Health Update.

Well we found the source of what is making me sick and caused me to lose close to 90 pounds in about 9 weeks. I was diagnosed with cancer yesterday that is all around my lower stomach and down into the first section of my small intestine. The Food Poisoning diagnosis that started all of this was not wrong and I did have E coli. It just weakened me enough and agitated the cancer enough for the cancer to take off where the E Coli left off. It was very hard to find the cancer because the bloodwork gave all indications that Bacteria was just lingering and continuing to cause problems. It did not show in the CT Scan as something cancerous just inflammation that "Would indicate something infectious" and recommended a exploratory scope and scrape to determine the infectious bacteria causing the irritation. It did not take much scoping for my doctor to see it was not something infectious. About 25% of my stomach is lined with that grey with black spots cancer and about the first foot of my small intestine. The cancer in the intestine has grown to where not much more than a trickle of liquid can get through and nothing at all gets through when it swells the opening into the stomach closed.......... thus causing the intense abdominal cramps and constant puking. Why the CT scan couldn't see it, its not a tumor or solid blockage and the cancer on the CT scan looks like some minor inflammation. It is basically growing flush along the stomach and intestine walls. Can't blame the medics for not finding what they can't see.

From the preliminary phone consultation with a Oncologist/Surgeon that specs in Gut and Intestinal cancer yesterday and him looking at the pictures from the scope and the CT scans. It is a fairly safe bet that I am going to lose around 30% of my Stomach and the first two feet of small intestine and then have a long period of radiation/chemo. Not written in stone and depends of what the full biopsy report that comes back Friday has to say, but the Oncologist is one of the best around and has been doing this a lot of years, so is projection of what is going to be is probably accurate. The estimated down time with no major complications he is saying will be 10-16 months.

So Next Wednesday I get driven 150 miles up to Carle Hospital and their cancer center and have face to face consultation with the Oncologist and we figure out how to proceed. The surgery is pretty much a given and will probably happen the day after the Consultation or the Friday after. (Again this is without the full biopsy report and assuming that this is a very aggressive cancer, which all indications are that it is.) The Good news is that while this is bad and going to take some pain and time to beat down, it is one of the cancers with a high fully cured and survival %. I am guessing simply because so much of the tissue affected can simply be cut out and the stomach restructured and the exhaust pipe modified to fit the new engine configuration

Un treated....... Hey I had to ask My Doctor said if you choose to not have it treated... at your rate of decline we will be reading your obituary in a month or less. Oh and you will die screaming!
Treated there is still a 25% chance that there will be fatal complications. I will take those odds

Since I sharing gross things and some of you enjoy seeing gross things her is one set of the pictures of the cancer and the swelling at the stomach/intestine junction and the swelling at the end of the cancerous area of the intestine with a strip of the cancer between the two ends. Pretty easy to see why I ain't made a turd in 2 months and puke everything That same grey and black crap grows out and around my lower stomach. Bottom right is healthy tissue.

Why share any of this at all? Well maybe someone will learn something from it. It is a great example of a personal SHTF situation. A great example of how everything can be chuggin along great and how fast it can all go to crap And it is also something most people are not going to be prepared for. Since the Sepsis in 2016 medical disasters are something I fortunately put more resources and effort into. While far from being perfectly prepared for this there are a whole lot of things I simply don't have to worry about for the next 24 months. I started a medical savings account that will cover all of the medical co pays expected with this.......... Those co pays can nickel and dime you to death and into debt FAST as I learned with the sepsis. I built a -30 walk in freezer that holds 8,000 pounds of bulk packaged pork, that could whole sale fast at $2 per pound for a fast cash infusion if I got sick again. Arranged the buyer for it yesterday and he insist on paying $3.00 per pound instead of $2.00 (Buyer is also a very good friend and fellow meat broker). I upgraded my insurance to one of those expensive Cadillac plans.... that is not looking so expensive now. There is a world of difference between a $1000 co pay and a $100 Co Pay and $10,000 deducible and a $500 deductible. Obamacare plans to be blunt are not even good to wipe your backside with. 3 winters worth of firewood in one of the barns. 3 years of good food in reserve. All of my legal matters in order to insure all of my personal property easily transfers to my wife should I die.......... If you have ever been divorced without a clear line marking what is your property and what is marital property then you have never really had FUN! A row cropper lined up to lease all of my tillable land at the going cash rent rate, sealed that deal for a 2 year block last night, so every fall I will get a check for hair over $5000 for at least the next 2 years. Between those things and the wifes income we are not going to be living large but will be comfortable. Medical disasters all too often equate to financial disasters, and when you look at the sheer number of people living Negative debt to asset lifestyles there are millions and millions of people waiting for a medical/financial disaster to SHTF their lives.

