Short blog. Yesterday I blogged about my 6-month CT/PET scan and the process steps it entails. Today, less than 24-hours later, I have my results. I called my nurse, Val, at about 10:00am and asked that she call me as soon as the scans were in. Around 11:00am she called me back. My result? NORMAL SCAN. NO SIGNS OF CANCER! I am so happy. This marks 18 months of clean scans. Thank you...
Today marks 18 months since the end of my treatments for squamous cell carcinoma. I celebrate every 6 months by getting a CT/PET scan to check for more cancer. This is a routine that most cancer survivors are familiar with, but surprisingly few others understand. This article is my attempt to explain the process to the uninitiated. After a cancer patient completes treatment and is nominally...
This isn’t going to be a long blog; more of a mild rant, actually. Readers of my blog know I blog about anything and everything that captures my attention but mostly my blog is filled with thoughts, stories, and insights that I gather while dealing with my cancer. Recently, I also blogged about The Skinny On Astrology, why I feel there is still, even in today’s world, a persistent...
Before you’re the age of seven your mother is scared to death to let you chew a stick of gum. It might get stuck in your throat – lodged in a perverse definition of the name and gum up your breathing. Later, when you’ve reached enough “maturity,” you’re allowed a small Chicklet and you walk around proudly chewing your gum as your mother hovers over you waiting...
I went to see my radiation Oncologist today; Dr. David Diamond in Winter Park, Florida. He’s basically been the coordinator of all my treatments – surgical, medical, and radiation. So when I see him, I tend to get the “bigger” picture of all of my treatments. I also have the best relationship with him – he is an amazing doctor. Anyway, for the past couple of months I...
The most amazing thing happened to me today. I was sitting in my doctor’s office – the office of the surgeon who removed my cancer from my tonsils and lymph nodes to be exact – when I twittered on my iPhone the following: Sitting in my surgeon’s office waiting for my next post treatment checkup. I set my iPhone down and turned to talk to my fiance for a few minutes. During...
My daughter has a classmate who has cancer. Her name is Ebony and you can see her above right next to me in the picture. Her teacher formed a team for the Orlando American Cancer Society Relay for Life this afternoon. A number of students and parents attended, along with Ebony and her family, to raise cancer awareness and money for researching a cure for cancer. As you know, I too have cancer. I...
Hi; My name is Ron Sparks and I have cancer. Sounds like a 12-step program, huh? Being diagnosed with cancer has changed my life. It’s been an incredible journey and it’s not nearly over yet. Not even close. As a writer, I have a cathartic need to express myself when I am in trouble – so it’s no surprise that I blog profusely about my cancer and my recovery. Here is a date...
It’s been a while since I posted my current recovery status. For those of you new to my blog: I am a cancer patient. I’d like to call myself a survivor, but that term will apply to me in a couple of years. Right now, I am still recovering from my first (and hopefully last) round of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. I was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma in August...
For about 2 months now I have been dealing with completely random attacks of extreme itching. At first I thought that I was just having an allergic reaction to the detergent we use to wash our clothes. I had Carey buy some dye and scent-free detergent and it seemed to work. For a week or two at least. Then it started up again. Then I thought maybe the dog had fleas – yeah, that was the...
Ron Sparks is a technology professional, science fiction and fantasy author and poet living in Zurich, Switzerland. His latest book "ONI: Satellite Earth Series Book 1" is available on Amazon.com.