Date for Surgery (or moving to Junior Class)
PS:
I started writing this post Friday night didn’t finish so I updated an added a little yesterday, didn’t finish until tonight. I wish I were a better writer; it takes me forever to write something because I re-read and it doesn’t always make sense to me (& I am writing LOL) so I edit. Some of you that post here are very elegant writers and I admire your skills. Hope everyone is safe and sound and has power.
I will update with John’s surgery date when I speak to someone at the hospital in the morning.
Erica
Wife of John
T-3,N-1,M-0
Counting down to surgery date!
Comments
-
It only looks good, it only looks bad...
Erica,
I understand your frustration. I am a BIG planner, but there is more to it when you have family flying in and a thousand other things to arrange for something as major as this type of surgery. I hope this was someone that knows what they are doing and not just a mistake. If it is, then the surgery is closer to the 'prime window' and no worries, if it HAS been moved, the like you say, he can eat more and be even stronger. I think you put it in perspective very well without me babbling!
On the other point you made, I just had to say something;
If it weren't for SPELL CHECK and the red underline on all of my TYPOS, you wouldn't be able to make sense of ANY of my posts either, much less read them!
SO don't beat yourself up, your writing is great. The most important thing is that you ARE writing! That helps us all.
So keep up the good work, and we will put in extra prayers for John for a smooth surgery date and scheduling fix.
May you have a peaceful Sunday night and a very calm week until then!
-Eric0 -
Spell Check!chemosmoker said:It only looks good, it only looks bad...
Erica,
I understand your frustration. I am a BIG planner, but there is more to it when you have family flying in and a thousand other things to arrange for something as major as this type of surgery. I hope this was someone that knows what they are doing and not just a mistake. If it is, then the surgery is closer to the 'prime window' and no worries, if it HAS been moved, the like you say, he can eat more and be even stronger. I think you put it in perspective very well without me babbling!
On the other point you made, I just had to say something;
If it weren't for SPELL CHECK and the red underline on all of my TYPOS, you wouldn't be able to make sense of ANY of my posts either, much less read them!
SO don't beat yourself up, your writing is great. The most important thing is that you ARE writing! That helps us all.
So keep up the good work, and we will put in extra prayers for John for a smooth surgery date and scheduling fix.
May you have a peaceful Sunday night and a very calm week until then!
-Eric
Eric,
I would never write if it were not for spell check! Don't forget Grammar check (I need that too) LOL!
When John was first diagnosed I was in freak out mode but I have gotten better with One Day at a Time but I am human so I try to keep reminding myself of that also. I believe that it was easier for me to gain perspective by reading posts on this site. This site has been a godsend to me, so I want to post too maybe I can help someone (even if it is just to help someone smile for a moment). I have perfectionism issue hence the difficulty with just putting my first thoughts down and hitting send. I need to work on that too but…
I have to say that I have read all of your post and your about me page. You sound to me like a very intelligent person with a real sense of self and you know you, I say good for you! I agree with you I have a very low threshold for pain so I understand your stance on life quality and pain management. I believe the American healthcare system struggles with managing pain. The health systems are so worried about addiction or the perception from the outside of accusing a physician of over prescribing. It is a very complex issue that needs to be looked at along with many other issues.
OK enough of that!
Thank you for your support and prayers.
Just called hospital had to leave message, will keep everyone posted as soon as I know something!
Happy Monday
Weica0 -
Thinking of YouEricalynn said:Spell Check!
Eric,
I would never write if it were not for spell check! Don't forget Grammar check (I need that too) LOL!
When John was first diagnosed I was in freak out mode but I have gotten better with One Day at a Time but I am human so I try to keep reminding myself of that also. I believe that it was easier for me to gain perspective by reading posts on this site. This site has been a godsend to me, so I want to post too maybe I can help someone (even if it is just to help someone smile for a moment). I have perfectionism issue hence the difficulty with just putting my first thoughts down and hitting send. I need to work on that too but…
I have to say that I have read all of your post and your about me page. You sound to me like a very intelligent person with a real sense of self and you know you, I say good for you! I agree with you I have a very low threshold for pain so I understand your stance on life quality and pain management. I believe the American healthcare system struggles with managing pain. The health systems are so worried about addiction or the perception from the outside of accusing a physician of over prescribing. It is a very complex issue that needs to be looked at along with many other issues.
OK enough of that!
Thank you for your support and prayers.
Just called hospital had to leave message, will keep everyone posted as soon as I know something!
