Being sick.

[Pat Hasler]

I have recently discovered that I have a rare blood cancer, I am not looking for any sympathy, I am just trying to point out the ignorance of some people, people who actually think cancer is catching FFS.
Apart from the ignorant, there are the true friends who have given me support only to have bigger problems themselves, people like 'Bruce' a friend of mine who left the company to become a long haul O/O, he and I have kept since he left byway of Facebook etc and we have exchanged insults in fun, usually referring to either of us being born out of wedlock LOL.
During the night Bruce sadly died of a heart attack in the sleeper of his much loved Western Star somewhere in Texas
RIP Bruce my old friend.

[Ramon123]

Sad to hear about your pal Pat.

Best wishes in your battle with the horrible disease.

[robinhood_1984]

I have recently discovered that I have a rare blood cancer

Bloody hell, Pat, you've dropped a bomb shell there. I don't know what to say apart from that I sincerely hope that you pull through and come out on top.

[Pat Hasler]

Thanks Mate

[nick2008]

Sorry to hear that of you and your friend Pat.

Live life for all you can enjoy what you have and don't have any regrets

There's one thing for sure in this cruel life we all know it's going to end at some point, unfortunately som young and some really old.
Keep well fella

[remy]

I'm sorry to hear this Pat, hope all goes well for you. At least you'll get the best care over here !

(There, that should get him going )

[Pat Hasler]

Good care yes, I can't pay for it though I am getting the very best, I suspect because it is so rare that hardly anyone in the hospital has ever heard of my problem before. 'Waldenstroms' as it is officially known is so unusual that the staff actually ask me what it is ? I actually believe they are so bewildered by it they have yet to issue any fees.
Fridays are the worst for me, Fridays are chemo days, Foodliner get me home by noon to make sure I don't miss the appointments.

[robinhood_1984]

What are the financial implications of this for you mate? Does your health insurance via Foodliner not cover it?

[Franglais]

:lol:
Good care yes, I can't pay for it though I am getting the very best, I suspect because it is so rare that hardly anyone in the hospital has ever heard of my problem before. 'Waldenstroms' as it is officially known is so unusual that the staff actually ask me what it is ? I actually believe they are so bewildered by it they have yet to issue any fees.
Fridays are the worst for me, Fridays are chemo days, Foodliner get me home by noon to make sure I don't miss the appointments.

Some people will do anything for an early finish Friday !
Seriously Pat, sorry to hear about your problems. It seems to be one of the less aggressive cancers, so you`ve gotta take a positive attitude to it. Not where you want to be I know, but with treatment the outlook is often good it seems.

[Pat Hasler]

Thanks for the kind thoughts mate. This weekend is particularly rough as it happens, I had an IV bag of Rituxcin as well as the Velcade stuff, also they inject me with Benadryl, the later of which has a nasty effect on me, it's nothing to do with the illness, it's just to stop me rejecting everything else. Benadryl stops me from peeing and so I have had a really bad night. I have to work tonight so I am not happy

[Franglais]

Thanks for the kind thoughts mate. This weekend is particularly rough as it happens, I had an IV bag of Rituxcin as well as the Velcade stuff, also they inject me with Benadryl, the later of which has a nasty effect on me, it's nothing to do with the illness, it's just to stop me rejecting everything else. Benadryl stops me from peeing and so I have had a really bad night. I have to work tonight so I am not happy

I know the drugs used are, of necessity, very aggressive with some side effects which vary according to the individual. I`ve a little second hand knowledge only, but am sure I`d go for all the treatment out there. The bad side effects will be a memory one day.

[hutpik]

Hi Pat.Sorry about your illness.Is there not a system in Place whereby you can take time off while you have treatment,it seems hard that you have to continue working whilst ''long term sick'' and not hundred percent.Doesn't the co\private ins cover ''time out'' for Medical treatment.
How is the ''Donald'' likely to affect people like you.

[newmercman]

Oh you've done it now Mike!

I've just been subjected to 6 months of daily anti Trump propaganda from Pat.

[hutpik]

Oh,i'll have to backpedal a bit now then by saying all polititians are liars and thieves.My question was more in relation to the Health care situation and Changes for ''long term sick'' people.

[Pat Hasler]

Oh you've done it now Mike!

I've just been subjected to 6 months of daily anti Trump propaganda from Pat.

Trump will either be impeached for treason within 6 months or we will all be dead.

