Get well soon, best wishes!

Yes, I have a cancer. I had a neurosurgeon completely remove a tumor from my head. It caused the symptoms I was experiencing but was not the originator. I would not have known about the originator if it wasn't for it though.

I will fight it. It is up to God as to whether I stay here with everyone for the full 100 years we each get roughly. There is such a large bucket list, from seeing my daughters walk the aisle to renewing my vows to my wife, I could go on, ad-infinitum. As I said, I will fight it. He knows I will fight the cancer,

There will likely be a few periods over the summer where I may seem to have dropped off. Its a good bet that these will be simply chemo days. I am only human, after all. Please accept these periods as a needed pain. An article I read yesterday reminded me that often a Doctor needed to cause pain to heal and chemo is one of the pains used for this fight.

I don't yet have radiation brain or chemo brain or any other symptoms. The lesson I learned the day before yesterday was not to jog up the hall, past your surgeon and oncologist that are hiding at the nurses station and on the phone with your wife. Even with the row of staples in the back of my head, they can't keep me down. They could either sedate me or turn me loose. My wife picked me up later that day. There is a lot to be said for sleeping in your own bed.

The suggestions I normally make will continue.

The thanks I offer to you all, are nothing less than incredible. I need you. I do need to ask for some strength, and I need to give to the community so the low lifes out there can't try. I have little tolerance for low lifes. I know many of my fellow contributors feel similarly. I also know that when new visitors read, they appreciate it too. That will never change. In Yiddish, they call this person a mensch, a kind of a person who can essentially look in the mirror and like who he sees honestly. Suits me just fine for a lot of reasons.

Scott

Joe

Tim

Andy

Rusty

Prayers are being sent your way. I have always appreciated all of your help you have given me over the past year. Stay strong.

Flippy and Family

And thank you for your concern and advice on this forum. It's invaluable.

Thoughts and prayers are with you.

You and your family are in my prayers. Stay strong and positive in your attitude and you will be the winner!

Janine

Come on all you pool owners lets become Scott's PRAYER WARRIORS and pray for his healing!

To everyone else, I thank you sincerely too! Really! The support you all have offered warms me to no end.

This cancer is going to know it messed with the wrong person. Being from NJ has its advantages after all. It made me angry at it. It won't like me when I'm angry. When I get angry, I get even and then some when it come to this kind of thing, be it a person or a thing. The folks at Eco-Smarte found out what I am like. Why should I change my ways?

Scott

From one NJ Guy to another, you have my prayers! You said a mouthful with the "being angry at it"! The Fights On. If there is anything I can ever do to help, please let me know!

You recently gave me advice on here regarding solar covers, as always SPOT ON! Thanks!

You said:
"It made me angry at it. It won't like me when I'm angry. When I get angry, I get even and then some when it come to this kind of thing, be it a person or a thing."

Words to live by, friend. Literally, words to live by.
******Kick it's A$$, Scott. Kick it HARD******

My thoughts are with you and your family,
Gina

Now, it's our turn to help you. I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say that our thoughts and prayers are with you, and we all are hoping you will continue to feel strong and ready to fight.

And, one piece of advice, if I may. My husband and I were on a flight from Myrtle Beach two days ago, and happened to speak with a gentleman, who told us his wife's cancer story. She was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer three years ago, and was given just six months to live. She decided to not only get the chemo and radiation treatments, but to also include homeopathic medicine. To this, the doctors responded that it was a waste of time. Well, now three years later, the doctors are inquiring about the inclusion of the homeopathic medicine, as they believe that the combination of the two is what saved her. As a matter of fact, the doctors are beating down her door to get more information.

So, keep fighting and look at every option. Remember, we're all in your corner, and we appreciate your honesty, time and dedication to this forum. We're all so proud that you have the fight in you, and we'll continue praying.

DITTO! Prayers for speedy recovery.

Let me be the proof to any who are in need. 40 years ago, it took my Aunt because it could. Medical science won't let it take me. And no, it's not a skin sarcoma I have either. I happenstanced on the real deal. It hit me from my head to my tush. I thank God I have been blessed with some doctors that will help me to hit it back. Between that and a little Jersey attitude, I hope that I can beat this for a long time to come.

Crappy construction and cancer, together? Yes, but not near us thank you.

Scott

Piaa

I also have some very talented doctors and I am very thankful for them too.

When this thread started and where its gone has been a blessing. That as many care to spend the time to wish me well says that the way I have been conducting myself and helping those in need was exactly the right thing to do when our industry needed it most. I will continue it for a long time, I hope.

Many thanks to you all.

Scott

Things I have learned so far are:

1) Don't jog past your neurosurgeon and oncologist when they are behind the nurse's station talking with your spouse. They will ask the spouse if they should sedate me or get picked up. I had no choice but my wife was nice enough to opt to pick me up a day earlier than was originally scheduled.

