I've got to admit it's getting better

As mi amigo madrileño told me, "The problem with giving people updates is that they expect to get them all the time." So, as you've noticed, I've been inattentive to my updating. And with the excusable position that not much has happened.

My chemo/radiation ended on October 2. For about two weeks after that, I was at a very low energy level and needed to get i.v. fluids several times for dehydration. As I wrote in a previous blog entry, I just watched military discovery and military history channels.

Aside to local soccer fans: surprisingly, Vercingetorix was not featured on any episode of "Barbarians." However, I did see quite a few on the various invasions of Great Britain by the Saxons, Vikings, and... ummm... West Indians, thereby proving that the History Channel is just as anglophilic as Fox Soccer Channel.

There are a few good things to report. My appetite is returning. Which is good as I had dropped 10 lbs. on the adenocarcinoma diet plan. My energy is slowly returning and my blood pressure seems to be climbing back to normal after weeks of being in double digits (for both systolic and diastolic).

Finally, I had a follow-up appointment with the surgeon. He thinks the tumor shrank by about 50%. That's consistent with the absence of pain in the area since the fifth week of therapy. The radiation oncologist thinks it may have shrunk more than that, as it's hard to differentiate the tumor from dead tissue with that kind of exam. But the only way to tell is to inspect it upon surgery.

Here [He] Comes Again

OK. This is the first blog entry in about 3 weeks. If you're expecting a lot of news, then you'll be disappointed. In the last three weeks, the effects of chemo and radiation have really caught up to me. In addition to radiation burns, I've had low blood pressure and needed to get i.v fluids because I haven't been my usual, perky self. Also missing are my appetite and ambition to do much other than watch WWII documentaries on the Military Channel and Military History (I can tell you a lot about the P51 Mustang and the B17 Flying Fortress).

I did finish the chemo/radiation therapy last week. That was a huge relief because the end of radiation means that the tissue damage won't get any worse. Now I'm healing for a few weeks until my tissues are again damaged by surgery. Then more healing.

Then more chemo.

Then more healing.


When I'm in remission and have recaptured my energy, I want to start a rec league soccer team of radiation therapy survivors called "Nuclear Boots." And yes, the goalkeeper will wear drip-dry gloves.