A Year of Great Health

Long time no write! It is just over a year that Syed learned he had cancer, went through surgery, and started chemo. He can now look back on this entire life experience as a memory that is continuously growing more distant.

Since his chemo ended in November of last year, Syed is back to regular check ups and visits with doctors. Within the past 6 months, Syed has had a colonoscopy and CT Scan. Both test results “came out clean” as Syed puts it. Here is the specific detail that Syed wanted to share with all of you:

• My CEA has dropped to 2.8 which is a good number according to my Oncologist Dr. George Labban. CEA (carcino embryonic antigen) stands for Tumor marker  for colon cancer.
• My body is low on Vitamin B12 because my body is not efficiently absorbing Vitamin B12 and for that reason, I continue to get B12 injection once a month.
• Prostate check resulted in a PSA  (Prostate Specific Antigen ) of 0.3. Typically when it goes above 4 then it is considered to be raising a red flag.
• Bone density is low. As a result, I have started taking more calcium and Vitamin D.
• Hemoglobin count was 13.1. Normal is 13.2 so I'm in great shape on this count.

Syed’s next round of check ups will be in three months. Should results continue to be great, he will then move to a six month check up schedule.

Congrats to Syed. May the worst remain in the past and the future be filled with health, long life, and of course, a lot of fun.

I hope everyone is having a great year. Let Syed know how you’re doing too. He’d love to hear from you.

Regards,

Linda and Caroline

Time to Celebrate -- Syed’s Chemo Treatments Complete

Hi everyone,

Syed has officially completed all his treatments. When Linda took him for his checkup this week, the doctor felt that no additional treatments were needed. He will be meeting with the doctor again in February for a follow up visit.

You might wonder, is Syed in remission? We will get final confirmation in February but I think it is safe to say that he is. Remember, Syed went through chemo treatments as a precautionary measure. The conclusion of the biopsy following his colon surgery was that the cancer had not spread and was pretty much contained to the tumor itself.

So what is Syed going to do with his time now? First and foremost, he will focus on rebuilding himself from the inside out. As many of you know, chemo can compromise the immune system, organ function, and the body overall. Hence, he’s improving his diet to strengthen himself and improve his stamina.

Thank you all for your support. Happy Holidays to everyone. Be safe, healthy, and of course, smile and laugh throughout every day.

Caroline

Syed Is Home

Hi everyone,

Syed is back to receiving glowing reports from his doctor. This morning, his doctor came in and told Syed he can be released from "jail". The wonderful aspect to Syed is, he never thought being in the hospital was in any way restrictive. Quite the opposite. Syed actually preferred to be cared for properly so he could be assured that he would make a full recovery and feel confident about caring for himself at home. This is why Linda and I both have such an easy time helping Syed with his medical care.

Tonight, Syed will be staying with Linda at her home. While he is almost 100%, he still feels a bit "wobbly" as he puts it and prefers to have Linda watch over him just in case as Linda has truly learned all of Syed's signals, if you know what I mean.

While I may post the updates and try to keep everyone informed, Linda has been at Syed's side throughout all of his chemo treatments over the past few months--driving him to and picking him up from each appointment, dealing with the hassles of Medicare to ensure his medication is ready on time, and keeping Syed on track with each step of his treatments. While some people may become overwhelmed by taking on such a role, not Linda. She is there, by the side of Syed as a true friend, truly loving to help in any way possible. Thank you Linda!

Have a great weekend everyone,

Caroline

Almost Back To Normal

Hi everyone,

Syed is feeling much better this morning, however, he is still a bit "shaky," as he puts it, when he walks. The doctor thought he should be able to go home tomorrow, however Syed is a bit concerned about returning home too soon since he doesn't feel his strength is 100%. The doctor told him that they would wait for an evaluation from the Occupational and Physical Therapists to determine what rehab he might need. The therapists will assess his ability to take care of himself at home and it sounds as though if they determine that he is not strong enough to return home, they may recommend he stay in the hospital a few days longer.

I'll be in touch soon as Linda or I learn more. Thank you for all your support.

Caroline

Round 5

Yesterday, when Linda went to pick up Syed from his treatment, she learned that Syed had a reaction to the infusion. He became short of breath and suddenly, physically weak. Linda and the doctors thought it best he be admitted to the hospital for the sole purpose of monitoring.

Linda then followed the ambulence to the hospital. Once Syed was settled into his room, within the hour, she was releaved to see his breathing return to normal. He still had difficulty talking, however. Syed typically has difficulty talking after each treatment.

This morning, he seems to be back to his usual self but just a little tired from the experience. The doctors decided to keep him in the hospital one more day. Linda and I are very confident that he will be returning home tomorrow.

For the moment, he will not be taking phone calls (I actually have his mobile phone) so he can thoroughly rest. I will be talking with the doctor directly to find more details about the reaction and discuss next steps. I will send out another update this evening.

All the best and Syed truly appreciates your support.

Caroline

Not Quite Round 5

This week, Syed went in for Round 5 and his doctor placed it on hold for a week. Syed's white cell count was too low. Syed will try again next Tuesday, November 2.

Not sure if you all recall but here's what happens when Syed goes in for each infusion. His blood is tested before every infusion so that his white cell count can be assessed. When the white cell count is too low, people can become more susceptible to various types of infections and viruses. Overall, the immune system is not as strong.

When people go through Chemo treatments, the immune system becomes comprised over time. It is expected that at some point during treatments, the white cell count will be low. When this occurs, infusions are skipped until the white cell count reaches a sufficient level.

In the meantime, Syed is his usual energetic self---went to the Farmer’s market yesterday, goes on regular walks around the neighborhood, and of course sees a movie from time to time. We’re actually going to a movie tonight, Linda, Syed, and I.

Chat with you all next week.

Caroline

Round 3.5

Hi everyone,

My apologies for the delayed post. Syed had, what I’m naming, round “three and a half” of chemo this past Wednesday. I’ll tell you about why I call this round 3.5 in a minute. First, you must know that Syed’s doctor’s continue to be astounded by how well Syed’s body is reacting to the chemo overall. Like all patients, he has had some side effects but nothing that has impacted his energy level, positive attitude, and of course, his smiling face. While I’m thrilled and somewhat surprised, I’m truly not overly surprised that he’s reacted so well. I’m a huge believer in attitude and the power of the mind (learned it from my grandmother). His positive easy-going attitude is the key ingredient to approaching and dealing with life’s challenges and the challenge Syed is facing today is one of the greatest the human body can endure and he is doing absolutely fabulously.

Now, maybe you’re still wondering why I’ve named this round of chemo 3.5. Well, due to the policies of Medicare, Syed was not able to receive his oral medication in time. As I posted last month, Syed completed the infusion but when Linda went to pick up his medication, she discovered that some paperwork was missing and therefore, the medication would not be covered. I had thought that maybe Syed could cover the cost until the paperwork issue was resolved, however, we then discovered that the cost was beyond excessive, $2,000 per bottle. So for round 3, Syed only had part of his treatment, the infusion, skipping the other half, his pills---hence, round 3.5 J.

I promise, either Linda or I will post the full story about what happened. It’s quite detailed and I’m not able to do that right now. What I will tell you though is that Linda truly worked tirelessly to get all paperwork submitted and delivered Syed his medication a week ago. Going forward, he’s all set.

Syed’s next round of chemo is scheduled for October 27.

All the best to everyone.

Caroline