CONTINUOUSWAVE

Over the past 2 months my energy/motivation level has been decreasing, but slow enough so I was able to make excuses and blame it on being shut in due to Covid-19. Well by Monday it was so low I knew I couldn't make anymore excused and visited the doctor. A quick chest X-ray showed a dark area, so they ordered at CT scan and bloodwork and then the results came back, I was rushed to Mass General and on the Oncology floor with an AML Luekemia diagnosis in a matter of hours.

With the Covid-19 lockdown at the hospital, the closest I'll be to my family over the next 45 - 60 days is through Facetime and I'm being prepped all week to get me strong enough to start treatment. For me it's just been a bad week with no upside, yet the support has been overwhelming and the brightspot for me to focus my thoughts.

Well, today a good friend of mine texted me a link to a YouTube vid and I started watching it. At min 1:20 I immediately melted into my bed with the sign the Commanding Officer of CG Station Gloucester held up on the bow of the 47' MLB. The vid ended with a pic of my family and the flag they flew will be delivered to my home tomorrow.

A little on my friend - he's the Coxswain at station Gloucester and when he brought this idea up everyone jumped on and wanted to be a part of it. I was stationed there back in 1990 and will be heading there sometime later this summer to personally thank the Commanding Officer and tell him the impact it made on me.

https://youtu.be/Th7PLtxzFbU

D-

Sorry to hear of your diagnosis. Wow, what a great post and video. What a wonderful thing for them to do. The CG is a fantastic group of dedicated men and women. Here's wishing you success in your treatments and a speedy recovery. Hope you get out to the CG station and back out on the water very soon.

I had a very serious health setback in 2002. That was 18 years ago. Thanks to modern medicine I am still here. Keep the faith and stay strong.

Wow what great video. You have great people and a great family in your life. Prayers going your way brother
Archie

My thoughts are with you Dave.

Looking forward to getting together with you and Bob if he ever finishes messing about.

Call or email anytime.

Dave - kind wishes to you for a speedy recovery. Wishing you all best, Mav

What an admirable tribute. Looks like you have a great team behind you. Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Arrived Mass General Boston May 5th and started the chemo regime the following Monday. The chemo wasn't that bad as each day it was building in my system. Yes, it did some funky things, but when I was taken off chemo, that's when it really took it's toll with all the unpleasent things. That lasted about a week and now it's all about getting stronger by the day and by next week my immune system should have "rebooted" itself and started with red, white cells and platelets.

With cancer I've always thought it was a longer process of chemo and a rest week, followed with more chemo for several rounds, but that's when they have the luxury of shrinking a tumor, with luekemia there's no tumor and they are looking for a fast and furious kill of the cancer and dose accordingly. Lesson learned for me.

I'm on the good side with no cancer detected in my bone marrow biopsies so another week to get my levels where they want and IU go home and can see my famuily in person for the first time in a month.

What a ride this has been and more to go with checks ups, testing and biopsies.

Funny thing, wearing my Boston Whaler shirt and some of the staff asked me if this was the Whale watch out of Boston Harbor, I explain the whole Whaler thing and at the end think I should have responded - Yes, it's the whale watch thing.....



D-

Thanks for the update. Modern medicine can do a lot, but I also think a great attitude helps, too. My therapy lasted a year. I lost over 40-lbs, and by the end was quite weak. But that was about 18-years ago, and I have treasured every moment since then.

Best wishes from an MGH-er and fellow Whaler owner.

Best wishes for a full recovery. I admire your stoic approach, and love the video that your friend made for you.

Wish you the best. I was on the Cape Cross in Gloucester 76-77. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Well that’s not quite where I expected this story to end, and I am extremely happy for you and hope the prognosis continues so positive. Welcome to the club no one wants to be in.

On the upside, you’ll never be the same person again. You’ll be a better person and you now have an even better idea of the kind of friends and family you really have. If you judge a person by the company they keep, then I wish we were neighbors.

God bless and for the love of all things holy, make sure you look both ways before crossing the street, don’t run with scissors, and use the kill switch. You don’t want to mess up a perfectly good medical outcome! ;-)

Crusty T Clam, aka Rod Johnson

An update.

Wrapped up my last chemo infusion this morning and I’m now home. Feels good to be at the end of this journey that began back on May 5th. I will have outpatient visits for blood and platelets over the next 4 weeks since my immune system and bone marrow are recovering and unable to provide those essential fluids duringh that time. Looking back at the stats, I spent 65 days total at MGH, received a total of 25 units of platelets and 31 units of blood. I didn’t track the chemo due to the varying strengths. I met with my oncologist and he’s very happy with how I responded to treatment and I fell into the 15-20% category not requiring a bone marrow transplant. Best part is there are no maintenance medications after New Years. So glad to be home.

D-

Congrats, in making it back to the home. - Get some sleep in your own bed and enjoy everything.