Holidays

Tom and I want to wish everyone a merry Christmas and the best of everything in this coming new year.

After a visit with the oncologist and a lengthy discussion of the pros and cons, it looks like a new round of chemo will be started after the first of the year. After nine weeks, which is three sessions of chemo, then a decision will be made to stop or do one more session. Of course the testing and exams will depend on tolerance and time. We continue to be optimistic that all of the cancer cells were removed with surgery and that a cancer free future is in the making.

Until the next time,
Jan
PS He still has hair.

final visit with the surgeon

We had a great Thanksgiving. The doc told Tom he could try regular food, but to take it easy. He had turkey, mashed potatoes, dressing, gravy and pecan pie!! He almost forgot how to chew his food after a month of only having clear liquids. Since that went so well, Tom's been trying other foods and doing fairly well with them.

Woo hoo!!! Today turned out to be the final visit with the surgeon. While at the office the surgeon pulled the chest tube, the PICC line, and the J tube. Of course Bubba looks like he's been through a war with many healing and many bandaged sites. But he didn't mind giving up his various "purses". Now it's up to us to get all the nutrition he needs by mouth with no "help" from a tube. I'm looking forward to seeing Tom across the dinner table.

We will be seeing the Oncologist again this month to set up more chemo. Of the twelve lymph nodes removed, three had microscopic evidence of cancer cells. However, the margins were clear on the parts of the esophagus and stomach which were removed, so we are very optimistic.

Until the next time,
Jan