Brain Tumor

[Saccopoo]

So, that shit is fun.

Started having some really cool and powerful deja-vu at work on Tuesday, then a strong ominous feeling set in and then started seeing small, flashing rainbow colored lights under the brim of my hat. Figured that it was either a premonition about an earthquake (like animals get) as Salt Lake City sits on a fault line, either that or I was hitting a major fatigue wall as I had been working long hours and had been hitting the gym pretty hard while not getting as much sleep as required in addition to cutting carbs from the diet. Anyway, I got a little freaked out, went to the bakery, grabbed a croissant and detoured it and everything kinda went back to normal.

Later on, started getting the deja-vu again (and it was super good shit - like I was seeing the future and shit - and it even had a soundtrack going along with it), and that's about all I can remember. Apparently I turned to the guy next to me, said something about tripping my balls off massively and told him I was going to puke, then my eyes rolled back into my head and I passed out and hit the floor like a sack of potatoes.

Came to with the EMT dude holding a ice pack to the back of my mellon on a huge goose egg. They were going to call an ambulance to take me to the ER and I told them it was nothing and I was fine. Fortunately the HR guy was standing there and convinced me to go to the ER. When I got there they did a CT scan to check for concussion probabilities.

Dude came back into the room with the radiologist and said "Um, bad news. There is a mass in the right side of your brain and we want to do an MRI for more detail."

"Well, shit."

So they did that and sure enough, there is a golf ball sized mass sitting there with a bunch of fluid around it. Nuerosurgeon (chief resident who looks like he's 17, comes in and says that they want to schedule surgery on Friday morning. Okies.

So, I'm sitting here in the Neurology wing of the University of Utah hospital (which is highly regarded) worrying about these guys going to the Utah/Michigan game tonight and coming back into surgery tomorrow hungover as shit.

Bonus is, I've had two really hot nurses in a row the past two nights. Tried to convince both to give me a leisure massage and body shampoo, but they didn't go for it though I had a girl from work come by last night to visit who wanted to give me a hummer.

Anyway, I'm feeling pretty fortunate that shit went down the way it did, because I most likely would have blown it off for ever until it became really bad. (Although, I am going to ask them if it's benign if they can just keep it in there because I was digging the deja-vu bordering on omnipotence.)

Also I hear that the chief neurosurgeon is totally old school and I think I saw him sharpening his hacksaw on a rusty pipe outside and telling the nurse that she should find his favorite spoon.

[LiveSteam]

You have my best wishes that you beat this shit.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

FWIW, I have access to a number of medical databases, one of which is Natural Medicines. Here is information from the monograph regarding aloe vera:

Radiation-induced skin toxicity. Radiation therapy for cancer often causes erythema, skin desquamation, and itching. Applying 98% aloe gel three times daily throughout radiation treatment and after treatment does not seem to reduce these radiation-related side effects in patients being treated for breast cancer (12098, 12163). Applying 100% aloe gel 6-8 times daily also does not seem to reduce these radiation-related side effects in people treated for other cancers. Also, applying an aloe-based gel once daily after radiation treatment is less effective than applying anionic phospholipid-based cream in reducing dryness, erythema, and peeling in children being treated for Hodgkin's disease (19855). However, some evidence suggests that aloe gel might prolong the time before radiation-related side effects occur, but only when the cumulative dose of radiation is high (>2,700 cGy) (12159).

It's probably not going to help you.

Regarding oral aloe:

Chemotherapy adjuvant: 10mL of a blend containing 300g of fresh aloe leaves, 500g of honey, and 40mL of 40% alcohol has been used three times daily every day either with or after administration of chemotherapy, depending on disease progression (19752).

The 19752 is a Medline link to a study that tested tumor regression in various types of metastatic cancer. There was some evidence suggesting that an aloe-based compound may help in association with chemotherapy.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.proxy.li...?dopt=Abstract

It's generally going to be safe for you to take, but don't take it with Digoxin, Warfarin, or diabetes meds.

[GloryDayz]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Be sure to take Aloe Vera pills to protect your stomach and innards. I know there isn't "solid science" behind it but everyone I've known to have radiation therapy say they help.

And they're cheap on Amazon, too. Good luck!

Interesting. I've never heard that.

[GloryDayz]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

FWIW, I have access to a number of medical databases, one of which is Natural Medicines. Here is information from the monograph regarding aloe vera:

Radiation-induced skin toxicity. Radiation therapy for cancer often causes erythema, skin desquamation, and itching. Applying 98% aloe gel three times daily throughout radiation treatment and after treatment does not seem to reduce these radiation-related side effects in patients being treated for breast cancer (12098, 12163). Applying 100% aloe gel 6-8 times daily also does not seem to reduce these radiation-related side effects in people treated for other cancers. Also, applying an aloe-based gel once daily after radiation treatment is less effective than applying anionic phospholipid-based cream in reducing dryness, erythema, and peeling in children being treated for Hodgkin's disease (19855). However, some evidence suggests that aloe gel might prolong the time before radiation-related side effects occur, but only when the cumulative dose of radiation is high (>2,700 cGy) (12159).

It's probably not going to help you.

Regarding oral aloe:

Chemotherapy adjuvant: 10mL of a blend containing 300g of fresh aloe leaves, 500g of honey, and 40mL of 40% alcohol has been used three times daily every day either with or after administration of chemotherapy, depending on disease progression (19752).

