tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15094395718928546202024-02-06T23:41:04.657-08:00Nick Modico's BlogAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11467518078443996815noreply@blogger.comBlogger196125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1509439571892854620.post-53365920170968066392014-02-13T12:05:00.003-08:002014-02-13T12:05:50.649-08:00February 13, 2014The blogging is slowing down. If you're concerned it's because I'm not feeling up to blogging, well, you'd be right. I've been trying to figure out what could possibly be putting me through all this pain, because I simply can't believe the disease would progress this rapidly throughout my body again. Scans tomorrow will show at least some of the story, I'm sure.<br />
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It has, indeed, been quite the struggle in the recent week or two. Overall soreness, odd pains, and the gloriously numb quarter of my mouth are making for some unbelievably fun times, as you could imagine! Waking up in the middle of the night, sweating or writhing, calling on my trusty helpers Bigfoot and Old Man Wrinkles to help a brother out with a hot water bottle or readjusting position on the bed to gain some comfort has become commonplace. Showers - highly optional. Naps - necessary. Sometimes these pain meds don't kick in right away and kinda linger in the system and I'll just get slammed by a delayed reaction and pass right out. Just woke up from one of those naps...it was sweet.<br />
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The pain meds mess with you something awful. Nature of the beast really. I'll pop some, nothing will happen, then maybe 15 minutes or oh, I don't know, 6 hours later I suddenly won't be able to text. Like at all. Forget about having a nice little conversation, I'm sure I sound like I'm as high as a kite when I hit that stage. Maybe I'll attempt to obtain video evidence.<br />
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Everything else remains in the holding pattern until we find out what these scans show tomorrow. Until then, I'll just be enjoying watching the snow fall. And fall and fall some more it shall...later everyone!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11467518078443996815noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1509439571892854620.post-92080535773713644842014-02-08T15:27:00.001-08:002014-02-08T15:27:55.661-08:00February 8, 2014Now it's been a while. I'm slacking with the blogging, but to be fair it's mostly due to not feeling so great recently. Bear with me people!<br />
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Update time! So I finished radiation on Tuesday. All the spots from the last scans, minus the arms, have been taken care of via the rads...or so we hope. However, that certainly doesn't mean the pain just disappears. Ohhhhh no, though I wish it did. New pains have popped up, new areas of concern will be on the next scans, and we'll have to consider all the options at hand and start up something very soon.<br />
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At least I'm walking again, decently. A little better than a shuffle, to be sure. However, about a quarter of my mouth went completely numb over the past 3 days, leading to a nice emergency MRI last night down at Sloany Ketts to check for a tumor. Preliminarily (love this word) there's no tumor in my head...but we'll see what the final reading says. Steroids are miserable with their side effects, but still have to take them according to the docs down at MSKCC. I'm convinced they cause some pains that I've been getting. It's all so tough to rationalize and justify when every person handles every drug differently and the coincidence that I get pains right after taking the roids. We'll figure it out. Again, we'll find out what our plan of attack is early next week, after getting a new set of scans on Tuesday. <br />
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Otherwise, I've been up to nothing. TV watching, some college basketball action seemingly every night, and trying to get and stay comfortable for as long of stretches of time as possible. Heating pads and pain pills for the win.<br />
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Here's to comfort, recovery, and a better tomorrow!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11467518078443996815noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1509439571892854620.post-47846182396605260642014-02-03T07:44:00.002-08:002014-02-03T07:44:23.723-08:00February 3, 2014Alright people. Peeeeeeople. That was the most miserable Super Bowl in the history of the game. No entertainment value, awful commercials, just terrrrrrible. You guys know I'm not a Negative Nancy, Pessimistic Patty, Debbie Downer, etc., but this was bad.<br />
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Was I pro-Seahawks? Easy to say yes now, but I actually was. If the Giants-Patriots Super Bowls taught us anything, it was that you gotta respect defense. Don't care how awesome a team's offense over an entire season is: when n=1, statistically speaking, anomalies can and will occur. This one game, with all its different factors, will most likely never fall into a statistical average. That's just how it goes, in my eyes at least.<br />
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That's enough about the NFL...and the strange season it was. Now we've got some puck to watch, and that includes the Olympics. Actually looking forward to the Olympics quite a bit - everyone knows I'm quite the patriot so I'll be "USA"-ing from the couch fiercely.<br />
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Guess we'll also update on the medical situation. Radiation should end tomorrow, which is swell. Almost off the steroids, which is necessary to get the immune system back into gear if we want to try pursuing immunological treatment options. I still lean that way, but the key is to find that chemo that will still cause tumor kill without just destroying my platelet and white blood cell count. We'll see if we can pull it off...still mulling the options. Until then, pain management is the goal.<br />
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Here's to good guidance from here and above on what the next step should be...to a better tomorrow, world!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11467518078443996815noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1509439571892854620.post-4019925667861693442014-01-27T18:55:00.001-08:002014-01-27T18:55:41.258-08:00January 27, 2014Had to actually reread the last blog to see where I left off...it's been a while eh?<br />
