Hello friends and family,
I hope this finds you all doing well.
Many things in life that we have not done in awhile and then return to can be “like riding a bike”. However, there is one thing I have found not to be true for me and that is eating again. On October 6th I had my Barium, (I think Barium that is Latin for liquid chalk), swallow test and passed with flying colors; therefore, I was able to drink and swallow water, juice and even a cup of Jello. It was absolutely glorious as you can imagine. The small Jello pack did make me full and yet very satisfied. Since then I slowly graduated to a variety of other things and some have even stayed down. There are still many thing I don’t attempt to eat but I am certainly pushing the envelope with more successes then failures (not fun though). I can only consume the volume of about my fist, maybe a little more I take small bites and chew a million times. Much of my stomach was removed and it is now the shape of a banana which starts a few inches below my collar bone. I am still utilizing my feeding tube and machine each night to maintain my weight but my sutures keep pulling through which is quite annoying. I am leaving now to go to my clinic to have two of them re-stitched.
Two weeks ago I had my first post-op chemo treatment which involved a 4hr drip and a take home pump for 48 hrs. It really kicked my ______ in any ways and made me very nervous to eat anything at all. I was pretty much out of commission for 10 days. Maria and I are getting married on Nov 15th and my next chemo treatment was scheduled for Nov 4th. I was extremely apprehensive with still so much to do and wanting to feel at least halfway descent for the wedding and honeymoon. I told my oncologist I wanted to postpone the treatment which I could not fathom having. He was very compassionate and totally appreciated our situation. At the same time explained that in the event there were any cancer cells floating around, (which we believe are all gone), that we would not want to wait several weeks without them being dealt with by the chemo. We worked out a compromise of only one of the 2 chemos which should only have a small portion of the side effects. As much as I didn’t want to do it or even have another needle stuck in me, I knew is was wisdom to continue and to do all we can to fight this so it doesn’t come back. I don’t want any should of’s or what if’s down the road.
So yesterday I got my 48hr portable chemo pump taken off and only a few times of nausea, Thank You Lord. I have plans to go go-carting this Saturday for my bachelor party. I may be just watching ????
Any of you guys want to go, let me know ?
The adventure is not quite over, chemo treatments may go through mid or end of January, but besides this whole cancer thing, life couldn’t be better.
Thanks for reading and God bless you and yours.
Faster that a speeding bullet right after surgery – enjoy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0iPkFVfqt8