Greetings all fellow AHers
I am NOT looking for sympathy... although if you've seen my gunnery you might offer some anyway!
My medical certificate for flying RW aircraft (or a motor vehicle of any kind for hat matter has has been revoked due to having 2 malignant tumors removed from my brain last week. It is/was(they are) the same kind of tumor(s) that Senator Kennedy was recently diagnosed with. Who would believe that I would have something in common with TED Kennedy 
Politics aside. I wish him a full recovery and wouldn't wish this on my wost enemy even if he or she were a ROOK!!! 
I f any of you could remember me in your prayers. I could use any and all help of that nature...
I start CHEMO and radiation therapy next month. and the neurosurgery team that performed the procedures are confident that they got all the bad stuff removed.
I have good and bad days but I am recovering and I am hopeful for the future
Being a survivor myself (16 years and counting :knock on wood: )albeit of a less serious nature. I can relate(Particularly to the good days bad days) and would like to express my condolences and prayers.
Now if we could have such luck in winning the lottery,right? LOL
As I am sure you have already figured out. You are in for an interesting journey. I know the worst part for me was going through all of the tests to try and determine the extent. Often with a big monitor showing all the things they are taking pictures of. Trying to see if YOU can see anything. But not knowing what the hell your looking for.
The fact they are waiting a month before starting chemo tells me this is of a slow progressing variety.
Chemo can be a rough trip. If the Doc tells you to stay active. Then STAY ACTIVE. You wont feel great. But you will feel even sicker if you just lay around.
I know I used to get my treatments on a Thursday. And I would just lay there and not be able to eat again till Sunday.
I was almost halfway through my treatments before I discovered by accident that even though I still didnt feel like eating. I felt a hell of alot better if I got up and moved around.
As for food. You may find that some of the foods you normally like are going to taste absolutely gross. If they taste like anything at all.
From that Thurs. to Sunday. Soda tasted like garlic water to me. And eggs tasted like I had a mouthful of snot.
Iced tea tasted great and oddly enough Beer tasted normal. (I drank quite a bit of beer in that 6 months)
When you can eat. Eat as well as you can. Lotsa fresh veggies as well as meats
Your going to have to find what works best for you.
My chemo was 12 cycles. 1 treatment every two weeks for 6 months.
Seems like a long time to look forward to the end.
What I did is broke it up in halves.
Counting up the first half then down the next.
"1 treatment down 5 to go for the first half"
Then on the 6th I counted down. Not thinking how many I had done. Just how many were left. "Ok Half way there.5 left, 4 left etc.
Seems silly but I found it helped mentally rather then saying "Oh god, you mean I have to go through this 11 more times?"
Make light of it as much as you can. Keep your sense of humor. Be it from peeing turquise from a lymphangiogram.Or peach colored from part of the treament. (Your tests and treatments may vary.)To loosing your hair like a collie.
One of the things I did was I didnt shave my head. And yea I could shed like a collie.
People would always ask "how are you doing" I found as sincere and well meaning as the question was.After about the 3 millionth time it gets old.
Sooo I came up with unique ways of responding. One of my favorites was "I'm doing ok. I learned a new trick from my dogs"
To which they would invariably ask "Oh? whats that?"
To which I would say "I learned how to shed" And at the same time I said shed. I'd reach up and pull out a clump of hair.
The looks of shock were priceless hillarious.
Oh and yea. Your gonna loose your hair...... ALL your hair cept your eyelashes.
Which you may find your wife or girlfriend kinda likes. Which is yet another reason to eat well. She also wont miss your raser stubble.
Your going to be a changed person when its all over with.
Some things that bother you or the average person now in every day life will somehow seem petty.
You wont worry as much about the little things. And you will probably find that most things are little things by comparison.
The key is to keep a good attitude. Which it seems by your post you have so far.
Its ok to be angry. Just dont let your anger overwhelm you. And remember your angry at it. Not the people around you.
Use it as a mental weapon. If you dont understand what I mean by that now. You will.
Maintain an even keel. Not letting yourself get too high. or too low.
Be patient with your family. Remember. Yes they cant relate to what your going through. Only people who have gone through it can relate to what your going through. By the same token. You cant relate to what they are going through either. Its different, but every bit as much of a nightmare for them as for you.
Maintain your humor. It will help get you and your loved ones through the rough times.
You will probably find that every one you meet who has gone through this is almost like an extended family member.
You are now part of a fraternity. One neither you nor I wanted. But here we are nonetheless.
I have offered you the best advise I can based on my own experiences. I am sure there are otehrs who will offer theirs as well.
You seem to have the attitude for it. Just keep it that way.
If ever you need an ear that can relate. PM me and I will give you my contact info.
Good luck and stay strong.
