# Camping is prohibited



## heruide (Feb 12, 2008)

​I saw this sign recently and it was not at a Wal-Mart parking lot nor an Interstate rest area but while I was doing a 10 mile hike along the Brays Bayou in Houston, Texas. The sign resonated with me as the reason that got me into camping with an RV was also responsible for my doctors putting me under a camping prohibition. But I’m getting ahead of my self.

My journey started back in the spring of 2005 while I was on a trip from Cincinnati, Ohio to the Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, Black Hills, Bad Lands, Devil’s Tower, and Mt. Rushmore national parks/monuments. Back in those days, once a year I would throw my gear into my Jeep and head out solo as my DW thought that camping was staying at a time-share resort or a cruise ship. On that trip I made two discoveries. The first was a beautiful bright yellow PUP. That PUP was a Fleetwood Evolution 1 and was the answer to my search for a small off road camper (all the other off road campers I had looked at were nothing more than a tent on a tub with wheels but with a price tag of $10,000). The only issue was that the E1 was too heavy for my Wrangler. 

The second discover was a small lump on my neck. Two weeks later my surgeon broke the news to my family and I that the lump was cancerous. Now I should share that while I was in excellent health, my family had a history of cancer. My twin sister died from leukemia where we were 18, my mother died from liver cancer at 76 and my dad lived to be 94 but died from prostrate cancer. So in my case it was not IF I would have cancer but WHAT and WHEN would I get it. Well, it turned out I had Non-Hodgkin’s Defuse large cell lymphoma (Stage III). This is an aggressive type of cancer but very treatable. Two weeks later I had met my oncologist, gotten a second opinion and conformation with his treatment plan from Sloan Kettering and started my chemotherapy. I got six treatments of *CHOP* [cyclophosphamide (Neosar®), hydroxydaunomycin, vincristine (Oncovin®), prednisone] - three weeks apart. I was real fortunate since with the exception of losing my hair and some shortness of breath while exercising - I came through with flying colors and my cancer went into remission.

With the cancer behind me, I found that I had a different attitude to life in general. Yes I slowed down my hectic pace so I would have time to smell the roses as well as the manure. I had two grand daughters, whom became the center of my life. Finally, with the purchase of an H2 I now had a TV that could pull an Evolution PUP. By this time Fleetwood had added a shower/toilet and created the E2 which I bought. A year later I upgraded to the E3 with a slide out. Combine that with a four inch memory foam and my DW fell in love with camping… with one restriction. After a freezing anniversary camping trip in April, she refused to go camping before Mother’s day.

In the mean time my oncologist started seeing what he thought were false positives in my CT and PET scans. That continued for 18 months until the lymph nodes started to swell and a biopsy later show that the cancer was back but this time it was B-Cell Follicular Lymphoma - a slow growing but harder form to treat. This time I ended up going to MD Anderson Cancer Clinic, Houston for a second opinion. They are the best cancer clinic in the US and I was so impressed with the staff that I decided to get my treatment there. 

Treatment now included more chemotherapy with an autologous stem cell transplant - where stem cells were removed from my blood, stored and then transplanted back after chemotherapy. I set a new record (21 days) for getting out of the hospital after a transplant just in time to see the crystal ball at Times Square fall from my Houston apartment and not the hospital. 

Later in January 2008, I returned to Cincinnati with a bunch of restrictions including no fresh fruits or vegetables; no fresh flowers so I could only give my DW silk roses; and no international travel - which affected the two items left on my bucket list - take DW to Rome and see the Egyptian pyramids. However, the hardest prohibition was no camping - due to the potential exposure to bugs, fungi, bacteria, viruses which my immune system could not handle. But then I was cured so I could deal with some restrictions for a while.

Unfortunately, four months later I found another swollen lymph node in my right auxiliary otherwise known as my arm pit. A CT, PET and needle biopsy later I got confirmation that my autologous stem cell transplant did not work and now I needed to have an allogeneic stem cell transplant. Here I would get stem cells from a donor. The big question was “Is there a compatible donor?” and I was real lucky in that there were 139 potential matches in the bone marrow donor database.

So a donor has been identified and I’ve gone through four rounds of chemotherapy and am currently in Houston waiting to be admitted for the final chemotherapy, whole body radiation and then the transplant. The allogeneic transplant does have a risk of "graft-versus-host disease" but this can be treated with drugs that suppress the rejection reactions. 

My new goal is that I’ll be able to be camping next Mother’s day weekend… I had to cancel all my reservations for this year. I was frustrated that none of my favorite camp grounds would take reservations more than six months in advance. In the mean time I’ll satisfy my camping addiction by writing my blog and participating in several camping discussion groups.

And on that note I do want to take this opportunity to thank all my friends and fellow campers whom have express their best wishes and are keeping me in their thoughts and prayers. This is very meaningful and words can not really express my gratitude. It really gives me hope and strength for what I will have to endure over the next four months.

So think of me while you are camping and take care of yourself and your family.

Ruide


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## Guest (Aug 11, 2008)

Please take care of yourself -- and thanks for sharing your story. If a sense of humor has any leverage, you should do very well in the upcoming weeks. (Just read your previous post about the Furry Encounter -- very very funny!)

Hang in there.


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## happiestcamper (Mar 6, 2008)

In addition to the sense of humor, you have the other best medicine - a positive attitude. Keep us informed, and we'll keep you in our prayers.


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## fldawg (Jun 27, 2008)

Ruide,

Just wanted you to know you are in my thoughts and prayers. I have only been pop-up camping for five months and thanks to you and your blogs, it has been a most enjoyable experience. I have used so many of your mods, I can't go camping without thinking of you!! So, as I sit here, having one Red Stripe for you and one for me, I wish you a full recovery and many years of camping to come.


