Good News!!

Got the news today that the cancer was confined to the prostate so they got it all as best as they could tell. I'm one happy dude.
My count down calendar for removing the catheter says 6 days 20 hours 19 minutes and 5 seconds. Christo

Back at the Ranch

After a nice nap in my own bed, a tasty meal which included a quiche made with duck eggs and now I just finished walking down to the gate - sure beats walking around the hospital corridors. It's so nice to be home. Thanks to all for the well wishes, very inspiring. I won't know the pathology for a day or two and I'm thinking that the removal of the catheter will be a major event (July 5). A couple of big hurdles but hey one day at time and tomorrow is supposed to be sunny!

Chicken noodle soup

Christopher has been enjoying his ice chips, but was able to order up some dinner at 7:30 PM. He picked chicken soup and bread. I took him some Jelly Bellies and dark Chocolate, but they may wait until tomorrow. He is feeling better than he thought he would be and will be able to get up and walk in the morning. He wanted me to make sure and thank everyone for their kind words and good wishes.
All in all, a pretty good day in the prostate removal department and we are still hoping he'll be able to come home to the GHR & C tomorrow afternoon.

So far, so good

We headed to the hospital bright and early at 4:45 AM, and after a lot of paperwork and prep, Christopher's surgery started at 7:37 AM. According to my brief post surgery consult with Dr. O'Keefe, everything went smoothly. Now at a bit after 2  PM, Christopher is recovering in his hospital room and still working off the effects of the anesthetic. He requested a Jelly Belly, but the nurse said only ice chips for 8 hours. There may be a chance that Christopher can come home tomorrow afternoon. I'll keep you posted on that.

More later, Alison

The "C" Word Has Entered Our Lives at the GHR&C

Our aloof Rhodesian Ridgeback, Walter, died of a hemorrhaging mass earlier this year. Now, Cubby, the three legged wonder dog has some similar issues with his spleen. He's not eating much these days, some days not at all, and he is likely to have an event where internal bleeding will weaken him totally. Surgical removal of the spleen is an option but may only buy him so much time as "seeding" of the cancer cells may have already occurred. Not a cheerful prognosis.

In between Walter and Cubby's issues,  I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. The bottom line is that I am going to have it removed - Radical Prostatectomy - on Monday June 25. I'll spare everyone with all the details surrounding how I came to that decision but it was not taken lightly.

What is so surreal is that here I am writing about major surgery and I am feeling so healthy. I just finished a week of heavy lifting building a patio in Florida. I had a few sessions of fantastic body surfing just to cool off. Alison and I had a great run up the hill behind the cabin for a good cardio workout yesterday and I'm going to be racing around here for the next two days moving some downed trees from the trails and mowing everything I possibly can.

My goal is to be out of the hospital in two days not three. I'm the first surgery in the morning so that should help. We've decided to leave my cell phone at home since I'm going to be pretty out of it while there. I've been practicing counting to ten so I can tell the nurses the level of pain I'm experiencing so they can give me the juice!

Alison will post an update here after surgery.  We don't get cellphone coverage at the cabin so I can be reached, hopefully on Wednesday, at 360-599-2587.

Till we meet again in some form or another,
Christopher