Chef Daddy New Tread and up-date from Mike

Pam M said:

Step by Step
Great to hear Mike's moving in the right direction. I know his son has finished his chemo, right? Any word on how he's feeling? Much better with Dad home, I'm sure.

must have called him while
must have called him while he was out. this time i did not even get voice mail

thanks for update. i keep missing him. :-(

Scambuster said:

Such good news !
Hondo, this is great news and has truly made my day. I am amazed Mike has managed through this and I'm sure having you Hondo, and the rest of gang here keeping his spirits alive, have contributed to his remarkable turn around. Pls pass on our best when you next speak to him.
Scambuster

That is very good news!!
That is very good news!! News I love to hear!!! I'm sure he will get better each day:)

Cindy

So happy
I am so happy to hear he is doing better. He is an amazing person and I am so glad to have gotten to know such an amazing person.

Hondo said:

More Good News 6-3-2010
Hi Everyone

Mike seen his ENT yesterday, they scoped his throat and did not see any signs of the cancer; he will be set up to do a PET in about three weeks. The reason for doing the PET so soon is to see if there are sign anywhere else in his body of cancer and remove it before it becomes a problem as they feel he will not be able to handle anymore radiation or chemo.

Doctors are amazed at his recovery and how well he is doing for someone they sent home to die. He is starting to eat a little more each day but is also starting to have a lot of dryness in the mouth when trying to swallow which is normal for any of us who had radiation.

Thanks again for your prayers for Mike

Power of Prayer & Faith, Family, & Friends
Nuff said.....

debbiejeanne said:

hondo, thank you for the
hondo, thank you for the update. I'm so thankful to God for Mike's improvement. I pray God will continue to make Mike better. I will continue to keep him and his children in my prayers.
Take care and God Bless everyone,
debbie

Good news time!
Hi everyone,

I finally have some good news.

I've gained two pounds and the plumbing is starting to work a little bit on it's own. I am starting to be able to swallow some things, this morning I had a bowl of cream of wheat that was pretty wet with milk, but it went down well. I am still on the feeding pump. They delivered an electric hospital bed yesterday so that I can now safely pump feed through the night. I am getting stronger, the blood pressure has left the high 40's and back up to the 70's and 80's, so passing out has stopped.

I've been able to work myself back into the kitchen again for short stints, the kids are very happy, not only for my physical turn-around, but for some of dad's home cooking again.


I had bought a leg of lamb to celebrate my son's final chemo date, before my health went south.
I finally got to prepare it as if it were a holiday meal for them the other night and they were delighted. I had to sit down several times but I got through it. I'm getting a little stronger each day as long as I can get enough calories in me. It's very difficult using the Scandi-Shakes as they are extremely rich and nauseating. The vanilla flavor is so strong that even when fresh berries and flavored espresso syrups are added it doesn't remove the sickening vanilla flavor.

I would appreciate any ideas or recipes for any high calorie, high protein foods or soups that I can blend and drink.

I missed you all very much while stuck in the hospital, I thank you all for your phone calls. Unfortunately, they had me so drugged up that I don't remember all the details of our conversations, but what mattered most to me was that I knew I was not alone in that place.

Thank you all so very much for your endless prayers for me as well as for my children.


Your friend

Mike

micktissue said:

Right on Mike
Great to see your words rather than other people writing how you were doing. I am so glad for you and your kids you've made the turn around.

All The Very best,

Mick

Thank you Mick,
How are you
Thank you Mick,

How are you doing? I lost touch with so many of you once I went downhill. How did you do through the radiation? Did you ever get a PEG put in?

Thank you for you kind words my friend.

Mike

Chefdaddy said:

Good news time!
Hi everyone,

I finally have some good news.

I've gained two pounds and the plumbing is starting to work a little bit on it's own. I am starting to be able to swallow some things, this morning I had a bowl of cream of wheat that was pretty wet with milk, but it went down well. I am still on the feeding pump. They delivered an electric hospital bed yesterday so that I can now safely pump feed through the night. I am getting stronger, the blood pressure has left the high 40's and back up to the 70's and 80's, so passing out has stopped.

I've been able to work myself back into the kitchen again for short stints, the kids are very happy, not only for my physical turn-around, but for some of dad's home cooking again.


