Irony Abounds. . .

Well, Campers. After an year of cancer, treatment, and slow recovery, I finally have hit a day where I feel absolutely miserable. And it has nothing to do with the disease, but is a wicked head cold.

I suppose it could be a lot worse!


Peace and love!!
Joe

Last Post of the Year. . .

Well, Campers, the year rapidly draws to a close with some good news.  My trip to Moffitt today was a good one as I have been cleared to start eating pureed foods again.  Elaine made my day by preparing some delicious mashed cauliflower like only she can do it.  And my recent tiredness is not due to thyroid problems or anything like that but most likely to the fact that I’ve been pushing myself to my limits with the holidays and all the company.  That’s a good kind of tired!!

 On a down note, Liz, Adrienne, Eric, and Amelia left today.  My son Joey went back to Atlanta on Sunday so the house is back to just Elaine and me.  I welcome the chance to rest but miss everyone already, especially my soon to be 5-month old granddaughter Amelia who certainly carved her own special corner in my heart.  (No offense meant to you older kids – I miss you all, too!) 

 I’ll be sleeping tomorrow night when the new year arrives, but we will be having some friends over for trivia night.  Party will end at 11 as Elaine has to go to work at 6:30 AM on New Year’s Day and I just can’t last that long!!

 As I’ve remarked on these pages many times, having cancer has been an amazing life changing event.  I’m slowly recovering though it will take time.  But, eventually, I will return to work for a while.  But there will be some things that will never be the same.  Eventually, I’ll be able to eat a wider variety of foods, but there may well be some things I will never be able to eat again.  My voice will probably never return to its pre-cancerous days.  My hearing is degraded and I will have to be tested for hearing aids.  And I’ll be treating the lymphedema in my neck for the foreseeable future, which means taping my neck and most likely sleeping with a compression mask.  But, I’m still lucky – I’m still here waking up on the green side of the grass.  And that, my friends, makes it all worthwhile.

 Happy New Year to one and all!!!

 Peace and love to all!!

Joe

 

 

A Christmas to Remember. . .

Well, Campers, this has largely been a year to forget for me, but it was redeemed by a Christmas to remember.  All of my children and grandchildren were in town (some still here!), so it was perfect.  I probably overdid the activity for my weakened state, but I have all of January to recover. . .

As far as that goes, recovery remains slow.  I have been off pain killers for 3 – 4 weeks now, so that is a good thing.  And the pain when I swallow is mostly gone.  The remaining problem is that my throat is still partially blocked with mucous and I still can’t eat anything solid.  I’ve been able to drink a couple of my boxes of Boost VHC, but after about two of them, my throat gets, for want of a better term, ‘gummy’, so I am still pretty much limited to eating through the feeding tube.   Sort of made Christmas time dinners very frustrating as I was surrounded by people eating all sorts of delicious things, but, as I’ve said before, I will NOT spend January dieting like the rest of you poor slobs!!!!

And, I am still beastly tired most of the time.  I have some appointments at Moffitt tomorrow, so maybe I can find out if this is normal of if I need something else checked out.   We shall see. . .

At this point, I’m putting my earliest return to work possibility as February.  Hopefully that will work, but, again, we shall see. . .

Here’s hoping all of you had a joyous holiday season, whichever you celebrate, and have a joyous and wonderful 2015!!!!


Peace and love to all!!
Joe

Forgot to Mention. . .

In my haste to get the update below out, I forgot to mention some really good news!!!


For the month of December, we have company to celebrate the season.  My daughters Liz (from Milwaukee) and Adrienne (from Hawaii), my son-in-law Eric, and my granddaughter Amelia will be staying with us for most of December!  That will definitely keep me busy and keep me from going down the rat hole.  And then my son Joey will be down from Atlanta later this month.  Add the fact the my daughter Kate and grandkids Jennifer and David are here year-round, I will have much to be thankful for as they are the prizes that make this life great!!


Peace and Love!!
Joe

Long Overdue.. .

OK, Campers.  This update is long, long overdue. . .   No excuses, just haven't gotten around to doing it.


