Friday, January 21, 2011

Stage III C Testicular Cancer

I had my follow up appointment today and the news was not good. I have Stage III C Testicular Cancer meaning the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes and one or more distant organs (above the diaphragm), in my case the liver and the lungs. Because of the masses present and the way it has spread I will be having an MRI of my head to see if it has spread to the brain as well. In order to treat this I will need chemotherapy and after the chemotherapy is complete possibly surgery to remove the lymph nodes as well. I have never been hit by a truck before, but I have to imagine this might be what it feels like.

9 comments:

  1. Brian and Ellon, the Jakubowski Family is here in the "verse" to lend our support however we can.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you very much, it is greatly appreciated.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Dougan, you are most certainly in our prayers. You are the most determined person I know, if anyone can climb this mountian it's you. Remember you're not alone in this fight buddy, shipmates for life!!

    p.s. we're in Norfolk now so if you and Ellon need anything at all just give me a ring.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hey - at least you don't have any hair to loose from the chemo! And you won't have to shave either...

    ReplyDelete
  5. -Sanchez, we should catch up now that you are in the area.

    -Judi, I was just mentioning to Ellon yesterday that it will be nice to have a break from shaving for a bit.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Brother, if I was religious you would have my prayers... but my wife is, so she will put you in her prayers.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hey, Brian. I'm your Mom's cousin Mary; I think you might remember me from Westport. Your Mom called tonight to tell me what's going on with you, and I just wanted to get in touch. When Annie was born, Frank and I were just going into the delivery room when I met your mother being wheeled back from delivery! She and your Dad were so excited and happy that you had arrived! Sue and I hadn't seen each other for years, and we meet on hospital beds wheeling by one another in the hospital and giving birth to our second child within hours of each other! That's the night Annie was born. Well, you must remember Annie. You and Heather and she went out peeling the yellow stripes off the highway one night, I believe. Anyway, Annie is married and has a little boy Phineas who just turned 3. About two months after he was born they found out that her husband Kevin had stage 4 colon and liver cancer. He's had two surgeries and is now taking chemo, so it looks like you guys have some things in common! I'll be talking to your Mom again soon, and Annie says that she'd love to talk to you and Ellon to share some experiences or some info. She doesn't have email, but she can always come here to use your blog or to send you emails, if you like. Frank and I send our love. Mary

    ReplyDelete
  8. Mary, I do remember you all. Thank you for your kind words and thoughts and please give our best thoughts to Annie and her husband. If she wanted to share some thoughts on the blog or via email that would be quite alright.

    ReplyDelete