Ron Rivera Cancer

[EasternOHBillsFan]

10 hours ago, YoloinOhio said:

Just want to say, I’m sending you prayers and positive vibes. 

Thank you... it's not a good feeling having to wait.

 

10 hours ago, TigerJ said:

In my case, several CT scans over time revealed a growing spot on my lung.  To determine what it was, I opted for a surgical biopsy as opposed to a needle biopsy.  A needle biopsy was less invasive but would have left that spot in my lung.  I figured if it was in my lung and growing, it had to come out eventually whatever it was.  They did the biopsy with a general anesthetic and checked it for cancer while I was still out.  When it tested positive, they made a 5 inch incision in my back and removed the entire lower lobe of my right lung.  In case you're wondering, I am a life long passionate non-smoker.

 

Every cancer is unique.  The best advice I can give is take one step at a time.  I know it's really hard, but try not to entertain "what if" thoughts about things you don't yet know.

 

Thank you for sharing that... I have had others in my family and friends go through hellish experiences.  I know it is difficult to not think about it. 

1 hour ago, billsfanmiami(oh) said:

 

Actually yes. I noticed a lump on my chest just below my sternum about two years back. I had lost a few pounds but it It kind of came out of nowhere. Went to the doctor and it just ended up being my Xiphoid process which is like a piece of cartilage down at the base of your sternum. Was definitely a little worried about it those couple weeks between really noticing it and getting it looked at. Hoping you’ll have a similar result! 

 

That's where my lump is.... so if it is this Xiphoid process, what did they do about it? It's about an inch long and a big bump just below my sternum, notice it whenever I stand up straight or bend back.

1 hour ago, CLTbills said:

One of my employees found a lump in a place you're not supposed to have one (his "happy place") just a few days ago. Went and got it checked out and they had ruled out everything except cancer, but they wanted him to get an ultrasound. Went to get the ultrasound and they found that thankfully it's NOT cancer. He'll have to have surgery to correct the issue but he was definitely on edge for a few days, and I can't blame him.

 

So it doesn't always turn out bad. Although in his particular case, surgery on that part of the body doesn't sound like a picnic either.?‍♂️

 

Hoping for the best for you, my friend.

Thank you. Stories like these make me nervous and hopeful at the same time.

[f0neguy]

Found a lump on my neck about 13 years ago.   Common form of lymphoma (supposed to be one of the “better” ones to get).  One lump on my neck and it was already stage three.  After six months of chemo and a transplant at Roswell I’ve been clean for 12 years.  Took almost a year to clean up and another year to get back to normal.  I still check myself for lumps every day.

[dollars 2 donuts]

1 hour ago, Royale with Cheese said:

My dad had the same cancer 3 years ago.  He beat it after 13 radiation sessions.  They basically zap the lymph node.  He went about 6 months without being able to taste food and every once in awhile, he gets pretty bad pain in his foot from nerve damage.

 

 

Royale, please know I am up-voting the fact that he beat it and not the pain he still goes through, which I am sorry he still has lingering issues.

[Mr. WEO]

It’s not an early finding if it presents as a metastasis to a lymph node unfortunately.  It’s not clear they have found the primary lesion.  The article mentions skin but squamous can originate in the oral cavity as well.  

[SF Bills Fan]

Hoping for the best- Ron Rivera is one of the good guys in the league. 

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

 

 

 

 

[Augie]

On 8/21/2020 at 9:03 AM, EasternOHBillsFan said:

Thank you... it's not a good feeling having to wait.

 

 

Thank you for sharing that... I have had others in my family and friends go through hellish experiences.  I know it is difficult to not think about it. 

 

That's where my lump is.... so if it is this Xiphoid process, what did they do about it? It's about an inch long and a big bump just below my sternum, notice it whenever I stand up straight or bend back.

Thank you. Stories like these make me nervous and hopeful at the same time.

 

I get it, NOT a good feeling. A few years ago my wife had several years of EXTREME pain in her belly. Did an emergency appendectomy and the doctor came out post surgery and said “well, next time we’ll know it isn’t her perfectly healthy appendix”. Not very comforting. After months and months of tests they find something on her pancreas. WORST possible thing. They refer her to an oncologist who can’t see her for THREE MONTHS! She’s freaking, as we all are. 

