Saba Beats Cancer

Always glad to be home. Such a great feeling to get out.  Blood work came back good - it just always takes three days so we know that and can work with that. First time I had actual mouth sores - not horrible - but a few and a lot of dry mouth this time which I did not have last time. Nausea on day 2 just like the last two times but did OK with it.  All in all not a horrific experience and doing the rinse to get rid of the sores at home. I did get another spinal yesterday and manage to hold off napping until it was over. So that actually worked out well. Back on the zarxio because my counts always go real low right now - so not going anywhere in public.  Need to stay healthy so I can go in for chemo 4 on Monday. So the battle continues - get my strength back and get ready to rumble on Monday

The previous two MTX I was pretty nauseous day 2 and 3.  Had a little nausea yesterday but woke up starving this morning.  Rare in the hospital.  Had a waffle and some eggs. But they are doing it different this time with a diuretic. I don't think I had one the last time and believe me and old fart taking diuretic mean a lot of peeing.  So maybe the stuff is flowing better this time.  I did 3 miles yesterday along with the sumo band and spaced it out so I walked three different times. Still not planning on getting out til Tuesday but I will just take the fact that I feel really good today.  My blood work was a little down yesterday but finally creeping back up. So just killing time in the hospital today and tomorrow.  But will be really glad if that was the worst of MTX as I go through the final two times.

Lee and I get a kick out of this.  It happens a lot. People come in the room and look at the empty bed and ask "where's the patient".  When I am sitting on the couch.  It happened when I checked in yesterday.  I got my stuff unpacked and sat on the couch and started reading, set up the computer, got the crosswords out and my water glass (they give you tiny cups that don't work for me) and the nurse came in and looked around and started to look in the bathroom for the patient. It happened on my walk this morning.  Y'all know I have just a bit of an ego and like to know I am tops at the fighting cancer thing.  And I never see anyone else walking the halls with their fuckers.  I just figured they are walking somewhere else. But I went up the elevator with a doc and she said she has worked here close to 20 years and never had a patient take their IV stand and go walk the halls to get a work out in. Not once. I get a lot of "god bless and keep going" in t

So the spine has been clear of cancer cells so why I am still doing brain chemo?  Because the lesion that was hurting my vision in back of the head is just not quite healed yet.  The MRI shows just a tiny blemish left. So in the eyes of the doc, there still could be a cancer cell hiding in there. We aren't gonna blast it with radiation or biopsy it because that is too risky - so we pound it with MTX. So why risk it getting brain cancer? We aren't.  We go forward. What I needed the most was a full plan which is what we can up with yesterday.  I hated the not knowing week to week what we are doing. Now I know what we are doing from now to the end. Nothing I like more than the plan So if you had brain cancer - you would do the MTX regimen that I am doing. And only that. And if you had lymphoma, you would do the R-EPOCH regimen that I am doing and only that.  Because of that slight chance of brain cancer - we are doing both. Luckily my body is handling it though it is defin

No change to the plan. Hoped for a little reprieve but it all comes down to the brain things - Dr. Fowler wants full tilt against that. My blood work was great - no issues, no platelets or blood transfusions needed.  Just full speed ahead. So we are at the half way point and will continue to forward.  I am handling all the treatments great so why slack off I guess.  Sigh. I am basically doing the two chemos at once - so back in for brain chemo tomorrow for the three day cycle until the MTX is out of my system. Here are the current dates as they stand right now - Going in the hospital for brain chemo (MTX) #3 tomorrow through Monday more than likely.  Chemo #4 May 6-11 MTX #4 May 17-20 More scans this week to make sure all on track Chemo #5 May 27-June 1 MTX #5 June 7-10 - LAST ONE Chemo #6 June 17-22  Ring the bell Things could get delayed based on blood work. It may get rougher at 5 and 6 - but we will see.  My blood work was awesome this week and I respond rea

I guess you do settle into a groove. It seemed that things were so much more hectic before that I had now  time to breathe and catch up. Now it seems like things are moving very slowly. A snails pace which is not overly bad. At least I get some time at home. And I am working at home. The blood cells are still down so I don't want to pick up an infection at work and have a set back. Not really worth it since I can do everything by phone and email. The nurse yesterday did dash my hopes for early release saying they just do the six chemos no matter what. Seems a little counter intuitive to MD Anderson's claim that every treatment is customized but since.  But when Cancer, like Apollo Creed says - "Ain't gonna be no rematch" - I will take the Rocky approach - "Don't want one". So we are half way there. Two months in and getting some of the other fun side affects like tinnuitis (everything sounds really harsh), a little neurpathy (tingling in the fi

