Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Ready for another round!
Today, I called the office of Dr. Francisco Rodriguez, who last week performed an axillary dissection of my right armpit area. The call was to tentatively schedule a follow-up to that procedure and also concern over swelling and tenderness in that particular area. I was told that the Dr. would see me later that same afternoon. After arriving at the office and a short wait I was visited by Dr. Rodriguez and greeted with the abysmal, "I have bad news or you". He went on to say that the pathologist report had come back only yesterday from the dissection and it showed that the cancer was now present in that area and that I should get a hold of Dr. Kukunoor as soon as possible. He did say he attempted to contact Dr. Kukunoor himself, but Dr. Kukunoor was on vacation. Needless to say I was somewhat at a loss as to what pertinent questions to ask, but Dr. Rodriguez basically said that surgery was not the answer due to the complexity of nerves, muscle and other tissues in the area but that I would require further treatment. He did not go into detail as to whether this would involve another round of chemo, radiation or both so I'm sure Dr. Kukunoor will discuss this with me when I meet with him in the near future. Aside from the tenderness and swelling in that area and I have no other pain except for my ongoing swallowing issues and I'm not sure if that is tied into this or not. So again, I will post more as things develop but this is where it stands right now!
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Busy Week
Well, this week was a very busy week as far as Dr. appointments and procedures were concerned. It started on Monday with a Barium Pill Swallow study that was conducted at 8:30 a.m. at the Scottsdale North Hospital. It was about a 20 minute procedure in which I was given Brium liquid to swallow followed by a Barium pill. A visual screen was placed where I as well as the Dr. could see where the two items went and it confirmed what I had been saying all along. The liquid Barium was going into my lungs and the pill went no further than the base of my tongue and stuck there. Attempts to move the pill along by drinking water failed and I ended up having to cough it back up. It was not that large of a pill!
Tuesday, I had an Axillary Dissection performed on my right armpit area to remove lymph nodes that had illuminated during my last two PetScans and were deemed metabolically active. This was done at Paradise Valley Hospital and I was there from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. mostly due to the prep work and tests that had to be done before the procedure and about two hours for the sedation to wear off. I'm still a little tender in that area but there is no major pain. I did go to work the following two days ignoring the instructions to give 24 hrs for the anethesia to wear off, and I regret not following the instructions as I suffered severe headaches and nauseau toward the end of my shift on the first day back. I did feel better the second day though.
Friday, at 6:00 a.m. again at Scottsdale North Hospital I had an Endoscopy and Dilatation of my esophagus by my GE Dr. Bradford Gelyzad. The dilatation was done not with the expandable Donut I had been told about previously, but rather with two tubes of different diameters that were inserted into my mouth and down my throat to expand the esophagus. I was coming out of the sedation during this procedure because I remember seeing the rust colored plastic/rubber hose and remeber the Dr. speaking to me, but I don't remember feeling anything at all. I had a bite block in my mouth, which was placed there for the Endoscopy and made insertion of the tube easy for the Dr. Swallowing later in the day was noticibly easier in that food would not get hung up at the top of the esophagus, but being that my tongue is still swollen, chewing and eating in general is still difficult and aspiration through the trach persists. I should have a follow-up with Dr. Gelyzad sometime with the next 10 to 14 days for a follow-up.
So aside from awaiting the Pathologists report on the Axillary Dissection and the follow-up with Dr. Gelyzad nothing else to report on at this time. Hopefully the swelling in my tongue will go away with time as all of this is being attributed to Radiation side effects, and I'll be able to return to a normal diet. Until then eating will continue to be a struggle and great discomfort but I know it is important in maintaining my overall well-being. The majority of my diet will probably continue to be of the liquid type for the short time being, until these side effects subside.
My next posting will probably be when I get the results back from the Pathologist.
Tuesday, I had an Axillary Dissection performed on my right armpit area to remove lymph nodes that had illuminated during my last two PetScans and were deemed metabolically active. This was done at Paradise Valley Hospital and I was there from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. mostly due to the prep work and tests that had to be done before the procedure and about two hours for the sedation to wear off. I'm still a little tender in that area but there is no major pain. I did go to work the following two days ignoring the instructions to give 24 hrs for the anethesia to wear off, and I regret not following the instructions as I suffered severe headaches and nauseau toward the end of my shift on the first day back. I did feel better the second day though.
Friday, at 6:00 a.m. again at Scottsdale North Hospital I had an Endoscopy and Dilatation of my esophagus by my GE Dr. Bradford Gelyzad. The dilatation was done not with the expandable Donut I had been told about previously, but rather with two tubes of different diameters that were inserted into my mouth and down my throat to expand the esophagus. I was coming out of the sedation during this procedure because I remember seeing the rust colored plastic/rubber hose and remeber the Dr. speaking to me, but I don't remember feeling anything at all. I had a bite block in my mouth, which was placed there for the Endoscopy and made insertion of the tube easy for the Dr. Swallowing later in the day was noticibly easier in that food would not get hung up at the top of the esophagus, but being that my tongue is still swollen, chewing and eating in general is still difficult and aspiration through the trach persists. I should have a follow-up with Dr. Gelyzad sometime with the next 10 to 14 days for a follow-up.
So aside from awaiting the Pathologists report on the Axillary Dissection and the follow-up with Dr. Gelyzad nothing else to report on at this time. Hopefully the swelling in my tongue will go away with time as all of this is being attributed to Radiation side effects, and I'll be able to return to a normal diet. Until then eating will continue to be a struggle and great discomfort but I know it is important in maintaining my overall well-being. The majority of my diet will probably continue to be of the liquid type for the short time being, until these side effects subside.
My next posting will probably be when I get the results back from the Pathologist.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
PetScan Follow-up
Well, this past Monday I went for my quarterly PetScan, and all went well as this is usually a routine procedure. My blood sugar tested normal, it has to be in order for the injection they give you to do it's job and I was there for about an hour and a hlf.
On Friday, I had a follow-up to the PetScan with my Arizona Oncologist Dr. Kukunoor. Dr. Kukunoor said that the PetScan was an overall good report with no signs of any activity in the neck and throat area, however there was concern over an area of illumination in my right armpit area. This was seen in the last PetScan but was deemed insignificant at that time, due to its minimal size. The most recent PetScan now showed this illumination to have more than doubled in size and also changed its shape which concerned Dr. Kukunoor. A physical examination of the area also revealed a firmness in the tissue that was not consistent with that on my left side. Dr. Kukunoor told me that the illumination is measured by what he called an SUV (I can't remember what it stands for) but that it went from a 2.9 reading to a now current 7.0. Dr. Kukunoor said he wanted to have the tissue biopsied to determine for sure what it is. He set me up with a surgeon, Dr. Francisco Rodriguez, with whom I will meet this coming Thursday Sept 4th for a consultation to explain my options and answer any questions I might have. Then a date will be set for the biopsy. Dr. Kukunoor, as is his usual protocol, wants this done very quickly, and he set up a tentative follow-up appointment to see me on September 29, which could get moved up depending on the test results from the pathologist on the biopsy. Be sure and stay tuned!
I also discussed with Dr. Kukunoor my recent degradation in my ability to swallow, both solids and liquids. Over the past month to a month and a half I have had a steady decline in the ease in which I am able to swallow with most food getting caught at the top of my esophagus and my having to cough it back up in order to get it down. I knew it was a problem last month when I was back home and my Dad, a notorious slow eater was finishing his meals before me! That was telltale sign for sure! Dr. Kukunoor said the swelling could be occuring due to the radiation, to which I was somewhat puzzeled, being that radiation eneded over eight months ago. Dr. Kukunoor assured me this was not unusual, and he again placed an order for me to see a gastroenterologist, so that I can have my esophagus examined to determine if in fact it is closing up. If that is the case then a procedure that Dr. Straka had talked to me about months ago would probably take place. This would involve the insertion of an expandable donut being inserted into the esophagus and expanding the donut to stretch out the scar tissue to open up the passageway. I will probably be contacted early next week by the Gastroenterologist to schedule an appointment.
So things are still not all settled and the upcoming weeks should be interesting to say the least. I will contiue to post updates as I receive results.
On Friday, I had a follow-up to the PetScan with my Arizona Oncologist Dr. Kukunoor. Dr. Kukunoor said that the PetScan was an overall good report with no signs of any activity in the neck and throat area, however there was concern over an area of illumination in my right armpit area. This was seen in the last PetScan but was deemed insignificant at that time, due to its minimal size. The most recent PetScan now showed this illumination to have more than doubled in size and also changed its shape which concerned Dr. Kukunoor. A physical examination of the area also revealed a firmness in the tissue that was not consistent with that on my left side. Dr. Kukunoor told me that the illumination is measured by what he called an SUV (I can't remember what it stands for) but that it went from a 2.9 reading to a now current 7.0. Dr. Kukunoor said he wanted to have the tissue biopsied to determine for sure what it is. He set me up with a surgeon, Dr. Francisco Rodriguez, with whom I will meet this coming Thursday Sept 4th for a consultation to explain my options and answer any questions I might have. Then a date will be set for the biopsy. Dr. Kukunoor, as is his usual protocol, wants this done very quickly, and he set up a tentative follow-up appointment to see me on September 29, which could get moved up depending on the test results from the pathologist on the biopsy. Be sure and stay tuned!
I also discussed with Dr. Kukunoor my recent degradation in my ability to swallow, both solids and liquids. Over the past month to a month and a half I have had a steady decline in the ease in which I am able to swallow with most food getting caught at the top of my esophagus and my having to cough it back up in order to get it down. I knew it was a problem last month when I was back home and my Dad, a notorious slow eater was finishing his meals before me! That was telltale sign for sure! Dr. Kukunoor said the swelling could be occuring due to the radiation, to which I was somewhat puzzeled, being that radiation eneded over eight months ago. Dr. Kukunoor assured me this was not unusual, and he again placed an order for me to see a gastroenterologist, so that I can have my esophagus examined to determine if in fact it is closing up. If that is the case then a procedure that Dr. Straka had talked to me about months ago would probably take place. This would involve the insertion of an expandable donut being inserted into the esophagus and expanding the donut to stretch out the scar tissue to open up the passageway. I will probably be contacted early next week by the Gastroenterologist to schedule an appointment.
So things are still not all settled and the upcoming weeks should be interesting to say the least. I will contiue to post updates as I receive results.
Friday, August 22, 2008
The Latest
Well, having returned from a fabulous vacation back in Pittsburgh from August 5th through August 20th and seeing both my dentist and ENT Dr. Straka, here is the latest update.
My dentist appointement with Dr. Edward J. Dengel went fine, with no signs of cavities and or decay of any kind. This is important as my condition of "Dry Mouth" can promote bacteria and cause numerous problems if not taken care of daily. This include flossing, cleansing with a water pik and the ususal brushing of the teeth, gums and tongue. X-rays also showed no signs of any imminent problems.
My appointment with Dr. Straka was routine as well, with the exception of my describing to Dr. Straka how swallowing for me has become more difficult over the last several weeks. Dr. Straka did reduce my trach tube once again from a #6 to a #4 but recommended we leave this one in for a period of one to two years, mostly as a safeguard to keep an airway open in the event of some unforseen swelling such as I'm experiencing right now. Although this swelling does not affect my breathing at this time. Dr. Straka did order a Barium swallow study and it was determined that some foods particularly liquids are going in to my windpipe but no explanation was given as to why except that the little flap of skin that is supposed to prevent this is weak and not doing its job to a 100%. The speech therapists who were present during the swallow study had no recommendations for exercises, only to eat a diet of softer foods and thicker liquids to help prevent the foods from going down the wrong tubes. They also querried me as to whether or not I had had a recent cold or if any other changes had occured in my lifestle. I told them of my recent change to the South Beach Diet to try and improve my eating habits and also of a liquid supplement that my Master Herbalist Mary Phoenik had recommended I take that aids in celluar reconstruction. That supplement consists of juice from the Mangosteen fruit and it has yet to be determined if my swelling in the throat can be attributed to that or not.
This coming Monday I go for a PetScan and will review the results of that with Dr. Kukunoor on Friday the 29th of August. I will speak to him about my swallowing issues as well and see what he has to say about that.
My vacation home could not have been better, the weather was fall like and we did not turn the air conditioner on once the whole time I was home. Dad and I played a few rounds of golf in order to tune up for the Polish Falcons Golf Tournament and I shot 4 consistent 9 hole rounds of 46-46-46-42, and struck the ball better than I ever have. Following the tournament I shot a 39-47 round at Glengarry Golf course near Latrobe with my brother-in-law Darren. Dad was all golfed out by then but we did manage to get in one more round out in Ohio at Copeland Hills where again I played very well, but I can't remember my scores.
I got to see a lot of old friends at the Falcon Golf Tournament and enjoyed the two day affair. We also attended on Pirate baseball game with my sister Cathty and her family on Sunday. It was a beautiful sunny day abd a good crowd was onhand but sad to say the Buco's lost:(. But it was nice to spend the afternoon at the park.
