Well, here we finally are - big DAY tomorrow.
9:45 am - meet with Doctor Mathew, my ENT Cancer doctor that made the onerous diagnosis five very long (and yet, sometimes very short) years ago - "You have Tonsil Cancer".
This appointment is supposed to be my last one, EVER. It is said that if you make it five years you are classified as a 'Survivor' and you get a new life - a 'do-over' if you will.
There will be no more x-rays, CT-scans, invasive throat diagnostics, emergency room visits, dry-heaves with razors in your throat, lost hair (ha - like that matters now), sleeping the only way you can - sitting up-, feeding tubes, blah, blah - related to this Tonsil Cancer diagnosis.
Something else may be lurking around the corner, but tomorrow I will officially be done with this one.
Took a break from my bass guitar for the past few months, as we are prepping our home for sale, but as things settle down in the day to day - am looking forward to picking it up again...here is the last song I learned - will be good to pick it up where I left off....ROCK ON.
Billy Squire - Everybody Wants You
rlw
Showing posts with label Robert Welton. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Robert Welton. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
DAY 1578 - Day 1345 in Recovery Paradise
Well, here we are just about 4 years to the date I was diagnosed with Tonsil Cancer. I often mentor others coming down that hellacious treatment path and remark how good life is (period) on the other side.
Last week I gave a 90 day notice to my job, that I am going to retire and also go to 3 working days a week until then. Four day weekends - to try out the retirement thing...my sister says the water is just fine...JUMP!
I wouldn't be sitting here doing this had I not chosen to take the radiation/chemo treatments. It helped that I didn't know what the Hell I was getting myself into...but definitely am grateful for the results.
Last week I gave a 90 day notice to my job, that I am going to retire and also go to 3 working days a week until then. Four day weekends - to try out the retirement thing...my sister says the water is just fine...JUMP!
Wow... what an interesting ride the last 1578 days have been with 1345 new sunrises and sunsets as a bonus...
rlw
Day 1 - Another Day in Paradise
Thursday May 29, 2008
Saw a Head and Neck Specialist in Roseville. Got to hear the "C" word for the first time. Said that it was on my left tonsil and had apparently spread to my left lymph node. Wanted to do biopsy to be sure. Found out the hard way I was allergic to ephinefrin (sudafed) mixed with thelidocaine and blacked out and off to the emergency room to get blood pressure and heart rate normal. Bad headache followed - and did not get the biopsy done - told them they should have done it while I was out...Ha. Have to come back tomorrow and do it again with a different specialist nearer to me.
Saw a Head and Neck Specialist in Roseville. Got to hear the "C" word for the first time. Said that it was on my left tonsil and had apparently spread to my left lymph node. Wanted to do biopsy to be sure. Found out the hard way I was allergic to ephinefrin (sudafed) mixed with thelidocaine and blacked out and off to the emergency room to get blood pressure and heart rate normal. Bad headache followed - and did not get the biopsy done - told them they should have done it while I was out...Ha. Have to come back tomorrow and do it again with a different specialist nearer to me.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
DAY 1255 - Day 1013 in Recovery Paradise
Wow - made it 1000+ days; so far so good. I still haven't wrapped my arms completely around the concept of spending my extra gift of time as wisely as I could. The down side of eternal optimism is that sometimes one has a tendency to deny reality and as a result, one doesn't plan accordingly.
However, I think I am easing, somewhat into a workable combination of optimism (maybe not so eternal anymore) while also embracing the reality of more sand in the bottom of the hourglass than in the top and an inevitable body parts melt-down and of course the 'can't ignore it so much anymore' aging. The bad news is that I can't do all the things I used to do (mostly can, but pay the price with aches and pains later), but the good news is that I can still do all the things I want to do.
My Blog from 2008 about this time.
We had just returned from a week's vacation in Vancouver, thinking it might possibly be my last family excursion and I had gone in for my first full-body scan with a radioactive injection to determine the extent and spread of the cancer. Father's Day 2008 was pending and life was uncertain (isn't it always?).
"Yet another reason I am a lucky guy. I am blessed with 4 great kids. 3 sons, age 24, 22 and 20 and a daughter age 9. The boys are all out on on their own and my oldest has his own celebration today with my grandson. The "little family" my wife and daughter and myself - went bowling to see if we can bend over without dropping the bowling ball....Father's day tradition...heard from all the boys. Life is good."
1013 days later: I am still that same lucky guy - but more so. Grandsons, college graduates, bass guitar performance, flying, white-water rafting, great travel, and certainly much more appreciation of all the small things that ultimately are really the BIG things. Family, love, stronger relationships, sunrises, and a deeper self awareness (that is the most difficult one of all). Life is good.
rlw
However, I think I am easing, somewhat into a workable combination of optimism (maybe not so eternal anymore) while also embracing the reality of more sand in the bottom of the hourglass than in the top and an inevitable body parts melt-down and of course the 'can't ignore it so much anymore' aging. The bad news is that I can't do all the things I used to do (mostly can, but pay the price with aches and pains later), but the good news is that I can still do all the things I want to do.
My Blog from 2008 about this time.
We had just returned from a week's vacation in Vancouver, thinking it might possibly be my last family excursion and I had gone in for my first full-body scan with a radioactive injection to determine the extent and spread of the cancer. Father's Day 2008 was pending and life was uncertain (isn't it always?).
"Yet another reason I am a lucky guy. I am blessed with 4 great kids. 3 sons, age 24, 22 and 20 and a daughter age 9. The boys are all out on on their own and my oldest has his own celebration today with my grandson. The "little family" my wife and daughter and myself - went bowling to see if we can bend over without dropping the bowling ball....Father's day tradition...heard from all the boys. Life is good."
1013 days later: I am still that same lucky guy - but more so. Grandsons, college graduates, bass guitar performance, flying, white-water rafting, great travel, and certainly much more appreciation of all the small things that ultimately are really the BIG things. Family, love, stronger relationships, sunrises, and a deeper self awareness (that is the most difficult one of all). Life is good.
rlw
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