Highs and Lows...

Here comes trouble......15 months old, summer '74. 

Now we were nearing the end of April and enough time had elapsed to allow for positive results.  There was no question the radiation had reduced the tumors significantly.  Coupled with the chemotherapy, hope was increasing that this battle would end with a victory for life.  The 22 lung tumors were not visible now and the softball sized prostate tumor was disappearing.  It was time to take a look inside and I had a cystoscopy to examine my prostate.  Good news would come from the procedure.  The problem was the side effects were still terrible and I continued to lose weight.  Four months earlier I was riddled with cancer, but looked and felt healthy.  Now the cancer was taking a beating, but I looked like the walking dead.

Turkey's Done

My 3rd or 4th birthday and a much happier time.  My mom loaded that cake with candles, which had me mesmerized.

Finally the end was in sight for my radiation treatment.  It ended not a moment too soon as the symptoms and pain were reaching a breaking point.  At this stage of treatment I had morphed into a red tomato that could hardly walk.  The chemotherapy drug Vincristine was giving me multiple side effects.  The common side effects were expected.  I had hair loss, low blood counts, weight loss, nausea, vomiting, mouth sores, taste changes, and digestive problems.  The less common problem that occurred, put a halt to the drug, as I began to experience peripheral neuropathy. 

In the Trenches

Hey I grew up in Montana.....we pack heat and wear plaid pants!

So now the war was really on.  As April of 1981 arrived my symptoms from the radiation and chemo continued to become more severe.  I continued to lose more and more weight and my blood counts began to worsen every time they were tested. 

Nights became eventful as I was not sleeping well and usually up multiple times with pain or digestive system problems.  We were only three months in, but the emotional toll was beginning to hit all of us and it became pretty clear, this is really going to be awful.

These next journal entries are some very rough days and nights.