Jerry’s Greatest Challenge
3-23-2008 through 3-30-2008
Life comes at you Fast “Third Edition”
5 Brain Tumors Discovered
Cancer Metastasized into Shoulder and Hip
 

Editors Note:  This is week number 56 since Jerry was diagnosed with lung cancer.  Jerry has reported each week regarding the progress, treatment, feelings, events and thoughts as he goes through this challenge.  This trip has been a roller coaster of events.  If you have similar challenges why not give Jerry a call or email Jerry.  Sometimes just talking to someone going through the same or similar situations will make a difference in your life.

To reach Jerry, email him at Jerry@JerryFowler.com.   If you miss the weekly newspaper articles in the New Irmo News, The Lake Murray News, the Cayce/West Columbia News or the Northeast News you can catch up or go back to week one or anywhere in between by going to Jerry’s web site at www.JerryFowler.com , look on the left side menu and click on Jerry’s Medical Updates.

From Jerry:   It has been 56 weeks since I began writing these updates.  This week has been a Third Edition of "Life Comes at You Fast" and has been consumed with the Gamma Knife Therapy and other findings.   The Gamma Knife Therapy is a miracle.  I met with Dr. Raleigh Boulware the Gamma Knife Specialist and Radiation Oncologist, Dr. Worthington, a Neurosurgeon from Charleston, Debbie Jordon a special nurse and Nurse Manager, Andrea Clark another special nurse, Mary Lewis, a medical professional from Rock Hill who is a Medical Physicist and Field Brabham the photographer who documented this procedure.  This was quite an experience.  I am so impressed with this highly professional team of experts.

First they started off with a much more sensitive MRI which would allow the doctors to see in more detail and pick up a smaller tumor in the brain.  We discovered another tumor for a total of five.  The surgeon, Dr. Worthington told me that if the Gamma Knife Therapy did not work he would need to actually operate on this larger tumor. This particular tumor actually had something to do with memory and speech.  

Here is the process of evaluation and if anyone wants to see exactly how sophisticated this procedure is go to my web site for detailed pictures and descriptions.  This is absolutely amazing.  I have put a total of 12 pictures with captions of what is happening on the website.  Go to www.jerryfowler.com then go to week 56.  When you get to this article click the link inside this article to tour this procedure.

The process is very methodical and so well planned.  The first thing they completed was another MRI to look deeper into the brain.  The cage is actually bolted onto the head.  A shield is put over the cage then you are taken to the massive machine that does the MRI and pinpoints the location of the tumors.  Once the tumors are located precisely your head is inserted into a colander which is loaded with holes.  These holes allow all the radiation to go into the colander and focus precisely onto the exact point of the tumor.  Each treatment area last from 22 minutes to as little as 10 minutes.   This is a seamless process and I am so impressed with the doctors and the staff. They know what they are doing and worked efficiently and methodically with lots of personality and compassion. 

Thank God for these people. They love their work and their dedication is beyond belief.   To view this process click the following link.


Click HERE to see pictures and explanations

This process lasted about 8 hours.  They actually wheel chaired me to the car where Judy my wife drove me home.  

The biggest problem I had was stopping the bleeding.  I had bleeding until the next day.  Also my face on Sunday looks awful.  My eyes are closed, swollen shut and black and blue.  Unfortunately I am having to cancel all speaking engagements until I recover.

I had an appointment with Dr. Babcock to see the results of the PET scan on Thursday.  The PET scan revealed that the cancer had also metastasized into the shoulder and the hip bone area so I ended up meeting with Dr. Wright, radiologist  to schedule radiation treatments for those areas.  I think we scheduled 12 treatments to try and knock those out. 

Dr. Babcock also started me on a Chemo pill to fight the cancer that is roving around my body.  WOW this is expensive. I think the result was almost $3,670 our cost for the pill. 

Overall I am very happy.  I feel this is a way for God to allow me to experience the more difficult situations so I can talk to more people and help them deal with the down side of cancer. 

I do request your prayers and ask you to put me on your entire prayer list.  Together with God, positive thoughts, faith and belief, I will healed.

Thanks for your letters, cards, emails, notes and concerns.  I am moving forward with anticipation of much better things to come.  

Don’t forget if you need a speaker that will share his experiences over the last year give me a call.  We need to get the word out to everyone that there is hope no matter what the situation. I can speak for 30 minutes or one hour whatever you need.

My office number is 803-798-0555 and my extension is 108 or you can email me at Jerry@JerryFowler.com.
 
Now let’s go out and create a terrific week for ourselves and everyone around us.  Remember you have been blessed, Pass it on or as the movie says, pay it forward which enables you to enrich your life forever.  You can make a difference in many lives if you will just reach out to others with compassion, love and understanding.

Have a terrific week and reach out to help someone in need.  You will be rewarded for your efforts. 

Jerry Fowler

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