And you thought the SAGA was finished... Silly You!
Preface III
This "Journal", originally started in 2008, was written to document my 2007 battle with Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the head and neck in my left tonsil, thru chemo/radiation treatment and finally rehab.
In late 2020, a subsequent re-occurrence of Squamous Cell Carcinoma in my upper esophagus caused this and all subsequent episodes to be written, this one entitled:
N.T.D.I.P. Part III
W. T. F. ?!?
Read on…
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Captains Log
June 2022
FRIDAY 17 JUNE
Well now, here I am in
the recovery room at Memorial Hospital West, coming out of the fog of
anesthesia. Dr. Block has just done
another ream job… err…uh… Endoscopic Gastric Dilation, of my now heavily
scarred upper esophagus and here he is waiting at my bedside.
This IS NOT Good.
He’s never there
when I wake up. He usually just sends notes to the recovery nurse that he had
called Illy with results.
So… “Uh… What’s
Up Doc?” {With apologies to Bugs Bunny}
SAY WHAT?!? You ask?
And here you thought
the drama was over with. Well so did I until…
Oh, that’s right, I probably
should try to catch you up on the last few months to put it in perspective.
Uh... ya better go get another glass of whatever you're drinking
and kick back, I’ll try to keep it brief.
Yeah, Right!
You may recall back in January,
after a Clear PET Scan and the Good News from DR. “JZ” that we "got the little bugger", we were preparing to take a “Freebee” cruise
with our friends from Vegas.
That was a
real doozy, that you can follow in “NOWAT
CARIB-SOUTH 2022”.
Truth be
told, I just recently "abruptly" finished that NOWAT well after the trip due to lots of
distractions near the end and on our return, which included:
A trip to Sarasota for Illy to visit the "Last Aunt Standing" – Tia Chela – Dragon Lady's mother’s last living
sister who didn’t have long to go.
Unfortunately as expected, Tia Chela passed - a month later, which triggered another trip up for
the funeral.
Then a 4 day Spring
Break Carnival Cruise to introduce the grandsons to Cruising just because we
could. The Boys Loved it. Us… not so
much - except to enjoy their excitement.
Carnival was a BIG step down from our last two “Up Scale” cruises and it was NOT blogged – for all the right
reasons.
Next was a month long Puppy Sitting trip to Atlanta from May 15th to June 8th.
Yeah, you heard that right, 4 weeks of Puppy/House Sitting.
Son Brian and girlfriend Terri were being
feted to a South African Safari by her ex, and Brian’s current Boss, just
because HE could. So we flew to Roswell
to watch over their house and take care of their two overly active 1 and 3 year old Yellow Labs, who
gave us the best work out we’ve had in some time.
We also had a chance to spend time with all
their wonderful friends who went out of their way to make sure we were
entertained while Brian and Terri were trying their best to not become “Lion Lunch”.
Prior to the Atlanta
Trip, I was beginning to experience difficulty swallowing again, and just
before we left, more back of the throat irritation. I thought it might be due to a bit of Oral
Thrush so my GI Doc put me on a Clotrimazole regimen for 14 days, which
relapsed while in Atlanta. All this prompted a call to Dr. Block’s office
to schedule the above noted EGD for the week after our return.
Now you're caught
up.
Back to the not-smiling
face of Dr. Mark Block [an assumption since he still had a surgical mask on] at my bedside in the recovery room
where he advised that I had a LOT of scarring, the dilation caused another tear
in the tube and he took a couple of biopsies that he admitted didn’t look
good.
He'll get back to me on that and we'll
schedule another dilation in a couple months or so.
That was Friday the
17th. Monday was a Holiday so
I didn’t expect any news until Tuesday but I got an alert on the Memorial MyChart
portal late in the day that the test results were in and…
Guess what’s
back?!?
Yup, to quote the pathology
and cytology notes:
Biopsies
show superficial fragments of ulcerated squamous mucosa with squamous cell
carcinoma representing at least squamous cell carcinoma in situ. Focally, a
couple biopsy fragments show features highly suggestive of invasion. Clinical
correlation is recommended
After kicking the trash basket across the office, cursing up
a blue streak and screaming into a pillow so as not to alarm Illy, I place a
calm – as calm as I could muster – call to Dr. Block’s office, along with a Message
to him in The Memorial Healthcare Patient Portal MyChart to please call me ASAP.
