C-day +236 Lucky Guy

I have been accepted in to the medical trial in San Diego:)

Still playing insurance games.

I would like to thank all my friends and family for your continued support.

It appears that the next 4 months of Chemo are going to suck....but I still
hold out hope that I will tolerate the drugs well.

Cheers,

Paul

C-Day +220

Well,It's been 220 day's since everything changed. Here's the update.

1. Eye surgery went perfect 1 Aug 2008

2. DNA test show loss of one copy of Chromosome 3, as of this date loss of chromosome 3 signifies 100% chance of metastasis to the liver, no one has ever survived choroidal melanoma with metastasis to the liver. Guess I will have to be the first.

3. My best calculations show me paying between $170,000 to about $260,000 dollars in the last 18.5 years for medical insurance, yet I have to spend hours each week talking to providers about this form and that. The biggest pisser is you can't talk to the medical review board, no you get to talk to "Pat" or "Ebony" or "Jane". It is kind of fun to call 2 or 3 times a day just to see how different the information provided can be.

4. I spend about 30 hours per week researching treatment options, cancer news, insurance info.

5. If the Cancer doesn't get me, there is a good chance that the stress will.

6. So my advice is DONT GET CANCER.......

7. If you do, Read Read Read, Knowledge is power, I hope to be accepted into a medical trail San Diego, 4 months of Chemo, at least I should be thin for summer.

Cheers,

Paul

C-Day +137 And the test results are?

I had my three month post follow up yesterday.

The tumor in my eye is about 30 % smaller, so we a confident that it will continue to shrink and be gone in about 9 months.

I also got back the DNA/RNA test results. Not as good as I would have hoped. We are going to treat me as a catagory 2A. Which means there is a high risk of the cancer spreading to my liver, but it could be 3-5 years or more, and I did have one good test that keep me out of the 2B cat which is very good news.

I will write more tomorrow, I don't feel like I was given a death sentance there is a lot of hope that I can still beat this.

Cheers,

Paul

EyeCandy

C-Day +135

Hey,

Well 2 more days until I get the DNA test back. The appointment is for 03:40 5 NOV 2008.

Talk to you then.

Cheers,

EyeCandy

Have a great day!

Kiera and Kylie 4th B-day (C-Day + 86)

Kiera and Kylie are 4....... Here's a pic of Jens castle cake.

The new Me? (C-day + 80)

Hello all,
I am just looking for a bit of feedback, so here goes. I am only 80 days in to this journey, but I feel like I should have had that "Eureka Moment" by now. I know that I have experienced many changes, but yet I still feel the same in most ways. The day to day of raising 4 children, being a husband, going to work and just living seems to take most of my time. On top of this I have the same thoughts and fears as anyone with cancer. I have done a few things that I would not have done 3 months ago, but I can assure you I am neither the perfect father, husband or human. I know, I should be thankful that I have only lost eyesight in one eye and there is still a chance that the cancer will never spread to my liver or anyplace else. ok ok ok..... So does anyone feel they can point to one moment where you feel cancer opened your eye's and in a flash, the person you were, ceased to exist, and you see with new eye's. (pun intended) :)

I hope everything is going well for you and yours.

Regards,

EyeCandy (Paul)

First Cancer Friend Painting (C-Day +72)

Well the first painting is complete. I am very happy with the results. Please take a look and let me hear your thoughts. Jill is the founder of http://blogforacure.com/ .The painting is based on a photo of Jill and her dog Angel that she got after finding out about her breast cancer. We also tried to work the pink in to the sweater. The painting is 16 x20 pastel. I am still updating the http://www.custommasterpieces.com cancer pages stay tuned.

EyeCandy, (Paul)

Have a nide day!