Results Are In..

Swallow test indicates no leaks(actually the radiology guys told me, couldn't wait for my doctor to get back from lunch)..so looks like I'll start my liquid diet today!!

They have there plan and I have mine, both of which I consider conservative..

I have said more relating to my progression from this point, so for those of you that has missed my last post, please read it...and for all of you..thank you and god bless!

Ending Soon.

For those of you that know me really well.. you knew this wouldn't continue..


Well guess what.. after providing the results of my tests later today, I have decided to end this blog. Yes I may leave it live for awhile however once the results of the tests are reported I have completed what I have started.

I have never considered myself a cancer patient nor did I want to be view as one. If I continue along this path I may start to feel like a survivor which I also do not want.

I have experienced much in these past few months, but it is only a small part of a much more meaningful life and I do not want to dwell on the details nor do I want to continue reporting on something that may now be much less significant.

Yes I still may have a few issues relating to my recovery or my diet, but these no longer require daily posts or updates. We all have experiences, we all have issues and we have pain and discomfort. Continuing to report on mine only keeps me in the moment and not the future. The negative and not the positive.

I had chemo, I had radiation .. I had surgery and I have had cancer. Those are all in the past now and I choose to be moving forward.

For those that wish, you may call me or email me for updates at any time and I would love to hear from you.

So thank you all once again for your words, your thoughts, your compassion and your friendship. You have made my summer much more tolerable and my discomfort more bearable. I'll be back later to give you the positive results.

Coming Soon..

I couldn't even begin to tell you all the testing I have had since my stay but..most important is my swallow test tomorrow..

After the swallow test, a day or two on liquids than maybe soft liquids... and the two drains in my neck will be removed.

No real food for awhile but hey..been so long now since any real calories, I can wait..

Decided To..

.. stay for the swallow test.. had them move me to a suite! Well not actually but it is a semi private room with a wall separating the two beds.. and the rooms are much larger so I won that battle... smelly can suffer in his own oder..

Here We Go Again..Jevity 1.5

Yeah so they will never learn...after 6 days of absolutely no calories...plus 2 days of just liquid calories which adds up to nothing.. this evening they are starting me on 10cc's per hour of Jevity 1.5 tube feed..

OK...lets do the math here.. at 10cc's per hour thats 15 calories per hour..

A 10 hour hookup to the Tube feed will give me 150 calories.. less than a can of Coke..

Won't be able to eat until Thursday earliest.. think I'll be loosing weight again? Think I am out after the swallow test??

OK..Need Someone To Convince Me..

That I am not leaving very soon..

I've been lucky so far in that I have only had a roommate for one night of my stay since last Thursday.. much of that is luck and the other is the fact that I was in ICU and you always get a private bed..although not as nice..

Well all that changed last evening and I find myself pushed out into the visitor weighting area at 4:45 this morning.

Yes it seems much of the Thoracic Surgery department is at some conference and they will not be performing as many surgeries this week.. at least not today.

So this being a city hospital and now having some temporary beds in the Thoracic unit.. last night they decided to turn these open beds into ER beds.. so yes my first roomy was a gentleman that decided to fall off a ladder and bust something up. I'd know more but they lost me when his most critical desire was to take a dump in his bed with all the attendants helping. Yes they asked and he requested a nice crap right there in bed..

So after shuffling him around, cleaning his sheets, cleaning him off and I assume themselves also.. they decided he was done there as perhaps someone more critical could use his now warmed sheets..

And yes for those that are laughing.. I could not see but only hear(and smell) as our divider curtains separated me from my new found friend.

Next.. OH yes there is a next(the last was accomplished by 2:30)... was a heavy, gentle, but moaning man that seemed to have a digestive issue as he was throwing up blood. How do I know he's heavy you ask.. trust me one learns fast by the meds he's on.. the sound of his voice and the strain in those springs.. and the symptoms he claims.. Yeah you guessed it... lost my concentration again when one of the attendants asked about the sores on his skin and he claimed it was bed bugs.. and requested they help him with them also..

So I'm sitting here in a public weighting room.. jeans and sneakers on.. yeah that thought I was running.. OH and again for those wondering.. on the way past was a 300lb naked man with sores on his skin.. right again was I..

So I have some decisions to make today.. I'm still on IV.. still on the pain meds.. my oxygen levels are down from the lung stuff and I cannot eat..

But Exeter hospital is clean, Exeter hospital is close to home and Exeter hospital is qualified to handle the rest. Insurance is a concern and the transfer is in question so.. help me caus I think I'm gonna run..

Doing Great!

OK so I have told some of you how well I am doing and how great I have been feeling. Much better than I could have imagined. Especially since I am entering my 7th day of no food. That's right.. my pre-surgical diet started 2 Sundays ago with low fiber... and my pure liquid diet started last Tuesday and Wednesday.. and as of surgery day on.. I have had no liquids at all. Nothing..

So obviously is is starting to take its toll.. this is my fifth day of no food, no liquid.. nothing.. preceded by two days of liquids..

