Getting ready for the surgery

Just a few days until the surgery and there are lots of preparations. This week, Steve had a PET scan. That's supposed to detect any other cancer cells floating around in your organs. We haven't heard any results and I am going on the no-news-is-good-news theory. He also had his pre-op consultation. They marked the spot where the surgeon will put the stoma (to attach to a bag) if an colostomy or ileostomy (a temporary colostomy) is necessary. There's no telling until the surgeon - Dr. Trocha - gets in to know whether or not it will be possible to reconnect the bowel after the resection OR what is somewhat more likely is he may choose not to reconnect it immediately to give the area time to heal. In which case, it will be an ileostomy.

Steve's spirits are good and we're cautiously optimistic. He's been playing some golf lately with Gerry Riley and that's great. We really don't know what the recovery will be like or what kind of chemo might be required after the surgery. So he wants to get as much good stuff in now. Of course, even with all this extra practice I can still kick his ass, but maybe I'll have to give him a few strokes to keep his spirits up! Ahhh, maybe not...

Terri Hovey is flying in Wednesday night (the night before the surgery) and staying with me until Sunday. I am so glad she'll be here to wait it out with me Thursday. Steve's sister, Gretchen, is also coming at some point and Peg McGurk is making plans for a weekend visit when Steve gets home from the hospital. You forget sometimes in the day-to-day living of our lives how important your friends are. We don't always do everything we could - or should - do to cultivate those relationships. But with a special few you find that they're still there when you need them.

As one who is pretty pessimistic much of the time, I am humbled by the kindness and supportiveness I have found in so many people. I hope it's made me aware of the importance of giving that back and of trying to find ways to be helpful and supportive of others around me.

With a long weekend in front of us before the two days of "bowel prep" (that sounds as yucky as it will probably be), we are planning nothing but having some fun -- play a little golf, go to a nice restaurant, play with the dogs. No yard work, no housework. Now that sounds like a plan!

If you're so inclined, please add thoughts, comments, etc., to any of these posts. I am working on Steve's computer skills (just what I needed -- another needy user!), so this will give him something to look for...

Keeping in touch

Being home every day, talking to the dogs, and fighting cancer is tough on someone like Steve who is such a people person. Not like I don't have things to keep him busy. But if you read this and you're so inclined. Give him a call and chat him up. So many people are praying and thinking those good thoughts. A friend from work - Tammy - is cooking for him (I CAN do that, but she seems to like it more!) to help him gain critical weight before surgery. We are very appreciative of all the good thoughts, help and concern of our friends and family. That's going to be so important to his road to recovery and, we hope, living strong and cancer free.

Cancer sucks

At a visit to the oncologist last week, we met a woman wearing a Cancer Sucks t-shirt. Loved it. She said some people were put off when they saw it. I guess people don't like to be confronted with your cancer. It's probably similar to those who ask how you are but it's clear all they want to hear is "fine." But our society values entertainment more than medicine and athletes make annual salaries that would make cancer researchers salivate or keep third world counties afloat for a couple of years. So I'm surfing the net looking at the Cancer Sucks apparel. What will it be? A t-shirt, a hoodie or the doogie tee (for Sable and Bogie)?

Livestrong

When Steve was first diagnosed with rectal cancer, my sister sent him the Lance Armstrong support guide called Livestrong. It was packed with useful information about tracking your medical treatments, organizing your records, and stories from survivors about their very personal battles with cancer.

It had never occurred to me that this could happen to him. He's the healthy one - strong, youthful looking, muscular, athletic, vegetable-loving. I'm the one with the breast cancer family history, overweight, bad eating habits, etc.

But it was Steve cancer picked and Steve who now fights it daily. Five weeks of chemotherapy and radiation were suffered through in preparation for surgery next month. The goal was to shrink/kill the 2-inch tumor enough before surgery so that the surgeon will not only be able to remove all the cancer with "negative margins" but also have a better chance of being able to reconnect his bowel and avoid a colostomy.

The medical team says things are "looking good" and who knows what that really means. In this diary, for friends and family, I'll try to keep a journal of this next leg of the journey to living strong with cancer or without it.