I Thought You Might Like to Know

I have not made an entry since Friday because I am in the midst of finding a balance with the medication I am taking. And I have been SO spacey, I haven't dared write anything in fear that it would make no sense at all! I think you'll hear more from me tomorrow. I'll be taking a lower dosage.

In the Midst of the Inquiry

In order to move forward, I have scheduled an appointment for March 31st with Dr. Burt Cagir - a Colo-rectal doctor at Guthrie Hospital in Sayre, PA. This is the surgeon I saw immediately following my diagnosis last year. I have seen three surgeons in the last year and if I have my choice, Burt Cagir will perform my surgery.

And by the way, No, my doctor rating is not based solely on how painlessly they do a digital exam. Although it was tempting considering that I only received one digital exam that didn't feel like the doctor got a running start in order to perform it!!!

Following my appointment with Dr. Cagir, I will meet with a local oncologist. Unfortunately, there are no in-network oncologists in the Ithaca area. The closest in-network oncologist is in Cortland, NY at the Cortland Regional Medical Center. This rather small hospital is about a half-an-hour away from our home. I was happy to discover that they do IMRT (Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy) at the Cortland hospital. That's definitely a plus.

Once I have met with the surgeon and oncologist, I will make my decision about where my chemotherapy and radiation treatment will occur. In the mean time, I am deep in the midst of the inquiry.

The Other Side of the Coin

Since I shared last nights inspired thoughts inside of such uncertainty, I thought it best to share with you what hit Daniela and me today.

Between the hours that I completed my March 25th blog entry and right now, I've gotten some serious perspective about spending six weeks here. I fell asleep at 1 am. I then woke up due to pain at 1:30 am, 2:30 am, 3:30 am, 4:30 am & 5:30 am. Daniela rescheduled all my morning appointments for the afternoon and I slept until 11 am. Then when we got to the hospital, I was experiencing pain that was new to me - possibly a result of the tumor touching a nerve - possibly a result of me moving around from appointment to appointment for three days straight. I laid down on a couple different couches in a couple different lobbies while Daniela went to the cafeteria and got our lunch and then took a couple of my meetings for me while I continued to lay down, bringing the staff to me when necessary.

My point? Should this happen while I'm here for treatment at a time when I'm here solo, I would have to manage this myself. All the sitting and continued movement would not have worked. It would have made my pain even worse which would require narcotics to treat and I would have been even more mentally "foggy" than I was this afternoon. And Daniela will vouch for how "foggy" I was today.

I have a pretty strong constitution, yet the side effects I will experience from chemo & radiation are unpredictable and I have a concern about what it will look like if I am down here solo and the side effects do in fact hit me hard. Radiation can leave the skin feeling badly sunburned or worse, blistered. My current form of transport when significant walking is required is a wheel chair. And if I have to roll around sitting on a stinging behind so I can go to my appointments, go to the cafeteria at least twice a day as well as to and from the hotel sitting in the shuttle (I can lay in my car if I'm not driving)...add some fatigue from the treatment and some mental "fogginess" from the narcotics and that's a perfect recipe for misery.

I am clear neither situation is ideal and the only thing left for me to do is simply choose where I want to be and move forward. I anticipate making that choice relatively soon.

A Lot to Consider

Another good day. My radiologist highly recommended IMRT (Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy). Click on the link to get a full description. The two cent version is that IMRT is a highly precise radiotherapy that is used to avoid causing unnecessary damage to cells anorgans d in the immediate area surrounding the tumor tissue. And thee's a lot of close organ proximity in the pelvis. I would receive chemotherapy in conjunction with the radiation to maximize the effectiveness of the radiation. The radiotherapy kills some cancer cells while only injuring others. The chemotherapy is designed to destroy the cells that are injured but not destroyed.

Currently, I am leaning toward receiving treatment here at the Eastern Regional Medical Center. Daniela and I have been talking all evening about his - going back and forth with the options. It would require me to be away from my family for six weeks and that would be difficult. Daniela is committed to being down here with me for two or three non-consecutive weeks - that will mean the world to me. And I'm lucky enough to know she wouldn't have it any other way. It will be a push to be gone that long, especially if the side effects are heavy, but what means a great deal to me is the phenomenal relationship the staff have to the patients and to one another.

