On 12/17 I went to Lowe's with my middle daughter. We were picking up wood to build a bench.
I tried to open my 2005 Frontier with my credit card. I went down and got in the passenger side .
My daughter called my wife (retired Cardiac Nurse) she said call ambulance and have them take you to Orlando Health! I had a seizure at the ambulance and again at the Emergency room . That was Saturday.
On Monday they did MRI and found a Tumor (4 glioblastoma) not good. Tuesday 7 1/2 hour operation. The surgeon and the radiologist confirmed they got all of the tumor.
On 1/19/2017 U.F. tumor board will meet and decide best treatment. Some sort of chemo,and radiation.
So on Tuesday the 12/27/2016 I came home with 30 of free pills from the hospital.
Today we had dinner at home with my Two daughters, husbands and four granddaughters.
I will not be able to drive for six months, but I'll be going through chemo and radiation.
Should be interesting.
I'll keep you all apprised. I've never had a pain and I'm not about to give up.
I'm blessed and very lucky to have my wife of ten years.
Regards
towjoe 77.gif
Holy smokes glad you're stable and in good spirits. Not a fun way to spend the holidays. Keep us posted on your condition and hope you continue to get better.
Same as Dan, Holy smokes!
Sounds like it came out of no where.
I am about 90 miles from you, if you need any car related help let me know, I will be happy to shoot up on a weekend and help out, it sounds like you have a wonderful family and great support.
QuoteI tried to open my 2005 Frontier with my credit card. I went down and got in the passenger side .
I read this three times thinking type o then realized you actually tried to open you truck up with a credit card. Then it hit me.
Pleased to read it was operable and out of you. Did the biopsy turn up cancer? I am assuming so since they are going forward with chemo.
Best wishes to you on a speedy recovery. Hang in there towjoe ! It is good that your family is close by and you were still able to get togehter.
My family will keep you in our prayers. Get better quickly.
Wow! I was also thinking that a key would have probably worked better than the credit card, but then I read further and realized that you weren't yourself at the time. Such a shock!
Hyacinth and I also hope that you recover well, and we're really glad to hear that you've got a capable and caring family.
Hopefully the treatment won't be too debilitating and that you'll be ready for Summertime motoring. Stay strong!
Joe, the good news is that you got immediate and good care, here's to a speedy and thorough recovery. See you on the roads in 6 months! 4.gif
I was kind of planning on seeing everyone in March. Not to happen this year.
But will try after 6 months. Hoping to make it to MME in Ohio.
Happy New Year
Regards
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Damn. I'm glad your daughter and wife responded quickly and correctly. Even more glad you're ok and the operation went well. 6 months will go by quickly. Take care of yourself and enjoy your time with family.
Yikes!! Glad your on the path to recovery! Be sure to take it easy and give your body the rest it needs.
Wow. Glad to hear you received good care and are on the mend. I wish you the best and a speedy recovery!
I forgot to tell everyone that my wife is a retired Cardiac nurse. In addition , she was a Case Manager ,handling; oncology, transplants, cardiology and pulmonary, cases for Orlando Health Insurance for.
I am so blessed.
Regards
towjoe 77.gif
It was great to visit with you and Karen today Joe and to see you are doing so well considering what you have been through. If you need any help just call you have my number and best wishes for a speedy recovery.
On the 25th of January I went to the UF Cancer Center.
I was fitted for a helmet to direct the radiation more accurately.
This is for Proton Therapy.
Potential advantages to proton therapy for cancer patients who are candidates for radiation therapy include:
Typically less side effects than conventional radiation treatment
Allows for safer treatment of tumors located close to critical organs and highly sensitive areas, such as the spinal cord, retina, optic nerves, heart, and brain.
Results in decreased risk of radiation-induced cancer as protons deposit less dose to surrounding normal tissue.
A potential treatment option for cancers that cannot be completely removed by surgery
That's pretty much where I am today . I will get my schedule within 10-14 days.
I'll keep you posted.
Regards
towjoe 77.gif
We're pulling for you Joe! Get better soon..... 4.gif
Quote from: MiniDave on January 26, 2017, 03:58:56 PM
We're pulling for you Joe! Get better soon..... 4.gif
Same here, Dave's got it in a nutshell.
The helmet sounds like really a good idea, let's hope it's narrower targeting scope doesn't diminish the full-on carpet-bomb effect of traditional radiation treatment and that you're out and about in short time.
...
