Category: Health

Fall: Past Images

On By Fred KingIn 2010, 2013, 2014, Blue Sky, Brooklyn, cancer, colors, Environment, Fall, green, Health, Nature, Oregon, Travels, tree, wandering, wandering photographer2 Comments

Quick health update: original plan was to do immunotherapy for one year, which would’ve ended with November’s infusion. Last month the oncologist told me I would be doing immunotherapy ‘indefinitely’. So, a little disappointing, but you just move on. Not everything in life has a beginning, middle and end.

All good 👍🏻.

🫶🏻

Today

On By Fred KingIn 2025, blossoms, cancer, colors, garden, Health, iPhone12, personal, Personal History, wandering photographer, yellowLeave a comment

Finished 8th round of immunotherapy today. Few more months to go, if no surprises. Next scans in September.

All good 👍🏻💪🏻.

🫶🏻

First Chemo

On By Fred KingIn 2024, cancer, cancer clinic, Health, iPhone12, personal, Personal History, Seattle, themes, Thoughts, wandering photographer1 Comment

While in the chair a Social Worker stopped by to check on me. Pleasant conversation about fears and frustrations regarding cancer and my five year journey. She left me a ‘Bags of Hope, with lots of useful goodies. The bags are put together by volunteers that have been doing this since 2016. The support and assistance of the clinic staff is unsurpassed!

It takes a handful of meds to get through chemo- to help manage nausea and other side effects. Hopefully, I won’t be needing some of this collection, but better to have on hand.

“Don’t sweat the small stuff “.

All good.

🙏🏻💪🏻

Health Update:

On By Fred KingIn 2024, cancer, Health, Human, iPhone12, personal, Personal History, Thoughts, wandering photographerLeave a comment

The port was implanted yesterday afternoon. It’s under the skin, where you see the two horizontal incisions. The catheter is attached to the port, near the top incision and travels up and to the right connecting to the jugular vein. A large vein is needed to deal with the chemo drugs. It finally hit me, on the operating table ( I chose local anesthesia over total, so I was fully awake and aware throughout the procedure) things are getting serious. 99% of patients choose to be totally out.

The club no one aspires to. Because I have a port I have to carry a card identifying as such, complete with serial number on the back, etc. I also have to wear a wristband identifying the port brand as well as something for my keychain. Mostly, this is for the benefit of healthcare workers, but it serves as a reminder for me as well

It seems odd, but in order to fight cancer with drugs- in my case two in tandem- I need a handful of drugs to help me cope with the two chemo drugs, pemetrexed and carboplatin. In the past 5 years I have been through surgery ( I didn’t recover well and still dealing with collateral damage today) and radiation ( SBRT), 15 sessions, twice. This is the last option available to help me.

Always positive and strong! Hug your loved ones! 🙏🏻💪🏻🤗

Spotted on my walk Yesterday

On By Fred KingIn 2024, Arbor Heights, blossoms, cancer, colors, Flowers, Health, iphone 12, nature, personal, Personal History, Seattle, Spring, Thoughts, wandering photographer2 Comments

Health update:

Disappointed, but not surprised. Pathology report came back positive for cancer-actually two markers- TTF-1 & napsin A were both positive. See doctors on the 19th and 20th, plan the next move. This is chapter 3 of this journey that started in early 2019.

🙏🏻

All good. 👍🏻