Greg's Hobby Blog

Summertime!

2009-07-11T08:59:00.003-06:00

It's been a pretty eventful summer so far... I've been to 3 family reunion vacations, nearly completed 2 semesters of graduate school and begun searching for a house. So if you've been anxious to see a new post on my blog since my last one dated April 4th... get over it.

Work is good despite difficult market conditions. I've managed to avoid 2 rounds of layoffs so far at IM Flash. We keep hearing rumors about the NAND flash memory market picking up, but it hasn't translated into any comfortable feelings of job security yet. A couple of weeks ago my team was affected and my good friend Dave was let go.

We've had several vacations in the past month and a half. Our first trip to Capital Reef National Park was a nice getaway. We stayed at a nice motel in Torrey, UT and got to see much of the park and enjoy good company with the Phelps. The hyroglyphics were nice, but it was really cool to see a couple of really nice bucks moseying through the park.

Our second trip was to Georgetown Lake in SouthWestern Montana. The weather was pretty bad the first 3 days. On the third day it actually snowed on us (June 22nd). We had a good time with the Friels despite the bad weather. The fishing never picked up, but I did catch a little Rainbow on a dry fly on the Blackfoot river near Missoula. This is the river made famous by the movie "A River Runs Through It" so I was excited to have some bragging rights.

Last weekend was the Phelps extended family reunion. Total head count... 154 of 183. The Phelps reunions always draw a crowd. Each year this event gets better for me. I still don't know half of the family members names, but I enjoy getting to know more of them. It was my in-law's turn to host the event, and I'm always amazed at how much work goes into planning and preparing for meals and programs. Kylan had fun being in the Silly Circus and eating the candy that was passed out on movie night.

Finally what I'm most excited about is getting our own house. Leslie and I have talked about this for nearly 3 years during times when nothing was affordable. We're excited to get a better sense of stability and independence that comes with homeownership. ... on a side note, it's also nice to have a tan and be getting haircuts again too.

Business Socks

2009-04-04T09:06:00.003-06:00

Yesterday I attended an important meeting to discuss supplier rationalization with a team from purchasing. I was in the middle of expressing my opinions regarding difficulties in the application of criterion for 3 different tiers of suppliers when I noticed a lump in the left sleeve of my polo shirt. I reached over to remove this obstruction with the full attention of those in the room to pull out one of Kylan's socks. Luckily most in attendance were parents themselves, so everyone got a good laugh at my little wardrobe malfunction.

The Sportsman's Expo

2009-03-24T21:04:00.006-06:00

I had the opportunity to take Kylan out for a day of guy stuff at the Sportsman's Expo. I believe it is never too early to teach kids to love the outdoors - camping, fishing, hunting, and vacationing in Alaska were always exciting to me as a kid.

There were a lot of cool booths with some pretty fun things to look at. One booth had a baby bear cub that you could take pictures with; another had a baby owl and falcons. Then there was this big dog retrieval show. The trainer would throw a fetch toy down a runway into a large swimming pool. Somehow nothing could top Kylan's favorite attraction this year ... the large industrial sized vacuum that they used to vacuum the water that spilled out of the pool. I tried a number of times to pull his attention away from the vacuum, but the noise the vacuum made was just too exciting. He's always had a fascination with vacuums, and this was the vacuum of vacuums.

We stopped at a California Redwoods booth and took a picture.

Oh ... that hair! Part 2

2009-03-15T20:25:00.003-06:00

So hair is no longer a novel thing in my life. As my chia-head clearly demonstrates, with a little water, sunlight, fertilizer, and healthy rest ... hair grows nicely!

I find it comforting fitting in with the norm enough now that I don't need to explain my hair loss. When I first began losing my hair and had shaved my head bald, I took my car in to have the transmission serviced. While waiting to pick my car up, the shop owner's mother was waiting in the lobby also. "What did you do with all your hair?" she candidly asked. Although I appreciated her directness, I reluctantly gave her the grim truth about my treatments. Looking back I wish I would have made something up like "I just had a bad haircut." I've always liked being the light-hearted, happy-go-lucky guy that makes people laugh.

