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Yoski,

I had my appointment with Dr. Filatov yesterday morning at 11:00. He examined me and used his endoscopy and looked inside of my mouth and throat. The opening to my airway is still affected by the swelling of my epiglottis which is still extremely swollen. He went further with the scope looking for my vocal cords. The area surrounding the vocal cords is also extremely swollen and the opening to the vocal cords is as small as or smaller than the airway. He then looked through my Trachea Tube and the tube itself is clear of blockages as is the trachea itself. He has given me a clean bill of health.

The trouble I feel with the trachea tube not working is part of an entirely different set of circumstances. You may remember that I had a chest ex ray done last week when I was into the hospital in Vanderhoof. Well it seems that my lungs show the early signs of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. The ex rays show that my lungs are scarred as a result of smoking when I was younger. I stopped 21 years ago tomorrow but, the damage is still there. Both the radiologist who read the ex rays and Dr.Filatov do not think the COPD will get any worse but, it accounts for the shallowness of my breathing and the illusion that the trachea tube is not working as it should. In fact, Dr. Filatov says it is working just as it should. He gave me pointers on how to breathe more effectively and how to talk by blocking the end of the trachea tube with my finger. I now find it easier to talk and I do not get out of breath as I did so often since the tube was put in.

That's it for tonight, more on the move in a day or so.

Bye for now,

Rick aka Lumpy

The Countdown is on

Hi!

Moving day is tomorrow. We have made one minor change to our plans. We pick up the U-Haul rental Truck (a 14' 1 ton cube van) at 11:30 am rather than 9:00 am. Makes it easier to return the truck on Thursday here in Vanderhoof. Dolores is also concerned about unpacking the truck after dark here at the farm. Makes sense and it has been done. I have moved so many times that it has almost become common place except, I am in no condition to spearhead the work force. I am relegated to packing and watching. Dolores, David and Milton all have strong backs and very good work ethics. We'll be ok.

I see Dr. Filatov in the morning at 11:00 and I hope he can help me with the breathing problems I've experienced with the trachea tube and the excess of mucus. I'll report on the outcome of the visit later in the week.

I spoke with son Brock this afternoon and he always inspires me to be more than I am, especially with respect to my diet/tube food and my continual battle with my weight. Unlike most of you, I am trying to stem the loss of weight and start gaining it. I seemed to have bottomed out at 167 lbs. (I weighed a hefty 226 lbs. on April 8 th) and as of this moment I am on the plus side of 175 lbs. Thank-you Brock.

A short Post tonight. Be healthy and happy my friends and family.

Love,

Rick

P.S. If my brother Peter had had a trachea tube, he would have been a "Three Holed Pete".

Plugging along

Yoski everyone,

Wednesday this week is moving day when we move my stuff to the farm. It's going to be a big day. I hope I'm up for it. Last night I was a mess. I couldn't sleep as my breathing was ragged and rough and my throat was/is now swollen on the outside as well as the inside. I was concerned but, Dolores is working her 4 day rotation and really needs her sleep. I know, I know, I should have simply woken her and asked her to suction my trachea tube. She is very understanding and would not mind. It was 3:25 am before I was able to fall asleep. The night before last night was a completely different problem. I could not stop coughing so I spent all night in the living room. I think I slept 2 hours the entire night. Talk about being tired today!

I am unhappy with the trachea tube and how my body is accepting it. I called Dr. Filatov's office this morning and arranged to see him Wed. Nov. 29th at 11:00 am. Most times of any day, or night, I can not breathe through the Trachea tube as I should be able and lots of times I do not expel air through it either. Talk about weird!!!!!!!!!!

I sometimes wonder what will happen next. I get down in the dumps about how long it is taking to get over the damn radiation treatments. It's been almost 5 months since the last session on June 13th and I'm still very week and frail. I am constantly concerned re: my well being and my positive attitude is wearing thin. I'm glad to have Dolores to help me along the way because she knows what I've been through and what I'm likely going to face in the coming months. As she constantly reminds me, radiation kills the good cells as well as the cancer cells. The damage inside my mouth and throat from the treatments was considerable and only time can/will heal that damage. Sometimes the TIME it takes to heal seems unbearable to me.