 

Chance encounter (I swear angels follow her everywhere she goes) and on a Thursday she mentions it to her massage therapist who quietly makes a phone call. Gets her in first thing Monday morning with her buddy, an OB/GYM who is normally a 6 month wait. Mention it to our SIL who’s also an OB/GYN and she freaks out. Apparently the guy is a legit ROCK STAR in the OB/GYN world. She wants to drive to Atlanta just to meet him! Top three in the country, she says, and one of the other two is his brother.

 

OK, long story....but she’s freaked about the growth on her pancreas. He asks how long ago they found it, she tells him and he responds “Relax. That’s not the problem, because you’d be dead by now.”   He figures out what no other doctor could, does the surgery and her life has been immeasurably improved. 

 

I apologize the the long aside, but hope it’s encouraging. It was one of the biggest scares of our lives. The right doctors can do AMAZING things. Prayers for you on this not being a big deal and getting past that nervous waiting period in peace.

 

 

 

NOW, prayers to Ron Rivera and those who love him. 

 

 

.

Edited August 24, 2020 by Augie

[machine gun kelly]

9 hours ago, dollars 2 donuts said:

Dear Cancer, 

 

F*** You.  No, seriously...we all hate you and we love when Some of our own beat you like the punk a** bast**d that you are.

 

Go away forever. 
 

Yours Never and Disrespectfully,

 

Humans.

Donuts.  Thank you.  I know we kid around, but couldn’t have been said better.  Not ready to talk about that, but a bunch of us have been Personally touched by this insidious myriad of diseases.  God bless the couple of people that shared ad wish nothing more than what has been said about Riverboat Ron.

[todd]

Eff cancer. Radiation can be tough, trust me.

[RaoulDuke79]

Fight the good fight Ron ? 

[EasternOHBillsFan]

2 hours ago, Augie said:

 

I apologize the the long aside, but hope it’s encouraging. It was one of the biggest scares of our lives. The right doctors can do AMAZING things. Prayers for you on this not being a big deal and getting past that nervous waiting period in peace.

 

 

NOW, prayers to Ron Rivera and those who love him. 

 

Don't apologize!!!! I appreciated you sharing that story very much. Pancreatic ANYTHING is insanely scary... that was horrible in the beginning I'd bet for sure... 

 

No matter how much I try, I can't get myself to NOT be scared even though it could be just the xiphoid process. My doctors are from the VA here in Youngstown and I now have an appointment earlier now in 2 weeks instead of 3.

[Augie]

10 minutes ago, EasternOHBillsFan said:

 

Don't apologize!!!! I appreciated you sharing that story very much. Pancreatic ANYTHING is insanely scary... that was horrible in the beginning I'd bet for sure... 

 

No matter how much I try, I can't get myself to NOT be scared even though it could be just the xiphoid process. My doctors are from the VA here in Youngstown and I now have an appointment earlier now in 2 weeks instead of 3.

 

Through it all, we relied upon faith. We’ve been thru some rough stuff beyond the pancreas scare, but have always relied upon our faith. I’m actually not into religion(s) much, but I have far less fear than I did years ago. There is a plan. Make the most of today. Enjoy what we have. Go do something you really enjoy tomorrow. Embrace it. Soak it in. A scare can actually make you appreciate life more. It can be a good thing, so keep that in mind. 

 

I hope you and  Ron Rivera find that level of (semi) calm. 

[CowgirlsFan]

Best wishes!

[JohnNord]

Rivera always seems like a really good guy.  I’m wishing the best for him

[Augie]

On 8/21/2020 at 5:46 PM, Augie said:

 

I get it, NOT a good feeling. A few years ago my wife had several years of EXTREME pain in her belly. Did an emergency appendectomy and the doctor came out post surgery and said “well, next time we’ll know it isn’t her perfectly healthy appendix”. Not very comforting. After months and months of tests they find something on her pancreas. WORST possible thing. They refer her to an oncologist who can’t see her for THREE MONTHS! She’s freaking, as we all are. 

