The story so far: a skin cancer lump on my head started sending cells down the lymph system in early February. Really put the kibosh on my ability to concentrate, even though the pain the wasn't that bad. Checked into the hospital on February 20th and just today got my first treatment: an infusion of genuine Regeneron monoclonal antibodies.
Posting this image as the first time lapse to track if/how fast the swelling goes down.
Will I regain symmetry, or will I continue morphing into The Toxic Avenger?
I might need to invest in some tights, a pro quality mop, and a tutu...
Thank You, Regeneron
In these days where there's lots of people hating on pharmaceutical companies, a reminder that not all such companies are run by psychopaths. Regeneron provides the first year's worth for free for those under financial stress, and the amount of hoops I had jump to qualify were minimal.
Upon qualifying, they called me up eager to answer questions about their drug (Libtayo), and made me listen to the long list of potential side-effects. (Immunotherapy has the risk of triggering auto-immune problems, some potentially quite serious.) And they sent me this free swag bag:
which was pretty handy, as my swag bag from the 2000 Libertarian Party national convention is ripping apart at the top.
The bag contained assorted brochures, sunscreen, and a fuzzy yet silky blanket.
Ghost definitely approves of Regeneron brand blankets.
Light for a Reason
Yes, I am being a bit flippant, but that's because my cancer story is far less grim than most. I'm already getting old; I've lived an interesting life already. And immunotherapy is low in side effects for most people -- very different from conventional chemo. Alas, they don't have immunotherapy for all [most?] cancers yet.
Carl Milsted, Jr on Mar 29, 2025 8:24 PM
in response to
comment_188_1
Pretty good. Monoclonal antibodies are WAY less bad than chemo or radiation therapy. While there is the possibility of immunotherapy causing bad auto-immune problems, my oncologist has had excellent results with Libtayo.
Unfortunately, monoclonal antibody treatments are only available for a limited number of cancers. Squamous skin cancer is one of them, and after a month of tests (CAT scans, PET scan, and a needle biopsy of some lymph nodes) it has been verified that I only have squamous skin cancer -- albeit going migratory.
Chris Price on Apr 1, 2025 8:21 PM
in response to
comment_188_2
Prayers for you. Thank goodness for that. Was it caught relatively early?
Carl Milsted, Jr on Apr 2, 2025 11:11 AM
in response to
comment_188_3
The original tumor was festering for years as a rubbery lump on the head. The combination of COVID-19 shutting down the medical system followed by me being laid off and then dropping insurance caused delays.
First noticed lymph node swelling in early February.
Chris Price on Apr 19, 2025 7:06 PM
in response to
comment_188_4
Yeah, I've only seen a doctor once since Covid, and that was just a dermatologist. Losing the habit of annual checkups was just one of the many negative consequences of that whole debacle.
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