I apologize for the lack of blog postings as I moved more into the recovery phase, returning to work, doing more around the house and generally finding I did not have time to sit and write. This post will be referenced from Facebook, where I will finally discuss what's been going on. I had not posted much of anything about this on Facebook as I didn't really wan to "advertise" what was going on.
Now - the good news. I had a PET scan last Monday which came back with the finding that I had "No evidence of disease". So the radiation treatments (all 35 of them) and the two rounds of chemotherapy have done their work. I am very happy, and am grateful for the care I received from Dr. Najeeb Mohideen, radiation oncologist at Northwest Community Hospital, Dr. Gary Gordon, oncologist with Northwest Oncology and Hematology, Dr. Kirk Clark, ENT with Suburban ENT, their staffs - nurses, technicians, aides, administrative and support staff - and everyone I worked with at Northwest Community Hospital while receiving treatment.
I had outpatient surgery today to remove my feeding tube and medi-port, both if which we put in place in an outpatient surgical procedure back on 5 Jul 2017. Hopefully, the stomach will simply close itself up (as it's supposed to) and that will be that. I have a little pain in the shoulder area, where the port had been, but no real pain where the feeding tube had been placed.
Things at work have been going well. I also want to mention that the folks I've worked with there - in Human Resources, as well as my boss and our department's management team and Associate staff - have also been kind and caring during this illness. I've been back full-time since 29 Sep 2017, and should finish this year with education in SAP ABAP tops on the list of what I need to do.
On the eating front - well, I can eat just about anything, but I don't have nearly the appetite I used to have. And my weight has now dropped below 230 for the first time in decades. I was 228.6 the other day; I was 227 when Nancy and I got engaged in 1980! But I feel good, so I don't really have any worries on that account.
Taste has pretty much returned completely, and my dry mouth is getting better, too. But I still have improvement to make, especially on the latter. I'm told that it could take up to a year, and at that point I've probably gotten as close to normal as I'm ever going to get.
Would also like to send a big "thank you" out to everyone who supported me through this "rude intrusion" into my life: relatives, friends from everywhere - work, church, the neighborhood, the "old" neighborhood. Thanks for the cards, the phone calls, the messages, the hugs . . . it has really meant a lot!
Let's stay in touch. too.
God Bless You All!
For convenience sake, here a running list of all of the links I've posted to YouTube in the past many days:
According to Plan, Carolyn Arends - Link
Alabama Jubilee, the Firehouse Five Plus Two - Link
And I Love Her, The Beatles - Link
Angelina, Earl Klugh - Link
Apollo 11 launch - Link
Ashokan Farewell, Jay Ungar - Link
Astronomy, Blue Oyster Cult - Link
Atmospheres, Gyorgy Ligeti - Link
Back In You Own Back Yard, Al Jolson - Link
Angelina, Earl Klugh - Link
Apollo 11 launch - Link
Ashokan Farewell, Jay Ungar - Link
Astronomy, Blue Oyster Cult - Link
Atmospheres, Gyorgy Ligeti - Link
Back In You Own Back Yard, Al Jolson - Link
The Battle Hymn Of The Republic, The United States Army Field Bank - Link
Because We've Ended As Lovers, Larry Carlton & Steve Lukather - Link
Blessings, Laura Story - Link
Blue Collar, Bachman-Turner Overdrive - Link
The Blue Skirt Waltz, Frankie Yankovic - Link
Brandy, Looking Glass - Link
Brotherhood of Man, Matthew Broderick and Lillias White - Link
By The Time I Get To Phoenix, Glen Campbell - Link
Chapel of Love, Bette Midler - Link
Chicago Bears fight song - Link
Chicago Blackhawks song - Link
Cold, Cold Heart,The Quebe Sisters - Link
Comfortably Numb, Pink Floyd - Link
Cross Road Blues, Robert Johnson Link
Crossroads, Eric Clapton and Cream Link
Cry Me A River, Joe Cocker - Link
Cry Me A River, Diana Krall - Link
Dancing in the Moonlight, King Harvest - Link
Dixie - Link
A Dying Cub Fan's Last Request - Link, Steve Goodman
Eat It, Weird Al Yankovic - Link
Eclipse, Pink Floyd - Link
Evergreen, Barbra Streisand - Link
Galveston, Glen Campbell - Link
Gentle On My Mind, Glen Campbell - Link
Get Back, The Beatles - Link
Glen Campbell-hosted country music special - Link
Go, Cubs, Go, Steve Goodman - Link
Going For The One, Yes - Link
Groucho Movie Clips - Link
Heart Of The Heartland, Peter Ostroushko - Link
Hello in There, Bette Midler - Link
I'm Alright, Kenny Loggins - Link
I Love A Rainy Night, Eddie Rabbit - Link
I Love Being Here With You, Diana Krall - Link
In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening, Bing Crosby and Jane Wyman - Link
In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening, Bing Crosby and Jane Wyman, from the movie Here Comes the Groom - Link
In Good Hands, Carolyn Arends - Link.
