Hi, All ~
I'm sitting here in a hospital bed, being pumped full of chemo..
I arrived about three weeks ago, with terrible painevery time I tried to swallow something. This place is renowned for it's diagnostics, and internal medicine. For 2 weeks they tested me with everything they'be got, and the result is advanced stomach cancer.
The course of treatment is 2 series, (3 if necessary), of very strong
chemotherapy, (in the hospital for a week of being pumped full of this stuff, then 2 to 3 weeks at home to recover a bit, then back for another week for chemo. After the second round of chemo, if the tumor has surunken enough, they will operate to remove my whole stomach. (Some diet, huh?) They say that when I'm re attached I'll be able to eat, but no big meals... Instead, I'll have to nibble on things all day long, (not too bad for someone who loves to nibble). After the surgery heals for a few weeks, I go back again for another three rounds of chemo. After that I have about 2 to 5 more years un less I'm very lucky.
So why am I telling you all this, (probably a lot more than you'd like to hear). I'm letting you know because so many of you have become special to me. I know I don't post much, and will probably be posting even less in the coming months, but I always enjoy the wonderful graphics, tubes, thoughts, poetry, and photos that arrive in my inbox every day. So many of you have given me inspiration and motivation. I even struggled to make this stat to tell you where I'm trying to learn to keep my head. A very difficult lesson. Knowing that I've got faraway friends who will think of me and pray for me is also very good medicine..
For the moment, that'a all I've got to say,
and I send it with love and hugs.
Karen.
CAclubindia
