Another One Down

March 9, 2010 | Filed Under Head and Neck, cancer, examinations, health, mouth, oncologist | No Comments

I had my 6-month follow-up with my oncologist today. It was an afternoon appointment — the last one I’ll have at that location as my doctor’s practice will merge with my radiation oncologist’s practice at the cancer center next month. Considering they are in transition, it was no surprise that the place was a mess. files and boxes everywhere.

Anyway, the good news is that I got another decent report. My doctor had me worried for a bit, however. Apparently, he doesn’t read the lad reports when they arrive, so he hadn’t read the results of the blood work I’d had done in September showing the low platelet count and elevated liver enzymes. So, he decided to have my blood tested in his office. Since he hasn’t done this since I was undergoing chemo, it made me a little nervous since I was expecting him to send me to LabCorp as per the normal routine.

The nurse had trouble locating a suitable vein so she had to draw blood through my hand. I had to wait for the results.

After fifteen minutes or so, the doctor called me into his office. Since doctors rarely call you into the office to report good news, I was scared shitless. As it turned out, he didn’t have the blood report yet and I had to wait even longer. I don’t know what he was expecting or why I had to wait in his office, but I had plenty of time to fret. After another twenty minutes or so, he finally returned with the report. I didn’t see it. All he did was say, "It’s not too bad." Which could mean that it was okay or that it was not so good. Nonetheless, he ushered me out of the room and escorted me back to reception where I was given another 6-month appointment for September.

I suppose I’ll find out what "not bad" means when, a few weeks from now, I go for my annual exam with my PCP because she’ll undoubtedly order more bloodwork. It never ends.

Patient Zero’s Blog Carnival #4

February 21, 2010 | Filed Under alternative therapy, cancer, health, musings, nutrition, treatment | No Comments

Welcome to the February 15, 2010 edition of patient zero’s blog carnival.

Baily Hayden presents 50 Free .Gov Resources for Health, Fitness and Medicine posted at Medical Career Database, saying, “While you may or may not trust government information, the sites that focus on health, fitness and medicine may prove helpful.”

Herbert Aitken presents Top 50 Blogs by Physicians posted at Best masters in healthcare.

Peggy Stoppelmoor presents 25 Ways Nanotechnology is Revolutionizing Medicine posted at mri technician schools.

Maureen Fitzsimmons presents Top 50 Early Childhood Health Blogs posted at ultrasound tech school.

Elisha Knackwood presents 7 Twitter Users Every Health Nut Should Follow posted at Master of Public Health.

Aaliyah Williams presents 10 Tips to Help You Take Control of Your Medical Records posted at MPH Degree, saying, “Your medical records, whether paper or electronic, are important documents that are generated or updated every time you visit a doctor.”

Dave Kauppi presents How Business Buyers Value Your Business – Ten Key Factors posted at Business Broker Chicago, saying, “If you are considering selling your business this article will help you evaluate your company as a strategic acquirer might. From that perspective it pays to focus on ten critical areas of value creation.”

Herbert Aitken presents 50 Nurses on Twitter Worth a Follow posted at Online LPN to RN.

Herbert Anderson presents 50 Free Online Health Web Sites Every Mom Should Bookmark posted at Nurses assistant.

Diane Steward presents Top 50 Healthcare IT Blogs posted at Masters in Health Care.

JohnQ Stakes presents Top 50 Blogs to Learn About Every Medical Career posted at Online LPN to RN.

Shakira Dawn presents Top 25 Cruise Ship Nursing Blogs posted at Online LPN to RN.

John Laugherton presents 25 Ways the Great Recession Is Affecting Our Health posted at online MHA degree.

Heather Sanders presents Top 50 Medical Technology Blogs posted at mri technician schools.

Camille Hensley presents How to: Take Care of a Sick Child Like a Nurse Does posted at Pediatric Nurse Practioner Degrees.

Allison Johanson presents Top 50 Medical Ethics Blogs posted at Best masters in healthcare.

JohnQ Stakes presents Top 50 Nursing Assistant Blogs posted at Nurses assistant, saying, “When you are a nursing assistant, it can help to have the perspective of a number of different people nvolved in the medical world. Nursing can be very rewarding, but also quite difficult.”

