The picture to the left is what is left of the old Roger. I am down almost 50 lbs now. I keep eating more and more to try to keep my weight steady. Yet I keep loosing a little ground every few days.
Eating has become a chore. Something I have to think about all the time and plan my day around. Will I ever be able to just sit around and enjoy a day with family and friends without having to worry about what am I going to eat next? Will the food agree with me or do I have to plan sneak off to the bathroom to get rid of it?
Lots of questions and no answers. All I know is that it is time to get back to life and let whatever happens happen. Tomorrow I return to work with no guarantees of what that will bring. I just need to suck it up and dive in. I have a great team waiting for me to return so I will take what ever comes and deal with it.
So in anticipation of returning to work tomorrow I made the decision to get back to some of things I enjoyed before the surgery. to get back to some of the things that makes me feel more "normal".
Saturday a group of us went up to a local bar to watch a band called My Famous Friends. It was a great time with good folks, good music.... and a couple of beers for Roger. The beer tasted great and my body had no problems dealing with it. It was the first step in reclaiming part of my old life.
Then last night Edie and I went up to the River Inn for dinner. Edie had a Long Island. I had a beer, and for dinner we had .. Pizza! I had no issues processing the mozzarella which was the big concern. Now I only had a few pieces, but let me tell you, those few pieces were amazing. I sense a pizza light being turned on in the not too distant future!
Now there are still a lot of foods that I am having problems eating. However I have successfully added Prime Rib, Pizza and Beer back into my diet and now tomorrow it is back to work.
In other words, I guess "normal" is comin back around!
I tell you somebody's fooling around
With my chances on the dangerline
I'll cross that bridge when I find it
Another day to make my stand
High time is no time for deciding
If I should find a helping hand
(The Reflex Duran Duran)
Hey Roger...first I would like to say GOOD LUCK TOMORROW!!! I am so happy to hear that you are returning to work and finding a "new normal".
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to let you know that you have made a huge impact on my life because when you started your blog was when I tested positive for the CDH1 gene mutation along with other members of my family. We have not had any history of stomach cancer in our family so this has come as a complete shock to all of us and has made us question what we should do. Upon the advice of my doctors at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, I will be having a TG in the very near future. It has been very comforting to read your blog and I have to say there have been many days that I log on to nostomachforcancer.org just to see how you are doing. Your journal has been extremely helpful to me, along with your sisters!!!!! I love the honesty that you and your sister have shared...it has helped me look forward and be realistic it what my recovery will be. It has helped me prepare for the good, the bad and the ugly. I know this is going to suck but I truly say "if they can do it, so can I" and I thank you for that!!!
Good luck tomorrow, I hope you knowing that you are helping me will help you gain some additional strength. You have accomplished so much in the last 2 months!!!!! Take it slow, take it easy and you will be having that Long Island soon enough!
Thanks again!!!!! Karen
Hi Karen, Thank you for the kind words and I hope that your surgery goes smoothly with no complications. Even though my journey has not been the smoothest, I would not have changed a thing. The fact that I do not have to live with the fear of stomach cancer makes it all worth while. There is too much that I still want to do in my life to worry about what ifs.Thanks again for the support.
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