Jim Kelly treated for cancer recurrence

[gobillsinytown]

As I had related earlier in this thread, my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer at the end of 2012. Today, she is cancer free, with about a 5% chance of recurrence. During the whole process, I went from being terrified to being confident.

 

This came after talking with the head pharmacist of the hospital. His wife went through the same thing more than a decade ago and she is cancer free also. When I asked him about the latest treatments and what's on the horizon, he told me that in his opinion we are less than 10 years away from having "bullets" to treat various different kinds of cancers. All of the DNA mapping that's been done over the last 15 years or so is starting to pay off in the form of new therapies that are specifically targeted. He said it's a very exciting time to be in the field of cancer research. Shared DNA databases and collaboration between researchers all over the world are leading to a significant increase in the knowledge of what cancer is and how it develops. Between surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and new "adjunct therapies", the future of cancer treatment is looking very bright.

 

So, when I read that Jim's doctor is optimistic about his prospects, I believe him.

[Canadian Bills Fan]

As I had related earlier in this thread, my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer at the end of 2012. Today, she is cancer free, with about a 5% chance of recurrence. During the whole process, I went from being terrified to being confident.

 

This came after talking with the head pharmacist of the hospital. His wife went through the same thing more than a decade ago and she is cancer free also. When I asked him about the latest treatments and what's on the horizon, he told me that in his opinion we are less than 10 years away from having "bullets" to treat various different kinds of cancers. All of the DNA mapping that's been done over the last 15 years or so is starting to pay off in the form of new therapies that are specifically targeted. He said it's a very exciting time to be in the field of cancer research. Shared DNA databases and collaboration between researchers all over the world are leading to a significant increase in the knowledge of what cancer is and how it develops. Between surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and new "adjunct therapies", the future of cancer treatment is looking very bright.

 

So, when I read that Jim's doctor is optimistic about his prospects, I believe him.

 

Excellent post.

 

Thank you so much for sharing

 

 

CBF

[Mr. WEO]

This is a very true statement. As you alluded, some cancers are 'treatable' yet cannot be eradicated. There are many people, like yourself, who are successfully 'treated' yet not cured. The cancer is 'kept at bay' and people are able to live very productive lives. I'm glad to hear you're doing so well. Keep plugging away and I'm sure I don't need to tell you to appreciate every day. Life is precious and we all need to appreciate each day.

 

A few caveats for the general audience. Don't forget cancer is not a 'single' disease. It is many, many types of diseases and the clinical course/progression of disease/response to treatment(s) all depend on the stage at the time of diagnosis; and the timeliness of treatments. In addition, factors such as overall health at time of diagnosis, compliance, diet, exercise, tolerance of treatments etc. are all critical.

 

With respect to Mr. Kelly's news, and acknowledging we have limited facts, I'd have to say surgery being cancelled is not 'good news.' If his squamous cell carcinoma was completely resectable, they would do the surgery...unless he had other health problems/limitations that prevented the operation.

 

At this point, the treatments he is getting still have curable potential (per the doc's statement). Radiation and chemo can be used as definitive treatments in many cases, and it seems that is their outlined plan at this point. From the outside looking in and with very limited knowledge of Mr. Kelly's specifics.... I'll say this....I'd feel better if this cancer could be resected as the 'definitive' treatment and the chemo and radiation would be used as 'adjunctive' treatments. It is what it is, however, and now they need to work the plan they've developed. The will to live is a hard to define phenomenon as well. I strongly suspect Mr. Kelly's is powerful. Godspeed to him, his family and his docs/care team.

 

I agree. This type of cancer is primarily treated by resection. The guy at Lenox Hill would certainly prefer to resect it if it was resectable. The fact that it is not resectable is a bad prognostic sign. The surgeon's public anouncement that the recurrence is potentially curable is optimistic, I fear.

Edited March 28, 2014 by Mr. WEO

[Bufcomments]

from Thurman's wife twitter from last night if you guys didnt see it.

 

Hope it brightens your day

pic.twitter.com/nlOviKMeVH

[bbb]

I couldn't help but look at this picture and think of 1989. For you youngsters, that was the 'bickering Bills' year in which the locker room was a bit testy. It peaked when Thurman answered (paraphrase) this question: "what do you think is the weakest link on the team?" His reply: quarterback. It wasn't meant as a joke either. Hard to believe now but they are 'like brothers' I guess. Fights were gonna happen. This is a photo of true friendship in a rough time. Hate the circumstances, but this is good to see.

 

Funny, but I thought the exact same thing............For the youngsters, like you said, it definitely was not meant as a joke. It was a shot at Kelly.........But, Thurm was not stupid enough to think that Kelly was the weak link on the team. He was pissed off that Kelly had just thrown Howard Ballard under the bus. Not in the locker room, but to the press, Kelly called out Ballard for blowing an assignment, getting Kelly sacked (and I think hurt).........To some players, like Thurm, that was low - mainly because Ballard was a rookie.

[May Day 10]

from Thurman's wife twitter from last night if you guys didnt see it.

 

Hope it brightens your day

pic.twitter.com/nlOviKMeVH

 

love it. Good for Thurman and his wife for being there. Thats a legit smile from JK

[Canadian Bills Fan]

Can someone post the pic?

 

My work blocks Twitter

 

 

CBF

[nucci]

[26CornerBlitz]

@DanMarino Mar 25

Please say a prayer for Jim Kelly and his family. One of the strongest men I have ever been around. Stay strong and keep fighting!

