Larry's recovery

Jenny King · Regular Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Posts: 27 Location: London

Really folks. I shouldn’t be here. But that’s life. We have had a minor (but possibly serious) set-back. So you log-on junkies should be appeased!

Larry has a new round if infections caused by the ‘mango fairy’!!!!. This has meant that as of Monday they started a 10-day course of big-time antibiotics. So it is likely that his stay in the Harley Street Clinic will be for another couple of weeks or so.

He has, today, for the first time ventured out for a walk around the block – but he is firing on all cylinders – email, mobile phone, visitors, work, etc.

I gather that a psychologist went by to see him today (long-stay patient stuff). And deemed him fine. (Is this a bit like Spike Milligan? – “I’m sane and I have a piece of paper to prove it!”) But I am interested to know, without previous knowledge of Larry, how can a stranger make an assessment – most who know him, would consider him 'a little' eccentric at the best of times!

I will not be posting regularly – unless something note-worthy happens (man bites dog, fish cycle, Larry takes up relaxation exercises!)

I will however keep you up-to-date over the coming couple of weeks and give you a coming-home date.

In the meantime, if you can visit - then do. But please check with him or me on phone/mobile or email to ensure that you don’t clash with the queue! Hospital switchboard – 0207 935 7700 room 406.

Love to all – Meerkats rule (and growl)
XX

john p in dc · New User Joined: 22 Jun 2006 Posts: 4

sorry to hear of this setback- but I can enjoy in a marginal and yes, somewhat sick way, the image of Larry undergoing the rudimentary psychanalysis by someone not in the know- i hope our hero was able to totally befuddle the man in the white coat Very Happy

after the traffic of the last 40 plus days this seems more like a sinclair c5 or at most a segway passing by- hopefully the ABs will do the trick and it will be full steam ahead to primrose hill asap...

we're still rooting for you two

xx

kteare · Posted: Sat Sep 02, 2006 12:51 am Post subject: Larry's cell

Jen

I'd love to call him. Can you email me the number?

Best
Keith (in California)

Jenny King · Regular Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Posts: 27 Location: London

Hi All

I thought it was high time for an up-date as it's been over a month since my last one. I can't believe how the time has flown by.

However for Larry time has somewhat stood still for the past four weeks. He overcame the nasty infection and was released from hospital a couple of weeks back. Unfortunately the chest drain has remained in place (until today) and this has caused him big time pain. So he has been dosed up to the eyeballs on morphine. We have been in and out of the hospital and doctors rooms trying to find solutions to the pain. But zonking him out has been the only thing that's really worked.

But as of this morning the drain has been removed and I am hoping that we will be able to start him on liquids and then soft food within a week or so. Can you imagine going 80 days with nothing to eat or drink? I have made up for his abstenance in both catagories and have achieved my 'winter weight' before the end of summer!

I am about to set some big goals - skiing for christmas still sounds sooo good. So I shall have him back exercising as soon as possible - the weekend hopefully.

Love to everybody - keep strong, keep smilling, keep positive

XX

TheGoat · Regular Joined: 01 Apr 2006 Posts: 10 Location: London, UK

Hi All, first a humungous THANK YOU to everyone who has followed my progress.

My last post was the day before I went in for my operation in June.

Thankfully I had got super fit and fat as requested by my surgeon as it got me through the many trials and tribulations that kept me in intensive care for 40 days and hospitalised for a total of 2 months.

I returned home still being fed by machine and with a chest drain in place but it was wonderful to leave the hospital and return home to re-cooperatre.

September was a very difficult month. I finally came off "nil by mouth" in the third week. Bizarrely the joy I imagined I would feel when I took liquids and then some soft foods didn't happen! It was just like continuing something that I'd done for many years.

September and early October were dominated by constant pain. The chest drain had been in for 10 weeks and had aggrevated the nerves to the extent that I still thought the tube was in me for several weeks after its removal. Unfortunately the only thing that kept the pain under control was morphine. This resulted in me feeling doped for several weeks, yet even with it the pain was still constantly gnawing away.

I was referred to a pain specialist who supported me through this period and eventually used radio frequency ablation on the facet nerves.

I'm delighted to report that as of 3 weeks ago the pain has gone and I'm off the morphine.

I've been walking and excercising at home and I hope to return to the gym within a couple of weeks. I actually believe that I'll ski next season but at the same time I'm learning not to push myself too hard.

I find it difficult to adjust to my new way of eating and suffer with a great deal of early dumping. I'm attending a patient group this weekend and hope to hear how others have dealt with this problem.

I also need to learn to eat slowly Smile

Easier said than done so far.

Jenny reminds me to slow down whenever we eat together. Problem is that I need reminding for the 5/6 times that she's not there to remind me.

Many of you will have got to know my wife Jenny from the extensive log of my trials and tribulations in hospital. http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=3854

I asked her to document my time in hospital for others to gain an insight.
Little did I know that the expected 2 weeks would become 2 months.

I can never thank her enough for all that she did to support me through that period. How she held it together, continued working, handled the family and still visited me 3 times a day still amazes me. Additionally she expertly interrogated a large team of doctors, nurses and specialists who became involved in my multiple challenges.

Jenny I love you so much that words can never be enough to express it.

What advice do I have for those of you who are coming to terms with esophageal cancer and the preparation for esophagectomy?

I know that the best advice I EVER got was my surgeon's request that I get "fit and fat". I am in no doubt that it saved my life. I did it in preparation for a couple of weeks in hospital, never really imagining that anything would go wrong. Sure I'd read about leaks and other problems that can occur but never thought they'd happen to me.

But they did and during that period it was the preparatory effort that I'd put in that got me through it.

I was horrified when my surgeon told me that hardly any of his patients commit to the "fit and fat" advice. I told him to put any patient who is resisting on the phone to me and I'll persuade them.

And that is what I'm here to do for any of you who have just received the bad news that you have esophgeal cancer.

I was given so much support and love by this forum, I hope that the record of my experience and my presence to support others can be the thanks they deserve.

Love and hugs to all

Larry

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