Anthony Stewart presents Obese People feel helpless about losing Weight, says Study posted at Breaking News Online, saying, “According to a recent study conducted by the Monash University in Australia, obese people feel uncomfortable when it comes to losing weight. They feel powerless nd helpless to go for that, it is reported.”

cancer stories

Martin Andrews presents Alcohol Related Cancer Alert – Discover How To Help An Alcoholic Today posted at Quit Alcohol Today, saying, “Discover how to treat an alcoholic as revealed in Ed Philips “How To Help An Alcoholic” guide, which offers tried and tested alcoholic addiction support to help an alcoholic quit drinking within 2 hours.”

exercise

Gracyqueen presents 10 Things You Should Know About Your Aging Brain posted at Associate Degree – Facts and Information.

medical news

Eadwine Walter presents 17 Healthcare Trends that Are Actually Bad for Us posted at Masters in Health Care, saying, “Computerization, recession issues, the digital divide and even the price of gas all affect people and their health care. This list of seventeen healthcare trends and why they might be bad for us shows that some issues might be debatable.”

Canika Jackson presents 11 Ways You Can Get Medical Care for Free posted at Radiologic Technician Schools, saying, “Medical care is an expensive proposition and any price discounts or freebies are hard to come by. However, if you donate the time and energy, you can find some surprising savings.”

Jasmine Smith presents The 20 Best Hospitals in America—and What Makes Them the Best posted at Master Of Health Administration, saying, “The healthcare field in America is constantly changing. With new technologies, medical advances, and financial challenges it is very difficult for organizations to stay ahead of the curve. This holds especially true when it comes to hospitals in America.”

Emily Moser presents Top 10 Medical Movies of all Time posted at Nurse Practitioner Schools.

mrs laughton presents 10 Tips to Help You Stay Healthy During a Hospital Trip posted at X-ray Technologist Schools, saying, “Nobody looks forward to a trip to a hospital; nobody likes to fall sick. Haven’t met anyone that has really relished hospital food and if your luck is really bad then you land a matronly nurse or worse, a male nurse.”

Karen Eisenbraun presents Acupuncture May Help Hot Flashes During Breast Cancer Treatment | Healthy Theory posted at Healthy Theory.

Frederick Yarmy presents Top 50 Nursing Assistant Blogs posted at Nurses assistant, saying, “hen you are a nursing assistant, it can help to have the perspective of a number of different people involved in the medical world. Nursing can be very rewarding, but also quite difficult.”

nutrition

bob williams presents A Balanced Diabeteic Diet Is Just One Part Of A Natural Diabetes Treatment Plan posted at Controlling Diabetes For LIfe, saying, “”In order to achieve normal metabolism in diabetic patients, some form of dietary measures are always recommended. A well balanced diabetic diet is just one part of a balanced natural diabetes treatment plan. The main aims of diet control are 1. Avoid hyperglycemia 2. Minimize fluctuations in blood glucose levels and reduce overall blood glucose 3. Achieve weight reduction in obese patients to reduce insulin resistance, hyperglycemia, and dyslipidemia 4. Avoid hypoglycemia and weight gains that are commonly associated with drugs such as insulin 5. Avoid diets that may aggravate diabetic symptoms. For example, diabetic nephropathy may become acute in case of a high protein diet. These diets are known as atherogenic diets in medical parlance.”"

Diane Steward presents Top 50 Blogs to Help You Live Healthy posted at BSN Program, saying, “ore and more people are seeking a healthier lifestyle. Indeed, recent events in the economy have served as a wake up call for more than finances; for some, it is clear that fundamental changes need to be made in the way they live.”

wellness

Kristie Lewis presents Germ Facts for Flu Season (Infographic) posted at NursingDegree.net.

Martin Andrews presents 7 Easy Tips That Show How To Help An Alcoholic posted at Stop Drinking Advice, saying, “Discover how to deal with an alcoholic as revealed in Ed Philips “How To Help An Alcoholic” guide, which offers tried and tested alcoholic addiction support to help an alcoholic quit drinking within 21 days.”

Gracyqueen presents 10 Hotel Health Traps You Should Really Beware Of posted at RN Central.