The staff at CTCA are clear that a patients emotional health is as important as their physical health if the goal is to achieve the absolute maximum effectiveness with treatment. Do I feel strong enough to handle it in another environment, i.e., locally and at home? Absolutely. But to be treated in a facility where all aspects of my therapy are covered by one group of closely knit staff is a rare opportunity.

Then I must take into consideration that the oncological therapy could cause temporarily debilitating side effects such as serious skin irritation or significantly increased pain. There is also the possibility of permanently debilitating side effects. With that as a possibility, I like knowing that those who will treat me already have a rapport with one another, as well the same context from which they take on their commitment. It's just not common and from where I stand today, it seems like an incredible opportunity to maximize the effectiveness of my healing.

I had a CT scan this morning. An hour later I was meeting with my radiologist and reviewing the scan images on his computer. In my experience at the hospitals I have been to thus far, that kind of turn around time is unheard of. Usually CT scan results take days to receive. Yesterday my blood was drawn and hours later, the doctor was reviewing the results with me. If I have any kind of problem or the the doctors have any uncertainty about me, the tests are completed and the results are reviewed in hours, again with the entire team available to consult one another. Now I understand why people come here from hundreds of miles away. The service, like I said, it just phenomenal.

And, at home...having family, and the kind of community I am blessed with so close by is also a powerful strength. I have not made my decision yet. Tomorrow will provide more answers. And then I will have a few days - maybe a week - to make up my mind.

Eastern Regional Medical Center

Today was a long day, but quite eventful. It began with the standard administrative meeting and paperwork. Then I met with a an oncologist who presented us with the list of tests they require to complete their analysis. Those tests will be complete by the end of the day Tuesday.

Shortly following the oncology meeting, I met with a pain management practitioner who suggested a plan slightly different from my current, self-prescribed, "avoid all pain killers until the last minute" plan. He recommended I take on a proactive approach and commit to a regular schedule throughout the day, which could actually have me be pain-free every day. He also recommended I retire my sacred donut pillow. He shared a few rather unpleasant scenarios/problems the "out dated donut pillow" can cause. After he was done, I decided its time to upgrade to a Tempur-pedic form fitting pillow. He believes I could actually be sitting in a chair with no pain should I follow his two recommendations. At first I was a little skeptical about this meeting. However, I have to say it sounds like a plan worthy of my investment.

The most important part of our day - the part that had the two fo us laughing and joking as we took the shuttle ride home - was my final meeting with the surgeon. We left feeling hopeful. The surgeon believes it is a possibility for me to have resection surgery if the chemotherapy and radiation treatments shrink the tumor and create the necessary two centimeter gap between it and the sphincter muscle. To know the possibility is still present? It brought tears to my eyes. It's a possibility that inspires me a great deal.

As Daniela & I discussed this wonderful possibilty, we at organic curry tofu and vegan bean thread rolls (which were surprisingly absolutely delicious). For lunch we had fresh carrot juice (note: we scored more carrot juice in the late afternoon!), vegan organic lentil soup, organic vegetable sushi, organic fresh steamed broccoli and organic fresh-lemon snap peas. Delicious, vegan, organic and no out of pocket expense. It's all a part of being a patient. When ever my care-taker and I are in the hospital we pay nothing for fresh, delicious, organic food. Yeah, you can tell - I'm very impressed. And yes, they have organic meat & cheese for those who are interested.

Another perk for patients at the Easterrn Regional Medical Center is the free flights when I ever I have an appointment at the hospital. No that is not a type-o. And if that's not enough, they provide shuttle transportation to and from the airport, to your hotel and/or patient apartment (rented through the hosital) as well as the supermarket. Heck, they even provide evening driving tours of Philadelphia.

Fly me in, drive me to and fro, grace me with extraordinary service and then feed me all the organic food I care to eat??? This place seems almost unreal. Did I mention they have homeopathic practitioners who provide remedies to reduce radiaton and chemotherapy side effects? Yeah. And minus the reduced cost-apartment rental ($30/day) or hotel costs ($45/day), my insurance covers everything. [HUGE EXHALE] Let this be the final stage of my healing process. That would be a beautiful thing.

And why is all of this available?

"...this vision came from a personal experience. When Richard J Stephenson’s mother Mary Brown Stephenson was stricken with cancer, he went on a mission to find the most effective and advanced treatment available. He was disappointed by what he found. While these world-class cancer treatment facilities focused on the clinical and technical aspects of cancer treatment, they ignored the multidisciplinary nature of the disease. Upon her death, Richard J Stephenson vowed to revolutionize cancer treatment, and so he founded Cancer Treatment Centers of America."