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Let's try to update this piece. The shuffle is strong, real strong. Walking in no time, I can feel it. Every hit of the radiation helps to relieve the pain caused by this lower back tumor activity. However, everyday, a new challenge presents itself. Now I've been getting some pretty strong pain from tumor activity in my left hip/leg. Radiation on deck for that.<br />
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What have I been up to? Well to be quite frank I absolutely had to get out of the house after being stuck in the sleep->chair->radiation->chair->sleep cycle. I was lucky enough to make it to the Stadium Series game, Devils vs. Rangers, at Yankee Stadium to watch some good outdoor puck...or at least some outdoor puck. Don't get me wrong a nice, dominating Rangers win will never send me away melancholy - but I felt bad for the goalies, man. In the words of Bart Scott a couple of years ago, they couldn't stop a nosebleed. Big shoutout to Natalie and George for helping a brother to enjoy that game, hope you're out there reading this!<br />
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We'll keep up the radiation through this week...and then see where we can go from there for a future plan of action. Stay tuned for that. Until later, I leave you with a picture of myself and the sad, sad Devils fan I got to enjoy the game with. Respect that beard. Later all.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11467518078443996815noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1509439571892854620.post-66648439205187349592014-01-22T18:47:00.001-08:002014-01-22T18:47:21.113-08:00January 22, 2014We are moving along. No literally, I'm moving around decently okay by myself. Can walk to the bathroom and back, get my shuffle on to the kitchen, even make my way up the stairs to bed in a slow and steady manner. Progress!<br />
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We're about halfway through the radiation schedule I believe. Haven't bumped the pain meds up, just ratcheted them down, actually. Anti-inflammatories remain constant. Days are quite monotonous. Wake up, drive down to Sloan, get the cocktail of meds running through the veins, grab some rays, drive on home. Repeat. Tons of chair life and not too much great entertainment on the TV to bail us out.<br />
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Maybe I'll get into some bootleg movies? I dunno. I heard American Hustle and Wolf of Wall Street were worth seeing...maybe I'll try to make those moves. Although perhaps this should serve as a note to self that if there's simply nothing better to I should maybe try writing some stuff. Weird grounds there though, for me. Despite you sitting there actually reading this blog, I still find it difficult to believe anyone wants to read my malarkey. Yet here I am, and there you are...so ha. I'll try to make your time spent worth it.<br />
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To be honest, it's rather tough to do much with the pain meds. Scrambled eggs upstairs when they're onboard. Trust me, I don't hate it when it takes the pains of moving around/laying down away, but the Pink Floyd-like gibberish that I'd be spitting on the blog if I wrote under the influence would probably throw the blog world for a loop. We'll see what I come up with.<br />
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Until these new developments...farewell all. Keep on keepin' on folks...and stay warm ahhhhhhh ermagherd polar vortex part two it's all over! Relax and bundle up. Wear a blanket around...take it from your boy. It's magic.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11467518078443996815noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1509439571892854620.post-28744528391610096352014-01-20T07:46:00.002-08:002014-01-20T07:46:35.562-08:00January 20, 2014Happy MLK Day, world!<br />
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What's new in the goings-on of life...not much at all. But it's been a while since I've provided a blog post so I figure I owe you one. I sit in a chair for upwards of twelve hours a day, making sure I get my pills every six hours on the dot. Sometimes I can find a comfortable position within the friendly confines of the chair, and bed for that matter, which is really a time to behold and relish. Other times, misery takes control and you just pray for the pain to go away swiftly.<br />
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Football was at the very least exciting for a bit yesterday, so that's some solid entertainment value to note. I think there are NBA games on today but I don't really enjoy watching NBA games for whatever reason, so I'm almost lucky radiation is scheduled for around midday. Hopefully the radiation keeps doing its thing and getting me a bit better day by day - I mean when I was down there for the first treatment last Wednesday the pain was legitimately near unbearable. With the nice combo of pain meds and timing at least I can get down on the table for treatment - not without a struggle, but still gets the job done.<br />
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The fight is real. Unfortunately it appears the slope is getting steeper, and with my current ability to walk (literally and figuratively) a little more than questionable, things certainly aren't looking as cheery as they once were. Yet we power on, just like any other day, don't we? Amen. Here's to a better tomorrow!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11467518078443996815noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1509439571892854620.post-52320472634967861792014-01-17T15:37:00.001-08:002014-01-17T15:37:12.723-08:00January 17, 2014Greetings people. Awesome news: I've slept the past two nights...massive development. Logic was correct, Sloan knows what it's doing relative to pain management. Despite waking up each of the past two mornings in extreme, nearly screaming pain, I'm getting better about my planning and pill taking and it seems to be better. Let's keep it going.<br />
