I instructed my team of Plumbers their work for the day , Then continued work I had begun Sitting on a bowl facing the wall while installing a Flushometer .I began feeling chest pain followed by shortness of breath and a slight blacking out . I stopped working thinking I was about to have a heart attack . My thoughts were to relax and go for a walk . I figured I was stressed and just needed to relax as I lit a Marlboro And went for a 15 min walk . I returned to work and the episode took place yet another time . I decided to leave and to head home . I called my x-wife at the time and told her I was taking taking the long Island Expressway to exit 58 N to my home incase something happened she knew my route . She reacted and then called my family . My family contacted me and instructed to go to the hospital .
St. Francis Hospital . I was being diagnosed for what I believed was a Heart Attack. Upon an overnight stay and being monitored they found no signs but stated I should cut down down foods with Caffeine that stimulate the heart .
Now it begins .As I was leaving the hospital the Radiologist approached me and brought to my attention that he is not a Dr. But sees something that doesn't belong in my chest area . Decided to further investigate , It was told to me that it was a growth or a mass . I located a Cardio-thoracic Surgeon for a Biopsy . He concluded forget the Biopsy lets remove it completely because it doesn't belong there.
He found a high carbon Monoxide level in my blood test and asked me if I smoked . I replied yes . He stated he was going to give me another blood test 5 days later and if it showed a major sign of carbon monoxide . He said he would be wasting his time to operate . If I didn't care about health by smoking . What was the point in operating and getting better. So my last cigarette I had in the parking lot of LIJ .
Surgery
Okay now I am in The Oncology Dept. at Long Island Jewish Hospital getting prepped for Surgery . Transported to the basement (I believe ) Operating room. It was incredibly well lit , Immaculately clean and brand new . There was endless computer electronic equipment .looked like I was being prepped t be launched into space . The climate was frigid , Incredibly cold and I was strapped to a very narrow Gurney with little feelers like on hair brush. It was very warm and comfortable . Having a few laughs and and conversation while about a Dozen Dr. and Tech with their specific duties are prepping away . They made sure I was more than comfortable even turned on the operating room radio for me and asked what was my choice of music . I was asked to countdown from 10 and by the time I said 10 I was out .
Recovery
I woke up in recovery to be greeted by my mom and my x-wife and some of my other family which I unclear to me . To my X-Wife credit I remember her saying the only positive thing in out marriage . "Why did this happen to him ? He is the last person on earth that deserves this " So as I was relocated to a room for about 3 day , I had endless tests which one being called a Nuclear medicine Pet scan .
For those of you unfamiliar with this test . Its basically a tech comes by with lead gloves and a Lead case with actual Nuclear medicine in a Syringe attachment and is injected into you . Unlike an MRI where an electromagnetic field is transmitted through you . This method the medicine in your system attaches itself to your cells and the energy is transmitted through you and a machine which rotates in a circular motion Receives the energy taking an image every 10 to 20 sec and the machine moves at a 1/4 inch at a time until a whole cycle is completed. One session is about 40 min ,I was going for about 5 sessions a time .
So at this point , It was concluded that the growth or mass outside my lungs and next to my heart was a Tumor and I was Diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma.
With that being said , The Team of Dr.'s met with me and I was given options for the type of treatment that I would be undergoing .
- Medically / Chemotherapy and Radiation Treatment Which proved to be effective scientifically
- Spiritually / Advanced religious instruction for acceptance and a possibility of the lord healing you .
- Holistically / Through Asian herbs and practices that have been effective to some known Sports figures .
- Positive thinking / Some believe by positive focus you can actually teach the good cells in your body to attack the bad cells and if you actually believe it it will happen .
Returned home
After the operation , I was out of work for approximately 3 months until My Sternum that was cut and wired shut had to heal and I need to learn to breathe since my lungs were punctured to prevent fluids leading to an ammonia . I was bored beyond understanding . I was unable to lift even my vinyl garage door. So anything excessive was off limits . I slowly recovered and was considered normal . Now being a smoker , My thoughts were hey , I can breathe now , Why not have a butt ? But Since I did want to stop and couldn't . i was like . Well I went this far why not try just a bit harder. Sure enough it was completely out of my system after 4 months and never a thought or urge again . I returned to work as light duty . I was doing take off 's drafting and estimates which was good for my career at the time anyways . So i went to work and took the time I needed off for treatments .
Treatment
So we begin the process , I was asked to lay on a table on my belly . I was given Numbing medication . 4 other men enter the room and prepare to hold me down. I was like WTF ? One takes out a manual drill .The type that you would hold stationary with one hand and crank in a clockwise motion with the other . Along with a 20 mm or Cm (cant remember) . The process was to core out a section of the spine at the tail bone . It took approximately 25 min to do this . I was awake and uncomfortable . No level of pain killer can prep you for this because your body knows that something is wrong and doesn't agree with it . It was extremely difficult to lay there and accept this somewhat barbaric method . Squirming as I had no choice Tech' fighting to hold me down . It was finally over . Now I can rest my mind . Until the Dr. Started okay we now have to begin the other side . Well when It was finally over . I understand this to be considered a "Spinal Tap" I believe this is to see if Cancer Cells are being produced in the spine . Then you have a real problem at least mine is Curable . Now I head to Consultation.