Aside from that we did some yard work down in the woods behind the house trying to take back the land from the onset of Kudzu, which like cancer will kill if not killed first. I seem to have taken on a great obsession to rid our property and that of the neighbors of this creeping vine that will cling to and kill just about anything in it's path.
My next planned trip home is the weekend of September 6th to participate in the Polish Falcons District IV golf tournament to be held at Harmony Ridge (formerly Ambrdige Golf Club) of which Dad is the Tournament Chairman.
I will post another update after getting the results of my upcoming PetScan.
My dentist appointement with Dr. Edward J. Dengel went fine, with no signs of cavities and or decay of any kind. This is important as my condition of "Dry Mouth" can promote bacteria and cause numerous problems if not taken care of daily. This include flossing, cleansing with a water pik and the ususal brushing of the teeth, gums and tongue. X-rays also showed no signs of any imminent problems.
My appointment with Dr. Straka was routine as well, with the exception of my describing to Dr. Straka how swallowing for me has become more difficult over the last several weeks. Dr. Straka did reduce my trach tube once again from a #6 to a #4 but recommended we leave this one in for a period of one to two years, mostly as a safeguard to keep an airway open in the event of some unforseen swelling such as I'm experiencing right now. Although this swelling does not affect my breathing at this time. Dr. Straka did order a Barium swallow study and it was determined that some foods particularly liquids are going in to my windpipe but no explanation was given as to why except that the little flap of skin that is supposed to prevent this is weak and not doing its job to a 100%. The speech therapists who were present during the swallow study had no recommendations for exercises, only to eat a diet of softer foods and thicker liquids to help prevent the foods from going down the wrong tubes. They also querried me as to whether or not I had had a recent cold or if any other changes had occured in my lifestle. I told them of my recent change to the South Beach Diet to try and improve my eating habits and also of a liquid supplement that my Master Herbalist Mary Phoenik had recommended I take that aids in celluar reconstruction. That supplement consists of juice from the Mangosteen fruit and it has yet to be determined if my swelling in the throat can be attributed to that or not.
This coming Monday I go for a PetScan and will review the results of that with Dr. Kukunoor on Friday the 29th of August. I will speak to him about my swallowing issues as well and see what he has to say about that.
My vacation home could not have been better, the weather was fall like and we did not turn the air conditioner on once the whole time I was home. Dad and I played a few rounds of golf in order to tune up for the Polish Falcons Golf Tournament and I shot 4 consistent 9 hole rounds of 46-46-46-42, and struck the ball better than I ever have. Following the tournament I shot a 39-47 round at Glengarry Golf course near Latrobe with my brother-in-law Darren. Dad was all golfed out by then but we did manage to get in one more round out in Ohio at Copeland Hills where again I played very well, but I can't remember my scores.
I got to see a lot of old friends at the Falcon Golf Tournament and enjoyed the two day affair. We also attended on Pirate baseball game with my sister Cathty and her family on Sunday. It was a beautiful sunny day abd a good crowd was onhand but sad to say the Buco's lost:(. But it was nice to spend the afternoon at the park.
Aside from that we did some yard work down in the woods behind the house trying to take back the land from the onset of Kudzu, which like cancer will kill if not killed first. I seem to have taken on a great obsession to rid our property and that of the neighbors of this creeping vine that will cling to and kill just about anything in it's path.
My next planned trip home is the weekend of September 6th to participate in the Polish Falcons District IV golf tournament to be held at Harmony Ridge (formerly Ambrdige Golf Club) of which Dad is the Tournament Chairman.
I will post another update after getting the results of my upcoming PetScan.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
It's Definitive!
Well, several months have passed again since my last update, and my how time flys! Not much has changed since then except that I finally got a definitive ruling on my pending neck dissection.
After an appointment in Pennsylvania with my ENT Dr. Straka, we discussed the neck dissection that Dr. Kukunoor in Phoenix keeps pushing for. Dr. Straka felt that a neck dissection at this point in time would not be beneficial for the following reasons: too much time has passed since the end of Radiation in December ; and the neck dissection would not get to where the original tumor was located which was in the base of my tongue.
Dr. Straka referred me to another ENT in Phoenix who is affiliated with the Mayo Clinic, Dr. Michael Hinni, in order to get a second opinion. This after I advised Dr. Straka of my decision to terminate my short lived relationship with Dr. John Milligan, another ENT in Phoenix because of my dissatisfaction with his office practices.
I contacted the Mayo Clinic in early June and made my appointement to see Dr. Hinni, which was set for July 17, 2008. The Mayo Clinic requested the slide of my Biopsy that was performed in January along with my most recent PetScan results and other medical records that Dr.traka forwarded out to them without delay. The initial meeting with Dr. Hinni included a preliminary visit with his assistant which covered the most basic information along with a series of questions regarding my current status. Dr. Hinni then made his appearance and did a more thorough examination of my mouth and neck including another Endoscopy of my throat. He had already reviewed my PetScan and had it displayed on a laptop computer that was in the office, and it was quite interesting to see that display. Dr. Hinni recommended that I get another CatScan with contrast dye in order to overlay that onthe PetScan. He went on to explain that, that enable him to see more when they overlay the two, so a CatScan was scheduled for the following Monday July 21st again at the Mayo Clinic. A follow-up appointment was tentatively set for August 5th as Dr. Hinni was going out of town, however if need be an earlier appointment would be made if the CatScan revealed something that required immediate attention. That did not materialize!
So, yesterday August 5th I saw Dr. Hinni and my meeting with him lasted no more than 5 minutes. Dr. Hinni said he saw no revelation of cancer and concurred with Dr. Straka that a neck dissection at this time would not be beneficial, mostly due to the amount of time that had elapsed since the end of radiation. He encouraged close monitoring for the next several years with regualr PetScans and other tests and said he would be more than happy to offer his services if I wished. I feel very confident in Dr. Hinni and as long as I remain in Phoenix, he will be my go to ENT and I will continue to retain Dr. Straka in Pittsburgh for when I return home either for short stays or hopefully permanently.
Dr. Straka in June did reduce my trach tube from a #8 to a #6 and will hopefully reduce it again from a #6 to a #4 next week when I see him on Wednesday August 13th. Dr. Milligan wanted to go straight from a #8 to a #4 which Dr. Straka was against as he wanted to take smaller steps in this process. Just another reason for my decision to dismiss Dr. Milligan.
My most recent photo is from a long weekend I took in June when I traveled to Durango, to spend some time with my sister, Teresa and her family, who were on a two week vacation taveling the Southwest. We were on a narrow gauge train ride from Silverton, Colorado back down to Durango when Teresa snapped the picture. We had a great visit but the time passed way to quickly, but it was nice to get out and about!
I leave for a 12 day vacation back to Pittsburgh this coming Saturday and look forward to spending time with my Dad and seeing all my old friends from the 'Burgh!
So until my next update, "Thanks" to everyone who continues to keep me in their thoughts and in their prayers. As always, I appreciate you very much!
After an appointment in Pennsylvania with my ENT Dr. Straka, we discussed the neck dissection that Dr. Kukunoor in Phoenix keeps pushing for. Dr. Straka felt that a neck dissection at this point in time would not be beneficial for the following reasons: too much time has passed since the end of Radiation in December ; and the neck dissection would not get to where the original tumor was located which was in the base of my tongue.
Dr. Straka referred me to another ENT in Phoenix who is affiliated with the Mayo Clinic, Dr. Michael Hinni, in order to get a second opinion. This after I advised Dr. Straka of my decision to terminate my short lived relationship with Dr. John Milligan, another ENT in Phoenix because of my dissatisfaction with his office practices.
I contacted the Mayo Clinic in early June and made my appointement to see Dr. Hinni, which was set for July 17, 2008. The Mayo Clinic requested the slide of my Biopsy that was performed in January along with my most recent PetScan results and other medical records that Dr.traka forwarded out to them without delay. The initial meeting with Dr. Hinni included a preliminary visit with his assistant which covered the most basic information along with a series of questions regarding my current status. Dr. Hinni then made his appearance and did a more thorough examination of my mouth and neck including another Endoscopy of my throat. He had already reviewed my PetScan and had it displayed on a laptop computer that was in the office, and it was quite interesting to see that display. Dr. Hinni recommended that I get another CatScan with contrast dye in order to overlay that onthe PetScan. He went on to explain that, that enable him to see more when they overlay the two, so a CatScan was scheduled for the following Monday July 21st again at the Mayo Clinic. A follow-up appointment was tentatively set for August 5th as Dr. Hinni was going out of town, however if need be an earlier appointment would be made if the CatScan revealed something that required immediate attention. That did not materialize!
So, yesterday August 5th I saw Dr. Hinni and my meeting with him lasted no more than 5 minutes. Dr. Hinni said he saw no revelation of cancer and concurred with Dr. Straka that a neck dissection at this time would not be beneficial, mostly due to the amount of time that had elapsed since the end of radiation. He encouraged close monitoring for the next several years with regualr PetScans and other tests and said he would be more than happy to offer his services if I wished. I feel very confident in Dr. Hinni and as long as I remain in Phoenix, he will be my go to ENT and I will continue to retain Dr. Straka in Pittsburgh for when I return home either for short stays or hopefully permanently.
Dr. Straka in June did reduce my trach tube from a #8 to a #6 and will hopefully reduce it again from a #6 to a #4 next week when I see him on Wednesday August 13th. Dr. Milligan wanted to go straight from a #8 to a #4 which Dr. Straka was against as he wanted to take smaller steps in this process. Just another reason for my decision to dismiss Dr. Milligan.
My most recent photo is from a long weekend I took in June when I traveled to Durango, to spend some time with my sister, Teresa and her family, who were on a two week vacation taveling the Southwest. We were on a narrow gauge train ride from Silverton, Colorado back down to Durango when Teresa snapped the picture. We had a great visit but the time passed way to quickly, but it was nice to get out and about!
I leave for a 12 day vacation back to Pittsburgh this coming Saturday and look forward to spending time with my Dad and seeing all my old friends from the 'Burgh!
So until my next update, "Thanks" to everyone who continues to keep me in their thoughts and in their prayers. As always, I appreciate you very much!
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Long Overdue Update
Well, it's been a little over two months since my return to work in Phoenix.
Needless to say my return was just as touching as my send-off when I left in July 2007. Everyone was excited to see me and some expressed their disbelief that I was back "So soon"! Everyone in management couldn't have been nicer in making my transition back to the workplace as smooth and easy as possible. They all made sure that I didn't overexert myself or try to take on to much to soon.
I must admit that in the first few weeks, it took all I had just to make it through an eight hour day. What exhausted me most was breathing and talking, because of my trach being capped so that I could speak. But I learned how to manage around that and it has gotten much better.
Shortly after arriving back in Arizona, I had an appointment with my Oncologst Dr. Kukunoor,
who wanted me to have a PETScan, so we had one scheduled at the end of my appointment. The appointment with Dr. Kukunoor was pretty routine, more of a recap of what I went through back in Pittsburgh to bring him up to speed. However, he did bring up his wanting me to have a neck disection and seemed surprised that the Dr.'s back in Pittsburgh did not do one. I told Dr. Kukunoor that my ENT, Dr. Straka back in Pittsburgh said there was a chance that surgery would be required after the radiation, but after my PETScan in January, he apparently didn't see the need for one. I told Dr. Kukunoor that I would be seeing Dr. Headley and that I would speak with him about it.
Prior to seeing Dr. Kukunoor I was taken to the area where Chemo is adminsitered and an attempt was made to draw blood through my port, to which there was no return. After trying to clear the port it was determined that it was clogged and the nurse said she was going to order a port study and that if they couldn't clear the port than it would have to be removed.
About two weeks later on a Friday I received a call to schedule the port study, so it was set up for the following Monday at 10:30 a.m. It was a short study, done while I was on the operating table. It was determined that it was curled and the injecton was clogged from going through so they commenced the procedure to remove it and I was out of the operating room about 10 minutes later! Recovery took a couple of hours for the sedation to wear off and then I was home by 3:00 p.m.
Well, the next week I saw Dr. Headley and he did his usual Endoscopy and basic examination and then dropped a bomb on me and told me that he was going to be retiring in the next couple of months. Well, with that news I completely forgot to mention the neck dissection to him! He did want to see me in another six weeks so I made it a point to remember the neck dissection for that appointment.
My next appointmet with Dr. Headley started again with the Endoscopy and Dr. Headley said he wanted me to have sleep study done with my trach capped. He had asked me if I slept with the trach capped and I told him no, that it was easier to breath with the uncapped one in. I then mentioned the neck dissection to him and Dr. Headley said that there was a lot of controversy about neck dissections. I then told him of the differences between Dr's Baliban, Straka and Kukunoor and he then did a 180 on me and told me that he wanted me to think about it. I said, "What is there for me to think about? I'm no Dr. you either tell me I need it or I don't!" He then went into a dialogue of how it isn't an exact science and no one knows for sure and blah blah blah, the usual stuff you get from Dr's. Dr. Headley then said he was going to refer me to a new ENT Dr. James Milligan, for the sleep study and futher discussion about the neck dissection. Dr. Headley did say that if he were to have a neck dissection done, he would want Dr. Milligan to do it because of his experience with these types of operations. So I have an apointement to see Dr. Milligan on May 28th.
A week after having my port removed I contacted Dr. Kukunoor's office about having an order written to have my "G" tube removed, as I had mentioned that to the surgeon while I was on the table having my port removed, and she said she would've been happy to do it, but she needed to have an order for it. Since I hadn't been usng it I thought I might as well have that taken out as well. So the order was written and exactly a week after having the port removed I had my stomach feeding tube removed. This was little quicker and I was able to leave within 30 minutes of the procedure being completed and it now abot 75% healed. It heals from the inside out.
So all I have now is the trach tube to be removed and hopfully that will be soon, maybe by my first anniversary of the start of this journey.
All in all progress has been good and steady. My stamina has gotten much better since returning to a full work schedule. My sleep is back to a regular 8 hrs instead of the 10 to 12 I was requiring when I first returned to work, although every once a while I require a little more sleep and yesterday I even went to the YMCA for a light workout! I did 30 minutes on the Lifefitness stationary bike and hit about 6 machines with 3 set workouts on each machine. It was a good feeling to exercise again and I look forward to going again. I even shot a little basketball as the court was completely empty so I walked between baskets sooting layups and ran the full-court once but that didn't go over to well. Too early for that yet!
I also joined the summer bowling league and will begin bowling on May 13th, which was part of my reason for joing the "Y". I need to get my legs built up for bowling but my overall body tone as well!
My next PETScan is scheduled for Aug 28th, unless something crops up and warrants moving that up earlier.
I'll be back in Pittsburgh June 5th through Jun 13th to visit Dad and hopefully play some golf.
And then I plan on being back in August for the Polish Falcons National Golf Tournament!
That's it for now. Please accept my apologies for not updating my blog sooner and for the length of this update!
Tom
Needless to say my return was just as touching as my send-off when I left in July 2007. Everyone was excited to see me and some expressed their disbelief that I was back "So soon"! Everyone in management couldn't have been nicer in making my transition back to the workplace as smooth and easy as possible. They all made sure that I didn't overexert myself or try to take on to much to soon.
I must admit that in the first few weeks, it took all I had just to make it through an eight hour day. What exhausted me most was breathing and talking, because of my trach being capped so that I could speak. But I learned how to manage around that and it has gotten much better.
Shortly after arriving back in Arizona, I had an appointment with my Oncologst Dr. Kukunoor,
who wanted me to have a PETScan, so we had one scheduled at the end of my appointment. The appointment with Dr. Kukunoor was pretty routine, more of a recap of what I went through back in Pittsburgh to bring him up to speed. However, he did bring up his wanting me to have a neck disection and seemed surprised that the Dr.'s back in Pittsburgh did not do one. I told Dr. Kukunoor that my ENT, Dr. Straka back in Pittsburgh said there was a chance that surgery would be required after the radiation, but after my PETScan in January, he apparently didn't see the need for one. I told Dr. Kukunoor that I would be seeing Dr. Headley and that I would speak with him about it.
Prior to seeing Dr. Kukunoor I was taken to the area where Chemo is adminsitered and an attempt was made to draw blood through my port, to which there was no return. After trying to clear the port it was determined that it was clogged and the nurse said she was going to order a port study and that if they couldn't clear the port than it would have to be removed.
About two weeks later on a Friday I received a call to schedule the port study, so it was set up for the following Monday at 10:30 a.m. It was a short study, done while I was on the operating table. It was determined that it was curled and the injecton was clogged from going through so they commenced the procedure to remove it and I was out of the operating room about 10 minutes later! Recovery took a couple of hours for the sedation to wear off and then I was home by 3:00 p.m.
Well, the next week I saw Dr. Headley and he did his usual Endoscopy and basic examination and then dropped a bomb on me and told me that he was going to be retiring in the next couple of months. Well, with that news I completely forgot to mention the neck dissection to him! He did want to see me in another six weeks so I made it a point to remember the neck dissection for that appointment.
