Riding with Cancer

[Sidecarbill]

I had esophageal cancer. No kemo but the 7hr operation kicked my ass bigtime. Only enough energy to make it to the shitter. Took months to recover. Esophagus and half my stomach gone. Over ten years ago now. It changed the way I look at life in good way. Ride on!

[haute pursuit]

I was diagnosed with Stage IV Renal cell carcinoma back in April of this year. I've had my left kidney and adrenal gland removed and I'm having another surgery to remove my remaining adrenal gland next month as a condition of the clinical trial I accepted at MDA. What am I doing??? I bought a new Harley trike and planning on riding it until one of us has the wheels fall off.

[Gone2Three]

I was diagnosed with Stage IV Renal cell carcinoma back in April of this year. I've had my left kidney and adrenal gland removed and I'm having another surgery to remove my remaining adrenal gland next month as a condition of the clinical trial I accepted at MDA. What am I doing??? I bought a new Harley trike and planning on riding it until one of us has the wheels fall off.

Ride on brother... Be safe! 😎

[Dave59]

Ride on...God bless you on your journeys.

[haute pursuit]

Thanks folks. I got some welcome news yesterday after a whole day of radiology and blood tests. The immunotherapy drug I have been taking has kept the secondary tumor I still have from growing or spreading. The Dr. has put off my surgery to see if it will shrink or die off in the next few weeks. Just the fact that it has not spread to any other organs is good news for me. I have another biopsy in October to get a better idea of what is happening. Stage 4 cancer is no joke, but it ain't easy to get rid of an old semi-civilized redneck!

[vito]

Thanks folks. I got some welcome news yesterday ....

Congratulations!! IIRC it was Churchill who said "Nothing is as thrilling as being shot at and missed." ... or words to that effect. Good luck on coming tests.

[desertclassic]

That is great news. Get out and keep riding. Jim

[RagenTri]

I wish I would have seen this thread earlier to add my 2 cents. I was diagnosed in Sept. '16 with type III cancer in my right lung. My treatments were 6 weeks of daily radiation and 6 weeks of chemo, followed by 2 rounds of triple chemo's a month apart. I, fortunately and through the grace of God, have been clean since.

That was quite an experience which I hope and pray I never have to repeat. I thought for a minute these visits to the Cancer Center could give me a chance for a daily 30 mile round trip on my '14 TG but they had free valet service and no way was I turning the TG over to an 18 year old stranger.....

Ride Safe Everyone, Let's beat Cancer!

[hogcowboy]

I hope I'm able to ride right up to the very end no matter what I come down with. And you know it's bound to happen. It just seems like doctors love diagnosing you with something terminal.

[missedem]

Been doing physical therapy to get my strength back after 3 months of lymphoma treatments . Come march I will be back in the wind. If I can do it so can you. Be safe , know your limitations on your bad days and on the good days ride on!! Most importantly have fun. good luck and best wishes for a long and healthy recovery.

[GrandpaDave]

Not sure how I've missed this thread until now but it was uplifting to read everyone's stories and I thank everyone for sharing. I too have been fighting Peripheral T Cell Lymphoma for exactly three years now. Three weeks after being diagnosed I was in ICU at Mayo in Rochester, MN and the Dr. told my wife I may not make it another 24 hours. I've bee through 8 different types of chemo treatment in the past three years and am starting a new one again next week. They seem to help for a while and then not so much any more.
I am still riding and plan to as long as the Lord will allow me too. I retired a month ago so my wife and I can fully enjoy every day we have together. My hematologist agreed to let us come south to the Texas Hill Country to get the first two months of treatment so we could enjoy some warmer weather and ride whenever I'm feeling up to it.

Here's wishing the best to everyone fighting some type health issues.

Dave

[Hank62]

3 years now I have been fightiing rectal cancer, and damage done by surgeon, I have a perminate colostomy bag on left side and cancer is gone. what got me was the after surgery I had small blockage and they let a resident in training use me fore a training doll.

I had the surgery for blockage, they said they would old need to make about 6 inch incision but when I woke up I had been cut down the middleabout 18-20 inches.

I told them something was wrong, told just insides waking up. told them it some other than that, but still they sent me home 2nd day after surgery, I started to slosh inside and could not lay down flat, started running fever that got worse, eight days later i went in to my Doctor and WBC was 32 I had gone septic, rush to hospital where they opened me up to find that during surgery for blockage they had perferatted bowels in more than 1 place.