Early and quick morning. No spinal which was great and I don't have to go back to the hospital until Thursday for blood work and meeting with doctor. I am on the schedule for brain chemo #3 - apparently they like to do 4 of those.  So I will go in Friday through Monday. Then back in for chemo #4 the following Monday. But this week seems a little easier than past weeks. No nausea, still very tired and my immune system is way down - but it is a nice break from past weeks. I guess we are in the groove towards the cure - and will take it.  Not much to report. Nothing funny happened. Just waiting on Thursday. On the plus side we had our first guests at our Vrbo and it all worked like a champ. Lee did a ton of work which resulted in a 5 star review for the property. We are booked pretty solid in June but no so much in May.  Just glad to get that going. So cool to see.

Just blah -not bad, not great but I will be out of here this morning.  I feel like such a whiner sometimes because I really am so ready to be out. Then I talk with a stem cell recipient supporter - they have been here two and a half weeks going through hell.  I have not right to complain at all. But I am ready to go. So final bags will get down around 2 then we have the final final bag for one hour and we are out of here!  Got a ton of sleep last night. That seems to be the trend - not enough sleep, nausea, then I finally just sleep like a rock for 11 hours (with the usual wake ups).  Then feel better.  Got my walk in and a Starbucks and some food finally.  Lost a little more weight. Still have a spinal scheduled for Monday but I don't think my blood will handle that. We have our next appt with Dr. Fowler to hear where we are set for Thursday.  Will be nice to do some high fives with him on the remission since he got us here. Did some work this morning - and now we just wai

Final 24 hours of chemo #3. Not too bad - some nausea but the worse part was the nausea med making me jittery so not much sleep last night. But no nausea. Oh well.  Tomorrow I am out! Just have to get through the next 24 hours which should not  be too bad.  Still up and walking and outside a little to get fresh air. Got a gift basket from Bill through Tiffany who is a pharmacist here - allowed me to create a festive fucker for the holiday. So I got that going for me. I forgot that I put them up there and was doing my walk and everyone kept smiling at me and nodding and I figured they were just extra friendly today - but it was the ears. Kind of Harvey like. A part of this is - the fucker is noisy 24 X 7. The flow of the meds clicks through and it can be rather annoying. When the nurses were doing my spinal on Monday and they closed the door and were draining the spinal fluid it is really quiet and the one nurse says: "wow - never realized they did that - that must be annoy

Great list - have people asked me about this and want to make sure you know what to look for. MD Anderson put this list of 10 signs you have cancer . I caught mine early - and we acted incredibly fast. Otherwise I am not in remission and I may not make it. It's that bad.  So please don't ignore the symptoms. And stay in shape so you can be ready to fight. I see so much that is horrible here - I am surely the 1% with how fast my body reacted and how we are taking the cancer treatment. I don't want any of you to have to go through any of this. Cancer symptoms Mass/lump : If you see or feel a new lump or mass that’s been there for a few weeks or is growing, get it checked out. Many lumps are not cancer and your doctor may be able to tell you right away. Sometimes,  more  testing  is needed. Maybe an ultrasound, CT scan or MRI. Unexplained weight loss : Most adults do not lose weight without effort, so if you are losing weight without going on a diet or exercise prog

Apparently Lee and I have a reputation for knowing how to celebrate.  We got a lot of texts and calls about how we should celebrate all this great news! Most involved drinking emogis. My boss even sent an amazing bottle of champagne. And we certainly had a lot to celebrate with the news about remission. However -I am still in the middle of chemo and certainly don't feel up to it.  Staying alcohol free and mostly sugar free until all this crap is out of my system. Alcohol can still affect all the millions of chemical interactions with the chemo and I can tell you I see a beer or glass of wine or people drinking a single malt on a movie and it looks so tempting.  But my taste buds are way off and I have heard that some people no longer like the taste of things the used to like. Too big a risk. So the celebrations wait until we are done with chemo. If it is 6 sessions, that means we complete in  June with this stuff out of my system in July. And that bottle of champagne will be

