(Header is Chris and brother Mike)
Here we are again, now at Week Twenty-Nine and about three and a half months post surgery.
I’m feeling better, all things considered. Weight didn’t do much this week…got as high at 122.5 lbs, but finished the week at 121.0, down from last Friday’s 122.5 lbs.
Since my entry into the cancer world, I am finding out about more and more people who are struggling with this terrible disease/condition/whatever it is. A friend is going in for prostate surgery today….I talked to a buddy at Pedro last night and he told me of mutual acquaintance who has throat cancer. Brain cancer and pancreatic cancer is attacking other folks I know. Chemo, radiation, surgery, herbal solutions, we’re throwing the book at it, and it keeps attacking us, keeps coming back. Is it the food we eat, the water we drink, the air we breath? Why does it seem like so many people are getting cancer? I dunno….enough questions, I guess, no answers.
We saw the surgeon this past week. He said I’m looking great, doing great, keep up the good work, don’t worry about the weight….it’ll come back. I guess that makes me feel good, but I’d feel better with another 10 lbs under my belt….well, actually the 10 lbs should someplace besides under my belt.
I showed the surgeon a picture of the stomach and esophagus, and asked him how much of that he took out. First, he indicated that the tumor was at the bottom of the esophagus near the stomach. He said they took out about 20 to 30 percent of the stomach, and nearly all of the esophagus except for maybe the the last 4 to 6 inches at the top.
I then asked him if they actually put their hands through the opening they made between two ribs on my right side/back, or did they just use tools from outside. He said they got their hands through the opening, into my chest cavity, to work on attaching the reduced stomach to the shortened esophagus. My goodness.
Also saw the PT guy this week, and he gave me some more exercises to do. They are definitely helping….I am feeling stronger…just need to bulk up! Also played 6 holes of golf yesterday. Felt pretty good, hit the ball okay, but my core area was kinda sore later on that afternoon.
My meal routine got messed up yesterday, with the golf, followed immediately by a massage, then later on the Thursday night Pedro competition. I took a protein bar to Pedro and ate it after we finished. I got home about 10:30, into bed by 11 pm, and then my stomach started hurting…could not sleep, could not lie still, very painful. Made me think about going to Emergency, but I figured that would keep me up all night, and they wouldn’t find anything. Got up a couple times and went into the bathroom, and just sort of stood around trying to figure out what to do. Finally barfed a little tiny bit…a little clear liquid and maybe one or two bites worth of the protein bar. That was it. Laid down again, then thought maybe I should try some Pepto Bismal. Found an ancient bottle under the sink. Took some…..and all was well. That’s the second reaction I’ve had to the high protein bars. Maybe they’re not for me.
On that cheerful note, I’ll leave you all alone till next time.
Except for a poem in sympathy for the folks on the East Coast who have been suffering in the cold:
Cold Feet
So cold are the toes on these bleak winter morns
That feeling is gone and numb is the norm.
A squeeze and a rub and they’re still disconnected
I grip and I hold but no warmth is detected.
They’re cold and they’re stiff and they’re tingly to touch
And the soft woolen socks don’t help very much.
They are so far away that the blood doesn’t make it.
They are left without feeling, whether slippered or naked.
And so to the beanbag to be microwaved heated,
To wrap the toes tightly till the cold is defeated.
Once they are warm, and the blood to them flowing,
With comfort we shoe them, and get thee a-going.
When the days finally lengthen and the temperature rises,
My feet with rejoice with warm toes and blue sky-ses.
Thought you had stopped this blog.Glad you didn’t. Mash potatoes from Costco!