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So what have I been up to recently? Well it's been managing the pain (making sure I take the allotted meds on the intervals indicated) and getting the radiation I was set up for. Currently, I've been getting the radiation to the troublesome L2 vertebra region and the concerning C2 region. After 3 treatments, whether it's due to the streamlining of the pain meds or getting a couple of radiation treatments under my belt (or perhaps even both), the pain is getting better and more bearable.<br />
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Let's fill you all in on the return trip home and the past couple of days, in full. The fight from Los Angeles to New York was rather intriguing. I got loaded up with steroids to keep my pain tolerable at around 1 o'clock on Tuesday afternoon. The docs down south said that should cover you for 24 hours, no problem (aka until 4 on Wednesday, Eastern time). We didn't get to Sloan until around 1 on Wednesday...21 hours later, thanks to a diversion to Hartford because the pilot couldn't land in the fog surrounding JFK. And let me tell you, the steroids certainly did not last 24 hours, so it was a severely fun last leg of that trip! <br />
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After finally getting to Sloan and getting the good stuff on board (steroid, anti-inflammatory, and good ole dilaudid), I got in to get radiation started that night. Thank the sweet Lord for the technician, Guy, the resident, Dr. Barron, and the radiation oncologist's fellow, Dr. Sutten, for their patience. It took me about 15 minutes to find a position that could work for me to lay down where I could handle the amount of pain that resulted from being on the treatment table. For a while, we weren't sure it could get done because of how accurate radiation treatments must be. We made it work. Luckily, it's been getting better to get on the table, which has been the main highlight of each day since. Hope it continues to improve.<br />
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In other news, BC Interruption (a beat blog for my beloved Boston College) caught up with me and wrote a nice little piece on the Nick Modico <a href="http://www.bcinterruption.com/boston-college-baseball-2014-season/2014/1/17/5317360/birdball-nick-modicos-story">story</a>. If you're interested, give it a read. I think it was really well done and am very humbled and proud to have been asked to participate on the site in this fashion. We are BC!<br />
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Until later...have a great weekend everyone - enjoy the football or the last gasps of warm-ish weather in the Northeast.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11467518078443996815noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1509439571892854620.post-46506935561081397842014-01-14T19:33:00.000-08:002014-01-14T19:48:01.574-08:00January 14, 2014The best laid plans...<br />
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So as I had mentioned in the previous blog post, pain was gaining on me as I tire running from it and sleep had become conspicuously absent from me. Two things when apart are simply "no bueno" but when, as they do more often than not, occur simultaneously lead to a very bad situation for the person experiencing such. Moves needed to be made.<br />
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Moves have been made. After pumping up some pain relief meds, I'm taking my talents back to the east coast (best coast). I currently sit in LAX, an airport renowned for having paparazzi and media crawling its not-so-hallowed halls and jetways, celebrity sightings, and even the non-famous trying-to-get-famous dressed to the nines with their Louis Vuitton carry-on bags, wearing a long sleeve Under Armour camouflage hunting shirt, Boston College Athletics general issue sweatpants, and Uggs slippers. I have reached a whole new level of A) not caring and B) use of hyphens in one run-on sentence.<br />
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The logic here is that pain management is better at Sloany Ketts than anywhere else. I'm already tattooed up and ready to go for radiation, which could help, and will get my rather large tushion over to York Avenue within minutes of landing to commence any other remedies that may be available for the one and only Nicky Mo. Praying for the best, as always.<br />
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Spirits are pretty high for a guy who hasn't slept in days and has that 10 out of 10 pain level, no? I ask you this: is there any other way? Let's get back home and keep fighting on. Here's to a better tomorrow!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11467518078443996815noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1509439571892854620.post-14219052843972807892014-01-13T18:54:00.001-08:002014-01-13T18:54:34.997-08:00January 13, 2014What's up everyone? The weather down here puts your weather to shame. Don't care where you are, you can't beat 75 and no humidity. Can't do it. Wish I had some more time to enjoy it.<br />
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How are things going? Eh, okay at best. The back pain is real, sleep is slim, and this makes treatment tough. I've personally maintained that all of this treatment is possible only because I get a good night's sleep each night. Those days are gone, hopefully just for now. Praying for treatment this week to kick the pain away for good. The good news is that pain pills (simple like Advil) seem to help take some of the pain away for now. Also in the good news realm is that my blood numbers are currently not too bad, looks like I may be able to get chemo again this week which is just excellent. <br />
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What am I up to now? Casually crushing a fever after just having a nice homemade dinner via the Bigfoot. What a woman. After taking my seemingly 37,000 supplements, I'm back in bed trying to find a comfortable position to relax for a bit. Who knows, maybe I'll be lucky enough to grab some shut-eye. <br />
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We fight on. Until another time folks.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11467518078443996815noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1509439571892854620.post-73814246614449930002014-01-09T09:29:00.002-08:002014-01-09T09:32:46.191-08:00January 9, 2014Breaking radio silence here. He's back, baby. It's almost like Tijuana was waiting for its king to return, yanno? Alright it wasn't like that at all.<br />
