MARTIN RAY ALBAR
Martin Ray Albar, age 43, died Friday afternoon, February 8, 2008. A native of Mount Pleasant, Michigan, he was born August 10, 1964. He graduated from Michigan Tech with a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering and was a member of Sigma Rho fraternity. A long time resident of Atlanta, Martin was co-owner of Stonebridge Development, Inc. He designed and built the home he shared with his wife, Blake Hammack Albar and their sons, Martin Adamson Albar (age 5) and Patrick Duggan Albar (age 3). He is preceded in death by his father, Lavigne A. Albar, and his step father, James E. Peters. In addition to his wife and two sons, he is survived by his mother, Patricia I. Peters of Michigan, brother, Todd H. Albar and his wife, Angela, of Michigan, sisters, Denise Albar Walker and her husband, David, of Michigan and Amy Albar Toth and her husband, Michael, of Massachusetts. Survivors also include step sisters, Jodi Peters VanDyke, Jennifer Peters Johnson and Jane Peters Kennedy. Also, nieces and nephews, Katherine Albar and Andrew Albar, Annette Walker and William Walker, Jack Toth, Olivia Toth and Michael Toth, Jr. as well as many devoted friends. Funeral services will be held on Monday, February 11 at 2:00 p.m. at Peachtree Road United Methodist Church. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service and immediately following the service in the church fellowship hall. An interment will take place on Tuesday, February 12 in Edison, Georgia. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, 2141 Rosecrans Avenue, Suite 7000, El Segundo, CA 90245 or at www.pancan.org . Arrangements by H.M.Patterson and Son, Arlington Chapel, 173 Allen Rd, Sandy Springs, GA 30328.
Posted by Jeff Pyden
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Saturday, September 22, 2007
The Journey Continues
Hello everyone,
It has been quite a while since my last update, so we will be covering a lot of ground. One thing you can take away from my lack of communication is that I have been feeling pretty good and busy working.
I flew to San Diego and drove down to Hospital Santa Monica in Mexico where I spent 3 weeks in therapy. The therapy consisted of three to four hours of IV’s, Sonodynamic therapy, Hypothermia, Hyperbolic Oxygen therapy, Insulin Potentiometer therapy using Chemotherapy and so on. I spent at least 6 hours each day getting worked on. Also, I started a heavy-duty regiment of supplements, to the tune of 50+ pills a day.
It was a very restful time and I started feeling better as the treatments progressed. My acne (from the Tarceva) disappeared after the 1st week. The staff is very caring and truly trying to help. The food was tasted like something your grandmother would cook, bland but very good for you. I am on a strict no carbohydrates, no sugar diet. This means lots of protein, fats & vegetables.
Other people observed the most noticeable changes upon my return. My business partnered noted that before I left I was mostly non-productive and looked sick. After my return, I was back working with a renewed vigor and enthusiasm. I have been working full time since my return. All be it, I am not 100% productive but am functioning around 90%. Everyone says that I look thinner (down from 185 to 160 lbs), but very healthy with good skin color and clear eyes. All I can say is my quality of life is much better than I every expected it to be, though I hope the cancer goes away soon and I return to my old normal life.
Six weeks after my return from Mexico, I had blood work done, a PET scan and a CT scan. The blood worked showed my liver functions returned to within normal ranges and my CA19-9 tumor marker down from original 1750 to 1250 (normal is less than 40). The PET scan show cancer activity has remained in the areas it was before. The CT scan showed only minor growth (less than 3 millimeters, about the width of 4 business cards stacked together) in only one area. This may not sound all that great to you but it is a true blessing to us. It means we have stopped or contained the growth of the cancer. Please keep in mind; pancreatic cancer has a 99% fatality rate annually. So just stopping it is a major accomplishment.
I am heading back down to Hospital Santa Monica in Mexico on Sunday for another 10 days of therapy. We hope this time we will be able to beat on the cancer enough to get it to shrink some.
