I've been away for awhile

[davidm]

I'm so sorry I haven't been in touch with everyone here. I've been away at Vanderbilt for what was suppose to be 1 1/2 weeks of tests and 5 1/2 of treatments. I already have stage III kidney disease and they dyes used in these scans are bad for the kidneys. After 5 weeks of testing with no treatment the insurance company said "We're not paying for anymore tests, it's time you started treating this man." Vanderbilt dug in and said "If we can't do any more tests then we can't treat him." In the 7th week they shot me full of this dye and my kidneys shut down, my blood pressure went up to 227/118, and my vision was like looking through a frosty shower glass. I felt horrible. The doctor told me I had to find a doctor to straighten out my kidneys and blood pressure. I said, "You destroyed them, you fix them." Then I thought and said, "Never mind, I don't want you touching me." Then they wanted to put more of the dye into me for more tests and I told them "NO, this is killing me." The radiology oncologist said, "It's a trade off." I asked, "So if I die from kidney failure brought on by abusing this dye it's a trade off from dying from cancer?" She said "Yes," I said, "You're an idiot, I wouldn't trust you to take care of a guppy much less give me medical attention! I want to be transferred to Sarah Cannon." They blacklisted me from Sarah Cannon all the other hospitals down there, under Tennessee Oncology. While I was down there I was using Facebook and email to keep everyone abreast of what was going on. A friend had reformated my hard drive and reinstalled everything on my computer at home because it was going bonkers.

When I came home and had to use my home computer the bookmarks were not reinstalled. I was use to being on Facebook and email, but not here. Between the brain injuries from a few auto accidents and my kidneys shutting down I simply forgot this place existed until Ryan reminded me on Facebook. I feel like a total idiot now. I am so sorry about this.

I had to find another facility outside of Tennessee to treat my cancer. I found one in northern Kentucky. I go this Friday to have 1 PET scan without a different dye that's not bad for the kidneys and a port put in. Treatment should begin a week or two after that. The tumor is bigger and is more painful and bleeds a lot more.

While I was down at Vanderbilt I had some good experiences one of which was a couple of elderly ladies came in who are the living embodiment of the Baldwin sisters. They won my heart. I'm also in a movie produced by the American Cancer Society. So much to write about right now, but I did want to update y'all and apologize for not doing so sooner. I did make some friends at the Hope Lodge where I stayed. Sadly, Jack passed away a few days ago when a large tumor in his chest ruptured. Hunter is not expected to make it to Christmas. The younger of the Baldwin sister's daughter is not expected to make it. The rest of my new friends are doing well.

David

[JeriJet]

Good to have you back, davidm. Hang in there and know that your Waltons Forum friends are praying for you.

[davidm]

Its really disappointing, I thought Vanderbilt was suppose to be a top notch cancer clinic. It turns out they're very incompetent.

[JeriJet]

I wish you lived near me and could get to Memorial Sloan Kettering....

[kimmy77]

I'm praying for you davidm.

[Marilyn]

Thanks so much for checking in with us. Different ones have asked about you on and off. You have alot of friends here. No need to apologize about anything David....just concentrate on your treatments and getting better!

[River]

Thoughts and prayers are with you.

[davidm]

Thank you all for your love and prayers and understanding. I wish I could afford to go to Dr. Burzynski's clinic in Houston Texas. He has an 85% cure rate as apposed to the 2.5-3% cure rate for chemo. Chemo is almost a trillion dollar a year industry which is why it is so hard to break this monopoly. I've been asking folks not to donate to any organization doing cancer research if they are doing research with chemo, and to state that this is why they don't donate. More cancer patients die from chemo rather than the cancer, and we're told it's a trade off. It's not a trade off, its all about the money. As of today the statistic show that 30% of Americans have some form of cancer, and they say in 10 years it will be 40%. That will be 4 out of 10 people. If we don't fight now to end this chemo monopoly and the lies we're told to support it then 97% of us will die from chemo or the cancer.