The "I'll Take The One I Have, If I Have A Choice!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Had a call from my dermatologist telling me of my appointment for my Mohs surgery I need for the latest bit of skin cancer they found during my bi-yearly examination.  This surgery is needed to remove the squamous cell area I have on my left cheek near the bottom of my left ear.  I have had Mohs surgery several times before and the surgeon who performs the surgery for Dermatology Associates of Lancaster, Dr. Jeanette Hebel does a fantastic job.  Mohs surgery was developed by Frederick E. Moss, M.D. in the 1930s and involves the systematic removal and microscopic analysis of thin layers of tissue at the tumor site until the last traces of the cancer have been eliminated.  At times it can be very time consuming.  

The area where you have the cancer is numbed and a layer of skin is removed.  You wait in the waiting room until it can be analyzed in-house and if it yields more cancer cells, you return to the doctor's chair for the removal of another layer of cells.  Depending upon how deep the cells go, you may have a rather large area to be stitched.  I have had two such areas and if I don't tell you where they are on my face, you probably wouldn't know since Dr. Hebel is a real pro.  She can do wonders in stitching wounds so you will never see them.  Several years ago, during the start of my prostate cancer, I was given a gene test to see what type of treatment I would be given.  I was found to have the BRCA2 gene mutation which makes me more susceptible for breast cancer, prostate cancer and skin cancer.  So, when I visit my dermatologist I am examined extremely well.  Always have something taken off or frozen.  Now I tell you all of this since while reading my latest edition of Reader's Digest, I found some rather interesting information in an article titled "News From The World of Medicine."  One segment I found interesting had to do with my hearing loss.  Said that in a national survey of 6.6 million Americans who reported accidental injuries, those who experienced a lot of trouble hearing were roughly twice as likely to get hurt in an accident, especially during recreational activities.  Not quite sure what I should do except be more aware when I participate in recreational activities to be more careful. Another segment said that hot baths help your heart.  Great!  Wasn't more than 30 minutes later that I hopped in the tub filled with water over 105.8 degrees F, since that was said to be the magic number.  The next segment of the article had a headline of "Skin Cancers May Reduce Risk for Alzheimer's.  Wow!  Since I constantly am found with skin cancers, I am less susceptible to get Alzheimer's.  The article continued saying researchers have long been puzzled by the relationship between Alzheimer's and skin cancer.  People with basal cell or squamous cell carcinomas--two of the less deadly forms of the disease--have a lower rate of Alzheimer's.  Even if you might have malignant melanoma, as my mother had few times, you too have a 61% lower rate of developing Alzheimer's.  Researchers aren't sure whether the connection is neurological, biological or both, but the connection between the two diseases will lead to more in-depth research.  Interesting to know that since I have one type of cancer, which I find may be because I have the BRCA2 gene mutation, I may be be saved from having Alzheimer's.  Not sure what to believe, but for now I'll take the Mohs surgery over the other alternative.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

The "In Recognition Of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Part II" Story

It was an ordinary day.  The entire Sunday newspaper was in pink ink in recognition of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month which made the small photograph in the upper right-hand corner of the "Living" section standout.  That's also the way it was with the 6"X8" color photo on page B3 of the paper.  Photo of the same guy on both pages.  

Dave Holt

Then it struck me...I known that guy!  The wrinkles in his cheeks and lines on his forehead may be a bit deeper, but the slight smile gave him away.  When I finally read the name, I realized he was a student of mine when he was in high school.  Dave Holt will be 65 years old soon, but was in his mid-teens when I had him in my Graphic Arts/Photography classes.  And, the more I thought about it, I think he even might have been a photographer for the yearbook for which I was the adviser.  So what has he been up to and why is his photograph in the newspaper next to the big headline that reads: "DAVE HOLT RETURNS".  Newspaper story tells of his being born and raised in Neffsville, Pennsylvania which is a few miles from the center of Lancaster.  He got married about 30 years ago and he and his wife, Sarah, began their love affair with the city of New Orleans.  Visited the town yearly to take in Mardi Gras, the French Quarter and other musical venues.  In 1998 he fronted the popular Dave Holt Band and brought the sounds of New Orleans to Lancaster County.  But, evidently his heart was in New Orleans, since he and his wife up and moved to the city 12 years ago.  He still gets to see his old band members when they head to New Orleans each year to celebrate Dave's birthday with him.  Down in New Orleans he initially intended to lead a band as he had in Lancaster, but in a city rich in piano players he wondered if it would work as it did in Lancaster.  Then he met a gentleman by the name of Lawrence Cotton who is a 91-year-old piano-playing legend in New Orleans.  

New Orleans legend Lawrence Cotton

Dave began playing upright bass with Mr. Cotton and they now play at private parties and happy hours in New Orleans.  But, Dave has plans to return to Lancaster County for a perfor- mance at Millersville University's Ware Center in downtown Lancaster on October 21 when Dave will get together with his old bandmates for a performance to raise money for "Defeat Breast Cancer".  Seems that Dave was a friend of Diana Denenberg who died of breast cancer.  Diana's brother, Dennis Denenberg, a retired Millersville University professor as well as Asst. Superintendent at Manheim Towship School District where I taught and where Dave was a student, started an endowment at Millersville to honor his sister Diana.  Dennis got the idea to have Dave and his old bandmates play a concert to raise money for the endowment.  Up to $10,000 in ticket sales for the event will be matched by Dennis to honor his sister.  I'm sure the event will go well and Dave's Band will perform well.  It certainly can't be for a better cause!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "In Recognition Of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Part I" Story

It was an ordinary day.  My wife had just finished reading her latest novel, closed the book, placed it on her snack tray and placed her pink reading glasses on it next to her recliner.  Wasn't more than ten seconds later that "The Gray Lady", one of our two adopted cats, jumped on the tray and grabbed the glasses with her teeth and knocked them to the floor.  

