Radiation Information

My doctors are currently debating on how much radiation and where it should go. Both oncologists said they would stay away from my heart. But my radiation doctor said to just stay away from the left ventricle. So pray that it goes just to the spots it should and for wisdom for them. Thanks.

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As a follow-up to my last post. Here is Brian Welch's testimony. http://www.headtochrist.com/ You can listen to it from a church he spoke at last Sunday in Bakersfield, California.

Interesting change

So people were talking about this on a forum. The guitarist from Korn is redidicating his life to Christ and left the band. The link is MTV's reporting of it.

The forum group was saying that he is going to share at the church he is joining up with in Bakersfield on an upcoming Sunday. So prayer for him and his family would be in order.

Another cool answer to prayer

I didn't get sick! This is remarkable since chemo is supposed to GREATLY compromise a person's immune system. My dad was sick for 9 days and is only now feeling normal again. Despite living in the same medium sized house as him, I somehow made it nine days without getting what he had. I am VERY thankful to God for protecting me!

More Radiation Info & Tattoos

I am currently waiting for my radiation doctor to get back to me on when I start - either Thursday or Tuesday - and exactly how much radiation I will need. He gave some approximations today, but they needed to do some different scans to be sure. It took about 15 minutes to do the scans today. So now a physicist and the radiation doctor will do the figuring. I always wondered if multivariable calculus really would ever help me...

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I am not a big fan of tattoos. I find them quite ugly. I planned on going through my life without ever getting any. Now I have three of them. It isn't quite what you think. For radiation, they tattoo three tiny dots on me (one in front, and one on each side) in order to line me up for radiation in the right place. The tattoos look like someone made a freckle on me with a Sharpie. They weren't overly painful, but why would anyone want to get a huge tattoo and subject themselves to that much pain? I guess I just don't understand...

Pet Scan update

According to the pet scan, I am cancer-free. This is really cool because the last pet scan didn't show I was and I think that it was God's wisdom that told me to have a PET Scan done at a different place. She did send me there (they do a different style of PET scan) and it showed no cancer.

Pet Scans don't get down to the cell level. In fact there could be a couple thousand cancer cells in a place and it wouldn't pick it up because it would be too small. As a result I will do radiation since it is very hard for the chemo to get to cancer cells that have lots of scartissue around it. So pray that radiation goes well (over the next 3-4 weeks) and that I stay cancer free with no permanent damage to my body.
Thanks.

And it is gone

That would be referring to my beard and longer hair. I am back with normal (for me) hair again.

It is funny because I look REALLY young for my age now. The funny thing is that I have always looked my age or perhaps a year older. Cancer and chemo are only supposed to age people. I looked about 18 or so back last summer. With the beard I looked back at my age, but now that it is gone, I look like I am somewhere around 15. Unbelievable. I guess it will work out well since I am planning to get back to college or seminary at some point. I'll blend right in.

I'm proud of my geography nerdiness

It is actually a bit harder than just knowing where your 50 states are. Can you put Tennessee exactly where it goes w/ no states around it?

My first time I got 48/50. 3 miles off as an average.

My second time I was perfect. I am quite proud of myself. Yes, I am showing my geography nerdiness. I was 300 something seconds the first time and 200 some odd seconds the second time.

http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/states_experiment_drag-drop_Intermed_State15s_500.html

Praise God

Praise God that the group from Philly is now free.
http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/2/172005a.asp

Pet scan update.

I am cautiously optimistic. I looked at the pet scan today afterwords with the technition. I couldn't see anything resembling cancer. As ya'll know, I am not a radiologist, though, so I don't know for sure. My bones came up darker due to the chemo... but that is normal. Hard to tell. Definetly the hand of God if I am cancer-free this time and not the last... I'll tell the story, or I think I might have posted it on here. I'll let you know after I find out for sure.

Medical tests

I did my Echo (heart test) and Pulmonary Function Test (Lung test) today and they went well. I had a little time between the two so I went for a walk and the wet (it snowed last night and was melting now). When I went walking I got asked by a guy if I was from such and such a place. I said I wasn't him, but he asked me for crack anyways. I find the whole thing mildly humerous. I was right in front of the hospital at 9:30 in the morning... can't say I am terribly surprised.

I have my PET scan on Wednesday to see if they can get any better clarity on my chest. Pray that I am and it shows definitively that I am cancer-free.

