as a stage 4,getting my first RFA

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johnnybegood
johnnybegood Member Posts: 1,117 Member
hello all yes i am still around i just dont post much.it seems i dont have a lot of positive things to say and i would rather not bring anybody down.just a little update from me since my liver resection in sept.i have had 5 tx of chemo and my latest ct scan showed the lessions in my lungs are shrinking but i have one lession on what is left of my liver that just does not want to join the party with my lungs and it is growing.soooo at the beggining of February i get to have my first RFA procedure.yes i am scared as with any new thing, us stage 4 people hit many bumbs in the road.any words of comfort that can help me i sure would welcome.surgen says 1 to 2 nights in hospital so maybe this wont be to bad.to all the newbies out there i just want to say welcome and hold on for a wild ride.you all are in my thoughts and prayers.....Godbless.....johnnybegood

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  • relaxoutdoors08
    relaxoutdoors08 Member Posts: 521 Member
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    Please continue to share ...You are an inspiration

    Please continue to share your cancer journey. You are an inspiration to all of us who are new to this cancer journey. Hope is there for all of us as we see you continue to be treated with the latest treatment options. Hope, and prayers for a good response to your treatment. Thank you for sharing. Sending prayers for courage and your comfort as you continue your cancer journey.
    NB
  • smokeyjoe
    smokeyjoe Member Posts: 1,425 Member
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    Please continue to share ...You are an inspiration

    Please continue to share your cancer journey. You are an inspiration to all of us who are new to this cancer journey. Hope is there for all of us as we see you continue to be treated with the latest treatment options. Hope, and prayers for a good response to your treatment. Thank you for sharing. Sending prayers for courage and your comfort as you continue your cancer journey.
    NB

    Hey there !!! It's great
    Hey there !!! It's great that they're willing to go in and zap this pesky one for you!! Good to hear the other ones are shrinking and chemo. is working. Keep us posted on how this goes.
  • idlehunters
    idlehunters Member Posts: 1,787 Member
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    smokeyjoe said:

    Hey there !!! It's great
    Hey there !!! It's great that they're willing to go in and zap this pesky one for you!! Good to hear the other ones are shrinking and chemo. is working. Keep us posted on how this goes.

    Hey Girl.....
    Always good to hear something from you and happy to hear how great you are doing. You are just kicking cancer a$$...you go girl!!! Good luck with the RFA and let us know how it goes. You take care.

    Jennie
  • dmdwins
    dmdwins Member Posts: 454 Member
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    Hey Girl.....
    Always good to hear something from you and happy to hear how great you are doing. You are just kicking cancer a$$...you go girl!!! Good luck with the RFA and let us know how it goes. You take care.

    Jennie

    Great things
    Hear great things about RFA...wishing you the very best!!

    Dawn :)
  • Sundanceh
    Sundanceh Member Posts: 4,392 Member
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    JBG
    I've done RFA on the liver with three Cyberknife treatments before and it was successful.

    My recovery was hindered because they opened me for a liver resection and had to switch to RFA right away.

    You may notice some bruising around your hips or on the underside of your arms...it seems they use us as a "ground" for the procedure. The prongs are very highly heated and they use radio waves as the source, or something along those lines. I looked really bad after I got home and saw the marks.....they were deep black, dark blue, with some red.

    Don't be alarmed - they will fade away as our wonderful bodies heal that area.....but it might look like you were in some kind of a fight - and you will be.

    Very effective procedure and hope for good results for you:)

    -Craig
  • Brenda Bricco
    Brenda Bricco Member Posts: 579 Member
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    Love RFA!
    I can honestly say that when my husband had RFA it was a breeze for him. I have yet to hear anyone having a hard time after so expect the best.
    Hang in there Johnny! GOD bless you!
    Brenda
  • janderson1964
    janderson1964 Member Posts: 2,215 Member
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    Sundanceh said:

    JBG
    I've done RFA on the liver with three Cyberknife treatments before and it was successful.

    My recovery was hindered because they opened me for a liver resection and had to switch to RFA right away.

    You may notice some bruising around your hips or on the underside of your arms...it seems they use us as a "ground" for the procedure. The prongs are very highly heated and they use radio waves as the source, or something along those lines. I looked really bad after I got home and saw the marks.....they were deep black, dark blue, with some red.

