Damn, so sorry to hear this. Hang in there. Do what the doctors say. Let us know if there is anything we can do.

A knee surgeon that Mary Lynn used to work (whose husband introduced us) with had Hodgkin's Lymphoma about 5 years ago. She went through all of the treatments. About 2 months ago, she detected something. She has a reoccurrence. She is going through treatment now.

There seems to be a lot of this these days.

Very very sad to hear this.

I had the pleasure of meeting Joyce when you both visited us here in Dubai.

A wonderful and cheerful lady, you are lucky to have her as your wife.

We will pray for the best.

Our thoughts are with you both.

Life is strange. Sometimes full of coincidences.

I hunted Niassa back in 2013, kinda where this thread started. Was diagnosed with either Diffuse Large B Cell, or Follicular (aren't sure which as yet) last week. Not looking for comments or sympathy, but thought this a strange coincidence.

At any rate, I want to wish Joyce the very very best. I bet you we will both still be planning safaris in ten years!

Jim and Joyce,

May God bless and y’all will be in my prayers.

quote:

Originally posted by Steve Richards:
Life is strange. Sometimes full of coincidences.

I hunted Niassa back in 2013, kinda where this thread started. Was diagnosed with either Diffuse Large B Cell, or Follicular (aren't sure which as yet) last week. Not looking for comments or sympathy, but thought this a strange coincidence.

At any rate, I want to wish Joyce the very very best. I bet you we will both still be planning safaris in ten years!

Steve,

You have a PM inbound. A regular on AR, Jerry Dollar, helped Joyce immensely five years ago with his boots on the ground experience with this same cancer. We should chat.

Cheers
J&J

Thinking about you guys...fingers crossed and added prayers for good news soon!

quote:

Originally posted by Frostbit:

quote:

Originally posted by Steve Richards:
Life is strange. Sometimes full of coincidences.

I hunted Niassa back in 2013, kinda where this thread started. Was diagnosed with either Diffuse Large B Cell, or Follicular (aren't sure which as yet) last week. Not looking for comments or sympathy, but thought this a strange coincidence.

At any rate, I want to wish Joyce the very very best. I bet you we will both still be planning safaris in ten years!

Steve,

You have a PM inbound. A regular on AR, Jerry Dollar, helped Joyce immensely five years ago with his boots on the ground experience with this same cancer. We should chat.

Cheers
J&J

When I was diagnosed with stage 4 follicular lymphoma I was told I would be dead in 8-10 years. That was 18 years ago and I am currently cancer free. Hang in there, guys, it will get better!

quote:

Originally posted by jdollar:

quote:

Originally posted by Frostbit:

quote:

Originally posted by Steve Richards:
Life is strange. Sometimes full of coincidences.

I hunted Niassa back in 2013, kinda where this thread started. Was diagnosed with either Diffuse Large B Cell, or Follicular (aren't sure which as yet) last week. Not looking for comments or sympathy, but thought this a strange coincidence.

At any rate, I want to wish Joyce the very very best. I bet you we will both still be planning safaris in ten years!

Steve,

You have a PM inbound. A regular on AR, Jerry Dollar, helped Joyce immensely five years ago with his boots on the ground experience with this same cancer. We should chat.

Cheers
J&J

When I was diagnosed with stage 4 follicular lymphoma I was told I would be dead in 8-10 years. That was 18 years ago and I am currently cancer free. Hang in there, guys, it will get better!

Fantastic

Resurrected this thread after thinking about whether to share the latest news. It's easy to do so on facebook and some of you follow Joyce there. Her whole cancer fight starting in 2013 taught our household much but likely the most important lesson was to make every day count and we have.

That same message counts as much now as it did ten years ago.

Here's today's facebook reveal......

Jim here ----------

2013 - "Cancer picked the wrong fight" - Andrew Baldry, Zambia

2023 - "Obviously, cancer hasn't learned it's lesson". - Sarah Foreman

The first quote was regarding Joyce's initial battle with Diffuse Large B-Cell Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. As most of you know she beat that with 6 rounds of R-CHOP Chemotherapy after stabilizing back surgery with hardware for the collapsed vertebrae the cancer caused.

On her five year surveillance Pet Scan a lymph node lit up and the biopsy confirmed Joyce now had her second form of cancer - Follicular Lymphoma. This is untreatable but so slow growing in most cases the patient will outlive the cancer. That diagnosis was now five years ago and there has been zero progression. We don't even think about it.

Over three decades ago Joyce was diagnosis with Lobular Hyperplasia in one breast and was told if she lived long enough she likely would develop breast cancer.