Not sure why she likes those pink glasses, but they always seem to attract her attention.  Maybe because she knows it means so much to her favorite person, my wife Carol.  If you are not aware, pink is the color associated with National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and my wife is a  breast cancer survivor.  Stories have appeared in numerous magazines as well as newspapers telling about breast cancer and publishing the facts and tips that deal with the disease.  Some risk factors can't be changed such as having the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene, but there are some things that can help lower your risk of breast cancer.  And, I should mention that breast cancer isn't just a female disease, since a male friend of mine had breast cancer when he was in his 40s.  A few tips that can change your risks are: (1) Keep and maintain a healthy weight, (2) If you have a family member who has had breast cancer or if you have inherited the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene (if you don't know if you have one of these two genes, ask your doctor about being tested for it), talk to your doctor as to how often you should be examined, (3) Try, if at all possible, to exercise regularly by using moderate to intense aerobic activity twice a week, (4) Find out about your risks of developing breast cancer if you take hormone-replacement therapy or birth control pills, (5) Limit your alcohol intake to no more than one drink a day, or (6) Breastfeed your children if possible.  A few facts you should know are, (1) The average age when women are diagnosed with breast cancer in the United States is 61 while the average age for men is between 60 and 79, (2) In the state of Pennsylvania, where my wife and I live, the average number of women who will be diagnosed EACH DAY is 32, (3) In 2018 a man's risk of getting breast cancer is about one in 1,000 as compared with one in 8 for women, (4) Fewer that 15% of women diagnosed with breast cancer have a close family member who was diagnosed with breast cancer and for those who have no family connection, breast cancer may be due to genetic mutations, which happen because of age and life in general, (4) More than 3.1 million women in the United States are currently being treated or have recently finished treatment for breast cancer, (5) Over the last decade the risk of getting breast cancer has not changed for women overall, but the risk has increased for black, Asian and Pacific Islander women.  Did you also know that there are 10 stages of severity of breast cancer that have been published by the National Cancer Institute.  If you do have breast cancer, you may not know what stage you may have until after surgery to remove the cancer.  For me to try and list the 10 stages and how and what to expect in those stages would take a huge amount of space.  You can view these stages by looking at: PENNSYLVANIAHEALTHCARECOSTCONTAINMENTCOUNCILAND BREASTCANCER.ORG.   Please take care of yourself as no one will do it for you.  Both my wife and I have had cancer in the past five years.  Several types to be exact.  We do visit our family doctor as well as specialists when necessary.  I wish you the best and don't wait too long before your next doctor's visit.  Be pro-active with your health.  Your life depends upon it!  THINK PINK!!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "And We Eat This Stuff? Story

It was an ordinary day.  Using my large magnifying glass to check out the ingredients that are printed on the label of the food we feed our two cats.  A few minutes ago I was looking at a warning for the additive carrageenan that said 70% of canned pet foods contain carrageenan.  So why is carrageenan added to cat food as well as food that we consume on a daily basis and use in everyday life.  It adds no nutritional value or flavor, but its unique chemical structure makes it exceptionally useful as a binder, thickening agent and stabilizer.  

Found in red algae and seaweed.

So where do we get carrageenan?  It is derived from red algae or seaweeds since the 1930s and is processed through an alkaline procedure to produce what many consider to be a "natural" food ingredient.  If you happen to prepare the same algae or seaweed in an acidic solution, you get what is referred to as "degraded carrageenan" or poligeenan.  And, the stuff seems to be everywhere.  It can be found in organic yogurt, tofu, coconut milk, baby formula and even in turkey cold cuts.  Now, what are the bad things about it?  It has a long and controversial reputation as an emulsifier that damages the digestive system.  Degraded carrageenan is commonly used in drug trials to literally induce inflammation and other diseases in lab animals.  And, we eat this stuff!!  Now, I know there is a difference between the disease-producing carrageenan and its "natural" food counterpart.  Carrageenan is an active ingredient in solutions we use to treat everything from coughs to intestinal problems.  

It can be found in just about anything including ice cream.

It is also known to decrease pain and swelling and has been used as a laxative and to treat peptic ulcers.  And, as I shared with you before, it is found in a variety of pet foods and healthcare products such as toothpaste.  But (you knew this was coming) research says that it can cause:  Large bowel ulcerations, Ulcerative colitis, fetal toxicity & birth defects, colorectal cancer, glucose intolerance and insulin resistance, inflammation, liver cancer, immune suppression and promoting the growth of abnormal colon glands, which are the precursors to polyps.  

Also can be found in candy.