When I first arrived this mornig, I was looking for the catch. Could it really be this good? Now the day is complete and I am truy moved by the commiment of this organization. Outstanding.

This sure ain't Sloan Kettering!!!

Upon arrival at the Philadelphia Airport, we were greeted by Emart, one of the drivers for the Eastern Regional Medical Center who carried all of our luggage and loaded us into a very nice white stretch limousine. Apparently, with no other clients to pick up, there was no reason to drive the shuttle bus. I can't say I was disappointed.

As we concluded our introductions, Emart found out this was our first visit to their hospital and began to tell us all about his experience with them. He told us he loves working for this organization. He said he looks forward to going to work because of the staff's commitment to providing extraordinary service. He also said he considered my particular doctor to be one of the doctors he refers to as "one of the angels in the hospital."

As we rolled onto the highway, he asked if there was anywhere we wanted to go before we went to the hotel. We decided it would be best to get some food for the day. We asked where we could pick up some prepared organic meals and he brought us to the hospital's organic cafeteria. When we arrived, the cafeteria had little to offer because they were between meals, so Emart drove us to Whole Foods which was way out of the way. The two of us chatted with Beau napping while Daniela went in for the food. Once we had what we needed, Daniela gave him some flowers for his two school age daughters and he safely delivered us to the hotel. When we go to the hospital tomorrow, we will be taken in on the hospital shuttle which runs every hour or so from the hotel.
We felt so welcomed by Emart. And after he shared his experience of the hospital and its doctors, I am actually looking forward to meeting with these folks tomorrow. And just to clarify, after all the different doctors I've met with, it can get kind of old, especially as they spend most of their time trying to convince me to quit Gerson Therapy. It's amazing the difference a smiling face, a few kind words and a little generosity can make. This sure as all hell ain't Sloan Kettering!!!

Off to Philly!

On Sunday, we leave for Philadelphia. The examination begins on Monday and its a three to five day process. At the end of the examination, they will present their recommendations and I will make my decision. If I choose to work with them, they could begin the process immediately or schedule me in the near future. If I do decide to work with them, I hope to start the minute after I sign the paperwork. I can't think of a reason in the world to put it off. If I can handle the ever so delightful digital exams (which I've had more than my share of - GodHelpMe!) then I can handle whatever they have in store. I will have a laptop with me, thanks to my ever so generous Mom, so if I do stay for any length of time, I will be able to email, Skype and do regular blog updates.

My understanding is that my treatments at the hospital could be anywhere from one to three weeks at a time. And each time I am scheduled for a treatment, I will be flown to Philly for that treatment.

The reason they fly their patients to the hospital for treatments is because they tailor each patient's treatment program specifically for their needs. It's not uncommon for a doctor at any given hospital to write their patient a prescription for radiation therapy with which the patient then takes to any oncologist of their choice - often someone close to home - and commence treatments. Cancer Treatment Centers of America will do a good deal of their treatments in-house so the cutting edge therapy they promise is followed to a 'T'. But to tell you the truth, I'll know a whole lot more about all of that by the end of this week. And as I learn more, I'll pass it along to you.

And one more thing. Since I am laying off the animal protein - one of cancer's favorite foods - I will not be having a cheese steak while in "The home of..."

Your Support

Thank you so very much for the comments and the emails you wrote in response to my March 19th posting. Many references were made to the support I receive from others. I'd like you to consider that your comments &/or emails provide me more support than you may realize.

I receive an email every time a comment is posted. There are days that I read them when I get to it. There are other days when I regularly check my inbox in hopes of finding a comment. You know - those days when I'm feeling down and the kind words of another make a difference. On those days, your emails and comments really mean a lot me. Yesterday was one of those days. So thank you.

The Time Has Come for a Major Change

The biopsy results arrived and the tumor tissue is still malignant. My Gastroenterologist, Dr. McDonald, called me this afternoon and said the tumor size was about the same size as it was last year although he was willing to consider that it could be a little bigger. I hear that as no growth which is a bit of a relief considering it's been almost a year. He also informed me that the polyp had no cancer cells in it and that is good news as well.

So, after 10 months of Gerson Therapy, the tumor has not shrunk, my pain has increased and I am no longer able to do enemas. Dr. Cervantes provided me an alternative to enemas, which includes herbs and supplements, yet to accept that alternative would be to modify my current program which is already conservative at best. And that I am unwilling to do. Therefore, the time has come for a major change.

