My Journey 6/21/10

   Good news comes in small packages.  I mean that in all sincerity.  Over the last 3 weeks i have gone through a Bronchoscopy and got a needle biopsy of a lymphnode just above my lungs.  The results came back negative.  Good news to here a good result.

   Unfortunately it was a little bit short lived.  I say that in the sense that there is still that spot that showed up on the PET scan.  Discussed with my doctors, we believe a better biopsy sample is in order.  So tuesday the 29, im going in for a Mediastinoscopy.  This is where they make an inch or two incision where people would have a tracheotomy, go through my wind pipe to the area where it splits into each lung.  The sample will be taken on my right side. It is located in between blood vessels and lots of nerves.  The risks include hitting a blood vessel and bleeding out which means opening my chest to stop the bleeding.  Pretty harsh for sure.  There is also the possibility of loosing some of my voice as there is a lot of nerves that contribute to my larynx.  The biopsy isn't 100%, but should give enough info on what the hot spot is and what the plan of action is going to be next.  Heres the kicker, I am hoping that the result comes back negative or another type of cancer.  If it comes back as Hodgkin's, the potentiality of a bone marrow transplant is very much a reality!  

   I get asked frequently on how im doing.  Hows my health?  Frankly im feeling really good and feel like im getting stronger by the day.  Other than no work, Im probably the happiest that I have ever been.  My relationship with Erika is amazing, Rayna and Kalina are two amazing kids, and moving into a sweet house on Baldy.  My life is pretty simple right now.  I work 3 mornings a week at the golf course, a fun new spine to skate in Frisco and doing a little Pine Beetle mitigation as it comes along.  Doing a bit of that at my parents house also as half of their trees are dead.  But being outside is very therapeutic and at the end of the day, just trying to stay active and just enjoy myself and summer.