All About Pocket Knives

I see my oncologist tomorrow at 9:00 am. He will decipher the medical speak regarding my PET scan on 19 June. My echocardiogram on 26 June appears to be 'normal' with no negative readings.

I'm dealing with multiple other issues outside of my cancer diagnosis. On 26 May, I had carpal tunnel relief surgery on my left hand. Although that took care of the pain, I am still dealing with stiffness and numbness, which affects my grip. For the past two weeks, I have been dealing with carpal tunnel in my right hand and the pain flowing through my thumb is excruciating...a 12 out of a level 10. Motrin /Advil doesn't even touch it. The pain does subside once in a while, but tends to hit more during the night, but also during the day. This causes my grip in both hands to be quite challenging. For some reason, my front shoulders are constantly aching, OTC's tend to help. Most of the time I cannot raise my right arm higher than my chest. My hips and knees ache all the time and the stiffness makes it so that my walking /moving is quite challenging also.

My feet / ankles swell every day. I've tried compression socks, but they don't help. On 3 July, I will have a vascular insufficiency test conducted to see what's going on. Could be some damaged blood vessels or blockages. On 7 July I have an MRI scheduled for my head. I probably need that to see if there is anything intellectual still there.

I'm not whining or crying...well, okay, maybe just a little. I'll be turning over my man-card to the doctors who should be involved in helping with these issues. Hopefully, I can get in to see the orthopedic dude to do the carpal tunnel thing again to make the intense pain go away. It's taken me 40 minutes just to get this far in typing, where normally, this is a five to ten minute write up.

Anyway, this is where I'm at on a daily basis right now. I'll get through this with the right doctors. There's people out there worse off than me, so I'll continue to 'cowboy up'.

Thank you all again for all your thoughts & prayers. They are much appreciated.

Blessings to all.

Ken

Chronic pain is especially tough to endure. I am praying for your relief and for your doctor's skill.

Continued prayer for you, Ken.
Reading your post shows me that you're a tough old bird!
Treefarmer

Prayers sent Ken

Prayers continue.

Arnica is the most effective homeopathic analgesic remedy I've encountered. Give it a try if you find that otc's aren't sufficient. The gel form is particularly useful for muscle and joint pain. Hang in there buddy, you've got the force of light of a whole community behind you

First and foremost, I give grateful thanks to everyone for their thoughts, suggestions and prayers. THEY'RE WORKING!

Good news to report.

Saw my oncologist this Morning. He stated that my PET scan showed NO metastasis and that my cancer is 'still' localized in the original area of my lower right lung / nodules. THAT is an answer to prayer and the Lord providing His Grace and Mercy.

I will begin radiation and chemo on 13 July for 6-8 weeks, as long as my MRI on my head is clear. It's going to be a new journey for me, but I'm good with the plan that has been presented. I cannot have surgery on my right hand for carpal tunnel, so I'll have to see if my ortho can give me a shot to alleviate my discomfort with that. If I have surgery, then I could not move forward with chemo or radiation treatments because of too many risk factors. The priority right now is getting this cancer under control or alleviated.

As a side note: What I have never mentioned is; On 02 June 2026, I was scheduled for a right knee replacement. On 15 May, I had a lung screening conducted. Due to that screening, I was set up for a biopsy of two nodules in my lower right lung for 8 June. Not knowing the outcome either way regarding the biopsy, I chose to cancel my knee replacement. Had I not done that and went ahead with the knee surgery, then find out about the cancer diagnosis, I would NOT have been able to receive chemo or radiation due to the knee surgery being so new and the longevity of the healing time. God's timing is always perfect and I can only imagine the more dire situation I would be in had I not cancelled the knee surgery.

So...LISTEN to that still small voice...especially if it constantly continues to tell you to do something.

Blessings to all...

Ken

Great news, Ken!
Amazing when we look back and realize how God has blessed us, sometimes we see things as a roadblock, later we see where His hand has kept us on the right track.
Treefarmer

Praise God and may He be glorified in all things! Praying that your treatment goes well Ken....

KLJ77 wrote: ↑Tue Jun 30, 2026 7:34 pm
So...LISTEN to that still small voice...especially if it constantly continues to tell you to do something.

Blessings to all...

Ken

That is excellent advice Ken!
Sometimes we think the Lord is not speaking to us, but the real problem is we're not listening. We are distracted by all the noise and confusion in the world around us. We just need to be quiet and hear His still small voice.

Last week was filled with a myriad of doctor visits and preps with my precious wife driving Mr. Daisy to and fro, this way and that. This week we made it through the first three sessions of chemo. Monday was the longest procedure that lasted 8 1/2 hours. The first day of each three day session will always be that long...the second and third days are only an hour long once they hook me up.

The solutions given involve a steroid, which ended up being a blessing in disguise, for that took care of my carpal tunnel pain in my right hand and haven't needed any other pain meds for the past five days. I'm now on a 21 day reprieve from chemo and will start my second session of three days on 03 August. The oncology nurses have been absolutely WONDERFUL with such caring mindsets. I truly appreciate and respect their expertise, not only towards me, but the way I observe their care for everyone else being treated at the same time. My, My...I will NEVER feel sorry for myself after seeing so many others that are so worse off physically than I am. My heart goes out to them, for their struggles are so much more to endure. Seeing this environment has taught me to have more compassion for others and to stop bullying aching about an arthritic aching knee.

This process was all new for me, so what a surprise to me when I was led into the chemo treatment area where there were no less than 30 other people already there receiving their treatments. Warm blankets and a pillow are always welcome...and the recliners are comfortable and one can lay all the way back if they so choose to. My poor wife had to sit on a wooden chair the whole time, so we've searched for a comfortable seat pad for the sessions.

Overall, I'm feeling quite well, but tired...which is expected through this process. My appetite is good, but have had to make some subtle changes here and there. It was rather odd that I went into the first day of chemo weighing 205 and by the end of the third day of chemo, I weighed in at 221. I questioned their scales, for I couldn't believe I gained all that weight when my actual appearance doesn't show that gain. The nurse said is was from all the fluids being put into my body over the past three days. I accepted that conclusion, for I have no other way to debate the facts.

I haven't started radiation as of yet, for they'r still trying to schedule that part of the process, but it's coming very soon. On Monday, I'll have a chemo MediPort placed into my chest, under the skin and into a main vain for easier hook up for the chemo treatments and I won't have to wear a pic line for three days. Pros and cons...always pros and cons.

As always, I truly appreciate all thoughts and prayers on my behalf. It means a lot to me and I don't take them for granted.

Blessings to all...

Ken

Hang in there, Ken. So glad to read your treatment is going well.
Continued prayer for you and your family.
Treefarmer

Thank you for the update Ken. A new world for you right now. Thanks again.