Incremental change. Less soreness in my tummy. (Thanks for the prayers) Less "upsetness" in my stomach. Feeding rate is now at 120 ml per hour. I have a bit more energy each day. Talked with the wife of a pal, Mike J, and she reported that it was at least two weeks, after rad and chemo, that he began to feel like "his real self." (Mike had exactly the same stuff I have plus he had the surgery, so he's my poster boy.) She also reported that by 5 weeks he really felt good, and then they did the surgery. Can't wait! (Tougue in cheek.)
Thanks for the comments that you add. They cheer me up everyday.

Another day, another pound! Where the doc put in the feeding tube is getting less sore and each day I have a little more energy. Not a thing smells or tastes good so adding anymore calories is a challenge. Have the feeding tube up to 105 ml per hour with a goal of 120 or 125. That allows me to "get down" a bag of "food" in 14 hours working down to where I'm not tethered but 12. Feels good when I can "unhook." Even tho the "food" is going into my intestine, I still feel like I have something in my stomach. And sometimes it's upset. Well, that wore me out just trying to expain it. I sometimes dream that when I wake up my bag will be empty. Please pray for the soreness to finally go away and that I start being able to get something else down. And pray for additional stength for Lynda. Love you all.

Hooray, I'm home. Came home yesterday and home health came by and fixed me up with a feeding pump. Now I get to "get fat." The plan is for me to pick (back) up at least 10 of the 20 pounds I lost and then have surgery to remove the cancer. Hopefully, in about 6 weeks. I feel a 100% better sleeping in my own bed and just cooling it around the house. Lynda and the girls are taking excellent care of me. Lynda and I had planned on leaving on a Meditrranean cruise tomorrow so Tuesday will be a sad day for us both. Twelve of our friends and us had planned on it being fun for 20 days.

Sometimes there is a pivotal day, and yesterday was it. Over the past 5 weeks, Thursdays and Fridays have been the most challenging. Wednesday night I would crash after my Tuesday chemo and Th and Fr would be a stuggle. Plus, every Monday, even tho I would have two day without treatment to recover, I would be weaker that the prior Monday. So, when this last Thursday I woke up with a carved up belly, getting the feeding tube in, I was a "whipped puppy." I oould not see up! And, then I begin to get nourshment and my stomach began to get "unsore" and the fight came back.
Yesterday I was ready to go home but the doc said, "One more day" and I'm glad she did. Last night my back got to hurting (from laying in bed four days) and I got up and sat in a chair. Nurse came in and asked, "Are you hurting?" "Yep" I sez and explain why. She checks to see if the doc has left any pain medication orders. I thought perhaps Tyenol. Nope, morphine. So much for that restless night. It got me from 11:30 to 4:30. Longest stretch of sleep since I've been here. But I believe I'll pass on doing that again.
Can't wait to get home with my sweetie.

Sure enough, it happened. Rad doc came in at 9 AM and discussed the possiblility of putting in the tube, we said yes and at 11 AM they took me to pre op. By, 12 noon I'm back in my room. So, now I'm tethered to a pole with nutrition going in. Oh yeah, with a sore belly. Cut me about an inch each way above my belly button and inseted the tube. I will have to get used to this. The plan is for me to "feed" from 7 PM to 7 AM and then be off my tether during the day. Will drink some on my own during the day. Hoped to go home today however it's the weekend and get all the stuff rounded up for me to have all off what I need doesn't look like it will happen. I can hardly wait to go home.

Hard to believe, looking at the date of yesterday's post, it's only been one month that I've been on the rad/chemo journey. I have to force myself to remember "life before cancer." Not to worry, I can imagine myself out running with my kids and grandkids and escaping to a mountain cabin with my sweetie. The future is what counts, isn't it!
Yesterday did bring us to a crossroads. Endo doc did a dilitation and found that the rads and chemo were not bringing (all) the desired results that had been expected. (My endo doc did the procedure and my chemo doc was there and observed, which was cool and unexpected.) Because my opening closed up 18 hours later on the last dilitation they decided to keep me overnight. Now, here I sit, taking fluids, and my best guess is (based on conversations before the procedure with those two docs) is that I will be the proud recipient of a feeding tube and I may have seen (for this round anyway) the end of rad and chemo. Looks like the "new" protocol of choice is to "fatten" me up and then cut the cancer out. Better than a kick in the butt! Funny how earlier the thought of surgery scared me and now, after the rad and chemo has beat the heck out of me, it would be a welcome alternative.
Your prayers surround me.

Have I said before that cancer sucks? Well, if I haven't, it does. The lastest news its that I'm really doing a bad job getting nutrition down.
Wait, I jumping ahead of my self. Yesterday, being tired of wearing pants that look like they come from my big brother, I went to Steinmart to get some that fit. Knowing full well what I need, I walk in and ask Brenda, my personal shopper, (just kidding), where to find some 30 X 30. "Hon", she said, "Don't belive we've got any today, but you can look." Proved her wrong, after about 45 minutes. Found one pair. However they are "Hip" jeans. Skinny legs, faded, bell bottom, low waist, form fitting, cool, Chuck Schultz jeans. Lynda sez I look like James Dean. What I trying to say, I'm at 137, which is 1953 weight.
Well, the doc sez this will not work. We've got to attempt another dialation as see if we can push that hole to be somewhat bigger and this time it's in the hospital. So, that's where I'm reporting from, a hospital bed. This time they are going to keep me overnight to "observe" me.
Only have 6 more rads and one more chemo. Knocking them down one day at a time. Hmm, wonder if they will let me go down stairs for rad in the AM? Shucks, they can just push me down in this bed.
Thanks again for all your prayers.