What a journey

It's been 15 days now since I've had my surgery.  I have some pain still but it's worth every bit of it to be cancer free.   I still have a few steri strips on my incisions they already took the staples out.  I have 5 incisions total.   I count the 3 smaller ones as 1 together since they are right in the same area.  The larger 4 incisions each had 4 staples.  So, I had 16 staples total.  I take my medication faithfully.  I feel myself getting stressed about my upcoming SSI Hearing and I can feel my chest hurt.  Now I'm having to learn the difference between my C.O.P.D & My Heart...  I take my inhaler first and wait a couple mins and if that don't help then I take my Nitro pill.  Usually the Nitro helps.  My blood pressure is getting better.  My wife makes sure all my medication is as easy as possible for me not to forget anything.  I am so grateful for having such a loving group of family and friends.  God Bless!

Feeling Better, Slowly but Surely

It has now been 3days cancer free and I'm feeling better every day, except when I try to do too much,then my kidney lets me know it.The staff at the Reading Hospital were for the most part very good and professional.The only thing is now I am cancer free for the moment but I have a 60% blockage in one of my heart valves(you only have 4 valves) and they won't physically open the valve until it is like75 to 78% blocked. To me might that not be too late in some cases. They want to start me on meds first so I will comply until I feel I need to get a second opinion. I just hope and pray the meds will work. It has been one hell of a bad year in some sense but we are WINNING. Anybody who knows me, my wife and girls know we are not quitters and we will beat all of this. God Bless.

Part 1 is complete..

....and do not believe every thing you read in the hospital brochures about procedures saying in 24 hours you will be feeling great.....wrong I was running a fever,had no appetite , peeing blood all day for the last 2 days,constipation, so in other words when the doctor called these are are normal , so do not always believe what literature they give you.I am ready to kill the cancer, though I know it is not going to be a pleasant recovering experience.....how ever I am going to be a cancer survivor and that means this minor set back of pain and being uncomfortable is a small price to pay for my life......Thank you all for your prayers and well wishes and most of all thank you God.

Nervous, Anxious, Ready

Nervous about the upcoming week, but, anxious and ready to get it done.  Monday I get my stent.   Then on Thursday July 12, 2012 I will have my Cryoablation surgery done.  It's a new procedure where the cancer cells are frozen, thawed, frozen and thawed again until all cancer cells are dead!  Then the next 2-5 years I will be closely monitored to insure that the cancer doesn't return.  If it does then I will have another surgery done called a "Wedge".   That's a whole different ball game that I hope I don't have to play.  But, if I do then I will.  I know I have a great support system of family and friends that will help me overcome any and every thing that comes my way.  As far as I know as of right now I will not have to undergo any Chemo or Radiation Therapy.  On July 12th I have to spend the night in the hospital, the first time non work related that I am separated from my wife and kids.  My wife will be there early the next morning to wait with me until I get my discharge papers to take me home on July 13, 2012.  I know my family will be happy to have me home as well as I will be happy to be home.