Watch and Sweat(wait) #30

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once again I had a four-monthly checkup with Dr Walker Today. This appointment was scheduled back in July, but just three weeks ago I had a minor stroke(see previous post), so it was an opportunity to talk about that and why it happened.

Dr. Walker suggested that the question to ask was "Is this related to the radiation therapy I had previously?". Of course, there is no way of knowing for sure but there is such a thing as Radiation-induced vascular disease which may have reduced the blood flow in part of my brain making it more prone to a blockage of the type I experienced three weeks ago.

Anyway, Dr Walker found no signs of regrowth and this is how my Oligo score card is looking now.

OLIGO SCORE CARD
Birthday:	7/8/1954
Event	Date		Tumour-free years
First diagnosed after craniotomy #1	1-Nov-93		39
First recurrance and Craniotomy #2	1-Nov-06		13
MRI showing signs of progression	1-Jan-09		2.2
Second Recurrance and Craniotomy #3	29-May-09		2.2
Completed Radiation Therapy	28-Aug-09		0.2
Started Chemotherapy with Temozolomide	12-Apr-10		0.8
Completed 12 mth chemotherapy	1-Apr-11		1.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #1	22-Aug-12		3.2
Watch and Sweat(wait) #2	24-Oct-12		3.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #3	29-Jan-13		3.7
Watch and Sweat(wait) #4	27-May-13		3.9
Watch and Sweat(wait) #5	3-Sep-13		4.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #6	3-Dec-13		4.5
Watch and Sweat(wait) #7	4-Mar-14		4.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #8	3-Jun-14		5.0
Watch and Sweat(wait) #9	2-Sep-14		5.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #10	9-Dec-14		5.5
Watch and Sweat(wait) #11	20-Apr-15		5.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #12	20-Jul-15		6.1
Watch and Sweat(wait) #13	29-Oct-15		6.4
Watch and Sweat(wait) #14	21-Jan-16		6.6
Watch and Sweat(wait) #15	12-May-16		6.9
Watch and Sweat(wait) #16	5-Sep-16		7.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #17	10-Jan-17		7.6
Watch and Sweat(wait) #18	9-May-17		7.9
Watch and Sweat(wait) #19	5-Sep-17		8.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #20	12-Dec-17		8.5
Watch and Sweat(wait) #21	16-Apr-18		8.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #22	13-Sep-18		9.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #23	8-Jan-19		9.6
Watch and Sweat(wait) #24	7-May-19		9.9
Watch and Sweat(wait) #25	3-Dec-19		10.5
Watch and Sweat(wait) #26	21-Apr-20		10.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #27	8-Aug-20		11.2
Watch and Sweat(wait) #28	16-Mar-22		12.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #29	4-Jul-22		13.1
Watch and Sweat(wait) #30	10-Nov-22		13.4

Oh, no. Now I’ ve had a stroke!!!

Dear followers,

Now I’ve had a @#$&*# stroke! 

Can you believe it? That was most certainly NOT on my radar! A tumour recurrence maybe (and that’s why I have an MRI check every four months), but not this thing which has weakened my left  arm and made my left hand pretty useless. They reckon my hand will recover with enough therapy, but it will take months! I suppose I’m lucky that it really is a mild stroke and I just need to soldier on with the rehab.

The stroke was an Ischaemic stroke, meaning a blockage caused by blood clot or plaque. The blockage was near the area of previous surgeries for the brain tumour, but I haven’t had a good explanation for why that should be the case. It could be just coincidence and I may have had the stroke regardless of the Oligo.

My first rehab exercise was to unscrew these wing-nuts with my left hand.

The light in this photo also highlights the lumps and bumps I have in my skull as a result of the three craniotomies I’ve had over the years to deal with my Oligo.

Watch and Sweat (wait) #29

 Once again My four monthly review has come up clear with no sign of a recurrence (phew). That makes thirteen years tumour-free! Not that it means much when I have been here before, after my first surgery in 1993 and it recurred in 2006.

This is how my oligo scorecard looks today.

