The Where in the World is Bill Column Part 3 0f 4

Janice,
You're such a blessing to this forum! I still remember all the support and encouragement you gave me as I made the decision to have the surgery. After my surgery, you helped me through recovery--sharing tips that helped make things easier, and reassured me when I had worries about post-op symptoms. How do I ever thank you enough for that!

You and the others here gave me the courage to go forward with a surgery that has improved the quality of my life, and improved my health greatly. That's no small task! As you've mentioned, there are lots of really non-supportive forums, that actually scared me away from the surgery.

This was the one forum that welcomed me, and gave me hope. Our friends here understand first-hand what we've been through. Unless a doctor has had the surgery, he/she can't possibly offer the same level of help and support that you and others here have offered! I was so well prepared for the surgery--just because of all the tips I learned here!

Now it's my turn to help and support others, and give back what was given to me by all of you!
Thank you (and all my other forum friends), from the bottom of my heart!
Feel well!
Denise

I have to say the support and freindships found here in this forum is  absolutely remarkable.

I am going to steal a quote from Albert Schweitzer :

"At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person.  Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us."

I will always be grateful for each of you.

Blessings,

Kitt

Janice-

What a wonderful friend you are. With all you have been and going through, you still manage to think of others and help them.

Thankyou!

 I whole heartedly agree with Denise, Barb and Kitt. I am sure the rest of us here feel pretty much the same way.

Bea, I have to call in sick every night even though they know my doctor won't let me come back to work before next week. I did file a claim with Aetna again for the rest of my short term disability since I have been off work about 3 straight weeks. They understand that I had this issue before nad it has flared up again, so as long as I keep them up to date on what is happening all is good. It comes down to the fact they won't let me back to work until the doctor says I am 100% with no restrictions. That is where they get us. If the doctor says I can't lift over 10 pounds for 2 weeks, I can't work due to having to be able to lift 75lbs without help. The funny thing is I have lost so much leg strength since I hads this redo. I am not sure if it is from the way I lost weight from not easting for 3 weeks plus or what, but I am having a heck of a time regaining the strength back.

 Things are a bit better again today. Still have some very painful episodes, but they are spaced out more. Not sure if it will stop by tomorrow though. We'll see.

Take care,

Bill

Hi, everyone,
I have to apologize for not reading all the new entries and not posting over here for awhile. But I did want to pop in and wish everyone well. From the looks of my just skimming the last few posts, it seems not everyone here is doing well. Lots of issues over on the chronic pain board, too. Has it been a full moon for the entire month of August??

I am still trying to have a botched root canal rectified. Have an appointment Monday with a specialist for a second opinion, after already shelling out several hundred bucks for a new crown and initial root canal - done in that order, on the same tooth, by the way. Infection in my mouth concerns me much more now because of the Barrett's. I'm guessing that can't help. So I'm on round 2 of antibiotics. And it has screwed up when I can take the nexium, so I noticed some acid creeping back in, just when it was getting a little calmed down. Hopefully, this tooth thing will get straightened out and I can get back to worrying about cancer. What's wrong with this picture????

Ok, enough about me. I do wish everyone here well. You are a super bunch of people, as are those on the CP forum. Never hesitate to come over there with any of your pain issues.

Hugs to everyone - and asking for forgiveness for my absence (which will probably continue for awhile),

PaLady

Hang in there, Bill. I'm glad you've got some income to help out.

Joy

Well we'll see how much short term I have left. I think I only have 2 weeks left. I haven't gotten the official letter back from Aetna yet.
We had our first practice tonight. Went fairly well, but sure can tell they had 3 weeks off! We start 2 a week practices next week and have 4 tourneys in a row starting the first weekend of September. Then we will shut it down until January. Unfortunately this fall will be the last I coach my daughter until next June since she will be in H/S and can't play travel ball until they are done in June.

Take care,
Bill

Bill,

 did you ever think of applying for social security disability? Maybe staying home would be a benefit.Who wants to lift 75 pounds or better?

bea

Hi everyone. You guys are the best literally, verbally and any dam thing else.

B

AWWWW Janice now I'm blushing. Seriously, Thank you very much for all the support you give everyone. It is a true blessing here.

