It's March and Jim's 8th annual checkup is approaching in April.  So far it's been all clean scans and we are hoping for another.  At the last checkup in 2012, Dr Sardi mentioned that after Jim's 10th all clear he does not need to return.  Oh my...  That is amazing and scary at the same time. 

An Article on "Benefits of Fitness and Eating Healthy" by David Haas

Exercise benefits for cancer patients

There is overwhelming evidence to support the benefits that exercise provides for good health. Recent studies have now shown how positive exercise is for people who are diagnosed with cancer, going through chemo and radiation treatments as well as those who are in remission. It has been recommended that exercise be a standard part of cancer care both during treatment and after recovery. Experts suggest cancer patients and survivors should spend 150 minutes of exercise per week.

Many people slow down after they have been diagnosed with cancer. Depression and anxiety are very real battles that cancer patients face. Even if they physically feel okay, their mental state can put a serious stall on being active. Even healthy people who are forced to spend long periods of time being inactive develop depression. One of the best cures for depression is in fact exercise. Being active increases body temperature for a calming effect and releases good feeling endorphins that lift moods and energy. It eases anxiety and helps take your mind off your worries. Exercise also reduces chemicals in the immune system that can contribute to depression.

Hormonal changes in the body and medication from chemo treatments often cause unwanted weight gain. Studies of different classifications of cancers show that being overweight after completing treatment showed a higher rate of recurrence and shortened the survival time of patients. A good exercise schedule, along with a healthy diet is a way to counteract weight gain and prevent the risks of carrying unwanted pounds. Aside from losing weight from exercise, it also aids in building important muscle mass.

Strength training is very important to cancer patients. Chemotherapy has been shown to cause women to lose as much bone density in a year as the average woman loses in a decade. Weight bearing exercises like weight lifting and walking help maintain a persons bone density.

Exercise has also been shown to reduce nausea, which is a common complaint of patients going through chemo. Experts believe that physical activity helps nausea by redistributing blood flow away from the abdomen and toward the legs. Others who have studied exercise and it’s effect on nausea think that it could be as simple as exercise takes the mind off the focus on the nausea and puts in on something else.

Walking, golfing, and biking are all effective ways to get the proper amount of exercise. Even yoga, especially for mesothelioma treatment has proven to provide better function as well as increased survival rates. The activity doesn’t have to be strenuous. The most important thing is finding exercise that is enjoyable and safe, depending on the treatments received and the overall condition of the patient.

Six years later....

Hello.

Jim is approaching his 6 yr mark.  He has been cancer-free since the MOAS (cytoreductive surgery and heated chemo) in 2005.  He has not had any reoccurances. 

Since then we got married in Oct 2006.  Through the use of invitrofertilization (Jim had issues we don't know if it was related to the MOAS or genetic) we now have a 2yr old son and I am currently 15 wks pregnant with a second son.

Please feel free to leave comments here, check out the Yahoo PMPbellybutton site, or on Facebook join the PMP Appendix Cancer Support Group. 

One and a half year mark

Hello.

We met with Dr Sardi yesterday for Jim's 1.5yr checkup. Jim is still cancer-free! : )

Big sigh of relief.

Jim's next appointment is March 21, 2007.

He still has the blood clot, but it is smaller. So he stays on the coumadin for now. And Dr Sardi said the port might be able to be removed after the March appt. We'll see.

In addition to that good news, things are full steam ahead for our wedding on Oct 14th.

So things are looking better and better. Hopefully that will continue.

More Good News

Hello.

Jim met with Dr Gordon (oncologist) last week. He's scheduled for a CT scan in September and if the results are good then his port can come out and he should be able to stop taking the coumadin. What wonderful news.

Also, Jim and I have set a date for our wedding, Oct 14, 2006. So, Jim has decided that if his port can come out, he'll have it done after the honeymoon (in Hawaii) so he can go swimming and not worry about an infection occurring while he's out of town.

So all good news so far. Next Dr Sardi appointment is in September.

Great News

Hi.

Jim and I met with Dr Sardi yesterday for his one year after MOAS checkup. And Jim L has NO cancer, his CT scans are clear. Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Only concern is the blood clot seen in the CT scan, so Jim is being placed on a low dosage of coumadin. He will see Dr Gordon (oncologist) to see if he needs a higher dose. And he will have another CT scan in 3 months to check on the blood clot and the effectiveness of the drug.

After everything we've been through, we can handle a small blood clot....

So Jim will get on coumadin today, meet with Dr Gordon soon, have his port flushed in April, get a CT scan in late June/early July, and meet with Dr Sardi again in six months (late Sept).

Life is finally getting back on track and moving forward...

Meeting with Oncologist

Hello.

Everything went well today. Jim and I met with Dr Gordon (Jim's Oncologist in Harrisburg). The CT scans were clear of cancer. There was one spot near where the spleen was that was a mass, the doctor didn't think it was cancer. He thought that it might be scar tissue. Turns out it was visible in the last CT scan Jim had and since Dr Sardi and Gordon both didn't indicate then that they were suspicious of the mass, I'm not going to get too worried about it now.

Also it turns out that Jim has a blood clot in an abdominal vein. Dr Gordon was puzzled on how it came to be. He thinks it may have been present since after the MOAS, but is not concerned about it. The body will eventually take care of the clot and if it broke free, it would encounter the liver and shouldn't cause any serious health issues for Jim. So no worries there either.

Phew... After the appointment with Dr Gordon, Jim made an appointment with Dr Sardi (March 29th at 1:30pm). So now if Dr Sardi says that the CT scan is free of cancer, then I think life will move forward. Neither Jim or I are certain how well the radiologist/Dr Gordon can read the CT scans for PMP. Dr Gordon mentioned that out of all the patients the office sees, they have only one other PMP patient (which isn't very many). However, Jim and I are happy with what Dr Gordon said, but I think we'll hold off the big celebration until we've seen Dr Sardi.

I'll post again after the March appointment.