[stevejones]

hi pat sorry about your friend m8 happened to a old boss of mine few yrs back . he was in truckpark down in lloret de mar very sad . remember me ol m8 where your from and fight on wish u all the best of luck with your struggle from your friend in northampton /and t.a truckstop lol

[Pat Hasler]

hi pat sorry about your friend m8 happened to a old boss of mine few yrs back . he was in truckpark down in lloret de mar very sad . remember me ol m8 where your from and fight on wish u all the best of luck with your struggle from your friend in northampton /and t.a truckstop lol

Thank you my friend.

[martinviking]

Sorry to hear about your illness Pat, hope it all works out for you.

[Paul John]

HI Pat. Sorry to hear you are not well. Lets hope the chemo takes care of the cancer. My daughter went through chemo and its twelve months since her last treatment. It does work, so stay strong.
Regards Paul

[Pat Hasler]

Thanks for the concern folks ....
Update ! ... Last Tuesday I felt particularly weak after loosing lots of blood Sunday night through to that morning, I got home and my wife called the doctor to ask if I could see him on Friday, he seemed very concerned because he had been looking at my IgM levels and they were in the 6k's He told me to go straight to the hospital for admission. More dam time off work then
I was admitted and the surgically put a catheter down my jugular to my heart, hooked me to a machine that removed my blood, took out the plasma and returned it with a filling agent. In my room that night I received a unit of blood and the Wednesday morning the process was repeated followed by more blood and removal of the catheter which was a worse feeling than when it was put in. I felt much better and had just a velcade shot on Saturday when they removed the plug from my jugular.
Feeling pretty good at the moment

[Franglais]

Stick with it mate!
From what I`ve seen there will be ups and downs. It`ll be three steps forward then two back, and you`ll feel like you`ve walked every one of those steps twice over. Cancer covers a whole group of diseases, some worse but none good. Research is ongoing and treatment is getting better all the time, so stick with it.

[remy]

I hope your treatments going well Pat, keep up the fight me old china.

[Pat Hasler]

Thanks Charles, as it happens that treatment worked, I feel 5 years younger and today my DOT physical certificate was renewed for another 2 years.

[stevejones]

well done pat gd news 4 you .

[Pat Hasler]

LOL.
The treatment did not go the way I had hoped, Last week my amazing doctor called to tell me he was stopping the chemo because although I felt better the tests showed it was not working, my IgM levels were still shooting up to alarming numbers, which meant the cancer was winning. I am now a week without the treatment but I have been given a miracle drug called 'Imbruvica' and I have to take 3 of these new pills at the same time every day. The drug costs and alarming $15,000.00 a month which as we know I could never afford, the costs are being met by a fund and all I have to do is donate $10.00 every month back into the fund.
I am going to post a link here to the fund in case any of you feel like donating. This disease can't be cured and is hereditary, so all help and research will not only help the few that suffer this very rare cancer, it will help by giving a chance for my children and grandchildren also.

http://www.iwmf.com/

This is the link, even if you can't donate, look at the site to understand what this thing is.
Thanks for even reading this.

[Pat Hasler]

Had an appointment this morning, I have been on the new drug since last Friday. I expected to at least have to have a transfusion but not so, my blood levels are holding and no more chemotherapy for as log as the situation improves, this is good news, I had the feeling those chemo treatments were killing me. So I can now lead an almost normal life, well as normal as possible, there will be an appointment every two weeks to check on me.
Wish me luck

[Franglais]

So far, So good! Good to hear it`s going well. Keep at it Pat.

[Paul John]

That's good news Pat. Some of the side effects of Chemo can be problematic. Good luck.

Paul

[Pat Hasler]

What are the financial implications of this for you mate? Does your health insurance via Foodliner not cover it?

The new drug I am on now costs $15k a month It took my doctor to phone the insurance company up and rage at them to point out that if I don't get it I will die. He has told me not to worry about the costs and he will make sure the bills are covered, the co-pay for me is $200.00 a month and I can't afford that, with the help of a fund / charity I only have to pay $10.00 to the charity.
My bills so far are way about $250k which I can't ever hope of paying. I have never been charged anything by the hospital, I suspect the doctor is helping in some way (he's a good guy). Incidentally the cost of my first hospital visit for 3 blood transfusions was $48k.
Scary isn't it.

[newmercman]

No it's not scary, it's bloody criminal, how on earth can they justify those prices? I know a lot of research goes into it and many other factors, but holy rude word, that is mental.

BTW you're an inspiration the way you're coping with it mate, still going to work, still getting up at silly o clock to watch F1 and still on your crusade against Donald Trump, keep fighting it.