2) Don't go to work after getting the tumor in your brain radiated. I went in to get a stereo-tactic radiation treatment which is a focused beam on a robot shooting the tumor from a bunch of different angles to kill the tumor and leave everything else alone. I got there at 7:30 and was done by 9:00 am. I went to work at 10 am. By 3 pm, I was on site looking up something in my van and everything when fuzzy and I kind of passed out. I spent two more days in the hospital. Seems the tumor didn't like the beams, swelled up and that was all she wrote for me.

3) Either I got the real thing for chemo or they injected liquid Nair in me. I am now darn near bald and had to shave the rest of my head. I now have to wear a hat outside until my scalp gets a tan. My wife is now threatening to play connect the dots with the now exposed age spots.

4) Not everyone gets nauseous. So far, none of that for me, than God. I hope that continues.

Peace to all and may no one have to deal with this.

Scott

Many in the industry do not "volunteer" such expertise much less do it for free.

Best wishes to a speedy recovery.

Aceman

I'm so sorry that you are going through this. Chemo is tough. I was only stage I but the cells were very aggressive so I had 6 rounds of chemo. I worked through it too. They have pretty good drugs for nausea so most don't have trouble with it now. The worst thing was the tiredness and weakness as the affects built up. Be careful to pace yourself and save energy for what is essential.

Just came back to Forum after a 6 month break and saw this thread. You hang Jersey tough, we are praying for you here in Pine Brook. Thanks again for the advice last summer after we and our pool got flooded out. Keep the faith!

Jim

wishing you all the best and a speedy recovery...

thank you again for your advice on our pool build...we just finished our time-lapse video of the full build and posted it today, maybe it'll make you feel better... :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3yylPvsBCs

take care of yourself and get well soon!!

jeff and lisa

best of luck

I have not been on the forum for awhile as my pool build was highly successful and we are entering our second Season of enjoyment. One of the reasons things have gone so well for us is you! During our build, I checked in with Gardenweb daily...actually several times a day....actually whenever I had a free moment. I went back into the archives and read every single post you had ever made while keeping up with the new ones. Scott, you take strangers on a screen and turn them into friends and admirers! And that is why, when I logged on and saw your name on a topical header, I had to write immediately. After all, that is what you do. The moment someone has a question, concern or need for advice, you are right there sharing the wisdom you have gleaned over decades in this lovely business. Of course, I wish you well....completely and speedily. But more, I am married to a prince of a man who also happens to be a highly regarded Neurologist. So, although I am sure you have assembled a crack team there in NJ, please do not hesitate to contact me if we can return the favor and answer any questions for may have for a change. Sending you and your family my very, very best wishes as you face and conquer, Roz Sullivan

Its almost exactly 2 months since the beginning my symptoms brought me to my regular doctor and she got an MRI ordered. I went in the hospital the next day and over the next several weeks underwent an operation to remove a 1.5" tumor from my brain, had a specialized radiation treatment on another growing tumor in brain and discovered several other tumors in my body.

The surgery, as you can tell, went well and the radiation kind of knocked me around for a day or so. I have also started my chemo, an 18 week course at three week intervals. Its different not only for everyone but often different every time, so I have been told and after the two I have had, I believe it. The first didn't make me sick at all but the 2nd had a delayed reaction by a couple days. I am not exactly looking forward to #3 but the alternative really isn't an option. BTW, the radiation seems to have shrunk the growing tumor, so its dead and the body is doing its thing at removing it.

Chemo took my hair. It wasn't a surprise and isn't a big deal since when the chemo is done, my hair will grow back but looking like Mr. Clean or Curly from The Three Stooges is weird. I like having hair. It kept my brain warm. I didn't realize that before.

That Top50 started this and the support you all have offered, I feel really blessed and thankful. It has amazed me and helped give me strength. Hopefully, my doctors can help put this all behind me. All I can do is maintain the attitude they like seeing, which for me, is pretty much my normal way of being anyway. Anything else I have, I have to ask God to take it back and hope its his will.

Scott

I just finished my 3rd round of chemo yesterday. Three more to go. It feels different every time so far.

Everything is shrinking so that is good! But this 9 more weeks of not growing a head of hair is bothersome to me. I don't want sun spots on my scalp. Its too tempting for my wife to take a Sharpie and play connect the dots!

I asked my Pentair rep for another hat today. All my other hats are fitted for me wearing bandanas under them and so they don't fit. Jim was very flipped out by all this and that I am working through all this. Hey, I have to feed my family and can work, so I do. Some things take me a little longer, that's all. Nearly all are understanding and for that, I thank them and you all.

I am actually putting on weight but that is pretty normal for this time of year for me but seemed to surprise a couple of my doctors. I tend to be thin to begin with. I have found that the nausea that comes with chemo, at least for me, is actually a hunger pang. I eat, it goes away. When I work, I burn more calories. The doctors like that I eat more though, than I burn since, as I said, I am a thin man to begin with. They want me heavier. That seems kind of strange in this day in age with the number of overweight people in our society.

To PD2911, don't let the the pool planning come in as any less important to you. Remember, I am not a builder, just a darn good tech that gives on line what was given to me freely plus some of what I have learned over the years. I am happy it helps others.

Cancer hasn't killed me yet and so, that which doesn't kill me, makes me stronger. I am definitely grateful the support I have gotten from my family, friends, faith in God, and the support I have here. Thank you all.

