under the knife

[graybear]

Going to see the oncologist on Mon. Should have biopsy results & what further treatment may be needed. By the end of next week, I hope to be out chasing squirrel. Thanks for all the friendship. Dryball started something extraordinarily good.   

[William]

Going to see the oncologist on Mon. Should have biopsy results & what further treatment may be needed. By the end of next week, I hope to be out chasing squirrel. Thanks for all the friendship. Dryball started something extraordinarily good.   

Dennis surely did do that.  How are you feeling so far? Have they taken out the stitches/staples yet or did they even have to use any?

[graybear]

Still a little sore when I cough, sneeze, or take a deep breath. Every once in a while I still cough up a little blood. Hey, they took 2 growths off of my lungs, I've got to expect a few problems for a bit. The incisions aren't bad. It was done with one for the camera, one for the surgery, and one for the chest tube for drainage. They're 1.5 to 2" long cut w/the muscle striations so I can't see any stitches. Maybe they didn't need any outside. All 3 incisions are in the lower half of the left rib cage. One is pretty much healed. one is coming along nicely & the one where the chest tube came out still has a way to go, of course it came out 3 days after the others. All in all, I feel like I'm doing better than a lot of people expected. Hey, I've got to, it's hunting season. Hope you can out & about shortly, sounds like things are slowly starting to go your way.
This was me the 1st couple of days home. 

[crazell]

That's awesome to hear how you're coming along.

[graybear]

Saw the oncologist yesterday. Typical of a lot of our members( I just glad I can count you as friends), I just couldn't do things in a normal way. The test results on the cancers taken from my lung are in. Not lung cancer, melanomas. Yep, I'm so weird I had skin cancer on my lung. I start immuno-therapy next week. It will be 2 drugs in combination that if they don't kill me should cure me. They're powerful enough that I'll only get one treatment every 3 wks. If that's too much for my body, I'll have to cut back to one of the drugs at a time. Instead of decreasing my immune system like chemo, these drugs are supposed to boost it enough to attack the cancer cells. Will keep ya'll advised. Gonna kick cancer's butt.

[ErikPrice1@msn.com]

 All right Graybear, you know your enemy now you can go get it.  You'll whip this bugger. I'll be rooting for ya and as always praying for ya buddy. BH

[graybear]

Got good news on Wednesday. Had an M.R.I. of my brain (Dr. said they didn't find anything. Didn't say what he meant by that.) and a C.T. scan w/contrast. No sign of cancer so I can stop treatment & just have bloodwork & scans every few mos. to make sure It doesn't come back. Now I can start working on the arthritis on my spine. It's touching a nerve on the 5th lumbar vertebrae. Starting physical therapy Tuesday to try to avoid surgery. Don't want to mess up a third hunting season in a row. Plus I want to get to the range & start shooting again.

[Patocazador]

Glad things are looking up for you. Good luck with your PT.

I had a scare but luckily it turned out to be just that. Shadow on my lung was caused by my fat gut pushing my diaphragm up and casting the shadow on my lung.
Now for the heart cath.

[graybear]

Heart cath is better than the cancer operation. That's the voice of experience speaking. I've had 4 stents put in in 2 operations plus one cath just to see how I was doing. The last time the cath was through the wrist & I was out fishing the next day. Even the last one in the groin, I didn't have to have the sand bag & wasn't kept from moving. Just had to wait until the next morning to start walking. Good luck on your catheterization. Hope you get good news out of it.

[Hawken50]

   Prayers up .

[RonRC]

I wish you a rapid and uneventful recovery!
All the Best,
Ron

[ErikPrice1@msn.com]

That's great news, was wondering, had been a little while since we heard anything, best of luck on the rest.

[RonRC]

I had an catheter angiogram the day after surgery to reattach my quadriceps to my knee. Neither was fun during recovery, but you do what you have to do.

I am encouraged by your attitude to the various surgeries! After I am walking again (I have begun) and can do stairs (just began 4" step ups), then they cleave me to install a new aortic valve. With graybear dealing with the surgeries so well, I can feel a bit better about going through them.

Thanks, graybear!
Ron

[graybear]

RonRC;
   Not trying to top you just letting you know that I kinda know where you're coming from. I'm always having to let the techs know when I have scans or MRI's as well as dental work that I have a loop of surgical steel wire in my right shoulder from 2007 when I had a bone spur ground off of the socket for my arm. When he got done, the surgeon started trimming up the cuff. It looked like an old manila rope that had been frayed by rubbing against a sharp edge. By the time he got done cleaning it up, he said that if he'd left it the way it was, I would have torn it w/ 5 lbs of force. He detached the top of the bicep & reattached it where the cuff was thicker. I got my movement back but I don't have the strength that I did. Also when I let my arms hang down my right thumb faces my leg instead of forward. At least I still have the use of the arm and I can still shoot.
   I've had good examples in my life. My step-father had 2 vertebrae crushed in a rockfall in the coal mines. A year later he was out deer hunting & couldn't get a shot off at a buck because it came out on the wrong side & he wasn't able to turn enough because of his body cast. My brother said he was around 100yds. away & he could hear Dad cussing. My father shattered his elbow (still has some bone chips floating around in there) about 25years ago. He'll be 88 come Dec. & he doesn't know if he'll hunt this year or not. The chemo for his leukemia is hindering more than helping after 8 yrs. or so.
   All this to say don't give up, keep fighting. "Non carborundum illegitmus" As my step-father used to say, "I may not go as often or as far but I'll keep going as long as I can.)