I think I am entering a new phase of life for a while when the news is sparse. There have been a series of treatment events, each with their own challenges. Surgery, radioactive iodine, radiation, steroid therapy and most recently the stomach tube surgery. After 5 days of discomfort the stomach tube is healing well. The good news is that I can finally get back to exercising regularly and reverse the downward spiral of muscle and energy loss. I think I finally feel my age in that just walking is actually a challenging workout!Despite the ice covered roads Cheryl & I walked around the island this morning and I was even able to bend enough to tie my own shoe laces!
I did get a chance to review my recent CT scans with my family doctor. Most of the findings were positive in that there does not seem to be any spread of the cancer beyond my neck. There are some remaining enlarged lymph nodes in my neck but the more significant finding is that there is cancerous tissue surrounding one carotid artery and causing it to narrow. There is also cancer tissue on the other carotid artery. I think I read somewhere that the carotid arteries are quite important!There have been few changes since the last scan, likely due to the radiation, but how long that continues is impossible to predict. So I have taken matters into my own hands and instructed those problem areas to remain inactive for about 10 years! The main thing is that I continue to wake up each morning and every day glows with many wonderful experiences as well as a few nasty bits. It doesn't get much better than that! This sunrise greeted us 2 days ago.
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