A year + 2 days

We are both really amazed it has been (over) a year since Patrick's surgery. I can still remember the day very clearly. In fact, I can remember every day after that very clearly. What a challenging time it was! I'm happy to be closer to the 'look at me, I'm cancer free!' party, but in the other areas of life, I wouldn't mind putting on the breaks. A PET scan in December (with negative results!), visiting Dr. D every three months, and what to do about the obnoxious hairs on Patrick's tongue are where we are at on our journey.

Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.

~ Helen Keller

So, we'll continue on this daring adventure trying to remember to tighten the seat belt sometimes and to let up on the reigns at others.

Thoughts and prays for others on the journey.

Thankful

There really isn't a way to describe how we feel other than thankful. We continue to be thankful that we caught the cancer when we did. We continue to be thankful that Patrick did not have to endure radiation or chemotherapy. We continue to be thankful that he has fully recovered from surgery with a few minor set-backs. And now, we are thankful that his recent PET scan results came back negative! It was the best Christmas gift we received. Patrick has had two appointments with Dr. D over the past few months. His last one revealed the PET scan results. He is on a three month schedule and will return to see Dr. D in March.

For those on the journey, I'd like to share about what has been going on over the last few months. Patrick has had a few alarming things happen such as a small bump just up from the original lesion, sharp shooting pains down his neck, and deep crack between his tongue and reconstructed site that caused concern. Thankfully, after a few days the bump went away, the crevasse was nothing to be alarmed about and the sharp pains were caused by the lack of lymph nodes in his neck filtering out a cold virus.

This journey is not over, in fact, I don't think it will ever fully be over. There will always be moments when small bumps or pain cause concern. Hopefully, they will become fewer and far between. Either way, it doesn't change that we are thankful.

Updates and 5K

Hello all! Just a short update from here. Patrick has been seeing Dr. D. He suggested having a debulking procedure done on his tongue to get rid of extra skin and scar tissue. Also, Patrick will have a PET scan the first part of December. As of right now, things are looking great! He still suffers from numbness and pain in all areas, but we are thankful that is all we're dealing with.

M finished her radiation therapy and is hoping to get back to work soon. The last part of her treatment really took the umph out of her. She's a trooper and doesn't complain much!

My best friend's mom is responding well to treatment. Chemotheraphy has decreased the size of her tumor, but causes her to be in pain. She had an adverse reaction to the second dose. A recent scan showed that her tumor has shrunk significantly already. I was so happy to hear that news!

Lastly, I'm participating in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure 5K on Sunday. If you are able, I'd love your support!

Click here to link to my donation page.

Thoughts and prayers to those fighting the fight.

Hello again....

It's been far too long since I have written an update. I apologize. Life has been happening. We are busy here at our home, but do not think that means we have forgotten our journey or about the other journeys we are following. I think about them on a daily basis.

C is in the last two weeks of his chemo and radiation therapy. He goes every single weekday to receive treatment and sometimes on the weekends too. He just finished his third round of chemo. His wife S, mentioned the regimen has been very difficult for him. The nausea and fatigue have really compounded. Add in dry mouth, blisters, and a sore throat and you get a glimpse of what he is experiencing. I'm really hoping time passes quickly for C and that he can be on the other side of this hurdle looking back at the great challenge he overcame.

M is doing well, considering. She is in her third week of treatment and has started to experience a few negative side effects. Pain, fatigue, food tasting horrible..... She isn't having any fun sitting either. She wants to get up and go. My sister and I visited her a few times right after she was home from surgery, and if she's up for it, we're thinking a game day would be good.

I'm going to ask you praying folk to help me out once again. My best friend, college roommate, and just an all around great gal called me a few days ago to let me know her mother was diagnosed with lung cancer. Things are not looking good. It really saddens me to think about what they are going through. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

Cancer is becoming a far too common word in my world!