As some of you may think from this update and phone conversations with me, that we are always positive, upbeat and optimistic. That is true most of the time but cancer has a way of beating up on you emotionally. It effects everyone differently, but what keeps me going is feeling good, i.e. lack of pain and fatigue. I am very thankful that pancreatic cancer is relatively painless and I sleep 9+ hours a night to keep the fatigue at bay. Blake has been wonderfully supportive but it has taken a toll on her too. The kids have been a constant source of joy for me. They are so innocent and excited about everything. Their faces just light up when they see me and that makes all the despair dissipate. So we definitely have our up days and down days. But we are hanging strong and taking it one day at a time.
Thank you for all your interest, support and prayers. We truly appreciate it.
It has been quite a while since my last update, so we will be covering a lot of ground. One thing you can take away from my lack of communication is that I have been feeling pretty good and busy working.
I flew to San Diego and drove down to Hospital Santa Monica in Mexico where I spent 3 weeks in therapy. The therapy consisted of three to four hours of IV’s, Sonodynamic therapy, Hypothermia, Hyperbolic Oxygen therapy, Insulin Potentiometer therapy using Chemotherapy and so on. I spent at least 6 hours each day getting worked on. Also, I started a heavy-duty regiment of supplements, to the tune of 50+ pills a day.
It was a very restful time and I started feeling better as the treatments progressed. My acne (from the Tarceva) disappeared after the 1st week. The staff is very caring and truly trying to help. The food was tasted like something your grandmother would cook, bland but very good for you. I am on a strict no carbohydrates, no sugar diet. This means lots of protein, fats & vegetables.
Other people observed the most noticeable changes upon my return. My business partnered noted that before I left I was mostly non-productive and looked sick. After my return, I was back working with a renewed vigor and enthusiasm. I have been working full time since my return. All be it, I am not 100% productive but am functioning around 90%. Everyone says that I look thinner (down from 185 to 160 lbs), but very healthy with good skin color and clear eyes. All I can say is my quality of life is much better than I every expected it to be, though I hope the cancer goes away soon and I return to my old normal life.
Six weeks after my return from Mexico, I had blood work done, a PET scan and a CT scan. The blood worked showed my liver functions returned to within normal ranges and my CA19-9 tumor marker down from original 1750 to 1250 (normal is less than 40). The PET scan show cancer activity has remained in the areas it was before. The CT scan showed only minor growth (less than 3 millimeters, about the width of 4 business cards stacked together) in only one area. This may not sound all that great to you but it is a true blessing to us. It means we have stopped or contained the growth of the cancer. Please keep in mind; pancreatic cancer has a 99% fatality rate annually. So just stopping it is a major accomplishment.
I am heading back down to Hospital Santa Monica in Mexico on Sunday for another 10 days of therapy. We hope this time we will be able to beat on the cancer enough to get it to shrink some.
As some of you may think from this update and phone conversations with me, that we are always positive, upbeat and optimistic. That is true most of the time but cancer has a way of beating up on you emotionally. It effects everyone differently, but what keeps me going is feeling good, i.e. lack of pain and fatigue. I am very thankful that pancreatic cancer is relatively painless and I sleep 9+ hours a night to keep the fatigue at bay. Blake has been wonderfully supportive but it has taken a toll on her too. The kids have been a constant source of joy for me. They are so innocent and excited about everything. Their faces just light up when they see me and that makes all the despair dissipate. So we definitely have our up days and down days. But we are hanging strong and taking it one day at a time.
Thank you for all your interest, support and prayers. We truly appreciate it.
Saturday, July 7, 2007
Hello everyone,
It is July 7, 2007 and much has changed since my last update.
John Hopkins reviewed my CT scans and confirmed the tumor is inoperable. We flew down to MD Anderson in Houston to see what clinical trials they were offering. My friend, Jeff Pyden found a clinical trial at Emory University in Atlanta we also researched.
After multiple conversations with my oncologist and oncologists at University of Alabama, MD Anderson, & Emory University, we decided to pursue the trial at Emory University in Atlanta. It seemed the most unique & promising approach as well as it was local.