There really is no way to be mentally prepared to hear "It is Cancer" or whatever debilitating disease or condition it might be. I take things pretty much in stride and hearing that yesterday was like getting curb stomped. Maybe kicked me a little harder because this is the same kind of cancer that killed my Grandpa back in 1989 cancer treatment has came a long way in the last 29 years and what was pretty much a death sentence for Grandpa is very treatable if not pleasant today. But still a strong mental factor to come to terms with. Each person copes and handles things like this differently. Me after the initial shock and figuring.. can't run from it, can't hide from it, and can't avoid hitting it head on....... May as well smile and fight it to the death and if I lose, it can atleast be said that I gave it everything I had.

Anyway I hope there is something here that someone else can gain something from. and I am not totally worthless, I can always serve as a bad example

 

Hang tough, we will be thinking of you.

 

"I hope there is something here that someone else can gain something from."

The 'something' is to get off your a$$ and be prepared as well as one can be. Life gives you good times, bad times and sometimes nightmares. Thanks T5R for writing all this up. It's a perfect example of life throwing you a curve ball and if you are not prepared for it you'll have no chance of hitting it. You are example to us all so hang in there and please let us know how it is going.

 

Praying for you and your family. I was also diagnosed with stomach cancer a couple of years ago. The specialist at UNC Hospital removed the tumor. Trust in the Lord and believe in him. I promise that it will make the whole process easier to deal with.

 

Our prayers are with you. Boss has cancer, 30 years ago 95 % of those with his type died within 2 years, now it is down to 5%. Not good, but better than it used to be and they caught his early enough that his odds are better than average. No gross signs of cancer and he has been in remission for 2 years. Preparing for the worst always helps in life's little or big troubles. Keep us informed and we will be thinking of you.

 

Thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family, T.
I will admit that I scrolled past the photos pretty quickly.

 

Hang in there Brother, it ain't over till the big lady sings, and She ain't even in the building yet!
I know this has been a blow to you, but now you can start fighting it and kicking it's ass! Our prayers to you and family, stay strong and beat this thing!

 

Praying for you and your family.

 

Man ,,that's some tough news to get . Sounds like you've got some good options going for you tho. Prayers are headed your way. Your a smart man to have planned out as best as you can for a situation similar to this , and a pretty tough old bird to still be kicking after what you've already been thru in past few months or so. At least now you know what the problem is , and there's a fix for it , and it's coming soon.
I had a good buddy of mine fall to stomach cancer about a year ago , when he found out , they gave him 6 months , he made it 4 . He was a good friend , he was doing some work on one of my motorsickles for me. I noticed he started missing a few days of work here and there , which was not normal , he said he wasn't feeling all that well ,,,then he made a big jump to finish working on my bike . I think he knew something before he ever went to the doctor. Sorry for my rambling on about this , just remembering and reminiscing about good people.
Our prayers are with you, sounds like you've got a good doctor,,,,,,

 

damn..
Hang tough. Thoughts and prayers.

 

Adopted in 75, state was hesitant due to our age. Adopted two more in 82. In between breast cancer struck.
I am happy to say we saw all 3 Graduate.
So much for the states opinion.
Stick with the good Docs.

 

prayers sent...

 

As many have said in their heads and those who yelled as they fought the battle, F!ck cancer. @Thunder5Ranch you are a fighter with support all around you. Glad your doctors are talking straight-out to you. Sorry you are having to go through this. I wish you strength and success with your operation. Keep us posted and know that you will be in my thoughts & prayers.

It is a good reminder, none of us knows what will happen tomorrow. Always plan for the future.

 

God Bless and Fight the good fight, Praying for a speedy recovery and a complete recovery!

 

I have gotten my ass kicked over the last 10 weeks by an invisible enemy on a ever changing battle field where nothing is constant or made any sense. Now the enemy is has been identified, the battle field is much more static and it is my turn to kick some cancer ass With some reinforcements and modern weaponry LOL

 

This probably means very little, coming from half-way around the rock. But, I mean every word of what I post. If there is anything, and I mean anything at all that I can do for you or yours, please let me know.

 

Holy smokes! Prayers for you and your family. I've never met you @Thunder5Ranch but you have the right kind of mental toughness to beat this so kick it's ass and make it whimper. Thank you for sharing this with us and your OP is very thought provoking. Many of us let lots of details slide and it's time for me to think some things through and run this scenario myself. Your ability to manage this situation medically, financially, legally, etc. is textbook.