MCM Update: Pics of Joe's Prayer Network Map

self | December 8, 2001 | Joe Vitale (aka MCM)

[MrConfettiMan]

Hi, everybody. During my last update I told you I didn't think you'd here from me again until after the holidays. I was wrong. I've been doing quite a bit of work on the site where I'm chronicling the road I've been traveling since August 19 of this year, Joe's Journey - Failure is Not an Option. Specifically, the Support Sytem page contains some pictures of the Prayer Network Map I told you about on my last thread. The pictures currently don't do the map much justice but have a look anyway. (MrsCM is researching digital cameras and we may be purchasing one in the very near future.) There are over 150 pins on the map and a vast majority of them are freepers. Thank you.

On the medical front, I'm seeing a local neurologist on Tuesday to talk about how we might adjust my medication in the hopes of preventing any more seizures. I'm not having them frequently by any means, but there's no reason for them to be happening at all at this stage. Also, I called The Brain Tumor Center at Duke the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. I told them I was inquiring as to what their organization could do for me. They told me I should send them MRIs, pathology slides and medical records. They also told me Dr. Henry Friedman would be calling me before the day was over. They took my work number, home number and cell phone number.

Dr. Friedman called me at home at around 5PM. He was all business. He wanted to know my situation. I told him I presented with seizures on August 19th and had a craniotomy four days later on the 23rd. I explained that both Dr. Peter Berger (at Hopkins) and Dr. Marc Rosenblum (at Sloan-Kettering) had seen the pathology and they agreed it was a grade 2 astrocytoma. I told him I'd already sent my records to Sloan-Kettering for review and had physically visited the docs at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Both had recommended a wait-n-see approach. He asked how much of the tumor was removed and I told him I was told it classified as a gross total resection. He said, "Yeah, you're done."

He explained that Dr. Berger was the best in the world on reading brain tumor pathology. He suggested I allow one of the premier brain tumor centers in the country to monitor me (send them my MRI scans every 3 months and make a personal visit every 6 months). He clearly stated I hadn't seen one of those big brain tumor centers yet, which was a clear message to me that he did not consider MSK or JHH to be a "brain tumor" center. He suggested Duke, MD Anderson or UCSF. I asked what the procedure would be should I select Duke. He said send us your records and after we review them we'll call you back to schedule an appointment.

I finally got around to sending my "stuff" to Duke on Thursday, November 29, by Fed-Ex. I used the tracking number on the Fed-Ex site the next day and saw it had arrived safely. I was planning to call them on Monday, December 2, to see what the timetable would be for getting a call back. However, that proved unnecessary.

On Sunday, December 1, I received a phone call from Dr. Henry Friedman. (Sunday? The man is very dedicated.) He asked what I'd been told about my craniotomy. I explained that immediately after the surgery my neurosurgeon told my wife and I he felt confident they removed about 90-95% of the tumor. Dr. Friedman said, "Yeah, it looks like a very good resection." (My heart took another leap for joy at hearing this and the tears started welling up in my eyes.) He went on to say he was waiting for their pathology lab to report back and then they'd call me back with their recommendation. He asked if I was planning to visit their facility. I told him I thought that was the standard protocol and both my wife and I were planning to make the trip.

I still haven't heard back from Dr. Friedman, though I gently pinged him on Friday. After hearing from him, we plan to make an appointment at Duke. (Note to freepers near Duke who have already generously offered their homes to my wife and me, I'll be in touch after we've arranged the appointment.)

Fellow freepers, I'm feeling really well these days. I'm at the end of the initial learning curve period that goes along with getting a diagnosis of cancer and am once again finding myself with free time. Free time? What's that? The other day at work I suddenly remembered I had brain cancer and realized that thought hadn't been lingering in the back of my mind for the last couple of hours like it usually does. I expect life to only get better in 2002.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

[MrConfettiMan]

Another update, folks.

[VA Advogado]

Bless you man.

[MrConfettiMan]

Oh, yeah. My next MRI is scheduled for Monday, February 4th.

[CommiesOut]

God Bless you, and your Family, Joe.
Our hearts and prayers are with you.
(btw, great links, excellent job!)

[AppyPappy]

Attaboy Luther. William still has Joe on his list. Don't do any sky-diving or anything to mess it up.

[mountaineer]

Thank you for keeping us informed, Joe.

[Fred Mertz]

Thanks for the update, MCM. Best wishes for a Merry Chrismas and a Healthy New Year to you and Debbie.

p.s. Who's that in the middle of the ocean praying for you in image #6??

[Lady Jag]

Bless you, MCM. Looks like things are looking up. Best wishes heading your way.

[pubmom]

Good report, and my prayers for you continue.

[blackbart1]

Thanks for the update MCM. God Bless you and your family. Am glad to hear that perhaps things may be getting back to some normalcy in your thought process. I know how that can be but it seems to just take time. I've been there and done with a chronic problem I have but life has become normal for me as well. It is a wonderful thing. We will continue to offer our prayers on your behalf.

[Ff--150]

Praise the Lord from Silverwoman and Ff--150 :)

[Miss Marple]

Excellent news! Prayers continue!

Merry Christmas!

[Marylander]

Bumping a prayer up to the top.

[MrConfettiMan]

Who's that in the middle of the ocean praying for you in image #6?

The pins in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans are for the folks praying overseas (Asia and Europe).

