Preliminary Surgery On Friday

I will be having some preliminary surgery on Friday to help me swallow more comfortably. So my participation in the Friday Photo Shootout will be severely limited.

As the cancer has progressed I have been reduced from mushy food to pure liquid. I have lost nearly 20 lb over the last month, a weight loss that is a little too radical and can't continue.

So on Friday Dr. Chan will "stretch my neck" for me. Hopefully he will not be doing this the old fashioned way, but with a little more scientific finesse.

Essentially he will insert a tube down my esophagus to push back the swollen walls of my throat, opening the passage to more varieties and sizes of food.

I have been living on liquid for the past month. A smoothie for breakfast, an ensure for lunch and soup for dinner. Intermixed with a lot of herbal tea. When I added that up it came to about 600 to 700 calories a day. Not good enough. Unless I'm planning to take up a career as a male model.

The procedure will be done under general anesthetic and, not surprisingly, I will have a sore throat for several days after surgery, so a liquid diet still is in my immediate future.

But then, by early next week, I should be able to eat again. Real food; although cut into tiny pieces and without any spices to give it flavour.

But just in time, before a stiff breeze blows me away.

Then I have my first visit set with the Oncologist for next Thursday and will likely begin Chemo the following week.

Sigh.