Balloons for Graduation

Here are the balloons for Grayson's graduation party today.  The room was full for his graduation party.  I want to send out a big thank you to Patty for writing today's blog.  Super job.

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Cards and Royals having a good series.  We get Fox Sports Midwest-St. Louis here in OKC, I'm able to watch almost every Cardinal game. A change has to happen pretty soon or neither the Royals or Cardinals will be playing in October this year.    Max

Ghost-writing for Max

June 29th - OKC
Patty here at the keyboard...Today was "Graduation Day" for little Grayson at ProCure. Grayson is a 3-year old boy who is staying at Staybridge Suites with his family while undergoing proton treatments. (More on Staybridge Suites later in this blog.) Since Max's treatment was scheduled at the same time of this luncheon for Grayson, Max missed the graduation ceremony, so he asked me to do the blogging today. Grayson was diagnosed with a brain tumor at the end of January, 2016...started chemo immediately which did not shrink the tumor. His parents were advised to go to America (they talk as if they are Aussies, but we are not sure where they are from) for proton therapy and that is how they arrived here. All of the gray-haired prostate patients in the crowd at the luncheon took on a humbled demeanor with a tear in their eye when this little 3 year old's mother told the story of their journey to ProCure and their appreciation of what was done for Grayson the last 8 weeks. With Grayson's mother is his father and his older sister...all pulled from their normal lives to come to a strange country, live in a little hotel suite for 8 weeks and hope. I am not going to complain about our 5.5 hours of windshield time to come back home to our family every weekend ever again. Tonight at the complimentary evening meal that Staybridge Suites so graciously offers three nights during the week and at which time all the cancer patients and their families seem to gravitate together to have a beer and exchange journey stories, I met a 15-year old boy from the UK who will start proton treatment next week. He & his mom came here after two years of chemo did not shrink his brain tumor. There is no proton treatment center in Europe. Happy birthday, America and thank you for being the great nation that you are where excellent medical care is available right here. Now, a little about where we are calling home for the next 8 weeks. Staybridge Suites is located straight down the road from ProCure and many of the ProCure patients stay here...we have come to know why. They provide great accommodations at a fair price, the staff is great and really cater to the needs of these families that come here for treatment. It is located in a very nice area of OKC and shopping, restaurants, etc are in walking distance for those who come here with no car. This has been a blessing to us since we spend a lot of time here. Max is doing well and counting down his treatments to that number zero. Today...37!

Week Two

Week two has begun.  Patty and I drove down early Monday morning.  The trip takes 5 1/2 hours.  We are lucky that the ProCure treatment center is located north, very north Oklahoma City.  There was a couple of road construction slow downs but all in all, not to bad.  Of course, Brownback has taken all the money  from the road budget so you don't have to worry too much about construction in Kansas.

My insurance company Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Kansas denied coverage for Proton therapy three times. Do you remember when you insurance company or agent said to you here is your policy (life, health, auto, home) now be sure to read it.  Who reads that stuff, not me.

Anyhow, after three denials for proton therapy you do have the right to send the request to a third party external review, Kansas Foundation for Medical Care.  Both parties send information to the Foundation and they review the request for coverage and both parties must abide by their determination.  I didn't have much hope that they would overturn the BC/BS decision.  BC/BS calls proton therapy 'experimental'.  Come on, it has been approved by the FDA since the 80's and the first patient was treated back in 1980.  Experimental, 36 years, come on now.

Anyhow, the call came Thursday afternoon, the Foundation 'overturned' the BC/BS initial decision not to cover the cost of proton therapy.  Yea, you have keep the faith.  We did and look how things turned out. No more appeals, the foundation's ruling is final.  Proton therapy really doesn't cost that much more than regular radiation treatment.  The after affects are almost non existing and the radiation goes after the cancer not the surrounding organs etc.  It just made so much sense to me after my investigation to go this route.  Anyhow, so thankful that our prayers were answered.

Have you ever heard of proton therapy radiation?  I had not.  Any medical issue that you have today or that may come up in the future, step back and investigate, it is your right.  New things are happening after day in the medical field and you may be surprised what you learn and find.

Treatment went fine yesterday, today's treatment is coming up fast.  After today, only 38 treatments remaining.  It is very hot down here today and the humidity is almost as worse as Kansas.  See you all soon.