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So I made moves down to get tatted up again for radiation at Sloany Ketts (team tatted, round 3) before slipping out of the country once more. Since I've gotten tattoos for all these little radiation treatments, each new tattoo set must be distinct from the previous - thus, each tattoo spot has 3 dots now. Nicky Mo, with his love of needles got poked up 15 times in 5 minutes. Guess who's never, ever getting a tattoo?<br />
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Full credit for getting here goes to Bigfoot's incredible skill for instantaneous tears, which got us from a cancelled flight onto a flight that had 2 seats left headed to Long Beach, CA. Bigfoot can't stop, won't stop. Straight up dominating the customer service game. A little drive later and we were back in San Diego with our border crossing to occur on Monday morning - not a day too soon. Pain started to mess with me on the way to the airport Sunday and progressed over the next couple of days. Luckily, treatment down here has halted the pain in its tracks and it seems to me that I'm feeling at least a little bit better day after day. I think a big key was being able to get chemo yesterday; feel like that has potentially helped big time - hope the counts stay up so we can do that again next week.<br />
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What else is new? Nothing really. Jumping on the Bolts Bandwagon while I'm down here because why not? Funny to see a city who couldn't come close to selling out a game and getting blacked out on TV transform into a support force wearing bolo ties and "Believe: Rivers Rising" shirts like they're going out of style (they might be going out of style...).<br />
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As always, we fight on. Until the next update, stay warm up there folks. Remember, if you're ever chilly, a few blankets and a hot water bottle disguised as a lamb always does the trick.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11467518078443996815noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1509439571892854620.post-17820270502962181742014-01-04T19:57:00.002-08:002014-01-04T19:57:44.623-08:00January 4, 2014I roll the dice seemingly everyday. I've always had the gambling itch of sorts, I guess. You've seen it here on the blog, with me practically begging readers to place a bet on the Kentucky Derby, just for giggles. In a finance class, against the grain, frowned upon, and a move that probably should've cost me my degree, I told the professor I'd flip a coin to win or lose a grand. Perhaps it's taken me this long to realize I'm an adrenaline junkie and choose to get such rushes through the gamble. I wouldn't say I'm fearless, nor careless, because I'm very wary of such attributes and their existence in my thought process...so we'll stick with adrenaline junkie. Wait for the skydiving blog...just kidding, don't.<br />
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Why do I start a blog like this? Well, quite frankly, everything I choose to do entails a certain acceptance of risk. Now, Sloan Kettering of course will offer me anything in their arsenal to combat this disease, which of course is commendable. However, their arsenal is devoid of weapons that can get me into remission. On the other hand, they do have some things that can help the time I have left be of the best quality possible, such as radiating the bones that are showing activity in my spine in order to avoid, or at least delay, paralysis. Sounds great if you've accepted the ending they've written. I can't just yet.<br />
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So what am I doing? Well I'm going to do what makes sense to me, what I think will benefit me best. I think I've earned the right to be a little selfish when it comes to my medical care nowadays. As a result, I'm heading back to Mexico, getting some treatment there, then coming back and getting radiation to the spots showing activity on my latest PET scan. They delay of radiation is a bit of a risk, but one that I have to take. I have a tough time believing the treatment does nothing, given the reactions I've had after the fevers. I'll finally be able to get the full treatment down there, because in this time being home, my platelet numbers (and even my white blood cell count) have rebounded quite well. At least they're giving me the hope that I could possibly achieve a remission - and so, of course, this is my choice.<br />
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Here's to tamales, fevers, and good riddance to tumors. Viva Mexico!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11467518078443996815noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1509439571892854620.post-62135998063202083142013-12-26T09:58:00.000-08:002013-12-26T09:58:24.384-08:00December 26, 2013I am straight up spoiling you readers. Three posts in three days? Who is this guy? What has he done with Nick?<br />
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Figured I'd get the news out there before it starts circulating otherwise. Scans came back with new developments, which I expected and I think most should've expected. There was the camp praying for the Christmas miracle but realism takes over at a certain point in my mind and you have to realize the nature of the disease at hand. I have bony metastases in four locations: my once mighty right arm near the shoulder (you're right I guess it's still quite mighty), my left hip, one vertebra in the lumbar region (L2), and the most concerning is in one vertebra at the top of the spine in my neck. The reason the vertebra at the top of the spine is most concerning is due to its proximity to the spinal cord, which it is not yet endangering - but if untreated could potentially paralyze me.<br />
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Interestingly enough, during my time in Mexico and even after, I have felt twinges of discomfort in all of the spots mentioned that lit up on the PET scan. Even more interestingly, all of these spots' discomforts have gotten less painful/uncomfortable directly after a Coley's treatment. The only one of these spots that I currently have any discomfort in is my arm, which started acting up yesterday - I'l be interested to see how it feels after Coley's tonight.<br />