A Long Awaited Update

I called C & S a few weeks ago, then again last week. Each time I left a message. After not hearing back from them I sent an email on Saturday. I was so happy to hear S's voice when she returned the called last night. I think she is amazing. Regardless of their situation, she is positive and in good spirits. I'm not sure I would have the same attitude. A few weeks after surgery, C noticed some swelling in his neck. He then had a PET scan and they did a needle biopsy. The results came pack positive. They waited for the oncologist to make the decision of whether or not it would be in C's best interested to continue on with Chemo and Radiation or if the cancer had spread far too much for treatments to be effective. Cut to this week... C has been in radiation. He has had one dose of Chemo and will have another this week. The chemo side effects are horrendous. Nausea. vomiting. C has a PEG tube inserting directly into his stomach. He receives a shake-type meal through the tube. From the sounds of it, the past two days have been better than the several before. We are going to go visit them soon.

M is doing well. My older sister (the nurse) and I visited her right after she got home and a few more times since then. She is doing very well. She has been up and around, is weaning off of pain meds, and trying to be more adventurous in her eating. Another week or so and she will find out if she needs radiation. Dr. D. consults with a tumor board to help him decide if further treatment is necessary. The team of surgeons, doctors and oncologists meet and review cases. M's case is up for review during their next meeting.

Please keep these people in your thoughts and prayers.

Updates all around

I have not heard from C and S. I don't want to be a bother, so I'll wait a while longer before I give them a call. Either they are gearing up for radiation and chemo or they are making a new plan. Both paths in the journey require some ability to focus, so I want to give them some space.

M is doing very well. She was moved from the ICU yesterday afternoon. Her current focus is to try and get up and move, walk, sit up and be awake more each day. It sounds like things are progressing smoothly. I hope to go visit her at some point. For now, it sounds like she is not wanting visitors.

On the home front......
Patrick will have a PET scan in a few weeks. We have been given no reason to be concerned, but it seems there is a little bit of nervousness before each scan (at least on my part).

Thoughts and prayers for all are appreciated.

Pray with me...

I spoke with S tonight. Things are not going as well as we'd like. After surgery C had a fever which meant his body was fighting an infection. The fever has passed which is good, but now he's fighting another battle. Two lymph nodes came back positive from the post-surgery biopsy which meant C will have both Chemotherapy and radiation. C and S have been meeting with oncologists and dentists to prepare him for these therapies. In the meantime, C noticed another spot which was also biopsied. It too came back positive with another two nodes affected. A CT scan today confirmed the findings. C will have a PET scan tomorrow. The PET scan will be a deciding factor for C. If the cancer has metastasized to other parts of the body, treatments will be foregone as they would be unsuccessful. Please pray the cancer has not metastasized. Please keep C and S and their two children in your thoughts as tomorrow comes.

Patrick and I met with another soldier on Sunday. We tried our best to explain the ins and outs of what our journey was like in hopes to help prepare M for her upcoming surgery. My heart is a little sad knowing what she is about to endure. I've been thinking a lot about her and pray everything goes smoothly tomorrow. Please pray too.

Heavy Hearted

I learned of some very sad news yesterday when I received an email from S. C will need chemotherapy and radiation. He will begin that regimen in about four weeks.

Today, my heart feels even heavier than yesterday. A fellow soldier lost his fight to cancer. I am so confused. Last I heard his most recent CT scan was clear and life was looking up for him. He was putting the finishing touches on a new business and was preparing to launch it.

Scott was kind and reached out to us when we first started our journey. He and I wrote back and forth many times during the weeks before Patrick's surgery and then continued to do so as Patrick recovered. He always sent messages that were positive and uplifting and he tried to find the good and humor in the bad. Scott fought the good fight. His telling website www.scottversuscancer.com gives a face to the horrific disease.

I'm so taken aback. Cancer, you suck!

An update on C....