Where, why and what is Proton Therapy

Dr. Robert R. Wilson, a physicist who had worked on developing particle accelerators, published a paper in 1946 that first proposed the medical use of protons for cancer therapy. Less than 10 years later, protons were first used to treat patients with certain cancers as research and laboratory applications increased rapidly in the next three decades. But it was not until the opening of the Proton Treatment Center at Loma Linda University Medical Center (LLUMC) in southern California that the full benefits of this new treatment modality could be offered to patients in a clinical setting. Loma Linda was the first to build a hospital based proton center and treated its first patient with proton therapy in October of 1990. Since then, LLUMC's proton center has treated more than 10,000 patients. It is designed to treat about 150 patients a day. Worldwide, more than 30,000 patients have been treated with protons for various cancers and other diseases.

There is a significant difference between standard (x-ray) radiation treatment and proton therapy. If given in sufficient doses, x-ray radiation techniques will control many cancers. But, because of the physician's inability to adequately conform the irradiation pattern to the cancer, healthy tissues may receive a similar dose and can be damaged. Consequently, a less- than-desired dose is frequently used to reduce damage to healthy tissues and avoid unwanted side effects. The power of protons is that higher doses of radiation can be used to control and manage cancer while significantly reducing damage to healthy tissue and vital organs.

Final 2 Treatments - Week 1

Well the first week of Proton Therapy is history for this guy.  Thursday's treatment went fine and on Friday the staff is just like the rest of us.  Ready for the weekend!  You bet, after my treatment today (Friday) Patty and I are heading back to Kansas, 5 1/2 hour trip home to Marysville to see family, friends and neighbors.

I found out today that I can bring my own music to listen to while in the treatment room.  Thinking about dubbing off some songs from my favorite group, The Doobie Brothers and some Jackson Brown, and then how about some REO Speedwagon, Ridin the Storm Out.  I forgot to ask if their music machine takes CD's or Flash Drives.  As techie as this place is I probably just have to tell Siri what songs I want and boom, they'll be playing Listen to the Music and Runnin on Empty.  Any one know why they call her Siri?

During the wait time today, saw more children taking Proton Therapy.  I am truly amazed at the number I have seen so far.  All ages, but the ones that hit home the most are the young ones, age 7, age 5 and age 2.  I have Grandchildren that age, again I've used this word many times in this blog, but it is so humbling.  And the youngsters for the most part handle it all so well.  Smiling, talking, running around and always a hug or two for their parents when the treatment is finished.  I just never really understood or knew that so many children have this disease.

Anyhow, is was an interesting week, treatments were started, learned about Oklahoma City and the surrounding area and kind of have our days planned out.  Total treatments 44, treatments completed this week 4, only 40 more treatments to go.  I can not wait until I have 30 then 20 then 10 then 0.



I wanted you all to see the building, picture on your left and the treatment room, on the right.

Oh how about those Cardinals, three straight from the cubbies.  I think we can catch them if our pitching stays at a high level.

Graduation Luncheon

Humbling is the word.

Patty and I went to the Graduation luncheon today at ProCure.  Six patients graduated from their Proton treatment for all types of cancer.  The room was packed with patients, families, friends, doctors, and support staff.  It was a humbling experience.

Of the six, one was an 11 year old boy with a brain tumor, a two year girl with a brain tumor, an older gentleman with prostate cancer and several others with different types of cancer.  Tears came to my eyes as the parents of the two year girl stated how their life was changed for ever one normal work day. Their day care provider called and said their daughter was vomiting, she was sick and they needed to come pick her up.  After 3-4 days of tests, the tumor was discovered.  The 11 year old boy was from Nigeria, they had spent the last few months here in Oklahoma City under going the treatments.  All are on the road to recovery.  For one lady this was her third graduation and she has been associated with the 'C' word since 1987.  It really does affect all families.  Again, 'mine is nothing'.

The prostate patient gave a very interesting talk.  His doctor did almost everything he could to keep him from looking at proton therapy.  As you may or may not know, surgery is one of the recommended ways to treat prostate cancer, cut it out.  There are other methods also.  This patient was so glad that he researched proton therapy and then choose it to gain his health back.  And he has had no side affects.  That was fantastic to hear.  They all stated they were blessed to have found ProCure and Proton Therapy.

I am also.