Similar messages and calls went to Dr. Zikria’s office and to
Dr. Kaiser’s APRN at Baptist Hospital in Kendall.
Block calls back
shortly and we discuss options. Again he repeats that due to the location and proximity to the larynx, any surgery would surely involve removing the
voice box.
So – THAT AIN’T
HAPPENIN’ – yet!
"What Else ya got Doc?"
He advises to
consult with Drs. “JZ” and Kaiser for a new plan of attack.
TUESDAY 21 JUNE
Which is what I did when
“JZ” Tele-MED called at Noon. After discussing
potential Chemo and/or immunotherapy, she ordered a PET scan – STAT.
The drama of getting that scheduled STAT with PET Imaging
is too much to go into, suffice it to say, Marysol in Dr. “JZ”’s office “Made
it Happen” and...
WEDNESDAY 22 JUNE 7:30AM
After an hour absorbing a radioactive sugar called fluorodeoxyglucose-18, I was in the tunnel at PET IMAGING for the “STAT” scan.
On the way out, the Ever-Perky Technician "Super Chris" hands me a bag of snacks and a CD of the Scan wishing me "Buona Fortuna" and I'm off.
I swing by the
house to pick up Illy for our scheduled Covid-19 Booster #4 at Walgreens and on
the way out, the MyChart Alert pings with the PET Scan results.
The Good News - is
also the Bad News.
The Bad first – The Little
Bugger is indeed back.
The Good – it is
Localized to the same esophageal location and had not metastasized to any other parts of my body... so far.
Late in the day I hear back
from Dr. Kaiser in Kendall who was waiting for a call back from Zikria for more details, so I send him the
Biopsy and PET Scan reports. We plan a Tele-MED call Monday, after Dr. Zikria and I meet but his office calls back after he sees the PET report and schedules a face to face in Kendal on Tuesday.
"Bring The PET Scan CD please", they'll reach out to Zikria for more Med records etc.
FRIDAY 24 JUNE
"JZ"'s office calls just as I'm finishing breakfast to ask if I could get in early.
But of course - She Calls - I Jump.
And after checking in and a trip to the lab for blood work, Illy and I are followed into the exam room by the ever-smiling, but not so much now, [can't really tell with the mask on] Dr. Jenifer Zikria and later joined by her new APRN Iris Cruz [my new primary contact].
"JZ" has spoken with Dr. Kaiser and depending on IF he will re-radiate we'll have one of two directions to go based on information that developed when we started this whole ordeal in 2020.
Back then, she'd had Maratchi's original biopsy analyzed by "CARIS Life Science" labs that reported my little friend was PD-L1 (22c3) which made me a perfect candidate for Immunotherapy should there be a recurrence. Like NOW!
She then lays out a rudimentary plan of:
- A If Kaiser Does agree to re-radiate, then just Immunotherapy using NIVOLUMAB also known as OPDIVO.
- B If no radiation then Immunotherapy coupled with a radical Chemo regimen known as FOLFOX, that may include Oxaliplatin a Cousin of that Toxic Chemo "CISPLATIN" that messed up my kidneys in the first place back in 2007, followed by Fluorouracil which will to be infused via a pump I'll wear for 48 hours.
Oh Joy!
Yeah... dear hearts and innocent bystanders, the news just keeps
getting better and better. NOT!
TUESDAY 28 JUNE
And we're making the trek to Kendall to meet with Dr. Adeel Kaiser. The expectations are not bright since previously he had been hesitant to Re-radiate the 2007 area, even if it was in a tighter field that Proton beam offers.
The Ever-cheerful Physician Assistant Janeth greets us after we check in, hand over the PET scan CD and go through the usual exam routine and records check before Dr. Kaiser makes an appearance.
As expected, he has reviewed the MRI Report, PET CD and "JZ's" notes, has had a LONG chat with her and confirms my worst fears. Due to all the scarring, fibrosis and damage caused by previous radiation, There is NO WAY he will re-radiate me again. It would essentially disintegrate my esophagus.
Pleading my case has no effect. He is adamant, regretful, but its a solid NO.
OK then, looks like Plan B where "JZ", after her chat with Kaiser has already scheduled me for 6 - 4+ hour Immuno/Chemo sessions plus a pump to be worn for 48 hours at home, every other week for a minimum of 3 months before we PET scan it and check the results.