I should tell you that what I read says that as long as you don't have more than 5% of the additive carrageenan in your diet, the only side effect may be soft stools and diarrhea.  I will try to be more observant when buying and using products that contain carrageenan.  As I examined the cat food we feed our two newcomers, I found that the Friskies Tasty Treasures did have the additive in the cans while the Sheba containers and Purina Fancy Feast Medleys did not.  Since Carol and I do not want any problems with ourselves as well as our pets, we will watch what we eat and will no longer buy the Friskies cans.  As the saying goes.....Better safe than sorry!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Atypical Nevus Is Removed" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Making yet another visit to my dermatologist for my bi-yearly checkup.  My visits began years ago when I noticed a few red marks on my arm and someone said, "You ought to get them checked out."  I have a family history of skin cancer with my mother having been diagnosed numerous times with melanoma, the grand-daddy of skin cancer.  She always seemed to be visiting her doctor for removal of something.  So, about 30 years ago I also began yearly visits which have now been changed to bi-yearly visits.  With a recent realization that I have the BRCA2 gene mutation, which is a precursor to skin cancer, my dermatologist is very observant of any change in my skin formations.  I guess I should tell you that when I was a child my parents, along with most of my friends' parents, never thought to put lotion on me to protect my skin from the sun.  And, when they did put something on my skin, it was baby oil which acted as a magnifier of the suns rays on my skin.  My recent visit yielded 13 spots that required the use of the dreaded liquid nitrogen to freeze pre-cancerous spots on my face and head.  But, one other spot on my back had to be removed with a scalpel so it could be tested to see if it was more serious than expected.  

Dr. Lucking numbed the spot, took a circular sample and placed a bandage on the spot.  She pulled a brochure off her shelf and told me she was treating this latest spot as an Atypical Nevus.  She said she would call in a week to tell me the results of the test.  The brochure was produced by the American Academy of Dermatology and told me exactly what an Atypical Nevus is and how it should be treated.  The word "atypical" means "not like the rest."  "Nevus" is the medical term for "mole."  Thus, a mole that doesn't look like the rest of the moles I may have on my body.  Now, the brochure says that Atypical moles are not cancerous, but some people who have these moles have a higher risk of getting melanoma, the deadliest type of skin cancer.  Atypical moles come in many shapes and sizes and is often larger than other moles.  Often they have more than one color and can be fuzzy around the edges.  A trained eye, such as what Dr. Lucking has, can pick they out immediately.  That's why you should have a dermatologist if you have a family history of skin cancer or never used protection when out in the sun.  

The Atypical Nevus has been removed.

A week later I got the call and was told to come back in another week to have more removed.  The procedure is simple and doesn't hurt at all.  A needle was used to numb the spot, which happened to be on my upper back, and a scapel was used to cut deeper to remove all traces of the mole.  A few stitches were needed to close the skin deep in my back and a few more stitches were used to close the wound on the surface.  In all she needed 11 stitches.  That was until I sat up and tore a few stitches in the process.  More stitches and finally a bandage was placed on the wound and I had to replace it every day when I showered.  I was told to place Vaseline on the wound to keep the stitches soft.  After two weeks I returned and had the stitched removed.  I had torn a few more of the stitches due to my movement while working and sleeping.  Skin cancer can kill you, so you need to be proactive with your health and have a full-body screening beginning at puberty.  Examine your own skin monthly and schedule routine appointments if you find anything.  A fellow teacher of mine died at a very young age when the mole on her back was found to be melanoma.  The sad part was that she never knew she had it until it was too late.  Take care of your skin.  It is your body's largest and fastest-growing organ.  It is the body's coat which protects you from heat and cold.  It keeps your insides in and keeps other stuff out.   And, it's an easy doctor's visit away from being kept safe.  Dr. Lucking tells me that all the time.  And, I am a believer!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "The Story Of A Fine Young Man!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Just pulled out my copy of the 2013 Manheim Township Middle School Yearbook to see if I could find the class photograph of a young man who was the center of a story in the morning newspaper (LNP).  Nicholas Vicidomini was a graduating 8th grader when I placed his class photo in the yearbook that year.  As I searched the rest of the book I found him in a photo of the 8th grade basketball team.  Nothing very special about the boy in the yearbook, but the LNP changed all that when they told the story about Nick and his travails through early life with lymphoblastic lymphoma, an aggressive form of cancer.  

Nick's photo from his 2013 yearbook.

When Nick was a 7 year-old he underwent three surgeries as well as eight months of chemotherapy.  It was back in 2007 that Nick and his family first went to THON.  For those not familiar with the Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, commonly referred to as THON, it is a 46-hour dance marathon that takes place every February at the Pennsylvania State University in University Park, Pennsylvania with the purpose of raising money and providing emotional support to children and families in order to combat pediatric cancer.  It was started in 1973 by Penn State University's Interfraternity Council.  That year they raised more than $2,000 with 39 couples dancing for 30 straight hours.  Today it is the largest student-run philanthropy in the world with millions raised every year.

The official logo of THON.

 The money is donated to The Four Diamonds Fund which is a charity devoted to defeating pediatric cancer through research and caring for patients and their families at the Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital.  About three-quarters of the money raised is used by The Four Diamonds Experimental Therapeutics Endowment for research while much of the rest of the money is used for the young cancer patients family support.  

In 2005 Carol and I visited with our friends Jere and
Sue who live in State College.  We made a trip to Bryce
Jordan Center to see the dancers at THON.  An exciting
evening with dancing in our seats since the gym floor was
filled by thousands of students dancing the night away.