So far I feel just great. On Monday I'll start radiation, about 12 minutes a day,5 days a week for 6 weeks.
They are holding up Chemotherapy because I have an infection on my right hip. Once it clears I will start
Chemo.
Regards
Joe 77.gif
Quote from: 94touring on January 26, 2017, 05:38:56 PM
...
Looks like something I would post, I had to double take to make sure it was not me.
Joe, good to see things moving along, bummer about the hip, keep your chin up, easier to hit that way. ;D
Quote from: towjoe on February 14, 2017, 05:55:43 PM
So far I feel just great. On Monday I'll start radiation, about 12 minutes a day,5 days a week for 6 weeks.
They are holding up Chemotherapy because I have an infection on my right hip. Once it clears I will start
Chemo.
Hope your infection clears up quickly!
The infection has cleared up.
I started radiation 3 days ago.
My chemo started on 2/24/2017 and will continue for 42 continuous days.
My radiation will continue 5 days a week for 6 weeks.
After all is done, I'll have MRI to see how I am doing.
This is where I am today.
Regards
Joe
Wishing you all the best as you tackle this.
Thanks everyone.
Regards
Joe 77.gif
Hello Everyone,
Today I will be through 1/2 of my Chemo and Radiation.
I'm still in good health and feel fine. I have lost a little hair where the Radiation pin points the place the Dr has programmed.
I'll keep you posted .
Regards
Semper Fi
Joe 77.gif
Glad to hear your doing well with the treatment. Continued thoughts and prayers for the second half of your battle.
Wait, you are a marine Vet.
First, thank you for your service.
Second, cancer picked the wrong person to mess with, never fuck with a Marine.
Kick its ass!
Good luck to you sir, sounds like you are well on your way.
77.gif
Stay strong!
Thanks guys.
Semper Fi
Regards
Joe
As of this past Tuesday I have 2 weeks left with Radiation. My Chemo will carry on for a few more days past the Radiation.
I still feel good ,a bit more tired. A bit less hair mainly on my left side.
Thats all for now.
Regards
Joe 77.gif
Glad to hear you are doing well.
By the way, having hair on your head is vastly overrated! I should know.
Kick its ass seabass!! You are on the end of it, hope to hear you celebrate you life day when you PET scan comes back clean.
We celebrate it with my friend Kevin and his wife after she kicked cancers ass a few years ago.
I finished my Radiation on Monday & my Chemo will finish on Thursday the 6th of April.
I have lost some hair on my left side of head.
Still feel OK..
Pix 1 : The ringing of the bell , ending my radiation.
Pix 2 : Lost hair
Pix 3 : Family & friends
Pix 4 : My radiation team celebrating with me
Regards
towjoe 77.gif
4 Attachments
Hey Joe, the good news is you're still with us and will be motoring again soon, so keep the faith baby!
Yeah, what Dave said! 4.gif
Hi Everyone,
I'm planning on attending MME in Ohio this year.
Assuming my MRI is ok.
Will let you all know for sure that I am riding up with a friend uf mine.
Regards
towjoe 77.gif
Glad to hear you're doing well and in good spirits.
Congrats Joe!! Excuse my ignorance, what are you holding, I am guessing you wear that and it puts a target where the radiation is to be applied?
Hope you are feeling well sir. Finger crossed for a clear PET scan.... or are they just doing an MRI?
Hi All,
The item I'm holding is called a helmet. It allows the nurses to lock your head down at the correct direction.
Not hard to use at all. I enjoyed all the nurses. The other photo are my best friend, my son and my youngest daughter,and her daughters.
Take care everybody. I hope i'll make it to MME.
Regards
towjoe 77.gif
Hello everyone,
On 4/11/17 I had my MRI.
Today 4/17/17 we got my results. in spite of 6 weeks of brain radiation and oral chemo therapy.
The brain tumor has spread to several areas of my brain. These areas cannot be radiated or surgically resected due to potential damage to brain tissue.
The plan is to go to National Cancer Institute to see if I qualify for any clinical trials.
There are some other options available to me locally also, if it turns out there are no trials that I qualify for.
My doctor feels that the NCI doctors need to see how well I'm doing in person , instead of just sending paper records. Sometimes it would make a difference in
acceptance into a trial.
That is where I am now.
Although we are disappointed , I am staying positive that there are treatments available for me that will slow progression of the cancer.
After my next Doctors appointment in 3 weeks I should have more information.
Regards
Semper Fi
towjoe (Joe) 77.gif
I'm sure that was tough to hear......