I spoke with S, C's wife last night. C is doing well. His surgery went fine. As it turns out, they removed a tumor that was 4 cm by 2 cm, approximately the size of a walnut. C noticed a lesion when Patrick did back in November. A biopsy was done at a local hospital, and the results came back negative for cancer. A second biopsy by Dr. D. a month later revealed that it was in fact cancer. Nearly another month until surgery could be scheduled left ample time for the lesion to grow. In the end C switched doctors last minute, so their surgery was not done locally and ended up being very different from the surgery Patrick underwent. The good news is that they are done with that portion of their journey and can now focus on the recovery section of their journey. We're hoping to visit with them when they return home later this week. When I spoke with S, C was starting a clear liquid diet and seemed to be doing well. Many thanks for your thoughts and prayers!

Pray with me....

Just over a week ago Patrick and I met with a couple at a local Starbucks for coffee. Our goal was to shed some light about the journey they are on. You see, C was diagnosed with Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the tongue and was planing on going for surgery soon. C and S (his wife), had a lot of questions, rightly so, and Patrick and I did our best to answer them. Their journey is not about me, but I'll tell you that I was a bit sad. I was sad to know, all too well, what they are about to endure.

Due to a change in schedule, C is having his surgery this afternoon rather than on Monday as was originally planned. If you are of the praying type, please pray for this positive, warm-hearted couple. Pray that C's surgery goes smoothly. Pray for a speedy recovery. Pray that S has the strength and stamina to be a nurse for C. Pray that biopsy results reveal no need for further treatment. If you are not the praying type, positive thoughts, love, and vibes are all welcome.

Thank you, dear readers. I'll keep you posted on C's journey.

Scan Results and an Oddity

Patrick saw Dr. D. last week. It was a short and sweet visit. There wasn't much to report after that visit other than every thing is going well and Patrick would need to have another CT scan.

Today, Patrick had another CT scan and got a phone call while at work from the radiologist a few hours later. He was told he had one node on the right hand side that was marginally inflamed but that everything looked good and there was no change from his last scan. Patrick called to share the good news. While we were not surprised by the results, it's reassuring to hear. In a few months Patrick will have his first PET scan.

Things are going pretty good for patrick. He is still sailing along through recovery. Some of the nerves have reconnected, but he still has a large amount of numbness in his neck and arm along the donor site. While this is expected, he is diligent about rubbing it in hopes of getting some more sensation back. His lip control has gotten significantly better, but he has no clue when there's food on left side of his face. In fear of chewing on the reconstructed side of his tongue he always only chews on the right, which has caused some popping of his jaw bone to occur while eating. Overall, eating really isn't very fun for him.

Aside from numbness his second largest complaint is the hair on his tongue. I cringe when I think about it. He says he chews on it while eating. I'm sure you've had a hair find its way into your mouth at some point, but can you imagine having that feeling every time you eat? I can't! Another soldier mentioned he's plucked them out. We might opt for electrolysis or laser removal. Fear not, he won't feel it.

Dancing in the Minefields

It's been a while now since my friend emailed me and told me about a song. If you remember, my sister mentioned 'I Won't Let Go' by Rascal Flatts. Funny how so many songs describe the journey we are on. 'Dancing in the Minefields' by Andrew Peterson hit home. Hard. Aside from the beginning of the song, of course. If you change a few words like we were both 25 when we got engaged instead of 19 and 21, we didn't get our rings for $40 from a pawn shop, but spent much more at Shane Co., and we took the leap nearly five years ago instead of 15, then the song describes us perfectly. Okay, so the beginning of the song is a little different from our story, but the chorus rings loud and clear. We have been dancing in the minefields and sailing in the storms. Our journey has been harder than either of us could have ever imagined, but what it all comes down to is the promise we made nearly five years ago.

We went dancing in the minefields when our journey first began. We twisted as we found a doctor. We two-stepped while we waited for the biopsy results. We twirled as we anticipated operation day. We tangoed through recovery. We swayed after we learned the cause of the cancer, and every day we dance. We dance to the song that was written for us.

We shared with you the reason why we are on this journey. Since we learned of that information we have been dancing in the minefields a bit more. The possibility of me contracting or already having contracted HPV was devastating to Patrick. Albeit the chances of my body combatting the disease are high, the slight chance of me having cancer sent chills up our spines and mortified us. I by no means hold this against him as there was no way of knowing about the HPV, but it caused some worry.