FRIDAY 1 JULY
Sees me in CHEMO SCHOOL via TELE-MED with APRN Jorge to go over the various drugs, methodology of infusion and what I can expect over the course of treatment. He sends literature and data on all the drugs including side effects via the MyChart system for me to print. The list of "Maybe's" is a bit daunting. Hopefully it will be mild. Yeah, sure.
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Captains Log
July 2022
WEDNESDAY 6 JULY
Labs and a follow up with "JZ" who sets the stage for me to begin the treatments ASAP.
MONDAY 11 JULY
And I'm back in Infusion Suite 270 at Memorial Regional Hospital where the lovely R.N.:
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| REJA |
starts the hook up and flush via the Chemo Port that we had left in last year for just this eventuality.
The session starts with a 60 minute saline hydration followed by anti-nausea drugs to lessen reactions to the Immuno and Chemo drugs that will follow.
Since they have an assortment of snack, wraps, etc. I ask for some of their Great Chicken soup. Too late, the food has already been delivered. I'll have to order it in advance with the ever-efficient Desiree [Scheduling Guru and All-Around Super Star].
Just then, my Wonderful Daughter-in-Law Cristina, an R.N. in the Wound Care Department at Memorial pops in for a visit and what does she have? Chicken Soup! How fortuitous! Illy must have called her.
I brought my Laptop and iPad reader to kill the time and 3+ hours later Reeza introduces me to THE PUMP that I'll wear for the next 48 hours which will administer the Flurouracil. This is a New type pump - I'm the first Guinea pig with the new toy - so she directs me to a website link where I can get a video briefing on the what and how of the pump. She also gives me a "fanny pack" to carry it, however the bag is for the old pump so we have to jerry-rig it to work with the new pump. Not a problem, for as many of you know - "Rigging" - is "What I Do".
Illy picks me up and the rest of the day was trying to relax from the day's worth of poison pumped through my veins with the 5# weight around my waist.
Sleeping with it that night was an exercise in experimenting with new sleep positions and getting up to pee every hour, as the pump cycled every 90 seconds. buzz... buzz... buzz.
Tuesday was more of the same and Wednesday found me back in Suite 270 to have the Pump disconnected and a 30 minute saline hydration.
Then an hour later at home, the Fun{?} began.
The after effects started to kick in and I felt like I had been run over by a truck. Not to mention having to pee every 30 minutes. This went on the rest of the day and well into the night.
I had hoped to take Grandson David out for 9-18 holes of golf Thursday, but after 3-4 hours of off and on sleep Wednesday night, that wasn't happening. [Hopefully someone got the license number of the truck that ran me over!]
By Friday I developed mouth sores at the back of my throat on the Nasal Pharynx and inside my lower lip. Good luck on enjoying my morning coffee. I couldn't even put my lips on the hot cup. Thank Heaven for the chilled Bolthouse Protein shakes which have become a staple to keep my weight up since I have been slowly loosing poundage due to the difficulty eating last month. Here goes that “Diet - Non-Diet Thing” again.
As a pre-caution, I report the lethargy, frequent urination and mouth sores to the On Call APRN, who advises that the first round will be like that and calls in a Rx for another round of Magic Mouth wash to ease the pain and advises to keep hydrating regularly.
APRN Iris intercepts the notes from the On Call APRN and alerts "JZ" who calls first thing Friday to check up on me. After a discussion on the side effects etc., she decides to reduce some of the Chemo - but not the Opdivo - for the next session to lessen the issues.
Now, for an interesting weekend with a little diversion.
Monday, the 18th is Illy's Birthday [I always try to plan a "run-away from home "or something] and a while back I had asked her what she wanted to do for her Birthday Week. But this year, with all the tumult with my "Situation" all she wanted to do was to go to Hollywood Beach to see the sunrise on her birthday.
Sooooo...
I booked a room for Sunday thru Tuesday at the Diane Oceanfront Suites, right on the Hollywood Broad walk so all she had to do was walk out the door to the ocean and celebrate her special day.
For the next couple days, she got to do her beach thing while I managed to stay up beat, what with mouth sores, lack of appetite and overall sluggish feeling, all expected from what I had been told by Jorge in Chemo School.
For the most part, it was a lovely few days, walking the Broadwalk and finding a new breakfast place for Eggs Benedict @ Rocco's Pizza, of all places, right across Johnson street from Margaritaville.