So I'm feeling much more at ease these days meeting new people with nothing to explain. Don't get me wrong; For those of you who know me, I enjoy sharing my experience with the beating the disease, and my testimony of the divine intervention that brought me to where I am today. But very few people care to get into a conversation on such a deep topic having just met me. And with a sign as apparent as total hair loss, it can be a bit like social leprosy. So here's to social normalcy and to not having awkward conversations out of obligation. Life is great! Life is fun! Live hard and die when you're good and ready. I'm planning on being around awhile.

Greg

Oh ... that hair!

2009-02-26T19:41:00.009-07:00

Some of you have wondered what I might look like as my hair returns. Being bald has its advantages, but there are advantages (especially during the Winter) to having hair. You might wonder ...will it be thick and lustrous? Now that Fabio is crashing into birds on roller coasters, with whom do you measure the sexiness of a man's hair. Oscar Bluth from Arrested Development might now be our best example.
Okay, so I'm not there yet ... but its coming.

You can't really see the growth in this first picture.

Now I'll have to admit that seeing myself without any eyebrows or eyelashes is a little disturbing, but I'll be looking as sexy as Oscar Bluth in no time at all.

Greg

Day 1 - Cancer Free

2009-02-12T13:27:00.005-07:00

Today I'm changing my count from counting up from my first chemo to counting up the days I've been cancer free. That's right, I said cancer free! I met with my Oncologist this morning. She came to my room and stood outside the door reading my recent scan and had to call the Radiologist who read the scan to be sure about my prognosis. The scan not only shows no sign of active cancer cell growth, but the tumor is completely gone. The tumor had barely shrunk after chemo #3 and #4, and it was still 6cm in diameter at #5. To some people this might just be considered an unexplainable surprise, but to a religious person like myself I'm calling it a miracle.

I'm going to add a ticker to my blog counting up my cancer free days so that I can move on to the more important purposes of this blog - hobbies. So thank you all one more time for your prayers and support. Stay tuned if you would like and I'll try to keep this blog worth your reading.

Greg

Day 114 - The Plan for Recovery

2009-01-31T08:12:00.000-07:00

I'm not out of the woods yet, but I've finished my last scheduled chemotherapy and am coming out of my bad days nicely. Since I have tenatively committed to returning to work and graduate school full-time on February 16th, I'm fairly confident that going forward, I will only be treated with radiation. That being said, here's what my doctor has planned for me.

On February 10th, I will undergo a PET scan. The purpose of this scan is to see what cancer cells in my body are still active. This scan is different from the previous scans which measured only the size of the tumor. Regardless of size, if the tumor or cancer cells are not actively growing anywhere in my body, then the remaining tumor can be killed with radiation. My Oncologist informed me that at this point, I will beat the cancer, it's just a matter of how. If active cancer cells are still growing, I may need to undergo 1-2 more chemos.

That being said, here's what I do know about my tumor. After the first 2 chemos, it shrank 66%, and after the next 2, it only shrank about 5% more. So the active cells mostly died in the first 2 treatments. Another interesting tidbit about cancer is that it grows when your body is in an acidic state, or less than 6.0 pH. I tested mine this week and my body is in balance leaning toward an alkaline state at 7.0-7.25 pH. So cancer would have a difficult time being active in my body in it's current state. It's only speculation at this point, but I won't know the plan for sure until my Oncologist gets my report on February 12th.

Once I've completed treatment and have beaten the cancer, I hope to dedicate this blog to more uplifting adventures like camping, fishing, and snowboarding. Thank you again for your prayers and support.

Greg

Day 106 - Chemo #6

2009-01-23T21:15:00.000-07:00

Today I had my last scheduled chemotherapy treatment. My Oncologist said from the beginning that she hoped to be able to complete my chemotherapy with six treatments, but that it could go to eight if necessary. Since I have already committed to returning to school and work on February 16th, I'm crossing my fingers that this will be the end of chemo. I do expect to go through some radiation once I complete chemo, but I'll take radiation over chemo any day.

I also learned some very good news about my chances of survival and life expectancy. I had met with a substitute doctor six weeks ago who informed me that the chance of reoccurance with my type of cancer was 98%. It was not a matter of if, but when. My regular Oncologist just put that prognosis to rest today. She explained that she didn't know why the substitute doctor said that, but that she expected me to beat this occurance, and that I would have a 70% chance of never seeing it reoccur. HOLY COW that changes my outlook! I'm looking forward to being "normal" again, and it's nice to be able to think that I can still live to be 100 if I take care of myself.