 

Chance encounter (I swear angels follow her everywhere she goes) and on a Thursday she mentions it to her massage therapist who quietly makes a phone call. Gets her in first thing Monday morning with her buddy, an OB/GYM who is normally a 6 month wait. Mention it to our SIL who’s also an OB/GYN and she freaks out. Apparently the guy is a legit ROCK STAR in the OB/GYN world. She wants to drive to Atlanta just to meet him! Top three in the country, she says, and one of the other two is his brother.

 

OK, long story....but she’s freaked about the growth on her pancreas. He asks how long ago they found it, she tells him and he responds “Relax. That’s not the problem, because you’d be dead by now.”   He figures out what no other doctor could, does the surgery and her life has been immeasurably improved. 

 

I apologize the the long aside, but hope it’s encouraging. It was one of the biggest scares of our lives. The right doctors can do AMAZING things. Prayers for you on this not being a big deal and getting past that nervous waiting period in peace.

 

 

 

NOW, prayers to Ron Rivera and those who love him. 

 

 

.

 

Not often that I quote myself but.....today we were driving back from Blowing Rock, NC to Atlanta. My wife’s niece is about to become engaged and she is visiting (from Philly) her uncle in Greenville, SC with her future husband for a couple days.  (It’s a secret  and only my wife and the mom know, not even the divorced dad, yet - I did NOT screw it up!) We are passing by at the exact time they are having lunch in lovely downtown Greenville, SC so we stop by. 

 

The SIL has stage 4 breast cancer, in her bones and chest cavity, but not her organs, yet. She is in pain, but you would NEVER know there was anything wrong with her by looking at her. It was beautiful to be together as a family, but this is tough stuff. Cancer sucks.

 

The BIL met her in medical school when HE came down with thyroid cancer at the same time his father was dying of lymphoma. They are both doctors, and they knew something was wrong with her for about 5 years but nothing showed up in mammograms. Too much back and hip pain.  They first found breast cancer in her hip. Crazy. 

 

They have three daughters in HS and college. It’s a struggle for everyone. I pray for the best, and hope Ron Rivera and his family never see it progress to this point.   ?

[BuffaloBud]

Stage 2 melanoma survivor here.  About 12 years ago. general physician noticed something during annual exam.  Spot on my leg about halfway between my knee and hip.  He indicated that it was some blood cells trapped under the skin, he'd remove them but he was terrible at suturing.  Suggested I go to dermatologist.  Somehow I get the last appointment on a Good Friday.  Dermatologist says no - not trapped blood cells - need to take a biopsy.  Biopsy comes back as melanoma - surgery required.  I get "assigned" to the chief derm onc doc at The James Cancer Center at OSU.  Me being the totally ignorant one, don't do any research beforehand.  I even "argued" with the doc saying that .01mm isn't that big a deal.  His comeback was - "Are you willing to give up your life for 0.01mm?"  Couple of weeks later, the spot (about the size of a pencil eraser), an area of skin about 2.5 x 5.0in is removed, and a lymph node remove / checked for any progression.  15 staples later and 2 cancer checkups yearly for 3 years - all good / good to go.  Now, I go through about 2 bottles of sunscreen a season.  ?

 

EasternOHBillsFan - It's good that your concerned, but rely on that power of positivity.  Goes a long way.  Get educated once you know what is going on.

[TigerJ]

On 8/21/2020 at 6:42 PM, todd said:

Eff cancer. Radiation can be tough, trust me.

It varies tremendously.  I've known people that had too much and intestines were burned out so they never functioned properly afterwards.  I've also known people who experienced zero side effects during or after their treatment.  I haven't known many who got through chemo without side effects of some sort, including myself.

[T master]

Kick it's ASS Ron ? F U Cancer !! 

 

Prayers up to you ? ? !! 

[todd]

18 hours ago, TigerJ said:

It varies tremendously.  I've known people that had too much and intestines were burned out so they never functioned properly afterwards.  I've also known people who experienced zero side effects during or after their treatment.  I haven't known many who got through chemo without side effects of some sort, including myself.

 

It does. I'm getting Proton Beam Therapy in Boston for 4 weeks, 5 days a week. Quite a bit of fatigue and skin irritation are all I'm dealing with.