Bitch Slapped Stage 4 Cancer

[Ephemeral]

Voice from the past....

A number of major surgeries, 2.5 years of chemo and I finally bitch slapped this Stage 4 cancer; my oncologist actually used the word 'cured' last visit (typically they only say 'remission'). Still on dialysis every other day and the odds that DaVita (company that provides dialysis services) will kill me was very, very high.

Dialysis is socialize medical care in the USA so DaVita got the politicians to change the laws so they can use off-the-street, no medical education, minimum wage technicians. Hard job since a single mistakes means you kill someone. Employee turn over rate higher than McDonalds.

It took some talking but I finally got DaVita to train me and allow me to treat myself. So I go in, setup and string my own dialysis machine, stick two big fucking #15 needles into a vein in my bicep, push the IV drugs, run the machine for four hours, pull the needles, and break down the machine. Hopefully this will increase the 50% mortality rate for dialysis patients at DaVita.
Eph

[Jones]

That's awesome, Eph!

[Zeebu]

that is awesome eph.

just wondering, but have you ever considered looking into home dialysis? you seem to be doing it yourself anyway at this point?

[Rab]

grats.

I'm wondering if being cured means you can get a transplant?

[Turban]

great news, hopefully you are feeling more optimistic about the future now.

[Ephemeral]

Thanks.

Typically you have to be considered cancer-free for 5 years before you can get a transplant. But the issue is that I also received 14 months of a new immunotherapy drug which kicked my immune system into overdrive. But when you get an organ transplant they give you several years of immunosuppressant drugs to prevent your body from rejecting the new organ. No one in the US has been in this situation yet so al they know is that there is a high likelihood that the cancer would return if I got a transplant and went on immunosuppressants.

I am not a candidate for home dialysis because I have had several organs (kidney, bladder, etc.) removed and have had ‘modifications’. (With a bladder missing, they removed a piece of my intestine and hooked it up to my one kidney.) Once you have had major stomach surgery you are no longer a candidate for home dialysis. Hemodialysis is also a pretty nasty procedure, you can literally shoot blood 10 feet across the room when you pull the needles. You have to pull one at a time and then hold it for 10 minutes before it clots and stops bleeding. It is not unusual for it to start bleeding as you walk out the door and they have to rush you back in to get it stopped. (Pisses them off since they have to get out the bleach and clean everything up.) I have seen people lose a pint of blood on the floor. To get the blood volume needed for dialysis they have to use modified vein or grafts that go directly to your heart, lots of pressure.
Eph

[Grasps]

Great news Eph!!! I am really happy for you man and wish you the best on your future endeavors.

[kthx]

Good to hear homie, remember to keep your head up.

[MHz]

You have a strong constitution, Eph. Power to you. You gave cancer a good punch in the face by the sound of it.

Hope the dialysis works out a little easier for you.

[the_paul]

Congrats Eph, I still come to these forums mostly to look for an update from you. Glad to hear you're kicking cancer's ass, and thank you for the update

[Banks]

Wow its great to hear from you! Haven't seen you on in a while or post and was worried. Glad to hear that things are looking up

Side Note: You're one of the toughest motherfuckers in the world, keep rockin'!

[Vys]

Great news buddy. You repel the shit out of cancer and throw a motherfucking bomb on that shit.

[Beast]

The guy is even OP irl.. congrats for fighting on and living ez!

[ogron]

Congrats man, glad to hear.

Stop by sometime and shark a bd.

[paradise!]

Congratulations brother!