Chemo has failed, and is now over

Big Sister · Experienced user Joined: 02 Nov 2006 Posts: 68

Hello, Marty -- Like the Energizer Bunny, you keep going and going and going.

As I've said so many times before, you are an inspiration to us all and, more than that, have been the role model for persistence for me and so many others.

I have often wondered why some of us keep going and others are called Home sooner. Is it part of some Divine Plan, do you think? Or is it just luck? Or are they both the same in some unique way.

It is said that each of us serves a specific purpose. Those who have already passed on and who leave anguished loved ones to grieve may now have the answer; it is up to those of us left behind to discover it.

And those like yourself, who are ready to go but whose journey is continually postponed, may already understand why you remain. If not, your acceptance of God's vague plan for you helps us all.

My very best to you and Monica. I wish you peace filled days. Pat

hwh1 · New User Joined: 28 Sep 2007 Posts: 6

Hi Marty,
I am very sorry to hear that. And I really hope that you will fine and pray for you everyday.

Mac

hwh1 · New User Joined: 28 Sep 2007 Posts: 6

I hope that you can try on some alternative treatment that one of the blogger earlier in this thread.

brainman

Marty, I check your website every day and continue to be amazed at your courage and faith! Yesterday, hospice came to take care of some final issues. I am glad you are using hospice. All the hospice organizations I have ever been involved with were a great source of help.

May God continue to be with you.
_________________
Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendoglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/

KRay

I attempted to get to Marty's web site this morning and am unable. Does anyone else have this problem?
Ken

KRay

Ok I am able to get to his site now. He has not posted in two days.

freeio · Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2007 1:47 pm Post subject: Nearing the end

Oct 25, 2007

I cannot recall ever being this tired. Over the weekend, the bottom simply fell out of all my energy. My lungs heave, but I am not getting the oxygen I need. Standing up and walking three steps results in falling down immediately. Without direct, immediate assistance, I almost cannot move at all.

For the sequence of events through which I have come, I am amazed to still be here. In August of 2004 we had just been through one of the most awful real estate transactions imaginable. We had been cheated so badly in the deal, that we ended up having go bring very large amounts of money to sell the Huntsville house. It hurt very badly, but then again it was the right thing to do. I would so much rather arrive Home having forgiven everyone everything, trusting my Savior for everything, than to bear a single grudge against anyone or anything. So as of the end of August 2004, that matter was fully taken care of. It was done, forgiven, and no longer of concern. While we had been seriously cheated, yet we made sure to treat our buyer right. It is the proper, Christian thing to do. So this put us in a seriously hard financial position from which to recover.

It was a major shock, then the next month, during September 2004 to be diagnosed with Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma. Dr. Stuart Foley (Lakeside Clinic, Guntersille) noticed my jaundiced eyes with no other pain, and referred me first to Dr. Winter Wilson (Marshall Medical Center North) and then on to Dr. Mo Eloubeidi (UAB Hospital, Birmingham, Alabama) who used visual and ultrasound endoscopes to inspect the area for tumor growth, They found enough evidence, both through imaging and biopsies to refer me to Dr. Selwyn Vickers (UAB Hospital, Birmingham, Alabama) for a major surgery called a “Whipple Procedure,” on October 21, 2004, wherein they removed all of my gall bladder, the head of the pancreas, including the bile duct, part of my stomach, part of my intestine, every lymph node they could reach, and anything else that looked even slightly suspicious. They sewed me back up a very different person, with much less digestive tact. As soon as the skin healed up a bit, the next treatments began. There were 28 days of radiation treatment combined with Xeloda, which is a systemic chemo drug, and then there was 28 days more of Xeloda by itself.

This sequence of treatments seemed to help for a while. There were no new visible issues until pain developed in February 2006. From that time on, it became obvious that the cancer had metastasized, and that there would have to be a broadside-systemic approach to fighting it. At this point, Dr. James Posey (UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center, Birmingham, Alabama) was brought on as lead doctor, and as the oncologist. From Spring to 2006 then there were a series of tests (CT scan and PET scan of abdomen, chest, and pelvis, MRI of my head, bone scan) and from that information I was started on a whole series of chemotherapy agents.

The first chemo agent was Gemzar. I had a port-a-cath installed to make the infusions work better, and the Gemzar seemed to keep everything at bay for six months or so. After that though. the tumor marker they watch (called CA19-9) started to climb c, and so the decision was made to try two other chemo drugs simultaneously, these being Tarceva and Oxaliplatin. What awful stuff those are, and furthermore, beyond being impossibly expensive, they had no positive effect, So that has been canceled along with all other cancer treatment, and I am now in the care of Hospice.

My writing has slowed a bit, because the end-of-life drugs are meant to relieve the considerable amount of pain. My staying lucid is a secondary consideration now. Yes, when I cannot breathe, and the panic attack begins, I do not feel badly abut taking the concentrated morphine sulfate. I am dying now, It is over. The Lord could call me Home today, and I will joyfully go. I want to be found faithful to the end, and for me the end is very near.