    Don't be alarmed - they will fade away as our wonderful bodies heal that area.....but it might look like you were in some kind of a fight - and you will be.

    Very effective procedure and hope for good results for you:)

    -Craig

    Cyberknife is a differnt
    Cyberknife is a differnt proceedure than RFA correct? I ask because I haven't had niether. Only surgery and lots of chemo.
  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
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    JohnnyBeGood
    At least you're not Stage V
    ;-)
    I haven't had a liver RFA but I've had 4 lung RFAs. If they are as similar as I believe they are it's a walk in the park by comparison to surgery.
    I went home the same day 3 out of 4 times. The time I stayed the night was my first one. You'll do just fine and be back home lickety-split. It's not easy being Stage IV but you're becoming a pro at it.
    My thoughts are with you...
    -p
  • tanstaafl
    tanstaafl Member Posts: 1,313 Member
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    getting physical
    Yeah, when chemical warfare doesn't get one of the holdouts, you gotta get physical. Bring on the bunkerbuster.
  • maglets
    maglets Member Posts: 2,576 Member
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    PhillieG said:

    JohnnyBeGood
    At least you're not Stage V
    ;-)
    I haven't had a liver RFA but I've had 4 lung RFAs. If they are as similar as I believe they are it's a walk in the park by comparison to surgery.
    I went home the same day 3 out of 4 times. The time I stayed the night was my first one. You'll do just fine and be back home lickety-split. It's not easy being Stage IV but you're becoming a pro at it.
    My thoughts are with you...
    -p

    hang on girl
    hang in there Johnny

    you are doing a great job

    I have had the 2 liver resections so it came back on me too.....

    you are a pro...

    best love

    mags
  • Sundanceh
    Sundanceh Member Posts: 4,392 Member
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    Cyberknife is a differnt
    Cyberknife is a differnt proceedure than RFA correct? I ask because I haven't had niether. Only surgery and lots of chemo.

    Jeff
    Cyberknife is different...it is highly intense focused radiation...they implant fudiciary beads around the area in question...surgical onc and rad onc confer and draw up the game plan and this is programmed into the computer.

    You are outfitted with a cast mold to hold you in place and you wear they Cyber suit vest, which has attachments for wires to attach to during treatment. In this way, your breathing is compensated for as the machine makes the adjustment to the in and out of your breath to keep the machine on course and to spare as much tissue as possible.

    3-5 treatments @ approx 2-hours each.

    Some fatigue, but nowhere near what IMRT or general external beam radiation does to you.

    -Craig
  • pepebcn
    pepebcn Member Posts: 6,331 Member
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    maglets said:

    hang on girl
    hang in there Johnny

    you are doing a great job

    I have had the 2 liver resections so it came back on me too.....

    you are a pro...

    best love

    mags

    Well.....I see positive news there, RFA is a great
    tool to kick this thing in its ****!.
    Welcome !.
    Hugs God bless you.
  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
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    Update
    Thank you for the update. Never feel hesitant to post here. We are all here because of this disease in one way or another. You would never bring people down by what you post as someone - especially the new ones, can learn from something you post. Praying that all goes well with your upcoming procedure. Always look forward to your posts.

    Kim
  • lesvanb
    lesvanb Member Posts: 905
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    Hey JBG
    I'll be thinking about you with this RFA coming up. Sounds like everything is headed in the right direction. Here's to continuing that trend!

    all the best, Leslie
  • Buckwirth
    Buckwirth Member Posts: 1,258 Member
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    JBG,
    I went in for the treatment once for my heart (not cancer related). They ran all the wires, but never pulled the trigger, so I can only respond to the prep; total piece of cake!

    Given they use it on the heart, it is a relatively mild procedure, I'm sure all will go well!

    Blake
  • ron50
    ron50 Member Posts: 1,723 Member
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    Hugs JBG
    hope all goes well g'luck mate,Ron.
  • johnnybegood
    johnnybegood Member Posts: 1,117 Member
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    ron50 said:

    Hugs JBG
    hope all goes well g'luck mate,Ron.

    thank you
    all for all the kind words and cheering for me.i truly dont know what i would do without your support.i guess i need to just pick myself up,dust off my jeans,put my cowgirl boots on and get ready to kick some cancer but...thanks again....Godbless....johnnybegood