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The reason that I don't find these scans all that negative is because my last set of scans was on October 3rd. Since then, I have had one chemotherapy (in Mexico), and that was in late November or early December. That being said, I went for about 2 whole months without chemotherapy and now only have four spots. Who knows what it was like before I started Coley's, after my big reaction/border crossing adventure, or during the rest of my treatment down there. I think it would obviously be beneficial to get some more chemo under my belt down there, but let's see if it makes sense to radiate this little bugger in my neck before that becomes a nuisance to the rest of things, shall we?<br />
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Merry Day After Christmas everyone!! Until the next update...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11467518078443996815noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1509439571892854620.post-21976440858556046962013-12-25T06:53:00.001-08:002013-12-26T09:44:39.312-08:00December 25, 2013<br />
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It's Christmas in New York again everyone! Merry Christmas from the Modico Compound to you and yours, wherever you may be!<br />
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And of course, for your listening pleasure...<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/-Alnlvyd0QE" width="459"></iframe><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11467518078443996815noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1509439571892854620.post-87925986629655790522013-12-24T08:33:00.001-08:002013-12-24T08:33:36.684-08:00December 24, 2013Woof, haven't blogged in a week. Who writes a blog about his life with cancer and goes AWOL for a week?? Just keeping you on your toes people. Don't want you getting too comfortable in your computer chairs/desk chairs/couches/train seats(...this one was for you Janelle, because no one on God's green Earth gets comfortable in Metro North seats) while reading about my ventures south of the border.<br />
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Why no blog in a week? Well to be completely honest I've been mostly out and about, keeping busy and seeing the friends and family that I've kept in touch with and kept in touch with me while I was essentially practicing my Spanish and acting as a human pin cushion down there. Great times had by all, really. Also, given I was down there for five weeks, that means five weeks of no driving - perhaps my favorite activity as you well know. Needless to say I've been all over and back in this past week - and yes, it's officially pothole avoidance season.<br />
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Scans, scans, scans. Yeah yeah I'm sure you're all clamoring to know what they looked like on Friday. Hate to break it to you folks, but I'm not. Dooooooon't care. I told the docs down at Sloany Ketts to save any results until December 26th. Not about to have this all be the topic of conversation on Christmas. Plus, as far as my new treatment is concerned, this is a baseline scan to see what we're dealing with, not how it's going. If I could sum up how anxious I am about these scans, this is how I'd go about it: as they rolled me into the PET scan, you could see the machine start up and read "30:00" for thirty minutes to go. That's the last thing I remember until getting woken up by the technician saying, "Yo dude you're all done." Legitimately passed out so hard. Dooooooon't care.<br />
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What else is new in the life? Nada. Just living the dream here folks, the #ChemoDream. Hope you all have a wonderful holiday - to those who celebrate, Merry Christmas. Enjoy it!!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11467518078443996815noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1509439571892854620.post-81853760504140921312013-12-17T15:26:00.001-08:002013-12-17T15:26:18.096-08:00December 17, 2013So awkward signing in to Google in English. I'm all about google.mx nowadays.<br />
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He's back. Yes indeed after a decently arduous five week treatment, I'm back at the compound - and it feels so right. Please excuse my lack of blog post immediately after landing; if I could've I would've. Of course, I hit the ground running. Gotta get my Christmas shopping done, yanno?<br />
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Got my white blood cell booster shot last night. For whatever reason I've been getting really nice reactions from it - not super white blood cell numbers but fevers! Cranked out a 101.6 last night, just moving those fighter cells around like it's nobody's business. On Friday we'll find out how the platelets are looking, among other things. Although we won't find out exactly how they look that very day, scans are on Friday. Again, these are more of a baseline to see what we're dealing with - so not much ado about these results.<br />
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Another quick thing - as a result of this new treatment, I'm on a completely new diet. It's known as the Gerson diet, which has me nearly vegetarian, juicing, and consuming incredibly small amounts of sodium (salt) and sugar. The family is going to try to adhere to this diet, albeit a little more loosely, in order to make it a bit easier for me to assimilate. True solidarity. That being said, as much as we appreciate it always, PLEASE do not send any food to the house as it will just go to waste or force us to find others to pass it off to! The generosity shown by others throughout this entire experience has always been unreal and like I said we really do appreciate it!<br />
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If you wish to see me, good chance you'll see me around trying to find places I can potentially eat at...kinda like a mini-scavenger hunt of sorts if you're bored. Later everyone.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11467518078443996815noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1509439571892854620.post-89337777209157141112013-12-13T09:47:00.000-08:002013-12-13T09:47:48.846-08:00December 13, 2013Friday the 13th, and I haven't blogged in a while. I owe you guys one.<br />
