Checking in

mrou50
mrou50 Member Posts: 389 Member
in Kidney Cancer #1

 

It has been a couple of weeks since I was on.  This anemia and the cancer spreading is dragging me down.  I go to work and come home and go to bed about 7 pm and I sleep until 6.  I turned in my resignation effective the last day of school, and that hurt I felt like I was giving in to cancer and I was pissed off at the world and myself for net being strong enough, but I know that for my students it was the best, and for me it means less stress (I hope).  As for the Opdiva I have now had three treatments and the last one was really hard on my body, I had a fever of  102 and I could not get away from the restroom for two days. The doctor was just hours away from putting me in the hospital but I was finally able to break the fever.  I don't know if it is working yet I don't have a scan for two more weeks, I am having a broncoscopy next week my doctor is checking to see if the bleeding has stopped in my lungs and if there has been any damage caused by the tumors and bleeding, I am a little nervous but at this point nothing seems to shock me anymore.  I hope everyone has a great week, and more importantly only good news from their docs.

 

Mark

Comments

  • Jan4you
    Jan4you Member Posts: 1,330 Member
    #2
    Oh dear Mark, so sorry to

    Oh dear Mark, so sorry to hear of all this trouble for you.

    Sad you have to give up teaching...sigh

    I had to give up my career for another medical reason, so

    I know it is a difficult transition. BUT yes, less stressed I improved.

    Know that I am here for you, anytime.

    Sending  you healing vibes and strength to get through all this Crap!

    Hugs, Jan

  • hardo718
    hardo718 Member Posts: 853 Member
    #3
    Jan4you said:

    Oh dear Mark, so sorry to

    Oh dear Mark, so sorry to hear of all this trouble for you.

    Sad you have to give up teaching...sigh

    I had to give up my career for another medical reason, so

    I know it is a difficult transition. BUT yes, less stressed I improved.

    Know that I am here for you, anytime.

    Sending  you healing vibes and strength to get through all this Crap!

    Hugs, Jan

    Oh Mark

    So sorry. That all stinks but it definitely will reduce your stress when you aren't teaching. 

    I'll keep you in my prayers,

    Donna~

  • foroughsh
    foroughsh Member Posts: 779 Member
    #4
    Dear Mark,I'm so sorry for

    Dear Mark,I'm so sorry for all you're going through, you decision was a good one, sure it willreduce your stress and that's what you need. I'm parying for you to hear best news from your Dr.

    Forough

     

  • tamaven01
    tamaven01 Member Posts: 21
    #5
    Mark, so sorry to hear things have been so tough.

    Sounds like you have been very strong to keep teaching as long as you did, very difficult to resign for sure, i can understand that.  You're in my prayers. Tam 

     

     

  • foxhd
    foxhd Member Posts: 3,181 Member
    #6
    tamaven01 said:

    Mark, so sorry to hear things have been so tough.

    Sounds like you have been very strong to keep teaching as long as you did, very difficult to resign for sure, i can understand that.  You're in my prayers. Tam 

     

     

    work

    just isn't that important. No longer being shocked as to what is happening to you frees you from the burden of uncertainty. I think there becomes a clarity which allows you to fight without the panic. Mark, keep your focus. We'll laugh about this next year.

  • APny
    APny Member Posts: 1,995 Member
    #7
    foxhd said:

    work

    just isn't that important. No longer being shocked as to what is happening to you frees you from the burden of uncertainty. I think there becomes a clarity which allows you to fight without the panic. Mark, keep your focus. We'll laugh about this next year.

    Being a teacher myself I know

    Being a teacher myself I know many people underestimate how hard it is. You’re on your feet all day, talking nonstop, and dealing with student issues. And that’s just while on the job. Then there’s the work when you get home. I’ve always compared lecturing to being an actor on stage giving a soliloquy for 3 – 4 hours a day all week, every week. None of them could do it. So yeah, it’s stressful, tiring, and difficult under the best of circumstances; never mind while sick or undergoing treatment that sucks the life out of you. Throw in anemia which is just awful, and no wonder you’re in bed by 7 at night. As difficult as it was, I think you made the right decision and hopefully this will give your body a chance to get stronger and get used to the meds and its side effects. Wishing you all the best and don’t ever think of it as being weak and giving into cancer. It takes a strong person to know when to step down.

  • Jojo61
    Jojo61 Member Posts: 1,309 Member
    #8
    APny said:

    Being a teacher myself I know

    Being a teacher myself I know many people underestimate how hard it is. You’re on your feet all day, talking nonstop, and dealing with student issues. And that’s just while on the job. Then there’s the work when you get home. I’ve always compared lecturing to being an actor on stage giving a soliloquy for 3 – 4 hours a day all week, every week. None of them could do it. So yeah, it’s stressful, tiring, and difficult under the best of circumstances; never mind while sick or undergoing treatment that sucks the life out of you. Throw in anemia which is just awful, and no wonder you’re in bed by 7 at night. As difficult as it was, I think you made the right decision and hopefully this will give your body a chance to get stronger and get used to the meds and its side effects. Wishing you all the best and don’t ever think of it as being weak and giving into cancer. It takes a strong person to know when to step down.

    Thank you for the update,

    Thank you for the update, Mark. It is difficult to give up your job, but don't think of it as giving in to cancer. Think of it as giving you the opportunity to take care of yourself, and to move on in life. Soon you won't be missing it, but thinking back with fond memories.

    Keep us posted on your results. We are behind you 100%!!

    Hugs

    Jojo

  • Allochka
    Allochka Member Posts: 1,072 Member
    #9
    Jojo61 said:

    Thank you for the update,

    Thank you for the update, Mark. It is difficult to give up your job, but don't think of it as giving in to cancer. Think of it as giving you the opportunity to take care of yourself, and to move on in life. Soon you won't be missing it, but thinking back with fond memories.

    Keep us posted on your results. We are behind you 100%!!

    Hugs

    Jojo

    Mark, I'll be keeping fingers

    Mark, I'll be keeping fingers crossed for you! Good luck with your scans. I'm ashamed of my own whining now, when I see you fighting so hard. 

    We are with you! Hold on!

  • mrou50
    mrou50 Member Posts: 389 Member
    #10
    Thanks

    Thanks everyone for the words they do help.  

     

    Mark

  • pamstayner
    pamstayner Member Posts: 111 Member
    #11
    I think you will see..

    you will show great improvement now. You will actually rest... But everyday you have to MOVE. Go outside, get sunshine, breathe good air. Talk to people. If you find yourself getting slow and lazy you can find the cancer is not the big deal... depression is. Check in once in awhile so we know how you are doing, now you are retired, what else you gotta do..huh?

  • Footstomper
    Footstomper Member Posts: 1,237 Member
    #12
    not teaching

    Broke my heart to leave, but by October it was clear that the time I was missing was detrimental to the students and I. I had no energy for decent preparation. I could not create a routine in my classroom. Also taking sutent and later, Inlyta I was Crapping constantly - you cant teach under those circumstances. When I was hospitalized with Pneumonia, caught from the kids I was teaching while I had pretty much no immune sytem.

    I had to quit for every ones sake.

    How to improve your life by 70%? Buy moist towelettes. Trust me on this one, unless you want to attract libidinous baboons by having a red shining arse in mating season

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