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The Fresh is gonna kick this thing right in the ass thread

Fresh it would be easy to say hang tough, keep the faith, stay strong, etc. but I am not sure if that would do much for you. The best I could say is that I hope you know you have people thinking about you and concerned about you
 
In my mind, I've already won. I've gone past 5 1/2 years at this point. And that is just what I told Susi. We already won. Crazy thing is, it may not be the lung cancer that finishes me off. It may be the treatment for lung cancer that gets the kill shot.

Anyway, my cardio doc has scheduled for me to come in for another echo on the 12th. not sure what her point is, but whatever. I am not gong to be talked into heart surgery. I'm not putting myself thru that type of ordeal, just to probably die quicker, and to definitely add to my suffering . Screw that. Just gonna let this play itself out.

Love you guys.
 
Thanks fellas. I cant even walk at this point without starting to pant like a dog, getting dizzy and trying to keep from falling on my ass. Maybe they could drain some of the fluid from around my heart and ease things up on me for a bit. I'm hoping for some option that doesn't require cracking my chest open. But my quality of life at this point is pretty damned shitty. Again, I'm sorry if I have let it affect me, and if I have behaved like an A-hole to anyone here. Hard to stay "cheery", but I am trying.
 
I met with my GP today, who I have had for a looooong time, and I have a lot of trust in her. I had wanted to discuss what she thought about my options and whether I should move forward with this pericardiectomy that my cardio doc is pushing for. I see it as a highly risky surgery that doesn't make much sense for someone in my condition. She concurred. While she wont tell me what to do....it's my body....she confirmed that even if the procedure DIDN'T kill me, I'd likely never get off of the ventilator.

Hell, at least right now I can go for short, slow walks with my wife. Screw these docs. It was good to hear her tell me that I am in fact thinking clearly. Without the lung cancer and the radiation...maybe. But not with my condition. I don't feel like a total puss now.

I go back to see my cardio doc next week. And I feel like I am standing on more solid ground now with my " NO!" My instincts....perhaps guided by God, were correct. Just to let my buddies here know, I'm not going down that path, and am just going to hope some other opportunity presents itself. Let it roll.....
 
Hey Mike, you know best Bud. I can't believe how detailed your reports are sometimes with all that medical mumbo jumbo stuff. I get the basic gist when I talk to a doc, but when they get too deep I just shut it out because I don't know WTF they're talking about. I don't think that your cardio doc will try to push you into anything that's not in your best interest. Most of the guys that I've dealt with are pretty conservative.
 
Specialists all look at it from their perspective. A heart doc concerns themselves with the heart, etc. THey are not thinking about my cancer. My family doc has been around the block many times, and she can step back with me and look at the big picture.

She told me that this would have been a textbook case in their medical ethics courses. And it's a case where there is no good or even right answer. It's not a simple "do this and you will live" type of situation. As far as dealing with your docs, Popper. you have to be willing to slow them down and have them take the time to talk to you and explain things. I have told my doctors mid-sentence , "You are speaking Greek to me, doc". If they won't simplify and explain your situation to you, FIND A NEW DOCTOR. You have a right to understand your medical situation so that you can make educated choices.

I see my situation as being pretty simple with all of this now. Would I consider doing this, risking my life, for a realistic shot at a better quality of life? Possibly. Would I put myself in great danger with the probability of being hooked to a breathing machine for the rest of my days, even with a successful(by the surgeons standards) procedure? Oh, and I still have the cancer to worry about?

Easy answer, my friend.

I'm going to stop bitching about struggling to walk and breathe, now. Just sucks that the season is over. I could really use some Philly football to watch!
 
FRESH said:
Specialists all look at it from their perspective. A heart doc concerns themselves with the heart, etc. THey are not thinking about my cancer. My family doc has been around the block many times, and she can step back with me and look at the big picture.

She told me that this would have been a textbook case in their medical ethics courses. And it's a case where there is no good or even right answer. It's not a simple "do this and you will live" type of situation. As far as dealing with your docs, Popper. you have to be willing to slow them down and have them take the time to talk to you and explain things. I have told my doctors mid-sentence , "You are speaking Greek to me, doc". If they won't simplify and explain your situation to you, FIND A NEW DOCTOR. You have a right to understand your medical situation so that you can make educated choices.

I see my situation as being pretty simple with all of this now. Would I consider doing this, risking my life, for a realistic shot at a better quality of life? Possibly. Would I put myself in great danger with the probability of being hooked to a breathing machine for the rest of my days, even with a successful(by the surgeons standards) procedure? Oh, and I still have the cancer to worry about?

Easy answer, my friend.

I'm going to stop bitching about struggling to walk and breathe, now. Just sucks that the season is over. I could really use some Philly football to watch!
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I hear that Mike as you know that most of my days are mostly stayed in bed. Football being over truly sucks! There is one game left that is of huge interest to me though. If I lived in Florida and weren't surrounded by morons I probably wouldn't give a shit.
 
Yeah the playoff games aren't doing much for me football fix wise. I have made the transition to college hoops.

I appreciate you sharing this with us Fresh. All these decisions are yours to make and after many years of this you know your body better than your doctors. I am praying every night for strength for you guys. Keep your head up brother.
 
RIP my friend. I will use this thread as a continual Inspiration. You are a model of courage, strength and love. We will all miss you.
 
I mean this in the best way possible. Mike was the toughest son of a bitch I've had the pleasure of knowing (but never meeting). When you can touch people you've never met, you've had a good life. Mike, thanks for showing us strength, courage and a tremendous desire to love under the most terrible conditions. I hope when my time comes that I am half the man you showed to us. RIP Brother !
 
"The Fresh is gonna kick this thing right in the ass"

And he did so for five years. Now he can rest in peace. I will miss your words every day
 
Hey Guys. How is everyone?

There have been a few times over the last couple of months I had Mike pop into my head. When it happened about an hour ago, I checked to see the last time Mike was active on PhilaPhans. When I saw the date, I shuddered because I knew.

So the 1st thing I did was come here to scour the site for any news and obviously, this is what I've found. My worst fear confirmed and I am profoundly sad to know what has happened.

Mike was so brave, so strong and so positive about his fight that he gave you the feeling he would beat it, even though reality of what he faced was so dire knowing the numbers. He was always so brutally honest about what he was going through, so forthcoming, it inspired both admiration and incredible dread at what he was facing.

This thread is a truly harrowing read. In some way, I imagine it was cathartic for him, but for the reader? It's 5+ years of the most inspirational, heartbreaking, scary and even funny at times dialogue. At times, you find yourself with your head in your hands wondering how he endured. But he did, with grace, dignity and a huge fighter's heart.

RIP Mike.

My condolences and best wishes to his wife and family for their loss.

- ron
 
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