An Easy Day

Friday March 31.

Sadly, it was raining this morning and so there was no tennis.

I got to Morton Plant a few minutes early. I was to report to Admitting and noticed the coffee stand right next to it. I wonder how someone who has fasted before a procedure deals with that!

The admitting department is very efficient. The receptionist, the guide who checks you in and the nurse were pleasant but business like. Need a report? She calls and orders it to be faxed asap. They get respect from all.

I was given a clean up/washing routine that is incredibly detailed....special soap, sleep in clean bed sheets, shave before showering et cetera. They are serious about avoiding infection.

Curiously, I was told I could shower the night before or the morning of the operation. Since I always shower in the morning, I knew that I would choose that option until...........an hour later, I got a phone call telling me to be at the hospital at 5:00 am! No wonder Amanda, the nurse smiled when I talked about the morning.

I got back to the club in time to run the game. Word is out that I am on this adventure and many have expressed concern, offered to help any way they can and to pray for me. All this is much appreciated.

One clause in the paperwork I got today is interesting. Since the hospital and Dr. Erickson are putting it in, I have to agree to share the revenue should any cruise ships elect to visit my port.

See you soon.

Another Surprise - no immediate surgery

Today was sort of a kicker. Carol and I took separate cars to meet with Dr. Erickson. On the way, I was called by Dr. Weston to advise me that the CT scan had revealed lesions on the liver and that would mean chemotherapy as well as the surgery.

When we met with Dr. Erickson, he advised that he thought chemotherapy should precede any surgery. As a result, I left with two more appointments; one on Monday to have a port put in to facilitate the chemotherapy and one on Tuesday to meet with the oncologist, Dr. Patel.

I had had four straight days of medical appointments and was worried what I might do to fill the time on Friday. I need not have worried. I later learned that I had to go to Morton Plant on Friday for Pre-surgical testing. I was ecstatic! I had something to do on Friday.

I drove off to Countryside - Mease for the stress test.

When I was greeted by the first technician, I said " I have had a colonoscopy, found out I had cancer, had a CT scan, found out the cancer was also in my liver, just found out I was going to have chemotherapy and you want me to have a STRESS TEST!?"

I was taken to a room, got shaved to attach a lot of little nodes to my chest and was introduced to Jeff. He explained that he was going to give me an injection, some water to drink and that in 25 minutes, he would be imaging me. I asked if that would make me more handsome and he said, "Sir, we are technicians, not magicians!"

After the first 20 minutes imaging session, I was introduced to nurse Marianne and the treadmill. It turns out that she was Dr. Navas' revenge for interrupting his lunch the day before. I managed to survive, but barely. I later got a call that I was in good shape.

Feeling Hearty

Wednesday March 29 - Heart Day

Walked into a gorgeous facility and was greeted warmly by two ladies who processed me. I was given a pile of papers to work through and was told after I had completed them that I could keep the forms, but had to return the clipboard.

I waited and was soon greeted by a cheery Allison, who, in discussion, I learned was dealing with me as her first case. I entertained her with several corny jokes. She told me she was glad that I was her first!

She gave me an EKG to determine that I was alive and soon Dr. Navas arrived and greeted me warmly. He seemed to think that I could survive surgery, but still wanted to have three tests done. An Echocardiogram, a Calcium test and a stress test. The first two were able to be completed that afternoon, but the stress test was set for Thursday afternoon.

The echocardiogram was uneventful, but I did not hear one word of "Little Sir Echo", not even a faint "hello".

I learned that the purpose of the Calcium test was to determine if there was any hardening of the arteries. I asked Maureen if that was the same as "hardening of the heart." She said it was different but that some people were born with the latter.

How much had the Cancer Spread?

Tuesday March 28. This is a day of beginning to find out how pervasive the cancer is.

I tried to play bridge in the afternoon after running a few errands, but may not have been fully at the table.

After having blood taken for a Serum CEA check (looking for traces of cancer in the blood), I got lost getting to the Carlisle Imaging Center for a CT scan. This test checks for cancer in my organs. This is an attractive facility and I watched TV while drinking 2 large glasses of some concoction.

