tony d's blog

surgon say ok

2009-12-04T14:37:51Z

Visit to surgeon went well he thinks the swelling is in my sliver-gland and not the thyroid glands.

He has booked me in to have a full body scan just to make sure every things OK. I know I'm getting better each week we're taking the dogs out most days and the walks are lasting about an hour. Still needing a sleep most afternoons. Stomach ache after eating still. Taking pain killers morning and night to help but I was told it would be a slow process to get back to full strength. After reading some of the the problems some of us face I feel a bit of a moaner.

Anyway best of luck to you all tony d

seeing the doctor

2009-12-02T10:30:03Z

Hello All

I'm getting better each week until last week problem with lungs. Went to see the Doctor on Wednesday last week. He listened and confirmed they sounded more like an old banger than a Rolls.

So he made an appointment for me to have an X-ray the following afternoon, by Friday I'd got the results. Lungs clear with small amount of water in each. So no treatment needed. I also told him of swelling in two glands in my neck. He told me it could take 14 days but to contact my Macmillan nurse to keep her informed. Today at 15:30 I'm seeing the the surgeon who performed the op.

We all hear of problems with the NHS. I though thing the service is excellent. So there is good news.

I'll keep you informed of how I get on, I only do the short blogs, hopefully to give hope and help to anyone going through this illness. There's always hope. But some others give hope, encouragement, and entertainment for many of us and I think we would all be the poorer if they should stop. “”SO DONT” Both me and my wife enjoy them.

Good luck to you all tony d

Just under 6months

2009-11-09T21:08:05Z

Hi All

It's just under 6 months since my meeting with Ivor Lewis, I've seen his picture on the web. I wonder how his first patient felt when he woke up from the opin 1946. Anyway enough of history.

I feel i'm getting better each week then i realise it's my brain that fully fit but the body's not cought up with it. I'm eating most thing ok still only same weight though. When ever i eat i have to sit down and relax as i get bad stomach ache.but luckely i'm not getting muscle spasm as bad.

We went to Medowhall shopping, there must be some thing wrong as i enjoyed the experience? must be the pain killers i'm on. This is the first time i've got prescent for my wife before December. By two o'clock we had to come home i was getting tired and needed my afternoon sleep. I still need to sleep each afternoon? How long will that go on for i wonder. My lungs are still not working right just yet. does anyone else feel their lungs putting pressure on different areas of their chest. like pushing towards your shoulders?

Both my wife and i enjoy reading your experiences and have found this site to be a grate help through this journey. Your all in our thoughts.

Good luck to you all

tony d

doin fine

2009-10-08T13:55:30Z

Hello All

I had my Ivor Lewis on the 22nd June 2009, diagnosed on the 17th April, no one could complain about that, it started with me having hiccups and having problems swallowing after eating. My wife kept telling me to go to see the doctor’s but I wouldn’t go until thing got bad. I collapsed at work and was taken to hospital in an Ambulance. The doctor said it was probably an hiatus hernia and a endoscopy would confirm. It didn't and further tests would be needed, full body scan and pep scan, Barats Oesophagus was diagnosed small tumor 1.5 cm stage 1 suspect stage 2. Well that's in the past now. The op went well, I can remember being helped out of bed and being asked to walk on the spot which I did quite well, 40 steps taken.

The doctor was pleased with this and I told him I’d heard 10 days was the record for someone having this op and going home. I told him I’d do it in 9 days. Everything went OK until about the 5^th day,

I used one of those packs used to moisten your mouth, a small sponge on a stick. As I cleaned with this I touched the back of my throat and was very sick, everyone came running to see what happened, and I could now feel the drain running from my nose to the joint. I asked if this could be removed and was told no. I believe this was the start of problems that would occur later on.

After several days I was sent to the general ward to begin my full recovery. From the start thing didn’t seam to go well. I couldn’t sleep, having very bad nightmares, felt like two steps forward and then three back. I told the doctors and nurses about this but nothing happened until 6days had passed, no swallow test had been done and I had a small leak in the joint. Some thing had entered the wound and infected my lungs and I had a fever so another op to glue and insert a stent. Antibiotics were also used. Any way I was told a swallow test would be done in 7 days. This test was negative so another would be done in a further 7 days. The Surgeon reassured me that this problem would probably be resolve by my own body’s defenses. I shouldn’t worry he was right after the second test everything OK. I was in hospital for two days short of 6 weeks. My worse memories of my stay were the nightmares and how I’d cry over anything “grown men don’t do that” or do that or so I thought. My wife son and daughter were and continue to be supportive and helpful.

I’m now on the road to recovery, I was told it would be long. It’s just over 3 months now. I’ve had some problems with stomach pains but last Tuesday was rushed into the A&E department with very severe stomach ache. Diagnosed as stomach spasm. The pain was very bad. It happened again on Friday of that week but this time they gave me some tablets to relieve these symptoms. They seam to be working OK.

I’m still sleeping in the afternoons and having a good night sleep. I went to see the doctor again this week to ask about my progress. He still does not have my discharge notes? So he can’t really do much until he has them. The one note he did have informed me that of the 47 lymph nodes removed 7 had traces of Cancer? I can’t remember ever being told of this

. I don’t see the surgeon until the 15^th October.

I called the McMillan nurse to ask for any information was told not to worry this was the normal procedure with this type of op and all my notes would be available and full information given on the above date

Just as a post script about a fortnight ago I felt that well we walked round Clumber Park with the dogs round the lake is about 4 miles. We did that on the Friday, on the Monday of we went to Wentworth and that would have been about the same distance but with the add pleasure of a steep climb to Guisborough, then a long steep assent back to the car. We think some stomach problems stem from this type of exercise?

But I do feel as though I’m getting better and these are just small setbacks on the recovery road. I believe this is the road we all travel different distance for us all. I’d like to share the instructions for this route with you all. One is kindness in anthers trouble the other is courage in your own.

tonyd

The road to Recovery

2009-08-12T19:55:50Z

Well once more into the breach dear friend, or so the bard once said. The operation took place on the 22nd June as planned, 8 hours everything went to plan. I awoke to see the 3 people most dear to me my family. didn't feelany pain but was a little confused. When they'd gone i looked forwards to going to sleep. Unfotunately for me it never came and for the next week i didn't seam to sleep at all. I'll just say nightmares and fear that i've never known. No swallow test was done and i was sent to recovery ward. the ward looked small 4 beds to each bay. I had a bath and started to drink and eat. I noticed that ever time l took off the oygen mask to go any where i would need to get back as soon as i could, i'd be out of breath. Nightmares once again sweating, panting rather than breathing. Star to have irational fear of suroundings and people. Every oppertunity to speak to the Doctor isaid it fealt like two steps forward and then three back. At the end of the week and lots of tests an hole found 3mil in diamiter,so some of the food and drink had gone to placeces where it should never reasch. Feaver and another op to glue the hole and insert a stent, wife informed of just just how poorely i was.and that she would be called if my condition should get any worse? Came round from op on the Sunday morning they'd done the op and let mehave an indused sleep for 24 hours. It took a further 14 days to confirme the hole had closed. this was confirmed by the swallow test, Back to recovery ward, but this time every thing looked clean and tidy,staff excellent, i wont mention food though. I've spent 2 days short of 6 weeks in hospital and am now at home recovering. The fickelled finger of fate had returned my to my family,and all that i love. My best wish to you all good luck tonyd