(Added 1/25)
Here's a couple of links to articles that support the increased cure rate for follicular lymphoma:
> http://www.cancer.org/docroot/NWS/content/NWS_1_1x_Outlook_Brighter_for_Patients_With_Follicular_Lymphoma.asp
> http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials/results/follicular-lymphoma-and-rituximab0505

Thank you again for your prayers and support!

Greg

Day 100 - Stent Freedom / Treatment End

2009-01-17T08:46:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had my first day since October 1st without a foreign object in my kidney. That's great news not only because I can move and lift without restriction, but the tumor has shrunk enough that it is no longer resting on the drain pipe for my kidney. To relate, it probably feels most like having a cast taken off a leg after walking on crutches for 3 months.

I have tenatively committed to returning to full-time work and grad school on February 16th (Day 130). Of course this is pending my doctors approval after my 3rd CT scan. I'm excited to have the tumor gone completely. I feel confident the dietary changes I have made over the past 3 months will have a significant impact on the chances of the cancer returning.

For those of you who are LDS, many key phrases in the Word of Wisdom have taken on a new understanding - vs. 14 "...grain is ... to be the staff of life," vs. 17 "wheat for man," and vs. 18-21 "And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings ... shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones ... And I, the Lord, give unto thee a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them."

I have learned much about the negative effects of eating sugar and dairy produced using hormones, and eating too much enriched flour and meats. I have also learned much about the positive impacts whole foods have on the body, particularly the properties of wheat. Among other things, wheat grass juice, wheat sprouts, and home-made, whole wheat bread have become staples of my new diet.

Thank you for humoring me with a little of my preaching. And thank you again and again for your hope, faith, and prayers.

Greg

Day 89 - New CT Scan Results Positive

2009-01-06T14:53:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was ordered in for another CT Scan to check the progress of the tumor shrinkage. Although the amount wasn't as drastic as it was on after the first scan, the tumor still showed signs of progress. Due to Holiday eating, I've let some of my healthy herbal remedies drop out of my diet lately. I'm determined to stick through eating the natural herbal pills, carrot & wheat grass juices until my next scan to see what a difference is made. My next CT Scan will likely be in early February.

Last Friday, January 2nd I received my 5th of 6 Chemotherapy treatments. From everything I've been told, my 6th treatment (January 23rd) will be my last. Follow-up after #6 will likely be some minor radiation and may allow me to go back to work and normal life. Yeah!!!

Stent Success

2008-12-30T07:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had a stent holding my right ureter open replaced. The stents typically last only 6-8 weeks before the kidney builds irritating stones around the tube. My new stent will easily last me through the end of my Chemo and will ensure that I keep both kidneys functioning. Based on the amount the tumor had been pinching off the ureter, my Urologist said that he's confident the tumor has shrunk significantly more since my last CT scan. My next progress update showing actual tumor size won't come until the first of February, so this kind of good news was very welcome.

My next Chemo is scheduled for this Friday. I intend to post updates more frequently over the next couple of months now that I'm done taking tests. Stay tuned. Again, thank you for your continued prayers and support.

Happy Holidays from the newest C.P.M.

2008-12-26T19:40:00.000-07:00

Christmas has been particularly good this year. I have so much to be grateful for! It's so nice to be in my "good days" during Christmas and New Years, since the first half of my 21 day Chemotherapy cycles can be tough. My next treatment is scheduled on January 2nd, with a minor kidney stent removal surgery on December 29th. It's been nice spending time with family and eating good food. I've taken a few more breaks from the daily quart of carrot juice in my regimen, (please nobody tell my grandma) and I'm feeling great!

The other big news is I've studied for and passed tests for C.P.M. (Certified Purchasing Manager) Modules 2, 3, and 4 all in the month of December. I am now Certified! (http://www.ism.ws/certification/content.cfm?ItemNumber=4674&navItemNumber=5616) My current employer has been a big advocate for continuing education, and it's been nice to be able to keep working toward some of my professional goals in addition to beating cancer. After 3 month at home, I'm very anxious to get back to work. Happy Holidays!

