Spring Time Chemo
It is hard to believe that May is here and hopefully most of winter is behind us for another year. I remember in January when I had just gotten out of the hospital for the first time this year the temperature was in the single digits. Wow it was cold!! In fact it brought back memories of when I was in high school working at a Texaco station on Harding Rd. That winter the temp stayed below zero degrees for several days and I was running service calls–cars wouldn’t start, cars stuck in snow and mud, etc. That was the year by feet froze and became frost bitten. I still have problems now when my feet get very cold. Fortunately, this year I was able to stay inside where it was warm. Looking back I now appreciate several facts learned from the early teenage years in the work force—1. Warm is better than cold — 2. 60 cents an hour is not a lot of money — 3. Regardless of circumstances you can always learn from you experiences. Oh well, so much for a brief trip down memory lane.
I would like to share with you a brief overview of my current health situation. On May 1, I started a new chemo called Sutent. This is an FDA approved drug specifically targeted at kidney cancer. We pray that it will hold the cancer at bay and even shrink the additional tumors. There are several possible side effects including the possible loss of hair. Oh well, I think I would look pretty cool with a smoothe head. My mom lost all her hair when she went through chemo a number of years ago and she looked pretty good. So there is hope for me.
I am still going through physical therapy for my broken left arm and I am regaining use of it. Unfortunately, due to the fact that it was broken for 2 weeks before being detected and set with a new steel plate and 16 screws it had already begun to heal on its own so therapy hurts a little more than normal.
Overall, I feel pretty good although still a little weak from the various hospital stays I have had the first four months this year.
In closing I wish each of you a happy and fun spring. Thanks for all your prayers and support as I have battled this cancer for the past 2-1/2 years.
Your friend - Hal
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Hal Wilson’s Blog » Spring Time Chemo great article thank you.
Hello, Hal!
Thanks again for your always helpful and inspiring blogs. I just caught up on several. While you are always in my prayers, I had not visited for some time. Thank you, thank you for continuing to write. My younger brother has been battling kidney cancer, had an operation, has spots on his lungs, etc. However, he is doing remarkably well - I believe your experiences and attitude will be helpful to him - I am directing him to your blog. He sees doctors at Vanderbilt.
May God bless you and continue to provide you with strength to fight the very difficult things you face. You are right to count your blessings - it comforts me as well. We are so fortunate to have loving family and friends, but above all, the promise of God’s love forever. The 23rd Psalm comforts me whenever I’m worried. It is my favorite.
My precious Grace continues to make strides, but we still need all the prayers for her recovery that we can get.
Keep fighting the good fight, Hal - you have already won because of your strong faith, and you have helped others. Keep us advised of your health - we care very much.
God Bless.
Judy