Your body has a 70% chance of combatting the virus within the first year, and 90% within the second year. Patrick happened to fall in the unlucky 10% of people who develop cancer. While the odds were in our favor, we still wanted to cross our t's and dot our i's. I was tested for HPV and waited a week before I was given the good news. I am negative for any high risk HPV strains. Either I haven't contracted the virus, or my body has combatted it. If I were a betting woman, I'd bet on the latter. I also had an oral cancer screening done by my dentist recently, so we can rest a little easier now. Needless, to say we feel like we've been dancing in the minefields. Some steps have been more challenging than others.

Patrick had another follow-up with Dr.V. and was told that he was 'healing perfectly.' He has another follow-up appointment with Dr. D. next week where I'm sure we'll hear of when his first (CAT, MRI, PET) scan will be. As we dance in the minefields and wait for a scan and its results we continue to be thankful and hopeful that Patrick remains in full recovery.

Paper Love

My radical, most awesome, supportive friend developed a plan of action early on. I put a bug in her ear about a neat idea that came to me late one night or maybe it was early one morning. Who knows? I'm still lacking in the sleep department.


She happily took on the project and I'm so thankful she did. It turned out to be so neat and is a fantastic reminder of our journey and the wonderful friends and family that support us.


A paper quilt, or rather three were the end result. Once home from the hospital, Patrick started receiving cards and envelopes in the mail containing small paper quilt squares and rectangles with words of encouragement, bible verses, pictures and inspirational quotes.


Weeks before my friend had cut all the quadrilaterals out and dispersed them. She collected them back up and deposited them in the mailbox methodically so Patrick would get at least one every day.


Here are some of our favorites...

Obstacles are great incentives. ~Jules Michelet

Once you choose hope, anything's possible!

The best thing about future is that it comes only one day at a time. ~Abraham Lincoln

I have heard there are troubles of more than one kind. Some come from ahead and some come from behind. But I've brought a big bat. I'm all ready you see. Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me! ~Dr. Seuss

The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones. ~Chinese Proverb

And then I lost it...

Alternately titled 'The Science Behind It' or 'Because We've Got Nothing to Lose' or....


I had an appointment last week. I sat in the exam room filling out paper work to update my file. My doctor was running behind schedule, which is not rare. But, I guess when you're in the business of delivering babies, that's the way it goes. If you're thinking what I think you're thinking, you're wrong. No, we are not expecting another baby. I was there for my annual exam. I hadn't seen this doctor since my postpartum appointment after I had our youngest, so she asked how I was. I told her about our journey. She had several questions, and I sat there explaining everything just as I've done numerous times before. I retold the stories about the operation and what our new normal is like. She asked about how Patrick was emotionally. I told her he's doing well considering. He's exhausted at times, and he still deals with some emotional side effects occasionally. Who wouldn't? When the appointment was over, she asked if there was anything else I needed from her, if there were any other questions I had. I told her no. She said, 'Well, how about a hug?' And then, I lost it. I held it together the whole time, until she wrapped her arms around me. She didn't need to, but she did. For some reason, I lose it when people hug me. Flashes of our journey come flooding back and I can't hold in the tears.

Having my annual exam wasn't the only reason for the appointment. I needed to discuss a few things with my doctor. I mentioned in a previous post that we didn't know why Patrick had Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the tongue. At the time, we didn't. Now, we have a learned a bit more and have a 'reason' for being on this journey. The biopsy results revealed the culprit. As it turns out, the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) took residence in Patrick's body. Of course, we have no idea when.

