Surgery Upcoming
Another surgery in my future, currently scheduled for June 16th. I’ve quit counting how many surgeries I’ve had, but I’ll attempt a quick recount here.
It’s not pretty.
Had my stomach pumped twice as a kid for eating medicine that tasted like candy.
Tonsillectomy as a kid.
Won’t count the rabies shots, which hurt like hell, or the warts I had burned off my foot, which hurt even worse.
Two shoulder surgeries in high school, the result of a football injury.
Three knee surgeries, the aftermath of a lawyer’s league basketball game.
Five surgeries on my right arm, including the, gulp, amputation. God, I hate that word.
And then, those breast implants. No wait, I decided against those.
A surgery to install a port for chemo.
A surgery to install the titanium pump and remove my gall bladder.
And now, the new surgery, which is apparently my 16th!
It’s called sert, and it involves injecting radioactive spheres from an artery in my leg into the tumors in my liver. It’s sort of like those radioactive beads they give to prostate cancer patients. Here, the radiation is fairly low, but concentrated in the tumors themselves. It’s an outpatient procedure that only takes about an hour. Will likely make me nauseated for a couple of days, but no worse than chemo. And the outlook seems fairly promising.
So say a prayer for me, if you pray, or send out good thoughts if you don’t. I plan to keep fighting this thing.
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Comments
Hi Jim,
Good luck on your impending surgery. I remember your knee surgeries. If I remember correctly, you hurt your knee playing basketball the day before you actually starting working at M&B. I will be praying everything goes well. June 16th has always been a good day for me. It is my birthday.
Francy
We’re in your corner up here in Chi-town. Keep your spirits up—you’ll be in our thoughts on the 16th. (Glad you changed your mind about the breast implants!)
I’ll be thinking of you next Tuesday, the 16th, Jim, and wishing you the best of results. I, too, think it will be a fortunate day; had my father lived, it would be the 70th wedding anniversary of my parents. They loved each other throughout high school, college, and World War II, and beyond. I am counting on my dad putting in a good word for you with the Big Guy. Remember, “Hope is the thing with feathers.”
You are consistently in my prayers and thoughts, but I will especially remember you on the 16th. It will be easy to remember, as it is my older son Samuel’s birthday. May the procedure be a REbirth of hope and possibility for you and your family.
I guess this is that new treatment you wrote about a while back. I will be thinking about you and praying for you. Stay strong, my friend…I know you will!
Praying for you today. Kevin Fielder requested that we pray for you today in our Marketing class last night. Praying for your family as well. I have ordered your book and can’t wait to read it and share.
Jim,
Lots of good wishes and prayers for this next step…glad to hear this procedure was a feasible option for you…take care and keep us posted.
Johnna Rosenthal