Team, if you think that "clear biopsies" mean the end of the Blog, think again. This journey ain't over! I've been advised that I will checked every three months for the next year. And, I swear it's gonna take me that long to "come to an agreement with my Food Processing Area." (Which is the new name for my "stomach.") The FPA and I continue to have a running discussion on what, how much, when and whether it wants. If I don't get it "right" my gut knots up and stays that way, generally, until I go to bed that night. I can keep on doing whatever I want or need to do but it's sure unpleasant. And, at night (if I miss the right mix) it wakes me every two hours asking for something to settle it down. It's not really all that bad except you never feel completely rested. I did sleep about 7 hours in a row last week but I didn't remember the combination that allowed me to do it. Now I'm paying more attention. Talked with a coupla of my other "Cancer Buddies" and we have agreed that the "completley rested" feel goes away when you start chemo and radiation and none of us have made it back to that plateau yet. But, we are as a team, working back there.
I did find out something about myself when I got the (currently) clear message. I just thought I was a "roll with the punches" kinda guy. Just take whatever was thrown at me and travel on. But, no! When I got that message it shook me. I wasn't prepared for it. It took me three days to process it, even tho "clear" is not forever, I could not accept it for me. Not that I didn't want it but I dang sure didn't expect it. Would you call that lack of faith? Maybe it was me dealing with that lack of faith, which I thought I had --- and found out that I didn't. Well, I've since asked the Lord to forgive me for my unbelief and am traveling on to what He has for me to do next.
God is good --- and now I realize it more than ever!

Friends, this post will be short and sweet. An answer to prayers and thank you all --- thank's doesn't really get it but it's all I can do right now.
My endoscope doc called this afternoon to tell me that all the biopsies he took last Monday, as he wandered thru my gut, came back clear.
I go to the chemo doc next Tuesday and I really hope he sez it's time to take out my port! Today is a red letter day but Tuesday will be the icing on the cake. Love you all. And, as I've said before, God is good!

Today, had my endoscope. The doc told me everything looked good and, as far as he could tell, he didn't "see" any cancer. He did take some biopseys and that will tell the "real story." Will meet with the chemo doc on Feb 2 and he will give me the results. Mr. 2/3 and I are still learning how to live with each other!
On a more somber note, I lost a childhood buddy this last week. He had fallen about a year ago and hit his head and at various times had balance problems. Two months ago the docs put in a shunt. Last week, his wife had pneumonia, went to the hospital and the next day tried to contact him from there. No answer. A neighbor found him. He had fallen again, hit his head in the area of the shunt which moved his brain and he was unconscious. Life support keep him on earth until his kids and grandkids got to Lubbock. He passed away last Wednesday.
Since I have been on my "cancer journey" Ron has called to check on me every week. Again reminds me how fragile life is. I always had to ask him how he was doing because he never brought it up. Makes me realize how I've been almost totally concentrated on myself during my journey and how I've not reached out to those who are hurting. I'm not the only one traveling thru challenging times.

With the top of each mountain you reach there's always a challenge to get to the next one. Got my taste bud back. Food tastes good, however, Mr. (3/4) Stomach decides what, when and how much it wants. Mr. S decides, after I've eaten, how to punish me for not checking with him before I ate. He knots up my gut. He keeps me from sleeping. And, when I do sleep, he sends me the most unusual dreams, so when I "sleep" I don't rest. Get up the next morning and I'm dragging, plus, the next time I sit down to eat I look at the food trying to determine the trouble it will cause me rather than how much strength it can give me. Not a good thing. After 10 days of wrestling with Mr. Stomach, he and I came to an agreement yesterday. I fed him 5 times --- small portions and kinda bland --- and he let me sleep all night. I did drink some Aloe Herbal Stomach Formula before I went to bed. Sleep all night. First time in about four months. God is good!

Just a short note to let you know that the chemo doc advised me that my PET Scan showed nothing that needed to be "chemoed" right now! Wow! In Feb I'll have another endoscope done to check out the area. That news was as good as I could have expected.
Praise the Lord. Love you all.

Excellent New Year. Food is tasting so good that I've gorged myself a coupla times. I'm doing better controlling that urge. Mainly because my body made me "pay". Every time I do that it "costs" me a day to recuperate. I'm sluggish and tire easily the following day. Too old to waste days. Got to make 'em all count! Worked a coupla 10 hour days and they were both 2 hours too long. Another adjustment to make.
I did go to New Mexico for 5 days with Lynda and Angie (#2 daughter) and I shoveled snow. Wisely, only a coupla hours a day. Did come home with sore shoulders, but that was a good thing. Tomorrow, Tuesday, I find out if I'm thru with chemo or I get four more doses. You know what my prayer is!
Total aside from this cancer thing: My first granddaughter is going to get married, August 14, 2010. Another reason the Lord let me stay on this earth longer!

What a difference a week makes! Or, could it be a New Year? Taste buds have "blossomed." Almost all food tastes good again. Before, when I filled my plate at a meal, I would take only very small portions until I figured out what I could eat. Now I take regular portions of almost everything and can eat what I call a regular meal. And to me, that's a "wow." And, with every "up" there is a "sideways." (Ain't no "downs in this house any more.") Now that I eat more food my (2/3) stomach is having to learn to deal with it. And as it learns I have to learn to deal with it's "dealings."
Rule #1: Never lay down to take a nap until 1 and 1/2 hours after eating. Rule #2: Take one Maalox Advanced before you go to bed or you will be getting up and taking one sometime in the next two hours.
Is this a good trade off to using your feeding tube?
Dang right, pardner!
Speaking of feeding tubes. As you know it's an appendage that is inserted into your lower intestine, comes out just above your belly button and you take your nourishment thru it when you have a blockage in your esophagus.
Now, when you want to "wean" yourself off the tube, you cut down on the number of cans (8 ounces each) that you feed your self. Then when your are able to eat "regular" food you can choose not to use it for a day or two or three.
That's real good except you have to tape the value that controls food going in and out (and it does "come back out" but don't ask me how) to your gut. It's about the size of a pack of cigarettes but with valves and stuff that "stick" you if you happen to hit it. The valve can be removed but I couldn't find anything to use as a stopper. Went to the pharmacy, they had nothing but they gave me the phone number of a medical supply company. Called them. "Yep," they said, "I know what you are talking about but we've nothing plug it up with." Not to be discouraged, I went to my local hardware store, Mr. C's. Presented to them my challenge asking for either a hard plastic or fiberglass plug. "Sorry," I was told, "but we do have a rubber one." Bingo, fit like a charm. Now I walk around and don't look like I'm "packing." Life is good! Mr's C's is good. God is good!