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Time to Fight


William

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Well, Bad news and Good news my marble collecting friends. After having a not so great voice for a while paired with a rather quick weight loss, I was diagnosed with throat cancer in March. 

After a throat scope, it was discovered that a tumor the size of a big gumball had grown off my larynx, almost completely blocking off my esophagus. It had "rolled" over my airway, making breathing very difficult as well as swallowing food. 

I underwent a procedure at the end of March where they "debulked" this mass, too allow a little more room for breathing and eating. During this procedure, I also received a tracheotomy, which I still have.

After a week stay at the hospital, I came home with the news that they think they still caught it in time. Not only is there the tumor too deal with, but apparently the cancer has all but consumed my larynx/voice box. 

My next step. Gain as much weight back as I can. I normally weigh around 175-180, which has pretty much been the norm most of my life. Entering the hospital on the 28th of March, I checked in at 149 pounds. Ouch.

I have been weighing myself every other day since April 9th and this morning I am back up to 159.8! Yay! Oh, I didn't mention that I have been fitted with a Gtube (feeding tube) in my stomach, the main reason for this of course was to assist in the nutrition category. I can still eat by mouth but am limited to basically soft easy to swallow foods.

The big, life changing surgery is coming up the 26th, this Tuesday. The surgery will be an all day thing involving 2 surgeons. The first surgeon is going to be removing my larynx and all my lymph nodes in my neck on both sides. The second surgeon will be removing skin from my leg and grafting everything together in my throat as well as closing off my esophagus. Yep, a Laryngectomee.

After this, I will be a patient at the hospital for about 2 weeks, give or take. Then, it's come home and heal up some more and gain weight back, again. After about 4 to 6 weeks, I will begin a month long chemotherapy treatment program just to clean up any microscopic cells that are left from the surgery itself.

Good thing is, I get too live. Bad news is I lose my voice forever. I'm going to be ok with that, a small price too pay for life I say. 

I just thought I would share this journey that I am on with my friends here at MarbleConnection. It just feels good to simply talk about it. 

Thanks for reading and listening. I appreciate all of you 👍

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3 hours ago, William said:

Bad news is I lose my voice forever

You will always have a voice here my friend.

Keep up the good fight, you will be in our thoughts for sure.

Thanks for sharing this with us. I look forward to your return to a healthy life.

Marble--On!!

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18 hours ago, akroorka said:

You will always have a voice here my friend.

Keep up the good fight, you will be in our thoughts for sure.

Thanks for sharing this with us. I look forward to your return to a healthy life.

Marble--On!!

Logging on here became a part of my life, love this hobby! MarbleConnection does wonders for a person, that's why I'm gonna miss not posting any pics for a while after Tuesday! If we were to measure our voices with anything glass, I'd say it's pretty darn loud in here! 😊

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9 hours ago, Steph said:

Wow.  OMG.  Such heavy news.  What a great attitude you have.  Prayers!  

 

Some of you are familiar with my past and what I've had too deal with over the last maybe decade or so, not a stranger to Mr. C. If anything, facing this nasty disease with my loved ones in recent years has only made me harder. 

And frankly, I'm tired of being on the short end of the stick. I'm going to win in the name of the ones I lost. 👍

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Good morning....just wanted to update my second family here at MarbleConnection. Survived the surgery! They safely removed all the cancer. I actually just transferred from the critical care unit last night to a "regular" room. Progress!

Looking at maybe getting my last 2 drains removed today and tommorow. Then possible swallow study Wednesday to get me back to eating by mouth again. 

They might go in again later in the week to do a quick "clean up " of my trach area. Hopefully going home in a week or two. What a ride. Thanks for your prayers and support. 

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A few pics that aren't "gruesome" 😬

My little fun corner that Patty keeps adding to....my current diet (at least I have 3 flavors), my view towards Minnesota across the Mississippi. 45 minutes through those hills is home!...then, a half way decent mug shot. Felt good to clean up some today!

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More good news just a little while ago....I aced my swallow study! Out of 62 live images (of which  I watched in motion) of me swallowing contrast (yuck), not a single little leak in the "flap" they put in last Tuesday. We have complete separation of the 2 "pipelines. Just what we wanted.

Now awaiting diet changes. Hooray! Tomorrow they take me in too see up the stoma area a little bit and don't see any reason for me too stay here after tommorow! Fingers crossed but can anyone say HOME?

Super excited!

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