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")