Also pray for my dad who has been sick since Friday night with sinus issues/cold. Basically, he has slept a whole lot, doesn't sound like himself, and feels like crud. Pray that I don't get sick from him. I am living upstairs (and sometimes at my sister's house), and he lives downstairs. So far, so good, Praise God. He also gets paid by commision so pray that for God's blessing on our finances despite him not being able to work.

Thanks a lot!!!

Day of Fire

I am *HIGHLY* impressed with the band Day of Fire and their testimony. Josh Brown has a really cool story of how he came out being in the band Full Devil Jacket and being a heroin addict to becoming a real man of God. As long as they stay humble, there is no telling how far they can go. Here is a great interview. Note: it is a bit long.
http://www.newreleasetuesday.com/features/interview_dayoffire.shtml


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I had my last chemo (hopefully) today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YEAH!!!! Just gotta hang in there for a couple more days till it wears off... Thanks so much for your continued prayers.

I don't say this pridefully, but more humerously...

Wouldn't it be ironic if I grew my hair out for locks of love?

List of supplements

Here's a nice little list of the different suppliments I am allowed to take while on chemo. They are basically the best things I can find that would help. I would say the liquid minerals, Ambrotose/aloe, Green Magma, Noni, and Primal Defense are the most valuable. I list the product, the company and the ammount I take (up to that amount daily). Of note: I list every single ingredient in every item so it gets lengthy. Also of note: I don't take every one of these items every day.

Green Magma Green Foods as needed (3-4 plus)
Powdered juice from organically-grown* young barley grass, maltodextrin (a complex carbohydrate), brown rice.

Lymphatic Enzymes Enzymes Intl. As needed (1+)
Protease 133333HUT Amylase 1000DU Lipase 100FCCLU

Wobenzym N Naturally Vitamins Up to 18 tabs a day
Dose 3 tablets
Pancreatin** 56000 USP-units protease (p) Sus scrofa 300mg
Papain 492** FIP-unit*** Carica Papaya 180mg *
Bromelain** 675 FIP-unit*** Ananus comosus 135mg *
Trypsin** 2160 FIP-unit***(p) Sus scrofa 72mg *
Chymotrypsin** 900*** FIP-unit (p) Bos taurus 3mg *
Rutosid**• 3H20 (Rutin) Sophora japonica 150mg *

PhytoBioForte Super Greenwood Health Up to 4 servings
Protease 120,000 HUT
Amylase 18,000 SKB
Lipase 8,000 LU
Bromelain 1,500,000 PU
Invertase 225 Sumner
Cellulase 1,050 CU
Lactase 225 ALU
Ionic Trace Minerals 20 mg

Ultra Bio Min Greenwood health one serving
Calcium 313mg
Magnesium 250mg
Potassium 75mg
Sodium 1.2mg
Sulfate 24mg
Boron 1mg
Proprietary Blend: Trace Mineral compound (74 Minerals), Amino Acid compound (18 Amino Acids) and Metabolic Enzyme compound (34 Plant Based Metabolic Enzymes Metabolic Enzymes).

Primal Defense Garden Of Life 4 servings
Homeostatic Soil Organisms Probiotic Blend 1 Billion CFU
Potenzyme Superfood blend 800mg
(Dunaliella Salina, Barley Grass Juice, Oat Grass Juice, Yucca Juice)
Ionic Plant based minerals 100mg
Iron (fulvic acid source) 1.8 mg 10%daily value

Immunostart Mannatech 2-4 servings
Prime Colostrum® † 150mg, lactoferrin10mg, Beta Right™ 1-3/1-6 glucan20mg, and modified citrus pectin.*5mg

Ambrotose Mannatech 12 servings
(Arabinogalcactin(gum), Gum Tragacanth, Gum Ghatti, Aloe vera gel extract, rice starch Glucosamine Hcl)

Beta Glucan Life Source 2 servings
Beta Glucan (derived from brewers yeast) 500mg

Tonalin Conjugated Linoleic Acid Doctor’s A-Z 1 serving
1.6g

L-Carnitine 500mg Natrol 1 a day

Lecithin 1200mg Doctor’s A-Z 2 a day

Full Spectrum Vitamin E w/ tocotrienols Doctor’s A-Z 1-2 a day
Vitamin 100iu Tocotrienols 64.2mg

Alpha Lipoic Acid 300 mg Natrol 1-2 a day

Quercetin & Bromelain Doctor’s A-Z 1-2 servings
Quercetin 500 mg Bromelain 250mg

B-50 Caps (vitamin B Complex) TwinLab 1-2 servings
Vitamin B-1 (thiamine) 50 mg
Vitamin B-2 (riboflavin) 50 mg
Vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine) 50 mg
Vitamin B-12 (cobalamin concentrate) 50 mcg
Niacinamide 50 mg
Folic Acid 400 mcg
Biotin 50 mcg
Pantothenic Acid 50 mg
Choline Bitartrate 50 mg
Inositol 50 mg
PABA 50 mg.

