I have a friend named Kent Cartwright who told me about this group. Unfortunately Kent passed away last week. We had met through a cancer support group back in 2010 at the James Care Cancer Center here in Columbus Ohio. The purpose of my post is to inform you how this happened as it was unexpected. You can look at his bio for his history. He has gone through all the adt,radiation ,chemo pills, xofigo, provenge, etc. He just finished his 3rd Taxotere infusion. Shortly after, it put him in the hospital. Problem was breathing issues. Lung inflammation. Here at James they could not get control of it so he went to Cleveland Clinic for a couple of weeks. They could not do anything as well and he passed. He died from a reaction to the chemo. It has a risk factor of 1%-5%. He died from pulmonary fibrosis. My point is that sometimes I think we take these side effects for granted for what we are dealing with here. If we go to the hospital we expect to come out. That chemo infusion was meant to extend his life. Not end it. I truly enjoy all the members on this website and wish you all the best in the battles we fight. May Kent Cartwright rest in peace and not suffer anymore. Respectfully Bill Irwin
Health Unlocked member passes away - Advanced Prostate...
Health Unlocked member passes away
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That is so true Bill. What all of you go through with side effects is so scary. My most sincere sympathy for your loss of Ken, my most sincere sympathy for his family and friends. I'm sorry for what he suffered
Jackie
Thanks Jackie, it definitely brings you back to reality that cancer is deadly along with sometimes the treatment. We both have the same oncologist so my next appt should be interesting.
It certainly does....
We're happy for Doc retiring but sad to see him go. We like how he thinks out of the box. Don't know if we'll ever find that again. My good wishes to you and finding another great Doc. Do you have one already?
Basically I met Kent in a support group and we had the same Oncologist Dr. Monk here in 2010. Then I went to Dr. Myers in 2013 for a second opinion and was under his care for 3 years until he doubled his fees and cut back on his schedule. Then I came back to Dr. Monk in 2016 who was still treating Kent and myself up until now. I am comfortable with Dr. Monk as he encouraged me to get a second opinion and always left the door open. Help my confidence as well with Dr. Monk who is also very open to alternatives.
Hi Jackie did you just post that LG is in remission? I am currently on Xtandi. Thanks, Bill
Still in remission Bill! We had gone on an excruciating journey of thinking that it had traveled to his shoulder but with all of the testing..... they came up with.... thankfully...... that if it did travel to his shoulder it was already taken care of from past treatment. He is scheduled for more scans next week and we are so hopeful that all is good still if you do not count the shoulder issue....he has been in remission for at least 4 years maybe 5
p.s.
Elgie failed Xtandi. It was a horrible 3 month try.
Wow good for you! That just goes to show there is promise in life extension. Congrats on the 4 to 5 years. After Xtandi did not work for Elgie what was his next protocol?
Thank you Bill. Yes there sure is He went back to his Casodex. That was the only thing he had discontinued.
That is great he is getting a response from casodex. That was my first protocol casodex and the 6 month shot of Lupron. Lasted about 2 years until the psa started rising then went to Zytiga.
I'm very sorry to hear this, Irwin, and especially sorry for the loss of your friend. Thank you for sharing this.
Bill, I am so sorry to hear about Kent, and the loss of your Friend. I had a reaction on I think my second chemo, I had increased respiratory and turned all flush, since then they have been giving me benydryl as a premed . It is very important that you are watched closely for the first 15 minutes of an infusion , as that is the time when these reactions occur, and the best chance is with immediate attention. I also had a friend who went into septic shock as a result of his first chemo, He was in ICU and not expected to live , but he lived through that, although the Cancer eventually caught up to him.
Thanks for letting us know Bill and I'm very sorry for the passing of your friend.
Thank you for telling us this sad story and please accept my deepest sympathies for the loss of our friend at an unexpected moment. I also appreciate your concern over those who are using chemotherapy to be careful even about the rare side effects.
May your friend Kent rest in eternal peace!
Sisira
So sorry. The friendship generated between cancer warriors is strong and deep. Whenever one of us falls we all feel it. Please accept my prayers.
I hate this disease, I hate the treatments and their side effects. I hate the way it hurts the ones we love. However, the one good thing about it is the bonds we form between each other and our collective caregivers. Ken will be remembered in our hearts.
Thanks Dr_Who that is why I posted. Great band of Brothers.
Bill sorry to hear of your loss. Our sympathy to his family. Thanks to all of our friends out there, just makes us fight harder for each other. So glad I found this web site.
Amen to that Brother
Another warrior consumed by this dreadful disease! May he rest in peace😢!