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## ctfortner (Nov 16, 2007)

Ruide, I am glad you shared this with us so we all can keep you in our thoughts. Please keep us posted on your progress, I know this will go well and you will be camping before you know it.


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## bud121156 (Jun 26, 2008)

Godspeed Ruide!


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## heruide (Feb 12, 2008)

Folks, Thanks very much for the compliments and words of support. It is real meaningful to know that there are so many of you that I've never met in person yet you are all pulling for me.

Thanks again and take care.

Ruide


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## cagemaja (Jun 21, 2008)

Hi Ruide. You are in our thoughts. Thanks for sharing your story.


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## mailfire99 (Nov 16, 2007)

Ruide, hang in there, we are all thinking about you.

I know from your pictures and blogs you have taken popup mods to a new level, and your very detailed documentation helps more people than you know. 

You are in all of our thoughts and prayers. We wish you the best and hope you have a speedy recovery.


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## liles1 (Jul 20, 2008)

Ruide,

Just got back to the real world and was sorry to hear about your latest battle. Hang in there and know that many people are thinking good thoughts for you. I know many of us owe you thanks for your great blog and information. I know I do. I am so happy that I found your blog and can't tell you how pleased I am with the E3.

Thanks again and wishing you a full recovery.

Liles


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## liles1 (Jul 20, 2008)

Ruide,

Just some pictures to show how much I appreciate your insight while I was making the decision on the new pu. I relied on your experience and I am so glad I did. Thanks again.


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## l2l (Jan 27, 2008)

Ruide I just saw this, I am sorry for the late response.
I see your Dad died of Prostate Cancer, did you know you have a 50&#37; HIGHER risk of getting it yourself now?
Keep up the good fight Cancer CAN BE BEATEN!!!!!!


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## amy0807 (Aug 13, 2008)

I had no idea until just today. You will be in my thoughts. My mother has had cancer twice and my stepfather was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer. Just seeing that you are able to keep your spirits up is wonderful. The mind has a powerful effect on the body. Hopefully, your treatment will be far enough behind you that we will be looking at your camping pics next Mother's Day!


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## heruide (Feb 12, 2008)

Folks,

Thanks again for all the wonderful words of encourage. 

Liles,

I so happy that you like the E3 and I just love your photographs. There are some others that have shared their camping pictures in other discussion groups and it helps me thru this non-camping period.

Amy, 

I'm so sorry to hear about your step father. Having gone through the same with my father I understand the concerns that you are having to deal with . Please let him know that he and your family are in my thoughts as he goes through the treatment.

Now I do have some news on my situation. Most of you know that I should actually have been in the hospital having undergone the transplant. Unfortunately, my previous stem cell donor is no longer available. This is after delaying the donation from the start of August, middle of the month and then to the end. So now my doctors are back at the drawing board and are trying to screen some new donors for me. I just heard yesterday that they found a new donor. 

In the mean time I'm undergoing blood test three times a week, one chemotherapy treatment per week and one transfusion of blood or platelets per week. I think that MD Anderson is doing a good job to save the folks of Houston from me donning a black cape and hitting the streets myself in search of blood









Thanks again for all the kind words.

Ruide


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## decamper (Aug 24, 2008)

Hi Ruide,

I hope you're feeling well today. I just want to say thank you for leading me here. I belong to several rv websites, but I have never posted on them. I finally got up my courage and posted here (welcome section) and after reading many posts and becoming familiar with many of the posters, I am starting to feel comforable. 

It's funny, but the people I work with just don't understand why I have such an enthusiasm for camping, I feel a bit of an oddball so I quit talking about it there. But here, I have found a lot of oddballs, just like me!LOL! So don't think I'm crazy when I say I feel a strange link to you, even though I don't know you. I still say it was God who made me push the button that led me to your blog and this website.

I will keep following your blog and pop in from time to time. So take care,

Nina


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## heruide (Feb 12, 2008)

Nina, Well I would like to say I'm doing fine today, but my grand daughter is sick and so I'm not doing well. She is suffering from the after effects of a viral infection and it will take some time for her to be back to her normal self.

I understand the apprehension from posting in some of the other RV fora. I've always said there is never a stupid question just stupid answers... and in some places folks can be very cruel to newbies. Of course that makes me wonder if they have forgotten that at one time they were newbies and did not have all the answers.

Anyway, I'm glad that you discovered this web site and feel welcomed among a family of fellow oddballs.

Take care and happy camping.

Ruide


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## glenn (Sep 11, 2008)

Hello Ruide I'm a newbie on this site. Also glad to find your blog. My wife and I just bought a 35 foot Sandpiper that we are going to park permanently at a c private campground near Pymatuning Lake on the Pa.-Ohio border. The campground is called Shangri-La by the Lake. Vivian and I had a small Coleman pop-up for seven years, and in 2006 we bought a large Viking. In the meantime, Viv and I had our arthritus get worse. Viv's fibromialga got worse I've Sleep Apnea for years.I've had to use a C-PAP machine for years. We made ud our mnds that no matter what, we are never going to give up camping. Some day you will be back to camping, and enjoying it. You have a lot of good times to look forward to. Good luck to you. I'll keep you in my prayers.


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## heruide (Feb 12, 2008)

Glenn, Welcome to the site and thanks for the kind words and prayers. I am impressed that with all the challenges that you and your wife have to face that you made the decision never to give up on camping. Way to go!

I view my current situation as a set back and it does make me appreciate camping even more.

Take care and thanks again.

Ruide


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