So, in some form this is a bit of a a farewell message. My hands are so numb that typing this much took me several hours. I will continue to work as long as I can function, but that is not guaranteed past ten minutes from now. May My God most seriously bless all of those who have walked with me in this way, and held my hands up that I may continue beyond all rational time.

May Jesus bless you mightily.

Diehl Martin
Guntersville, Alabama,
Oct 25, 2007
_________________
-------------------------------------------------
whipple procedure, Oct. 21, 2004
28 days of radiation
56 days of Chemo using Xeloda
diagnosed as progressive recurrent pancreatic adenocarcinoma (Stage IV) Jun. 20, 2006
was treated with gemcitabine, oxaliplatin, and tarceva, which all failed.
Cancer blog: http://diehlmartin.com/cancer.html

KRay

I am so sad. I just don't know what else to say.
Marty you are blessed by God because you walk with him.

Ken

JenniferS · Regular Joined: 14 Jan 2007 Posts: 15

Marty - I am crying right now as I type this. My husband and I read your blog every single day and were so worried when we didn't see a post on October 24th. You are a true hero in my eyes and have been such a source of strength to so many people. You have no idea the impact you have had on my life. I will forever remember you.

Jennifer

LINDA GALE · Regular Joined: 11 Oct 2007 Posts: 13

Marty,

I am so sorry to hear of your condition at this time. I have not been on the forum for very long, but my husband and I have drawn strength each day from your postings. God has used you in a miraculous way on this forum. I can tell you have touched so many lives. I pray what time you have left will be as painless as possible. Just remember you're a winner either way. I know Jesus will be waiting for you with outstretched arms. He only takes the best and you are truly an inspiration to every one. Just know that God loves you and so do we.

In our thoughts and prayers!

Linda Gale

Muttsmom

Hi,

I feel truly blessed that I got to know Marty over the last couple of months through e-mail. I checked his blog today because like many, I was worried when he wasn't posting daily.

Sadly, the post today is that Marty passed away this a.m. about 5:00 with his beloved Monica beside him. He was truly an inspiration and I know he's at peace now that he's home with the Lord who he loved so very much.
_________________
Nancy
2/14/02 ILC 43 - 5.5 cm 9+/16 nodes
Stage IIIA er/pr+ Her2-
2/02 MRM
FECx6 radsx33
Tamoxifen - Arimidex (chemo induced menopause)
4/03 SM w/bilat. recon.
9/03 expanders removed
5/04 repair reconst. disaster
10/04 Actonel for bone/joint pain from Arimidex
NED - 5 years
3/07 Diabetes
In memory of Kim 12/1/04

Muttsmom

Since he lives in a small city, his obit will be in my local newspaper. If anyone wants it so they can sign the guest book, please e-mail me.

God Bless Marty!!!
_________________
Nancy
2/14/02 ILC 43 - 5.5 cm 9+/16 nodes
Stage IIIA er/pr+ Her2-
2/02 MRM
FECx6 radsx33
Tamoxifen - Arimidex (chemo induced menopause)
4/03 SM w/bilat. recon.
9/03 expanders removed
5/04 repair reconst. disaster
10/04 Actonel for bone/joint pain from Arimidex
NED - 5 years
3/07 Diabetes
In memory of Kim 12/1/04

brokenanvil · New User Joined: 24 Aug 2007 Posts: 1

I came to this forum late last spring after my wife was diagnosed with the same cancer that took Diehl Martin's life early this morning. This is my first post here.

Mr. Martin was truly an amazing man. I have read a large number of his posts here and all the writings on his blog. The depth and breadth of the information he shared with his readers is astounding. Much of his writing is presented with complete honesty and infused with genuine compassion. Many in the medical professions could learn valuable lessons here.

I am deeply saddened by Diehl's death. I must defer to others to pay tribute to his life with eloquence I am unable to summon. Diehl Martin did teach me lessons in faith and of this I feel certain - he walks with his beloved Jesus this very day.

Muttsmom

That was such a beautiful and heartfelt post. Your words were a wonderful tribute to Marty and what he did to help others.
_________________
Nancy
2/14/02 ILC 43 - 5.5 cm 9+/16 nodes
Stage IIIA er/pr+ Her2-
2/02 MRM
FECx6 radsx33
Tamoxifen - Arimidex (chemo induced menopause)
4/03 SM w/bilat. recon.
9/03 expanders removed
5/04 repair reconst. disaster
10/04 Actonel for bone/joint pain from Arimidex
NED - 5 years
3/07 Diabetes
In memory of Kim 12/1/04

brainman

Marty was a very special member of this community. He joined in December of 2004 making him one of our longest term active members. Only Nancy has been a member longer and has been more active than Marty. He touched hundreds if not thousands of lives with his courage, love, and faith. I know he touched my life.

I have contacted his wife, Monica, and will be going to the visitation next Saturday night to represent all of us. I think it would be nice to hand Monica a bunch of emails from you. If you would like, just sent it to me with the subject: "To Monica Martin with love from"..... I will make sure Monica gets them.

My email is jim_hawkins54@charter.net .
_________________
Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendoglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/

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