About two weeks ago Mike had an episode where he had a piece of meat stuck in his esophagus for over three hours. He was able to breathe and talk comfortably, so there was no danger--just a lot of discomfort. We spent a long night in the ER waiting to have the obstruction removed, but in the end, the doctors did another excellent job in making sure he got the safest treatment possible, given his recent history.
All of that led to a call yesterday to have his esophagus dilated in a simple and safe procedure that lasted about 30 minutes. The early signs are that the procedure was a success, but it's likely that Mike will need this procedure every six months or so for the foreseeable future. The problem is caused by damage done to tissue in the esophagus from the radiation treatments. For some patients the tissue heals itself completely, but for others the damage is more or less permanent and the dilation procedure is done on an as-needed basis forever. Mike felt this episdoe coming on for a month or so, but didn't know exactly what it was or how to deal with it. The new rule is that if he can't swallow cheese grits, call the doctor and get this thing done again.
Regardless of all that, we accomplished our primary objective for today by Mike not being admitted into the hospital so we could keep our New Year's Eve plans intact: a quiet dinner at home, a fire in the fireplace, wine glasses in hand, and saying "buh-bye, now" to 2009 and "Hello, good lookin'" to 2010!
Mike has his first post-remission scan scheduled for January 18th, so look for an update after 1/20 when we get the results.
In the meantime we hope that your own primary objectives for tonight and 2010 are realized.
Mike and Terry
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Ending "The Year of Highs and Lows"
2009 continues to be a year of incredible highs and lows as they related to cancer in our lives and the lives of so many people we know. Terry's annual Holiday card (click on the image to enlarge) expresses the great relief and joy we are feeling over the news that Mike is in remission and his long-term prognosis is very good. While our friend Danny Medley is still facing a lot of challenges down the road, we feel the same relief and joy for him and his wife Rebel over their news that Danny is also in remission.
But just today we got news that cancer has surfaced yet again in our lives, this time literally next door. Our next door neighbor, Rick, told Mike that he has been diagnosed with incurable liver cancer that has already spread to his esophagus. He will undergo some chemo treatments to try to slow down the cancer's progress, but the bottom line is that there is no cure for him. Until they can get a second scan to compare to his first one, the doctors can't determine how fast his cancer is growing, so he has no estimate on his time line.
Rick and his wife are two of the kindest, gentlest people we have ever met. They were both born in Cuba and immigrated to the US a long time ago. They worked very hard to achieve the American Dream they sought after leaving Cuba, and Rick retired a few years ago so they could enjoy the fruit of their labor together. They also own property in North Florida, near the Gulf, and go there every chance they get. When they are here they spend lots of time making their house and yard look very nice, and they are wonderful neighbors and friends who gave us a lot of support during Mike's treatment and recovery.
Mike never once asked "Why me?" during his entire time in treatment and recovery--considering his cancer to be a random instance of bad luck. But with Rick's diagnosis and dire prognosis, Mike is now asking "Why me?" but also "Why do I get cancer and am able to fight it off?" and "Why does Rick (and not me) get an incurable attack from the same disease?" Maybe it's just nature showing us both sides of the same terrible coin.
Even tempered with the news about Rick, this Christmas is already shaping up to be one of the most special holidays in our lives--for all the obvious reasons, and for reasons we probably have not recognized yet. We hope that all of you share that same sense of specialness this Holiday season.
Mike and Terry
But just today we got news that cancer has surfaced yet again in our lives, this time literally next door. Our next door neighbor, Rick, told Mike that he has been diagnosed with incurable liver cancer that has already spread to his esophagus. He will undergo some chemo treatments to try to slow down the cancer's progress, but the bottom line is that there is no cure for him. Until they can get a second scan to compare to his first one, the doctors can't determine how fast his cancer is growing, so he has no estimate on his time line.
Rick and his wife are two of the kindest, gentlest people we have ever met. They were both born in Cuba and immigrated to the US a long time ago. They worked very hard to achieve the American Dream they sought after leaving Cuba, and Rick retired a few years ago so they could enjoy the fruit of their labor together. They also own property in North Florida, near the Gulf, and go there every chance they get. When they are here they spend lots of time making their house and yard look very nice, and they are wonderful neighbors and friends who gave us a lot of support during Mike's treatment and recovery.
Mike never once asked "Why me?" during his entire time in treatment and recovery--considering his cancer to be a random instance of bad luck. But with Rick's diagnosis and dire prognosis, Mike is now asking "Why me?" but also "Why do I get cancer and am able to fight it off?" and "Why does Rick (and not me) get an incurable attack from the same disease?" Maybe it's just nature showing us both sides of the same terrible coin.
Even tempered with the news about Rick, this Christmas is already shaping up to be one of the most special holidays in our lives--for all the obvious reasons, and for reasons we probably have not recognized yet. We hope that all of you share that same sense of specialness this Holiday season.
Mike and Terry
Monday, December 7, 2009
Danny Medley Gets Great News!
We heard from Danny's wife, Rebel, late last week that his scan showed no signs of cancer. Wonderful news! Thanks to all Team Mike members who sent good vibes their way.
Danny still has a long way to go to get back to some semblance of normalcy, but he can do that knowing he is cancer-free, which should give him added strength and confidence. From my own experience I can tell you that every bit of good news and progress helps to take the next step forward.
One step at a time--that's how it goes.
Mike
Danny still has a long way to go to get back to some semblance of normalcy, but he can do that knowing he is cancer-free, which should give him added strength and confidence. From my own experience I can tell you that every bit of good news and progress helps to take the next step forward.
One step at a time--that's how it goes.
Mike
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