I started writing a column again. The first one is about my battle with cancer. It appeared in the paper on March 1, 2009

Bruce column March 1, 2009

After almost ten years of writing an every other week column for the newspaper, early in 2008 I was forced to give it a rest because of some health issues. I simply didn’t have the energy to do it anymore.

In September of 2007 I completed five months of extensive chemotherapy followed by a bone marrow transplant to rid my body of cancer. It took several months for my body to recover from all of the chemotherapy and an extra long time to recover from a bone marrow transplant. During that time I was determined to continue writing my column and I did until February 2008 when I contacted an unexpected virus that really slowed me down. While battling the virus I simply didn’t have the energy or the desire to write a column so I gave it up.

It’s been a year and a half since I completed my cancer treatment and I’m just fine. In fact I’m back to normal with only a few minor residual side effects that I’ll simply have to learn to live with. I still have some minor numbness in my feet and some minor stomach issues as a result of all of the chemotherapy. I don’t have quite as much endurance as I once had. I have returned to a relatively strenuous exercise schedule every afternoon at the Sports Academy. I ride the stationary bike for an hour followed by lifting a few weights. By the end of most days I’m pretty tired and ready for bed.

My present health issues are not caused by cancer, but caused by what they did to me to get rid of the cancer. My cancer was a stage four mantel cell lymphoma. According to the oncologist there were not a lot of options for treatment. Initially the oncologist told me that, “we have a very difficult problem to deal with.” Mantel cell is a relatively rare cancer so there has not been a lot of research done to treat it. I wasn’t given much hope for long term survival because of the type of cancer I had. Also my age didn’t help my chances of survival. Three options were explained to me. I could do nothing and probably not survive beyond a few months. I could do regular outpatient chemo that would probably slow down the spread of the cancer which would give me a few more months beyond doing nothing. The third option was a relatively new cutting edge treatment and consisted of several week long hard chemo treatments followed by a bone marrow transplant (BMT). I didn’t think I was ready to die so despite my age at the time I opted for the week long chemo and a BMT. Obviously it all worked because I’m still alive and doing very well.

I feel extremely fortunate that I was able to endure the cancer treatment with only minimal side affects. During the past year and a half I have spent a lot of time at the Huntsman Cancer Hospital and have been aware of numerous people who endured the same treatment but unfortunately didn’t fare as well as I did. Many BMT patients suffer severe heart and lung damage. One time when I was waiting to see the doctor a young man entered the waiting room and sat down beside me. He was on oxygen and looked like he was having difficult time breathing and getting around. He was in a wheel chair. His mom told me that the BMT severely damaged his heart, lungs, kidneys and liver and for him to survive he’s gong to have to endure further treatment including an organ transplant. It’s not uncommon to see people young and old on oxygen in the patient waiting room. I’m lucky; I’ve had none of those problems.

Another BMT patient that I became acquainted with survived the treatment very well. She is quite a bit younger than me and about a year behind me in her treatment. We had dinner with her and her husband a week ago and she has recently been given a clean bill of health. We both realize how fortunate we have been to have survived cancer and the treatment for cancer with no serious side effects and celebrate the fact that we are able to return to a normal life.

Right now other than a few minor physical limitations mentioned above, my biggest problem is all in my head. Every time I have a pain anywhere, a cough, a stomach ache, a head ache, a cold or any other routine ailment my mind automatically begins to question if the cancer is back. I wish I could forget about the fact that I once had cancer, but I can’t. It’s always in the back of my mind that I once had cancer and there is a chance that it might come back.

I go back to the oncologist every three months for a battery of tests to see if I’m still cancer free. So far so good, no cancer. When the results of the tests indicate no cancer it is very comforting. During each visit I ask the doctor what is going to happen if the cancer comes back. Her most recent response has been, with the treatment you have gone through “I’ve never had it come back.” She’ll also admit that the cancer treatment I had is relatively new so there isn’t a long history of success.

Next week it’s time for another visit to the Huntsman. Part of me looks forward to the visit so my mind can be set at ease that I’m still cancer free. The other part of me is fearful that the cancer has returned and I’ll have to decide what I’m going to do. Hopefully I’ll be cancer free.

When I first entered the Huntsman almost two years ago I noted that the address of the hospital was 2000 Circle of Hope Drive. I am hopeful that when I make my regular three month visit to the hospital next week, I’ll still be cancer free.