[deadhead]

Thanks for the update. Continued Prayers for you. Glad to hear that you are "feeling really well these days"! Wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas and a Healthy, Happy New Year!!

[fleebag]

Thanks for the update MCM! Great news & prayers continue for you & MrsCM. Merry Christmas and Happy New year.

[The Thin Man]

It's great reading these positive updates and I pray the news gets better and better.

Merry Christmas!

[MaeWest]

Prayers and a bump to the top.

[Snow Bunny]

I want to tell you how proud of you I am. I pray for you everyday, and appreciate your posting how things are going for you.I love your spirit and to know you as a FReeper is a blessing. Thank you for being in our lives and being a FReeper .

[Interesting Times]

Excellent news on the resection, and it sounds like you're working with the right people.

Prayers continuing...

Best regards,
I.T.

[Cicero]

God bless you and be with you and your family. I will always remember what you did on behalf of your country and for all of us in the darkness of the Clinton years.

[Paradox]

Sounds good to me man! Some good Holiday news for us to share, thanks! I think of you each time I log on to FR man, pullin and prayin for ya! I think what you are doing with that website is awesome. Keep us informed!

[maestro]

Amen,...........More Grace and Mercy,.........In Jesus' Precious Name, Amen!!!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!
:-)

[Donna Lee Nardo]

Hey guy! Happy Holidays to you and yours! P.S. Where is your photo on your nice website? I didn't see one, did I miss it? All the best..... Donna

[JustAmy]

Sounds like great news!!! Prayers still on their way from Fresno, California.
Have a happy holiday season.

[lodwick]

I don't think we've met, but thoughts and prayers up for you, your family, and your doctors.
Be well, God bless you all. Amen.

[billbears]

God be with you Joe, and your wife that God above will lift you and comfort you, give you strength that only comes from Him, and just be the Great Physician right now for you. God bless you.

PS..Live in Apex and if you or MrsConfetti need anything while you're at Duke, please let me know

[ChaseR]

We all love you MCM. So glad to hear all this good news!! Happy Holidays to you and yours.

[A Navy Vet]

So good to hear from you Joe. Sounds like things are going well and getting better. Happy Holidays to you and yours.

[WillaJohns]

Very nice website, Joe. I'm sure it will be helpful to many others facing similar trials. Please please please get yourself a new camera. Prayers are continuing. God bless you and yours and have a very Merry Christmas!

[Great Dane]

This is what we needed to hear at Christmas time, you sound sooo good and up-beat.

Love the thought of you having a site, it will be most welcome by people in the same situation as you, they will benefit from all the leg work you've done. Hope you and your family have the best Christmas ever.

[mombonn]

Merry Christmas, Joe. Thanks for the update. I continue to pray. I notice that you have a pin in west MI. If someone else in MI is praying, that's great. If that's me, you have to move it horizontally closer to center of the map.

Update on Sarah's bone marrow transplant. Her parents had hoped for her to be home by Christmas. She has been home for nearly two weeks!

[Lizzy W]

Thanks for the update, MCM. You keep up the good work! Prayers for you :)

[MinuteGal]

Happy Holiday Season to you and your family, Joe. I know all of us "pinheads" here in the Florida chapter join me in wishing you the very best in the New Year.

Leni

[MasonGal]

Such GOOD NEWS!!

Please know that prayers will continue for you and yours.

I was feeling kind of down and out today - but reading this post of yours has changed my mood considerably and brightened my day.

[JD86]

Prayers for you and your family. Have a Blessed Christmas with Hope for the New Year.

[Mr_Magoo]

Stick another Pin in Chicago, I am praying for you too.

BTW, I put a link to this thread in today's Canteen thread.

[AKA Elena]

Hey, Joe!

Is my Palmdale, CA pin in with those other Los Angeles pins -- I am beyond the northern mountains, ya know ... LA County still and unfortunately, ... but God's Country up here on the desert!

I love your reports and this one is especially thrilling!

[AKA Elena]

Super news about Sarah -- my grandaughter, Jennifer, will be on her second year (in fact she entered that year on Wednesday) since her bone marrow transplant.

[Angelwood]

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and Debbie. The DC Chapter is getting together for a Christmas Dinner at Orleans House in Rosslyn next Saturday, December 15, at 6 p.m. Hope you and Debbie can attend. Keep the updates coming and take care.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

God Bless You and Your Family

[Alamo-Girl]

I'm so glad you are feeling good! Praise God!!!

[DB]

That's FANTASTIC news!

Looking forward to your posts in 2002 (and beyond).

[Utah Girl]

I've been praying for you all along, put a push pin in for me. :) I'm in Provo, Utah...

[amom]

Thanks so much for the hopeful update. Now I'll take a look at that website.

Continued prayers to you and yours. Good holiday season to you too. :-)

[amom]

Great site! Very very well done! I have bookmarked it for easy reach.

Merry Christmas to you and yours! Hugs to y'all.

[anymouse]

Glad things are getting better. Merry Christmas to you too.

[Amelia]

Great news, Joe! Glad to hear that things are going well, & your site is really nice - good to see all those pins!

As for digital cameras, I love my Sony Mavica - it uses 3-1/2" disks for "film", so it's a little larger than some of the new ones, but I get about 25-30 pics per disk in standard/email mode, they are good quality to email, etc. - especially for such a small file size - disks are cheap & I don't need any kind of special cable or drive to upload them onto the computer. I would like the wide-angle lens for it....