Event	Date		Tumour-free years
First diagnosed after craniotomy #1	1-Nov-93		39
First recurrance and Craniotomy #2	1-Nov-06		13
MRI showing signs of progression	1-Jan-09		2.2
Second Recurrance and Craniotomy #3	29-May-09		2.2
Completed Radiation Therapy	28-Aug-09		0.2
Started Chemotherapy with Temozolomide	12-Apr-10		0.8
Completed 12 mth chemotherapy	1-Apr-11		1.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #1	22-Aug-12		3.2
Watch and Sweat(wait) #2	24-Oct-12		3.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #3	29-Jan-13		3.7
Watch and Sweat(wait) #4	27-May-13		3.9
Watch and Sweat(wait) #5	3-Sep-13		4.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #6	3-Dec-13		4.5
Watch and Sweat(wait) #7	4-Mar-14		4.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #8	3-Jun-14		5.0
Watch and Sweat(wait) #9	2-Sep-14		5.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #10	9-Dec-14		5.5
Watch and Sweat(wait) #11	20-Apr-15		5.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #12	20-Jul-15		6.1
Watch and Sweat(wait) #13	29-Oct-15		6.4
Watch and Sweat(wait) #14	21-Jan-16		6.6
Watch and Sweat(wait) #15	12-May-16		6.9
Watch and Sweat(wait) #16	5-Sep-16		7.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #17	10-Jan-17		7.6
Watch and Sweat(wait) #18	9-May-17		7.9
Watch and Sweat(wait) #19	5-Sep-17		8.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #20	12-Dec-17		8.5
Watch and Sweat(wait) #21	16-Apr-18		8.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #22	13-Sep-18		9.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #23	8-Jan-19		9.6
Watch and Sweat(wait) #24	7-May-19		9.9
Watch and Sweat(wait) #25	3-Dec-19		10.5
Watch and Sweat(wait) #26	21-Apr-20		10.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #27	8-Aug-20		11.2
Watch and Sweat(wait) #28	16-Mar-22		12.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #29	4-Jul-22		13.1

Watch and Sweat (wait) #28

 

I have not posted for a while during COVID and changes to our home computer system. However, I had another check on the old noggin last month and once again it all looks clear. The score card below shows my progress.

OLIGO SCORE CARD
Birthday:	7/8/54
Event	Date		Tumour-free years
First diagnosed after craniotomy #1	1-Nov-93		39
First recurrance and Craniotomy #2	1-Nov-06		13
MRI showing signs of progression	1-Jan-09		2.2
Second Recurrance and Craniotomy #3	29-May-09		2.2
Completed Radiation Therapy	28-Aug-09		0.2
Started Chemotherapy with Temozolomide	12-Apr-10		0.8
Completed 12 mth chemotherapy	1-Apr-11		1.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #1	22-Aug-12		3.2
Watch and Sweat(wait) #2	24-Oct-12		3.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #3	29-Jan-13		3.7
Watch and Sweat(wait) #4	27-May-13		3.9
Watch and Sweat(wait) #5	3-Sep-13		4.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #6	3-Dec-13		4.5
Watch and Sweat(wait) #7	4-Mar-14		4.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #8	3-Jun-14		5.0
Watch and Sweat(wait) #9	2-Sep-14		5.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #10	9-Dec-14		5.5
Watch and Sweat(wait) #11	20-Apr-15		5.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #12	20-Jul-15		6.1
Watch and Sweat(wait) #13	29-Oct-15		6.4
Watch and Sweat(wait) #14	21-Jan-16		6.6
Watch and Sweat(wait) #15	12-May-16		6.9
Watch and Sweat(wait) #16	5-Sep-16		7.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #17	10-Jan-17		7.6
Watch and Sweat(wait) #18	9-May-17		7.9
Watch and Sweat(wait) #19	5-Sep-17		8.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #20	12-Dec-17		8.5
Watch and Sweat(wait) #21	16-Apr-18		8.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #22	13-Sep-18		9.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #23	8-Jan-19		9.6
Watch and Sweat(wait) #24	7-May-19		9.9
Watch and Sweat(wait) #25	3-Dec-19		10.5
Watch and Sweat(wait) #26	21-Apr-20		10.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #27	8-Aug-20		11.2
Watch and Sweat(wait) #28	16-Mar-22		12.8

Watch ans Sweat (Wait) #26

Yesterday I had another checkup and once again all is clear with no sign of tumour regrowth. Soon it will be eleven years tumour-free. See the score card below.

