partner of 27 years was diagnosed with stomach cancer in March 2007 at 55 years of age. We went through the usual protocol of gastrectomy, 3 cycles of chemotherapy and a five week chemo/radation treatment cycle. Thankfully and gratefully, he is in remission at this time and the first year survelance testing was negative. He is back to work. These days he is still experiencing a great deal of nausea and fatigue, but making the most of every day and opportunity. We are most grateful to be in this position. During this last year there have been moments of great fear and sadness for me, the partner. One of the resources I have relied on is to follow a cancer blog on the National Public Radio (NPR) website entitled My Cancer by a journalist named Leroy Sievers. Mr Sievers writes a small journal entry every weekday and posts it on the NPR website. This past week (Tuesday, 4/29) he posted a message Finish this Sentence: My Cancer. Rather than the usual 90-100 some replies from the visitors to the blog, that day 363 people commented on this message. It was most powerful. Here is the website address if any of you might be interested in seeing those entries: http://www.npr.org/blogs/mycancer/. This message from me might really belong on the general tab of this message board, but I feel more affinity to those of us here who are struggling with the same nasty beast - stomach cancer. I offer this to you as someone who is grateful that this message board exists. I promise to be more active, and less longwinded (?), in the future and not just an observer anymore.Paul Oaklanders Mon, 05 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing this site with us.  I just went on and spent about 25 minutes browsing through.  What a great site with lots of personal insight as to how someone with cancer feels.  As the caregiver I can go on and on about what I feel and how I deal with things, but the actual patient feels differently.  I believe this site will help me better understand my husband.p/s  My husband had a CT scan done last week and it came back CLEAR.  I'm so excited.  I know that it's a long road ahead, but at least for now after 12 rounds of chemo he doesn't have any signs of cancer. cal1519 Mon, 05 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT Dearest Paul,I am so thrilled to see you have posted something new. It appears Michael is doing well. Was concerned when I hadn't heard from you since early in the year. What a blessing that you both are still doing well.Rick is still doing well, 15 months along. We did just change chemo drugs and found out today that we will be adding Avastin tomorrow. Aetna denied this drug as it is not yet  FDA approved for gastric cancer (and I can't blame them really, not at 15-20 grand a treatment), so the manufacturer, Genentech, has approved his joining their foundation to replace the drug. What a blessing. The clinical trials at least for colorectal cancer demostrated a 5 month extension of life with Avastin added to a chemo regimen. We are hoping for at least that much, lol.He is still feeling well, and spending lots of time in the gardens. Our new regimen has definately curtailed our travel every three weeks though. New treatment is every other week, along with a 5FU pump for the first 48 hours after an infusion. Tomorrow is our second treatment on the new regimen (19th chemo treatment in total), and we are hoping to at least squeeze in short trips, but we'll see.  Even if we can't ever go again, we were SO BLESSED to go for so long, so no regrets here.Hope you both continue to stay well, and holler if you need an ear......  Cheers,  Scott Eliot1 Mon, 05 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT Thanks for the messages, Cal and Scott. It's great to hear that both of you are keeping your spirits up in the middle of this battle we are all waging. Michael and I just taking things day by day. Some days are better than others, but having one more day together is a gift we always treasure. Scott, I'm sorry you guys can't travel as much these days but it is good news that your partner is in a new protocol that may prove beneficial. Let me return the offer to you to be in touch anytime and let me know if there is anything I can do to support you guys.Peace to all. Paul Oaklanders Tue, 06 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT