Mother Nature.....

Is cramping my style here.... How am I supposed to walk 1-2 miles every day when it's this cold, crazy weather. After a low of 16 degrees last night, it's hopefully going to get up to the low 50's today. If so, I'll be walking and trying to build up the strength. I know I'm like most of the country...ready for spring :)

Moving forward again

Great two visits on Tuesday and Wednesday with my surgeon and his team. The staples came out of the incision yet I'm still wearing the wound vacuum to help heal the open portion of my surgery incision. The surgeon says that until the wound closes completely, I run the risk of a hernia or causing damage bc the stomach muscles are very weak right now. Big message is to still take it easy, no break dancing yet :) The catheter came out and I'm now cathing my new pouch. Officially, I've entered my new 'new normal' phase of my life. After a few weeks, I'll have a much better quality of life compared with prior to surgery. It's amazing what our modern medicine can accomplish. Appetite continues to improve each day and once the weather warms up (fingers crossed) I'll be putting on my walking shoes on and getting in at least 1.5 miles every day. Let the sun shine baby!

Follow up with the surgeon today

Heading up to Duke for a follow up appointment with my surgeon. 2 appointments actually, the first is for X-rays and blood work. Not sure if the staples and catheter are coming out but I'll find out soon enough. They'll also look at the wound and determine if I should continue with the wound vacuum. More later Btw, it was 62 degrees yesterday....expecting 1-4 inches of snow today

Itching = healing?

Man I hope so....my would today was driving me nuts, a constant itch that I hope is my body telling me it's the wound is healing. You are what you eat so I'm going to turn into a protein shake. Trying to build back up my weight and muscle strength. Losing 15 lbs in 2 weeks takes a toll on the body. Like I've said before, I don't know where I would be without my bride. She's been a godsend and a ton of help in every way possible. I owe her big time. Thank goodness there has been a bunch of great collegE basketball games on the past couple of weeks. It sure has helped pass the time. Until next time

Wasting away

For the past year I have been on Hormone medication to put my cancer into remission. Good news: the cancer is in fact in remission! Bad news: the medication allows for muscle atrophy Add in my surgery and it's obvious to the eye I'm dropping muscle mass that I'll need to rebuild. Weight when I entered the hospital 2 weeks ago = 185lbs Weight today = 171lbs I need to get this wound to heal and walk now and then build once I'm given the green light. Restrictions today are no lifting more than 10lbs, no standing for >10 minutes. Patience is key as I want to get after it now but I can't. Until next time

Sunday, football and some recovery progress

Happy Sunday everyone. Here the sun is shining but still a little cool. I'm going to try and out for a walk today just to taste the fresh air. Kathy has been amazing in he relentless help, waking up at midnight and other scheduled time to help me take my meds. I can't thank her enough. I owe a BIG thx to Lisa Nash, her family and Daniella Meyers and her family for bringing over a couple of meals each while Kathy was with me at Duke. Helped us out in a great way. Making recovery on the pain front, seems a fair amount less so I'm trying to stay away from the pain med Dilaudin. Dilaudin, WOW! Tiny pill can get you very loopy very fast! Hope the kids help out Kathy today and through Wednesday (no school M-W).

Came home today, Fri. 1/17

Man it's good to be home. After eight days in the hospital and a tough recovery so far (pain-wise), they let me go home to recover here. Given as many times during the day and night that you are poked prodded, vitals taken, all of the interruptions cause for a long week. It looks like the infection is going to be the only setback so far, but it's still early in the process. The infection is causing me to wear a 24/7 wound vacuum pump that is supposed to accelerate healing. I love the progress when we go back in less than two weeks to meet with the surgeon. Thanks for all of the hugs and prayers and thoughts and support from everybody, I can't tell you how much it means to me. BTW, when I got home tonight I was starving and for the past week I've had no ability to eat much of any food. No appetite and I could hardly fit anything in given the gas I had. Tonight I actually ate this scrumptious cheese crêpe thingy that was the size of 2/3rds the size of my iPhone and it was awesome! I was stuffed....so that should give you an idea for the capacity of what I can eat. More this weekend.

Met with the surgeon tonight.

Progress is going week, need to keep doing what I'm doing. The main incision has some redness around it so they removed 4 staples and packed it with gauze. They will be taking out the epidural and then giving me oral antibiotics for the would infection. On Wednesday they will remove one of my JP drains. Looks like I'll be 'unhooked' from any tubes (remember the Nicholson scene from the movie Bucket List) My surgeon and said we'll likely get you going home on Thursday, which would be 6 days in the hospital after surgery last week Thursday afternoon. Amazing, about 2-3 days shorter than I anticipated. I'll have another update mid-day tomorrow after the morning action. Later

Surgeon stopped by this AM

Saw my surgeon, Dr.Peterson at 7am, he checked out my incision says everything looks fine and that I'm doing everything I need to and sometimes this ILeus lasts up to 10 days. Everyone including me thinks I'll be breaking wind sometime today. He listen to my stomach and said it was a little quiet in there, but I told him that there was some gurgling earlier today so there is some action. He reinforced that I'm doing everything I'm supposed be doing, "you'll fart soon". Maybe some pictures next time? Later

Ilues, painful

So after a major surgery like I had, your bowers go to sleep and. Need to be 'woken up'. Well, I've walked 3.5 miles and my 'Ileus' is the last section that is being pretty stubborn. My stomach is distended or swollen full of gas so it looks like I'm pregnant. Seriously, my gut is huge. I had X-rays to confirm....dr on call said your best friend is Mr. Walk. So I did 9 laps or a half mile and thought would rest and see how this works. Never thought I would wish to fart so bad!

Day 1 post surgery...and a milestone

Day one was kind of tough, because I didn't sleep at all last night. So I'm running on fumes and trying to get through the day that started with quite a bit of pain. We got the pain under control, no big deal and as you would expect in a hospital, every 2 hours someone is walking in, taking vitals, etc. Ugh. I was super glad my bride was with me today, she helped me get through the day :) So I sat in a chair for starters then took a walk with Kathy. After Kathy left to go back to Charlotte, I got up and finished the walk. I walked 1 mile today, less than 23 hrs after surgery! Tired and expect to sleep hopefully most of the night. 2 miles is the goal tomorrow! Until next time BE

Hurry up and wait

Just received the call from the hospital. Surgery is scheduled for 11:45 and I need to be there at 10am. I thought I was going to be first up, oh well. So my wife won't have an update until 5:30 or 6pm, maybe later. Wish me luck

This is the big week....

Yes, I'm getting nervous. It's a big surgery and a long recovery time. I've never been through something of this magnitude as far as my health is concerned. Major surgery on Thursday, no solid for starting on Tuesday. That's probably going to be the biggest challenge, no solid food for two days....I'll be going nuts. I can't thank you all enough for the messages and positive thoughts and prayers, I'll take all I can get :) Until next time...

Smooth sailing in pre-op, now the big choice

The Pre-op appointment went smooth as I expected, now comes the choice. Which type of urinary diversion surgery do I have? Continent Catheterizable Urinary diversion (internal pouch) or Urosotmy (external pouch) Honestly, it doesn't matter to me. Either way it will be 100% improvement from what I live with today. I had a chance to have lunch with a good friend, Jaime Zabala and what a great time. Jaime is awesome and it was super or catch up and see how his new job is going and it's great to hear he's very happy and enjoying his new role. That's awesome. The prep starts on Tuesday, no solid food Tuesday or Wednesday and a 'GoLyghtly' clean out on Wednesday afternoon, fun. I'll be working up until COB on Wednesday then it's under the knife very early on Thursday. A little nervous. Until next time