I'm hopeful they can help you - best of luck going forward, and let us know what happens, please.
I'm sorry to hear that. I hope there is something they can do to stop the spreading.
Staying positive is the biggest thing. After all, we do drive clown cars for the happy thoughts and smiles we get from others. That must be why it is hard not to smile when driving a mini.
Joe, I'm wishing you all the best with the NCI. Keep on keeping on.
Gutted to read this Joe.
If it is any consolation, I have a good friend in Quebec, his GF (basically wife) has a large brain tumor. They cannot operate on it due to it location and it has caused her a lot of problems. They have reduced its size and are managing it through meds to the point that she functions pretty normal in life. Keep in mind, they have universal health care there, she has to wait months to get treatment and when she finally gets in, they work very fast to turn her out and move to the next patient. My friend has expressed frustration to me over this many times.
I am fairly confident you will get much better care and a comprehensive plan that will result in quality of life from hereon out.
Keep positive you are in my constant thoughts good man.
Sure not the words you wanted to hear Joe. Your positive outlook and the possibility of the NCI doctors taking you as a patient is a big plus. Keep the spirits up and when they see you and how well you have come along so far i am sure you will be accepted.
Good luck Joe, stay positive and strong. 77.gif
There is something I've forgotten to mention. I will be selling my mini. Very soon because I'm unable to drive anymore.
I will be taking photos and post to you guys.
I'll want your opinion on where to sell and what price. I was considering Mini Maina and BAT ,also Malcolm may be able to help.
Anyway , I need to do a few things to get it ready,
If you would like the build and update info, send your email and I'll forward. My email is : towjoe.js@gmail.com
Regards
towjoe 77.gif
How are you holding up Joe?
I'm doing OK . Just finished welding some bracing (24 gauge square tube) for a neighbor. Easy to blow through.
So just waiting to hear from National Cancer institution in DC. They will tell me to come up there for review of
my cancer at this point. The center has info from all over the USA. Hopefully they will come up with something to slowdown
my tumors growth.
I will let everyone know whats going on after I see my Chemo Dr., on 5/11/17.
Regards
Joe 77.gif
Hello All.
I was in the hospital Tuesday through Thursday as I lost all vision in my right eye and they gave me IV steroids to see if it would help. It did not help my right eye, but they are hoping to save the partial vision I have left in my left eye. Thus, My wife, Karen is typing this message. The tumor has grown and is pushing on the optic nerve causing the blindness. I was discharged Thursday evening on oral steroids. Plan is to go to NIH early in June for their medical workup to see if I am a candidate for their Glioblastoma clinical trial. We were there a few weeks ago and it is an impressive place.Day one will be the medical workup, day 2 they will meet with us to let us know if I qualify. If I qualify, I go up once a month for 4 months, then every 2 months. my local neuro oncologist will follow along with me on my treatment. he has been a colleague of the NIH DR for 20 years. Will let you know the outcome later in June.
Regards
Joe
Towjoe Semper Fi
Thanks for the update Joe. Hopefully these setbacks are temporary and can be reversed through treatment.
Think about you often sir, keep up the good fight. We are rootin for ya!!
Thinking about you buddy. Keep on fighting.
Joe, I am thinking of you often and I wish you the best.
oe Schott <towjoe.js@gmail.com>
4:04 PM (4 minutes ago)
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Well, we are back from NIH in Bethesda. Joe had his testing done on Wednesday, and then they had conference about his case on Thursday. Per his neuro oncologist and radiation oncologist who met with us, 20 medical personnel were in on the conference. It was decided that he would not be a good candidate for a clinical trial. they said, the patient always comes first and quality of life. as Joe still feels well, is able to eat and has no pain, why expose him to a larger than standard dose of chemotherapy and an experimental drug they dont even know would work. Also his white count was low and any chemotherapy would lower it even more. they felt that he would do better having a maintenance dose of his previous chemotherapy, and as he only has partial vision left in his left eye, see if a short lower dose of proton therapy might save his eyesight in his left eye. they also noticed a small decrease instrength in his right lower extremity and right arm from last exam.So we are back home, really enjoyed the cooler sunny weather in Maryland. we will follow up with his local doctor next week for further treatment in Orlando, The NIH staff could not have been nice, more professional or more caring. It is quite a place. we will keep you up to date.
Thank you for sharing this update. Joe remains in my thoughts. Wishing him the best.
Thank you for sharing.