The food here is not good at all. So yesterday I used Uber Eats from my room for the first time to get Chinese delivered and it was magical compared to the normal dinners here.  Had plenty of left-overs for tonight and we do have a patient fridge so all is much better.  Got my fortune below Doing little things well is a step towards doing big things better Interesting - I guess getting the chemo done s the little thing towards being cured. Reached out another double hit guy who is on chemo 5 and he just went into remission. He is on the board of the Lymphoma Research Foundation and says docs probably will not shorten treatment if at all.  Double hit is so bad that if it comes back, it is tough to beat a second time. So they want to make sure it is really gone. Oh well - this is still the halfway point if it is full treatment and I will be done in June, recovered in July. When I walk every day, there are not many places I can go - so I walk the halls and there are some inspir

Right before all this mess started, our company, Texas Teachers, sent a text blast to all our potential teachers we had in our data base urging them to get ready to teach, that schools needed them now.  We got the most random reply from someone in Texas -"Not today ISIS!!" It cracked me up on both levels - either the guy was serious or he wasn't. Either way, for a few weeks any time Lee asked if I wanted to do something, I replied, Not today ISIS. So getting attached to the fucker and all the drugs for Chemo #3 even though I am remission reminds me of that phrase. We can't let cancer get started again so as they turn on the annoying pumps and harsh drugs, I say - "Not today Cancer". So what's it like coming to the hospital Dave? Is it a model of efficiency that adheres to the tenets of getting lots of great nutrition, exercise and sleep. No - not at all. We got orders to the hospital at 4:00 and run down to try and get a room. We are told there w

So the blood work was good today -really good. I am waiting to check in. Always takes a while to get a room here. While I was waiting for my doctor's appointment - they brought me back to ask if I wanted to participate in a clinical trial where they look for biological markers to determine if you have lymphoma after remission. So basically they are going to take extra blood each time I get blood drawn so they can test for these markers. Obviously they need something better then a full blown PET scan every time.  So - they really need to determine if there is a blood test for cancer. Would be pretty cool to help them do that so heck yes you can take more blood - I got plenty. So on to our normal Chemo #3 today - starting the halfway point!  5 days of chemo - R-EPOCH - starting with the Rituxan tonight. Feels a lot better hitting the chemo knowing we have made so much progress. We don't come back for an appointment with our normal doc until the 25th - then we will hear if

Another great day. As we know the Zarxio gets my blood cells going the right way but really made my bones ache.  Apparently the fix for this is Zyrtec which is working very well. So we got a reprieve from the hospital, it is a gorgeous day and I feel pretty damn good. Did some dog walking, had a great breakfast and lunch because I am starving again and then some work in the yard followed by watching the Masters when I got a little too tired. An amazing day. Psyched to go in the hospital for chemo #3 now that I know what we are doing and that we are shooting for cured.  I did more research and all I come away with is that having Stage 4, double hit non-hodkin lymphoma is REALLY bad.  So the fact that we are where we are is even more amazing to me. So - a great day.  Good to spend it with Lee being normal.  And on to more ass kicking tomorrow!  And I am ready.

On top of the great news on Friday, we also got the news that my blood count was too low for chemo.  So we got some Zarxio and go inject the stomach all weekend and try again on Monday. I must admit that after the great news and feeling pretty good that a weekend off of no hospital was exactly what I wanted. So we stay at home and give it another go on Monday - will be the 6 days in the hospital for chemo #3!  I think we need to push for no more mid-course methotrexate since there are no brain issues and it keeps pushing back the standard chemo. I did look up what it means to go in remission early - and I am sure my 15 minutes of googling will be invaluable to my doctor who is an expert in his field, has med school and 15 years experience - but it does say that chemo usually goes 2 sessions past remission to make sure you clean up the cells. So I am hoping for a shorter sentence.  But at this point I don't care. Also, interesting that a high school classmate who is a minist

Not even kidding.  Below are the scans. The one on the left is me riddled with cancer in February -the one on the right is  me today in comp lete remission. This doesn't mean I am cured - it just means that after two cycles of treatment we saw " a diminution of the seriousness or intensity of disease or pain; a temporary recovery."   So now we go for the cure. Note - there is nothing going on in the brain (joke intended), nothing going on in the spine and nothing going on in the lymph nodes.  Yes, we have no cancer.  Even the doc was a little surprised at how well my body responded to the treatment.  For all those who worked so hard to keep my spirits up - it worked. To the prayer warriors around the country who kept lifting us up in your prayers - it worked.  Team Saba has a huge victory today and we thank you all.  We are still going in for Chemo #3 but it got delayed since my body has not fully recovered from all the other crap that has been pumped into it. B

Getting scans today. Got the MRI yesterday. Blood work this morning. PET scan this PM - will post when I get them. Best case - really knocked the cancer out - worst case which I hear every day is it popped up somewhere else. So think good thoughts all my amazing supporter - I will post immediately after.

