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I just had my 14th CT scan, and once again I am clean, keep the prayers coming and knock on wood!I will do an indepth update in a few weeks, this is just a short update to ask for your prayers again, as a spot was found on my left lung, and on 6/7/12 I will have the lower half of my left lung removed at Toledo Hospital. I made it 3 years with being cancer free, unfortunately, not long enough. I have no symptons, and the cancer is only 1.5 CM, so I'm at stage 1A. Once again, I will beat this!
Since my operation, I had 2 months of Chemo, and about twice a month I go back and get an IV of Magnesium, to correct my blood chemistry. I now have had 9 CT Scans, and all of them have been clear, so far so good, knock on wood! The prayers do work.
We have made a big change, during my Radiation/Chemo in Vegas, I was unable to work my business, hired a guy, who promptly robbed us blind, (mostly a cash business), when I was able to strength wise, go back to my business, he was of coursed fired, and I tried to work the business once again, but it was not possible. We sold the business at a loss,,, and my investment with the security company was a major loss, 2 of the partners took off with the money, and the company failed. We sued , got a little money, but were told it was not going to be productive to keep suing, since there was no more money.
At this time my mother was getting much worse with Alzheimer's, so we decided to sell the business and relocate to Toledo. We had her move in with us, and Kathy mainly, became her caretaker, as I had told her years ago that if I moved back, I'd take care of her.
We moved here in Jan 2011, and she steadily became worse of course, she passed away in Feb. of this year. So we have decide to stay here and make our home in Toledo. We have made great friends, spent time with old ones, and look forward to making new ones.
Another reason to stay here is the health care that I am receiving is 100% better than the treatment I received in Vegas, it was very poor on all levels. We also love the change of seasons, seeing all of my old best buddies. Going to Inky's, and Rudy's, just like old times. See below photo from 11/15/13, 7 idiots playing golf in Nov.
I attended the University of Toledo for 3 years, starting in the fall of 68. Enlisted in the Army National Guard in Toledo 5/70, Military Police Unit.
I moved to Ft. Laud Fla. in Sept. of 73 because I was hired by the Ft. Laud Police Dept, Broward County Fla. I transferred my National Guard Service to a unit in Ft. Laud, and stayed in the Guard for a total of 8 years, and one month. I left police work in 1978, but returned to it in 1980, once again employed by a city in Broward County Fla.
This department was taken over by the Broward Sheriff's Office, and I ended my career with them in 1991.
Kathy I were married in 1986, 22 years ago in May. Might sound corny, but she is my soul mate,my best friend, and there really isn't a more giving and loving woman anywhere! We were living in Pompano Beach Fla., Broward County; until we moved to Las Vegas in 1998.
I will say that although the scenery here in the West is breath taking, we do still miss the ocean. We try to get back to Ft. Laud Fla. about once a year, where we still have many friends and family.
I have concentrated my collection of classic cars on High Performance cars from Ford, specializing on extremely rare cars. 1966 427 Cobra, one of 343 made, 1972 Pantera, an R Code 1966 Galaxie 500 XL, one of 49, sold to the Imperial Palace Museum, Las Vegas, after a 2 year restoration by me.
1968 Cougar XR-7 427 GT-E, which is one of three, and a 1966 Ford Custom 2-Dr, R Code, one of one. I now have a R- Code Clone of a 1967 Ford Fairlane 500, which I built from a 1967 Fairlane barn find, it had only a 6 cylinder engine in it, it now has a 427 Ford engine with 2 four barrel Holley's, restored to be an exact copy, except this car has 650 H.P.
With the state of affairs in the world, and security for our nation, we decided to become partners in a company that was founded by a couple of my friends, fellow retired police officers, guess you can't take it out of us.Our company is used for credit checks,employment screening, banking, collections and of course security. We have access to 100's of databases to draw specific & select information on a specific subject.
Our small business was basically a necessity, I was tired of paying someone else to media blast my cars for my restorations, so I bought the company.
Update since reunion: After talking with Bones a few weeks ago, he convinced me I should address my situatuion, just in case any of my classmates have had any experience with what I have, and have knowledge of what has worked for them or a friend.
I was diagnosed with tongue cancer on 3/2/09, the cancer had spread to my lymph nodes on both sides of my neck. The good part about this cancer is that there is a 95% chance that it will NOT go someplace in the body, the bad is that it is the most agressive cancer there is.
I have been to hell and back, 3 chemo treatments over 7 weeks, AND 35 radiation treatments to my neck, tongue, throat. It has been 8 weeks since my last treatment. Two hospitsal stays for blood tranfusions, and on Monday they inserted a successiojn of wires down my esophagus, to enlarge it, as I have been unable to swallow even a sip of water for over 15 weeks.
The radiation caused burning, scaring and swelling in all areas of my neck, throat etc., radiation burns on the epidermis. I look OK now, and I'm happy to report that I have been able to swallow water and some jello today.
I will need to go back in 3 weeks to enlarge it some more. I can not wait to eat, as I have been on a feeding tube in my stomac since April.
There are no words I can more strongly say than this, if you smoke, stop NOW, I stopped 3 1/2 years ago, and it still got me.
If it wasn't for my loving wife Kathy, I'd have passed on a long time ago, from keeping our business running, to nursing me, feeding me thru the tube 3 times a day, and giving me hydration, 1 1/2 litres of saline everyday withy an IV, since I can't swallow, that is how I survive. She has been more than an angel, the sacrifices,,,, there were days/weeks where I didn't even talk, how lonely for her, and I couldn't even say thank you. She has been my rock, she helped me suffer thru the radiation, that really wanted me to just quit and say goodby. Hopefully, I'm on the right track, had my first CT and PET scan last week, everything is shrinking, have to have them again in 3 months. If all is well, the shrinking will continue. Every Dr. says all is well, but the reality of this is only 50/50, after 5 years it's better.
Wish I had better news for you all to read and enjoy a lighter story, but life is what it is, not always a happy story. If nothing more, I sure could use some prayers, as I pray each night for all of you.
Keep the prayers and good thoughts coming, I had a Cat scan last week, and my radiation doctor scoped my throat again . I am offically cancer free! Now comes the 5 year countdown of remission to be able to say cured. Unfortunately this type of cancer, and the stage I was at, will be difficult to beat, but we will. Needless to say we take it one day at a time.
My saliva glands are still too damaged to produce saliva, my throat muscles that allow you to swallow are still messed up, so I am unable to remove my feeding tube in my stomach. I can eat now a little bit of food and swallow, but only if I take a swig of water( to wash the food down) from the water bottle that is constantly at my side, the effects of radiation. I now go to therapy and have electrodes placed on my neck and hit with electricity to make the muscles contract, swallowing 300 times in 30 min.
It has been very difficult, trying, depressing and saddening. If not for my wife keeping our business and lives in order, keeping her spirits up, and keeping me positive, I'd have failed this test. Now there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and I have your prayers, God's blessing, and my wife to thank.