Eventually, I was ushered into a room with a big machine. I talked to the technician about the iodine that I had consumed and told her that when Carol had it several years ago, she returned home and caused the TV to go crazy when she walked by. This would be a change because in my experience, she goes crazy every time she walks by the TV and a political show is on. The technician was dubious about either claim.

Some sticky things were attached to my chest. After the test, the technician removed them from my hairy chest and we both chuckled about the "40 Year Old Virgin."

I got home after stopping for a Chinese food dinner and after consultation found out that if I was having surgery, it would be good to have my heart checked. Whammo. Within an hour I learned that Dr. Jorge Navas would give up his lunch the next day to see me.

By then I had also learned that Dr. Kurt Erickson was to see me on Thursday at 11:00 to talk about surgery.

Getting the News

Monday March 27 - The Day that I realized my life was about to change.

My wife drove me to the Clearwater Endoscopy Center and I was quickly processed. After a short wait, I was escorted to my little section of a large room and soon was settled in bed with an exquisite cotton gown. Blood pressure was taken, blood sugar measured and they checked to see if I had a pulse. I did!

I was asked my birthdate many times and am looking forward to receiving several birthday cards this year.

The last time that I can remember being asked this question was just before I was told that I was being given propofol. I would have started singing Thriller, but Dr. Weston was playing Pandora on his Ipad and I was asleep about 5 seconds after I was told it was happening.

I awoke to find Carol beside my bed. She claims that I asked when they were going to start the procedure, but I don't remember that and so it likely did not happen. Before I knew it, Dr. Weston was beside with "gorgeous" colored pictures of my colon. he pointed out an ugly looking green spot, said it was a malignant tumor and that we would need to take action. He said that it would be helpful to take small doses of Miralax each day to ease things along and so my errant double purchase was not so errant after all.

The day was not a total loss. On the way home, we stopped at Perkins and found out it was free pie day. Since Carol is cutting down on carbs, I scored two pieces of pie to bring home.

Charlie's Prep Day

Sunday March 26, a day like no other. While I guzzled apple juice, water and diet Pepsi, I actually got some work done. And then suddenly, it was 4:00 pm and the designated hour for Miralax and G2, the last peaceful hour of that day.

The details of the events of the balance of the day are not pretty and are not suitable for those that are easily frightened or sickened or anything else.

I fell asleep about 10:00 on a towel on my bed. All I can say is that I was thankful that our cleaning lady was due to come the next day.

Preparing for Prep day

It is Saturday March 22 and I have been getting ready for Sunday, which has been officially designated as ."Charlie's Prep Day."

A bottle of Miralax (I mistakenly bought 2, but that ended up being ok - later on that). 64 ounces of G2 and some apple juice. I understood that I would not be travelling far and thought that I needed to get some magazines for the day. I love reading magazines, found a limited collection at the Publix near me. As a result, I ended up with Mad Magazine, Readers Digest and............Sports Illustrated's................Swimsuit Issue. :) Sunday was to be a day of clear liquids (anything that you can see through). This fortunately included Diet Pepsi. :)

A Surprise

Here I am creating a blog about what for me seemed like an unlikely subject........my having colon cancer. It sure came as a surprise.

I thought that I was impregnable and have found out that I was not.

It is my intention to share my feelings and encounters along this journey.

Let's start at the beginning. In early March, I was experiencing a change in bowel habits and started to get uncomfortable. After a week or so of little action, I finally got an appointment with a gastrointestinal doctor, but it was set for March 31. It was March 20 and I could not contemplate waiting 12 days to have this checked out.

Fortunately, I was able to connect with Dr. Eric Weston quickly and had a consultation with him on Wednesday March 22. It was gracious of him to return to his office at the end of his day to do an exam. Not the most comfortable type of exam, but I survived. He quickly determined that I needed a colonoscopy and was appalled that I had never had one. (Apparently, once you turn 50, you should have them regularly and why wouldn't you? The prep for a colonoscopy is an adventure that you will not soon forget!)

I was given a set of instructions and a list of things to buy, had an appointment set up and off I went. My life was not going to be the same, but it was and is an adventure.