My new personal info is:

Box 27
Vanderhoof, B.C.
V0J 3A0
res:250-567-9516
fax:250-567-2244
Additional info:
birth date: likely before yours
sex: sometimes
sign: go west
favorite author: Robert B. Parker
favorite musical instrument: piano/keyboards
favorite musical group: AC DC followed by Michael Buble
favorite day of the week: today, otherwise they're all the same
favorite contemporary unelected national politician: Elizabeth May
favorite contemporary elected national politician: Stephen Harper
favorite past national elected politician: Pierre Elliot Trudeau
favorite contemporary Provincial politician elected or unelected: none
favorite past Provincial politician: Bill Bennett Jr.
favorite contemporary US President: Ronald Regan
favorite multi national oil company: none
favorite Bank: none
favorite food: corned beef on rye (from Chapmans in Toronto, Bathurst and Lawrence location)
2nd most favorite food: grilled cheese sandwich c/w dill pickle and catsup
3rd most favorite food: BBQ'd beef ribs &/or BBQ'd baby back ribs (sorry Allan, no pre-boiling)
4th most favorite food: all those things I can't eat now

So long for now,

Rick

P.S.: Dolores suctioned my Trachea tube when she got up this morning and dislodged a giant "gubber" which was completely blocking the tube and accounted for my breathing difficulties. I'm feeling much better now.

H

The sound of rain on the Roof

Good evening everyone,

It's pouring rain here in Fort Fraser and the farm house has a metal roof. It is one of my favourite sounds. The sound of the rain on the roof. It is second only to the sound of the wind, late at night as you are going to sleep. Ho hum, enough of that!

I have recovered really well from my harrowing experiences earlier this week. The newly prescribed "Mucomyst" for the nebulizer is having a very positive effect and my breathing has pretty much returned to normal. I'm sure I don't have to tell you what good news that is to me.

On Tuesday (Oct. 21), I rented 527 Pilot Street to a Licensed Realtor and Property Manager. In consideration of her professional status with Pace Realty Ltd., we have been able to eliminate the 12% monthly Management fee and all of the other charges attendant to the usual Residential tenancy Agreement. I trust the new tenant and have known her mother, the owner of Pace Realty for years and years.

Next Wednesday (Oct. 29) I have rented a truck and David, Milton, Dolores and I will finish the move. I have decided to keep all of the remaining furniture but, since I sold the Living room furniture, there is very little in the way of big, heavy furniture. There is only the furnace/work room to pack up. That will be my job next week. All in all the move is going really well and I am pleased with everything to date in that regard.

Well, so long for now.

Love and hugs, where applicable,

Rick

Ups and downs

Good evening everybody,

This has been a very poor week for the Honeyman. I was released from Prince George Regional Hospital Tuesday October 14th and here it is Late Monday evening Oct. 20, 2008. These past six days tell me that nothing about Trachea Tubes can be taken for granted.

Starting from the moment I was released I knew that I was in for some tough sledding. I have had continual problems breathing and have had many very scary moments when I was struggling for air. Everything came to a head early this mornign at about 2:00 AM when I started to encounter very serious problems breathing. The trachea tube was blocked and no amount of suction would clear it. I became more and more agitated and more and more friegtened with my inability to draw good air.

Dolores gave me a shot of Hydromorph to try and get my nervous system to relax somewhat and when that didn't work she stuffed 2 Ativan tabs under my tongue and phoned the hospital. At 3:00 AM we were dashing into Vanderhoof with me somewhat more at ease, thanks to the Ativan, but just a heart beat away from the unholy terror of not being able to get enough oxigen into my lungs. The hospital staff were awaiting our arrival and no effort was sparred to unplug the blockage in the Trachea Tube. Finally a Mucomyst nebulizer was fed directly into my Trachea Tube and bam, bam I started to cough and spit up mucus both liquid and dried.