Scott

Thank you for all the advice in the past and I pray you get well soon!

Scott, hope this post finds you feeling better after that third round!

I guess it's been around 11 days since your third, I can tell you from experience, it was the 5th day after the 3rd round that knocked me off my feet. Up until then, I thought chemo was going to be a piece of cake. LOL

But, hang in there, you may get weaker, have a lot of chemo pain, if you don't feel like getting up, remember, you've earned the r&r, (if there IS such a thing during chemo)

Hot tub was a saving grace for those hurting bones, so take advantage of one if you hurt.

Eat well, frozen fruits, anything that sounds good, and know that there are MANY here pulling for you, praying for you, and thinking of you!

For those that didn't know, top50 called me out of the blue one day and that one day happened to be a couple days after my neurosurgeon removed a substantial tumor from the back of my head. Pathology showed it was a cancer from some other part of my body, my lungs. Yep, I was a smoker.

There was also a 2nd tumor in my brain but that was hit with a special radiation beam for a bunch of different angles. One treatment. In at 7:30am, out by 9. On the job site by 10:30. I should have taken the day off because my assistant had to call 911 when I lost conscientiousness at 3pm and he could not wake me. Fortunately, he knew what was up and they brought me to the right hospital instead of the nearest. Apparently, the Cyberknife, as it is called, was too much. They kept me for 3 days and gave me my 1st two chemos days. Then sent me home for the 3rd.

For those that didn't know it, chemo does nothing for the brain. It can't get in due to some membrane stopping it.

The latest set of scans show the one in my head was zapped and is being absorbed as expected. It was 22.5mm and as of the last scan a few weeks ago, was about 13mm. The others that had formed in my body are shrinking. Wallet crunch has taken on a new meaning since one is in my tush.

Thank you all again for your support. It reinforces that I am doing the right thing for you, for my industry, and for me. Believe it or not, helping you helps me more.

Scott

You have my families prayers.

Stay strong.

Wishing you a speedy recovery and I do keep checking in to see if you have posted, so you even have random strangers wishing you well. : )

Sorry to hear you're not feeling well. I haven't visited the forum for awhile now but I get the feeling you're not allowing it to get the best of you.

It's always been nice to know your only a few key strokes away when I need help/advise with my pool.

Take care of yourself.

My thoughts, prayers and best wishes to you and your family. Your advice on these forums is unmatched. You selflessly give unbiased, sound advice, spending a great deal of time answering all of our questions. You are a standout. Thank you and keep up the fight.

Please, please look into mega doses of Vitamin C. You can either buy it on the internet, have your doctors give it by IV or make it at home.

Research Liposomal Vitamin C. I strongly VERY STRONGLY believe this will help fight your cancer.

I won't sell you in it here because you need to read up on it and learn of its benefits so you will believe for yourself.

Sending healing prayers your way.

So far, I am doing things that most people can't that have this. When the side effects subside, I work, sometimes over 12 hours a day. My neurosurgeon thought my still being able to hop on one leg was incredible. I can carry a load, sweat in the heat, though extremes in outside temps sometimes mean I have to rest in a cooler place for a spell.

The previous chemo session was pretty rough. The weakness started sooner and lasted a bit longer. I am expecting more of the same over the next week or so.

I am going to beat this thing. That is not something many get to do that have what I have. The support from you all means the world to me. Thank you.

Scott

Two weeks and I get scanned, head to toe. We shall see what we shall see. I pray for remission.

Congrats to your DH!!!!

Scott

Piaa

Also a great amount of prayers and healing thoughts are coming your way Scott..!!

Be well and keep up the good fight..!!

As I saw the dates go by on the post I realized you just finished your chemo. Then I realized how closely my treatment dates were to yours. I was diagnosed with stage 2a (tumor was 1b but those nasty cells inside put me into the next level) breast cancer Jan 2010. I chose a lumpectomy followed by 6 aggressive chemos 3wks apart. My final chemo was 7/12/10. Radiation finished mid October. As you have your scan I will be having my next scheduled mammogram. Hope we both can celebrate.

The club we are in is not one I would recommend to anyone. Not sure why I became a member, I didn't ask to join, it just happened. Like you, I found this to be an inconvenience in this life I have. I told only a few close friends, I did not want pity or "oh, you look so good" comments when I knew I looked like crap. Everyone thought I had my hair professionally styled- it was a wig. And when my hair was long enough to toss the wig, they all thought I just cut it all off. I fooled them all! When I tell people what my life has been like since 1/15/2010 they cannot believe it. Then I show them the scar on my chest from the chemo port and the actual port which I now carry on my keychain! Heck yeah, I had to choose to put it in my chest so I figured I would choose what to do with it afterwards.

I will be thinking of you, praying for your health as I pray for my own. We are after all members of the same lously C club, we might as well look out for each other. Cheers!

My heart felt thanks to all for your support.

Scott

With great appreciation, Ralph

ML

To thealct: Your tribute is a great idea and one I think he would appreciate!

I had never met Scott but he did touch my life and I also think about him often.