So we went to Emory for more blood work and a CT scan. We got some more bad news from the Emory CT scan. They found a separate tumor in my abdomen and possibly a small area in my liver. This was not new tumor growth; Emory was just the 1st to locate it. They needed to determine if the abdominal tumor was cancerous or benign, so we needed a biopsy. First attempt was a needle biopsy (I was awake for this, only local pain shots). Cancer tumors are very hard (like a acorn) and this one was floating around in the abdominal fatty layer. The doctors poked at it for about an hour and a half before they gave up. (It was weird feeling the needle deep inside me when the surface was numb. Very uncomfortable b I am getting used to being uncomfortable.) Next we scheduled a laporoscopic (sp?) biopsy. Under general Anastasia, they make 3 small incisions in you belly and insert a camera, light, cutting tools, etc. They found the tumor and decided to just remove it, 1” in diameter, carcinoma.
The verdict – I am now considered Stage 4 Metastasized Pancreatic cancer and I no longer qualified for ANY of the clinical trials.
This finding also changed my treatment options. The US uses surgery (if possible), radiation (if tumor is localized or just following surgery) and chemotherapy (poison entire body to kill cancer). The only option left for me was chemotherapy…prognosis <1% chance of putting the cancer into remission and 18 months expected life span. THAT SUCKS!!! But I don’t dwell on these types of stats. I am a statistic of 1. Me against my cancer (and the cancer is going to loose.)!
So my wife, Blake, and Jeff Pyden got busy searching the Internet for other options. Blake had found some paperwork given to us by a friend, Mike Dial, listing hospitals offering non-tradition, non-toxic cancer treatment, including patient lists. She got busy on the phone calling the patients. One guy was diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer in the late 1960’s (he is 89 years old now) and beat it. Two others have beaten it for 20+ years. None of them had surgery and all of them went to Mexico for treatment. It turns out there are 72 hospitals just across the Mexican border that provide alternative treatments to cancer patients (as well as many other ailments). They are mostly U.S. doctors that were fed up with US medical practices rules and restrictions.
Blake narrowed it down to 1 hospital she liked, Hospital Santa Monica, http://www.hospitalsantamonica.homestead.com/. They offer a wide variety of treatments (check out the web sit for more details) but the two I like best are Microdose Chemotherapy (Insulin Potentiation Therapy) and Sonodynamic Therapy.
Insulin Potentiation Therapy - There is very little argument that the concept of chemotherapy has merit. The biggest problem has been that the normal cells are destroyed at the same or greater rate as the cancer cells. In addition, the cancer seems to build a resistance to the chemo over a period of time, resulting in the need for more intensive and destructive forms of chemotherapy.
Microdose chemotherapy, as used at Hospital Santa Monica, is based on the fact that a cancer cell has a voracious appetite for glucose - more than 30 times that of a normal cell - and that it cannot use an alternative fuel, as a normal cell can.
During induced hypoglycemia (lowering the glucose level of the cells), the cancer cells are stressed for glucose. If glucose is then administered, mixed with microdose chemotherapy, the cancer cells will preferentially take up the mixture - over the normal cells, which have switched to alternative fuels. Thus, the cancer cell, with 20 times the number of glucose receptors as the normal cell, takes in most of the chemo in its desperate attempt to get the glucose it needs to survive and the normal cell is barely affected. This process is also known as "Insulin Potentiation Therapy."
Sonodynamic Therapy – They give pills that dissolve and migrate to the cancer. Once the cancer is saturated, they submerge the patient in water and bathe them in ultrasound waves. The chemical in the pill reacts with the sound and gives off a single Oxygen molecule. The Oxygen is caustic to cancer and rips the outer cell wall, killing the cancer. This approach has been used in China on over 1000 patients with very good results.
But I was still a little skeptical even with all this good information. So, Jeff got busy researching the entire web trying to find out the best way to approach pancreatic treatment. He came up with many different approaches, all having its merits. He started reporting his findings to me and would compare them to what Hospital Santa Monica was offering. Without exception, Hospital Santa Monica offered a therapy that matched what he had found. This gave me great hope.
