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9/7/2008

CAT Scans are negative!

CAT Scans came back last week and they are negative.... and yes that is a GOOD thing. So my 1.5 year checkup was a success!

Thanks for everyone's thoughts and prayers. And sorry for taking so long to update my blog :).

Posted at 10:07 AM by Tommy Ryan | Category: Updates Post Treatment | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

9/1/2008

1.5 Year Checkup and MD Anderson Resources

I had my 1.5 year checkup this past week at MD Anderson. I arrived Wednesday morning and had an appointment with my Stem Cell Physician and Lymphoma Physician on Friday. I had full set of CTs, Chest XRay, and blood work. By the time I saw my physicians, they only had the blood work. Blood work was good and I should get my CT and XRay results on Tuesday.

While I was at MD Anderson, I picked up the Messenger (an internal magazine for employees of MD Anderson) and found a good article on web resources for MD Anderson employees and patients. Here are some of the resources they have for patients:

http://www.mdanderson.org/itunes/

An ITunes Store Page that organizes all available video and audio podcasts from MD Anderson Cancer Center

http://www.youtube.com/user/mdandersonorg

A YouTube page of videos provided by MD Anderson Cancer Center

http://www.new.facebook.com/pages/M-D-Anderson-Cancer-Center-News/8760099910

A Facebook Group called "MD Anderson Cancer Center News" that has various resources (RSS, Videos, Events)

http://www.cancerwise.org

CancerWise is an online newsletter published monthly by The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. Each issue includes a cancer survivor's story, related Q&A with M. D. Anderson experts, the latest reports on cancer treatment and research and tips for cancer survivorship and prevention.

This is another example of the dedication MD Anderson has to "Making Cancer History". Maybe you might find some of the resources useful. I have queued up several podcasts to fill up my iPod Nano….

Thanks for all the prayers. I had an outpouring of supportive emails on my way out to Houston. It was nice to have that support going out to the checkup. I will post up my CT results later this week.

Posted at 11:28 AM by Tommy Ryan | Category: Updates Post Treatment | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

5/13/2008

Bob Buhay starts his journey

I would like to ask for you to say a prayer for a friend of mine that I have come to know through my second bout with cancer. Bob Buhay is at the beginning of his Stem Cell Transplant process with Salvage Chemo in Atlanta. He is just about going through the same routine I went through over a year back.

He is getting his salvage treatment in Atlanta with the same doctor I used in GA and will be going out to Houston for his Stem Cell Harvest and Transplant. He has been quite a trooper so far and showing that he is ready for the fight (see his blog post on 5/10/08... the attitude of "thank you sir may I have another" :))

If you would like to keep abreast of Bob's progess, his blog is located here - http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/bobbuhay. Please add him to your prayer list for the next few months as he goes through his Stem Cell Transplant.

Posted at 4:35 PM by Tommy Ryan | Category: Updates Post Treatment | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

4/29/2008

Walking "Relay for Life" this Weekend

Our company, ThreeWill, has created a team for "Relay for Life" this year and plan to make this an annual fundraiser. This is a fundraiser for The American Cancer Society. Our family went last year and it was quite a moving experience to see Cancer Survivors and current Cancer Patients participating in this walk.

I participated last year in this event with my family and it was a fun family event that touched your soul. The principal’s daughter for the elementary school that my kids attended was walking this event with a respirator and she died weeks later. It is amazing to see the brave people that continue to have a sense of dignity as they go through a life threatening fight. You also saw what appeared to be many "normal" people walking in the "survivor's walk" that you would not have guessed to be cancer survivors (cancer effects all walks of life... it knows no boundaries...).

If you want to sponsor Linda or I on this walk, you can go to one of the below links:

http://main.acsevents.org/goto/tommy.ryan
http://main.acsevents.org/goto/linda.ryan

We will have someone from ThreeWill walking from 7pm this Friday to 7am on Saturday. If you are local to Alpharetta, come on out to the track at Alpharetta High School (see the ThreeWill Event Calendar for details).

Posted at 2:33 PM by Tommy Ryan | Category: Updates Post Treatment | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

3/2/2008

Successful One Year Checkup

Last Sunday, February 24, I flew back to Houston for my 1 year checkup post stem cell transplant. It seems so long ago. One year ago today, I was sitting in my houston apartment recovering from my stem cell transplant. What a journey it has been this last year… going into the unknown territory of getting a stem cell transplant and coming out a survivor. My faith in Christ has been strengthened and his love for me has overflowed through all the ways his has touched my life this year. He has touched me through prayer, community support (family, friends, faith groups, work associates, and clients), and through opening my eyes further to how he is at work in my life.

So, let's get to the point… the results of my checkup. I had blood work, x-rays, and CAT scans. All the results have come back (except for one of the CAT scans) and I am "clean as a whistle". I will have to check back in 6 months. Meanwhile, I need to go through and be reimmunized (I get all the shots that babies get) through 3 series of shots. My immune system is immature due to clearing the cells out of all my stem cells and starting over (with my cells as the seed to start the process of building up a new immune system).

