Come and gone

Good afternoon everyone,

Well he said with a large sigh, Christmas has come and gone for another year.  I had an enjoyable day.  All of Dolores's family were here, her three brothers and spouses along with son David and Gramma Brown.  Miltons's son and wife and 2 grandchildren were also here.  The turkey was home grown and it was a monster bird.  there was stuffing, yams, broccoli, mashed potatoes, ample gravy, jellied salads and a tossed green salad followed by pumpkin or blueberry pie with ice cream or whipped cream along with plates of  home made squares and cookies and after dinner chocolates.  What a feast.  I'm sure glad my appetite has returned and and my taste buds are working again.

We had  Christmas like weather light snow on and off all day with a temperature around 10 to 15 below zero Celsius.  I am wearing one of Gramma Brown's old hearing aides in my left ear and I certainly notice a difference in what I can hear.  I am sure the radiation affected my hearing along with all the other damage it did.  Along with his oncology training, Dr. Filatov is an eye, ear and throat specialist and when all of the swelling is gone, I will have him check my hearing and have him send in a request to my supplemental health care provider for authorization to have the hearing aids made specifically for me if required. 

I have been suffering from a bad cough for the past 3 or 4 days and the mucus problem has persisted.  A couple of nights ago (Dec. 23 and 24th) Dolores had to suction my trachea trying to clear a blockage which severely curtailed the amount of air I was able to breathe in.  The trachea/windpipe was blocked right near the end of the trachea tube.   On both occasions she injected a sterile  saline solution into my trachea tube which induced heavy coughing and the blockage was released.  It is scary when I realize that I can just barely get enough air into my lungs to stay conscious.  Of course, it's the panic that races through me that is the most debilitating reaction.  When this happens Dolores has me sit down and focus on my breathing and relax.  Usually I am able to regain control and we get on with the suctioning.  If that fails, we head for the hospital PDQ.

Yesterday and today I felt very good.  I slept poorly last night because of the coughing but, now that I'm upright I am  in control.  I missed Dolores yesterday as she had to work.  We open our gifts when she arrived home last night.  These 12 hour shifts that she work certainly cut down on the amount of time we have to spend together.

That's it for now.  I'll post more in a few days.

Love to all,

Rick aka Lumpy 

 

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Good evening everyone,

Well if you watch TV in Canada, from east to west and north to south you will know that it is cold in British Columbia and has been for a good number of days.  For those of you south of the 49th in the great US of A the temperatures here in Vanderhoof have been in the -30C range at night with day time highs in the (minus) mid to high teens Celsius.  Cold, cold, cold.  I have been confined to the indoors because of the cold.

After receiving the good news from Dr. Filatov last week that the CT Scan showed there are no signs of any lumps or bumps in my neck and throat area, I have been on a cloud floating high. My weight is holding steady at 178 lbs. and my appetite is good.  I am relatively pain free and other than the cough and the mucus in my lungs, I'm beginning to feel more and more like my old self.

I feel that it is too early to say the cancer is beaten for sure but, I am optimistic that I have it on the run and I do not expect any new cancer will come to light.  In January 2009 I will see Dr. Campbell, my new GP, and she will give me a full physical from top to bottom (if you get my drift).  Her reasoning is that all my Doctors visits during the last 11 and 1/2 months have been related to the cancer.  Now she wants to make sure that the rest of my systems are all on full go and that I'm healthy.

Once again I'll give you all my new address and phone number:

P.O. Box 27

Vanderhoof, B.C.

V0J 3A0

res:250-567-9516

e-mail:rdhoney@tlpg.com

Look for more new news in the coming week or so.

Rick 

Christmas comes early

Good morning everyone, least way it's still Saturday morning in British Columbia.  I saw Dr. Filatov in Prince George on Wednesday this week.  He examined me using his Endoscopy and I am becoming more accustomed to it.  The swelling inside my throat is still extreme but, it is marginally improved since my visit in October.  With respect to the swelling on the outside of my neck he felt this area and was unable to say what is causing it.  He suggested a CT Scan and he order one ASAP from Prince George Regional Hospital.  I came home feeling no better than before the appointment and was thinking that I have to wait 6 to 8 weeks to have the CT scan.  Next morning (Thurs. Dec. 11) PGRH called and asked if I could come in for the scan at 2:00 PM Friday afternoon.  Seems like they had a cancellation and I was slotted in.

Of course, we had a major snowfall Thursday evening and the roads were in poor winter condition.  We got to the hospital early, checked in and were prepared for a wait.  We no sooner sit down in the waiting room when the ex ray technician calls my name and in I go.  I get an IV installed and the procedure is done before I know it.  We went for a late lunch and then in to see Dr. Filatov.  He went on line and viewed the CT Scan.  He then called the hospital and was able to listen to the Radiologists report.  So, the good news is!  There are no lumps or bumps.  The swelling is caused by fluid/water and is radiation related.  Both Dolores and I were able to view the CT Scan on the screen as Dr. Filatov looked at it.  He explained to me what we were looking at and showed me where the swelling was.  Needless to say I'm greatly relieved at the results.  An early Christmas present for Dolores and I.

I am much more comfortable today with the knowledge that there is no new cancer evident and the swelling will eventually go away all by itself.  Now I can look forward to Christmas and enjoy the season.

I would like to take this time to wish each and everyone of you a very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

As I usually say I'll keep posting regularly.

Love to all,

Rick 

Up to my knees

Yoski everyone,


First things first, I'll feeling quite chipper these days and getting out more and more. The colder weather, is however, hell on my lungs. When I go outside, I my mouth and lungs dry out in a heart beat unless the end of the trachea tube is covered. Usually I try to cover it with my collar or do up my coat to the throat.


Yesterday I brought the wood into the house for the fireplace from the wood shed. It snowed during the night then turned warm and had started to rain. We received about 6" of new snow before it started to rain. I loaded the wheel barrow with wood and pushed/plowed it through the snow to the house. It turned out to be more than I was able to handle easily. I got really short of breath and by the time I got to the back door I was really gasping for air and feeling a little panicky because I couldn't get enough air into my lungs. I was unable to unload the wood right away and I had to sit down and rest until I got my breath back. I still have a long way to go before I'm back up to my former regular strength.


I've started my Xmas shopping. It is really hard finding what I need in such a small town (pop 4,000) with limited choices of stores. Dolores and I went to town yesterday and I was shopping for her. Not only are there fewer stores and a poorer selection, it was hard with her with me. Oh well I got one of her gifts and next Friday we're going to Prince George for the day and I'll finish everything then.


I see Dr. Filatov next Friday (Dec. 10) as well and I hope he'll be able to tell me why my neck above the trachea tube is so swollen. I think the trachea tube may be to long and if that's the case he'll put a shorter one in. I'm hoping that that is the problem. It might also be why I am coughing like I do.


I'm adjusting to farm life. It is really different. I don't get out very much and I'm learning how to entertain myself during the day time, especially when Dolores is working. I'm not able to do very much outside and there is not much to do during the day inside. I've started to repackage my coins and I think I'll sell some of my traders on the Ebay. That will give me something to do.


Well friends, I'm off.


Love to everyone,


Rick