It only takes contact with one person to contract the virus. The virus can lay dormant for many years. Most often, your body even combats the virus without you ever knowing you had it. HPV is becoming very common. In fact, it is said that more than 50% of people have it, many of them without knowing. There are over 100 strains of HPV, 9 of which cause cancer, several of which cause various types warts, and many that cause benign tumors. A few types including strains 16 and 18 cause cervical cancer. For that reason, they are labeled as 'high risk.' Strain 16, also associated with oral cancer, is what caused Patrick to develop the lesion in his tongue. These high risk strains are spread through mucous membranes. Mucous membranes can be transferred during oral sex, anal sex, vaginal intercourse or even french kissing. Transmission occurs rather easily, so skin-to-skin contact with an individual who has the virus results in a high chance of infection. Again... one encounter, one person, one virus.

As it turns out having a lesion caused by HPV is actually a good thing, in comparison. The chances of a reoccurrence within the next five years is significantly less when the cancer is caused by HPV than when not. Cancer caused by HPV is far less aggressive, so treatments are very successful.

Just like the local news stations, medical journals and doctors have been mentioning, HPV is on the rise. The unfortunate part about this is that there is not an FDA approved test for men. For women, the only way to be tested is by having annual Pap smears where observations are made about abnormal cell growth and a test can be performed to check for HPV. There are two vaccines on the market that are usually give to females between the ages of 9 and 26 that combat the four most common strains of cancer causing HPV.

Oral cancer takes the life of one person every hour of every day. Ask your dentist for an oral cancer screening. If cancer screening is not part of their exam, find a dentist who is committed to checking. If you are a woman, be sure to get your annul exams. Routine screening and early detection are key. The CDC believes that as many as 80% of people will be infected with HPV at some point in their lives. As I mentioned before, not everyone with HPV will have signs, symptoms, or develop cancer, but be proactive and get routine screenings.

We believe knowledge is power. Not everyone would be willing to lay this information out on the table. We are willing because we want to tell the whole story. We want you to know why we are on this journey because if we can educate one person, encourage one person, change the life of just one person, it will have been worth it. We have been delving into the world wide web in hopes to gather all the answers to our questions about the virus. Because the research on this virus has only begun recently in comparison to other viruses and diseases, not all of our questions can be answered. We hope by sharing some intimate details about our life and our journey that we can spare just one person the pain of a diagnosis of cancer. We hope that by showing you what the face of cancer can look like and how important it is to get routine exams, that just one person will benefit.

Lessons and Reminders

As we sit here, several weeks post operation, I've had a copious amount of time to reflect on our journey. This journey has reminded me of many things about life and it has also taught me a few things as well. I'd like to tell you that our journey with cancer can be wrapped up, put in a pretty little box and set on a shelf, but that's just not the case. Our journey is far from over. In fact, I don't foresee our journey with cancer ever being truly over. We've learned of some new information that has lead us to do quite a lot of research, which in turn has caused a bit more worry. I'm certain at some point we might begin to let our guard down a little, but for now I've got my fighting gloves on. More on that later.

I've learned that when times are tough, I mean really bad. When you are in the trenches fighting the war, you have to let a few things go. I'm what most of you would consider a 'control freak.' I'm also what many of you would call slightly anal retentive or OCD. My mind works in weird ways and often plans out paths of greatest efficiency. I like to plan things and when things don't go as I have planned, I get crabby. I'm learning. I'm slowly learning that when life throws you a curveball, you might have to drop the reigns and let someone else pick them up for a while. So what if your in-laws folded your laundry and saw your post pregnancy, cesarean section recovery, oversized granny panties? So what if you found your clothes in your husband's closet and his in yours? So what if it meant that your baby ended up wearing a pair of your two-year-old's leggings because they were placed in the wrong drawer? So what if the dishwasher was loaded a little differently and you were unable to find a bowl or utensil because it was put away in the wrong cupboard? So what if your kid was fed candy, chocolate shakes, and carbohydrate filled meals for a few days? All these things sound like they are no big deal. You're right! I was given a big reminder to let things go. Let the small stuff go. I'm a work in progress.