Martin Andrews presents How To Help An Alcoholic By Identifying Their Drinking Problem posted at Stop Drinking Advice, saying, “Discover how to treat an alcoholic as revealed in Ed Philips “How To Help An Alcoholic” guide, which offers tried and tested alcoholic addiction support to help an alcoholic quit drinking within 2 hours.”

Dr. Armughan presents Menopause and High blood pressure posted at High Blood Pressure Symptoms Treatment Diet.

N.J. Senator Has Cancer

February 20, 2010 | Filed Under cancer | No Comments

New Jersey Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D) has cancer and will begin receiving chemotherapy to treat it, his office announced Friday.

“After several days of hospitalization and testing, Senator Lautenberg’s doctors have diagnosed that he has a B-Cell Lymphoma of the stomach,” his office said in a statement. “This is a curable tumor, and will require treatment over the next few months.”

Lautenberg’s treatment means he will not be on hand Monday for a key procedural vote on the Senate, on Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (D-Nev.) $15 billion jobs bill, Lautenberg’s office confirmed.

B-cell lymphoma is more commonly known as non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a type of cancer that starts in the body’s lymphatic system, according to the American Cancer Society.

Lymphoma is a diverse and confusing family of cancers derived from lymphocytes, which are cells of the immune system. Most lymphomas, including Lautenberg’s, arise from B-cells, which make infection-fighting antibodies.

While details of the senator’s lymphoma (including ones bearing on his prognosis) aren’t known, lymphomas in general are highly treatable and some are curable.

The statement from Lautenberg’s office added that he is being treated by James F. Holland and Martin Goldman of Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York, and included a comment from Holland on his prognosis: “We expect a full and complete recovery for Senator Lautenberg. The Senator will be treated with chemotherapy administered approximately every three weeks. We anticipate that he will receive between six and eight treatments, and in between treatments, the Senator is expected to be back at work in the Senate.”

Lautenberg was hospitalized Monday after falling in his Cliffside Park, N.J., home, and underwent surgery Tuesday for what was thought then to be a bleeding ulcer. At 86, Lautenberg is the second-oldest senator currently serving, behind only Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.).

Senate Democratic leaders will now have to consider Lautenberg’s condition and his treatment schedule when they slot important bills for floor consideration. The party now has 59 votes, meaning that Democrats need all of their members present plus at least one Republican to invoke cloture.

Other lawmakers receiving cancer diagnoses have tried to balance their official duties with their treatments, with varying degrees of success, depending on the severity of their condition.

Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) underwent chemotherapy in 2005 and again in 2008 for a different kind of lymphoma and brain cancer. He missed very little time in the Senate as a result. The late Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.), by contrast, returned to the Senate for only a few votes after being diagnosed with brain cancer.

Lautenberg served in the Senate from 1983 to 2001, and then returned to the chamber after replacing scandal-plagued Sen. Robert Torricelli (D) on the 2002 ballot. Lautenberg was reelected in 2008 and has said he plans to run again in 2014.

“This doesn’t change any of that,” Lautenberg aide Dan Katz told the Newark Star-Ledger following Lautenberg’s diagnosis. “After he receives his treatment, back to normal.”

Statistics kept by the National Cancer Institute show that, among white men over 65 with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, 57 percent survived at least five years after they were diagnosed.

Some of the cancers found in the stomach are so-called “MALT lymphomas” that appear to be related to infection with the bacterium that causes most peptic ulcers. In some very early cases, the tumor can be controlled simply by treating the microbe, Helicobacter pylori, with antibiotics.

However, Lautenberg’s office said he will get six to eight chemotherapy treatments spaced three weeks apart, so it seems unlikely his lymphoma fits that description.

If Lautenberg is forced to leave office, his interim successor would be appointed by Republican Gov. Chris Christie, who captured the statehouse in November following a high-profile contest. Before Christie was sworn in and mindful of Lautenberg’s age, Democrats in the New Jersey legislature tried to take away a governor’s power to appoint replacements, but their effort failed.

Christie will appoint a Republican and a crony if Lautenberg is unable to serve out his term. Beautiful. Just fucking beautiful. Let’s hope Lautenberg makes a full recovery.

Next Page »