Weekend Update - November 12
Veterans’ Day
Veterans’ Day was yesterday. The holiday was organized to honor all of those who served and those who died during the Great War. The Great War is now known as World War I. it was also know as “the war to end all wars”; so much for that noble idea. It was renamed following Word War II and now we commemorate all of those who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our country.
If you love and enjoy your freedom, be sure to thank a veteran.
Visitors
Since I have been more occupied with my recovery than tracking visitors, this list is or is highly likely to be inaccurate. Life happens; we deal with it as it comes along to us.
We had visitors from Canada [3], Germany {3}, Belgium, United Kingdom, Korea [3], Luxembourg, Singapore [4], Slovakia, France [2], Philippines, Japan [3], United Arab Emirates [2], Taiwan [3], Brazil, Australia [2], Spain, and China.
We also had a first time visitor from Brunei Darussalam.
I do appreciate all of you who take time out of your busy schedules to stop by and read what I’ve posted.
Weekend Bonus Feature – Mai Honsho
I know it is a little late for last weekend’s bonus feature and way too early for this coming weekend’s bonus feature. Since there is only time, now or today or tonight is as good a time as any for the Weekend Bonus Feature of Mai Honsho.
After today, there will only be three more weekend bonus features.
The Recovery – Part 4
My recovery is going to take much more time than I thought. I failed to realize just how major my surgery was in October. I thought I could be back to work and full of energy in a month or so.
Not very likely to happen that soon.
My surgeon made a six to seven inch / 15 to 18 centimeter long incision in my abdomen. She started just above my navel and went straight down. I never realized how important your abdominal muscles are until now. Then, she took out 10 to 12 inches / 25 to 30 centimeters of my colon – intestine. She said not to worry because I still have plenty of intestine left.
Comforting of her.
I am guessing that a lot of my weight loss came during the surgery with the intestine removal. I think the surgical team also cleaned out my intestines since my colostomy bag didn’t get very filled while I was at the hospital.
I did see the surgeon last week. She was pleased with my progress and recovery. I also got to have my twenty one staples removed from my abdomen. The technician who did the removal did a very good job because there was hardly any discomfort.
Doug was with me and we joked that I needed to get some tattoos for my new scar. Having served in the Marine Corps Reserve, I suggested that maybe I should get an Eagle, Globe, and Anchor or an Iwo Jima Memorial tattoo. Doug thought that I should get an Oakland Raiders; that was when I came to my senses and decided to put the tattoo question off until I finish my recovery which should be in the Second Half of 2008.
On Friday, I went to the Oncology Clinic at Harbor – UCLA Medical Center for my first appointment. Naturally, Doug went with me. Harbor – UCLA is a public hospital, operated by the County of Los Angeles. There are obvious advantages and disadvantages. Lower cost is the big advantage for me and it is close to my flat.
Then, there are the disadvantages. Since it is a public hospital, there is a great deal of “hurry up and wait.” We were there for almost seven hours of which no more than two hours at the most were spent with a medical professional.
My doctor is a resident from the UCLA School of Medicine and she is supervised by a staff oncologist from the hospital. She is very friendly and eager. This is good for me because assurance at a time like this is important for my recovery. Like every other doctor, she wanted to take a look at my scar. I’m not sure why she needed to see the scar since she was going to be concerned with fighting the cancer on the inside of my body. I said to go ahead and take look; there was no sense in declining her request. I don’t want to upset the doctor on the first visit.
My treatment does not currently call for radiation. I guess that is nice. I will be taking three prescriptions plus having chemotherapy infusions periodically. I will start my first drug therapy cycle on Tuesday of next week.
Last week, I was really tired. I was taking and enjoying and looking forward to an afternoon nap. I usually dozed for about two or three hours. This week, I have been able to go without a nap since Saturday. I think I have more energy now. I am also eating more. Most of my eating is an adventure in finding foods that I seem to be able to tolerate and keep down in my stomach. The best foods for me seem to ones with a high liquid content although I have no idea why. I did enjoy my Rice Krispies with fresh strawberries this morning.
Well, I started the first cycle today. I am taking Xeloda, a colon cancer drug. It comes in 500 mg tablets and I have to take three in the morning and three at night. That is a lot of Xeloda. I have to take the Xeloda for two weeks and then I am off the prescriptions until after I see the doctors again in early December. So far, I have no complications or adverse reactions from the first dose.
Doug
Doug stayed at my flat for most of last week. He has been very helpful in making sure I got the appointments on time and that I understood what the doctor was saying to me. He also did a great job of nagging me to eat my food. I can’t afford to lose much more weigh; I was down to 171 pounds / 78 kilograms on Monday. I haven’t weighted that much since I was in either high school or college and that was a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.
I finally nagged Doug into copying his photos of the Princess’ wedding onto to CDs for me. I knew that he had taken over 850 photos and I had expected that he would have done some editing and cutting of the photos. My expectations were misplaced. I now have to cut and edit the photos. I think I will be able to get the photo file down to a more manageable level over Thanksgiving weekend.
Doug is letting me live on my own this week. He will stay out behind the Orange Curtain until Sunday when he plans to come to my flat for a few days.
Vivian and Lisa
I am scheduled to have lunch with Vivian and Lisa on Sunday afternoon at our favorite restaurant. I think I am going to ask them to postpone the lunch for a while until I can figure out how my chemotherapy is going to affect my appetite and eating habits.
I am feeling good and positive about my future. I have some very good doctors and medial staff on my side. I know there is uncertainty and risk whenever cancer is involved. That was also most of my life from last week.
Be well and stay happy.