Consultation
As a team of Dr.'s met They thoughts were I should go ahead with Chemo Therapy and Radiation .So my next step is The Urologist for Cryogenic Freezing . Since I was married and they felt that if anything went wrong with the treatments at least I had a "Sample" incase I wanted to have children it was a last resort . Chemotherapy may break down the bad cells but will also affect many other things which I will go in detail later .So I go see Dr Bruce Gilbert Which is probably the most sought after person in this field since he designs these labs and teaches in many universities around the country . So with an exam that I can only describe as humiliating but necessary . The key word here being violation of many areas and I will leave it at that. Now I was told to leave a "sample" so I enter a well decorated very comfortable room with a TV,VCR and Magazines . He spoke with my X wife and asked if she wanted to assist me in the process and she walked out . So the fun begins . The choice of magazines were Sports illustrated ,GQ Etc and the videos were national Geographic and something with Martha Stewart of all people . Not sure about you or anyone else , I don't require too much but I think the thought of Martha Stewart Actually prolonged it . Well I left there with the lowest self esteem and total humiliation . But it was necessary.
Chemotherapy
Okay so now begins the treatment . Its very basic . Go there Lay down on a bed for about 3 hrs . I received 4 drugs through an intravenous . Not much to do there except read or watch TV .The program of choice was Jerry Springer . This session would take place once every 2 weeks for about 3 to 4 months . On the same day arriving home .The drug change some of your senses . Your taste, Anything that you eat on the first day taste nothing remotely close to what it should be . My sense of smell was heightened 10x . When I entered my home , I could smell something bad in the refrigerator . It also made me nauseous and extremely weak and tired .
Radiation Therapy
Continuing my treatment at Long Island Jewish Hospital I am being prepped for some Radiation Therapy . I knew nothing of what to expect from this . I was sitting what appeared to be a lab . A tech is about to make a product for the therapy . she shows me something that equivalent of a sheet of legal sized paper but slightly larger .It was a mesh , See through . She soaked it in water and places the lower part of it on my chin and stretches it over my head and tells me not to move for an allocated amount of time . She had just made a cast / brace of my Skull . Then spent another half hr injecting tattoo ink in targeted areas of my chest .So the following day , I begin my treatment . I am asked to lay on a table underneath what appears to be an xray machine . The Cast of my Skull/ Head was placed over my face as i was looking to the ceiling and the tech bolted it down to the table . I was like Holy Shit ! I couldn't even blink . Now being shirtless they shut down the lights completely in the room . Lasers like mission Impossible are aimed exactly at the tattooed marking at various points on my chest . The idea was to attack the root of the Tumor after it had been removed and to destroy those cells in that area and only in that area . They Shot me for about 10 seconds exactly . at the exact location every day . I did this for approximately 2 months to the best of my memory everyday except Sunday . Now on my final few days I had a tech different woman and she increased the radiation somewhat for an added measure . When all was said and done . My last day , I walked out of there not red sun burnt but purple . That is some serious shit radiation . You do not see it or feel it but one small change wow I was literally purple from my chest up .So later to find out a small section of my heart was damaged from it and I lost 15% lung capacity from the radiation . it roasted the top of my lungs .I lost the Majority of my hair and facial hair . it was bald for months including my face and took some time to grow .
On a more positive note The female tech was Young ,Pretty and Intelligent so it kept my mind off of the more negative . I was the youngest there at the time . 28 and I was surrounded by men in their 60's going for prostrate and colon related illness.
Now I can proudly say I am in remission . I am a survivor . I accepted it for whatever it was and there wasn't much I can do but put faith in the people that were trying to help me . The people who suffered were my family that had to see me go through this . i tried to remain in good spirits figuring if they would see me upset they would worry more so i tried to be happy most of the time .
Spiritually/Religiously I had a tough time understanding on how many years of Catholic school I went to where they constantly preach on how to live your life as a good person and I followed most of that through my life but then I had to question and say "This is what I get for being good ?" Thanks . Some say do not question religion it was merely a test .
Now I am 40 lb. heaver than I should be , I can breathe , taste and experience many things that were there before but didn't appreciate it . I have a few complications from the results of chemotherapy but its one battle at a time .
So as I recently learned of a person in my life that lost the battle , I wanted to give someone some hope .
To the remotely few women in my life I will simply tell them what they mean to me . For the woman who means so much to me she knows that I love her and I do use the word loosely .You live a day at a time and you never know what happens tomorrow . Sometimes people may never know how you feel about them so I make it my business to tell people what they mean to me and what place they have in my life . Some will say I am too honest or nice . I am simply thoughtful .I think and care about the people I love and want to love .
There is no end that I would go to for my family . My mother and father who were and continue to be diligently by my side everywhere I went and to this day they still goes out of her way to come stay with me at my visits .
My apologies for the poor grammar , Punctuation , Vocabulary and run on sentences and paragraphs .
Thank you for taking time to read my blog .
Jimmy Ciorra
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