Can you think of anything more fun than that?!?!  The post-spinal blah plus dealing with insurance claims. We have the stuff pretty well organization and Blue Cross is doing an amazing job so actually it really wasn't that bad. They claimed the denied to claims but it turns out that our MDA team already had given them when what they need and they paid all the claims. So we are still good. Pretty scary as one was the initial PET scan and one was a day in the hospital. So not too cheap. So - that was not near as painful as I thought. So I am feeling good on that side.  Took a nausea pill - but that was actually for the spinal so that helped. Just chilling. Doing a little work. Getting organized on the billing and moving things forward.

So I am not out. They decided to slip in a spinal while I am here and kill a few more cells. I am not opposed but my doc and I are going to have words about setting expectations -just let me know the plan so I am ready for the plan. Dammit. Now I am waiting for someone to do the spinal. Just sitting here. Waiting. Always. Interesting side note is that the uric acid went high week during blood tests. Either I have contracted gout from eating all this rich amazing food here in the hospital (not) or as the google says - "When  chemotherapy  medicines start to kill the  cancer  cells, uric acid is released from these cells which can crystallise causing damage to the kidneys ." I had a little spike the last time as well. So if the cancer cells are a dying - I am happy. Just one more pill to take for the next few days.   Sort of.  The waiting shit is getting old.  Just a little organization and I could be out of here right now. ARGH.  And a spinal too - will be out of it

Well sort - of - my MTX level is 0.07 which is of course below the 0.1 level so I can get out of here. It's all down to the paperwork now.  Just have to wait for them to find a doctor to write a discharge note and then they have to give me my self-care directions. But I am packed and ready to go. Lee is here and we just play the waiting game - which is always kind of funny because they need the beds so bad you think they would have a team of pushers getting us out the door. Looking at the timeline - going sumo definitely helped.  We are out of here a little faster so I will take it. Never going to get the 48 hour turn around it seems but at least we did better on the drugs this time. So a few days off. The good thing is they can look at my blood work on this fine Monday which my docs like. And the blood is looking mighty fine right now. So this starts the big week: MRI is Wednesday - looking at the skull - is it healing?  PET scan -the biggy - Thursday morning Doc revi

Last time we had the brain chemo, we were waiting for the MTX number to get under 0.1 and hit 0.15 and thought we would be out that afternoon and were devastated when the test came back and I was only 0.12 and had to stay the night. Even had the suitcase packed and sitting by the door ready to go home.  Not a happy camper at all. But this time with the sumo mantra by my side, my first number was 0.75 - consulting the log, my first number last time was a whopping 1.5. (so that's half for the math challenged). BUT I ain't packing no suitcase to jinx it today. I get another test at 2:00 PM and we will see if maybe the new routine shortens the visit. So I pushed the walk today - walked faster and longer, did another round with the sumo band and sit-ups which is a lot more of a work out then I did before.  This will be the test. The workout makes me drink more as well which of course makes for many trips to pee in my tiny receptacles so they can measure my input and output.  Alw

Ok - maybe not yet. But a pretty big gap in my treatment plan was the loss of muscle tone.  I have lost 25 pounds and was walking and thinking I was a rock star.  But luckily my nephew's wife is a PTA and they sent a Sumo exercise band for me to use. They are stationed in Japan (thank you for your service Sean). I think the sumo connection got me to rip it out of the box and start using it immediately and thinking I was an idiot for not using it sooner. So now I do band exercises in the morning after the walk with my sit-up and stretching routine. I am sumo dammit. And that has to help get the Methotrexate out right? I mean more heart beats gotta help! They got me a kimono and I might have to sport that on a walk occasionally to let them know who really is sumo in this place.  I am sure we could do a fundraiser for Lymphoma research on that video. This also points out how this large team of supporters is making this so much easier to win.  I also got two amazing notes this we

