Sunday, November 30, 2014

Waiting

Well, it's another wonderful Saturday night. I had Friday off, so I started putting up the Christmas lights and was able to get most of it done. I finished today and did the grocery shopping as well. Vicki worked on the inside and the whole place looks like a Christmas wonderland.

As is my wont, I made a fire tonight in the fire pit and had a couple of Whiskeys and a cigar while I enjoyed the light show.

Tomorrow we will take it easy.

Monday we get Vicki to EVDI  in the morning for a Sonogram and then see our family doctor in the afternoon.

Then we wait for the results for her and also wait to hear from my surgeon.

At some point we may both need surgery before the first of the year. 

I do not like waiting, but that's where we're at.

Wish us luck,

RT

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Thankful

I hope your Thanksgiving Day was as nice as mine. There are so many things for me to be thankful for this year. First, I am very thankful to be done with chemo and radiation. I am also very thankful to have my wife at my side these last 30 plus years. 

We have both grown to appreciate and love one another more and more as we have fought through our separate and combined travails. 

This last bout with my cancer has been tough, but so far not unbearable. 

So... today I am most thankful for still being alive and with Vicki.

Each day is precious. Today was a little more than most.

Happy Thanksgiving,

RT

Saturday, November 22, 2014

Tattoo

We had another wonderful Saturday with both us having the energy to do what we needed to get done. I did early Christmas shopping so I won't have to worry about being in the hospital and not having my shopping done.

I shopped for Vicki and then did the grocery shopping and Vicki cleaned the house. Both of us had medical appointments on Friday. Vicki had a CT scan and I had my tumor tattooed.

I should hear from my surgeon next week and possibly have surgery shortly after Thanksgiving. Hopefully Vicki's CT scan will tell us good news.

Tonight we had a fire in the fire pit and I had a couple of whiskeys and a cigar. Vicki made s'mores. I managed to get most of the s'mores in my mouth.

We are both looking forward to Thanksgiving  at our granddaughter's house this coming Thursday.

I  hope you and yours have a great Thanksgiving.

RT

Saturday, November 15, 2014

Now I know more

So....... I have a time this coming Friday for a FlexSigmoidoscopy. This will be a procedure that marks the tumor for the surgeon. Then I will hear from the surgeon on when he will do the surgery. Although my last CT/PET scan showed no active cancer cells, the only way to know for sure is cut out the tumor and biopsy it. That will allow the doctors to determine the staging of the cancer and if any more treatment is needed.

My wife thinks the surgery will be the week after Thanksgiving. I am not so sure, but I'll know by the following week I guess.

In the meantime I am eating as much as I can, working in the yard this weekend and enjoying a nice fire in our backyard fire pit and a whiskey and a cigar tonight. Tomorrow (Sunday) we'll sleep in and I'll do some more yard work if I have the energy. 

Monday we see Vicki's oncologist to get the results of her last MRI. We'll work the middle of the week, then I'll be off Thursday and Friday.

It feels good to be off chemo and getting my strength back. I am hopeful that the coming procedures and surgery will go as well as the rest of treatment has gone.

Wish me luck,

RT 

Sunday, November 9, 2014

Waiting

I met with both my  chemo oncologist and surgeon this last week. The news was good from the the chemo guy. They did not find any sign of cancer in my lastest CT/PET scan. The question now is when I will have surgery.

The surgeon wants to see exactly where the tumor is located. This may require another procedure where the gastro enterologists will tatoo the tumor from the inside allowing the surgeon to see the tatoo from the outside when he opens me up.

This may require another colonoscopy prior to surgery. I will find out more on Monday.

Still, I am feeling pretty good. We took a trip to Payson this weekend and had a great time. We left Ft. McDowell Casino with some of their money and spent it on a fabulous steak at Fargos in Payson. Then we played the slots at Matazal Casino till we were sleepy.

I hope to have many more weekends like this with Vicki  before my time is over.

RT
 

Sunday, November 2, 2014

Great Weekend So Far

I am posting on Saturday instead of Sunday because today was so good. I did some yard work, went on the roof to see if I could determine how a cricket got in our ceiling. No luck there, but I had the energy to do it and that's what important.

Later I went grocery  shopping. Bought steaks for dinner with our oldest daughter and then came home to find her already at our house. It was awesome. We grilled steaks, ate on our patio and sat with her and my wife around our firepit and talked. I cannot express how wonderful it was to spend time with her.

As a surprise for us she brought her little dog Sadie. It was a lot of fun having her and Sadie here. 

I even managed a couple of whiskeys and a cigar. 

Great Day and even better night.

I have hopes that things are getting back to normal for me, at least for a while.

I find out next week the results of my last Cat Scan and when my surgery will be scheduled. 

Wish me luck.

RT