First Radiation Treatment

I had my first radiation treatment this afternoon. The position they had me in – with my arms straightened out beside my head – was a bit uncomfortable on my shoulders for those 20 minutes but it wasn’t too bad. I’m scheduled for 15 treatments Mondays through Fridays ending January 18 but that’s tentative and could change.

Breathing is an issue. It’s not really difficult, it’s just that I have to expend energy with each breath and it gets tiring. The radiation oncologist told us today that my breathing should get easier in about two weeks and I’m really looking forward to that!

Tomorrow I’ll see another pulmonary oncologist for a second opinion, and on Wednesday I’ll see my current pulmonary oncologist for all the details of the plan he has me on. Joanie and I are considering going to MD Anderson in Houston for yet another opinion, but we haven’t decided for sure about that yet.

I’m overwhelmed at all the social media messages about prayers being offered for Joanie and me! I can’t tell you how much that means to us. They are deeply, deeply appreciated.

Comments

  1. UnknownDecember 29, 2020 at 3:58 PM

    Thanks for the ongoing updates, Ken. What a learning experience this 2020 has provided! Please don't hesitate to let us know if there is absolutely anything you or Joanie would like us to help out with from the mundane to the monumental.

    Jim and Judy

    ReplyDelete
  2. Marilyn LDecember 29, 2020 at 4:20 PM

    Good news that breathing should get easier - hang in there Ken! Sure wish we lived closer so we could help out.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Some of you have requested information about Ken Elder’s service.  It will be held Thursday, July 22, 2021, 11 am at Crossings Community Church (in the Chapel) 14600 N. Portland Avenue Oklahoma City, OK 73134 405-755-2227   For information on the livestream or the recording, go to www.crawfordfuneralservice.com Click on Ken’s Picture or name and it will take you to his tribute page.   LIVESTREAM WILL BEGIN AT 10:45 AM ON JULY 22 ND AND RECORDING WILL BE AVAILABLE AFTER LIVESTREAM ENDS. https://vimeo.com/577245464/816086b4df
Read more

Lung Cancer

It started a few months ago with a chronic cough. Then shortness of breath became an issue. Three months or so ago I could play three hours of pickleball without any problems. A couple months later I’d be breathing hard after just one game. X-rays showed nothing concerning. Then, on Tuesday December 15, 2020 I went into a fairly violent coughing spell and coughed up a lot of blood. We (Joanie and I) went to the ER at the hospital where my pulmonologist works. After doing a CT scan of my lungs the ER doctor told us I have lung cancer. The next day I saw my pulmonologist’s PA. She said the CT scan results were “suspicious” for lung cancer but a biopsy would be required to confirm that. She scheduled me for a lung biopsy the following Monday. She also commented that it is extremely rare for a non-smoker like me to develop lung cancer. The following morning (Thursday December 17, 2020) I coughed up more blood. We knew there is an excellent pulmonary oncology team at the Stephenson Ca...
Read more

Metastatic Lesions in Lumbar Spine

Last Friday, June 18, MRIs were taken of my cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spines hoping they would point to the cause of extreme lower back pain. The expectation was that they would identify a pinched nerve or other nerve or muscle involvement that could be “fixed” simply with pain meds. Last Monday the 21 st I got my last radiation treatment for the lung cancer. At that same time Joanie got her last immunotherapy infusion for her breast cancer. It was a cause for celebration! Yesterday the 23 rd I got a phone call from my radiation oncologist’s nurse informing me that the MRI results show that the cancer has spread to my lumbar spine. The lower back pain I’ve been experiencing has been caused by those metastatic bone cancer lesions. Not much to celebrate there. This morning we met with my oncologist to discuss those results and develop a new treatment plan. That plan includes the following: Begin radiation treatments to my lumbar spine ASAP and increase the dosage of Fentan...
Read more