This year's event began yesterday with more than 16,000 people at the Bryce Jordan Center dancing their hearts away for the young children.  It was back in 2007 that Nick became involved in THON.  In the LNP story he is quoted as saying, "I like to think THON saved my life."  Nick has been cancer free since 2009.  But, he hasn't forgotten how he became that way.  This young man decided years ago that he wanted to continue with THON by entering Penn State University after graduating from Manheim Township HIgh School, which he did in 2017.  This guy was such a great basketball player that he was recruited by colleges who wanted his basketball services at their schools, but his loyalty to THON was so great that he turned them all down to enter Penn State so he could continue to be part of the school's THON program.  And, yesterday and today he will be one of the 16,000 people who will help raise money to continue  the program that at one time helped to save Nick's life.  I'm hoping that Nick's story might inspire you to give to The Four Diamonds Fund.  As I looked at his photo from the yearbook it never struck me that he would one day be one of the student's so inspired by what had happened in his life to feel compelled to lend his support for this worthy cause.  Our country is in good hands knowing that we have young men such as Nick Vicidomini leading the way.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The "World Cancer Day" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Talking with my wife, Carol, about the fact that the two of us are able to say that we are cancer survivors.  Sounds totally different than it feels!  Having the big "C" is an experience that no one ever wants to experience and when we both found out we had it within a few days of each other it was...well it was a really big whammy.  We were both upset and scared for months on end until we found out our surgeries and following treatments proved to be successful.  This past weekend in our Sunday's "Parade Magazine" we saw an article titled "The People vs. Cancer."  Started with a sentence telling the world that the death rate from the disease in the U.S. has dropped 26% since 1991.  Better still, improved prevention and screening tactics could help bring those numbers down even more.  Very encouraging news to say the least.  For years I have been having PSA tests done at least once a year while Carol has been having mammograms done yearly.  

The screening has been the big reason that we both found out about our cancers at an early stage.  After having a rather abnormal PSA test I had a biopsy done on my prostate which showed cancer in a few of the samples they extracted.  A discussion with my urologist gave me a few choices of treatment until he suggested I have a gene test completed.  That showed I have the mutated BRACA 2 gene and that eliminated a few of my choices.  Cryosurgery was performed and that was successful.  Carol's mammogram showed a small lump and more testing followed.  A lumpectomy was performed followed by radiation treatments and she is now cancer free.  But...it never ends.  Carol will go for another mammogram soon to see if everything is still OK while I was back for another PSA that happened to be .08 higher than the reading half a year ago.  I will now wait a few months and have another test done.  

Then we will see.  For both of us its the waiting and waiting, not knowing what will happen that was the worst.  Why did we ever get cancer in the first place?  Was it hereditary?  Probably, but we're not sure.  Was it due to our environment?  Probably, but we're not sure.  Do we eat the right things?  Probably, but we're not sure.  I eat a lot of white bread while Carol loves red meat.  Can't be good, right.  Could we have developed the disease because we both are in our 70s?  Maybe, but who knows.  Did we have tests done on a regular basis?  You bet we did, and that's what saved us.  The few items that can help the most are: (1) Don't smoke or frequent places where people smoke, (2) Maintain a healthy weight and watch what we eat and (3) Stay active.  We try as hard as we can to stay healthy, but its tough, as everyone knows.  And, we can't seem to stop worrying about what may happen next to us.  We beat it once, but can we continue to do so.  You bet we can, with a little help from our friends!   The power is ours...and yours.  This past Sunday was World Cancer Day and it's everyone's responsibility to make an effort to make sure you are up to date with your cancer screenings, eat healthy if possible and don't smoke!!  Hey, it's your life.  We're pulling for all of you just as many of you did for us this past year.  It really helps.  You got us through it.  Thanks to all of you and God bless you as he has blessed us!!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.   

The "Was This An Evil Experiment With Known Results?" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading a story I posted on Tuesday, June 23, 2015 which tells the story of my neighbor and friend Tom who told a group of sophomore high school students about his experiences as a soldier in the United States Army during the Vietnam War.  Told them about having to pull his poncho over his head to avoid getting covered with Agent Orange that was dropping from the sky during the middle of the night from U.S. military planes.  Tom died about a year ago from complications associated with that Agent Orange which was dropped on him those fateful evenings in 1968 in Vietnam.  It was said that the Agent Orange was used to defoliate the countryside to make it easier for our troops to see the enemy soldiers.  The chemical was called Agent Orange since it was made and shipped by Monsanto and Dow in orange-striped barrels.  Back in 2015, Tom was telling me these stories to help me understand the Vietnam War so I could write about his experiences during the war.

Tom shared his stories about Vietnam
and the chemical Agent Orange with me.

