I am getting ready to check out of the hospital. I have called Nutri-Nazi to bring me a change of clothes and to bring the getaway car around front. The nurse took the IV out of my power port and is doing all the final steps to get me out of here. This is a delicate point. One false move on my part and I get slammed back in bed, needles shoved every whichaway into me and I get stuck with three or more additional days confinement in the hospital. That happened to me in New York. I was literally dressed and discharged and the hospital surgeon examined my wound and stitches and called Dr. Chabot and all of a sudden I was being prepped for surgery. The infection had eaten away some of the internal stitches. They went back in and undid all the stitches and scraped back to fresh bleeding tissues and sewed me back up with figures of eight stitches. At least that is what they wrote in their report. The next day I felt like I had been drugged and made to play four quarters of NFL football on offense and defense with no pads or helmet. It went bad from there. So now I get a little nervous at checkout time. I make sure all the paperwork is done correctly, the nurses are properly paid off and all contingencies are covered. When they ain't looking, I'll make my moves.
I thought about it all and noticed this irony of timing. Here it is almost Easter, the time of nature's rebirth, the time for telling of the Biblical story of Jesus rising from the dead and all. The parallel to my situation is not lost on me. I was 'dead' for a year and this season of Easter I am reborn with a new life. I am not Jesus Christ, and I am not a strange, kinky rabbit that lays chocolate eggs. I am just a guy who has made a life of being one tough stubborn SOB and I am born all over again this week so I am Celebrating Life Again.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
How I spent three weeks in New York with no money and no clothes
I am out of New York. We flew home March 17. I got home and went to bed and slept for 18 hours. I still had the post op infection. What I didn't have was a plan to get admitted to the hospital for follow on care. Finally on Friday I met with my primary care physician who set it up for Monday. I was to meet with another surgeon, the one who placed my power port last year. Got a plan.
Had a plan. Sunday the plan changed because the surgical incision got all full of pus. That is medically not good. Another day, another hospital. So I got admitted while they treat the infection. This hosptial is nice. Brand new, very efficient, way closer to home. The food is served by 'room service'. And it is excellent. I have a private room on the oncology floor which is the top floor. Yesterday I felt great, today I feel great. Today I am down to very little infection really visible, but they stuffed a bunch of absorbent gauze into the wound in hopes of drawing all the infection out or getting rid of it with the antibiotics. I'll probably go home tomorrow with a visiting nurse, antibiotics and great hopes of being done with all this soon.
Meanwhile I am in a sort of spa with a great view, nice accommodations, a room service menu to die for and feeling great. Nutri-Nazi stops by on her way to and from work and has breakfast and dinner with me for $10 a meal. So nice to be back in Texas, even if I am confined to a comfy room with a soft bed and great care. I'm just happy to be alive and have a future.
Had a plan. Sunday the plan changed because the surgical incision got all full of pus. That is medically not good. Another day, another hospital. So I got admitted while they treat the infection. This hosptial is nice. Brand new, very efficient, way closer to home. The food is served by 'room service'. And it is excellent. I have a private room on the oncology floor which is the top floor. Yesterday I felt great, today I feel great. Today I am down to very little infection really visible, but they stuffed a bunch of absorbent gauze into the wound in hopes of drawing all the infection out or getting rid of it with the antibiotics. I'll probably go home tomorrow with a visiting nurse, antibiotics and great hopes of being done with all this soon.
Meanwhile I am in a sort of spa with a great view, nice accommodations, a room service menu to die for and feeling great. Nutri-Nazi stops by on her way to and from work and has breakfast and dinner with me for $10 a meal. So nice to be back in Texas, even if I am confined to a comfy room with a soft bed and great care. I'm just happy to be alive and have a future.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Still in New York
Still reeling from the operation(s). I have lost another 20 pounds so I am a skinny 195 or so, with lose skin hanging from every fold. My appetite is good and I can finally enjoy some New York take out.