I've learned that science is amazing and there are so many technological advances in the world of medicine. Robots, prosthetics, transplants, medications, testing, the list goes on. I've learned that there are some amazing doctors out there that are dedicated to helping cancer patients. I've learned that science can also be frustrating. In this day in age we (by we I mean I) expect to have a vast knowledge gleaned from research, especially when it comes to diseases and viruses and cancers that have been around for years. I've learned that's not necessarily the case. I've learned that science can be scary, especially when there is an unknown.

Eight years ago, I embarked on a trip. I traveled to 10 countries in 70 days. I visited the homes of people in remote locations, traveled to an orphanage, toured a holocaust concentration camp, walked dirty streets, and saw many parts of the world. Granted, I didn't even set foot in a third world country, but what I did see was eye opening. I vowed to myself after I returned from that trip to do several things. I wanted to be more adventurous, less judgmental, more helpful to others, and less of a faster/cheaper/better American. It reminded me to live life, not just be alive. As time passed, I let those memories fade. As a marriage and children often do (and should), they changed my focus. l've been reminded to live life to the fullest. I needed to reevaluate things and find a better balance. I need to walk a little closer on the line that crosses between throwing caution to the wind and reality.

I've known the word cancer for many years. If my memory serves me correctly, I can remember hearing the word when I was in fifth grade or so. My great grandpa was diagnosed with cancer and passed away from it. Of course, I didn't have a full understanding of what that meant at the time, but now I do. Now, I understand that cancer is everywhere. Cancer is changing the lives of thousands of people every day. Cancer is vicious and holds no remorse. Cancer comes when you least expect it. Cancer makes its mark not only on the victims it chooses, but also their families. I have learned to hate the word cancer and what it entails. I hate hearing of newly diagnosed soldiers, it tugs at my heart strings. One of Patrick's coworkers was recently diagnosed with colon cancer and will go for surgery in a week or so. I hate cancer. Two days ago, I learned of a couple who were both diagnosed with cancer, just 9 days apart (www.friendsofnathanandelisa.bloodspot.com). I hate cancer. When can we find a cure?

Our journey has been a great reminder of who is behind us, who will be there when things get tough, and who will hold our hands. We have a clear view of the family and friends that will call when we are so far down we don't think we can get up. We know who will stop by and drop off food, who will send encouraging words, who will lend a shoulder to cry on. We have a long list (not literally) of people who would come to help at any given moment. No questions asked. I have learned that I can call on people near and far and they will be there to help us. It's reassuring. It's love.

An Update

It's been a few weeks since I've posted. We've gotten back into the swing of things and have settled back into our routine. By no means does that mean our journey is over. It just means things have slowed down, thankfully. Things are going well. Patrick has been back at work for a few weeks and aside from being a little exhausted, he's doing just fine.

His scars are healing quite nicely. I'm amazed at how fast they are disappearing.






His trach hole has been completely closed for a week or so now which is nice as that means he isn't having to change bandages anymore.


Not much has changed in the areas of eating and numbness. Eating is still slower than before and Patrick still has numbness in his neck, arm and tongue.

We've had a few other highs and lows as we continue on this journey. I'm sure I'll share about those soon. Thanks for your continued support.

The new 'normal' is...

...eating slowly.
...only chewing on the right side of his mouth because the left is still numb.
...having a salivary glad that shoots pains with the first bite of each meal.
...having tight neck muscles that limit mobility.
...brushing with a child sized toothbrush.
...wearing a wrist guard while at work to cover the donor site.
...having long scars on his neck and arm that people ask questions about.
...talking with a slight lisp.
...needing to speak loudly because it hurts to speak softly.
...wearing baggier jeans.
...having a crooked smile.
...wearing his watch on his right hand instead of his left.

The new normal is being more thankful than ever before!

Back At Work

Patrick started back at work this week. In fact, he started on Monday, exactly one month from his surgery. So far, he's doing well. Thankfully, his first day back was slow although, you're not supposed to use that word in a hospital. When I talked to him on his dinner break on Monday he had only completed seven exams, which is rare. He mentioned that he had to tell his story because two of his patients had already asked. I asked what he told them. He said he stuck his tongue out at one lady. What a comedian.