Happy Monday
Weica
Hello and welcome you both to our EC family. I was a caregiver for my dad. He passed from EC with mets to the liver in March 2010. He was not able to have surgery. John is fortunate to be able to have the surgery. Will be thinking of you and praying that all goes well on 9/9!! Keep in touch.
Tina in Va0 -
Ain't It Frustrating?
Erica and John,
I can empathize with you on the delays. My feelings are , "Let's get the show on the road." But try to see a good thing in everything......in this case John being able to eat for another week and gain some strength. I'm 8 weeks out from chemo/radiation and this past week is the first time since May that I've been able to eat three full meals in a day.
I had my biopsy done on my lymph node today. 3-3 days for the results.....(more pins and needles). Pulmonary Function and other pre-surgical stuff on Wed.
Like you, I'm an avid football fan so since the season is about upon us it'll make the waiting seem a little shorter for me I think, because my calendar this time of year revolves around the schedule.
I've been a Bucs fan ever since they've been around (I'm a native Floridian). I've took my share of abuse......I remember coming to Tampa on leave from the military in the early 80's. I bought two tickets to a Bucs game and stopped at a convenience store to pick up a six pack. I put the tickets on my dash. When I came out someone had smashed my windshield......and left me 2 more tickets. That's how futile we were.
Well, hoping you get your surgery date all ironed out. Keeping you in my prayers.
Michael Daniels
Brandon, FL0 -
funny!hopper52 said:Ain't It Frustrating?
Erica and John,
I can empathize with you on the delays. My feelings are , "Let's get the show on the road." But try to see a good thing in everything......in this case John being able to eat for another week and gain some strength. I'm 8 weeks out from chemo/radiation and this past week is the first time since May that I've been able to eat three full meals in a day.
I had my biopsy done on my lymph node today. 3-3 days for the results.....(more pins and needles). Pulmonary Function and other pre-surgical stuff on Wed.
Like you, I'm an avid football fan so since the season is about upon us it'll make the waiting seem a little shorter for me I think, because my calendar this time of year revolves around the schedule.
I've been a Bucs fan ever since they've been around (I'm a native Floridian). I've took my share of abuse......I remember coming to Tampa on leave from the military in the early 80's. I bought two tickets to a Bucs game and stopped at a convenience store to pick up a six pack. I put the tickets on my dash. When I came out someone had smashed my windshield......and left me 2 more tickets. That's how futile we were.
Well, hoping you get your surgery date all ironed out. Keeping you in my prayers.
Michael Daniels
Brandon, FL
Hopper-
That Bucs joke was hysterical! Good luck with your biopsy and EAT ALL YOU CAN!!!!
Jeff0 -
More.....beyond the spell check!Ericalynn said:Spell Check!
Eric,
I would never write if it were not for spell check! Don't forget Grammar check (I need that too) LOL!
When John was first diagnosed I was in freak out mode but I have gotten better with One Day at a Time but I am human so I try to keep reminding myself of that also. I believe that it was easier for me to gain perspective by reading posts on this site. This site has been a godsend to me, so I want to post too maybe I can help someone (even if it is just to help someone smile for a moment). I have perfectionism issue hence the difficulty with just putting my first thoughts down and hitting send. I need to work on that too but…
I have to say that I have read all of your post and your about me page. You sound to me like a very intelligent person with a real sense of self and you know you, I say good for you! I agree with you I have a very low threshold for pain so I understand your stance on life quality and pain management. I believe the American healthcare system struggles with managing pain. The health systems are so worried about addiction or the perception from the outside of accusing a physician of over prescribing. It is a very complex issue that needs to be looked at along with many other issues.
OK enough of that!
Thank you for your support and prayers.
Just called hospital had to leave message, will keep everyone posted as soon as I know something!
Happy Monday
Weica
Weica,
Thank you for all those wonderful compliments. I am sure I don't deserve them, but you DID make me smile today and I thank you for that!
Yes, you are so right, I shouldn't ever leave out the GRAMMAR CHECK, and the 'that is not a sentence' checker in WORD is a great friend, too! LOL.
I know they have all kinds of people trying to get pain meds for "fun" but I REALLY think that if you have an Oncologist prescribing with the pathology to back it, for TERMINAL cancer for God's sake, that this is probably NOT a person just trying to 'score'some pills!!! It amazes me that the state and the government still think that everyone is the same, and there is no way for them to make provisions for someone in our position, and someone shopping for meds that is not dying. I know I re-read my about me page, and I DO tend to rant about the pain management part, I realized. I am going to leave it, in case it helps someone. I never know WHAT will be the helpful part. That flows out of Someone Else through my hands I think.