Well I am out of work for at least one more week. I saw my doctor today and he already had an out of work note for next week written up before I got there. No discussion, says I have been in too much pain the last week to be able to safely go back yet. Bummer, but I know he is right. He actually is a very wise man. He is the one who decided I needed to go to Loyola for a consult about my Nissen. Even though he does a lot of the Nissens himself, he felt I needed to see someone who specializes in that. He always apologizing for how the nerve issue has turned out. I have always told him, "You know, we didn't know for sure if it was cancer or not. and I didn't want to take a chance. I much rather deal with this and know it wasn't cancer than to be still testing it and wondering 2 years later and still maybe have to go through the surgery anyhow". I chose this route and stand by it. He agrees it needed to be removed to get a positive ID on it since it was in a bad spot to biopsy. He has told me the day we decided to go ahead with it that this could happena nd that if it was him or his family what we did would be hies recommendation to them also. If fact his nurse told me when I left the last appointment before surgery that she was hoping I wouldn't change his mind, because they had 3 of thede almost Identical nodes the week before and all 3 were cancer.

So am I glad I did it, YES! would I do it again..YES! but I would pray for a litle less pain at the year and a half mark though. But I don't have to deal with the idea of cancer being in there now. Unlike the chance things will change in the esophagus, that's a whole nother story.
Sorry I got a rant here. I managed to get outside tonight, mowed the grass, took a couple hour nap. Went over to a friends farm house and we picked guitars and sang for about 3 hours around a camp fire. My daughter came with and even joined it a little on Rocky Top and Long Black /Veil. Played Bringing Mary Home, a chilling ghost song, picked out a couple of my own tunes that don't have any word yet, but the chording is very nice. Runs off of Key of C into and F and runs back to C into a G. Has some nice triplet pick pattern up and down the next, Quite pretty and easy to listen to. I know I have to name it and record it. Is there a place to load small recordings here? Man I am getting super tired now. Better hang em up for the night, my friends. I may be doing some computer maintenance here in the next few days , I have a new hdd coming and what to use this one as a back up only and install a larger first drive to match my second drive, By the time I get windows 7 evaluation loaded and running it might take a day or 2. But I shall return, I promise.

Take care,
Everybody,
Bill

Post Edited (opnwhl4) : 8/15/2009 11:17:44 AM (GMT-6)

PALady, I'm fine. Just very busy with school and all. I'm trying to keep up with which threads I've been talking on and losing the battle.

Joy

Joy it can be a losing battle. Good luck with that.

Bill, that is great. I hope it helps you feel better. I hope you start getting more sleep as it really is healing for the body. I slept really welll except for a few transformer dreams. Those sci fi movies will do that to you. Sweet dreams my friend. Barb

Joy-
I saw one of those yesterday. It's a trick to get you to buy some goofy software. It's been around for quite soem time, they are very tricky in making things look offiacial too. Don't believe them, just close their window and if you feel safer run your own anti virus as you did.

Bill

Hope you enjoyed your peaceful morning, Bill.
We're having an open house today that was scheduled and advertised before we got the offer on our house. That means more cleaning and getting ready! A bigger deal is that tomorrow morning at 8:30 AM the house inspector and buyers are coming to go over the place with a fine tooth comb. The house is well built, so it shouldn't be a problem, but it's 40 years old, and we live in the country (there will most likely be an errant ant here and there--we get an ant contract every year, because we live in a cedar house, next to a stream and a woods with lots of fallen and rotten logs.) Yesterday we made sure the gutters were cleaned out. Our downspouts are too small, but we haven't spent the money to put in new ones. Because of that, they tend to get filled up fast. Anyway...wish us luck!

I had a hamburger (the big restaurant kind) yesterday for dinner (rather, a half a hamburger), and I think I must have been too hungry and scarfed it down too fast, because I got some feelings of discomfort in my wrap. Not pain...just a bit uncomfortable. I think maybe hamburger is actually a bit tougher and harder to chew than steak, don't you? Anyway, live and learn. Eat slowly...chew, chew, chew. Oh well, it'll get feeling better again soon.

Hey, have a great day, Bill.
Take care,
Denise