I believe J-Tube feeding will start tomorrow as they want my tube volume up by release.. here we go again.. been through this before...

OH and can you imagine.. yesterday(Sunday) I weighed 176lbs. And I believe I entered the hospital at a little over 160lbs. So I've gained about 15lbs of fluid.. All from my body holding IV fluids.

And tubes and such.. In addition to my j-tube(feeding), I now have 2 drain tubes in my neck and 1 in my side right lung... all 3 hooked up to a suction pump to pull fluids out.

Moving on to my catheter, yeah.. probably do not want to be thinking about that one..ugh..

OK now my heart.. I think I can count 10 electrodes connected to my chest and side torso.. all of which are connected to a 5lb portable monitor which I carry in the pocket of my johnny.

Moving on to my IV's..OH before I forget.. one of the neck drains goes down to be stomach and sucks up the acid and transports it into a portable suction device that I also pin onto my johnny.

Back to the IV's... two have been removed and the two remaining are for my no calorie IV fluid which provides fluid only and electrolytes.. and the other is for pain meds which I control and use.

Now on to my epidural.. initially used as part of my anesthesia.. now used as another form of pain control. It is located about mid shoulder and controls my pain neurologically where the other controls my muscular pain.. basically speaking.

Now both of these self controlled pain medications are to help mostly control my breathing.. based on the fact that they had to collapse my right lung to get at the operation site. Oh and my breathing will be some time before it is normal again.. and the more medication I administer, the less chance of pneumonia. OH and today I think I am finally off the oxygen.. first the breathing tube which is another story in itself and the absolute worst part of the whole experience, and now the nose tube.

So I am past the counting point of how many attachments there are, but every time I have to get up or go for my dreaded walk.. I can only think of an over decorated Christmas tree.. All the attachments.. resting on a walker with a nurse in tow to pull along all those machines..tubes hanging from everywhere. Or better yet.. anyone out there read Gulliver's Travels?? Think about the book tonight as you try to sleep..

OK so back to feeling great! Brushing my teeth.. bending over the sink is a task.. the nurse wants me doing it in a chair.. with a bottle of mouthwash and spit cup..

It's easier..actually preferable to my to lie in bed rather than to walk.. now those that know me would think just the opposite.. but with all my tubes and attachments.. it is just the opposite.

OK I'm going to stop here for now.. all of this is sounding way too negative which is not my intent..

Point is..this whole adventure could really suck or it can be very manageable. I choose very manageable so yes.. everything is great and it really is much easier than I could have imagined.. will keep you all posted..

Computer Down..

OK So I apologize to all that have emailed me as my computer at work is down.. Billy will reboot it Mon or Tuesday and I will get back to all..

This computer accesses my computer at work and I have so many email addresses going into the same account and I do not have the information here to reconfigure my POP's..

so I must wait to answer after Billy reboots.;; I do apologize and want to email so many people.. if I cannot resolve this by Tuesday I will set up yet another account.. thank you all and will be talking soon.. yes I am doing great but am very sore.. uncomfortable.. irritated and cannot wait to leave but looks like Thursday
will be the soonest.

Missing One..

He's Back..

Love my dad..will beout of ICU soon.. more to come..

OH...And Please??

I really do not know how to ask.. so I will be up front in asking that you all please wait.. I do know your intentions are good and I cannot thank you enough.. but if I am to recover as fast as I plan, and beat the doctors constraints.. than I must ask that I do not receive visitors while I am at the hospital.

I do know this sounds cold.. and that I am trying to be tough.. and that you all think I am trying to get through this on my own.. but I must ask that those that plan on visiting.. please.. PLEASE do not!!

I would really love to see you all, and I really do appreciate all that has been done for me. But I will be in pain and I will be exhausted. And my entire family will be with me treating me well for the weekend. And I NEED my rest as I have my own expectations.. and if I am to meet them than I need to rest.. need to sleep and need to eat so I can become strong again.

I am really serious and ask that you tell all that do not read this blog.

Love you all.. cannot thank you enough for all that you have done and the comfort you have given me. I have said it before and I will say it again. You have all stepped up.. done more than I could have ever imagined and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

My cell is 978-973-2732 and email is mchamp@fit-1.com

Will have them both with me and will gladly answer all as soon as I am able..

And for those of you that have read my blog.. tomorrow I am "Bouncing Back!!"

Thank You!!

All of you!! And sorry for all the calls I was not able to return.. my intentions were good but time was not on my side.. will catch up with all after surgery.. vacation is starting!!

Liquid Diet

OK this sucks..liquid diet for the next two days..ugh!!

Showing Off One last Time!!

Not too many days left to show off.. so here goes..

Go Figure..

Just when I'm starting to feel normal again I have to go in for surgery.. felt really good at basketball this AM.. wonder how many Sundays I'll be missing??

I say I'm showing up again by Halloween.. any betters out there??

Basketball Sunday!!

Last one for a few weeks.. going early so will have a full morning.. surgery this Thursday...