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What's new with Nicky Mo? Lots to update since the last blog, so let's get started! The platelets were a paltry 67 on Monday. I was encouraged by this because they had gone up slightly (I think from 63) after I had weaned off steroids which were intended to help the platelet number go up. Couple that with starting up this platelet stimulator, and the number should go up, no? Well that was the plan. And all I do is execute plans with terrifying efficiency woooooooooooo. You thought I was about to drop some depressing nonsense on you but nopeeeeee; on Thursday morning, my platelets were 101, a 50% increase in merely 3 full days. Still a ways to go to be able to do chemo, but at least my bone marrow isn't totally fried yet.<br />
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Now everyone is probably wondering if I'm getting the reactions that we're all looking for with this treatment. For whatever reason, I haven't been getting the violent shaking, chills, and overly high fever (104ish). However, I have been getting delayed reactions...I'll be fine for like 4-6 hours and then I'll just start crushing a low grade fever, anywhere from 99-101 degrees. The whole point of the shot is to trigger the immune system into action, as evidenced by the fever...so the fact that I'm getting the fever eventually means the immune system is kicking into gear and doing its thing. In essence, somehow my body has found the "Goldilocks zone" of this treatment, so far: I don't get the violent reaction that is seemingly common, but I don't get zero reaction at all - it's a nice little spot in between.<br />
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Of course the weather is getting ridiculously nice out here as we're wrapping up this trip...first day at home and the high here is supposed to be 80. Of course. Wouldn't have it any other way though. Gimme that 20 degrees and face frozen off in 2 minutes...that's home. Later everyone.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11467518078443996815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1509439571892854620.post-67768550716903540762013-12-09T09:31:00.001-08:002013-12-09T09:31:53.604-08:00December 9, 2013Time for an update.<br />
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Platelets...no bueno. Just not cooperating. Just not being cool guys. Am I mad at them? Nah. Maybe just a bit disappointed. Sometimes you gotta play the guilt card with these platelet guys. Make 'em feel bad about their relative lack of effort. Letting the rest of the team down with their 50% hustle of sorts.<br />
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So what are we gonna do here? Well for one, start up a drug for some platelet stimulation (did on Saturday). Two, get off these steroids which are making me have a suppressed reaction from the Coley's. Looking to get that full shakes and fever woohoo! Three, see how one and two go. Viva!<br />
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What else is there to say about this Giants team? Time to lose out to get better draft picks, boys. Need to get that O-Line back in shape, pick up a wideout for when Nicks jumps ship, and look towards next year. Maybe it's time for Coughlin to hang 'em up. Definitely time for Fewell to hang 'em up. Later GMen; it was a really disheartening season.<br />
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It's about time to get home for the holidays. I'll be doing my best to make that happen in a timely fashion! Until next time, world.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11467518078443996815noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1509439571892854620.post-30416968541690320702013-12-05T09:25:00.000-08:002013-12-05T09:25:00.099-08:00December 5, 2013Early morning, December five...I woke up! I'm still aliiiiive. (This was set to the tune of "Pride (In the Name of Love) by U2 re: MLK...if you didn't know, now you do. You're soooo welcome.)<br />
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A very docile couple of days here at clinic, just making our way through treatment. Platelets don't want to cooperate, so we're still bumping those up, and we'll see if chemo is possible tomorrow or Saturday...but most likely won't happen until next week if you ask me. And I'm practically a licensed doctor now sooooo take it to the bank, baby.<br />
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What else is new? Nothing. As long as I reach my tamale quota for the day, coupled with some coffee and watching my San Diego weather ladies...for the forecasts, I'm a very happy camper. No doubt about it. Unbelievably, the high temperatures for New York and San Diego are the same today. On December 5th. New York. San Diego. How.<br />
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Also it appears they lit the tree in Rockefeller Center last night. Lost on me at this point. Certainly doesn't feel like the holidays here so I really can't get into it. Gonna be a highly condensed holiday season when I get back, but at least I'm getting that. Can't wait. Yet another thing to look forward to, like the flight home.<br />
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Until next update...later everyone.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11467518078443996815noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1509439571892854620.post-6381633194274290662013-12-02T20:32:00.002-08:002013-12-02T20:32:36.470-08:00December 2, 2013Nicky Mo, so hot right now. Nicky Mo.<br />
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Boys and girls, it finally happened. On Saturday, I cranked out the elusive fever we've all been looking for. That's right I did it. Act like you're shocked, I dare you.<br />
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That's part of the news fit to print. The other part of the news fit to print is that my blood numbers are too low for chemo this week; the numbers required to do chemo here are different than at Sloan. And get this...they're more conservative here. So back home, at good old Sloany Ketts (who I'm losing faith in by the minute), they'd be like yeah man let's go crank out some chemo it'll be fun!! Yet here they're more along the lines of "no way dude let's get your blood numbers better and help your body fight the disease". Weird...what a novel idea.<br />
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So I get hit up with the shot that produces a fever again tomorrow. Obviously having a fever isn't fun but hey if it's doing the job activating the immune system against these cells...do you think I care? Let's do it up.<br />
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Diet update: it's going okay. I've adopted the juicing well and am limiting the non-naturally occurring sugars and salts pretty well. It's a decent existence that I foresee lasting 13 of 14 days. Cheat day once ever two weeks. Love it. Need it. Gotta have it.<br />
