MARCH 21st 2oo6---------(SURVIVAL DAY FOR ME<>EITHER ITS THIS DAY OR NEVER)

***Yes!!! It was decided by the surgeons the surgery takes place today @7-30 am precisely, all my family members informed that I will be out of the operation theatre by 4.00pm, so early morning I was wheeled to theoperation theatre Sandeep was withme I i did go with a lot of confidence, signed the papers that was required by the authourities and they dressed me into a fresh sterlised green cloak put a fresh identity band...... yeah then I was told there are another 3 major surgery in the adjoining wards also. Well this is what the final Clinical surgery index mentioned -----RIGIDSCOPY FOLLOWED BY LARYNGO PHARYNGO OESOPHAGECTOMY AND RIGHT MODIFIED RADICAL NECK DISSECTIONAND LEVEL II, III & IV--NECK DISSSECTION DONE.........is that not spine chilling to hear , God had been great to me gave me a 2nd Life----I was told later on by my family members that they saw me through the glass partition being shifted to the INTENSIVE CARE UNIT @ 4.30, and the surgeons showed the victory sign to them.

MARCH 20 th 2006

**Doctors brief my family members bout the surgery to take place the next day, my brother Jude is also there and all necessary papers signed, arrangements made for Blood and all precautions taken for surgery like no intake of any types of food / liquid after 6.00pm,stomach wash done. THIS DAY NO PAIN> I GET A LOT OF COURAGE ........FEEL LIKE FLOATING SOMEWHERE.......IS IT THE MORPHINE................

**All these days my son Sandeep had been my attendant he would go straight home have bath and go to work , then come and spend all his time with me especially night time and the hospital insisted on an attendant since I could not speak after my 1st surgery... what I speak comes out as whispers since my voice box is not functioning

MARCH 11th--------20th 2006

**Shifted out of I.C.U. under observation and convalescing in the hospital. Strong painkillers and other drugs every 4 hours; only liquid intake; loosing weight rapidly and variation pulse rates. Doctors give a very special drug , tablet (MORPHINE) to relive all the pain, this takes one on a great trip and makes the mind blank---------- wow a great feeling it was ;when ever I took this tablet
Doctors fix the date for the next surgery 21-March and brief me about the surgery to be done, all the while I was given the impression that it was going to be an ordinary surgery, but this day they tell me the surgery is going to be in stages to remove all the cancer cells from the neck area and also have to open my stomach to draw out a large intestine which will take my intake of food later. At this moment I was shaken up a bit , well to know the fact the CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS was CARCINOMA HYPO PHARYNX STAGE T3 .

MARCH 1st 2006
** This day had to go empty stomach For an Endoscopy that was carried out at10.001m, after 1 hour a Biopsy was also done as an emergency since I had a lot of breathing problems.Doctors have put me on strong pain killers every every 4 hours.

MARCH 2ND 2006
**Spiral scan was completed today, so the surgeons can study further and get ready for the major surgery.

MARCH 3rd 2006
**Doctors meet me and do a counselling about the surgery to take place , they informed me that the surgery has to be done on 2 different days set apart. the first would be for me to breathe freely that is Tracheotomy.

MARCH 4Th 2006
** Electra cardiograph and Blood pressure test and had to meet the Anaesthesiologists .

MARCH 8Th 2006
**Admitted in The Cancer Institute, all medical checkups done for the surgery the next day

MARCH 9Th 2006
**No intake of food after Noon, had the emergency Tracheotomy done at 7.00 pm, the surgery took just 1 hour, during the entire process of this surgery even though my eyes were closed I could clearly hear the discussion the surgeons were having, they took out the extra growth of Thyroid and explaining to some Trainee surgeons who were there. Shifted to Intensive Care unit and was there for2 days.

FEBRUARY 27th 2006 (MONDAY)
This day being a monday it was a good day to start all the investigations given by the chief Doctor at the ONCOLOGY Department. A whole series of tests and all at various deparments of the Institute, First day -- Blood test, urine etc for knowing the blood group and confirm I had no diabetes.

FEBRUARY 28th 2006 (TUESDAY)
Had to report on an empty stomach for Blood and urine tests again after breakfast one more sample for blood and urine. Chest X_ray also done, Results for all tets are sent to the Onclogy department by reports and also posted on their network....... this Institute is advanced and they have a very big volume of patients coming from the neighbouring States and far off cities also especially ladies for their Breast Cancer.

FEBRUARY 2006

By mid February I felt very little improvement as more problems cropped up like had difficulty in swallowing food, lack of sleep. I told my son it is very important to go and see a specialist an ENT doctor.

We got a good contact of a doctor through his friends and met him,after a thorough examination he referred me to go for a medical checkup to V H S Hospital that has the facility for treating all types of disease, the Doctor told me to wait outside and had a long discussion with my son at this point I smelt something but did not dream of Cancer having got into my system.

**FEBRUARY 22ND 2006.
Went to V H S Hospital at Adyar, after completing the formalities got to meet a specialist Doctor, After an examination of my throat he called my son and asked me to go over to the CANCER INSTITUTE, he had given a letter also for immediate attention, at this point of time every one in the family was shaken up and wondered what has happened.

**FEBRUARY 23RD 2006.
Went over to the Cancer Institute at Adyar, the formalities for registration etc. were very long after completing the details for registration we waited to meet the doctor who was to do the first inspection, After a good wait of 3 hours the doctor I met confirmed that I have been attacked by Cancer and it was a Thyroid Cancer and spread from the throat to the neck area, however he suggested surgery at the earliest and a hole has to be made in my throat for me to breathe; a detailed report for all investigations was made by he doctor who consulted a panel of doctors. So, by the end of the day it was confirmed that I was Hit by the deadly Cancer. Every one at home were upset

THE YEAR THAT WAS---------JINXED

The year 2006 started with a tragedy in the family, traveling to Bangalore by bus on New Years Eve and sitting before his Body that was at my mothers place for the last rituals till 1.00 pm on 1st January 2005. (HE WAS BORN ON 31 DECEMBER1955 AND DIED ON 31 DECEMBER 2005), exactly on his birthday. Ho God what a calling for him..

JANUARY 2006

Back to Chennai after 2 days , and my throat continued to be bad, after 2 days my son took me to the local Doctor who has a Clinic in our residential area. I was given some antibiotics for bad throat, well it was slightly better for a few days then again I was having a sore throat and loosing appetite, continued the same dose of medicine with regular check ups.

OVERVIEW

After having browsed many Blogs on the SURVIVORS OF CANCER, I decided to start a Blog. The blogs listed by Asbestosnews.com gives a lot of inspiration and self confidence to survivors of Cancer.I remember it was at the end of the year 2005, my throat gave a lot of problem;getting cold ,sore throat, cough etc... but never thought of symptoms of Cancer even the local doctor I consulted treated me for virus and cold.

The recollections I jotted down in my Diary is BLOGGED now for my friends and those who would like to follow..... and here it goes from the start of the YEAR 2006