Merkel and Me

Friday June 6, 2025     Another week, a day late, sorry. It's been a busy week.  On the merkel front, I had my 3-month follow-up with Dr. Tran, my surgical oncologist. It wasn't what I thought it was going to be.  My impression was that these three-month check-ups would be blood tests and scans, but this was just a Q and A visit. Dr. Tran doesn't want to do any scans until the area is completely healed from the radiation, and I just had the important blood test at the end of April so that won't happen again until the end of July. We did learn that my score on the blood test was "0" which was great news.  That means that two months after the surgery there was no trace of cancer cells in my body.  That test will determine much of what happens to me in the months and years to follow.  Getting "0's" should mean that I'm cancer free.  If the number goes up, more testing and checking will follow.      Overall, she was happy with my progre...

Thursday May 29, 2025 20 days post radiation treatments.      My recovery from the radiation process is finally starting to turn a corner toward the positive.  The area is less painful, and the "burnt" skin is beginning to peel away. There is a healthy itch to the affected spots, and I'm not as fidgety when I sit for longer periods of time. I'm hopeful that by the time we head on our next road trip in a week or so, I will be as close to normal as I can be.       As I've already shared, I see the surgical oncologist next Tuesday. I hope she will agree that everything is healing great. Still not sure what kind of tests, scans, or blood work will be done to check on the cancer. I know there will be many prayers that everything comes back negative and I am continuing to be cancer free.     Deuteronomy 7:9          Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love wit...

Thursday May 22, 2025     Should I start a new countdown (or count up). 13 days past my last radiation treatment.     It wasn't my intention to skip last Thursday, but Cathy and I were in Texas, and I didn't take my computer. Our nephew was graduating from SMU, and we had decided last year that we wanted to go, and we were going to make a vacation out of it. We planned a little "tour de Texas" before arriving in Dallas for the graduation. It was also originally part of our "checking out places to move to" scouting expeditions in case we ever decided we wanted to leave California. With my cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatments, we won't be leaving California anytime soon.  I don't want to start this all over with new doctors.       When we realized I would be finishing radiation on Friday and we were leaving on Sunday, Cathy and I had discussed pushing the trip off for a week, going to Dallas first and then working our way through Waco and...

 Thursday May 8, 2025 24 down, 1 to go.     Today was my penultimate radiation treatment. Tomorrow I am done. The journey isn't over though as I've shared before.  There will be at least 1-2 more years of every 3-month checkups, tests, and scans.      I'm finally starting to feel the effects of the radiation this week. The skin is puckering and blistering in certain areas, it feels tight, and I feel more soreness when I'm sitting down, especially on things that are not well-padded. Otherwise, I'm still doing great.  I saw the radiation oncologist yesterday and while noting the affected areas of skin, he is still very happy with my progress and overall situation. This is the last time I'll see him until my three-month check-up.     I have come to appreciate my doctors, their staffs, and technicians through this process.  Not just for how nice and kind they are and how well they are do their jobs, I've also come to appreciate the time...

 Thursday May 1, 2025 19 down, 6 to go.  Romans 5:3-5     More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.      Things are still going well but I'm starting to feel the effects of almost 3 weeks of radiation treatments on my tush.  It can be uncomfortable sitting on harder surfaces, or for long periods of times. My stomach was bothering me today.  Not sure if that's from the radiation or from something I ate.  We'll see how I feel tomorrow. Trying not to get overly concerned over anything that is a little out of the ordinary. I have a spot on my lefthand little finger.  It was originally a blister burn but is now more scab like.  If it isn't healed by Monday, I'll make a dermatology appointmen...

 Thursday April 24, 2025     14 down, 11 to go.       Not too much to share today. I saw Dr. Harris yesterday, the radiology oncologist, and he seemed pleased with my progress.  He also seemed a little surprised that I wasn't experiencing any of the most common side effects.  I'm a little tired, but still active every day. I've had no nausea or other stomach issues, and the skin of the affected area is still in good condition.       The treatments are going quicker these days as the technicians and I have the routine down pat. It barely takes us more than a couple of minutes to get me set up on the table and lined up correctly.  They start the process which consists of various adjustments of the table and the machine.  I hear the buzz of the first dose which last about 45-50 seconds.  The machine moves and readjusts before giving me the second dose of about 35-40 seconds. Hop off the table and out the door I...

 Tuesday April 22, 2025     12 days down, 13 to go, so that means, after tomorrow I will be over halfway finished with my radiation treatments. Still no issues at the surgical site.  It's a little warm, but no redness, no dryness or cracking. I see Dr. Harris tomorrow, hopefully he will concur that everything looks good.  Everyone always asks how I'm feeling.  I'm never totally sure if they are asking about my physical state or my mental state. Physically, I'm fine. I get a little more tired during the day than usual, but no pain or discomfort. I'm still able to get my 10,000 steps in. Mentally I'm fine, too. I have full trust and confidence in my doctors, the treatment plan, and that God is in full control.      Psalm 73:26         My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.      Speaking of my doctors, I heard from Dr. Tran tonight.  Cathy and I both app...