Gerson Therapy is an effective therapy, yet it is clearly no longer an option for me. I never thought I would hear myself say those words. I was convinced I was the guy who was going to heal himself from cancer 100% holistically. And today I am clear I will not be that guy. So, I have chosen to work with the best oncology department that I know of and I have scheduled myself an appointment at the Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Philadelphia at the Eastern Regional Medical Center. While there I will be evaluated by their practitioners and have an opportunity to see if their facility is right for me.

Before I can go on any further, I must acknowledge that this is a complete 180 degree turn around from the path I have taken thus far. A number of people diagnosed with cancer have contacted me, because of my choice to do Gerson Therapy, with requests for information or a conversation about the path I chose. Should someone call me today and share their diagnosis and ask for my thoughts on Gerson Therapy, I will without hesitation, encourage them to do the Gerson Therapy.

I also feel compelled to share that if I had to go back and do it all again, I would not change a thing. I would do it the exact same way. Having done Gerson Therapy for the last 10-months has detoxified my body and strengthened my immune system in a way that will benefit me greatly in the coming months. Prior to Gerson Therapy, I regularly experienced migraines, serious bouts of heartburn and every winter for the last four years (except this one!) a serious case of dry, cracked and blistered skin on my palms & sides of my fingers. All of those ailments are gone as a result of Gerson Therapy. To me that is proof of how toxic my body was and how detoxified it is now. Had I done any type of oncology treatment on a body already laden with toxicity problems, I'm certain I would have been in many ways, worse off than I already was. After 10-months on Gerson Therapy, I feel as though I have been doing Olympic level training and I am powerfully prepared me for my next step in the healing process.

At the same time, I have spent so much time inside of a conversation for natural cures and feeling right in my doing so, that this is a bit eerie to me right now as I walk into the world of oncology. While doing Gerson Therapy, I have been in a comfortable bubble, safe from the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation. Now I am stepping into that world and I can tell it's going to take some getting used to. Fortunately, the Cancer Treatment Centers of America have a holistic approach to traditional medicine. They have a Naturopathic Department to "decrease the side effects associated with traditional cancer treatments, support whole body wellness, and provide strategies for long-term cancer prevention." In addition to that, 80% of the food in their hospital is certified organic. To me that says a lot about their organization.

Naturally, I am not looking forward to the oncology due to the various and possible side effects, but I am looking forward to ridding my body of cancer and this pain that has become much more than I care to deal with any longer.

Still Wading

The biopsy results were apparently faxed to my doctor's office sometime today - only after Daniela lit a fire under a few behinds at my Gastroenterologist's office. I believe the results are, in a round about way, on their way to me. As soon as I get them, I'll let you know.

And the Answer is...

...Origami!!!

Believe it or not the best way for me to distract myself from low-grade pain - while I lay down all day - is by doing origami. It was only after doing origami to pass the time that I found that by occupying my mind and body, was I able to distract myself from my pain.

The image above is a dragon designed by a 23-year old Japanese savant by the name of Satoshi Kamiya. His work is unimaginable.

I'm Back

Mentally, I have returned. Between the preparation on Thursday and the drugs used to put me under on Friday morning, I was really out of it all day Friday. When put under for a colonoscopy, at least around these parts, not only are you sedated, but you are also given a drug that causes amnesia so you will not remember the experience. The drug lingers and it indeed lingered in my mind. It made yesterday a blur. I actually have no recollection of leaving the hospital nor of the ride home. From where I am today, mentally, yesterday feels like two days ago. Wow! I'm happy to be back.


My prep on Thursday wasn't nearly as bad as it was last year, but I did find myself in & out of the bathroom until 3:30 am. Thank goodness I have an enema table in there. I slept on it from 3:30 to 5:40 am, hit the shower and at 6 am I was out the door. My friend, Rob, kindly picked me up and drove me to and from the hospital. As a result of being the one providing my transportation, he was present for the post-procedure meeting and he saw three color printouts of the tumor. I will always remember the first time I saw an image of the tumor. It was shocking. It made the entire experience that much more real. I'm sure Rob would tell you the same thing. When we talked today, I could hear it in his voice.