Treatment #2 coming up later today.  I'm ready to beat this thing and rid myself of cancer after that fantastic luncheon and graduation ceremony.  I'm going back every Wednesday.  What an uplifting experience.

You know how all sports are going with analytics.  Numbers.  So am I.  See above stats.  

First Treatment

Wow, where is technology going to take us, in medicine, in banking, in life.  First treatment was today, again after seeing kids with cancer, mine is nothing.  Lay on a table and they never touched me again.  All is technology driven, the table, the x rays, the radiation beam, the positioning.  All I can say is wow, and live concert music all for the 30 to 40 minute time frame.  I'm going to ask for some REO Speed Wagon tomorrow.

Never felt a thing, heard a little machine noise when the beam came, no light, no feeling the beam, nothing.  If this is all it's going to be, it will be fantastic.  But I'm sure things will change over time.

Tomorrow is a luncheon with all patients, all different types of cancer being treated here, should be real interesting.  Then Thursday, we actually are able to tour the whole facility.  A $250 million dollar cancer fighting facility.  Should be a hoot and very interesting.  Oh yea, and lunch is on them.  Hey that reminds me, they have never asked for any money.  YET.

36th wedding anniversary this evening, free meal again at the hotel, had to do some talking but I persuaded the wife to eat here, even told her I'd buy the beer.  I'm going to take her out afterward.  Drinking, dancing, and some heavy partying, as my treatment tomorrow is not until 3:00 pm.  I've been asking around, where do you think Durrant and Westbrook party in Oklahoma City.

NOT.  Probably just some down time and maybe a movie.

Our Home Away from Home

Found a cheaper hotel, just North of Oklahoma City.  Think she'll go for it. A trucker motel, suits me just find. Says rooms are clean.

Day 1 of Proton Treatment

We left early Monday morning after spending most of the day Sunday getting everything ready for the trip(s) to Oklahoma City and ProCure Treatment Center.  About two hours into the early morning trip received a call from ProCure, machine is having problems this morning and no treatments today.  Darn.  Should we turn around and go to work, save a day off for later in the treatment process.  Nope, two hours is just too much drive time to turn around.  We decided to march (drive) on to to Oklahoma City.  Another day of wondering how the treatment will do.  Plus, another day away from family, co-workers and friends but I have Patty along for the ride and she's a rock, has to be to put up with me.  I really wanted to get day one under my belt.  Oh well, tomorrow here I come.

Not much going on in Oklahoma, saw a lot of red dirt on the drive down.  Nothing else.  Can you tell I have nothing good to say about Oklahoma.  That Boomer Sooner song is still in my head even after all those years.

Had lunch at 'Cool Greens' in Oklahoma City,  hit the spot, all veggies in a wrap.  Only ate half , will save the other half for tomorrow or later in the week.  Walked the Mall, actually did some shopping, or should I say Patty did some shopping.  Glad we saved half our wrap, darn Mall is just too close.  I was able to put a lot of steps on my Fitbit though.  Dinner included at the hotel, that's nice and beer.  In the good old days I would of paid for my hotel room with that free beer.  Oh well, having Grandchildren is tremendous.

First radiation treatment is tomorrow, Tuesday, June 21, 2016 at 11:45 am.  Let's see, what was I doing 36 years ago on June 21st.  First one to answer that question will receive a free gift from me.  I feel really good about tomorrow and Proton Therapy Radiation.  Golly, I did my research on Proton radiation and it's real high tech cancer treatment plus a good friend used Proton Therapy over five years ago and he is doing super. I hope it works for me, I never dreamed 36 years ago I'd be having cancer treatments.

There I said it, the 'C' word.  Doesn't matter which type you have it's still the hated 'C' word.  Yet so many families have been touched by that letter.  When I walk in tomorrow and see the kids at the center, I will not feel so troubled by that word, it is so sad and humbling to see kids with 'cancer'.  Mine is nothing.

Thought for the day:  my dad had prostate cancer over 25 years ago, he's now 95 plus he had radiation, my brother had prostate cancer, he's doing real well today, those two raised my chances tremendously, of course my younger brother only has a 97% chance of having prostate cancer in the future.  I wonder if you can bet on that in Vegas.  Something tells me you can.  No no, I'm not going to bet on that, hmmm, I wonder how much you can wager, no no I'm not going to call my bookie, of course he does live in Vegas.  No no, can't do it.  Enough.  Headed to bed after the trip to the restroom.