Health Update

[silverscreenselect]

I've just gotten back from the hospital after a very rugged three weeks. Ironically, I was thinking just before I got admitted that in 2025, I watched the Super Bowl from the hospital and at least I wouldn't go through with it this year. I spoke too soon.

Thursday night before the Super Bowl, I went to the bathroom about 4:00 am and collapsed in the hallway en route. I'd felt weak a couple of hours earlier but made it. This time I didn't. My daughter heard the noise and came out of her bedroom and saw me sitting on the floor. She wanted to call an ambulance right away, but I tried to stand up on my own. Big mistake. Apparently I fainted because the next thing I knew I was lying on the floor staring at the carpet. Fortunately, I didn't hit my head on anything.

When I got in the hospital, they would up giving me six units of blood and three iron infusions over the next few days. They also did several scans and ultrasounds to try to find the source of the bleed. It turned out that I had cancer in my colon which wasn't there in September when they did the colonoscopy. That's where the bleeding was. So they removed most of the colon (they had removed the upper part of my intestines when they found cancer two years earlier. Fortunately, they were able to sew things up so I didn't need a colostomy bag or something similar.

Somehow while all this was going on, I may have suffered a mild heart attack as well. They did another procedure where they ran a probe through my veins but didn't find anything. While I was recuperating, however, I wound up developing a nasty infection in the blood. They gave me several days of IV antibiotics until they could finally get that cleared up and they released me today. I go back in two weeks to get staples and stuff out.

But as they like to say in the commercials, wait, wait, there's more. When they did all the scans, they discovered I've got cancer spots on my liver as well. When I get a bit stronger, I'll talk about the next steps with my oncologist, but he says it probably involves chemo. But I'm still plugging away.

I looked over the threads while I was gone, and I'm not going to try to reply to older posts. However, I wanted to offer my condolences to BiT on his loss.

[Beebs52]

Sss, many prayers. You're beyond a trooper.

[a1mamacat]

Dear lord.

Sending much supportive vibes from the North.

[elwoodblues]

Yikes. I noticed that you had not posted in a while. Listen to the doctors and get better.

[flockofseagulls104]

Believe it or not, SSS, I pray for you every night. Get Well

[Bob Juch]

Wow, that's terrible news. I hope they get every damned cell out.

[jarnon]

You’re in my prayers SSS. What an ordeal!

[Spock]

I don' have to tell you that liver and colon is a tough combo-best wishes.

[BackInTex]

Wow, I glad you're still with us. I'm sorry for your medical struggles and will be praying for you.

Thanks for the condolences.

[Vandal]

Sorry to hear this, Steve. Sending healing vibes your way.

[Bob78164]

I’m glad you don’t have to go through this alone. Best wishes for improvement and recovery. —Bob

[Weyoun]

Prayers sent.

[silverscreenselect]

I went to see the oncologist Friday for the first time since I left the hospital. The news wasn't great. As we already knew, the cancer had spread from my colon to the liver. They've ordered an MRI in two weeks, which should tell them whether the cancer has spread even further and if any surgery is possible. Apparently, they can do a couple of procedures in some cases that would remove some of the cancerous cells.

In any event, regardless of whether surgery is feasible, I'm going to need some degree of chemotherapy (if they can operate, the regimen would be somewhat shorter). So, I'm going to get a chest port put in and after we get the MRI results, we'll see how extensive a chemo regimen I need and get me started.

By the way, and I sure didn't want to hear this, due to the way the cancer spread, it's now Type 4. Despite this, the doctor was guardedly optimistic but unwilling to get into particulars about my prognosis.

[BackInTex]

By the way, and I sure didn't want to hear this, due to the way the cancer spread, it's now Type 4.

Neither did I. Additonal prayers sent.

[a1mamacat]

Damn, not what I was hoping to read.

Prayers for successful healing.

[Beebs52]

Continued prayers from here.

[Bob Juch]

Damn!

[ghostjmf]

1st I read this. Prayers directed your way.

[franktangredi]

My thoughts and prayers are with you.

[tlynn78]

Fricken cancer. Prayers.

[mellytu74]

Continued prayers.