Upon seeing the tumor, it was no longer an image imagined and made up of what ever past experiences I have had or photos I have seen. The tumor forever had a face. A shape. A color. And it had become a living, "breathing" mass. A part of the world I live in. Now it is a part of the world Rob lives in. I wish I was a little more coherent and had the time to put some forethought into the whole thing and I would have spared him the experience and the potential permanence of it in his mind. Kept him from being one of the few to actually see the tumor in the body of a close friend - someone he cares about. However, that clearly is not an option for me or for him, so I only hope the experience will somehow contribute to him in the future.

We will not get the results from the procedure until Tuesday. The weekend makes the wait a little longer. It's a bit curious how my tests frequently tend to be scheduled on Fridays... Daniela had a telephone call with Dr. McDonald - my Gastroenterologist - and he told her the tumor "appeared" to be malignant, although he made it clear it will certainly not be known until Tuesday. He also told her a polyp was removed. Whether it was pre-cancerous we will find out on Tuesday. He also informed her that the tumor is causing a 20% blockage. He said that 20% is not a big deal. That's good to know. And, in my mind, it's nothing to dismiss. Regarding the pain, Dr. McDonald did not see anything besides the tumor that would be cause for the pain I am currently experiencing. His assessment is the tumor is causing it.

Today I feel a bit flu-ish. That could be a result of many things: my overall lack of sleep; the 30 Senna tablets I took on Thursday; the colonoscopy drugs running through my extremely Gerson-cleansed system; a virus? Well, I took a nice long nap this afternoon after lunch and I felt a little better. The aching is presently starting to return. On that note, I will wrap up this entry and be done for the night.

No. 5

Today Daniela and I celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary!!!
...Just amazing...

Current Events

I just reviewed the blog and realized I have not posted a significant change in my therapy. So before I can share what is new, I must update you on what I thought you already knew. Whoops - Sorry!

A couple of weeks ago, the pain following my enemas became too much to bear. In addition, I have had an increase in the pain I feel on a daily basis. The possibility that the post-enema pain and/or the night time pain is a flare-up is highly unlikely because it is the same pain I have experienced since the pain began on October. The only difference is that it is more intense and most recently, accompanied by pain that feels like pulled muscles inside and outside of my behind. Not the area one wants to experience a pulled muscle. Not that anywhere is the area one wants to experience a pulled muscle.

The only effective remedy I have found is pharmaceutical pain killers. As a Gerson patient, this is not the route I want to go. And I do have non-pharmaceutical pain management techniques that work well, but let's be honest - I can only handle so much pain. Every evening when the sun goes down, the pain increases and I take a dose and it holds me over until the next morning when there is only pain from sitting or standing, so I lay down or use my recliner and have no need for pharmaceuticals. As you can imagine, doing enemas provided no pain relief and only made it worse. Sitz baths provided some pain relief, but I can no longer sit on a cushion that long without pain. So, if I do a sitz bath, my behind is sore in a different spot - equally as painful.

So. What I am doing is taking pain killers every evening and simply allowing my muscles to rest and possibly heal from the strain. It seems as though retaining the enemas strained my muscles, because the tumor causes some sort of interference with the muscles which results in a signal sent to the brain to open the gates. So, in order to retain the enema, I use a variety of techniques - deep breathing, visualization, books on tape (to distract) - which are in essence forcing the muscles to retain the enema. I believe this is the source of the strained muscles.

While I wait and see if the muscles will heal, I am doing three juices a day and Dr. Cervantes has made some changes in my supplements in order to make up for the lack of enemas and keep up at least some of the liver cleansing. This is not a permanent solution, but it is a temporary one to what I hope is a temporary problem.

All that being said, I am going in for a colonoscopy on Friday March 14th during which the doctor will do a biopsy. Apparently, it is not impossible for PET scans to reveal false positives with rectal cancer. I don't think the numbers are enormous - we ain't talkin' controversy - but they are high enough that we feel it is important to have a biopsy done to determine if the cells are cancerous. Now that may seem a bit odd - why wouldn't the cells be cancerous? Few people I know have any experience with healing cancer naturally and considering the significant change in my current status as a Gerson patient, it is well worth it to be 100% certain about a cancer presence or lack there of as we move forward and make whatever decisions are to be made in the near future.

Fortunately, the doctor doing the sigmoidoscopy is the same doctor who did it last year. I look forward to his comparison of last years notes. I will also ask him to look and see if anything else could be causing the recent increase in pain. Friday's colonoscopy will provide a far better view than what was seen with the scope on February 28th, because the colonoscopy requires me to fast and take a couple truck loads of laxatives to completely clean me out. Okay. Maybe it's only a box of laxatives. On the 28th, there was no fasting nor any other pre-visit prep. Kind of like looking at Golden Gate Bridge when the fog's a as thick as pea soup - you're seeing something, but you're not seeing everything.