Ok, I get off my soap box and digress.
I thoroughly enjoyed 'freak-out' mode and I could not be more glad that it has since passed a few months back. I still need the Xanax ER for those days that I think WAY too much and start to work myself up. I was glad to read your experience and as always know I am NOT alone in these stages we go through.
Yes, quality of life was paramount to me, and thankfully, my Onco understood this from day 1, and my wife was very helpful in informing her that I was NOT kidding when I say I don't do pain, vomiting and living in bed very well. We had both decided long before this all happened, that we would NOT stick around to live in adult diapers (NO offense to anyone who needs them-this is a personal statement) dependent on others to feed and keep us alive. If we can't LIVE, we don't want to. It was simply supposed to happen TOGETHER, on OUR terms. But, alas., that is such an assumption that we are in more control of our lives and our mortality than we ever are.
I am grateful that I am at peace with death, always have been. I am at heart, an animal. I am not referring to my behavior here (lol) but to the fact that it is just as normal to die as it is to live. Western culture just doesn't make many allowances for that. We all seem to bop along as if death is something that only happens to other people on another planet and therefore we never prepare for it and refuse to think about it, as fear controls that area too well.
OOPS! I am on my soap box again!
I am digressing to posting this and shutting up, for now.
Hope everyone has a quiet night and a good week, considering.
-Eric0 -
Love it! That was a GREAT one!hopper52 said:Ain't It Frustrating?
Erica and John,
I can empathize with you on the delays. My feelings are , "Let's get the show on the road." But try to see a good thing in everything......in this case John being able to eat for another week and gain some strength. I'm 8 weeks out from chemo/radiation and this past week is the first time since May that I've been able to eat three full meals in a day.
I had my biopsy done on my lymph node today. 3-3 days for the results.....(more pins and needles). Pulmonary Function and other pre-surgical stuff on Wed.
Like you, I'm an avid football fan so since the season is about upon us it'll make the waiting seem a little shorter for me I think, because my calendar this time of year revolves around the schedule.
I've been a Bucs fan ever since they've been around (I'm a native Floridian). I've took my share of abuse......I remember coming to Tampa on leave from the military in the early 80's. I bought two tickets to a Bucs game and stopped at a convenience store to pick up a six pack. I put the tickets on my dash. When I came out someone had smashed my windshield......and left me 2 more tickets. That's how futile we were.
Well, hoping you get your surgery date all ironed out. Keeping you in my prayers.
Michael Daniels
Brandon, FL
Best one I ever heard Michael! Great! I am rolling! Thank you.0 -
Great Storyhopper52 said:Ain't It Frustrating?
Erica and John,
I can empathize with you on the delays. My feelings are , "Let's get the show on the road." But try to see a good thing in everything......in this case John being able to eat for another week and gain some strength. I'm 8 weeks out from chemo/radiation and this past week is the first time since May that I've been able to eat three full meals in a day.
I had my biopsy done on my lymph node today. 3-3 days for the results.....(more pins and needles). Pulmonary Function and other pre-surgical stuff on Wed.
Like you, I'm an avid football fan so since the season is about upon us it'll make the waiting seem a little shorter for me I think, because my calendar this time of year revolves around the schedule.
I've been a Bucs fan ever since they've been around (I'm a native Floridian). I've took my share of abuse......I remember coming to Tampa on leave from the military in the early 80's. I bought two tickets to a Bucs game and stopped at a convenience store to pick up a six pack. I put the tickets on my dash. When I came out someone had smashed my windshield......and left me 2 more tickets. That's how futile we were.
Well, hoping you get your surgery date all ironed out. Keeping you in my prayers.
Michael Daniels
Brandon, FL
Michael, great story I really laughed out loud at that one!
I grew up in Detroit so I know what it is like to be a football fan in a town with a lousy football team! My Dad would say every year “well there is always next year” I have lived in Florida for 10 years and I keep track of the Lions too and at the end of every season I look up to heaven and say to my Dad “well there is always next year”. This season the Lions look good (anyone see the game vs. Patriots) & the Bucs look good to (can’t see the games half the season blacked out) so now I think I will have two good teams to watch (keep up with). Plus I have to keep track of individual players that I have on my Fantasy Football team. Yes I am a football nut. I joined an all women’s FF league last year and loved it. This year I was not going to do it then I said to myself why not, I set my line up on line and I can bring laptop to hospital when John has surgery.
