Charmin's Future

Ok, today I’d like to share a little about events from July 2013. 

Following the doctors’ visits in June, I was told I was scheduled for surgery for removal of the lump on July 29^th.  So, we went about our July in a normal fashion (normal for us that is!).  On July 11^th, we drove a rental truck to Athens to begin the process of moving Luke and Rachael to Brooklyn NY. 

            The move went well, replete with several challenges like a rainstorm of Biblical proportions while we were loading the truck, fitting the queen-sized box spring into the truck (box springs do NOT fold well!), listening to the cats howl most of the night and the day during the travel and then experiencing I-278 from Jersey onto Staten Island and then into Brooklyn.
            I found that I absolutely love driving in the city!!  It is an exhilarating challenge and keeps the adrenaline flowing freely. Muggy and I stayed a couple of nights at Ft. Wadsworth on Staten Island at the Navy Lodge.  If you have the right military ID, you can stay there for $100/night, right under the Verrazano Bridge!  Or, if you care, stay at Fort Hamilton at the other end of the bridge for about $150/night.
            After several errands about town and a little bit of sight-seeing, we decided it was time to head west, but not before visiting the World Trade Center sight.  We caught the Staten Island Ferry over to Manhattan and walked the few blocks to the World Trade Center site.  It was worth it.

                                                                                                                           

            We’d been invited to visit Rachael’s parents in Charleroi, PA so we spent a couple of nights with them.  Luke and Rachael think it’s weird that in-laws get along so well!!  And we were gracious guests and let the Howards win at cards!  We had a great visit which included an interesting interlude with a Russian Orthodox priest who immigrated to the U.S. from Romania 22 years ago.

            Then, we were on to Springfield OH and a visit to Gary and Joyce’s place.  A very quick, but rewarding visit in meeting Joyce’s sisters and connecting with long-time friends Kim and daughter Leah.  Then, we headed south into Kentucky.

            We crossed Kentucky into Tennessee at the Cumberland Gap and headed for the Chateau just south of Tazewell.  For those who don’t know, the Chateau is the name of our 12 acres mountain serenity.  (Hint:  The 32 foot travel trailer we have there is the Chateau model!).    
            We enjoyed several days of serenity and relaxation and anxiously awaited the arrival of dear friend Terri from Milwaukee.  A fun and blessed time was had by all of us in the form of great conversation and sharing. 
            So, returning home, we knew we had to be back at Emory on July 29^th.  The surgery scheduled was an excisional biopsy.  In layman’s terms, that means the doctors are removing the lump to conduct pathology to determine if there is cancer or not.  If cancer cells were found, Dr. W. planned to take the tonsils as he concluded that was where the cancer was hiding.
            We were not convinced it was cancer.  We were approached this with an attitude that God can heal this cancer (IF it was cancer in the first place) and the doctors would find no cancer, they’d glue me back together (they DID!  They used super-glue.) and I’d be off, fat, dumb and happy!
            Imagine Muggy’s total surprise when Dr. W. found her after the surgery and said the lump was removed, it was cancerous and cancer was also found in the left tonsil; and the tonsils were removed.
            Did this shake the foundations of our faith?  Absolutely not!  God is in control and He will be glorified in this.  So, we knew the next, immediate steps were to recover from the surgery.
            Charmin has now become a five-inch scar running from an inch below my ear toward my adam’s apple on the left side, but you have to look close to find it.  It does blend into the creases in my neck, kind of like Jabba the Hut, (huh Joyce?)  Dr. W. said I would hate him for about two weeks after the tonsilectomy.  Know what? He was right!  It hurt; a lot!  But, that pain was probably just a warm up for what’s coming.

                                                                                                         

            I’ve now met with the radiation and medical oncologists.  Chemo and radiation therapy is tentatively scheduled to begin Sept. 3^rd and continue for six weeks.  Radiation will be five days/week, chemo will be once a week.  We are hopeful we will be staying at the American Cancer Society Hope Lodge in Atlanta during the weekdays when we are in Atlanta for the therapy.  The Hope Lodge is a facility specifically for patients like me.  Lots of opportunity for communication, sharing and education.  And it doesn’t cost anything! 
            Muggy and I made an overnight trip to the Chateau to winterize the trailer. My therapy won’t be done until the second or third week of October and I probably won’t feel much like traveling or doing much physical labor by that time.
            I covet your prayers, thoughts and communication.  If you are taking the time to read this, you are an important part of my life!  I am determined to face the coming challenges directly and courageously.  Will there be downtimes?  Sure, but through the support and prayers of friends and family and the efforts of the medical team, we will be successful! 
            Here are some statistics I came across this morning for the type of cancer I have: Five-year overall survival is 95% and five-year disease-free survival is 96%. Five-year freedom from contralateral failure is 96%.

The researchers concluded that unilateral radiotherapy provides excellent locoregional control for tonsil cancer in appropriately selected patients, with a low risk of contralateral recurrence.           Thanks for reading!