Thanks for the update & sorry for your loss- my husband Mike has been thru radiation, taxotere, zytiga. Provenge. Xtanyi-now jevtana chemo-I worry about his heart being able to take all of this-we will watch all of this- thanks again for the info-👍🏻
It's hard to watch a loved one go thru all of this - Mike has been going thru all of this since 2012-but we keep hoping & praying for a miracle-& then we hear of someone like Kent losing his battle-hang in there everyone- try to get as much exercise as possible to help your heart withstand all the treatments ❤️
to irwinb3
Condolences to Kent's family and friends and may he rest in internal peace. Good Health and Good Luck to you...
j-o-h-n Saturday 07/01/2016 12:17 PM EST
Correction:
"eternal peace"
j-o-h-n Saturday 07/01/2016 12:22 PM EST
No worries Sir. Like I said Kent and I were close and have the same Oncologist. Had Myers for while also. Anyway I dread the day it comes starting Taxotere after I saw what happened to my friend. Kind a like "ok do you want door #1 #2 or #3. Venting is good. Take care. Bill in Ohio
Thanks for sharing at this rough time. It is important not to lose site of the fact that treatments can be deadly as well as the cancer.
God bless his family and friends. Charlean
I had to look up the turtle tunnels. Turns out that $3.4 million was allocated under the Obama economic stimulus package to the Florida Department of Transportation to build a tunnel for reptiles trying to cross over highway 27. Apparently this was one of the "shovel ready" projects that got funded. The Florida Dept. claimed that 46 people had been killed between 1994 and 2003 as a result of collisions with animals on that stretch of road.
But, leaving the turtle and human issues aside, Nalakrats may not have realized that the route across the highway traveled by turtles is traveled by other reptiles as well, including alligators!
All kidding aside, I'm reluctant to request that Congress set aside funds for prostate or other specific types of cancer research. I'd rather have the money allocated by the scientists at the National Cancer Institute based on what they regard as the 1) the most promising research projects and 2) the most important for the population. I think it's a mistake for the community of prostate cancer patients to compete against the breast cancer, lung cancer, melanoma, or other cancer communities. I think all of those cancers are important. Furthermore, often the most significant long term benefit comes from research in basic science rather than treatment of particular cancers. This is something that, quite understandably, patient advocacy groups don't always understand. A good example is the breakthroughs in immunotherapy that have come from basic research on the "checkpoint" system embedded in our immune cells that later led to pembrolizumab (Keytruda) and ipulimumab which may offer huge benefits to at least a small group of PCa patients.
Having said that, I have to say I agree with Nalakrats about the turtle tunnel. Maybe they could have gotten a low bidder to dig a tunnel under the highway for $100,000 or $200,000, I might have been willing to do it at that price, and we could put the rest into generic cancer research. More significantly, I wonder why there is a proposal on the table to add $50 billion(!) to the Defense Department. Orders of magnitude more Americans die untimely deaths from cancer than from terrorism or from running over alligators.
Alan
I agree.The "Haves" & The "Have nots" don't often meet..Those in need must buckle their beltsin this political landscape. Good to hear funding will come to cancer research..I thought all was cut except DOT.. As always , thank you Alan for your informed input.
Just makes me sad
Peace... to your friend and our comrade in arms..He fought the fight squarely sounds like to me..Fortunate to have your friendship. Dr. Who, is correct in that these relationships can be powerfully good. I believe the spirit is released upon our demise .No more physical suffering.That's the hope for all of us. Rest & Peace for the weary......
Thank you
Bill, I'm sorry to hear about Kent, and my condolences go out to you and Kent's family. I've been tied up lately and haven't been able to make it to "Just The Guys" for the past couple of months. I too don't like to hear about another of us falling to this disease, but when it's close to home it hits even harder. As another Dr. Monk patient, I've had nothing but great luck with him and have great respect for his care in my case. He's been willing to work with me on many protocol issues that I've brought up to him, and the overall team at the James has been wonderful IMHO. All we can do is support each other and share as much information as we can so that collectively we can make a dent in this ailment that we all have managed to contract. I spoke with a friend today (a patient of Dr. Clinton's) who's having a heck of a time right now as well...my prayers are out for everyone who's having a rough patch right now...keep fighting the good fight!
It's always sad to lose a friend and/or a loved one, but each passing is another opportunity to remember that life is fragile, and most important of all... finite.
We live in a miraculous age, but still don't have much control over our destiny on the cosmic scale of things.
I'm a PCa survivor. It might come back and kill me, or not, but for sure something will. I accept that- some days more so than others.
In the meantime, I will continue to tell and show my dear ones that I love them as often and as best as I can. I will love and care for myself as much as possible, remember why I want to keep on living, and be grateful for all of it. The good, the bad and the ugly.
Thanks very much for your response. Continued success and happiness.
R I P friend Kent.. no more suffering .. he went thru the ringer with APC.. you are a good friend Bill... thanks for telling us about Kent... May God rest his soul..