25 January 2012

25 January 2012 Update from Ross

For those of you who have been out of the loop he last couple of weeks, my apologies, but we have been through an unexpected and quite difficult stretch.

Basically I have been in hospital since New Year’s Eve, with a couple of days off for ignorance.  I had a delayed post-surgical event that resulted in a black-out, fall, and severe bruise on my back-side, which ultimately became infected, requiring surgery.  Because of the bruise’s location this has been quite tricky and has had me in hospital since the first week of January. Thankfully I have been in in-patient rehab since Saturday past that has been wonderful.  My strength, balance, and general condition are much improved, and I expect to be going home, albeit with in-home nursing care, Friday afternoon.  That said my endurance is still a fraction of what it was before the fall and surgery, so the January Ross is not yet the December Ross (who was most fit).

The healing of the wound really is the limiting path item right now, although we are fighting to get the radiation and chemo started ASAP also.  Many plans are in question based on the timing of all this of course, but the important thing is to heal the wound and fight the potential siblings of the tumor before they can get re-established.  And this we will do at the expense of all else.

In the meantime my awareness and evaluation of the post-tumor symptoms has been pushed to a sidetrack.  I continue to read Oliver Sacks and find many comparable experiences and things to learn thereby.  And many other experiences that are interesting, but not really applicable.  But the cataloging of observations has been set aside.

Once home, I will appreciate some company, but my endurance is still low, and we would appreciate a call beforehand and your understanding of the value of short visits, as many issues of home care and therapy will still surround me.

I cannot thank you enough for the many thoughts and prayers and cards and emails, so many of which have gone without reply.  Please know that I have valued every one, and in fact could not have made it to this stage of recovery without them.  God bless you every one.