By Thursday I was coming out of the fog, the metallic taste had subsided and had yet to experience the "Cold Shock" to my finger tips due to the Oxaliplatin when reaching into the fridge or handling cold stuff as was predicted.
And just as everything was getting back to normal, the mouth sores mostly healed...
MONDAY 25 JULY
I'm back in Suite 270 hooked up to an IV of Drugs and poison.
In my haste to load up my "Stuff" [laptop - iPad]to kill time, I forget to load the fanny pack for the pump and the charger for the laptop and had to call my ever patient wife to bring them over.
When she arrives she comments on the minor renovation of the Infusion Lab where the privacy curtains have been replaced by modern frosted glass panes between chairs, upgraded TV's, etc.
TUESDAY-FRIDAY
More of the same with the Pump, having adjusted to dealing with it during sleep. And after it's removed on Wednesday the lethargy and mouth sores return, a bit milder but still painful, and... the Cold Shocks start, but just on my finger tips as I try to hull Strawberries for breakfast.
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We'll stop here to introduce the Angels of Suite 270. Those gracious, warm, caring and gentle souls who will take care of me over the next few months.
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| Debbie "Da Boss" |
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| Alina |
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| Darlene |
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| Chastity |
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| Amy |
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| Reja |
Warm Blankets, Snacks, Coffee, a Kind word and Great Sense of Humor, are just a few things they have ready for the asking.
They truly are "CHUCKY'S ANGELS"!
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Captains Log
August 2022
MONDAY 1 AUGUST
Lab work and a follow up with Dr. "JZ".
The labs show that the Chemo etc. has caused a bit of Iron deficiency, which accounts for most of the "Run over by a truck" syndrome. As such she orders a B-Complex to be infused when the pump comes off Wednesday, with another dose the following Wednesday.
Looks like it may be weekly visits to Suite 270 for now.
Not that I mind - Like, I have Such a Busy Dance Card?
WEEK of 8 AUGUST
More of the same as last month:
Chemo for 4 hours Monday and heading home with the pump on my hip for 48 hours.
Then on Wednesday after the pump comes off I have an hour of hydration followed by the first infusion of Iron called Ingectafer.
Followed by another week of mouth sores, fatigue, Gas and Flatulence galore! Seriously, the chemo messes with the bacteria in your stomach and everything goes off the rails.
WEDNESDAY 17 AUGUST
By the time I start to feel almost human again, it's back to the Lab for another Ingectafer infusion. Hopefully all this iron will get my energy back to normal because this Friday is Grandson Jonathan's first High School varsity Football Game and I'm NOT missing that!
SIDE NOTE:
Last year, Jon played his first organized football with the Pembroke Pines Optimist Bengals as a starting Left Tackle on both Offense and Defense - he was THAT good.
That experience and his dedication to conditioning over the summer payed off when he entered South Broward high school, tried out for the Bulldogs and became one of only 5 Freshman to make Varsity team as a Defensive End.
YEAH... Seriously Proud "PaPa" here!
Back to The Saga.
WEEK of 22 AUGUST
More of the same, Chemo, pump on, pump off, draggy week with minor recovery by the following Thursday.
In the middle of all this, Grandson David makes the Golf team at South Broward and immediately had his first match with NOVA High school.
The Team's coach got wind that I have been working with David and his Golf Coach all year and invited me to tag along to keep the matchups moving along.
Sooooo, here I was, chemo pump on my hip traipsing around Hollywood Beach Golf Club behind a bunch of Tiger Woods wanabe's and luvin' it!
P.S. David won his match by 11 strokes!
As usual, from Wednesday to the following Thursday it was pretty draggy, with recovery coming slowly and of course, shepherding the Golf Team's practice with the coach on Tuesday in 92 degree heat didn't help, but Hey... Quality Grandson time is non-negotiable.
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Captains Log
September 2022
The weeks that follow were pretty much the same.
Monday chemo for 4-5 hours, depending on if they are backed up, followed by Pump for 2 days...
But of course Sept 5, the Labor day Holiday pushed Chemo to Tuesday and a serious back up. So much so it would put me way past time to make David's 2nd match so we rescheduled for Wednesday, which really messed up the recovery time for the following week.
Then it was back to Monday Chemo, Wednesday pump off followed by an hour of Hydration.