I had four surgeries in 1 week, or thats what I was told because I did not wkae up for 4 weeks and then I was still On life support, off life support I still stayed in ICU for 2 more weeks till move to regular room for 3 weeks, then I was sent to a nursing home for 5weeks , I lost 119 lbs could not even pick up a 6 pack of Mt Dew.

-I have been on life support 1 more time because of the damage done bu surgeon and 3 other surgeries. I am still recovering strength and that is why I now am switching to a trike. I also found out that they had change the time you could sue, I first thought it was 2yrs so I missed window when I found it was only a year from time of surgery. lucky the cance for me was easy fix, the surgeon being a butcher has not been so easy.

for all you who are just starting to fight the cancer side of it. Never give up and have positive attitude ae the best ways to beat cacncer plus all the new medicines they use now days,

Hank

P.S go to a cancer center of america they seem to have the best track record

[consitter]

3 years now I have been fightiing rectal cancer, and damage done by surgeon, I have a perminate colostomy bag on left side and cancer is gone. what got me was the after surgery I had small blockage and they let a resident in training use me fore a training doll. I had the surgery for blockage, they said they would old need to make about 6 inch incision but when I woke up I had been cut down the middleabout 18-20 inches. I told them something was wrong, told just insides waking up. told them it some other than that, but still they sent me home 2nd day after surgery, I started to slosh inside and could not lay down flat, started running fever that got worse, eight days later i went in to my Doctor and WBC was 32 I had gone septic, rush to hospital where they opened me up to find that during surgery for blockage they had perferatted bowels in more than 1 place. I had four surgeries in 1 week, or thats what I was told because I did not wkae up for 4 weeks and then I was still On life support, off life support I still stayed in ICU for 2 more weeks till move to regular room for 3 weeks, then I was sent to a nursing home for 5weeks , I lost 119 lbs could not even pick up a 6 pack of Mt Dew. I have been on life support 1 more time because of the damage done bu surgeon and 3 other surgeries. I am still recovering strength and that is why I now am switching to a trike. I also found out that they had change the time you could sue, I first thought it was 2yrs so I missed window when I found it was only a year from time of surgery. lucky the cance for me was easy fix, the surgeon being a butcher has not been so easy.

for all you who are just starting to fight the cancer side of it. Never give up and have positive attitude ae the best ways to beat cacncer plus all the new medicines they use now days,

Hank

P.S go to a cancer center of america they seem to have the best track record

May God bless and keep you. You have been through way too much. It's time to have a rest. I sincerely hope you get to enjoy your trike. I have no physical problems, but I enjoy mine because it allows my special needs daughter to ride with me.

[GrandpaDave]

3 years now I have been fightiing rectal cancer, and damage done by surgeon, I have a perminate colostomy bag on left side and cancer is gone. what got me was the after surgery I had small blockage and they let a resident in training use me fore a training doll. I had the surgery for blockage, they said they would old need to make about 6 inch incision but when I woke up I had been cut down the middleabout 18-20 inches. I told them something was wrong, told just insides waking up. told them it some other than that, but still they sent me home 2nd day after surgery, I started to slosh inside and could not lay down flat, started running fever that got worse, eight days later i went in to my Doctor and WBC was 32 I had gone septic, rush to hospital where they opened me up to find that during surgery for blockage they had perferatted bowels in more than 1 place. I had four surgeries in 1 week, or thats what I was told because I did not wkae up for 4 weeks and then I was still On life support, off life support I still stayed in ICU for 2 more weeks till move to regular room for 3 weeks, then I was sent to a nursing home for 5weeks , I lost 119 lbs could not even pick up a 6 pack of Mt Dew. I have been on life support 1 more time because of the damage done bu surgeon and 3 other surgeries. I am still recovering strength and that is why I now am switching to a trike. I also found out that they had change the time you could sue, I first thought it was 2yrs so I missed window when I found it was only a year from time of surgery. lucky the cance for me was easy fix, the surgeon being a butcher has not been so easy.

for all you who are just starting to fight the cancer side of it. Never give up and have positive attitude ae the best ways to beat cacncer plus all the new medicines they use now days,

Hank

P.S go to a cancer center of america they seem to have the best track record

Hank, God bless you as you continue to recover and gain your strength back again. I totally agree with you that a positive attitude is as critical as anything as you fight this battle. I look at every day as a gift from God and set out to do whatever my body is capable of that day. My trike has been sitting in my enclosed hauler trailer since the 10th of this month when we came back from the Texas Hill Country and I hope to unload it this weekend and look forward to riding in the next week or two.

I know you will enjoy the trike and the wind in your face.

