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Gonna be gone for a while

Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2018 6:44 am
by hornhospital
I'll be absent from Bigcoupe (and everything else on-line) for a while. Not sure how long. I'm having surgery in a few hours. Bladder cancer. They think they can get it all first try. I'll be back with an update and prognosis when I'm able.

Meanwhile, my wife woke up January 1 with severe breathing problems. A trip to the ER told us she has double pneumonia AND blood clots in her lungs (a bunch of em). She's in the same hospital I'll be in, but they said no to us sharing a room. [-X :wink:

Not exactly how I wanted to start 2018. #-o

Re: Gonna be gone for a while

Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2018 8:50 am
by olympia57
I'm so sorry to hear that Ken .
I wish you successful surgery and a speedy and full recovery .
Good luck .
Don

Re: Gonna be gone for a while

Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2018 9:50 am
by Pod
Wishing you both all the best, Ken. Get well soon. Best wishes, Paul.

Re: Gonna be gone for a while

Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2018 1:48 pm
by baders
Very sorry to hear that Ken. Wishing a swift recovery for you and wifey. My father has also just been diagnosed with bladder cancer. They say it is eminently treatable.

Re: Gonna be gone for a while

Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2018 7:48 pm
by Da_Hose
Fuck me, Ken ..... That sucks, plain and simple.

Wishing you well.

Jose

Re: Gonna be gone for a while

Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2018 10:44 pm
by Masked Man
Ken,

The Creator's blessings upon you and your bride. Both of you get well soon and come back to us ready for more Big Coupe madness!!!

Keep the shiny side up

Phillip

Re: Gonna be gone for a while

Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2018 10:51 pm
by GazM3
Good luck Ken.
Hope everything works out nicely and if it doesn’t well just keep the most positive attitude u can and do whatever it takes.

Re: Gonna be gone for a while

Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2018 4:27 am
by hornhospital
I am amazed. Things went so well they sent me home the same day! And Kathy is doing much better! Off of Oxygen this morning, transitioned to oral anti-clot drugs. May come home tomorrow! Thank you so much for the prayers! The pathology on my surgery will be back next week, and I'll get this wonderful, comfortable (NOT) catheter out. Keep praying, please!

Re: Gonna be gone for a while

Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2018 7:26 am
by jps635
Best wishes re the the pathology results and good to hear your wife improving. All the best.

Re: Gonna be gone for a while

Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2018 10:05 am
by baders
hornhospital wrote: Thu Jan 04, 2018 4:27 am I am amazed. Things went so well they sent me home the same day! And Kathy is doing much better! Off of Oxygen this morning, transitioned to oral anti-clot drugs. May come home tomorrow! Thank you so much for the prayers! The pathology on my surgery will be back next week, and I'll get this wonderful, comfortable (NOT) catheter out. Keep praying, please!
Good news then mate ! I will not be praying for you as of course, no-one is listening :wink: I will however send Mojo from Down Under.

Re: Gonna be gone for a while

Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2018 6:16 pm
by sansouci
Ken,
Keep the good news coming. We hope that your return home will bring you back to the online community. You'll be back on the road in no time.
All the best,
Ken Weinstein

Re: Gonna be gone for a while

Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2018 2:07 am
by hornhospital
Had the follow up appointment today. I'm going to be getting chemotherapy once a week for 6 weeks, then once a month for 3 months, then take a look and see if it's gone or still there. That will repeat for 24 months.
The good news is that I'm rid of that catheter! \:D/

Re: Gonna be gone for a while

Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2018 7:31 am
by Pod
Pleased to hear you’re on the road to recovery, Ken. How is Kathy doing?

Re: Gonna be gone for a while

Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2018 9:22 am
by hornhospital
She is much better!She came home last friday, and went back for her follow-up today, scheduled the same time as my follow up, but 10 miles apart! :roll: Breathing is back to normal. She even gets around better than she has in a long time (she's had knee replacement in one knee, but the other needs doing now). I think the blood clots had been an ongoing problem for some time, we just didn't realize it. It could have been a far worse outcome...