 Well, since Tom's death I have often thought about the story he told me and the use of Agent Orange that was dropped night after night on top of the troops.  I recently read a rather disturbing story telling about a $10,000 grant that dermatologist Dr. Albert Kligman got in 1965 to study various chemicals on behalf of Dow Corning, Johnson & Johnson and the U.S. Army.  His testing was done to observe how human skin reacts to harsh chemicals, a process known as "hardening".  The chemicals he was to test as well as the details of his work seem to have been lost to history.  In 1981 it was found that all his notes and records had somehow been destroyed.  It was known though that one of the chemicals that Dr. Kligman was testing was dioxin which just so happens to be the active ingredient in Agent Orange.  Then I read that at the time of the testing, the military was crop dusting half of Vietnam with the stuff, and people in the spray zones were exposed over and over to dioxin.  Seems the Pentagon was interested in what would happen to them, as was Dow, the manufacturer of Agent Orange.  During some of Dr. Kligman experiments, he injected his victims with a reported 468 times the recommended "safe" dose of dioxin, which was known to work as a blister agent and systemic toxin.  Somehow the good Doctor just happened to conveniently lose, or perhaps destroy, his findings.  Funny how all this happened and then he died ... allegedly from natural causes.  After some more searching I found that about one million of those, both residents as well as troops, exposed to Agent Orange suffered, or are now suffering, serious health problems.  I now wonder if Dr. Kligman knew this was going to happen even before my friend Tom was deployed to Vietnam.  Or even worse, did our government know and still used Agent Orange!  And, who is ever going to disclose the results of the tests?  I believe this is a well-kept secret that we will never know!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The "It Took Me 73 Years To Learn This!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading post after post about the chemical element Radium.  When I was a junior in high school I took a course called Chemistry; big mistake!  My teacher's name was Mr. Livengood and I earned a "D".  When I began college at Millersville State Teachers College I was assigned a course called Chemistry; another big mistake.  My teacher's name was Dr. McIlwaine and I earned an "F".  I had to take it over and the second time Dr. McIlwaine gave me an "F".  If it hadn't been for those courses I would have had a fantastic QPA at graduation.  About the only thing I learned in those three courses was the Periodic Table of the Elements.  Oh, by the way, my college advisor was kind and allowed me to pick up that chemistry credit by taking Bowling 101.  I bowled three times a week for a semester and didn't learn a thing about chemistry ... but I did bowl a 209!!  Anyway, during the past eight years while writing this blog I have been reading more and more as well as exploring more and more and I have learned more chemistry than ever before.  

The "Radium Girls" working on clock faces.

I did know (really) about Pierre and Marie Curie discovering the element Radium-226 in 1898 and both being awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics, but I had never heard of the "Radium Girls" until recently when I was looking at photos of my mom working on the assembly line at Hamilton Watch Company in Lancaster, Pennsylvania putting watches together.  Lucky for her she wasn't born 20 years earlier or she might have been part of the radium-infused paint crew that used fine point brushes to paint the dials of watches with radium paint.  

Another young girl works on a clock face with paintbrush.

It was in 1917, when the U.S. was drawn into WWI in Germany, that many girls began working on the assembly line.  They considered themself lucky, since the pay was three times the average working girls' wage.  Day after day during the remainder of WWI, as well as many years after the war ended, the "Radium Girls" painted military and civilian watches and dials, licking their paintbrushes to gain a better point, and handling jars of radium tincture.  Naturally, the paint got all over the girls whose clothes and skin would glow when they got home from work.  

An add for radium water.  Click to read it.

They also used the paint to paint their nails, sprinkle flakes of the stuff in their hair and applied to their teeth to "give their kiss a pop."  They were told by their supervisors that they were perfectly safe.  Pretty hard to believe today.  But, that's not all.  At the time Radium was placed in drinking water, used to cure arthritis and impotence,  put in chocolate candy bars made with radium water,  placed in a toy known as a Radiumscope which would glow at night, placed in toothpaste, was an ingredient in the popular Tho-Radia brand of cosmetics that brightened the skin, placed in heating pads and suppositories used to treat rheumatism, used in health spas where men and women soaked in radium mud and used radium cream as well as being used on the faces of clocks as luminous paint.  

An add for toothpaste with radium.

So what happened to these "Radium Girls".  Well, in January of 1922 one of the "Radium Girls" got a toothache and went to the dentist.  She was told a molar needed to come out.  A few weeks later she had to the tooth next to it removed.  Neither wound healed and seeped blood into her mouth.  More teeth came out and finally the doctor, when examining her, had her jaw crumble in his fingertips like ashes in a fireplace.  The next summer the girl's jaw and her inner ear were removed.  The tumor in her mouth finally cut into her jugular vein and flooded her throat with blood, choking her to death.  By 1924 dozens of "Radium Girls" were sick or dead and a study established that the radioactive paint was what did it.  

The results as seen on this "Radium Girl"

The United States Radium Company, who was responsible for all these girls working without proper security measures in place, had their own study done which said that swallowing radioactive paint is good for you!  They were eventually driven into ruin by the medical community and court costs.  But, it was too late for most of the young "Radium Girls" who died young, usually in horrible pain and fear, while others lived many years with weakened bones, lost teeth and various forms of cancer.  The last "Radium Girl" died at the age of 104 in 2015.  She was one of the lucky ones.  As for me, I have never claimed to know much about chemistry and was lucky not to live in an era when radium was supposed to have cured arthritis or I may have tried it.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The "New Studies Suggest TMI May Be To Blame!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading a few stories in the local newspaper as well as online about nearby Three Mile Island (TMI) closing in a couple of years.  Seems they haven't been able to sell the power they make due to the lower cost of natural gas in Pennsylvania.  Exelon Corporation has threatened to close TMI and idle 675 workers if the state of Pennsylvania doesn't come up with some support for the losses.  $800 million has been lost over the last five years and Exelon says it has to stop the bleeding or close the 43-year-old facility at the ed of September 2019.  Out of those 675 workers, slightly over 200 live in Lancaster County while the rest live in neighboring Dauphin County.  You may remember a few years ago I wrote a story telling about our oldest son, Derek, having a birthday party scheduled for his 8th birthday in 1979 when all of a sudden a few days before the party was to be held, TMI's #2 reactor suffered a nuclear meltdown.  