Dave

[Hank62]

May God bless and keep you. You have been through way too much. It's time to have a rest. I sincerely hope you get to enjoy your trike. I have no physical problems, but I enjoy mine because it allows my special needs daughter to ride with me.

This trike build will allow me to get at least part of my life back. I miss not being in the wind, honestly I have had a running Harley since I was 19 years old up. I still have the running Harley's I just am unable to hold it up right very well now.I have road in almost every state and just when cancer hit we were planning trip out to AZ to see brother and son we were to make trip on back of the road king.

Now I will make those trips on a trike, one big plus is since I no longer work I will not be up against a time line, We will be able to stay longer and take our time getting there, No More 23hr Rides out to the Black Hills Rally stay for 6 days and rush back to be at work on time. it was fun but then again It can wear you down for a fe day upon return.

I am actually starting to see improvement in walking any where. It was a 100 feet and I would be in pain and have to use a walker to get back to house. Now I can walk around yard with very little pain and I can walk the wally world floor plan and only legs seem to be tired, but I won't quit and just sit waiting for the grave I should have 20-25 more years above ground, I'm going to live like I do.

Hank

[David357]

Frank, you have a great spirit and drive to keep moving forward.

Both your strength and courage are very admirable.

Keep it up and please stay in touch with our Trike Talk Community.

[D'07ShadowAero]

Anyone here still riding just after being diagnosed with cancer and taking chemotherapy or radiation treatments? Or is this the wrong place to post this?

I bought my trike on a cold snowy day in December 2018. Friends of mine right down the road from purchase place said they'd keep it for me till spring. They ended up keeping it till July 2019. As I was diagnosed with 3rd stage lung cancer in January. My first thought was Oh my goodness, I'll be able to see my friend. I even smiled. I tried to cover it because the nurse was looking at me like I must be crazy, smiling in spite of this bad news. But, my friend is Jesus. He's been so good to me. Who wouldn't want to see him? I fully understood the peace that surpasses all understanding that was with my hospice patients, that knew where they were going. However, Survival is an inborn instinct. In the garden, life was eternal. So, I searched best cancer centers in America and drive my Honda Pilot to Houston Texas. MD Anderson started my treatments that week. 60 rounds of radiation later and some chemo, then immunology treatment. I wouldn't do the immunology treatment if I could redo that drastic decision. Got back in June. My dear friends brought it to me in July, 19. I rode it a few times. I was very weak. It's now July 2020 and yesterday I was able to ride about 160 miles with a high heat index! I built up to that the last 8 weeks. God's creation is much better seen and felt from the seat of a motorcycle. So thankful, grateful and appreciative of his healing gifts to the medical staff, and many friends and acquaintance prayers.

[rhino 2]

I bought my trike on a cold snowy day in December 2018. Friends of mine right down the road from purchase place said they'd keep it for me till spring. They ended up keeping it till July 2019. As I was diagnosed with 3rd stage lung cancer in January. My first thought was Oh my goodness, I'll be able to see my friend. I even smiled. I tried to cover it because the nurse was looking at me like I must be crazy, smiling in spite of this bad news. But, my friend is Jesus. He's been so good to me. Who wouldn't want to see him? I fully understood the peace that surpasses all understanding that was with my hospice patients, that knew where they were going. However, Survival is an inborn instinct. In the garden, life was eternal. So, I searched best cancer centers in America and drive my Honda Pilot to Houston Texas. MD Anderson started my treatments that week. 60 rounds of radiation later and some chemo, then immunology treatment. I wouldn't do the immunology treatment if I could redo that drastic decision. Got back in June. My dear friends brought it to me in July, 19. I rode it a few times. I was very weak. It's now July 2020 and yesterday I was able to ride about 160 miles with a high heat index! I built up to that the last 8 weeks. God's creation is much better seen and felt from the seat of a motorcycle. So thankful, grateful and appreciative of his healing gifts to the medical staff, and many friends and acquaintance prayers.

.........

[LadyonaMission]

Deloris, I pray that you will be able to ride many miles on your trike.

[CapeTeddy]

I hope everyone is still going strong. I was diagnosed in 2010 with Multiple Myeloma stage 3 of 3. After two stem cell transplants I'm still going. Right now my body is showing the years of the battle but I refuse to stop riding and won't sit around waiting to die. I'm trying to ride more than usual and build up to a trip soon. Not sure yet where to go but I'd like to ride somewhere. My only problem so far is pain when I'm out too long. Hopefully I can over come some of that soon.