I had bought a leg of lamb to celebrate my son's final chemo date, before my health went south.
I finally got to prepare it as if it were a holiday meal for them the other night and they were delighted. I had to sit down several times but I got through it. I'm getting a little stronger each day as long as I can get enough calories in me. It's very difficult using the Scandi-Shakes as they are extremely rich and nauseating. The vanilla flavor is so strong that even when fresh berries and flavored espresso syrups are added it doesn't remove the sickening vanilla flavor.

I would appreciate any ideas or recipes for any high calorie, high protein foods or soups that I can blend and drink.

I missed you all very much while stuck in the hospital, I thank you all for your phone calls. Unfortunately, they had me so drugged up that I don't remember all the details of our conversations, but what mattered most to me was that I knew I was not alone in that place.

Thank you all so very much for your endless prayers for me as well as for my children.


Your friend

Mike

Welcome back Mike ;-)
As Mick said - it is so nice to be reading your posts instead of hearing from others on how you are doing. We all really appreciate everyone who spoke to you for updating us but I feel better reading your posts as they let me know that you are getting stronger and can now get back on your computer.

I'm sure the kids are more excited about having daddy home and doing better than they are your home cooked meals. I'm sure the leg of lamb was delicious!!

Please take good care of yourself and don't over do it.

So happy to start hearing good news from you again.

God bless, Glenna

Chefdaddy said:

Thank you Mick,
How are you
Thank you Mick,

How are you doing? I lost touch with so many of you once I went downhill. How did you do through the radiation? Did you ever get a PEG put in?

Thank you for you kind words my friend.

Mike

Mike
Hi Mike.

I got the PEG the last week of treatment when I couldn't swallow anymore and still have it 9+ weeks post-treatment. I've had complications due to thrush and blocked salivary ducts that have made recovery a bit slower than usual, but on the whole feeling pretty good.

Swallowing is difficult. I tried watermelon last week. The juice went down pretty good, but the bits just would not go down. My ENT says there's a lot of thick, rubbery mucus and little in the way of lubrication, but added that the swelling is less. He doesn't want to see me for 6 weeks! I guess he's not worried.

In the meantime I have a PET/CT scan scheduled for the last week of June. Kinda nervous about that. Oh, in the meantime I finished my MA (counseling) which was awesome.

I would have been on here more, crying about my recovery had you not been going through the roughest time I've ever heard anyone going through. Your strength has been a real inspiration to me and a lot of others here. I'm sorry you had to go through that but hope you realize how much your journey has meant to people here.

Best,

Mick

Chefdaddy said:

Good news time!
Hi everyone,

I finally have some good news.

I've gained two pounds and the plumbing is starting to work a little bit on it's own. I am starting to be able to swallow some things, this morning I had a bowl of cream of wheat that was pretty wet with milk, but it went down well. I am still on the feeding pump. They delivered an electric hospital bed yesterday so that I can now safely pump feed through the night. I am getting stronger, the blood pressure has left the high 40's and back up to the 70's and 80's, so passing out has stopped.

I've been able to work myself back into the kitchen again for short stints, the kids are very happy, not only for my physical turn-around, but for some of dad's home cooking again.


I had bought a leg of lamb to celebrate my son's final chemo date, before my health went south.
I finally got to prepare it as if it were a holiday meal for them the other night and they were delighted. I had to sit down several times but I got through it. I'm getting a little stronger each day as long as I can get enough calories in me. It's very difficult using the Scandi-Shakes as they are extremely rich and nauseating. The vanilla flavor is so strong that even when fresh berries and flavored espresso syrups are added it doesn't remove the sickening vanilla flavor.

I would appreciate any ideas or recipes for any high calorie, high protein foods or soups that I can blend and drink.

I missed you all very much while stuck in the hospital, I thank you all for your phone calls. Unfortunately, they had me so drugged up that I don't remember all the details of our conversations, but what mattered most to me was that I knew I was not alone in that place.

Thank you all so very much for your endless prayers for me as well as for my children.


Your friend

Mike

Happy to hear from you
Hi,

It makes my day to read something from you. I am so glad that you are feeling better. You are amazing. I want you to know I enjoyed talking to you on the phone that night.

Love,
Pumakitty