Kent Firefighter-Paramedic Battling Cancer

Please let me introduce myself: Don Beckett, 20-year Kent firefighter-paramedic.  I have a wife of 29 years, Heidi, whom I love and adore. I also have two children: daughter Christy, who is a nurse at Robinson Memorial Hospital and son Ryan, who is a senior at . 

On Dec. 15, 2010, I was diagnosed with esophageal cancer while having an EGD (scope) done down my esophagus. The surgeon conducting the procedure was quite upset, having not expected to find any problem — especially cancer! He began barking out orders to nurses and to me to get things done ASAP! Thus began my battle with cancer.

I continued to work at the at this time, and my wife and I tried to keep things normal at home. On Jan. 7, I started chemotherapy with two different drugs. These drugs are infused into your body by I.V. and make you very sick. The chemotherapy drugs "attack" fast growing cells such as cancer cells. The plan is to destroy these cells and then hopefully they will not grow back.  Unfortunately, the chemotherapy drugs also attack other fast-growing cells such as your white and red blood cells that help you fight infections. During this chemotherapy cycle, you are susceptible to illnesses and must stay clear of sick people. The weak period lasts about two weeks and then on week three I would get another treatment just like the first week. 

After three cycles of this chemotherapy, the oncologist (whom by the way is a great man!) told us that he believed I could benefit from radiation treatments.  He referred me to a radiation oncologist at Akron General Medical Center. This doctor took CT exams and other images and then determined after two weeks that she could not treat me. 

She was concerned that she would cause too much damage to my lungs and heart. She then referred me to a radiation oncologist at the Cleveland Clinic.  The Cleveland Clinic radiation physician told us that I was a difficult cause, but he felt obligated to treat me because I have cancer. He felt that even if we damaged my lungs and heart some, it would outweigh letting the cancer grow faster.  So I began radiation treatments at the Cleveland Clinic. 

This involved daily, Monday through Friday trips to the Cleveland Clinic for six weeks for a total 30 treatments. After this treatment series, by April 22,  I now had four chemotherapy cycles and 30 radiation treatments. We then had to wait 12 weeks for a new PET scan. With the PET scan, they inject a high glucose solution with radiactive tracer into you by IV. Then you wait one hour before the scan. The cancer cells "suck" up that glucose because they are fast-growing cells. So when you get the scan, it shows up in bright color where your cancer is in your entire body. 

I just got my results this week of my PET scan. The results were not very good.  The cancer has spread to my adrenal gland, aorta artery and lymph nodes in my upper chest near my clavicle. The only good news was the cancer tumor in my esophagus had shrunk some and the cancer in my lymph nodes near my stomach were clear. Radiation cannot be used on these areas and I must begin chemotherapy again as soon as possible.

In addition, three weeks ago, I started a new serious pain in my epigastric area that I rate a 7 to 8 on a scale of 1 to 10, and it goes to "10" when I try to eat. I also have not been able to eat and have lost 15 pounds in the past two weeks.  My oncologist started me on two narcotics for pain: Oxycontin and Percocet. These do help the pain, but they make you sleepy all the time and cause severe constipation. The oncologist has scheduled me for another EGD (scope) on July 26 to see if this is the cancer causing the pain or if I may have an ulcer area, perhaps a result of the radiation. 

I spent today typing my history of my battle with cancer. In future blogging, I would love to share with you my inspiring stories of how my family, friends, co-workers, and the community have lifted us up! I will also continue to relate my continued treatment and how I feel. My hope is to offer some education of cancer to those that may need it or want to know more. If this information helps one person, then it is all worth while!  Thanks!