News...

[Tom W]

Hi people.

Last Wednesday I left work early and went home. I've been having shortness of breath and fatigue, not being able to walk the length of the house without being wheezing and having to go sit down. Thursday I left work early and took myself to the E.R.

Turns out my hemoglobin was down to 6, compared to the last time I was in in May, where it was 12 I got sent upstairs, where I was given 3 units of blood and 3 units of iron. The Dr. said that she didn't see how I was still alive. I was loosing blood, but it wasn't detectable. and I am anemic, with a heart condition. No news like good news..
After 2 CAT scans, a scope down my throat, another up my, well, backside, it was determined that there is a "mass" in the end of my colon by my appendix.

I did get to come home yesterday afternoon, but have an appointment with my cardiologist in a few hours and not supposed to be out of bed, or at least do any kind of work at all, until the 29th, where I have an appointment to schedule a removal of part of my colon. I was told by one of my doctors that it will be an easy procedure, with two holes cut into me , the offensive part removed, and then they will "weld" the two halves back up. Lord knows when I'll be able to go back to work, if at all. It makes Lori fret and worry, as now she'll be the only source of income for the house.

Surprisingly, I'm not frightened at the prospect of the mass being cancerous, as they found no traces in my bloodwork. I wryly looked at them and reminded them that 3 pints of that blood was from a transfusion.

Not to mention I have to go and see a hematologist at the John B. Amos Cancer center, where he has his office. Lori said Hematologists usually congregate at cancer centers due to the fact that most of their work is hand in hand with oncologists. This Dr. said he didn't see any signs of cancer, but he does want to check my iron levels, and help me find a local "regular" Dr. so I won't have to make a 100 mile round trip to see my current Dr. in Eufaula.

 

[Bob Wright]

Tom,

At this point, all I can offer is my prayers. If by chance your treatment involves a location anywhere near Memphis medical centers, please let me know and I'll do what I can to ease your time here.

May God bless you during this time. Doctors treat, God heals.

Bob Wright

 

[RugerHound]

Tom,

Medical technology allows doctors and caregivers to do some pretty marvelous things these days!

But Bob Wright's advise is spot on... Faith sustains and heals. Don't become a victim disease! Take an active role in your treatment! The rest of your life's situations will resolve themselves in good time.

May God bless....

 

[Bear Paw Jack]

Tom, prayers for your good health. I have not doubt things are getting better.

 

[Jeepnik]

Prayers up Sir. Please follow the Drs. instructions.

 

[Fox Mike]

You will be in my prayers. No matter what...stay positive. That is advice a nurse gave me during my July hospital stay.

 

[WendyZXZ]

Prayers from Texas.

 

[exavid]

And from Southern Oregon for the best possible results!

 

[Jim Puke]

Tom, prayer was sent and will continue for you and the family.

 

[gramps]

You will be in my prayers. No matter what...stay positive. That is advice a nurse gave me during my July hospital stay.

I am a nurse of 45 years, a Naturopathic doctor since 2002, and a Master Hypnotist since 2004. I whole heartedly agree, that thinking positive thoughts (prayer, meditation) will work miracles! As you go to sleep at night visualize yourself healthy in the future, doing pleasant family activities. Good luck, God bless. Prayers sent.
gramps

 

[Colonialgirl]

Prayers for you Tom from down here in Florida; If its "near" the Appendix ; Tell them to go ahead and take that too !!

 

[wolfsong]

Amen.

 

[Rick Courtright]

Hi, Tom

A prayer comes from SoCal to join the others. Hope it all works out well for you!

Rick C

 

[Tom W]

Thank all of you for your prayers. Remember my wife , as she has to shoulder the load now, at least until I can get back to work.
I took and passed a stress test, so on the 29th I'll see another Dr. to schedule the surgery. I was told that it will probably be two holes cut into me and a section taken out and "re-welded". I can't believe the office people at work, they want my primary care Dr., who was never involved in any of this, to write me a work release note. Wendy ought to do it. It makes as much sense.
No disrespect to you, Wendy..... :lol:

 

[SAJohn]

Tom, A friend went through the same sort of thing. The only problem was the local medical help could not find the source of the bleeding. After almost a year of this, my friend went to a specialist clinic where they pinpointed the source in one day. He then had the same cut and splice surgery you are facing. Probably due to the long delay his growth had turned cancerous but had not spread. The operation was a complete success. He did not even have to go through postoperative chemo and was back at work within a few weeks.

 

[toysoldier]

Resection of the distal colon with re-anastomosis is a routine surgical procedure. There are usually no significant technical challenges, and modern intestinal staplers make the job faster and more certain. Any good surgeon can do a good job on this. Follow doctor's orders, and you'll be back to normal (whatever that is for you) with nothing more than a couple of scars to remind you.

 

[Bucks Owin]

^^^this^^^

Best comin' at ya from Norcal amigo... :wink:

 

[6GUNSONLY]

Prayers, my brother. And, ROLL TIDE!

 

[Tom W]

Well, the mass is cancerous, but it is small, the CAT scan didn't pick it up. The surgeon said he'll be taking out about 18 inches of colon, including my appendix, just because it's connected, some lymph nodes, and other things that I haven't a clue what they are. The surgery will be on the 20th. If all goes well, I'll be home in 5 days, so my wife will be sleeping with her Glock while I'm gone... :wink: I don't know if I'll need Chemo, that will be determined after more lab analysis of the mass.
I've always threatened my wife I was going to get a 60 second hairdo, If I need chemo I suppose it will take care of that on it's own. :lol:

 

[flyinfred]

Prayers sent from NC Tom.

 

[Heliman]

Good luck going forward. Your tone suggests you have a positive attitude. Prayers you and the wife.

Dave

 

[Rick Courtright]

Hi,

Tom, my brother and sister in law BOTH went thru the same thing you'll be going thru. In his case, things were complicated by the location of the surgical site, and four surgeries over about 18 months were required, but he's ok today. In her case, she was in and out of the hospital in about three days, then spent the most miserable 90 days of their married life (according to him!) futzing about the house until the Doc ok'd her to get back to her Jazzercise classes! Neither needed chemo.

Another prayer comes from SoCal, this time that you follow HER lead! (Jazzercise optional )

Rick C

 

[Colonialgirl]

Prayers for you from here in Florida Tom.

Not exactly the same, But when my daughter was born, she couldn't hold anything down and with the upper and lower Inspection, "thought" she had a blockage. Operated on at one day old, they discovered, NOT A BLOCKAGE but that the colon came down, STOPPED, Then started again; there were also flat spots like in a soda straw with all the air sucked out. They said it occurred early in the pregnancy as there was no contamination of the abdomen . (I have since learned the proper term is ILLEAL ATRESIONS) She lost about a third of her small intestine.
Thank God he smiled upon her and she recovered. She is now my healthy little girl (5 Ft 1 In tall) 43 year old.
I KNOW things and techniques have improved greatly since those days in 1972.

 

[Tom W]

Thank you all. Pam, when my wife and I went to Tampa last June on a cruise, I waved at you when we went through Wesley Chapel on I-75.... :wink:

 

[sfhogman]

My little brother went through a resection about three years ago. He was back up and running pretty quickly, seems to me.

Prayers sent of course,
Jeff