Lung Cancer Update

[smokemjoe]

Had my 9th. chemo today, always feel better after the 1st. 5 days, Cancer in the bottom is gone, so far the 3/4 , 2 tumers in the top have stopped but not any smaller, next trip for a cat scan to see whats happening. Will have to stay on the this 1/2 dose of chemo until my body wont take no more. bloods counts are going up some, Taking lung rehab also now, Have really good days but over do it and then down the next day. I made a chimmey for my RCBS lead pot to get the gas smells out and for outside casting, I told my 2 docts today about my chimmey on my pot and because I am taking med for the tb vires and chemo, they said NO lead melting.
I just got 3 new Kimbers for get well and this really knocked me off my chair, But I can have beer when I get all the tb pills done in Sept. I dont think the docs can see on the back porch if I turn the pot on, and the wife is at the mall. What would you do, Thanks for the prayers fellows, they are working and going for 5 more years, if the lead holds out that long, Joe

[STP22]

Joe,

I think of you often and know that you will do as you choose. Good on ya for that.

My best to you sir.

Regards,

Scott

[Three44s]

I agree!

You are the BOSS!!


Best regards and God Speed for a fast recovery!!!


Three 44s

[TCLouis]

Be careful with any exposures, you body is suffering serious assault from the things meant to save you.

Then one has to do something to while away the time.

LIMIT any exposure if you decide to cast.

[smokemjoe]

Be careful with any exposures, you body is suffering serious assault from the things meant to save you.

Then one has to do something to while away the time.

LIMIT any exposure if you decide to cast.

tclouis: Yes , I think now you and the docs are right, But I still am going to kept up the chemo but I still like to wet my tongue with some of my own cookins. Joe

[WILCO]

Stay strong Joe. Shooting off a prayer for you.

[wallenba]

Joe, this is the first I heard. Am real glad you are responding well. Doc said no smelting, but can you still cast? Keep at the treatment!

[WILCO]

Joe, this is the first I heard.

Ditto for me. I went back and read his previous "Update" thread. I was shocked to hear of this situation, but I'm glad Joe's doing well.

[geargnasher]

Joe, all I can say is there are only so many casting and shooting days left for all of us, so don't hurt yourself worse but don't miss out, either! Get yourself a good respirator keep doing what you love when you feel able to. I won't tell your doctors!

Keep your chin up, looks like you're gaining ground.

Gear

[CollinLeon]

As they say, "If you live long enough, something is going to kill you"...

Chemo is a case of the doctors trying to kill both you and the cancer at the same time... If you are lucky, they'll kill the cancer before they kill you...

Good luck...

[Reg]

Hang in there. This thing is beatable and it sounds like you are well on the road to beating it. Far as casting goes, do what the docs say for now. It won't hurt . Get this thing licked then adapt as needed and continue .

[Lefty SRH]

Good to hear Joe, hang in there. What kind of Kimbers did you get?

[Ramar]

Joe,
Gear got it right about the respirator. They aren't cheap, but you got to get a good one and learn the proper way to use it. It can can keep you going longer doing the things you want to do. I'm on my way out with Emphysema and still smelt and cast. The respirator for me became too restrictive as I can't suck the air through it and now I'm using a power respirator with a hood and an umbilical cord and it really helps. The hood on your head is a bunch better than all those tight straps around you head and the breathing is effortless and nonrestrictive. I had the power unit left over from my auto painting days so the cost was incurred and covered years ago.

Keep an eye on your diet, Joe. Good nutrition is like running on racing fuel.

Good luck and you in my prayers.
Ramar

[CollinLeon]

Your typical filter type respirator can be difficult and uncomfortable to breathe through. Plus, in any sort of contaminated environment, you are slowly clogging up the filtering capability of whatever filter media that it uses, so you have to change filters periodically. And to make matters even better, you have to have the filter tight enough on your face so that you don't get any air leaks when you inhale.