In the big chemical mixing pot that is my body right now - it's always something - this time it's the pH.  I got checked in after waiting the required 3 hours in the lobby and got settled in the room.  Started on the fluids IV but the orders for the mid-course chemo were for April 5th which means they can't start until midnight.  And by God they will start at midnight which means no sleep. Sure enough, take the prep drugs for the Rituxan at midnight and about 2:00 am the pharmacy gets the Rituxan ready and they plug me in.  Remember with Rituxan they have to do vitals every 15 minutes for the first hour and 30 minutes for the second hour and it is a 2 hour bag.  Party on!! It was one of those times when Navy sleep training really kicked in.  I was so tired I was able to get an OK sleep in between all the wake ups. Since they are pumping fluids in me, I also have to pee a lot and they are testing the pee because I have to be at a pH over 7 in order to get Methotrexate

All is set -blood work is great. Even more important, the last spinal tap was clear of cancer.  Let's say that again -my spine is clear of cancer cells.  Yes! So back to the waiting area to wait for a room. Once again, the hospital is full but my doc gets me in.  Checked in right before shift change so it will be a while before the get the Rituxan and Methotrexate double combo. Then the race is on - as our readers recall, I get stuck for an extra day last time but this time we want to get out on Sunday. Would be awesome. Also know we can handle the ABH for nausea and since the nausea was so bad last time - we are going to be on it this time. So here I sit. Waiting for the chemo to begin -MTX #2 - let's get it done and get this cancer OUT! On a side note, Pete and Chris are heading home after helping out immensely. Lee said she got to Dallas and was able to relax - all the stress just melted away. Best anniversary present anyone could give us. She was refreshed and ready

It's our anniversary - 32 years - and we never really worried about that whole sickness and in health vows until this year.  Definitely has significant meaning today.  Couldn't do this without Lee. Will add to this post later - mainly should be admitted tonight for MTX run. Hopefully get it out of my system a day earlier.  Will see what the blood work and Doc appt holds. More to come.....

Maybe I did too much or maybe it's just some of the other stuff kicking in - but tired today so I listened to my body and stayed home and worked.  And then rested.  Want to be ready since I have blood work and probably will be in the hospital tomorrow for mid course MTX round. Read more on Rituxan - very interesting drug.  Since they give that to me at the regular chemo and the mid course I figured I should know more. So it basically attaches itself to the cancer cells and pre-cancer cells as a big sign to my immune system saying kill me. So it is really helping all those cells kill more cancer cells. Nice. It helps to know this crap is killing IT more than annoying me. So not a bad day - some good friends helping out with the house so that it doesn't fall down around us.  Always a plus. On to blood work, doctor visit and another mid course round tomorrow!!

And the award for the best spinal goes to that guy yesterday! Everything was ready when I got there after work. I took the ABH this time (had some serious nausea after last one), I drank  A LOT so there would be plenty of fluid. He got up in there and delivered. Lots of good flow. Jammed that MTX in there to fight the evil central nervous system cancer and got out.  Rested 15 minutes and went home.  And ate like a pig - Lee made Italian wedding soup which seemed perfect.  Then up and back at work today. So that worked extremely well! Treatment then work - that is outstanding.  And Lee is getting a quick break this week to do some wedding stuff with Christine. She is heading to Dallas today and we have a couple of great friends here to watch out for me. We thought I would have been in the hospital for mid course - but they are going to help with a lot of the work around the house we have not been able to get to during the fight.  A great week so far!! Rejoice!! 

Interesting conversations this weekend with various family. There are times when I feel so close to normal and we are doing normal, non-chemo things that you actually almost forget that we are in the middle of the battle.  Then I look in the mirror and it is really clear that I am not that normal. Even Christine said this weekend - that I sound normal and we talk about everything but cancer and it seems like it did in December. And then someone asks and she is like - oh yeah - we are doing that cancer thing. But it is so cool to be normal and I am having more normal time this treatment so that is a good thing. But there are those not so gentle reminders. Some new odd things - I have no more hair in my nostrils. But you begin to understand their function as my nose just randomly drips down my face.  My eyebrows have thinned considerable and will probably not exist soon. More random - I did not have a great sense of smell before and now it is very acute. That is not really all th