My next appointmet with Dr. Headley started again with the Endoscopy and Dr. Headley said he wanted me to have sleep study done with my trach capped. He had asked me if I slept with the trach capped and I told him no, that it was easier to breath with the uncapped one in. I then mentioned the neck dissection to him and Dr. Headley said that there was a lot of controversy about neck dissections. I then told him of the differences between Dr's Baliban, Straka and Kukunoor and he then did a 180 on me and told me that he wanted me to think about it. I said, "What is there for me to think about? I'm no Dr. you either tell me I need it or I don't!" He then went into a dialogue of how it isn't an exact science and no one knows for sure and blah blah blah, the usual stuff you get from Dr's. Dr. Headley then said he was going to refer me to a new ENT Dr. James Milligan, for the sleep study and futher discussion about the neck dissection. Dr. Headley did say that if he were to have a neck dissection done, he would want Dr. Milligan to do it because of his experience with these types of operations. So I have an apointement to see Dr. Milligan on May 28th.
A week after having my port removed I contacted Dr. Kukunoor's office about having an order written to have my "G" tube removed, as I had mentioned that to the surgeon while I was on the table having my port removed, and she said she would've been happy to do it, but she needed to have an order for it. Since I hadn't been usng it I thought I might as well have that taken out as well. So the order was written and exactly a week after having the port removed I had my stomach feeding tube removed. This was little quicker and I was able to leave within 30 minutes of the procedure being completed and it now abot 75% healed. It heals from the inside out.
So all I have now is the trach tube to be removed and hopfully that will be soon, maybe by my first anniversary of the start of this journey.
All in all progress has been good and steady. My stamina has gotten much better since returning to a full work schedule. My sleep is back to a regular 8 hrs instead of the 10 to 12 I was requiring when I first returned to work, although every once a while I require a little more sleep and yesterday I even went to the YMCA for a light workout! I did 30 minutes on the Lifefitness stationary bike and hit about 6 machines with 3 set workouts on each machine. It was a good feeling to exercise again and I look forward to going again. I even shot a little basketball as the court was completely empty so I walked between baskets sooting layups and ran the full-court once but that didn't go over to well. Too early for that yet!
I also joined the summer bowling league and will begin bowling on May 13th, which was part of my reason for joing the "Y". I need to get my legs built up for bowling but my overall body tone as well!
My next PETScan is scheduled for Aug 28th, unless something crops up and warrants moving that up earlier.
I'll be back in Pittsburgh June 5th through Jun 13th to visit Dad and hopefully play some golf.
And then I plan on being back in August for the Polish Falcons National Golf Tournament!
That's it for now. Please accept my apologies for not updating my blog sooner and for the length of this update!
Tom
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Phoenix Bound
Well, after seeing my Radiologist Dr. Scicutella on Thursday, I was given the okay to return to work in Phoenix. Although, Dr. Scicutella did say that the chance for a reccurence was high, and that I would have to monitored closely by my ENT and other Dr.'s out there. The first two years are the most critical and then after 5 years if I am still clean, then I would be considered out of the woods! So there is still a long road to tow, but at least I'm getting started to being back on track to resume a normal a life as possible after going through what I have.
So, Friday and Saturday were spent packing things up, although I'm not taking that much with me, just the bare essentials.
Sunday was spent relaxing at my sister Cathy's home with her family. We had an early afternoon dinner in which we enjoyed homemade stuffed cabbage, mashed potatoes and pumpernickel bread. Cathy provided a "Good Luck Tom" cake for dessert and presented me with a card and some departing gifts. We then went bowling for a few games and had an overall enjoyable day.
Today, Tuesday, Dad and I will depart for Phoenix in about an hour. We plan to make it to the west side of St. Louis today and hope to be in Phoenix by Friday. I report to work on Monday the 25th, one day before my 48th Birthday.
So again to everyone who sent their prayers and blessings, please continue to do so and Thanks so much much for all the support!
God Bless all of you!
So, Friday and Saturday were spent packing things up, although I'm not taking that much with me, just the bare essentials.
Sunday was spent relaxing at my sister Cathy's home with her family. We had an early afternoon dinner in which we enjoyed homemade stuffed cabbage, mashed potatoes and pumpernickel bread. Cathy provided a "Good Luck Tom" cake for dessert and presented me with a card and some departing gifts. We then went bowling for a few games and had an overall enjoyable day.
Today, Tuesday, Dad and I will depart for Phoenix in about an hour. We plan to make it to the west side of St. Louis today and hope to be in Phoenix by Friday. I report to work on Monday the 25th, one day before my 48th Birthday.
So again to everyone who sent their prayers and blessings, please continue to do so and Thanks so much much for all the support!
God Bless all of you!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