By Thursday, back to feeling like being run over by the garbage truck, mouth tenderness, neuropathy in fingers and by mid month realizing that the neuropathy extended into the throat affecting the esophageal sphincter and epiglottis deflection making swallowing very difficult. So much so that it would cause backups into the nasal passage, which caused a minor sinus infection and the need for antibiotics to fix that little problem.
Yeah, it just keeps piling on.
Mid month was time for my annual wellness checkup with my new Primary Care Physician, Dr. Lloyd Potter-Melendez, who replaced the retiring Dr. Oxenhandler.
After reviewing my recent labs including the PET scan from June that noted some issues in my lungs,
"hypermetabolic infiltrate in the posterior left upper lobe and superior segment of the left lower lobe. Stable emphysematous changes and biapical scar."
and coupled with my consistent cough, he orders a chest X-ray that confirms
"a small amount of consolidationpresent in both lung bases",
consistent with the June PET observations.
What we plan to do with that information, is a toss up. Sorta, "lets See how it Goes".
As the months closes, JZ has a PET scan scheduled to check what 6 rounds of Chemo/Immunotherapy has accomplished and sees this note:
"Significantly improved left lower lobe infiltrate. New patchy opacities in the right middle and lower lobes, likely infectious/inflammatory'.
and immediately orders another [different] antibiotic to counter this add-on to my ever increasing side effects of this whole mess. The good news is that it will help cure the lingering sinus infection... hopefully.
She also determines that I need to have at least 2 more rounds of Chemo/Immunotherapy prior to another evaluation. She originally had expected to do 12 rounds but will wait to see what #s 7 & 8 show.
Sooooo, as it stands the final round will be Oct 17, followed by the evaluation.
But Wait... There's MORE!
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Captains Log
October 2022
In the middle of all this, our youngest son Greg hears I'm having trouble with heavy solid foods and brings his first attempt at Shepherds Pie over for me to try [because according to him "it's mostly mashed potatoes"].
So, Monday, Oct 3rd, after chemo treatment, I decide to try it. DELECIOUS!
However, not expecting the frozen peas he used to still be a bit hard, one slips past my excessive chewing and gets stuck on the esophageal stricture caused by the tumor and I can't get it up, or down!
So much so that I wind up in the Memorial Regional Emergency Department where they try some drugs to relax my already over stressed Esophagus to no avail.
Soooo, until they can do an Endoscopy to asses, and remove the obstruction in the AM, I must spend the night in Emergency.
WHY?...
Because I'm wearing the PUMP with active chemo in process and they don't have a room in the Chemo Ward. And due to fear of infection they won't put me in a regular room. I won't go into the drama of finding a closed room so I can avoid all the bells and alarms going off around me to get some rest. Suffice it to say, emergency RN Yvette Mitchell is a Master of "Get 'er Done"!
Tuesday AM an associate of my Gastro Guy Dr. Leon Maratchi performs the extraction and a needed balloon dilation and shows me Pictures of the "PEA" stuck on the stricture.
Back home, my Loving Wife declares:
"NO MORE SHEPHERDS PIE FOR YOU!"
We'll see.
October 17 marks the last round of Chemo/Immuno/Pump stuff and Wednesday, when the pump comes off I'm supposed to have an hour of hydration. Supposed to, being the operative term here, but due to my Blood Pressure spiking [no body can figure out why] they wont "hang a Bag" as it's too dangerous and could cause it to spike even more. so "JZ's" APRN Iris says to go home and drink LOTS of fluid.
All this to note that since I didn't get the hydration, the Hell Week that followed was the worst yet.
Now the neuropathy in the fingers, lips and fatigue lingered much longer.
After reporting this to "JZ" she suggested that Magnesium has been know to help, though various studies are inconclusive. Cant Hurt, i say.
Since I had suspended my usual Magnesium Glycinate tablets at bedtime because they were impossible to swallow, I am now crushing them and it seems to be working.
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Captains Log
October Notes
And just like that, it's Halloween 2022 marking the 80th anniversary of my debut on planet Earth.
Dinner out the previous Saturday to celebrate with Family and dear friends At Olivia Italian Ristorante in Hollywood was delightful. But... the wonderful Pappardelle with Boar Ragu was a bit dry and hard to get down so it went home for another try the next day.
Adding a little brandy for moisture [flambéed to burn of the alcohol] made it just right and all was well in my world.