Day 64 - Treatment #4 - 2/3 Done & Progress Continues

2008-12-12T18:21:00.000-07:00

Leslie and I have received a lot of requests to post more updates on my progress. Since my last Chemo treatment, I haven't had a lot to report, good or bad, on the progress of the cancer. Another suggestion was more pictures. Well, you're getting both today! What you're not getting is evenly spaced paragraphs or a spellchecked document because this isn't MS Word.

Today I met with a substitute doctor who was a little more open about my progress and the condition of the tumor and type of cancer in general. First, the good news is that the estimate of tumor reduction after the 2nd Chemo of more than 50% actually read 66% on the radiologist's report. The doctor gave me a 95% chance of licking the tumor this time... which gets into the bad news. The chances of Follicular Lymphoma reoccurring after it has gone into remission is 98%. So it's not a matter of if the cancer returns, but when. The up-side is that it will likely come back in similar form and be slow-growing. He also said he estimated I would have a 90% chance of licking it the second time. I am hopeful that with the dietary changes I am making, the cancer will have a tougher time coming back so quickly. Remission could last just a few months, or it could last 5 years or more. I will be closely monitored and it will likely be caught much sooner when it does come back, so treatment should be easier and quicker. Other people doing similar follow-up treatments only do a mild Chemo on a 2 hour lunch break before returning to work the same day. Another up-side is that he told me there are some pretty cool cancer treatment advances in the pipeline. Drug companies have recently had some major breakthroughs that have shown potential to cure some types of cancer. I'm hoping Lymphoma is one of them.

As promised here are a few pictures:

I was having some fun with some of the pills I get to take on a daily basis. Name that movie "Pills are good." Me and my not-so-hairless brother Jeff at Thanksgiving at the Friel's. Kylan thinks he's pretty cool with Dad's beanie!

I received a customized beanie from a friend at work. To her and her friends I am known as "G-Money" Hence the "G$G$" pattern. I don't even want to know how many hours she put into this, but I have to say that other cancer patients were a little jealous. This was definitely blog-worthy.

Day 43 - Tumor shrank more than 50%

2008-11-21T17:36:00.000-07:00

Tuesday I had a CT scan done on my abdomen to check what effect the prayers, chemotherapy, daily quart of carrot juice, nasty wheat grass juice, and herbal supplements have had on my tumor.

Good news! The tumor shrank more than 50% after just 2 treatments. Instead of holding a small football in my abdomen, I now have two IPods stacked on top of each other. My Dr. warned me not to expect that kind of progress on my next scan scheduled around 12/29, but because of some of the things she has said, I believe I am on the high end of tumor reduction progress for the first 2 treatments.

Again, I can't say enough how grateful I am for all of your thoughts and prayers. I am truly blessed to have so many thoughtful family members and friends. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Greg

Day 26 - Chemo #2 Wearing Off

2008-11-05T14:08:00.000-07:00

I've decided to date everything back to my first chemo treatment because that is the most calendar friendly. Even though the pre-chemo surgeries started a month before, I can count down the progress of chemo treatments every 21 days.

As expected, this round was milder than the first treatment only because I haven't had to deal with any additional illness. Today is my fifth day since treatment, and I'm resisting taking the anti-naseau medication that puts me to sleep for 18 hours a day. My weight is stabilizing and I have a new CT scan to look forward to on November 18 (before my next treatment). Although I'm hoping the scan shows there is nothing left of the tumor, I'll be happy to see it shriveling away like an ugly little raisin.

Day 30 - I didn't think this was worthy of a new post, so I'm adding it to this one. I stopped taking my medication too soon on Day 26 and ended up paying for it the next few days. I'm just recovering this weekend. Yeah!

Day 15 - A New Haircut

2008-10-25T21:39:00.000-06:00

I've been feeling much better this week. I'm getting back to sleeping during normal hours, eating normally, and my energy level is up. I have a full 6 days before my next chemo treatment which, appropriately, will be given on Halloween. (Chemo causes some pretty freaky dreams.) I plan to enjoy this week. The second chemo treatment is supposed to have the strongest effect on the body; but having had the flu and a cold while recovering from a surgical biopsy and a port-o-cath placement surgery probably made the first treatment a little worse than it might normally have been. Bring on #2!