OLIGO SCORE CARD
Birthday:	7/8/54
Event	Date		Tumour-free years
First diagnosed after craniotomy #1	1-Nov-93		39
First recurrance and Craniotomy #2	1-Nov-06		13
MRI showing signs of progression	1-Jan-09		2.2
Second Recurrance and Craniotomy #3	29-May-09		2.2
Completed Radiation Therapy	28-Aug-09		0.2
Started Chemotherapy with Temozolomide	12-Apr-10		0.8
Completed 12 mth chemotherapy	1-Apr-11		1.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #1	22-Aug-12		3.2
Watch and Sweat(wait) #2	24-Oct-12		3.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #3	29-Jan-13		3.7
Watch and Sweat(wait) #4	27-May-13		3.9
Watch and Sweat(wait) #5	3-Sep-13		4.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #6	3-Dec-13		4.5
Watch and Sweat(wait) #7	4-Mar-14		4.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #8	3-Jun-14		5.0
Watch and Sweat(wait) #9	2-Sep-14		5.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #10	9-Dec-14		5.5
Watch and Sweat(wait) #11	20-Apr-15		5.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #12	20-Jul-15		6.1
Watch and Sweat(wait) #13	29-Oct-15		6.4
Watch and Sweat(wait) #14	21-Jan-16		6.6
Watch and Sweat(wait) #15	12-May-16		6.9
Watch and Sweat(wait) #16	5-Sep-16		7.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #17	10-Jan-17		7.6
Watch and Sweat(wait) #18	9-May-17		7.9
Watch and Sweat(wait) #19	5-Sep-17		8.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #20	12-Dec-17		8.5
Watch and Sweat(wait) #21	16-Apr-18		8.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #22	13-Sep-18		9.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #23	8-Jan-19		9.6
Watch and Sweat(wait) #24	7-May-19		9.9
Watch and Sweat(wait) #25	3-Dec-19		10.5
Watch and Sweat(wait) #26	21-Apr-20		10.8

Watch and Sweat (wait) #25

 

OLIGO SCORE CARD
Birthday:	7/8/54
Event	Date		Tumour-free years
First diagnosed after craniotomy #1	1-Nov-93		39
First recurrance and Craniotomy #2	1-Nov-06		13
MRI showing signs of progression	1-Jan-09		2.2
Second Recurrance and Craniotomy #3	29-May-09		2.2
Completed Radiation Therapy	28-Aug-09		0.2
Started Chemotherapy with Temozolomide	12-Apr-10		0.8
Completed 12 mth chemotherapy	1-Apr-11		1.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #1	22-Aug-12		3.2
Watch and Sweat(wait) #2	24-Oct-12		3.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #3	29-Jan-13		3.7
Watch and Sweat(wait) #4	27-May-13		3.9
Watch and Sweat(wait) #5	3-Sep-13		4.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #6	3-Dec-13		4.5
Watch and Sweat(wait) #7	4-Mar-14		4.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #8	3-Jun-14		5.0
Watch and Sweat(wait) #9	2-Sep-14		5.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #10	9-Dec-14		5.5
Watch and Sweat(wait) #11	20-Apr-15		5.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #12	20-Jul-15		6.1
Watch and Sweat(wait) #13	29-Oct-15		6.4
Watch and Sweat(wait) #14	21-Jan-16		6.6
Watch and Sweat(wait) #15	12-May-16		6.9
Watch and Sweat(wait) #16	5-Sep-16		7.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #17	10-Jan-17		7.6
Watch and Sweat(wait) #18	9-May-17		7.9
Watch and Sweat(wait) #19	5-Sep-17		8.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #20	12-Dec-17		8.5
Watch and Sweat(wait) #21	16-Apr-18		8.8
Watch and Sweat(wait) #22	13-Sep-18		9.3
Watch and Sweat(wait) #23	8-Jan-19		9.6
Watch and Sweat(wait) #24	7-May-19		9.9
Watch and Sweat(wait) #25	3-Dec-19		10.5

Another four monthly MRI scan and checkup has come up clear! Dr Walker noted that it is now ten and a half years since my last surgery and thinks that I am doing better than most. However, I went 13 years after I was first diagnosed and had a recurrence so I not getting too carried away about it.

Bridge to Brisbane 2019 - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

In the interest of being frank and honest on this blog I have to say that my latest attempt to run Brisbane's biggest Fun Run, the 10Km (6 Mi) Bridge to Brisbane, was an unmitigated disaster. Having turned 65 in August I was determined to prove that I could still do this. While I did manage to finish, it was only by taking walking rests every kilometre and my time of 1:56:31 can only be described as embarrassing. I have been unable to get rid of excess fat on my belly over the last few years and that has caused me to adopt a dreadful running style whereby I lean back to counter-balance my fat belly. In the "run" this position strained my lower back and by the 6Km mark I was in quite a bit of pain. As if that was not enough, I also jarred my right knee on a downhill section and I started to lean to the left to protect my right knee. So then I was leaning back AND to the left! What a joke this old man was. The photos illustrate the Good, the Bad and the Ugly that was my Bridge to Brisbane 2019.

THE GOOD

Not looking too bad here although the Lady behind seems to think I'm pretty funny!

 

Entering the Finish shute and happy it was all over

 THE BAD

Looking pretty weird as I approach the finish

Absolutely Knackered as I cross the finish line

THE UGLY

OMG!

Here comes old leaning tower of Pisa. Will he topple over before crossing the finish line?