Going forward, the plan is for just Immuno Therapy with Opdivo. every 4 weeks to keep the BUGGER at bay.
Periodic Pet Scans and evaluation will follow to determine the effectiveness to adjust the plan as needed.
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Captains Log
November
Now the plan WAS to have the Immuno rounds to happen every 4 weeks but of course I start to look at our calendar of future plans and note that with Two - count 'em - Two cruises planned:
One in March to take the Grandsons on a spring-break treat to the Eastern Caribbean,
and
The [almost] freebee in the Mediterranean with the cruise partners from back in January who won an extra cabin in the casino [long story]
It would be necessary to adjust the schedule a couple of times to correspond with the treatment in May to fit.
With a little negotiation with "JZ", we move November's treatment to the 21st and the one in May, the week after we return and all is well... so far.
November 21st and the first of the "maintenance" doses of Opdivo is administered with little drama other than a longer than usual wait. They're a bit short handed in the lab and Debbie tells me that it probably won't get better going forward. The Covid Pandemic decimated the healthcare industry as it has in others.
THANKSGIVING WEEKEND
Thanksgiving Day was Fabulous with the family gathering at my place giving me chance to get back in the kitchen, I love cooking for the tribe.
It would have been a great weekend except...
Saturday I wake up with seriously slurred speech which panics the wife enough to Call Daughter-in-Law Cristina, the RN in the family, to come over and check me out, and who tries to urge me to go the ER for evaluation.
Stubborn Sicilian that I am, I put if off until around midnight Saturday when my blood pressure is way too high to ignore and we head to Memorial Regional ER.
After the usual Triage and long wait, they put me through a series of CT, MRI, MRA, Echo Cardiograms, etc. and YUP... I had a Minor Stroke.
To quote from the MRI notes:
SMALL ACUTE STROKE IN THE LEFT CENTRAL CORONA RADIATA.
NO SIGNIFICANT MASS EFFECT, OR HEMORRHAGE.
Now, it's 4:00AM on a Sunday and since no Neurology consult is available until Monday AM, and the Hospital doesn't have room in the Specialized "Stroke Ward", they keep me in the ER for observation until then.
To make things worse, they have to move me to an open bay in the main area as they need my room for incoming cases and the place is a ZOO!
Trying to get any rest is impossible, my anxiety and my BP stays off the chart until the finally give me something to bring it down.
Sunday
It is total Chaos in the ER and the attending Physician inadvertently put me on a clear liquid diet. Waking up to clear broth, Jello and apple juice was a bummer.
The only bright spot is Cristina dropping by with a Great Smoothy from the cafeteria until the can straighten out the meal order.
Knowing the previous night was torture trying to sleep, and after numerous requests, Floor Nurse Paula is able to round up a REAL hospital bed to replace the ER Gurney and I'm able to get some sleep, albeit the vital monitor in my bay and the one next door keep going off all night.
Monday
And Neruro finally shows up around 10AM trailed by a gang of Med Students who make copious notes as I am positively diagnosed as having a stroke and need follow up I their Stroke Clinic after discharge. But... only after evaluation by a:
Physical Therapist,
Occupational Therapist,
Speech Therapist.
The first two showed up right after but no Speech Therapist.
by 2PM I advise the Charge nurse if nobody shows up by 3PM, I'm self-discharging,
This of course spurs her into making a bunch of phone calls and reaches the Speech Therapist, who shows up 20 minutes later with more excuses as to why she decided to wait till Tuesday than is worth recounting here.
After advising her that having undergone speech therapy recently I would get evaluated by my own Therapist, she agreed it would be better.
I was finally released at 5PM. Monday. What an order to follow up with Neuro ASAP.
Tuesday I attempted to schedule the ordered "Immediate" Neuro Follow up only to be advised that the "Stroke Clinic" at the Neurology Department at Memorial is only open on Monday mornings and the next available appointment was...
Wait for it...
FEBRUARY 20, 2023!
Say What?!?
Sooooo, I dig through my Insurance Company's Physician Directory for an earlier alternative and get scheduled with Dr. Jill Liebman of the Steward Medical Group in Sunrise on the December 14th.
Monday, December 5
Memorial Hospital West Intake calls to schedule my Esophageal Endoscopy and Dilation with Dr. Block for the 9th and during the usual questions I let it slip that I had a minor TIA Thanksgiving weekend. I'm am told that I have to advise Him about the stroke before they can proceed.
