Tomorrow, tomorrow, there's always tomorrow......

Another day and something new.

Paul had the NG tube inserted this morning.  Hopefully this will help with the build up in the abdomen and get him the much needed relief.  Blood pressure went down this afternoon, but seems to be on the raise again this evening.  Paul is very uncomfortable with this new tube, but if it works it will be worth it!  His abdomen is still quite large and he continues to battle nausea.  No sign of the bladder and bowels improving yet, but it's still early and we haven 't done our nighttime walking.

 It has been an emotional evening as we found out a very beautiful lady, who took us under her wing when we moved to Caliente Springs died on Sunday.  Dorothy was an inspiration of living life and taking joy in the journey.  Her journey is now over and we feel truly blessed to have walked a very small piece of the journey's path with her.

Peace, love and hugs to all our friends and family.
Once again, thank you for all the get well wishes and prayers.  I share the comments and encouragement s with Paul daily.

Jo and Paul

Turkish Proverb
Man is harder than iron, stronger than stone and more fragile than a rose.

Baby steps

Today's  update....

We had a good visit with daughter Elizabeth and grandson Gage yesterday afternoon.  Paul was walking the halls when they got off the elevator so Gage being a rambunctious two year old, decided to play "hide and seek", with Paul being the seeker.  Paul with the I.V. Pole in tow played along making a big deal out of finding Gage around corners.  Paul's walks have increased from five - ten minutes to ten -fifteen minutes.  He was worn out and took a nap when we got back to the room.

Later in the evening he attempted to get in another walk.  It didn't happen.  He sat on the bed nauseated and shaking.  Once again he started vomiting the brownish stomach bile.  It was a rough night with the bladder and the bowels not working.  His blood pressure has been going up and down like it has never done before.  He was sick to his stomach most of the night, even the meds didn't seem to help much, besides knocking him out.  Last night he had a ultrasound on the bladder.  They have been keeping a watch on it to make sure it is not so filled that it would cause more problems with the intestines and bowels not working.

This morning the doctor ordered an X-ray to check for blockage, thank goodness none is present.  It did show a lot of air and of course the feeding tube food.  Doctor said if the bowels do not empty themselves by tomorrow afternoon he will insert a N.G. Tube through the nose to remove the air and help the abdomen to decrease in size.    Paul did get some movement from the bowels but it also included a lot of vomiting this morning.   He is complaining that his esophagus feels like it is burning.  This is caused by the gastric acid coming up from the stomach.  Paul is still not eating or drinking.  It has been nine days since Paul has been able to swallow food.  Liquids are only very tiny sips, less the a teaspoon and extremely sparingly so he does not vomit it up.

On a good note, I was able to administer Paul his meds last night and once today to get used to working with the J tube.  I also have been cleaning it daily.  Nothing like learning something new!

We are hanging in there.....
There is Japanese proverb that continues to pop into my mind...." Fall seven times, stand up eight"
We plan to keep standing up no matter how many times this disease makes us fall down,

Thanks for the encouraging comments,
Jo and Paul

Sometimes it feel like one step forward....

and two steps back!

Very early morning as Paul sat vomiting, all I could do was breath deeply and pray.

He is trying so hard to do what needs to be done...breathing exercises, walking, thinking positive thoughts.

Today he farted,  you would think we had hit the lottery with the amount of joy we both felt.  A little step, but one that means the bowels are returning back to normal. It make take a day or two...but they will be forgiving.

As I read the emails received this morning of prayers being offered for us, I sobbed. It has been a long time since I broke down...well, not really, it just felt that way!  I think it was seeing the tear roll down Paul's cheek when he said "I'm trying m'lady...I'm really trying"

We are both trying.  I gave him a soft back massage as he stood looking out the window, it was so good to hear him sigh with relief, he let out  a moan ...I asked "does it hurt?"  "No,feels good".   To be able to comfort  him, give him strength, made me feel better.

My daughter Elizabeth and grandson Gage have been been here which has been a god send.  She has done "store runs"  provided meals and a shoulder to lean on.  Gage has provided Paul and I with smiles and the much needed distraction to all this.  Gage has really been a trooper to being in the hospital, being in strang place for the night and having to be in the carseat so much.

We are looking forward to this hospital stay ending and going home.

God bless,
Jo and Paul

March 10th update on Paul

We have had a few rough days.  Paul's recovery from surgery has not been speedy.  He continues to have problems with vomiting, bladder and bowel functions.  His body seems to be in turmoil over the two surgeries that he had and is struggling to get itself back to normal.

Paul's quote of the day " this is getting old"

We'd like to thank all those sending their "Get Well Wishes"

Jo and Paul

One more step.....

Paul had an appointment for an Endoscopy and Bronchoscope with the Thoracic Surgeon on Tuesday.  We arrived early so the staff was ready to take him back and get him prepped.  The Doctorow said it would be about a thirty to forty five minute procedure.  I went to get some coffee and camelback within fifteen minutes.  No sooner had I sat down, I was called back to the room.  The  nurse told me that they were not able to preform the test as the tumor had completely blocked the esophagus and that Paul would have to be admitted to the hospital to have a feeding tube inserted into his intestines.  I let the doctor know that we had an appointment for a surgeon back home for Paul to have a port put in for chemotherapy.  The doctor said they could do both at the same time.

