Date: 16 January 2019
Place: Baptist Health Paducah
Time: 0600Hours(Arrival) 0800Hours(Surgery)
I arrived at 0605 and checked in, I was given a buzzer and told to go back to the Outpatient waiting area and they would call me.
We, my wife, 5yr old, and my mom went into OP when buzzed. My brother, the preacher, showed up about 5 minutes later and the preacher from the church my wife and I go to showed up about 10 minutes later.
20 million questions later the nurse was done. About 15 minutes later transport came to take me back to the pre-op area. I spent about an hour here am swearing questions and meeting different members of the team.
At approximately 838 they wheeled me back to the O.R., they had not put me out yet so I got a first hand look at the OR.
The gaspasser put the mask on me and I slowly went to sleep. My ears shut down first, then I remember thinking I wanted to remove the mask and say, Goodnight Gracey, but I didn't.
The operation did not go as planned. The Dr. and surgical team drained 9-1/2 litres of fluid off my abdomen before they could start. Once they started plans changed quickly and drastically. It seems my colon cancer had broken through the colon wall and spread up my right side encasing my liver(partially), hiding my gallbladder, and my appendix in a hard shell.
The surgeon said she could not continue because she could not see any way of improving the situation without causing further damage.
I have been referred back to my Oncologist to set up chemo treatments in the hopes an aggressive campaign will shrink the cancer. After that there is no telling what will happen.
I am currently in the hospital recovering from what surgery I did have and I am supposed to talk to my Oncologist in two weeks after I get out.
I have a drainage tube in my side to drain fluid from my stomach, since it can't get out otherwise and I have a catheter.
This is going to be a long drawn out fight, and I am going into this with a positive attitude and a stiff upper lip.
Pete,
Thanks for the card.
Gentlemen please join me at the bar, I will be buying everyone a round or two. Times like these call for a good party and good friends.
Dale
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