Invercargill, United States Air Force Concert Band - Link
Jailhouse Rock, The Blues Brothers - Link
Josie, Larry Carlton - Link
Karn Evil 9, 1st Impression, Part 1, An International Collaboration - Link
Lay Down Sally, Vince Gill and a cast of All Stars - Link
Lazy River, Dave McKenna - Link
Let It Ride, BTO - Link
Limbo Jazz, Coleman Hawkins and Duke Ellington - Link
Living in the Past, Jethro Tull - Link
Little Ones, Phil Keaggy - Link
The Logical Song, Supertramp - Link
Lookin' At The World Through A Windshield, Bill Kirchen - Link
Montana/We Are Not Alone, Univ. of Montana Percussion Ensemble - Link
My Baby Loves Lovin', White Plains - Link
Because We've Ended As Lovers, Larry Carlton & Steve Lukather - Link
Blessings, Laura Story - Link
Blue Collar, Bachman-Turner Overdrive - Link
The Blue Skirt Waltz, Frankie Yankovic - Link
Brandy, Looking Glass - Link
Brotherhood of Man, Matthew Broderick and Lillias White - Link
By The Time I Get To Phoenix, Glen Campbell - Link
Chapel of Love, Bette Midler - Link
Chicago Bears fight song - Link
Chicago Blackhawks song - Link
Cold, Cold Heart,The Quebe Sisters - Link
Comfortably Numb, Pink Floyd - Link
Cross Road Blues, Robert Johnson Link
Crossroads, Eric Clapton and Cream Link
Cry Me A River, Joe Cocker - Link
Cry Me A River, Diana Krall - Link
Dancing in the Moonlight, King Harvest - Link
Dixie - Link
A Dying Cub Fan's Last Request - Link, Steve Goodman
Eat It, Weird Al Yankovic - Link
Eclipse, Pink Floyd - Link
Evergreen, Barbra Streisand - Link
Galveston, Glen Campbell - Link
Gentle On My Mind, Glen Campbell - Link
Get Back, The Beatles - Link
Glen Campbell-hosted country music special - Link
Go, Cubs, Go, Steve Goodman - Link
Going For The One, Yes - Link
Groucho Movie Clips - Link
Heart Of The Heartland, Peter Ostroushko - Link
Hello in There, Bette Midler - Link
I'm Alright, Kenny Loggins - Link
I Love A Rainy Night, Eddie Rabbit - Link
I Love Being Here With You, Diana Krall - Link
In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening, Bing Crosby and Jane Wyman - Link
In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening, Bing Crosby and Jane Wyman, from the movie Here Comes the Groom - Link
In Good Hands, Carolyn Arends - Link.
Invercargill, United States Air Force Concert Band - Link
Jailhouse Rock, The Blues Brothers - Link
Josie, Larry Carlton - Link
Karn Evil 9, 1st Impression, Part 1, An International Collaboration - Link
Lay Down Sally, Vince Gill and a cast of All Stars - Link
Lazy River, Dave McKenna - Link
Let It Ride, BTO - Link
Limbo Jazz, Coleman Hawkins and Duke Ellington - Link
Living in the Past, Jethro Tull - Link
Little Ones, Phil Keaggy - Link
The Logical Song, Supertramp - Link
Lookin' At The World Through A Windshield, Bill Kirchen - Link
Montana/We Are Not Alone, Univ. of Montana Percussion Ensemble - Link
My Baby Loves Lovin', White Plains - Link
My Funny Valentine, Kristin Chenoweth - Link
My Funny Valentine, Miles Davis - Link
My New Philosophy, Kristin Chenoweth and Stanley Wayne Mathis - Link
Neighborhood, David Hidalgo - Link
No Time, The Guess Who - Link
On The Street Where You Live, Dean Martin - Link
One Is The Loneliest Number, Three Dog Night - Link
One More Last Chance, Vince Gill - Link
The Pennsylvania Polka, Frankie Yankovic - Link
Popular, Kristin Chenoweth - Link
Powdermilk Biscuit Break, Garrison Keillor, et al - Link
Questions 67 and 68, Chicago - Link
Rain, Uriah Heep - Link
Reaching, Carolyn Arends - Link
Redwing, Tiny Little, on the Ed Sullivan Show - Link
Rollin' Down The Highway, BTO - Link
Roly Poly, Don Kelley with Johnny Hiland - Link
Route 66, Asleep at The Wheel - Link
Runnin' Down A Dream, Tom Petty - Link
She Used To Be Mine, Sara Bareilles - Link
Shim, Sham, Shimmy (dance) to Tain't What You Do, Jimmy Lunceford - Link
Sister Golden Hair, America - Link
Sisters, Bette Midler and Linda Ronstadt - Link
Sisters, from White Christmas - Link
Sixteen Tons, Tennessee Ernie Ford - Link
Slang of Ages, Steely Day - Link
Slow Poke, Pee Wee King - Link
Smile, Kristin Chenoweth - Link
Sometimes in Winter, Blood, Sweat and Tears - Link
St Louis Blues, Stephanie Trick & Paolo Alderighi - Link
Standing at the Crossroads, Elmore James - Link
Stars and Stripes Forever, United States Marine Band - Link
Stuck In The Middle With You, Stealers Wheel - Link
Subdivisions, Rush - Link
Sunday's Child, Phil Keaggy - Link
Sundown, Gordon Lightfoot - Link
Sweet Georgia Brown, Wynton Marsalis/Mark O'Connor - Link
Sweet Lorraine, Uriah Heep - Link
Take Me Out To The Ballgame, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra - Link
That's Jazz, Bing Crosby, Louis Armstrong & The All Stars - Link
Time, Pink Floyd - Link
Time to Blow, From That Thing You Do - Link
The Too Fat Polka, Frankie Yankovic - Link
Truck Drivin' Man, Buck Owens - Link
Truck Drivin' Man, the Don Kelley Band - Link
Truck Drivin' Man, Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen - Link
University of Michigan Fight Song, UM Marching Band - Link.