Sadly, we didn't get much time to chat on his dinner break that night. It takes Patrick quite a bit longer to eat, so we weren't able to cover much in the four minutes we had.

His second day was extremely busy. Regardless, his energy seems to be fine. I'm impressed, but expected nothing less. He's almost finished with his first week back on the job. It feels good to be back to 'normal.' We have settled back into our routine.

Brain Dump - Fourth Edition

I still feel a small cringe every time I tell someone of Patrick's story for the first time. Typically there are two questions that come shooting down the barrel immediately after I relay the story. How old is he? Did/does he chew or smoke? I feel like I need a business card with a general synopsis of the story written on it and then in bold at the bottom it would read: 30 years old. Never smoked. Never chewed.

It's odd how this journey has put some things in perspective. Actually it has put many things in perspective. I find it hard to complain about hitting my not so funny bone, stubbing my toe or getting a paper cut. If you look at the face I'm most likely to complain to, you'll still see battle wounds that remind me that the ever so small incident that just occurred is nothing at all really. In comparison at least.

It seems like each day I get a phone call or read an email or some Facebook post that mentions another soldier fighting this battle we call cancer. It breaks my heart that children, mothers, grandpas, uncles, aunts, cousins, friends, coworkers, so many people are on this journey. Their own journey with cancer. Just tonight I heard of a 31 year old, soon to be father, athletic man and his recent diagnosis and treatment. My heart breaks for these people and their families. I will forever be so grateful that we caught this nasty disease as early as we did and albeit difficult, our journey could have been so much worse.

I'm tired. In fact, I'm tired of being tired. I know. Perspective. It could be worse. Our youngest has developed the never-ending tummy problems our oldest once had. It took her 15 months to grow out of and as it looks now, I've got another 8 months or so of sleepless nights. On top of that marvelous phenomenon our babe has another cold. To sum it up, I've got a seven month old with a stuffy nose, awful cough and tummy problems. I'm tired.

I've received a ton of positive feedback about this blog. As I've mentioned before, it's been therapeutic for me. It has helped spread the word about being aware of your body. It has informed the masses er our friends and families about the details of our journey. It has been the medium through which we have met other soldiers. It has shown many of you what the face of cancer can look like. What it has also done is take away Patrick's voice. It's taken away his chance to tell his story. Everyone he talks to has read the blog, so everything he says is old news.

I'm still wearing Patrick's wedding ring.

I mentioned in a previous brain dump that I want to help fight the cancer fight. I'm thinking that helping involves spreading the word about how many people are affected. I'm thinking helping means informing people about what the face of cancer looks like. I'm thinking helping means softening the blow for newly diagnosed soldiers, if that's even possible. I'm thinking maybe writing a book would be a good way to help fight the fight. Or, maybe I'll keep thinking.

More Post-Op Appointments and a Work Release

Patrick had two more post-op appointments this week. Dr. D. gave us two thumbs up and was very pleased with how things are going. In fact, Dr. D. gave Patrick a release to go back to work, a full duty work release to be started next week. Dr. D. and I both told Patrick that he didn't need to try and be a hero and could take a few more days if he wanted. But, Patrick is anxious to get back to the grindstone. Maybe not so much the going to work part but being able to get out of the house and see people part. The only concern Dr. D. and I have is that Patrick will be fatigued and wiped out after his time off. And, with his body still recovering it is already working overtime. We won't be going back to see Dr. D. for two months.

We had an appointment to see Dr. V., but he was stranded with a flat tire, so Patrick was seen by Dr. V.'s PA. He too was happy with how things are going. He talked with Patrick about some of the nerve issues and just like Dr. D. he believes it will continue to get better over time. The PA looked at his tongue and asked about going back to work. He told us to call if there were any issues with his tongue between now and our next appointment, or if Patrick felt too wiped out after returning work and wanted to scale back. We'll go back to see Dr. V. in a month.

Here's to continued recovery and future health.