Paul had surgery on Wednesday.  All went well, surgery is done, port in place and so is the feeding tube.  He is in pain mostly because they had to cut his abdomen open to move things around a bit to get the correct positioning for the "J tube"(feeding tube).  Doctor said we will be here for a few days.

Will keep everyone posted on the journey.

Jo

Progress. It's slow but ... progress

Sunday was a rough day.  Paul had a protein shake in the morning and tried to eat lunch.  It got stuck in the middle, so after several tries he gave up.  He couldn't even get a sip of milk down.  It was blocked.  The blockage causes him to vomit up whatever is in the esophagus at the time.  He wouldn't even hear of the suggestion to call the doctor or go to urgent care, so he went back to work.  I called him often just to check on him.  He came home, wanted dinner, took a small nibble and that wouldn't go down either.  Took him 3 hours to get down a protein shake.  I mentioned this episode to the Oncologist this afternoon (Monday).  The doctor immediately took him to the back room and had a nurse put in a IV then proceeded to get some fluids into him. It's not the blockage that is the immediate concern, because that'll get checked out on Tuesday when we revisit the Thoracic Surgeon for his third endoscopy, but the fact that he's getting dehydrated.

Oncologist wants us to see a general surgeon, here in the valley where we live, to have a port put into Paul's chest for the chemotherapy, and he would like to start chemotherapy on March 18th.  There was also the mention of a feeding tube.  I will talk with the Thoracic Surgeon tomorrow when we are at USC about all this too.

Looks like we are going to have a couple of busy weeks ahead.

Let me call you "Sweat Heart"

Next week is going to be a busy week for us with doctors.
Monday we will see the Oncologist for a follow-up for blood work he did on the last visit and to discuss the radiation and chemotherapy.
Tuesday we will be going back to USC for Paul to have an Ultrasound Endoscopy and Bronchoscopy with the thoracic surgeon.
Thursday a new doctor, the Radiologist.
Friday back to our Primary Care Doctor to get a referral to a Cardiologist to make the arrangements for Paul to have the Echocardiogram for pre-op.

Yep, a busy week ahead.

The support of friends, family and co-workers has been amazing.

Thank you,

From the bottom of our hearts.

This picture was taken after washing windows for a friend of ours on a very hot summer day.  

I teased Paul that I was his "sweat-heart"

It's been a long day.

We saw Dr. DeMeester, the surgeon, today at USC Medical Hospital in Los Angeles.  He has ordered an Endoscopy with Ultrasound and a Bronchoscopy.

Dr. DeMeester wants to do the test himself and see exactly what he is dealing with.  As Paul puts it.. " I hope I "ring" well and my "pipes" (think ... church organ) are not too rat-infested "   So we will be returning to USC on Tuesday March 5th.

Dr. DeMeester will be talking with Paul's Oncologist to set up 8 - 10 weeks of Chemotherapy including half dosage Radiation Therapy for the same period.   Thankfully, the Chemo and Radiation can be done close to home.  

Some time in the next few weeks Paul has to have Pre-op Dobutamine Stress Echocardiogram.  After the Chemo and Radiation therapy is completed the surgeon will probably do another endoscopy and would wait about four weeks to do the Esophagectomy at USC.

A whole lot of big words which means we are moving forward and onward.

See ya'll later! 

Jo and Paul

Being prepared

With the visit to the surgeon tomorrow, I'm finding myself a bit more scared than I thought I would be feeling.  Paul and I have got all our questions ready, map with directions to Los Angeles printed, and we are ready to tackle the next step.

We have had some talks and decided that with all the challenges we have faced in our life together, this is just one more.  We've already faced the following ....

Taking grandchildren on a tour of Washington D.C 

Building Thomas the Train with the smaller Grandchildren

Hiking the Arizona desert and finding unusual rock formations.

Finding our way in and out of the Belize Rain Forest.

Climbing to the top of a Mayan Temple.

Being eaten by a Giant Redwood Tree.

Survived family gatherings ....

And more family gatherings ....

And even more family gatherings!

Being baked at 117 degrees

 Not having heart attacks by unexpected surprises

Smiling in the attempt to cheer up an unhappy grandchild

 Making fools of ourselves in public.

 Spending three days with a teenage Granddaughter.

Having to "dig-out" our brand new RV.

... and ... MUCH MUCH MORE!

So after conquering all of the above, we can easily take on this Cancer and beat it!

Thank you all for the prayers, well wishes and the never ending encouragement.

We will keep you posted .....

Jo and Paul

A New Road to Travel

It has almost been a year since we last posted anything on this blog.  Where has the time gone?  What have we been doing? Well.....