On the other hand, a positive pressure air mask is a lot cheaper since you can build it yourself and it does not have to fit so tightly. I was staining a concrete floor a few years ago and after reading the warnings on one of the chemical cans, I decided that I didn't want to risk my life in a relatively enclosed space by just some sort of filter mask, so I created a positive airflow mask. As a proof of concept, I initially create a full head mask out of a paper grocery bag with a rectangular hole cut in the front for a plexiglass lens (taped in) to see through and had a garden hose hooked to my belt and then routed under the mask. The other end of the garden hose was hooked up to a shop vac's exhaust and the fresh air supply was 50 ft away (but that can easily be extended with a longer garden hose). Even though the bottom of the paper bag hood was open, there was enough positive air flow that the fumes were not noticeable *at all*. Although it worked well at keep the fumes out of my lungs, I wanted something that looked a bit more professional, so I tool an old Israeli surplus gas mask with the filter removed and attached the garden hose to the front where the filter would normally be located. This allowed me to turn my head and still see things whereas turning my head in the paper bag hood would just result in my seeing the side of the bag.

I used one something like this one:

http://www.collectiblebadges.com/media/large_israeli_gas_mask_with_drinking_tube.jpg

Now, if I was needing to do something like that again, I would consider adding an air cooling reservoir (tank filled with ice) inline so that I would be breathing nice cool air.

[smokemjoe]

Joe, this is the first I heard. Am real glad you are responding well. Doc said no smelting, but can you still cast? Keep at the treatment!

No casting either, But I may sneek in one or two,cant let my wife see it either.

[smokemjoe]

Good to hear Joe, hang in there. What kind of Kimbers did you get?

I got a SS target in 9 MM. then a Elclpis taget in 45 and now a chrimsom carry in 45 witha laser sight, getting trigger jobs done on the 1 st. two now, I shoot most indoor of a bench. Got 4 gang molds in 9 MM and a sasco 185 gr. 4 cav. for the 45 now, A friend is doning some casting but I stillnt to feel to do it again, I have done it since I was 14 and hard to stop casting after 54 years, like a lost dog, Thaanks- Joe

[Freightman]

Thanks for the update, it is not easy to do what we do not want to but if you need boolits I am sure all you have to do is tell us the size and we can and will supply them. Do what you are paying the Dr. good money to do. Will continue to pray for your full recovery, just be patient and follow instructions.

[badgeredd]

Prayers sent your way. Keep up the fight.

Edd

[Artful]

I'd probably rig up a box with an exhaust fan and a gap for my arms and put my stuff in there to work with - just clean air where you are and all the contaminated air inside the box getting sucked away.

Sort of along these lines
http://www.labsystemsgroup.com.au/downloads/Image/products/large/4e732ced3463d06de0ca9a15b6153677-1.jpg

[captaint]

Joe - As you know, you must take care of yourself. If that includes casting a few boolits when the home is empty - that'll make you feel better. God bless and take care. Mike

[Grandpas50AE]

Joe, I had not seen the earlier thread on your situation, but I will add you to my prayer list. Keep a positive attitude and that is half the battle. Follow the Dr. recommendations as much as you can, but if you feel the need to cast a few every now and then to keep your sanity then do just that. Glad to hear that your condition is improving.

[edsmith]

You will beat it, I also have lung cancer, it is being treated with good results. my prayers are with you, don't know if it helps any,I am a ordained minister.retired

[CollinLeon]

I'd probably rig up a box with an exhaust fan and a gap for my arms and put my stuff in there to work with - just clean air where you are and all the contaminated air inside the box getting sucked away.

Sort of along these lines
http://www.labsystemsgroup.com.au/downloads/Image/products/large/4e732ced3463d06de0ca9a15b6153677-1.jpg

That one might be a bit extreme with the gloves and such. The actual device that you need to create is a "fume hood". Basically a box / enclosure that is at work table height that has a glass sliding "window" on the front. You raise it far enough to allow your arms to get into the work area and the air flow come in through that and any fumes go up the box and subsequently up through the exhaust vent.

http://www.phoenixcontrols.com/Collateral/Images/English-US/fume_hood_flow.gif