Please keep us posted on the results of the biopsy. Medicine is not an exact science so here is hoping the node on the PET scan is not positive.
John’s surgery is now on schedule for 9-9-11. Like you this week he told me that he is just starting to feel like eating again. He ate more this past weekend than he has in months. We are both hoping he can gain a few lbs.
Loved the story about the tickets keep the funny stories coming we all need a good laugh!
Take Care
Erica0 -
Soapboxchemosmoker said:More.....beyond the spell check!
Weica,
Thank you for all those wonderful compliments. I am sure I don't deserve them, but you DID make me smile today and I thank you for that!
Yes, you are so right, I shouldn't ever leave out the GRAMMAR CHECK, and the 'that is not a sentence' checker in WORD is a great friend, too! LOL.
I know they have all kinds of people trying to get pain meds for "fun" but I REALLY think that if you have an Oncologist prescribing with the pathology to back it, for TERMINAL cancer for God's sake, that this is probably NOT a person just trying to 'score'some pills!!! It amazes me that the state and the government still think that everyone is the same, and there is no way for them to make provisions for someone in our position, and someone shopping for meds that is not dying. I know I re-read my about me page, and I DO tend to rant about the pain management part, I realized. I am going to leave it, in case it helps someone. I never know WHAT will be the helpful part. That flows out of Someone Else through my hands I think.
Ok, I get off my soap box and digress.
I thoroughly enjoyed 'freak-out' mode and I could not be more glad that it has since passed a few months back. I still need the Xanax ER for those days that I think WAY too much and start to work myself up. I was glad to read your experience and as always know I am NOT alone in these stages we go through.
Yes, quality of life was paramount to me, and thankfully, my Onco understood this from day 1, and my wife was very helpful in informing her that I was NOT kidding when I say I don't do pain, vomiting and living in bed very well. We had both decided long before this all happened, that we would NOT stick around to live in adult diapers (NO offense to anyone who needs them-this is a personal statement) dependent on others to feed and keep us alive. If we can't LIVE, we don't want to. It was simply supposed to happen TOGETHER, on OUR terms. But, alas., that is such an assumption that we are in more control of our lives and our mortality than we ever are.
I am grateful that I am at peace with death, always have been. I am at heart, an animal. I am not referring to my behavior here (lol) but to the fact that it is just as normal to die as it is to live. Western culture just doesn't make many allowances for that. We all seem to bop along as if death is something that only happens to other people on another planet and therefore we never prepare for it and refuse to think about it, as fear controls that area too well.
OOPS! I am on my soap box again!
I am digressing to posting this and shutting up, for now.
Hope everyone has a quiet night and a good week, considering.
-Eric
Eric,
You are a very good writer, have you thought about writing a book? I work in healthcare so I can get on my soapbox too; I love hearing others views on the health care system so get on your soapbox anytime. Surgery in scheduled for 9-9-11. One more week to put on a few LBS. All Good!
Have a good night!
Erica0 -
I don't know I missed this
CONGRATULATIONS! I'm so happy to hear that John is moving forward! Didn't the surgery date end up being 09/09?
btw, I know John, like Nick, is a smoker. Our surgeon recommended that Nick NOT try to cold turkey this close to surgery as quitting causes increased crud in the lungs. Surgery will do enough of that by itself. He does want Nick to go from a pack a day to 1/2 a pack a day though. Difficult when he's got this much stress, but better than cold turkey.
Blessings & prayers to all going through this EC journey!
Terry
wife of Nick, Stage 30 -
HappyTerryV said:I don't know I missed this
CONGRATULATIONS! I'm so happy to hear that John is moving forward! Didn't the surgery date end up being 09/09?
btw, I know John, like Nick, is a smoker. Our surgeon recommended that Nick NOT try to cold turkey this close to surgery as quitting causes increased crud in the lungs. Surgery will do enough of that by itself. He does want Nick to go from a pack a day to 1/2 a pack a day though. Difficult when he's got this much stress, but better than cold turkey.
Blessings & prayers to all going through this EC journey!
Terry
wife of Nick, Stage 3
Terry,
I am so happy the entire sophomore class is moving on to the Junior Class Together!!!!! John has cut back on his smoking, he tells me he is down to 1/2 pack per day. All I can do is hang on and pray that we all survive the ride!