For the most past, I'm doing good.  Every day is a little better than the one before, yet there is still a long way to recovery.  One thing I've learned that they don't tell you is that once you've finished treatment, you're not even half way to recovery.  Well, let me clarify - that is to say if you've undergone radiation and/or chemo with known side effects.  I have recently been told by one of Sarasota's leading radiation oncologists that the two ends of the digestive tract are the worst for side effects from radiation, hence, my woes at the input side are not a surprise, only that they are severe and I an taking an unusually long time to heal.  But, I am healing.  No real feel for my return to the working world, only that I'd like it to be in January.


Today brought a new turn.  I have begun Occupational Therapy for lymphedema, which is a result of the lymph nodes in my neck being fried and blocked/not functioning.  As a result, my neck is swollen, which contributes to some of my swallowing difficulties.  The therapy consists of massage and taping of the neck to kind of hold the lymph nodes open and to encourage them to get to work.  I'll go back tomorrow (Friday) and then every day next week and we'll see where that brings us.  I figure it can't hurt.


Other than that, I just keep on keeping on. . .


Peace and love!!
Joe

Been a While. . .

Well, Campers, it's been a while since I did an update. . .   I'm mostly on the upswing as the pain medications I'm taking are doing their thing on the head and neck pains.  My energy level is returning and I've gotten back to riding the stationary bike some and walking around the neighborhood a little. 


My neck is still swollen and I do have a sore throat, especially when I swallow, and those are still under investigation by the fine folks at Moffitt.  But yesterday, I did receive some news that put be into a momentary tailspin.  Now, at the support group meetings, there is always talk about the 'new normal' and how life will never be quite the same after you've been through cancer and its attendant treatment.  And, as in most cases, we believe it on an intellectual level, but figure it really only applies to the others and we, our own selves, will be one of those who miraculously bounce back to full health.


Well, I had my warning shot across the bow yesterday following some more swallowing tests.  Quick aside - I am totally on a liquid diet these days, consisting primarily of Boost VHC through the feeding tube, cut with some protein powder.  I can drink thickened water and can take small pills, but no solid foods whatsoever.  And, the down side, there is no timetable as to when that might change.  There is a distinct possibility that I may never again be able to eat anything that has any 'hardness' to it such as steak and potatoes.  As you might imagine, the words 'Why me' did echo through my mind for a while. 


But, as I thought about it more and as Elaine and I spoke throughout the day, the worst, though a possibility, is not the most likely, and my time in the short term will best be spent doing my swallowing exercises with a vengeance and elevate my normal to as near 'normal' normal as possible.  After all, living a long life in good health and being able to do the things I enjoy is far more important than being able to nosh on a pork chop. After all, I did spend 2 - 3 years as a vegetarian in my 40's and live just fine through that.


But then, this morning, I had the revelation that will make all the rest of you jealous.  I will be going into the Thanksgiving/Christmas Holiday Season knowing I will not have to worry about gaining weight, nor will I have to spend January dieting.  Is life good, or what??!!!!!!!!!!


Peace ad love to all!!
Joe

RELIEF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, Campers, I had my biopsy yesterday, and although the results are not yet 'official', Dr. Otto felt comfortable enough to pronounce the results as negative.


So, I remain cancer-free!!


As for what the swelling and neck pain are, we go back to the residual effects of radiation and the healing process.  The doctor says that I do have 'severe ulceration' of my tongue and that I'm just a slow healer.  Hey, someone has to fill out the ends of the bell curves.  There is still pain, and there still will be for a while longer, but somehow it's much more palatable as part of the cure than back to being part of the disease.


But these past few weeks did make me think about some to the topics raised at support group sessions, such as, if you had it to do over again, knowing what you do, would you elect to go through the treatment again.  And, for me, that answer did remain a resounding 'yes' throughout.  I truly love life and will do whatever is necessary to prolong it.


As for the immediate future, I still have no idea when I'll be physically ready to go back to work  As ling as there is some pain and I am taking oxycontin and morphine sulfite, I can't feel confident driving to Lakewood Ranch.  And, I still usually need a nap during the day.  Again, we shall see what we shall see!!


Peace and love to all!!
Joe