Hopefully the pre-colonoscopy prep on Thursday will be easier than it was last year. Last year's colonoscopy preparation consisted of the same fasting but it also included four laxative tablets followed by another laxative called Glycolax Powder which did a real number on me. I spent the evening on the toilet bowl and the rest of the night wrapped around it. The stuff was purging me from both ends. I slept on the bathroom floor - pillow and blanket. This time it's only a laxative called Senna: only 15 tablets at 1 pm & only 15 more at 9 pm. Let's hope these things do me better than the Glycolax Powder. And by the way, if you haven't figured it out yet, I do tend to respond pretty intensely to whatever treatment I happen to be receiving.

My Unconventional Pain Management

Daniela thought it might be fun if I gave ya'll a chance to guess at one of the unconventional forms of pain management I use. Probably because it's not what one would think of as pain management. Your only hint is that it's a very old art form.

If you already know, please don't give it away!

You can post your guess as a comment.

Ice Storm/Power Outage

Yesterday we experienced freezing rain throughout the day. By about 5:45 pm, the sun had about set and the power went out. It stayed out for what seemed to be a little less than 12 hours. Our home is all electric except for the water heater and stove, so where we were hit the hardest was the loss of heat & water - we're on a well. Fortunately, our good friend Sue loaned us her generator last summer and with the help of our very kind neighbor Rich, we were able to plug in the pump for the well, a ceramic space heater for one half of the first floor and one of our 2 1/2 refrigerators.

All was well until 11:45 pm when the generator ran out of gas. Sue had given me permission to call her should it run out, so I did. And she very generously braved the weather and came out here and filled the generator with fuel. She also left us with an additional 5 gallon can of fuel as back-up. Sue, you just earned your wings in my book.

At 6 am I woke up to Daniela letting me know the power had been restored. God bless all those folks who needed electric for medical/health reasons. Last night couldn't have been easy.

On a positive note, the sunlight shining through the ice covered trees sure is a beautiful thing.

Slight Dietary Changes

Dr. Cervantes has made some slight changes in my diet in the hopes of pain reduction or should I say irritation reduction. He removed onions & garlic (bye-bye salsa...for now) and we are adding three ounces of gruel to each juice. No, gruel does not make fresh squeezed juice taste better. He also added a cup of oatmeal between meals. I haven't had the oats between every meal yet. I eat well and after an apple, I'm usually pretty good. Not exactly craving oatmeal. But, I will have to get it into my routine ASAP. No, I'm not a fan of such changes, but naturally if pain/irritation can be reduced, I'm gonna it.

The Part I Left Out

So, as you likely were able to decipher when you read my February 27th entry, I conveniently left out a mailing address for anyone who might like to support us. Yes, it was intentional. My stomach went into knots just talking about it. I already asked people for support. Any more seemed a bit presumptuous.

However, people continue to contribute to us - many requesting our address. So...if you would like to support us in even the smallest of ways, a mailing address will be permanently posted on the top right corner of the blog. Hmm. Maybe I'll post a whole slew of entries in the next few days so this entry can be quickly buried in the blog and far away from my sight!

All jokes aside, thank you.

The Chair Has Passed the Test

I am happy to report I have completed my test run with the new recliner and it is pretty darn comfortable. What a treat to not have to be in full laying position everyday. Now I just have to be mindful of Beau who naturally gravitates right under the foot rest. Surprise, surprise...

Pain & Relief

On Friday my backside was SO sore. Holy Cow!!! After five hours seated in the car, two fingers and then a scope? Yeah, I believe I was a little sore. I took some pain killers - four times - all within the prescription guidelines. Oh, how sweet when that pain finally went away.

Today I feel...well, okay. Still sore. I am staying on my back as much as I possibly can including during meals. Tomorrow the recliner will arrive. Thursday's arrival day was pushed back to Sunday. Hopefully this chair will provide the comfort I am looking for. I am so excited about the possibility of being reasonably comfortable. At this point, reasonably works for me.

I am pleased to tell you that the fissure is about healed. Sitz baths, soap, water and calendula ointment seem to do me alright. Yeah, boy!!! Gotta love when the pain goes away.