I called Hospital Santa Monica and spoke with Dr. Donsbach. I explained my situation and we discussed his therapies. When we were done, I asked him what he thought the chances of putting my cancer into remission without surgery was? He gave me better than a 50% chance. WOW!!! Now that’s a stat that I can wrap my arms around!
So, I am flying San Diego California on Sunday July 8th. They will have a shuttle bus pick me up there and take me across the border to their facilities (2 hour adventure). I will be there for 19 days of extensive therapy and return Saturday July 28th.
We are very excited about this opportunity. One patient Blake and I both spoke to has been fighting neck cancer for 8 years. He had a 1” tumor protruding from his neck on his last trip to Hospital Santa Monica in 2005. The tumor had shrunk by 85% during his 19 day stay. 1 month after his return, a PET scan showed no signs of cancer anywhere in his body. This is better than hitting the Lottery!!!!!
It is July 7, 2007 and much has changed since my last update.
John Hopkins reviewed my CT scans and confirmed the tumor is inoperable. We flew down to MD Anderson in Houston to see what clinical trials they were offering. My friend, Jeff Pyden found a clinical trial at Emory University in Atlanta we also researched.
After multiple conversations with my oncologist and oncologists at University of Alabama, MD Anderson, & Emory University, we decided to pursue the trial at Emory University in Atlanta. It seemed the most unique & promising approach as well as it was local.
So we went to Emory for more blood work and a CT scan. We got some more bad news from the Emory CT scan. They found a separate tumor in my abdomen and possibly a small area in my liver. This was not new tumor growth; Emory was just the 1st to locate it. They needed to determine if the abdominal tumor was cancerous or benign, so we needed a biopsy. First attempt was a needle biopsy (I was awake for this, only local pain shots). Cancer tumors are very hard (like a acorn) and this one was floating around in the abdominal fatty layer. The doctors poked at it for about an hour and a half before they gave up. (It was weird feeling the needle deep inside me when the surface was numb. Very uncomfortable b I am getting used to being uncomfortable.) Next we scheduled a laporoscopic (sp?) biopsy. Under general Anastasia, they make 3 small incisions in you belly and insert a camera, light, cutting tools, etc. They found the tumor and decided to just remove it, 1” in diameter, carcinoma.
The verdict – I am now considered Stage 4 Metastasized Pancreatic cancer and I no longer qualified for ANY of the clinical trials.
This finding also changed my treatment options. The US uses surgery (if possible), radiation (if tumor is localized or just following surgery) and chemotherapy (poison entire body to kill cancer). The only option left for me was chemotherapy…prognosis <1% chance of putting the cancer into remission and 18 months expected life span. THAT SUCKS!!! But I don’t dwell on these types of stats. I am a statistic of 1. Me against my cancer (and the cancer is going to loose.)!
So my wife, Blake, and Jeff Pyden got busy searching the Internet for other options. Blake had found some paperwork given to us by a friend, Mike Dial, listing hospitals offering non-tradition, non-toxic cancer treatment, including patient lists. She got busy on the phone calling the patients. One guy was diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer in the late 1960’s (he is 89 years old now) and beat it. Two others have beaten it for 20+ years. None of them had surgery and all of them went to Mexico for treatment. It turns out there are 72 hospitals just across the Mexican border that provide alternative treatments to cancer patients (as well as many other ailments). They are mostly U.S. doctors that were fed up with US medical practices rules and restrictions.
Blake narrowed it down to 1 hospital she liked, Hospital Santa Monica, http://www.hospitalsantamonica.homestead.com/. They offer a wide variety of treatments (check out the web sit for more details) but the two I like best are Microdose Chemotherapy (Insulin Potentiation Therapy) and Sonodynamic Therapy.
Insulin Potentiation Therapy - There is very little argument that the concept of chemotherapy has merit. The biggest problem has been that the normal cells are destroyed at the same or greater rate as the cancer cells. In addition, the cancer seems to build a resistance to the chemo over a period of time, resulting in the need for more intensive and destructive forms of chemotherapy.