[26CornerBlitz]

@TheBuffaloNews

Jim Kelly's chemo/radiation therapies postponed a week. Stay tuned for full story coming soon.

[Beerball]

@TheBuffaloNews

Jim Kelly's chemo/radiation therapies postponed a week. Stay tuned for full story coming soon.

Fever delays treatment.

[K-9]

Funny, but I thought the exact same thing............For the youngsters, like you said, it definitely was not meant as a joke. It was a shot at Kelly.........But, Thurm was not stupid enough to think that Kelly was the weak link on the team. He was pissed off that Kelly had just thrown Howard Ballard under the bus. Not in the locker room, but to the press, Kelly called out Ballard for blowing an assignment, getting Kelly sacked (and I think hurt).........To some players, like Thurm, that was low - mainly because Ballard was a rookie.

 

That play wasn't a sack, it was a TD pass vs. the Colts.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[bbb]

Fever delays treatment.

 

Any MDs on the board know why he would have a fever?

 

That play wasn't a sack, it was a TD pass vs. the Colts.

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

Then what was Kelly POd about?

[BillsFanM.D.]

 

Any MDs on the board know why he would have a fever?

 

 

Pure speculation here.......I saw in Peter King's article some comments about him getting 'antibiotics' etc. I suspect JK has some form of infection that they are trying to eradicate pre-chemo. Given the sinus involvement with his tumor, perhaps he has a sinus blockage/infection. Again...pure speculation.

 

Depending on the type of chemo he gets, there can be near (or even complete) eradication of the white cells which aid in fighting infections. Suffice it to say, you don't start chemo when someone has an infection unless you absolutely have to. In those scenarios, you weigh the risk/benefits and proceed if delay is not an option. Other possible causes of fever include: drug fever (?other meds he has received...who knows), tumor lysis (though I doubt that here), blood clots (no mention of this anywhere), and lots of other uncommon causes.

[Nanker]

That play wasn't a sack, it was a TD pass vs. the Colts.

 

GO BILLS!!!

I respectfully disagree. Ballard's man blew by him and crushed Jim and IIRC Jim got hurt. I remember that more than if there was a completion on the play... which might have been the case. But Jim was pizzed and did throw Ballard under the bus, hence TT's response. Unfortunately, it gave Bob Trumpy license to go after Jim on the sidelines at the SuperBowl and get into his head about the Bickering Bills. That also pizzed Kelly off and made me forever hate Trumpy... who it seemed hated the Bills and didn't want to see them win one before the Bungles did. My 2¢.

[K-9]

 

Any MDs on the board know why he would have a fever?

 

 

 

Then what was Kelly POd about?

 

Getting hit and injured on the play. Not one of Kelly's better moments.

 

Ultimately, the blowup that ensued did more for Kelly's maturation than anything else. He was at a crossroads and it was soon after the bickering that he started hosting his weekly team parties after home games.

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

I respectfully disagree. Ballard's man blew by him and crushed Jim and IIRC Jim got hurt. I remember that more than if there was a completion on the play... which might have been the case. But Jim was pizzed and did throw Ballard under the bus, hence TT's response. Unfortunately, it gave Bob Trumpy license to go after Jim on the sidelines at the SuperBowl and get into his head about the Bickering Bills. That also pizzed Kelly off and made me forever hate Trumpy... who it seemed hated the Bills and didn't want to see them win one before the Bungles did. My 2¢.

 

There's nothing really to disagree about. The play wasn't a sack, it was a TD pass vs. Indy. No doubt Ballard's man beat him, but it was a successful play none the less. Kelly's ridiculous reaction in throwing a teammate under the bus publicly that caused all the bickering acted as a catalyst that helped forge that team into the resilient unit they became.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[Max997]

Any MDs on the board know why he would have a fever?

 

 

There are too many possibilities to say what is causing the fever but he could be suffering from side effects of the cancer that could cause a fever and/or lower his white cell count which is the real issue.

 

Cancer patients have their blood counts checked regularly and before having chemo as they wont go through with treatment if the patients counts are too low since they are the main weapon to fight the poison (chemo) being injected into their body. They do have meds that can help increase counts but they usually bounce back in a week which is what they are hoping for here. They will sometimes push a treatment back a week after treatment has started as well if the patient doesnt bounce back as they did in the begininig. My nurse explained this to me like a boxer repeatedly getting punched in the face, it eventually takes its toll.

Edited April 1, 2014 by Max997

[Wacka]

Thats my desktop picture now.

[Beerball]

I respectfully disagree. Ballard's man blew by him and crushed Jim and IIRC Jim got hurt. I remember that more than if there was a completion on the play... which might have been the case. But Jim was pizzed and did throw Ballard under the bus, hence TT's response. Unfortunately, it gave Bob Trumpy license to go after Jim on the sidelines at the SuperBowl and get into his head about the Bickering Bills. That also pizzed Kelly off and made me forever hate Trumpy... who it seemed hated the Bills and didn't want to see them win one before the Bungles did. My 2¢.

http://www.billszone.com/?page_id=380

[K-9]

http://www.billszone.com/?page_id=380

 

They even got it wrong in the article as they contradicted themselves by first acknowledging the play was a TD pass to Reed and then alluding to "the sack resulting in the injury." Can't have a sack on a TD pass.

 

Love how they referred to Haslett and Smerlas. And it's one of the things I always loved about Kelly; he didn't kowtow to the veteran leadership on that team. Kelly made it his own from the moment he came to town. Haslett, Smerlas, Devlin, Jones all resented him for it.

 

GO BILLS!!!