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Captains Log
December
Memorial Hospital West Intake calls to schedule my Esophageal Endoscopy and Dilation with Dr. Block for the 9th and during the usual questions I let it slip that I had a minor TIA Thanksgiving weekend. I'm am told that I have to advise Him about the stroke before they can proceed.
A call to Dr. Block's office nets a quick return call from him and at first he balks until we discuss the options and I ask him to call Neuro to see how soon they will release me for the procedure. I really need to get this dilation, swallowing is now a real challenge.
With a little nudging, I get everyone to agree to Dec 30th.
Nothing left to do but settle in for the Holidays which drags on - everything seems to drag when the anxiety sets it and eating is rough.
Christmas came and went, I got to spend time in the kitchen whipping up a great Prime Rib dinner for the family and almost got to enjoy it till the blockage caused a half hour of choking and hacking to clear it. Oh Well.
Nothing left to do but settle in for the Holidays which drags on - everything seems to drag when the anxiety sets it and eating is rough.
Christmas came and went, I got to spend time in the kitchen whipping up a great Prime Rib dinner for the family and almost got to enjoy it till the blockage caused a half hour of choking and hacking to clear it. Oh Well.
Friday, December 30th
And I'm in Memorial West Endoscopy Lab with Dr. Block reaming away at my heavily scarred esophagus.e is able to dilate me to 17mm, the best yet. Let's see how long that lasts. Post op, he advises we need to do it as often as every 4 weeks to see if we can keep it from closing up so quickly and maybe get it to the desired 20mm.
He then advises that after a few more dilations, he'll send me home with a Maloney Dilator Bougie for me to perform self-dilation as needed in the future.
"Uhh Doc, I'll leave that for you to do."
I may be a bit reckless at times, but not THAT crazy.
Getting home a bit woozy, I find it a bit impossible to urinate. Maybe the anesthesia caused my prostate to swell a little?
Upon checking the discharge summary I see that:
"...if urinating is not possible after 8-9 hours after the procedure, proceed immediately to the ER"
Uh-Oh...
By now it's after hours and Block's office is closed and before I panic too much I send a quick note to my Primary Physician on the Patient portal and get a quick call back from his APRN Aletha who advises to wait the 8 hours to let everything smooth out. If still and issue then, head to the ER.
Let the Anxiety begin!
For the next few hours, continuous urges to go net no results until at about hour 7, FINALLY, I start to get a trickle, then a little more, and finally some decent flow.
Panic BEGONE!
Crisis averted and all is well in my pitiful little world... for now.
NEW YEARS EVE 2022
Greg, Cristina and the Grandsons show up unexpected with champagne for the Grand Celebration of watching the Ball Drop in Time Square on TV.
After hugs and hopes for a better 2023, they head home, and we head to bed.
Yeah... 2023 has GOT to be better, dontcha think?
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Captains Log
JANUARY 2023
The year starts with a lot of hacking of phlegm and odd stuff coming up and mild chest pressure. Enough so that Dr. Potter orders a chest x-ray.
Nothing shows up but it persists and he orders another x-ray just to be sure.
Of course about now, while healing, the stricture is still causing some blockage where stuff backs up into my sinus' and now I have that reoccurring minor infection around the dental implants that perforated the sinus'.
After reviewing the 2nd x-ray and deducing that the phlegm is being caused by the sinus infection, Dr. P. orders Amoxi-Clav 825 to knock it out, which as luck would have it, proceeds to cause a bit of diarrhea if I don't eat anything immediately.
It just keeps gettin' better and better!
Tuesday, January 17
Back to the labs for blood work, a follow up with Dr. "JZ" and the ever lovely APRN Iris.. This is followed by an Immuno-Therapy session and hydration in the infusion lab where, they are finally back to full staff and I'm in and out in under 3 hours.
Wooo Hoooo!
CHUCKY NOTE:
Ongoing, its pretty much the same thru April when the next phase of this seemingly endlesss saga of his battle with the BIG 'C" hits him with a bang.
So hit the link on the right or below:
With all the drama that was involved it took awhile to get his notes together to write it.
BIG HINT:
The Inevitable comes to pass well... maybe.
To put it lightly:
Ya Just can't make this $#!T up!!!
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