Veterans’ Day was yesterday. The holiday was organized to honor all of those who served and those who died during the Great War. The Great War is now known as World War I. it was also know as “the war to end all wars”; so much for that noble idea. It was renamed following Word War II and now we commemorate all of those who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our country.
If you love and enjoy your freedom, be sure to thank a veteran.
Visitors
Since I have been more occupied with my recovery than tracking visitors, this list is or is highly likely to be inaccurate. Life happens; we deal with it as it comes along to us.
We had visitors from Canada [3], Germany {3}, Belgium, United Kingdom, Korea [3], Luxembourg, Singapore [4], Slovakia, France [2], Philippines, Japan [3], United Arab Emirates [2], Taiwan [3], Brazil, Australia [2], Spain, and China.
We also had a first time visitor from Brunei Darussalam.
I do appreciate all of you who take time out of your busy schedules to stop by and read what I’ve posted.
Weekend Bonus Feature – Mai Honsho
I know it is a little late for last weekend’s bonus feature and way too early for this coming weekend’s bonus feature. Since there is only time, now or today or tonight is as good a time as any for the Weekend Bonus Feature of Mai Honsho.
After today, there will only be three more weekend bonus features.
The Recovery – Part 4
My recovery is going to take much more time than I thought. I failed to realize just how major my surgery was in October. I thought I could be back to work and full of energy in a month or so.
Not very likely to happen that soon.
My surgeon made a six to seven inch / 15 to 18 centimeter long incision in my abdomen. She started just above my navel and went straight down. I never realized how important your abdominal muscles are until now. Then, she took out 10 to 12 inches / 25 to 30 centimeters of my colon – intestine. She said not to worry because I still have plenty of intestine left.
Comforting of her.
I am guessing that a lot of my weight loss came during the surgery with the intestine removal. I think the surgical team also cleaned out my intestines since my colostomy bag didn’t get very filled while I was at the hospital.
I did see the surgeon last week. She was pleased with my progress and recovery. I also got to have my twenty one staples removed from my abdomen. The technician who did the removal did a very good job because there was hardly any discomfort.
Doug was with me and we joked that I needed to get some tattoos for my new scar. Having served in the Marine Corps Reserve, I suggested that maybe I should get an Eagle, Globe, and Anchor or an Iwo Jima Memorial tattoo. Doug thought that I should get an Oakland Raiders; that was when I came to my senses and decided to put the tattoo question off until I finish my recovery which should be in the Second Half of 2008.
On Friday, I went to the Oncology Clinic at Harbor – UCLA Medical Center for my first appointment. Naturally, Doug went with me. Harbor – UCLA is a public hospital, operated by the County of Los Angeles. There are obvious advantages and disadvantages. Lower cost is the big advantage for me and it is close to my flat.
Then, there are the disadvantages. Since it is a public hospital, there is a great deal of “hurry up and wait.” We were there for almost seven hours of which no more than two hours at the most were spent with a medical professional.
My doctor is a resident from the UCLA School of Medicine and she is supervised by a staff oncologist from the hospital. She is very friendly and eager. This is good for me because assurance at a time like this is important for my recovery. Like every other doctor, she wanted to take a look at my scar. I’m not sure why she needed to see the scar since she was going to be concerned with fighting the cancer on the inside of my body. I said to go ahead and take look; there was no sense in declining her request. I don’t want to upset the doctor on the first visit.
My treatment does not currently call for radiation. I guess that is nice. I will be taking three prescriptions plus having chemotherapy infusions periodically. I will start my first drug therapy cycle on Tuesday of next week.
Last week, I was really tired. I was taking and enjoying and looking forward to an afternoon nap. I usually dozed for about two or three hours. This week, I have been able to go without a nap since Saturday. I think I have more energy now. I am also eating more. Most of my eating is an adventure in finding foods that I seem to be able to tolerate and keep down in my stomach. The best foods for me seem to ones with a high liquid content although I have no idea why. I did enjoy my Rice Krispies with fresh strawberries this morning.
Well, I started the first cycle today. I am taking Xeloda, a colon cancer drug. It comes in 500 mg tablets and I have to take three in the morning and three at night. That is a lot of Xeloda. I have to take the Xeloda for two weeks and then I am off the prescriptions until after I see the doctors again in early December. So far, I have no complications or adverse reactions from the first dose.
Doug
Doug stayed at my flat for most of last week. He has been very helpful in making sure I got the appointments on time and that I understood what the doctor was saying to me. He also did a great job of nagging me to eat my food. I can’t afford to lose much more weigh; I was down to 171 pounds / 78 kilograms on Monday. I haven’t weighted that much since I was in either high school or college and that was a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.
I finally nagged Doug into copying his photos of the Princess’ wedding onto to CDs for me. I knew that he had taken over 850 photos and I had expected that he would have done some editing and cutting of the photos. My expectations were misplaced. I now have to cut and edit the photos. I think I will be able to get the photo file down to a more manageable level over Thanksgiving weekend.
Doug is letting me live on my own this week. He will stay out behind the Orange Curtain until Sunday when he plans to come to my flat for a few days.
Vivian and Lisa
I am scheduled to have lunch with Vivian and Lisa on Sunday afternoon at our favorite restaurant. I think I am going to ask them to postpone the lunch for a while until I can figure out how my chemotherapy is going to affect my appetite and eating habits.
I am feeling good and positive about my future. I have some very good doctors and medial staff on my side. I know there is uncertainty and risk whenever cancer is involved. That was also most of my life from last week.
Be well and stay happy.
posted by Chuck Reinhardt at 3:40 PM
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