Three Mile Island in the Susquehanna River near Harrisburg, PA.

It was the worst accident in USA commercial nuclear power plant history and resulted in the release of small amounts of radioactive gases and radioactive iodine into the environment.  Being that we live within a 20-mile radius of the power plant and there being an alert for that 20-mile radius area telling residents to stay inside and to keep animals under cover, we weren't sure if we should have the birthday party a few days after the meltdown took place.  One of Derek's friends who we had invited to the party had a father that was a doctor who was a radiologist at the local Lancaster General Hospital.  We called the hospital and asked him if we should cancel the party since it would be tough to keep all those rumbustious kids indoors during the party.  He said they have a meter on the roof of the hospital that reads the amount of radioactive gases that were released into the air and it was reading normal amounts.  He saw no reason at all why the children couldn't be outside for a short time. So, based on his judgement and the readings of the equipment at the hospital, we held the party and after a time in the basement with more than half a dozen boys we had them go outside to play in the back yard for the remaining half hour of the party.  We wondered for years if we had made the right move, but we were told it was safe to do so.  

Pennsylvania road marker telling of the nuclear accident
at Three Mile Island in Dauphin County.

That was 38 years ago and for years reports and studies have reported no increase in thyroid cancer which would be the most likely cancer one would get from the radioactive gases and iodine that was released in 1979.  Now we find that researchers tell us there may be a possible link between TMI and a rise in cancer in the area.  They say all those other studies didn't wait long enough for the latency period of cancers to kick in.  They tell us now that data supports the possibility that radiation released by TMI altered the molecular profile of thyroid cancers in the population surrounding the plant.  Researchers tell us they don't want to alarm anyone, but that the accident may have caused biological changes in nearby residents due to the exposure they received.  They had recently examined 44 patients, mostly women, who were treated at nearby Milton S.  Hershey Medical Center for thyroid cancer.  These patients lived in at-risk regions, including Lancaster County, in 1979 and had developed thyroid cancer.  Similar studies done after the nuclear disaster in Chernobyl, Ukraine in 1986 found similar results to what was found in the TMI study.  I wonder how long it will be before they finally decide that TMI was responsible for the many thyroid cancers that have developed in the recent past.  I guess time will tell.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The "Yesterday .... All My Troubles Seemed So Far Away! : Part VIII - The Final Chapter!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Recovery from prostate cancer is just about complete, but for a few odds and ends.  My constant aide throughout my recovery, besides by wonderful and loving wife and my constant lap resident Creamsicle the cat, was my MacBook Air.  I have written over two dozen stories during my recovery and after going back through my iPhoto files, found photo after photo I had taken during the past year or so and more or less didn't do anything with until I discovered they would work great for a few of the stories.  My urologist had given me the name of a former patient of his, Bill, who I called numerous times and who helped answer many of my questions as I progressed through the procedure of attempting to rid my body of prostate cancer.  My hope is that these eight posts during the past few weeks will be an aide to those who may walk in my shoes and help answer questions that you may be afraid to ask or may be too embarrassed to ask. Well, today it has been 15 days since my surgery and another constant companion, my catheter, will be removed.  Thank goodness!!  I have caught the hose of the catheter on the kitchen drawers and cabinets numerous times with bloody results a few times.  I knelt on the hose the other day and stood up before it was free and once again made a mess.  I entered the doctor's office about 9:30 am and shortly he rushed in with a big smile on his face asking, "Are you ready?" As he sat next to me I said, "Bill told me that he had his catheter removed, but had to return later in the day and have it reinserted since he couldn't pee.  He told me that was the worst part of the entire procedure.  What are the chances of that happening to me?"  He got more serious and said, "I've had that happen less than a handful of times since I've been doing Cryo.  Your procedure went well and you will be fine.  The nurse will come in and take it out and I'll be right back."  His nurse entered, placed a pre-measured amount of water into the catheter which went into my bladder.  She then removed the catheter (which I didn't feel at all), I urinated the measured amount into a container to be measured to see if it matched the amount she placed in me, and then Dr. Seiber returned.  "Everything looks good.  I want you back in a couple of weeks to see how you are doing.  Any questions?"  "Yes, can I go on vacation to the Caribbean in a month and get in the ocean?  Also, can I sit in my air-jetted tub at home?"  Answer to both was yes, then I had one more for him.  "When you did the procedure, you went through the rectum, correct?"  "Well, yes, but ... only my probe, or camera, was placed in the rectum.  The needle that I used to place the nitrogen gas into the cancer area entered in the small area between the scrotum and the rectum.  Then when I finished, I put something like crazy glue on the area to seal it shut so it wouldn't bleed."  My reply was, "So that's what I felt when I took my first shower.  I thought it was dried blood under there and tried to pull it off.  Good I couldn't get it off."  "Probably wouldn't have mattered anyway since there were only a few real small holes."  We talked about why Cryosurgery isn't used more often and he told me that at first the needles used were too big and too hard to maneuver.  He said he didn't begin to use the procedure until he felt it was a safe way to treat prostate cancer.  I will admit, everyone whom I have talked to who have had Dr. Seiber for their urologist, love the guy.  You can add me to that number.  I enjoy his demeanor, his humor, the time he spends with me as well as the knowledge he possesses.  If you can't trust your urologist, you need to see another one.  If you happen to live in Lancaster County, PA, I would recommend Dr. Seiber to you, but I'm afraid he will be too busy to see me, so I won't mention his name again.  My journey, as far as these stories, is now complete.  I may add some notes as time goes by to let you know how I am progressing, but if you have a question for me, type it in the "Comment" area at end of any of the 8 stories and I will send you an answer or perhaps will agree to be a coach to you.  LIfe's too short to not have your questons answered early.  Take control of your health as I did.  You'll be gald you did.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The "Yesterday .... All My Troubles Seemed So Far Away! : Part VII - The Ordeal!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Struggling to sit since I have a rather large bag hanging on my side.  My Cryosurgery, aka Cryoblation or Cryoprocedure, took about two hours on Monday, March 6  according to witnesses.  Wasn't long before I was in my room in Lancaster General Hospital attempting to recognize my wife.  The rest of the evening is rather fuzzy as I slept off and on until the next morning.  Every hour a nurse would check on me, take my vitals and close the door on the way out.  At 6:30 am Tuesday morning, an associate of my urological doctor/surgeon peaked past the curtain and introduced himself to me.  Said he was going to go to the nurses station and sign my discharge papers.  In FIVE hours I was sitting in the passenger's seat of my youngest son's Toyota pick-up truck, headed home.  Most everything went as expected and as I described to you over the past 6 posts.  It is now time for recovery which seems to be OK so far, but with a few discomforts.  Besides having to have a catheter attached to me until March 21, I also must navigate the deep black and blue parts of my body.  Easy to rest laying down, but don't want to do that all day and night.  My appetite is returning which means more frequent visits to the bathroom.  Only trouble is that my bladder is now rejecting the catheter since the anethesia has worn off.  I have a call in to my urologist to try and get a prescription that will stop the bladder spasms.  The call came an hour later and I was told to take the pain medication that my urologist, Dr. Seiber, prescribed for me on my last visit.  Not gonna happen since I never had it filled.  I hate to take narcotics so I thought I could get by with over-the-counter pain meds.  My wife thought otherwise and headed to Walmart to fill the prescription.  Wasn't long before she returned, telling me that the doctor didn't write the prescription accurately and they wouldn't give her the pills.  They did call the doctor on call at my practice and he prescribed a non-narcotic over the phone which she had with her.  Took one and before long I was dizzy and nauseous.  Bed looked inviting and I was asleep in no time.  As of this posting I still have a week before my follow-up visit and hopefully the removal of the catheter.  Still tough to sit because of swelling, but my bladder spasms seem to be controlled by simple Tylenol.  Really getting bored with sleeping, sitting and eating.  For those of you who know me, you can imagine how terrible I feel not being able to do something.  