Also, I will now be saving big dollars on haircuts, shampoo, hair product, and razors. Yes, I started losing my hair on Thursday. I had a couple of random, goofy bald patches and instead of accepting the scraggly mop, I embraced the inevitable and shaved my head. Here is a picture of my glorious bald noggin.

Nice Sunday!

2008-10-20T06:24:00.000-06:00

They say if don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. So I haven't posted anything for a week. Our whole family got the flu last Thursday. Leslie recovered quickly after a miserable night, but Kylan and I are just feeling the tail end of it. I finally feel like I'm mostly recovered from the cold that started before chemo, the flu that I got after chemo, and the side effects of chemo that are heavy the first week after chemo. I'm told my immune system is at it's lowest point six days after I start chemo. I'm now into my 10th day and won't need another chemo treatment until day 21. This gives me a little break time for some well-needed rest. I will be doing six total cycles once every 21 days and a new CT scan will done at the end of the 2nd cycle to check the progress.

In case anyone is wondering, I still have a full head of hair, but I've lost 40 lbs of water weight (mostly in my thighs and legs.) This may be the first time that I can ever remember having chicken legs.

Thank you again for your prayers and concern. Yesterday was a nice Sunday!

Bladder Stent Functioning Well

2008-10-14T22:28:00.000-06:00

After a rough weekend at home, I went back in to the Chemo Den on Monday morning to finish my bag of Ritoxin. This drug is supposed to target the cancer cells better than a general Chemotherapy. Today my cold has improved and, after another hospital visit, we learned that the stent placed in my right kidney is functioning extremely well. I've got a couple of weeks now to recover before my next chemo treatment.

Thank you again for your prayers, love, and concern.

Greg & Leslie

Chemotherapy - Day 1

2008-10-10T17:36:00.000-06:00

After finishing a final for my last MBA course, I headed to the "Chemo Den" to start Day 1 of my chemotherapy. I call it the Chemo Den because I sit in one of about ten Lay-z-Boy chairs set in a circle where other Chemo patients are hooked in to the drip. Nothing like a bunch of fogies sitting in a circle talking about their aches and pains ... much like the San Francisco Opium Dens in the early 1900's but with a sterile environment and nurse supervision. Oh yeah, there's no opium either, just a variety of Chemos that range in color and effects. Today I got the cherry coolaid in a vial, a smaller clear vial of sweetness, and an IV bag of watery goodness. As you can tell from my humor or lack thereof, I'm taking the Chemo well today. I ate a full Paradise Bakery sandwich after Chemo, which is more than I've eaten all week. I'm still losing weight, but at a healthy rate to win the "Ab-off" next June. Watch out former roommates, I got this in the bag!

Thank you again for your prayers, love, and support.

Greg & Leslie

Diagnosis - Follicular Lymphoma, Grade 3

2008-10-09T16:14:00.000-06:00

Today we visited our family practitioner to have a follow-up chest x-ray done and we were given the result of the biopsy taken Monday - Follicular Lymphoma, Grade 3. This is a very common strain of cancer and there are medications and chemotherapy that can beat this strain. We continue to remain optimistic about the outcome. Thank you again for your prayers and support.

Greg & Leslie

Hospital Adventure / Good News!

2008-10-07T15:32:00.000-06:00

Yesterday morning I took Greg in for outpatient surgery and this afternoon we finally came home. It didn't go exactly as we expected but it was a successful surgery and we continue to make slow progress toward a definitive diagnosis.

Two hours after entering same-day surgery, I spoke with the primary surgeon who informed me that the surgery had been successful. The sample taken should provide adequate information for a conclusive diagnosis and we should know results within three to four days. They also inserted Greg's Port-o-cath for the chemotherapy drips once he begins treatment.

I was relieved that everything went to plan during surgery and was told to please wait in room 166 until they wheeled Greg in for a brief recovery period and then we could be released. I waited in room 166 for over an hour and then, upon questioning several staff members from various departments, realized that nobody knew where Greg actually was AND that the entire Same Day Surgery staff had gone home for the evening. Super! My husband was drugged up on a gurney only Heaven knows where and nobody seemed to be concerned except for me.