Microdose chemotherapy, as used at Hospital Santa Monica, is based on the fact that a cancer cell has a voracious appetite for glucose - more than 30 times that of a normal cell - and that it cannot use an alternative fuel, as a normal cell can.
During induced hypoglycemia (lowering the glucose level of the cells), the cancer cells are stressed for glucose. If glucose is then administered, mixed with microdose chemotherapy, the cancer cells will preferentially take up the mixture - over the normal cells, which have switched to alternative fuels. Thus, the cancer cell, with 20 times the number of glucose receptors as the normal cell, takes in most of the chemo in its desperate attempt to get the glucose it needs to survive and the normal cell is barely affected. This process is also known as "Insulin Potentiation Therapy."
Sonodynamic Therapy – They give pills that dissolve and migrate to the cancer. Once the cancer is saturated, they submerge the patient in water and bathe them in ultrasound waves. The chemical in the pill reacts with the sound and gives off a single Oxygen molecule. The Oxygen is caustic to cancer and rips the outer cell wall, killing the cancer. This approach has been used in China on over 1000 patients with very good results.
But I was still a little skeptical even with all this good information. So, Jeff got busy researching the entire web trying to find out the best way to approach pancreatic treatment. He came up with many different approaches, all having its merits. He started reporting his findings to me and would compare them to what Hospital Santa Monica was offering. Without exception, Hospital Santa Monica offered a therapy that matched what he had found. This gave me great hope.
I called Hospital Santa Monica and spoke with Dr. Donsbach. I explained my situation and we discussed his therapies. When we were done, I asked him what he thought the chances of putting my cancer into remission without surgery was? He gave me better than a 50% chance. WOW!!! Now that’s a stat that I can wrap my arms around!
So, I am flying San Diego California on Sunday July 8th. They will have a shuttle bus pick me up there and take me across the border to their facilities (2 hour adventure). I will be there for 19 days of extensive therapy and return Saturday July 28th.
We are very excited about this opportunity. One patient Blake and I both spoke to has been fighting neck cancer for 8 years. He had a 1” tumor protruding from his neck on his last trip to Hospital Santa Monica in 2005. The tumor had shrunk by 85% during his 19 day stay. 1 month after his return, a PET scan showed no signs of cancer anywhere in his body. This is better than hitting the Lottery!!!!!
Saturday, June 30, 2007
5/13/2007 - Dear friends and family,
This e-mail will come as a shock to some of you that have not hear...yet. On Monday April 30, 2007 at 5:25 PM I found out I had a 2.6 x 6.6 cm tumor growing on my Pancreas. Man it felt like we got hit in the head with a 2x4 leaving me with a dazed and confused feeling for most of the week. Here's how it transpired.
About 4 weeks ago, my wife Blake noticed I was showing signs of fatigue. She kept on me about it for two weeks. I had joined a workout boot camp 12 weeks earlier (5 days a week, 1 hour /day complete butt whooping)... I thought I was just tired. Blake won and I went to the doctors two weeks ago last Monday. Just about that time, I started noticing dark colored urine and clay (light gray) colored stools. That week we did some blood tests, performed an abdominal ultra sound and scheduled a CT (cat) Scan for Monday April 30th. On Saturday April 28th, my skin and eyes yellowed & I started itching, indigestion, loss of appetite and generally feeling like shit.
We got word Monday April 30 at 5:30 PM that the CT Scan showed a 2.6 cm x 6.6 cm mass at the head of my pancreas (enter 2x4). Everything has seemed to accelerate from that point. We hit the after hours hot line for our Gastroenterology group and forced an appointment the next morning Tuesday at 9 AM. The doctor ordered an upper chest X-Ray (looking for cancer spread), PET CT (3-D Cat Scan), blood work, etc. The diagnosis at that point ... my Bile Duct (liver, gull bladder & pancreas dump bile, waste, into this duct where it goes to the top of the small intestines) was blocked forcing the Bile into my blood & out through my bladder & skin (i.e. yellow skin & eyes with itching). So then my Gastroenterology doctor schedule an outpatient procedure that enters through my mouth, stomach, and small intestine then inserts a stint (like a hard straw) into the Bile Duct to force it open and allowing it to drain. That has been a tremendous symptom & discomfort relief.