UPDATE: I am beginning to feel better and find it easier to sit, walk and get my catheter caught on just about anything in the house that protrudes.  Yesterday got the hose caught on the kitchen cabinet pull which caused some bleeding.  Heading out for the morning paper causes stares from the people sitting in their cars, waiting for the doctor's office across the street to open in the morning.  Made another call to my coach, Bill, whose name was given to me by Dr. Seiber, my urologist, as someone who has gone through the procedure and was willing to answer my questions.  He told me he could only sit and sleep in his lounge chair for the majority of the time before he returned to the doctor after two weeks.  We had a nice conversation and during our talk told him about my stories I am posting on my blog in hopes it will help others going through the same procedure.  He said he wishes that someone could have helped him with his anxiety and recovery after the procedure and that having stories to read would have certainly helped.  So, until hopefully my final story in a week or so, I hope at least one of you will benefit from the frank, but true, stories I have posted about going through prostate cancer surgery and the resulting recovery.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Yesterday .... All My Troubles Seemed So Far Away! : Part VI - The Waiting Is Over!" Story

Foreword:  Previously I told of the day I found that I had prostate cancer.  I have decided to take you along with me on my journey to try and conquer the disease so that if you are a male or have a spouse or close friend who is a male, you may better understand what they are experiencing and can help your loved one with their journey through the disease.