I finally stepped out of room 166 for about 2 minutes to make a phone call in an effort to retrieve my Sweetie Pie and when I returned to the room he had miraculously appeared. Nobody knows who brought him there or where he was, not even Greg (as he was just coming off the effects of general anaesthesia.)

An hour later, and after a good shot of Demerol for Greg, they informed us that they had orders from the doctor to perform another ultrasound because of a fluid buildup around another lymph node. We waited yet another hour (it was now 10 P.M.) and were wheeled into radiology where he was poked and prodded a little more. (Poor Sweetie Pie!)

They kept us overnight to make sure Greg's pain was controlled and we were finally released around noon today. Greg is up and walking around, eating and feeling pretty well with the assistance of some Lortab. Better living through chemicals, right? This should be the last preparatory operation/procedure before treatment, so hopefully he can rest up for a few more days and feel well before chemo.

In addition to a successful biopsy, the bone marrow samples came back negative so the cancer has not spread to the bone. Also, this morning we learned that none of the lymph nodes outside of Greg's chest and abdomen seem to be affected. This means that although the tumor and affected area seems large, the cancer appears to be contained within the abdomen. Great news!

We will let you all know when we get the final diagnosis later this week.

Thank you again for all of your kindnesses, thoughts and prayers.

Best Regards and Love,

Greg and Leslie

The Jist

2008-10-02T14:28:00.000-06:00

Doctors have been investigating various symptoms Greg has been suffering for about 4 or 5 months now and have treated him for possible kidney failure and possible congestive heart failure but have not had any conclusive answers to the problems. Last week his chest cavity filled up with fluid almost immediately after being drained of fluid which inspired the doctor to order a CT scan on Greg's chest and abdominal cavities.

We received the results of that scan on Friday, September 26th, which showed that Greg has a tumor in his chest and abdominal cavities. One tumor, it's just really big (about 7" wide by 12" tall.) Each doctor said that they are positive it is cancerous and thus we have been hurriedly searching for information in order to make some educated decisions regarding treatment. After an emotional and prayerful weekend we determined that traditional medical treatment is the path we should take to address this issue.

On Monday, September 29th, we had the tumor biopsied via a needle insertion. The doctor took 6 samples which, for one reason or another, ALL came back inconclusive. We will go in for a surgical biopsy this Monday, October 6th, and hopefully have a more conclusive result from that.

The tumor is also obstructing the ureter which leads from his right kidney to his bladder and some damage has been done to that kidney already. We were in the hospital yesterday to have a stint placed in that ureter which will hopefully facilitate better drainage and allow us to save that kidney.

We met with the Oncologist yesterday, October 1st, and felt confident that there is a good likelihood that his condition will be very responsive to treatment because it has all the signs and visibly appears to be a lymphoma cancer (although we will not know for certain until the results of the second biopsy come back.)

The Oncologist also took a bone marrow sample in order to determine whether the cancer is at such an advanced stage that a transplant may be necessary. We will receive the final results of that test on Monday, October 6th. However, the doctor thinks, based on the blood test results, that it is unlikely that the cancer has spread to the bone. Thank goodness!

Once all the information is gathered and we have a conclusive answer as to exactly what type of cancer we are dealing with, we will start treatment...most likely chemotherapy. The doctor has said that the treatment process will begin either Wednesday, October 8th or Friday, October 10th.

So, now that business is out of the way, I will say that Greg and I are both doing very well. For a few days things were quite emotional and we both felt like we were walking around in a dream world. But now that it's all settled in and we have some answers and a plan of action we are actually really motivated and encouraged that we will come out of this all just fine.

Greg is recovering beautifully from the stint placement and enjoying a long, restful weekend before the surgical biopsy on Monday. There really have not been any undue or unforeseen complications and all of our doctors have been very professional and efficient, which we are grateful for.

We really appreciate all of your faith and prayers and friendships - that's the best thing anyone can do for us. We're sorry not to answer all the calls and e-mails; however, we do read them and listen to them all and are encouraged by them, so don't hesitate to send a message or post on this blog. It's just a little overwhelming dealing with it all over and over again, so please don't take it personally. We really do love you all :)