It is my Birthday today —I was just checking in to see what was going on. It is weird right now I feel closer to everyone here than my family that I have known "forever" it is hard to relate to something you have not experienced. Well I better get going, My Mom, sister are calling for me wondering where I have run off to, LOL!
Again I am so happy that we are all in this together!
Thank you for the in put on the smoking
Take Care
Erica0 -
Surgery DateTerryV said:I don't know I missed this
CONGRATULATIONS! I'm so happy to hear that John is moving forward! Didn't the surgery date end up being 09/09?
btw, I know John, like Nick, is a smoker. Our surgeon recommended that Nick NOT try to cold turkey this close to surgery as quitting causes increased crud in the lungs. Surgery will do enough of that by itself. He does want Nick to go from a pack a day to 1/2 a pack a day though. Difficult when he's got this much stress, but better than cold turkey.
Blessings & prayers to all going through this EC journey!
Terry
wife of Nick, Stage 3
Terry,
The surgery date is 9-9-110 -
HAPPY BIRTHDAYEricalynn said:Happy
Terry,
I am so happy the entire sophomore class is moving on to the Junior Class Together!!!!! John has cut back on his smoking, he tells me he is down to 1/2 pack per day. All I can do is hang on and pray that we all survive the ride!
It is my Birthday today —I was just checking in to see what was going on. It is weird right now I feel closer to everyone here than my family that I have known "forever" it is hard to relate to something you have not experienced. Well I better get going, My Mom, sister are calling for me wondering where I have run off to, LOL!
Again I am so happy that we are all in this together!
Thank you for the in put on the smoking
Take Care
Erica
Erica,
Wishing you a happy birthday.
Also, thanks Terry for the tip about smoking. I was a two pack per day smoker for 40 years. After I had stents put in my right coronary I pretty much stopped.....maybe 3-4 a week (gigarettes, not packs). Then this EC came along and with the stress and anxiety I started back up again.........only at work.....I'm fine for my three days off but the other four days I probably go thru about a half pack a day. I was telling myself I really need to quit totally before the surgery but then I read your post. Makes sense to me. Maybe I'll just go to 3-4 a day and then quit when I have surgery. (That's us nicotine addicts.....looking for any loophole. Of course, if my wife found out I was smoking even this much, I wouldn't have to worry about the cancer killing me..........she'd do it.
Michael Daniels (T3N0M0)
Brandon, FL0 -
Happy BIrthday!!Ericalynn said:Happy
Terry,
I am so happy the entire sophomore class is moving on to the Junior Class Together!!!!! John has cut back on his smoking, he tells me he is down to 1/2 pack per day. All I can do is hang on and pray that we all survive the ride!
It is my Birthday today —I was just checking in to see what was going on. It is weird right now I feel closer to everyone here than my family that I have known "forever" it is hard to relate to something you have not experienced. Well I better get going, My Mom, sister are calling for me wondering where I have run off to, LOL!
Again I am so happy that we are all in this together!
Thank you for the in put on the smoking
Take Care
Erica
Hi Erica,
Happy Birthday!! I hope you are having fun with John and your family. I completely understand your comment about family and how it is hard for them to relate. I know my family loves Jeff, but they don't quite seem to 'get it'. I am ok with them not getting it though as I really don't want any of them to know what it feels like to go through this with a spouse.
I like you am very happy that everyone is able to have the surgery, I believe this is the schedule:
Laura and Luis - Aug 30th
Myself and Jeff - Sept 6th
Jeff - Sept 8th
Terry and Nick - Sept 8th
You and John - Sept 9th
Michael - waiting for date
Niki0 -
Thanks for that ScheduleNikiMo said:Happy BIrthday!!
Hi Erica,
Happy Birthday!! I hope you are having fun with John and your family. I completely understand your comment about family and how it is hard for them to relate. I know my family loves Jeff, but they don't quite seem to 'get it'. I am ok with them not getting it though as I really don't want any of them to know what it feels like to go through this with a spouse.
I like you am very happy that everyone is able to have the surgery, I believe this is the schedule:
Laura and Luis - Aug 30th
Myself and Jeff - Sept 6th
Jeff - Sept 8th
Terry and Nick - Sept 8th
You and John - Sept 9th
Michael - waiting for date
Niki
Niki,
Our class Secretary! Thank you so much for the schedule of surgeries. I didn't realize that Laura & Luis were already in! Wow.....
Hoping all has gone well for them!
Prayers for us all! I've got a good feeling about us!
Terry0
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