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This blog is about our journey with life while living with cancer. John was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer in February 2014. And so we walk "Side by Side." The title of the blog has been a phrase that Joyce and I have used for the past several years. It has been our way to deal with the reality that most plans and most days don't happen the way we had pictured it in our mind. And it has been our way to learn to anticipate the unexpected.

Click here for details of the June 3rd Memorial Celebration.

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Mini Update - March 26

Note from Erin: I'm going back and posting from Dad's original emails, so you can catch up. The actual first date of this blog was in January 2015.
Guy Version Only

Good News

Good News: On Monday I received the result of one of the markers used to measure treatment progress. The marker used is the CEA (Carcinoembryoni antigen). While it is not used to diagnose cancer, it can be used to monitor progress. The number for normal non-smokers is 2. My number prior to treatment was 924. My number after two treatments of chemo is down to 152. Cutting it in half would have been good. So that is a nice positive sign that the chemo I am on is working.

Not Good News: Starting Sunday evening I had intense pain, swelling and redness in both hands (almost perfectly symmetrical). As I needed blood work done, went to Kettering instead of local hospital, so they could take a look. Recommended I use Bag Balm on my hands. Also got a shot to boost my white cell production, as WBC was low.

Good News: As of today, Wed 26th, swelling is down and constant pain is gone in my hand.

John E. Swank
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