My weight on Friday, August 11th was 135.6 lbs. Weight today, August 18, is 140.2 lbs. HOLY COW. That’s pretty darn good, especially considering how crappy I felt all week. I may be crawling out of the doldrums.
We are heading up to Grants Pass today, not returning until next Tuesday (8/22), so if this is gonna get this posted, I better get at it.
We will be visiting with Scott and Heidi over the weekend, and viewing the eclipse on Monday. But we are not going to drive into the field of ‘totality’….it just sounds too mysterious: the sun blotted out, stars twinkling at mid-day, owls in trees, cars and people and opossums. Scary stuff….we’ll view it from Grants Pass.
The Solar Eclipse, August 21, 2017
Last week was not a good one. Tired most of the time, although Carol and I did get out for three or four morning walks. Throat too sore to take any food orally, felt ‘burby’ most of the time, and then bloated after downing two cans of Osmolite at each feeding.
Saw the radiation oncologist on Tuesday, and she was encouraging even though I didn’t feel great. She said I was probably at the ‘nadir’ and will be feeling better soon.
On Wednesday, we saw the chemo oncologist and told her I was a little light-headed when I got up off the couch or bed. Blood pressure was pretty low….90 over about 58. She had me come in for a saline drip yesterday, as she thought I was getting dehydrated. Feeling better today.
I’ve been taking the morphine four or five times a day, and it has helped with the pain/discomfort/whatever you call it. Have eschewed the milder .22 caliber med marj in favor of the howitzer-powered morph. And have seemed to successfully balance the solidifying effect of the morph with the loosening impact of the softeners.
And yesterday, I was able to consume a whole cup of tomato soup via normal eating procedures….first ‘non-peg’ intake in at least a week…..so that’s good!
Also yesterday, we headed out to the club to take our new golf cart for a spin from the cart shed to the pro shop….quite a wild ride, and then we had a brief photo-op to capture Carol and me, and my shaggy hair.
So, that’s about it from the cancer ward. We’re on the mend. Should be taking more in orally over next couple of weeks. PET scan ordered for week of Labor Day, then surgery probably Sept 20 or 21. Seven days in hospital, trading a stomach peg for an intestinal peg, then a few months of learning to eat again….slowly, and small bites (that will be tough, if any of you have ever watched me eat!).
Hello Chris,
You are utterly indomitable! It is a great relief to hear your progress, and to see the huge smile on your face. Continue to fatten up for the next leg of your journey. Thanks again for this blog. Just following along with you gives me strength, as you teach us all how to face adversity.
Your friend,
Don
A ride in a golf cart? You must be feeling a little better! Glad to hear this is the nadir, and the eclipse. We need a better picture of your shaggy hair. I’m sure you are enjoying getting out of town for a few days. Don’t get too wild and crazy, just a little wild and crazy 😉
love to all in Oregon, HA
Chris – you would have made a hellofa Marine! Keep marching!
Mr. G’s – we were happy to read that everything seems to be progressing in the right direction. Weight gain, tomato soup, feeling better, well balanced poos, etc. – all great. Keep it up! Enjoy the eclipse and the time with Scott and Heidi. Sounds like you will be reasonably close to totality but not completely in the dark. We will be around 70 percent and will be ready with our glasses to see what there is to see at 10:15 a.m. Hope to talk to you soon.
Lost cell phone five days ago so have not been able to tune into your progress. now on computer which I had forgotten about. Technology!!!!
Happy to see your full smiles. You both are amazing to me. I think id just lay on the couch in deep depression but you two show a very very positive attitude. I worked for years with formulas. Glad you are having a good dietitian to oversee your intake. Weird not eating orally huh? I is done though by many. Happy to know yours is only temporary. Love to you both. Love gudo so good to hear from you via BLOG
Good to hear that food is once again flowing through your esophagus. Your courage in all this is inspiring, and you have resurrected my faith in social media. I was at risk of becoming a terminal Luddite, but now I am committed to follow your blog to the bitter (hopefully, sweet) end. My grandmother used to tell me that, at St. Benedict’s Academy for Girls, back in the 1880s, the nuns made them chew each bite 100 times before swallowing it. You might want to adopt that as your eating mantra.
He Chris, Great news on the non peg intake. Just think of all the toothpicks you’ve saved! And congrats on getting through all that crap and gaining 5 lbs. Eclipse was wild near the Wind River. We’ll save stories and pics for later. In Glacier now. Not a day goes by without us all thinking good thoughts about you and Carol. Keep up the good work and we’ll see you soon. Jerry & Debbie