This week started out with lots of hope and good spirits. My symptoms continued to subside and my appetite was back and the doctors told me they wanted me to gain 20 lbs if possible. (Gluttony is my friend.) Full meals 3 & 4 times a day with pie for dessert (guiltless pleasure).
On Tuesday we had some bad news and was by far my worst day emotionally. My surgeon met with us to discuss the results of my Monday's May 7th 3-D CT scan. There are a few factors that make this type of cancer inoperable. Tumor spread out past pancreas to surrounding areas (most likely lungs and liver) or tumor is touching artery feeding intestines running directly under pancreas. My tumor is classified and "Locally Advanced". Which means mine is restricted to the Pancreas and in the advanced stage (meaning large). BUT, the cancer has encased a artery branch just north of the Pancreas. The surgeon gave me 2 months to 2 years. (Enter 6x6 across the head) To say we were devastated is a gross understatement.
Wednesday morning May 9th was the worst for me. Emotions came crashing over me from all directions. I would hear a some lyrics from a song and break down into tears. Thank God that was short lived. I received two phone calls from Men in their early 60's who were diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer 3.5 years ago, one had surgery and other was inoperable, and both were fighting and living relatively normal lives. One man is from South Georgia, loves to Bird hunt and was flying off the next day to Argentina for a two week hunt and the other man is a professor of electrical engineering at Georgia Tech and was flying off to France for 2 month to work at the GT French campus. Those conversations changed my whole prospective. These conversations immediately took the 2 month prognosis off the table.
Plus, I have some advantages over these two men. I am in great physical shape, intending to work out as much as possible going forward, AND I am 20 years younger than them. So, I believe that I have at LEAST 2 to 4 years at a minimum AND more realistically... I am going to beat this!!
So the next step for me is to get involved with aggressive Oncologist (radiation and chemotherapy doctor) that will help me punch this tumor right in the nose!!!
A piece of good news showed up Monday May 7th during a meeting with my Oncologist. The normal procedure from here is treatment of 1) localized radiation directly attacking the tumor and 2) chemotherapy (to kill any cancer cells that are roaming elsewhere in my body.) The good news was that the UAB, University of Alabama, is running an FDA approved clinical study on Avastin (the drug made popular by Martha Stewart's insider trading, already approved for colon cancer & neck cancer.) This drug inhibits the tumors ability to feed. This study also includes another drug that makes the tumor more susceptible to radiation. UAB just finished with patient #7 and has an immediate slot open for #8 (ME). This gives us 2 more weapons to hurl at this thing.
We are poised and ready to beat this thing but we have no illusions...the road ahead will be difficult. We will have our up days and down days. Blake and I appreciate all your thoughts and prayers.
What can you do to help? Pray for us AND search the internet, magazines and newspapers, etc for clinical trials, experimental drugs, new treatments that can help. Feel free to e-mail them to me at malbar@bellsouth.net.
I will update you as things progress. Feel free to call. If you don't get me or I don't call back, just keep trying.
This e-mail will come as a shock to some of you that have not hear...yet. On Monday April 30, 2007 at 5:25 PM I found out I had a 2.6 x 6.6 cm tumor growing on my Pancreas. Man it felt like we got hit in the head with a 2x4 leaving me with a dazed and confused feeling for most of the week. Here's how it transpired.
About 4 weeks ago, my wife Blake noticed I was showing signs of fatigue. She kept on me about it for two weeks. I had joined a workout boot camp 12 weeks earlier (5 days a week, 1 hour /day complete butt whooping)... I thought I was just tired. Blake won and I went to the doctors two weeks ago last Monday. Just about that time, I started noticing dark colored urine and clay (light gray) colored stools. That week we did some blood tests, performed an abdominal ultra sound and scheduled a CT (cat) Scan for Monday April 30th. On Saturday April 28th, my skin and eyes yellowed & I started itching, indigestion, loss of appetite and generally feeling like shit.
