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In Loving Memory of Chad Martinson UNSHAKEABLE FAITH Faith gives us an anchor in the raging sea, calm in the midst of chaos, vision to know right from wrong, and the courage to express it. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WHAT IS DSRCT? DSRCT is a malignancy first described in the literature by Dr. Rosai of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York in 1991.The malignancy most commonly occurs in young males of adolescent age and is characterized as a large intra-abdominal mass with no apparent origin first spreading to the peritoneal surfaces, then to the liver, lymph nodes and/or lungs. Since this lesion is normally not attached to an organ, it usually grows to a very large size and spreads to other parts of the body before the person experiences any ill effects of the disease. Typical symptoms include intestinal blockage, swelling and pain in the abdomen and/or fever. Since DSRCT is so rare, probably less than 200 cases reported, statistics are unreliable. It appears that approximately 3/4 of cases are male with an average age in the late teens or early twenties and that over 95% of the cases had tumors located in the abdomen/pelvic area. Early reports describe a dismal prognosis for DSRCT due to its aggressive behavior and general non-responsiveness to known treatments of similar malignancies. However, in the past several years, there have been treatments developed that show promising results with many patients experiencing complete remissions sustained for longer than two years. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chad's Treatment: June 2001-Carboplatin July- weekly treatments of Asperinoginase and Actinomyain and daily Hydroxyuea August- Methotrazate with Leucovorin rescue Sept 5th- Same as above Sept 24th- VAC Oct 30th- VAC Nov 26th- VAC Dec 31st- Surgery Jan 29th 2002- VAC Feb 19th- VAC March 22nd- Ifosimide April 5-8th- Harvest Cells April 16th- Stem Cell Transplant Days -8--6 Trietepa Days -5--2 Cytoxan May 8th-Day +14 -Home Aug 28th-Radiation 40 days total whole abd for 23 days Oct 21st- Localized Site of Previous tumor 17 days Nov. 21st Last Day Radiation. June 28th 2003- Cancer shows up on CT as 10-15 cm tumor and 50-100 nodes in Liver. July 15th- Irinotecan and Cisplatin July 21st- Irinotecan and Cisplatin August 25th- Irinotecan and Cisplatin September 10th- Irinotecan and Cisplatin Oct. 28th- Gemcitabine Nov. 20th- Velcade Nov. 24th- Velcade Nov. 28th- Velcade Dec. 2nd- Velcade Dec. 17th- Irinotecan and Oxaliplatin Dec.23rd- Hospice Begins- on Oxygen Level 15 Dec. 25th- Chad passes away at 11:05PM ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Journal
Wednesday, August 17, 2005 8:18 AM CDT Hello Everyone,
A month has past since my last update. Since then life has continued to go on. A new way of life has begun with the kid's and I. I want to echo what my Mom has posted in the guestbook. The past 4 yrs would not have been bearable or doable without all the prayers and well wishes from you all. I want to thank each and everyone of you for being there and following in our lives. I know it's the prayers you all have sent that has gotten us threw the rough days.
I will say that I feel odd posting about this "new life" on a website that was dedicated to Chad. And for that reason I do feel this would be a good time to close the webpage and say goodbye. You all have shared in something that will always be a part of the kid's and I's lives. I can't thank CaringBridge enough for giving me the opportunity to do that with you all. If you are ever looking for a way to honor Chad or making a donation of some sort in the future I ask that you think of Caring Bridge for that. There are so many pages out there(many DSRCT) patients that look to their websites for the support and comunication that I did for so long.
I again want to thank you all for everything you have done either spiritual, emotional, physical, or any other way you have been a help to the kid's and I in the past 4 yrs.
I again thank you all from the bottom of my heart,
Jen
Read Journal History
Links: www.dsrct.com A new site started by a fellow DSRCT patient. Great source of information http://www.dsrct.demon.co.uk/ Another great source of information ____ ____
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