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Viva Mexico. Until later folks.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11467518078443996815noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1509439571892854620.post-44708478766617113902013-11-29T09:02:00.002-08:002013-11-29T09:06:18.869-08:00November 29, 2013Time to write a power blog. I'm feeling it. Power blog city, population Nicky Mo.<br />
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Gotta start it off with a power picture no? Um, of course. This picture right here is slightly over two weeks old...location: US-Mexico border. Let's use this picture as a springboard towards confirming and dispelling some thoughts and rumors.<br />
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First: did I request to have my picture taken while transferring ambulances? CONFIRMED. There are certain times where you just know like dang dude I gotta be looking good right now. Quick, someone get a snap of this. Boom.<br />
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Second: is that a genuine smile? CONFIRMED. Though let's be real, at this point it was nearly 80 in the sun, I was rocking a nice fever, and my blood pressure was most likely in the 70/40 or 80/50 realm. They say I was very much aware of my surroundings, and though I was (only answered mom's birth year wrong...yeah I made her older, no regrets. Handle it Bigfoot), I was still in pretty rough shape. But let me ask you this: if you were (supposedly) stable but not getting too much better, how would you feel about bouncing across the border to a nice, big university hospital in the United States? Thought so.<br />
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Third: a while ago a friend on Facebook posted the status "the closer to death you are, the more alive you feel." DISPELLED. Literally no chance. This could not be more wrong if anyone tried. Take it from a guy who has been there not once, but twice. And if you need a near death experience to either A) feel alive or B) change your ways, you're doing it wrong. Big time.<br />
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That was a nice little segment, no? Great. Now on to Thanksgiving. We did in fact celebrate a little Thanksgiving here, and it was excellent. A little bird action, mashed potatoes, vegetables, stuffing, the works. First day in over a week and a half without a tamale...mixed feelings.<br />
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To all those who sent letters recently, you know who you are - here's a blog shout out. Thank you for taking the time out of your day to drop me a note. It was both unexpected and so much appreciated. The love and support goes a long way to getting us through the tough times and making strides toward the better times. We're getting there, together. Here's to a great holiday season.<br />
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Viva Mexico. Until later everyone.<br />
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***Update: I just wrote that blog post with a blood sugar of 46. If it makes no sense........sorry, still no regrets. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11467518078443996815noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1509439571892854620.post-81791570520580472822013-11-28T12:09:00.002-08:002013-11-28T12:09:39.496-08:00November 28, 2013Happy Thanksgiving everyone.<br />
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Viva Mexico!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11467518078443996815noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1509439571892854620.post-87892500370930959432013-11-26T17:55:00.002-08:002013-11-26T17:55:29.440-08:00November 26, 2013He lives.<br />
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So today was a big day. We did the immunotherapy at a very low dose via a shot to see if it could be tolerated (unlike getting it through the mediport which we think helped lead to the big episode) and it was. This is great news.<br />
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As a result, treatment can be continued and we can keep bumping up the dosage until we get the desired effect: the fever that lets us know we're stimulating the immune system response. The second piece of this was regenerating platelets to a level high enough to administer low-dose chemotherapy, which it appears we have.<br />
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Let's recap the 3 step plan: 1) boost the immune system - accomplished via shot on Monday. 2) trigger immune response - accomplished today via shot and slight reaction. 3) damage the malignant cells still lurking in the body - to be accomplished tomorrow via low-dose directed chemotherapy. Repetition of these three steps ensues to bury the disease and train the immune system to recognize the malignant cells as such. Set go.<br />
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The only bad news is about the Giants. And, well, is it really bad news? Really can't be dealing with their schtick for the rest of the year. They're just awful. Chalk this season up to a lost cause, I say. Terrible.<br />
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I'll try to update more often as we go along, but treatment should get tougher so we'll see how it goes. Until next time...#Andre44Heisman (let's go BC Eagles wooooooooo).Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11467518078443996815noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1509439571892854620.post-72862689448712569022013-11-22T16:38:00.000-08:002013-11-22T16:38:08.104-08:00November 22, 2013Sorry for the lack of updates everyone. No longer can we assume no news is good news given my most recent episode of border-hopping sepsis which was altogether joyous, believe me.<br />
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However, currently no news is good news. This has been a good recovery week from that whole extremely low blood pressure scene. Looking back on what happened, it seems that my system conducted a super purge of whatever was inside it - dead cells from radiation, platelets, the works. As I bounce back, I hope it to be stronger and ready to go for next week when I take on the full spectrum of treatment.<br />