We got word Monday April 30 at 5:30 PM that the CT Scan showed a 2.6 cm x 6.6 cm mass at the head of my pancreas (enter 2x4). Everything has seemed to accelerate from that point. We hit the after hours hot line for our Gastroenterology group and forced an appointment the next morning Tuesday at 9 AM. The doctor ordered an upper chest X-Ray (looking for cancer spread), PET CT (3-D Cat Scan), blood work, etc. The diagnosis at that point ... my Bile Duct (liver, gull bladder & pancreas dump bile, waste, into this duct where it goes to the top of the small intestines) was blocked forcing the Bile into my blood & out through my bladder & skin (i.e. yellow skin & eyes with itching). So then my Gastroenterology doctor schedule an outpatient procedure that enters through my mouth, stomach, and small intestine then inserts a stint (like a hard straw) into the Bile Duct to force it open and allowing it to drain. That has been a tremendous symptom & discomfort relief.
This week started out with lots of hope and good spirits. My symptoms continued to subside and my appetite was back and the doctors told me they wanted me to gain 20 lbs if possible. (Gluttony is my friend.) Full meals 3 & 4 times a day with pie for dessert (guiltless pleasure).
On Tuesday we had some bad news and was by far my worst day emotionally. My surgeon met with us to discuss the results of my Monday's May 7th 3-D CT scan. There are a few factors that make this type of cancer inoperable. Tumor spread out past pancreas to surrounding areas (most likely lungs and liver) or tumor is touching artery feeding intestines running directly under pancreas. My tumor is classified and "Locally Advanced". Which means mine is restricted to the Pancreas and in the advanced stage (meaning large). BUT, the cancer has encased a artery branch just north of the Pancreas. The surgeon gave me 2 months to 2 years. (Enter 6x6 across the head) To say we were devastated is a gross understatement.
Wednesday morning May 9th was the worst for me. Emotions came crashing over me from all directions. I would hear a some lyrics from a song and break down into tears. Thank God that was short lived. I received two phone calls from Men in their early 60's who were diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer 3.5 years ago, one had surgery and other was inoperable, and both were fighting and living relatively normal lives. One man is from South Georgia, loves to Bird hunt and was flying off the next day to Argentina for a two week hunt and the other man is a professor of electrical engineering at Georgia Tech and was flying off to France for 2 month to work at the GT French campus. Those conversations changed my whole prospective. These conversations immediately took the 2 month prognosis off the table.
Plus, I have some advantages over these two men. I am in great physical shape, intending to work out as much as possible going forward, AND I am 20 years younger than them. So, I believe that I have at LEAST 2 to 4 years at a minimum AND more realistically... I am going to beat this!!
So the next step for me is to get involved with aggressive Oncologist (radiation and chemotherapy doctor) that will help me punch this tumor right in the nose!!!
A piece of good news showed up Monday May 7th during a meeting with my Oncologist. The normal procedure from here is treatment of 1) localized radiation directly attacking the tumor and 2) chemotherapy (to kill any cancer cells that are roaming elsewhere in my body.) The good news was that the UAB, University of Alabama, is running an FDA approved clinical study on Avastin (the drug made popular by Martha Stewart's insider trading, already approved for colon cancer & neck cancer.) This drug inhibits the tumors ability to feed. This study also includes another drug that makes the tumor more susceptible to radiation. UAB just finished with patient #7 and has an immediate slot open for #8 (ME). This gives us 2 more weapons to hurl at this thing.
We are poised and ready to beat this thing but we have no illusions...the road ahead will be difficult. We will have our up days and down days. Blake and I appreciate all your thoughts and prayers.
What can you do to help? Pray for us AND search the internet, magazines and newspapers, etc for clinical trials, experimental drugs, new treatments that can help. Feel free to e-mail them to me at malbar@bellsouth.net
I will update you as things progress. Feel free to call. If you don't get me or I don't call back, just keep trying.
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