The good news was the Nebulizer cracked open the blockages in my lungs and allowed me to cough it out of my lungs. By 9:00 this morning as I was having a Chest Exray and my breathing was back to normal. I am now on a whole new series of meds and medications to avoid a repitition. We'll have to see how successful they will be.

Enough for now, I'll post later in the week.

Love to everyone,

Rick

On the street again

Good afternoon all,

I am free again. Its just after 3:00 PM Feb. 14th voting day. I've cast my ballot and wish Elizabeth May and her Green Party a huge success today.

I have a new Trachea Tube, same as the last one and just as annoying. Like any foreign object invading your body I am having some minor reactions. Excessive coughing, increased mucus and generally a worn down feeling.

I want to assure every one of you that I am fine and in good spirits. I will get better because of this procedure. It is designed to keep me breathing (and alive I might add) while the swelling in my Epiglottis, which is located above my voice box, recedes. Sorry D"Arcy I am too young to die and by so doing stop tormenting you.

I'll post again really soon. A big Thank-you to Kathy Honey for bringing you up to date during my stay at Prince George Regional Hospital.

Toodles,

Lumpity, lump, lump

P.S.: Late addition to this Post. Kathy Honey thinks Tubeman would be an appropriate moniker rather than Lumpy. D'Arcy Regan one of my school chums from Toronto thinks Holeyman would be more apropos. Any other comments?

Rick

Hi Everyone

Hi everyone Kathy here. Don't panic he is O.K. ...sorta. He had the new trach tube put in today and all went well. Except for the part where they want to keep him in the hospital for 5 days or so while he adjusts to the new tube. He apparently was not expecting to be staying in hospital but we all know what he can be like about that. Delores's attitude is duh he just had a new hole cut in his neck. He is in Prince George Regional hospital on the surgery ward. He has asked for me to fill you all in as things go until he is out and about. To the best of anyones knowledge this is a set back from the radiation and is not a renewal of the cancer. He will have to have the tube for quite some time until he is not in any danger of further swelling. So with the feeding tube and the trach tube I think we should start calling him tube man instead of lumpy :) I will keep you posted and hopefully he will tell you he is home, sooner than later. Bye.

Here we go again

Good afternoon to my friends and family,

My appointment with Dr. Filatov was moved forward from Oct. 8th to yesterday at 1:45. Milton also had his appointment moved up so we went in together. Good thing as it turned out.

I haven't seen Dr. Filatov since March and you all know what I've gone through since then. We chatted about this and that and out of the blue he asked me if I was having trouble breathing. I answered that I was with which he grabbed his scope (actually it's an endoscopy) and took a look inside my throat. I gave myself Reiki before he inserted the scope through my left nostril. I gagged a couple of times as manoeuvred scope through to the back of my mouth and throat but. The procedure was successful and it didn't bother me as it has before. We talked some more and he scoped me a second time but, this time he activated the camera. He then showed me what the inside of my throat looks like.

My epiglottis is so swollen he fears that any small agitation or infection, cold, flu or what ever would cause my throat to constrict completely thus shutting off my airway entirely and I would not survive such an episode. I am upset with this strange turn of events and do not look forward to the procedure or the discomfort of having a Trachea tube from 2 months to a year while the swelling goes subsides. The swelling is a direct result of the radiation treatments. Now I know why it has been so painful for me to eat, drink and swallow during these past few months.

So we now start another period of uncertainty and convalescence. I know that the Trachea tube is necessary and it would be fool hardy to think I could get by without it. I have come a long way since I was released from Surrey Memorial Hospital 3 1/2 months ago. My body has done a lot of healing and I am much stronger today than I was then. I hope that I will adjust to the Trachea Tube quickly and painlessly.

So long for now.

Love to everyone,

Rick (now known as "Breathless in Fort Fraser")