Nutri-Nazi and I took the subway over for an appointment with my doctor. It was grueling for me. I am very weak and I was spent by the time we got back. I felt like I was a bag of bones traveling on a roller coaster. My spine rubbed against the hard seat of the subway. I was too weak to sit up straight but when I did I felt much better. I had to lay down for a couple of hours when I got back, and take a pain killer. Doctor says the weakness will last for several weeks. I will endure that for the benefit of having a life to share with Nutri-Nazi going forward. Unitl this trip I was a terminal cancer patient. Not any more.
Good night for now. Off to bed at a very very slow pace. And please read the intro at the top of the page. Spread the URL around. If it saves one life beside mine it will be more than worth your effort.
Nutri-Nazi and I took the subway over for an appointment with my doctor. It was grueling for me. I am very weak and I was spent by the time we got back. I felt like I was a bag of bones traveling on a roller coaster. My spine rubbed against the hard seat of the subway. I was too weak to sit up straight but when I did I felt much better. I had to lay down for a couple of hours when I got back, and take a pain killer. Doctor says the weakness will last for several weeks. I will endure that for the benefit of having a life to share with Nutri-Nazi going forward. Unitl this trip I was a terminal cancer patient. Not any more.
Good night for now. Off to bed at a very very slow pace. And please read the intro at the top of the page. Spread the URL around. If it saves one life beside mine it will be more than worth your effort.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
New York New york!
Today I am in Hope Lodge, a wonderful place where cancer patients and caregivers can stay while they deal with the issues of their treatment far from home. It is run by the American Cancer Society. If any of my readers feel generaous, this is a good cause to donate to. This Hope Lodge has made a very significant different in my care and treatment.
Now, on to what my readers want to know. I am out of the hospital with a prognosis of no more cancer, no more treatments, no chemo, no radiation. They were able to remove all of the cancer and no follow up is necessary. From terminal cancer patient for 11 months to cancer survivor with no further treatment necessary in one operation. Actually one major and one minor operation, but who is quibblling? Death left me note a few days ago, he was disappointed when he left.
The hospital stay and what went on there will be described later on when I feel better and can type for a very long time. Just let it go at I learned and experienced an incredible amount while in the hiospital. I was in there for 10 days. An experience I would wish only on the most interpid explorer.
For you gory or mobid people out there I have a 14 inch scar forming across my chest just below my rib cage. They had to leave the incision open because of a minor infection that required removing all the staples and letting the wound slowly close on its own. It is quite the experience to see yourself laid open like that.
I expect I will be closing this blog in a while as the story has pretty much ended. I will be adding details about the end of my saga as my strength improves. I have quite a story about my hospital stay to add before I close this self indulgent story out.
For right now, just know that even when there is no hope left, event the best can still happen. I will return to Texas next week a new man, cancer free and looking to live a better life.
Now, on to what my readers want to know. I am out of the hospital with a prognosis of no more cancer, no more treatments, no chemo, no radiation. They were able to remove all of the cancer and no follow up is necessary. From terminal cancer patient for 11 months to cancer survivor with no further treatment necessary in one operation. Actually one major and one minor operation, but who is quibblling? Death left me note a few days ago, he was disappointed when he left.
The hospital stay and what went on there will be described later on when I feel better and can type for a very long time. Just let it go at I learned and experienced an incredible amount while in the hiospital. I was in there for 10 days. An experience I would wish only on the most interpid explorer.
For you gory or mobid people out there I have a 14 inch scar forming across my chest just below my rib cage. They had to leave the incision open because of a minor infection that required removing all the staples and letting the wound slowly close on its own. It is quite the experience to see yourself laid open like that.
I expect I will be closing this blog in a while as the story has pretty much ended. I will be adding details about the end of my saga as my strength improves. I have quite a story about my hospital stay to add before I close this self indulgent story out.
For right now, just know that even when there is no hope left, event the best can still happen. I will return to Texas next week a new man, cancer free and looking to live a better life.
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