This Houston trip had an extra bonus. I was able to stay with my high school youth group leaders (Molly and Kevin McCarthy) that just recently moved to the Houston area. It was great to hang out with them and catch up. They were very generous with opening up their home to me and taking me back and forth from the airport and clinic. Thanks Molly and Kevin!

Posted at 8:06 AM by Tommy Ryan | Category: Updates Post Treatment | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

12/12/2007

So you are saying there is a chance…

I have some awesome news to share… the CAT scan was negative! Thank God, because I made a promise to switch my blog over to other topics and to move away from cancer blogging (I hate to break promises).

Thanks for the prayers. I was little anxious and mentally this is a great relief.

I hope you all have a joyful Christmas Season. I wish that you have the opportunity to find Christ through the time you take to be with friends and family.

Posted at 6:09 AM by Tommy Ryan | Category: Updates Post Treatment | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (4)

12/3/2007

Suspicious Nodes Getting Scanned

I have some reservations making this post, but thought it would be best to post the news. I tend to internalize things and try to control a situation (but my faith challenges me to seek for help outside of my control). Over the next week, I could use some prayers to give me patience and peace that my life is in "good hands" with God.

Last Friday, November 30^th, I had an appointment with my oncologist to check out some suspicious lymph nodes in my right neck. I was not sure if I was feeling something that was not there or not. The doctor did not see me, but the nurse did the assessment. The blood work was very positive and the nurse was not able to find any suspicious nodes.

I had the nurse check again, because I am feeling some crowding in the neck and can feel differences on one side vs. the other. After the nurse took another check, she said that she could feel the node(s) and it would be best to get a CAT scan. I have heard this before and it is scary to think that I could be back in the fight again.

The nurse seemed to indicate that this is just a precaution, but I have been through this before (let's check just in case and it turns out that they find something) and do not have a great track record. If you know me, I will prepare for the worst and expect the best. My CAT scan is this Friday, November 7^th, and it will probably be a few days to a week before getting results. I will update you all next week.

Posted at 7:21 PM by Tommy Ryan | Category: Updates Post Treatment | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (3)

11/17/2007

Dr. Younes in recent MD Anderson publication

My Lymphoma Oncologist from MD Anderson, Dr. Anas Younes, was in the last publication of Conquest Magazine (http://www.mdanderson.org/publications/conquest/). It has a good article on the progress made for Hodgkin's treatments. Looks like allogeneic stem cell transplant is the next step if I would have another relapse.

I was checking in with a friend, Steve Coffman, and he is looking pretty sharp with his new hair cut - http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/scoffman.

Posted at 2:11 PM by Tommy Ryan | Category: Updates Post Treatment | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (1)

10/28/2007

No news is good news

Recovery since treatment for the most part has been "boring". I always brag to my physician that I do my best to be her "most boring patient" (ok, I know a few people that would play off of that statement well). I could easily complain about my ailments, but nothing life threatening J.

I continue to get emails from others battling cancer. Recently, I received an email from Steve Coffman about his reoccurrence of Hodgkin's Lymphoma and how my blog helped him and his wife cope with their situation and prepare for his upcoming treatment. He mentioned that the Archive (Calendar) was useful in preparing for his treatment. Since our exchange of emails, he has decided to start his own blog and is already being blessed by the contacts he is making with long lost friends. Apparently, having this blog of my cancer experience has not lost its value after finishing and recovering with treatment. I will have to make this available in some form when I move onto other topics for my blog.

Posted at 1:10 PM by Tommy Ryan | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

9/24/2007

Prayers answered for 6 Month Checkup

Last night Linda and I returned from my 6 month checkup (more like 7 month checkup). I crammed in all the tests in on Thursday and had my physician visit on Friday.

Friday my physician gave me some excellent news. The PET Scan was clean as a whistle and the blood work was normal.

Linda and I used our weekend gift certificate to the hotel (2 nights and breakfast) and stay in Houston for the weekend. On Thursday night, we made a trip to Goode Company BBQ (also got a pecan pie for Alex). On Friday evening we went to the Fine Arts Museum and Hungry's. And on Saturday, we went to Kemah for the day (a boardwalk on the Galveston Bay).

Pictures for the trip are posted up on Flickr.

Posted at 9:10 PM by Tommy Ryan | Category: Updates from Texas | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (3)

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Cancer Journey Photos (Photos in SharePoint)

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TNT Team - Easter Day

Here are the TNT Marathon and Half Marathon runners (minus Mark Harding). Every accomplished their goals and overall raised over $20,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Tommy and his Friend Pat at MDACC Survivor's Day

Pat is a very close friend of mine that I met in Houston. She is an amazing person. Full of energy and winning the battle with cancer. She has a few minor struggles, but she hopes to go home in a few weeks.