She's had very close annual follow-up since then and this year that included a Mammogram, Breast MRI, Ultrasound, and then biopsy of an area of concern.

So here we go with cancer number three - Invasive Ductal Carcinoma of the right breast.
The likely course of action is breast conserving surgery, formerly known as a lumpectomy followed by radiation. 1 - 3 Sentinel lymph nodes will also be removed and examined. It's presumed they will be negative because of the early detection and close annual follow-up. If so then in all likelihood cancer number three will be history.

Those that know us also know we do not let anything like this change how we roll with life.

Feel free to send prayers, well wishes, and good juju our way. We welcome it, but please don't let this bother you.

Hug those you love and live everyday to the fullest.

That picture of the Honey Badger sporting a porcupine wig while out for a stroll is the perfect spirit animal for my wife. The word badass falls far short.

Jim

Y’all got this!!

Hi Jim & Joyce,

Prayers sent from Colorado. You will defeat this just like you already have before. Our carpe diem friends from Alaska!

Mr.& Mrs. Surefire7

Sorry to hear this!

Of course, your wife is a fighter, and medical science is progressing on cancer all the time, but it’s still tough to deal with it and always having it in the back of your mind…

Best wishes and good thoughts to both of you.

Much appreciated

It’s curious to me why cancer would pick a fight with someone with so much training. Brings to mind an old Bobby Bare song

The Winner

quote:

Originally posted by 505 gibbs:
It’s curious to me why cancer would pick a fight with someone with so much training. Brings to mind an old Bobby Bare song

The Winner

Brad,

Thanks for putting that up. I had never heard it before and it's a really good analogy for Joyce's situation.

Yes, she's a two time winner but at the cost of having an erector set worth of metal in her back. She was told she'd probably not lift over 50 pounds after total recovery. She deadlifts 205 as a 1RM now.

Her thermostat is broken post chemo. She's always cold.

She has a bit of chemo brain which makes her thinking slightly less sharp than pre-chemo and she conflates memories from different adventures into one sometimes.

All small prices to pay for the ability to do all the things we've done together in the last ten years.

The one thing different in the analogy to that song is that Joyce can't tell cancer "OK, you win". That's just not an option.

The other weird observance post the first cancer was she could no longer tolerate a violent movie. It was a dramatic change. I didn't understand why until a friend with PTSD from the sandbox told us Joyce likely has some PTSD.

Again, all a small price to pay for continuing to march on.

Cheers
Jim

Thoughts and prayers from the Marshall clan for Joyce...

I noticed cold intolerance after my first chem round for lymphoma. In fact. I got frostbite the first 2 times I went skiing. Had to give up skiing. My oncologist said that’s common because the drugs affect the micro circulation and decrease blood flow to your extremities.Small price to pay for being alive.

all prayers sent from us to you two.

quote:

Originally posted by jdollar:
I noticed cold intolerance after my first chem round for lymphoma. In fact. I got frostbite the first 2 times I went skiing. Had to give up skiing. My oncologist said that’s common because the drugs affect the micro circulation and decrease blood flow to your extremities.Small price to pay for being alive.

Exactly. That's what I was guessing as well Jerry. We sure do burn more firewood now.

WOW!! "THE WINNER" really says it all!!

Joyce is an ol experienced warrior, and warriors are WINNERS!! Wishing her the best with newer technology now!!

Our thoughts and prayers from the Great Northwest, with memories of getting together at Cal's double shoots and Joyce's great Musk Ox stew!!

Looking forward to breaking bread again soon!!

Best Regards, Steve

quote:

Originally posted by 470EDDY:
WOW!! "THE WINNER" really says it all!!

Joyce is an ol experienced warrior, and warriors are WINNERS!! Wishing her the best with newer technology now!!

Our thoughts and prayers from the Great Northwest, with memories of getting together at Cal's double shoots and Joyce's great Musk Ox stew!!

Looking forward to breaking bread again soon!!

Best Regards, Steve

We so miss Cal and the shoots. So much fun although Omnivorous Bob will save a lot of full auto ammo without Joyce burning it up.

Late 2024 at your place my friend. We are both looking forward to it.

Cheers
J&J

Jim and Joyce,

The WELCOME mat is out for you at any time!!

Just a heads up, we are looking at an 88 day circumnavigation of Africa from Barcelona end of 24... returning in March!! My early dreams are to do day hunts from various ports to wrap up the Tiny 10!!... maybe visit Saeed on the way through if they aren't skiing ??!!...missed him last cruise thru the Canal and region!!

I will keep you advised on Kings next month....

CheerZ, Steve