The 19752 is a Medline link to a study that tested tumor regression in various types of metastatic cancer. There was some evidence suggesting that an aloe-based compound may help in association with chemotherapy.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.proxy.li...?dopt=Abstract

It's generally going to be safe for you to take, but don't take it with Digoxin, Warfarin, or diabetes meds.

Super-cool of you to look into this.

CP = awesome.

[BigMeatballDave]

Originally Posted by Saccopoo

Head is starting to become "chaffed" from the radiation. Hot spots that I am beginning to notice. They don't nuke on the weekends, so I'll have two days off from that shit after tomorrow mornings session. (Which isn't all that bad - about three minutes under the Beam Master SLX on days they aren't taking images.)

I was told I could have some irritation from this last year, but all I experienced was hair loss.

My radiation begins next month.

[Saccopoo]

Originally Posted by BigMeatballDave

I was told I could have some irritation from this last year, but all I experienced was hair loss.

My radiation begins next month.

Is it the standard deal on the Beam Master SLX?

I think that there is a step up program, something like "SRS" but I am not sure. (Kinda new to this whole process.)
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[BigMeatballDave]

Originally Posted by Saccopoo

Is it the standard deal on the Beam Master SLX?

I think that there is a step up program, something like "SRS" but I am not sure. (Kinda new to this whole process.)
Attachment 110833

Looks similar to the machine that they used on me last year. Mine looked older, though.

Do you know if you're getting Gamma or X? I just got X last year. I won't know anything about radiation this time until I meet the Radiologist on the 3rd.

[srvy]

Originally Posted by Saccopoo

Alright...let's see if that works:

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This has the look of broken tailbone to me.

I am so old the the first skateboards on the scene Dad got us one. It had metal wheels like the old key tightened outdoor roller skates. It worked pretty good in the new smooth asphalt subdivision streets or Church parking lot. Then the city came along and decided chip and seal was a good idea for maintenance of streets. Those gravel rock would throw you headlong onto the pavement and generally just vibrate the piss out of ya. This was maybe like early to mid 60s. Scrapped knees elbows we lived with and liked it. Oh and helmets were unheard of. Kewl board brought back some long ago memories.

Goodluck and Godspeed!

[Saccopoo]

Three weeks into the radiation and chemo.

Don't feel much different and had a meet with the oncologist yesterday and he said everything (blood, organs, etc.) looked fine from an operational standpoint. Said "If I didn't see your oncology report, I'd just think that you were a normal, healthy guy."

Big drawback to the chemo pills: My bowel movements have turned into goat shits/rabbit pellets/deer droppings/etc. I've had two normal shits in three weeks and that's probably being generous.

Drinking two 8 oz. glasses of prune juice everyday along with 12 oz. of apple juice in an attempt to keep the pellets coming out.

Neurosurgeon and oncologist said I could start working out again, so I went to the gym today. I don't think I'm going to go as full-bore as I was right up until the brain surgery situation, but it was nice to hit the iron again. Although, since I've been putting in 10 hour days at work for the past two weeks I do have to keep an eye on my physical fatigue situation.

I'm also developing a crush on one of my radiation technicians. I'm trying to figure out if making an attempt to bang her is breaking some sort of ehtical medical patient code or not. I'm thinking not.

[Lonewolf Ed]

I am glad things seem to be going well, except for the pooping part. My current treatments have been causing havoc in that regard. Luckily, it seems to be one day or two during a treatment cycle where my colon goes berserk. It's great that you are working out, too. I've been lifting a little, but my endurance is just shot. Even working outside on a cool day, I will break a sweat after half an hour. Listen to your body and if you feel like you've hit the wall, stop. That's my advice!

[Toby Waller]

Heal him God,just heal him!

[Meatloaf]

Sounds like you're tolerating the radiation and chemo reasonably well, Sacc. Also, good to hear that said treatments are not affecting your libido at all......good luck with the treatments AND the radiation technician! Keep us posted.

[BigMeatballDave]

Originally Posted by Saccopoo

Three weeks into the radiation and chemo.

Don't feel much different and had a meet with the oncologist yesterday and he said everything (blood, organs, etc.) looked fine from an operational standpoint. Said "If I didn't see your oncology report, I'd just think that you were a normal, healthy guy."

Big drawback to the chemo pills: [b]My bowel movements have turned into goat shits/rabbit pellets/deer droppings/etc.[b/] I've had two normal shits in three weeks and that's probably being generous.

Drinking two 8 oz. glasses of prune juice everyday along with 12 oz. of apple juice in an attempt to keep the pellets coming out.

Neurosurgeon and oncologist said I could start working out again, so I went to the gym today. I don't think I'm going to go as full-bore as I was right up until the brain surgery situation, but it was nice to hit the iron again. Although, since I've been putting in 10 hour days at work for the past two weeks I do have to keep an eye on my physical fatigue situation.

I'm also developing a crush on one of my radiation technicians. I'm trying to figure out if making an attempt to bang her is breaking some sort of ehtical medical patient code or not. I'm thinking not.

LOL Are you on Temodar/Temozolomide? That is exactly the type of movements I had last year from it.

That's great that you can work.

That radiation kicked my ass last year. Very tired all the time. The Avastin I'm getting every 2 weeks causes fatigue, but it's not as bad.

[BigMeatballDave]

I may not need radiation. Radiologist wants an MRI. They want a fresh look at the tumor bed.

[DaNewGuy]

Yo sacc how are those kryptonics wheels holding up ? I had them on a Santa Cruz cruiser when I was younger and they split apart like literally split in half A few weeks in? Get some Abec Gumballs on that mother ****er! Best of
Luck to you bud