US National Anthem, US Marine Band - Link
Village of the Sun and Echidna's Arf (Of You), Frank Zappa - Link
Walk Away, James Gang - Link
War, Edwin Starr - Link
Vonetta, Earl Klugh - Link
Yankee Doodle, The Marine Band - Link
You Are My Sunshine, JoAnn Castle and the Lawrence Welk Orchestra - Link
You Can't Do That, Beatles - Link
Your Love Is My Saving Grace, Kristin Chenoweth - Link
Zappa Medly, George Duke - Link
My New Philosophy, Kristin Chenoweth and Stanley Wayne Mathis - Link
Neighborhood, David Hidalgo - Link
No Time, The Guess Who - Link
On The Street Where You Live, Dean Martin - Link
One Is The Loneliest Number, Three Dog Night - Link
One More Last Chance, Vince Gill - Link
The Pennsylvania Polka, Frankie Yankovic - Link
Popular, Kristin Chenoweth - Link
Powdermilk Biscuit Break, Garrison Keillor, et al - Link
Questions 67 and 68, Chicago - Link
Rain, Uriah Heep - Link
Reaching, Carolyn Arends - Link
Redwing, Tiny Little, on the Ed Sullivan Show - Link
Rollin' Down The Highway, BTO - Link
Roly Poly, Don Kelley with Johnny Hiland - Link
Route 66, Asleep at The Wheel - Link
Runnin' Down A Dream, Tom Petty - Link
She Used To Be Mine, Sara Bareilles - Link
Shim, Sham, Shimmy (dance) to Tain't What You Do, Jimmy Lunceford - Link
Sister Golden Hair, America - Link
Sisters, Bette Midler and Linda Ronstadt - Link
Sisters, from White Christmas - Link
Sixteen Tons, Tennessee Ernie Ford - Link
Slang of Ages, Steely Day - Link
Slow Poke, Pee Wee King - Link
Smile, Kristin Chenoweth - Link
Sometimes in Winter, Blood, Sweat and Tears - Link
St Louis Blues, Stephanie Trick & Paolo Alderighi - Link
Standing at the Crossroads, Elmore James - Link
Stars and Stripes Forever, United States Marine Band - Link
Stuck In The Middle With You, Stealers Wheel - Link
Subdivisions, Rush - Link
Sunday's Child, Phil Keaggy - Link
Sundown, Gordon Lightfoot - Link
Sweet Georgia Brown, Wynton Marsalis/Mark O'Connor - Link
Sweet Lorraine, Uriah Heep - Link
Take Me Out To The Ballgame, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra - Link
That's Jazz, Bing Crosby, Louis Armstrong & The All Stars - Link
Time, Pink Floyd - Link
Time to Blow, From That Thing You Do - Link
The Too Fat Polka, Frankie Yankovic - Link
Truck Drivin' Man, Buck Owens - Link
Truck Drivin' Man, the Don Kelley Band - Link
Truck Drivin' Man, Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen - Link
University of Michigan Fight Song, UM Marching Band - Link.
US National Anthem, US Marine Band - Link
Village of the Sun and Echidna's Arf (Of You), Frank Zappa - Link
Walk Away, James Gang - Link
War, Edwin Starr - Link
Vonetta, Earl Klugh - Link
Yankee Doodle, The Marine Band - Link
You Are My Sunshine, JoAnn Castle and the Lawrence Welk Orchestra - Link
You Can't Do That, Beatles - Link
Your Love Is My Saving Grace, Kristin Chenoweth - Link
Zappa Medly, George Duke - Link
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