We are both still working at Caliente Springs Resort and loving it as much as when we first started.  Summer of 2012 was a busy one....  Paul covered as Assistant Manager for both Sky Valley Resort and Caliente Springs Resort.  I had taken on learning a bit more about the job of Front Office Clerk and Billing Clerk.  We also did a bit of traveling.  A trip to London for a visit with Paul's family. This included his brothers and their wives,  his daughters and grandsons.  It was a wonderful visit.  A lot of time spent reminiscing, sharing stories of where life has taken us all and it gave me a chance to get to know Paul's family a little bit better.  Our trip over the pond included a small side trip to Paris.  I had wanted to experience something I had never done before and Paul is always willing to help me do that!  Monet, the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, a boat ride on the River Seine, and seeing so many great sights and tasting delicious foods, made my dream of "something different" come true.

Family visits were also on the agenda for me as we helped my oldest sister celebrate the wonderful experience of turning 70!  Somehow that doesn't seem possible.  Where have the years gone?  Wasn't it only a few years back we celebrated my mom's 70th?  One thing is for sure ... Time waits for no one.

We made a few small trips: a visit to my cousin celebrating her birthday in Las Vegas, spent Thanksgiving in Arizona and had visits from my daughters.

Now our new road ... Paul's and mine.  This journey is turning in a new direction, and I want to use this blog to share that journey.  This blog will become my way of communicating news to our families and friends across the world as we travel the new road that life has laid out before us.    

Here goes ....

In November 2012, what started out as a doctor visit  for me with severe vertigo, leading to the discovery of me having Meniere's disease, has now ended up on February 1, 2013 with Paul being told he has esophageal cancer.

Funny, not the ha-ha funny, how things happen.  While we were in the doctor's office for the follow-up for me, being told that I needed to see an ENT specialist for testing,  I mentioned Paul's indigestion and not feeling well.  The fact that sometimes his food suddenly won't go down and he throws up while eating.  Doctor thought it may be GERD, gives him some medicine and says "Call me in a week" 

From there it seems everything happened so fast and yet sometimes not fast enough. During that week I was able to see the ENT, get tested and given the diagnosis of Meniere's. I was told to limit my sodium (salt) intake to less that 1000 milligrams a day, given instructions that if it becomes severe to call immediately and that the sudden hearing loss that I suffered may be permanent.  The hearing loss did not surprise me, I've been wearing hearing aids for years so being hard of hearing was not something new, but the thought of being deaf frightened me. Do you have any idea how much sodium is in a bowl of cereal?  Too much!   We have changed our eating to freshly prepared meals and try not to eat out if we can help it. I have medication as a stand by for the vertigo and a follow up to be retested in April.

My answers came quickly, Paul's would take a bit more time. 

12/06/12 Follow up.  Medicine given not helping and he was given a referral to see a gastroenterologist. 

12/13/12 Gastroenterology doctor appointment and consultation done.  Endoscopy ordered.

12/28/12  Paul had an endoscopy.  Doctor reported to me "Some blockage, hard to push through, dilated the throat, should be fine now"  Given different medications to help with the problem.

01/08/13 Follow up with Gastroenterology doctor.  Vomiting continues, now feeling that something is stuck in the middle of the chest.  Doctor ordered Barium swallow X-ray videogram to get a better picture of what is going on.

01/11/13 Barium swallow done.  Radiologist jokingly says "Did you swallow lye?"

01/15/13 Follow up with Gastroenterology doctor.  Possible cancer mentioned and he ordered a CT with contrast.

01/15/13 Blood work and CT done.  (Yep, we were lucky, no wait on this one)

01/21/13 Follow up with Gastroenterology doctor.  Blockage is 2-3 cm.  in the middle of the esophagus.  He ordered another endoscopy.

01/23/13 Endoscopy with biopsies taken.  I complained about Paul losing weight and please recommend protein shakes as Paul thinks I'm overly worried for nothing.  17 pounds lost in 2 months which, in my book is a lot for a guy who stands 5'10 and weighed 165 pounds.

02/01/13 Follow up with Gastroenterology doctor.  Pathologist report: Squamous cell carcinoma. CT report: lymph nodes do not look enlarged.  Referred to an Oncologist.

02/11/13 Oncologist ordered a PET scan to be done on 02/15/12, and blood work. Suggest surgery in Los 
Angeles at the University of Southern California (USC) or at Mayo Clinic in Arizona.  There is no doctor in the Palm Springs area who can perform this type of surgery.  

02/19/13 Oncologist office called with PET scan report.  Looks like the cancer is only located in the esophagus lining.  Not outside, not inside.  

We have an appointment with the surgeon at USC for 02/28/13.

I have an appointment on 03/01/13 for a follow-up with my Primary Care Physician (PCP).  I still suffer from vertigo, but have managed to keep it from becoming unbearable by keeping my sodium intake low and knowing when to slow down. I have to sometimes remind myself to move slowly when bending down or turning my head.  I find rapid movements tend to make me feel like I'm in a fishbowl.  Through all this my main concern is Paul and beating this cancer.  

To all our family and friends, I'm doing this is to make it much easier for me to share news.  The 10 to 20  individual communications becomes very draining and tire me out to the point of total exhaustion and that has only been to immediate family members. Please bear with me and soon this blog will once again become a place to share in our travels.  I'm looking at all this as a small detour before we get back on the Interstate highway again :)

Thank you for stopping by.

Jo

I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be!