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To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure that if I was in a poorer, more desperate physical state that I would've made it through the previous episode. The decision to come down here at this time may prove vital to success, which of course I plan on attaining. After this week of getting pumped up with vitamins and minerals, I'll get the immune system booster Monday, immuno kickstarter Tuesday, and low dose chemo to wound any underlying disease I have Wednesday. That's what I've got for now...looking to make good on it and carry it all out.<br />
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I'd be remiss if I didn't mention JFK today, namesake of my high school and American legend. Though I of course was not around for that day I can't help but draw the comparison to it being my parents' generation's version of my 9/11. You know exactly where you were when you heard what happened and it sticks with you to this day. I don't even remember what day is as diagnosed with this disease yet stuff like that, the shock and the tragedy, makes a dent on us. Powerful stuff.<br />
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Also on that note, I think it's been almost barely over one year since my diagnosis. Feels like shorter, no? A trying year without doubt...but hey look where we are now. Nicky Mo is a television star/globe trotting gallivanter, and you're reading his blog, so you must be doing something right.<br />
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Until the next update........go GMen. Later everyone.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11467518078443996815noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1509439571892854620.post-76054220419673157102013-11-17T20:17:00.001-08:002013-11-17T20:17:32.886-08:00November 17, 2013Alright let's get the gory details out of the way...because I know you all want to hear them. So juicy.<br />
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Let's review the quick hits I gave you last blog: Monday was no big deal because I just got vitamins and a shot to boost the white blood cell count and get the immune system up and running for the upcoming hit it would take, starting Tuesday. Tuesday I rolled into the clinic, knowing it would be a tough day. About 9 AM local time, I got the shot of the stuff right into the port.<br />
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Here's what we know will happen: the shot will first cause tremors, maybe a half hour after injection, then uncontrollable shaking, tapering after about a half hour, at which point the fever will take hold. The fever will last until about 2 o'clock and then you'll cool off and heat up a bit (aftershocks, if you will) well into the night. Blood pressure is expected to drop as the body fights the "infection", the dead bacteria that is injected to produce these reactions. The reaction (ramping up the immune system into action to fight all kinds of cells and most importantly the cancer cells) is what we need.<br />
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Here's what happened: tremors started 10 minutes after the shot, followed by uncontrollable shaking for a solid half hour. After that I was shot. Nausea, vomiting, no speaking, just bundled up in a ball. My blood pressure is low to begin with, and so clearly it didn't appreciate the extra hit down. I started to feel warm, looked outside, and saw white. That's it. Next thing I know, I'm coming out of it, with cold compresses on my head and stomach, still light-headed and somewhat confused. I'm told I hallucinated during the episode, which is cool I guess.<br />
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The decision was made to go to the hospital in Tijuana. Think back to the scene from The Godfather where Vito Corleone is in the hospital after getting shot while picking up oranges...just like that. No real machines, nothing. After spending, or should I say surviving, a night there, my blood pressure was still floundering after having cruised down to 60/30 at the clinic. I made the decision to bounce back across the border to recoup; I'm glad I did. We switched drugs to bump up blood pressure and regulate heart rate, which was high, and I made a comeback. Finally feeling just about normal today, and you know what that means.............I'm heading back tomorrow.<br />
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We'll make tweaks: less dosage, and not through the port. No need to send the body into shock again. All we need to do is illicit a bit of the response I got on Tuesday, not nearly the whole thing. So let's go ahead and do that. No more near death experiences would be coolish. Hope the next update is just as spectacular and not nearly as long - just wanted to take you all through the ride that was this past week.<br />
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To an uneventful week #2!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11467518078443996815noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1509439571892854620.post-91503871624285786412013-11-14T19:02:00.001-08:002013-11-14T19:02:45.599-08:00November 14, 2013So maybe I should've been a bit concerned about the medical aspect of things.<div>
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The first day went well, mainly because all I got was some vitamins and a little insulin guided therapy. The second day was a whole different story...whiting out, hallucinating, cranking out yet another 105 fever - the works. Spending a night in a Mexican hospital? Priceless! So severe sepsis or tumor lysis syndrome seems to be the case. Either way, the drugs were too much, too fast. Nothing like almost dying in Tijuana, just a great story.</div>
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Where does this leave me? Well currently in the ICU at UCSD Medical Center. Yeah I came back to the states because that was my go to move. Can't go for that, no can do. The treatment is so promising I have to give it another go, just don't know when. As much as I'd love to jump right back in, I know I've been brought a whole lot (my blood pressure has finally stabilized without meds), so I think I'll take some time off in (RAINY?) San Diego until Monday. Give it one more go next week, with a few tweaks, and hopefully we will be able to continue on this treatment. Get rid of this disease.</div>
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Until the next update world.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11467518078443996815noreply@blogger.com5