Re: Gonna be gone for a while

Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2018 4:11 pm
by raykoke
Well, good! -ish!

Best,

Ray

Re: Gonna be gone for a while

Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2018 4:19 am
by Da_Hose
Hey Ken,

Just checking back in with you. Positive thoughts to you and your wife.

Jose

Re: Gonna be gone for a while

Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2018 5:17 am
by hornhospital
Kathy continues to improve. She's still doing breathing treatments. Some days she has no problem getting around. Other days she get out of breath very easily. They said it would be 6 months or so before she gets back to normal.

I'm taking my third (of 6) treatment tomorrow. They aren't as bad as I anticipated, but they sure make me tired. So far no nausea. I hate being nauseated...it makes me sick. :wink:

Re: Gonna be gone for a while

Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2018 5:05 am
by Ralph in Socal
Prayers for you both Ken and Kathy. Keep up the fight and win.

Ralph

Re: Gonna be gone for a while

Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2018 12:18 pm
by GazM3
Cancer is one tough enemy to fight. My thoughts are with you

Re: Gonna be gone for a while

Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2018 7:55 pm
by madman
Your fight and will is an inspiration for all of us. Our thoughts and prayers to you and your wife.

Re: Gonna be gone for a while

Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2018 5:07 am
by hornhospital
Thanks so much for the prayers and well wishes. I am doing really well! I've felt well enough to get back to work on BMW projects. I tire out easily, so pacing and having help are key to getting anything done.

I'm not much of an inspiration. My cancer is pretty minor compared to my younger brother's history. He was diagnosed with Stage 4 multiple myeloma 10 years ago. He spent nearly a year at the myeloma institute in Little Rock, AR, the result of which he has been myeloma free for 8.5 years. Two years ago he was diagnosed with agressive acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and was treated for several months. He's been in remission from that for a year. During that same time he found out he had bladder cancer, but a much more aggressive type than mine. They operated, hoped they got it all, but it came back late last year. They took his bladder, prostate, and pelvic lymph glands. Now it's in his left kidney. It needs to come out, but they don't think he'll survive the operation. He has had as much chemotherapy as they dare give him in his lifetime. He has a terrible choice to make: risk having the kidney out and maybe die during or just after the surgery, or leave it in and die of the cancer in 6 months or so. HIS faith and attitude are an inspiration to me.

Re: Gonna be gone for a while

Posted: Sat Feb 17, 2018 6:55 am
by MrE
Good luck Ken. Good to hear that things are heading positively.

Re: Gonna be gone for a while

Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 6:51 am
by hornhospital
Update:
After the first round of chemo, I went back for a checkup before the second round starts, and they found another polyp. Tiny little thing about as big as a ball point pen tip, but it's right next to where the previous tumors were removed. I go for pre-op tests on the 23rd (next Monday) and I'm having surgery on the 30th. They are going to put me under, remove the polyp, and biopsy it while I'm still on the table. If it isn't malignant I wake up in recovery and go home. If it is malignant, they will do another resection, and I'll probably/may get to go home that day anyway, but with another miserable catheter/bag. Man, I pray I'm not saddled with that again for a week! Either way, I'll probably start round two 14 days after the biopsy/surgery.

An update on my brother:
He has made strides in his strength and stamina, enough so that he's having a follow up surgery to remove the rest of his urethra. They didn't remove it when they did the bladder/prostate/lymph gland removal because it apparently frequently leads to bleeding problems. I think it's a good sign that he's at least well enough to have that surgery, but he still has some strength building to do before they can remove the cancerous kidney. He's walking a tightrope between having to wait until he's strong enough, but not so long the cancer spreads further.

Thanks for all your expressions of concern and prayers. I believe in prayer and it's results. Please continue.

Re: Gonna be gone for a while

Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 7:06 am
by Masked Man
Hang in there, Ken! We're all pulling for you and your family!!

Keep the shiny side up

Phillip

Re: Gonna be gone for a while

Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 8:44 pm
by GazM3
All the best Ken

Got my fingers crossed for you. Keep storing and try and stay mentally positive.