Multigenics Metagenics 1/6 serving
Vitamin A [25% as retinyl acetate (5,000 IU) . . . . . . . . . . . . 20,000 IU
and 75% (15,000 IU) as beta-carotene†]
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,200 mg
Vitamin D (cholecalciferol) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 IU
Vitamin E (d-alpha tocopheryl succinate) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 IU
Niacin (niacinamide, niacin). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 420 mg
Betaine hydrochloride . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325 mg
Choline (bitartrate) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200 mg
Inositol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188 mg
Pantothenic Acid (vitamin B5)(D-calcium pantothenate) . . . . . . . . . . 200 mg
Citrus Bioflavonoid Complex . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . 100 mg
[standardized to 45% (45 mg) full spectrum bioflavonoids]
PABA (para-aminobenzoic acid) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 mg
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride) . . . . . . . . . . . 40 mg
Riboflavin (vitamin B2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 mg
Thiamin (vitamin B1) (mononitrate) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 mg
Folate (folic acid). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800 mcg
Biotin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300 mcg
Vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin) . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . 200 mcg
Calcium (citrate) . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 500 mg
Magnesium (glycinate††, citrate) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250 mg
Potassium (aspartate). . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 mg
Iron (glycinate††) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 mg
Zinc (aspartate) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 mg
Manganese (aspartate) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 mg
Copper (lysinate††) . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 mg
Chromium (dinicotinate glycinate††). . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200 mcg
Selenium (aspartate) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200 mcg
Iodine (potassium iodide) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150 mcg
Molybdenum (aspartate). . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . 100 mcg
Vanadium (vanadyl sulfate) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 mcg
Quercetin (dihydrate) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 mg
Alpha-Carotene. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162 mcg
Cryptoxanthin . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 mc
Zeaxanthin . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 mcg
Lutein. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 mcg

Noni Juice Bio Innovations 3-4 ounces/servings

Cod Liver Oil TwinLab 0-1 teaspoon

Ultra Clear Plus
Nutritional Information per Serving
Serving size 2 scoops (44 g)
Servings per container 21
Calories 160
Fat 3 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 70 mg
Potassium 420 mg
Carbohydrate 19 g
Dietary Fiber 2 g
Protein 15 g
Each Serving Contains: % U.S. RDI
Vitamin A (retinyl palmitate) 1000 IU 20%
Vitamin A (mixed carotenoids) 4000 IU 80%
Vitamin C (sodium ascorbate) 300 mg 500%
Calcium 200 mg 20%
Iron (ferrous fumarate) 3.6 mg 20%
Vitamin D 80 IU 20%
Vitamin E (d-alpha tocopheryl acetate) 42 IU 140%
Vitamin B1 (thiamin hydrochloride) 2 mg 130%
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) 2 mg 120%
Vitamin B3 (niacinamide) 7 mg 35%
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride) 3.4 mg 170%
Folic Acid 80 mcg 20%
Vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin) 3.6 mcg 60%
Biotin 135 mcg 45%
Pantothenic Acid (d-calcium pantothenate) 36 mg 360%
Phosphorus 200 mg 20%
Iodine (potassium iodide) 53 mcg 35%
Magnesium (citrate) 200 mg 50%
Zinc (citrate) 10 mg 70%
Selenium (selenomethionine) 40 mcg 60%
Copper (gluconate) 1 mg 50%
Manganese (gluconate) 1.3 mg 65%
Chromium (chloride) 50 mcg 40%
L-Glutathione 10 mg **
L-Cysteine 5 mg **
N-Acetylcysteine 20 mg **
Glycine 1.6 g **
Taurine 100 mg **
Sodium Sulfate 30 mg **
Catechins (from decaffeinated green tea extract) 15 mg **
**The U.S. RDI has not been established for this nutrient.
U.S. Patent Nos. 5,637,324 and 5,629,023
Other Ingredients: Rice protein concentrate, rice syrup solids, olive
oil, medium-chain triglycerides, and natural flavors.