We visited Dr. Tseng today.
He appeared astounded that I was eating 2000 calories a day by mouth and only taking in 500 through TPN. I suspect many people would take much more time to get to where I am. It is an advantage to be married to a former nutritionist.
He agreed it was time to take out the feeding tube. It is gone. I am tube free.
Unfortunately, when he removed the tube the juices from my gut leaked all over my pants. He tried to staunch the flow with absorbent pads. When that didn’t work he decided to let it drain into an old fashioned bed pan.
It was very classy.
When the flow stopped he decided to cauterize the wound. He took a branding iron that had been in a camp fire until it was heated to a red hot glow and pressed it to the wound.
Well that isn’t exactly what happened.
What really happened was he took this little stick that had some chemicals on it and touched it to the wound to cauterize it. It was pretty boring. The branding iron version made for a better story.
So now I have a hole in my stomach that should heal in a few days, but no tube. Yea.
Another encouraging thing he said was that the positive results of my first round of chemo was very very encouraging in terms of my long term survival. He’s said this before, but it was good hear it again.
So every year for the next five years I’ll get a CAT scan and an endoscopy to see if any cancer is detected. If there is no recurrence within three years the odds are I am cured.
Now that’s good news.
Wow-a bit more than I needed to know, but that is good news! I’m confident that the good news will continue to flow as you gradually feel better and better. Good to hear from you again.
Hugo
Good news! And not followed by bad news! I hope you’re feeling better as you eat, too. I was thinking about your comment of some weeks ago that the comfort of food is not just the smell, taste, texture, but also how your stomach feels after eating it. So I hope that’s going a whole lot better now. Thanks for the post!
A bit more than you need to know? Heck, I’ve got a bunch more graphic feeding tube stories. I’m just saving them for the next time we go out for dinner. Perhaps at a place that serves spaghetti.
Things are going better, though the improvement is very very slow. Having the feeding tube out is a huge step forward. I can not emphasize enough how annoying those suckers are.
It’s a date!
Hugo
Wonderful news. The doctors told Barbara to expect it to take a full year to recover from the effects of chemo. Since you had two goes at that…. Thanks for keeping everyone up to date through this blog so we weren’t pestering you at bad moments.
The blog really has worked out. An average of about twenty people visit it every day so we know people are finding it useful.
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I’ve heard before that it takes about a year to totally recover from the chemo. That’s Ok. If I can eat well and exercise again I can live with a little chemo fatigue.
RAH RAH SIS BOOM BAH AND HIP HIP HOORAY!!!! I KNEW you would get this good news on the 1st day of spring to boot!!! That gorgeous moon Saturday night smiled down at you too!!!
You had me going there with the branding iron, ouch ouch! I’m sure you will miss (not!) the bothersome stomach appendage! I’m sure Anne can jury-rig a hose if it feels weird without it…..!
SO happy to hear that you WILL BE a cancer survivor. Here’s another “sign”: I saw an article about Voodoo Donuts that I absolutely must come out and try!!!
“See” ya on f/b ’til then!! :)))))))
L & D
Yea! There is a light at the end of tunnel, I’m pretty sure you have wondered more than once if there really was a light or not. I can not even imagine what you and Anne have been through these past many months. Your blog site has been incredible, I am so glad you decided to use it as a way to keep us informed. Not only has it been good to follow your progress, it has certainly helped me put my life in perspective, at least once a day I tell myself “no whinning on the yacht” ~ no, we don’t have a yacht or even a boat but you know what I mean.
Good Job to both you and Anne!
Hooray, what good news today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
JOHN
I will not tell you my new joke as you might slip back into ill health.(uless you beg me by e mail)
We met with the substitute oncology doctor the other day. He also indicated my long term chances of survival were very good. He also said it wouldn’t hurt to cross my fingers, but those docs always like to hedge their bets.
You are probably concerned your email isn’t working because you have not received a message from me begging to hear your new joke. Your email is working fine.
Things are getting better though it is still a struggle to get enough calories to get through the day. We’re glad you like the web site. It seems to have worked out well for everyone.
So enough excuses Gary. When are you coming back to Harman Swim Center?
Good question. I’m not sure of the answer.
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I have an unhealed hole in my stomach from where the feeding tube was removed that looks a lot like a bullet hole. It is nothing compared to the dramatic slash Clarence has from when he got in a sword fight with Barack Obama. None-the-less, it’s probably not a good idea to swim with an open wound that could get infected.
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Tomorrow I am having the TPN tube removed, so that won’t be holding me back from swimming. However, my general fatigue and inability to take in sufficient calories for vigorous exercise are holding me back.
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So much for the lame excuses. Now for the real reason. John has been saving up jokes for ten months and has threatened to tell them to me all at once. Cancer didn’t scare me, but I am terrified of facing that.