It was an ordinary day.  Sitting in Dr. Seiber's office waiting for him to open the door and rush in with his face brightening the room.  On the wall is a rack which holds reading material on many topics; prostate cancer included.  I grabbed a pamphlet that screamed across the top of it: "ABOUT 1 IN EVERY 7 MEN WILL GET PROSTATE CANCER DURING HIS LIFETIME."  I had read that more than once before, but it still draws attention when you see it.  The pamphlet is telling you to get the facts and talk to your doctor about your risks.  Seems that your chances of getting prostate cancer are pretty great when you think of it.  Inside the cover are topics such as: What is the prostate?; What is cancer?; What role does testosterone play?; Who is at risk for prostate cancer?; What are the symptoms?; What is the survival rate?  Wow, that one really got my attention so I began to read it.  Seems that during the past 25 years, overall five-year survival rates for all stages of prostate cancer combined have increased from 68% to nearly 100%.  Also tells that a few of the reasons for this astonishing rate increase is due to increase in public awareness and early detection.  Hey, I'm giving you the public awareness part, now its your turn to do the early detection part.  There are two initial tests that help diagnose prostate cancer.  One is called the PSA while the other is a biopsy.  PSA stands for Prostate-specific antigen which is a substance made by cells in the prostate gland and is measured by a number.  Levels under 4 are usually considered safe while the chance of having prostate cancer increases as your level ascends.  If your level is too elevated, your doctor may have you get a biopsy in which a needle is used to remove a small amount of prostate tissue.  That tissue is examined to see if it has cancer cells in it.  If so, you have prostate cancer.  I had my biopsy, my second in about 10 years, in September and it told me I had cancer.  As you have read earlier, I chose to have Cryosurgery, or freezing my prostate, after talking with a radiologist, having a gene test and then discussing my options with my doctor, Dr. Seiber.  He gave me a phone number of a patient who had the surgery and I am certain I have chosen the correct procedure for me.  Before I entered his office today, I arrived early for a ultrasound of my prostate.  Well, the door swung open and in rushed Dr. Seiber.  Got right to the point and told me the Firmagon that I had been given by injection over the past two months has reduced the size of my prostate by 1/3. I am now ready for my procedure.  I must prepare by taking Dulcolax tablets and a Fleet enema to empty me of any food.  My procedure is scheduled for this afternoon and I took Cipro, an antibiotic, a few times on Sunday and then again this morning.  Light food last evening and liquids only on this morning.  I must be at the hospital at noon for a 2:00 PM procedure.  Originally it was scheduled for the morning, which I prefer since I could have gone home the same day, but was changed to the afternoon, requiring I stay the night.  I will leave with a catheter inserted which I will have for at least 10 days, since the freezing of the prostate will cause swelling and it will take time for the swelling to go down enough that I can urinate on my own.  All three of my back surgeries have been with a catheter due to the anesthesia, so I know what to expect.  Not happy about it, but I have no choice.  So for now I am anxious, and as you might imagine, thinking of all the things that may happen to me.  I always do that, and have always been surprised when nothing has happened.  Here's hoping the same is true this time.  Wish me luck and say a prayer for me.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Yesterday .... All My Troubles Seemed So Far Away! : Part I - The Dianosis" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Monday, October 3rd, 8:08 PM and I just got the call from Dr. Sieber with the news that my recent prostate biopsy showed I have prostate cancer.  How should I react?  PANIC!? FEAR!?  For some strange reason it didn't affect me that way.  I have heard over and over again from several sources that if I live long enough the chances of getting prostate cancer are likely.  Did I look at it as a death sentence?  Nah!  My dad had it and lived for many years after he was diagnosed with it.  Died of something else.   So, what should I do?  I'm going to find out after a visit with Dr. Sieber in a month.  Well, for those males that are wondering how it was determined that I have prostate cancer, here is the background information.  For years, and I mean many years, I have had a routine physical every year.  And … every time I had the physical I had blood drawn for a PSA test.  PSA stands for prostate-specific antigen and is a protein produced by cells of the prostate gland.  The test measures the level of PSA in a man's blood and is a measuring device to check for any chance of cancer in the prostate. Quite a few years ago I had a high reading so Dr. Sieber ordered a biopsy.  I won't kid you, the test was tough.  The test showed I didn't have cancer.  At that time I had young children and was scared to death.  This year on my initial visit to Dr. Sieber, he told me he had good and bad news.  The good news was that the kidney stone I had was gone.  The bad news was that my PSA level was elevated.  He ordered a MRI of my prostate.  Piece of cake compared to the biopsy.  On a return visit he said the test was inconclusive and his intuition told him I should have a biopsy.  He just didn't feel that with my history that he should just let the issue drop.  Love the guy for that decision!  This time I was sedated so I didn't know what they were doing.  The call tonight gave me the results.  Went in to his practice the next day for a few more blood tests he wanted and set a time to visit with him to talk about our plan of attack to conquer my prostate cancer.  For those males who have a history in their family of prostate cancer or those who have had an elevated PSA, you may want to know what to expect.  I have decided to share my story as it progresses in hopes that you can follow my journey as I attempt to conquer this cancer and hope that my story will give you a chance to see what I have chosen to do to prolong my life and rid myself of this cancer. As of now, nothing seems to be a big rush.  Well, today is the end of October and I'm back sitting in Dr. Seiber's office once again.  My wife has joined me to make sure I hear everything he tells me during my visit.  He explains the informational results that I hold in my hand, explaining where in my prostrate I have cancer cells.  Three of the dozen test samples show signs of cancer.  He goes over several scenarios with me and tells me what he thinks I are my best options.  Asks me if I would like to continue in the General Health system that he is a part of and I confirm that at present I do.  I have trusted him all my life and they're no sense changing now.  He is an accomplished physician with great credentials and a few trial tests to his credit.  He explains that I can choose to no nothing at present and wait half a year and have my PSA tested again and perhaps have another biopsy.  But, if I care to, he can make an appointment at the nearby Barshinger Cancer Institute so I can talk to a prostate cancer specialist.  I choose that route and have a visit with Dr. Romito in a few weeks with a follow up visit with Dr. Seiber a week after that appointment. I also chose to have genetic testing done so I can tell if I happen to have any genes that will give me a clue as to what to expect in the future.  It was as simple as giving a sample of my blood for analysis.  My wife felt it was necessary so our children can find out what may be in store for them in the future and to plan accordingly.   So, for now, I am waiting, but not worrying ... yet!  Follow with me as I journey through the health care system, trying to find my way through the many choices available, hoping I make the correct choice; for you see, my life depends on it!!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.