Ray’s Blog

Today I started exercising by walking around the block with the dog and my family. It was hectic. I need to keep my distance from Hershey our 115 lb. chocolate lab for fear he may injure me so I therefore also had to keep my distance from Christina since she was walking him (and I have a healthy fear of her too). more…

Two topics today: 1) progress report 2) where did this title come from?

So if all goes according to plan (and I don’t die) my portacath will be installed the week of September 1st and my chemotherapy will begin on September 9th. Yesterday, the last 6 staples were removed from my incision and today I gave the blood for my genetic testing as well as discussed my course of treatment with my oncologist. I want to start exercising which for someone in my present condition consists of walking, so that will start tomorrow. My focus needs to be on healing. more…

You are going to die. We all face this inevitability every day of our lives. Yet we all seem to be able to live as if we are not. As if it will take place at some point in the distant future - too far in the future to worry about now. Ignore it, deny it, fear it, face it down. However you decide to respond, it will still happen. And you have no idea when. more…

• If anyone thinks they can cure me using this method let me know immediately.
• I’m thinking of starting one of these for colorectal cancer.
• I didn’t catch the context for this article and had no idea what they were talking about.
• I’m pretty sure you can’t extrapolate these findings to all cancers.
• I’m determined to fight prostate cancer at every opportunity.

Here is where I will gather together all of the broadcast emails I have sent out updating everyone about my progress. If you are not already receiving these emails and would like to, submit your email using the form at the bottom of this post. more…

The World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research from their 2007 report Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity and the Prevention of Cancer: a Global Perspective offer these ten ways to help avoid cancer:

• Stay as slim as possible - BMI of 18.5 to 25
• Take half an hour’s vigorous exercise a day
• Avoid sugary drinks and fast food
• Eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day and cereals/grains/pulses with every meal
• Eat no more than 500g of red meat a week and no processed meat which raised the cancer risk by around 10%.
• No more than one drink a day for a woman and two for a man
• No more than 6g a day of salt
• Dietary supplements (vitamin and mineral pills) not recommended
• Breastfeed exclusively for six months

Cancer survivors also to follow these recommendations

Because of my somewhat young age (39) as it relates to incidence of colorectal cancer, there is a suspicion that it may be inherited, or genetic in cause. Specifically, they are looking at Lynch Syndrome which means there are mutations in one of three specific genes that would indicate the chance of getting colorectal cancer in my lifetime is 82% vs 2% for the general population. more…

The first thing I noticed when I came out of surgery was the NG tube in my nose, throat and stomach. Having that thing was the worst part of my early recovery but in a way it was the best because it forced me to write all my communications since it hurt so much to talk and swallow. So now I have a real-time journal that’s like listening to a one-way phone conversation since I was the only one writing. There are two parts, divided by when the NG tube was removed noted in my writing by “DAY 3.” After Day 3 I decided to continue my journal even though it wasn’t a necessity so from that point on it’s more like a traditional journal. I’ve transcribed it as is without editing. I’m amazed how much I was writing before DAY 3 which was about a 24-hour period. Enjoy. more…

While in the hospital I spent a lot of time trying to sleep and thus a lot of time wearing my ear-covering headphones listening to music to try and block out all the noise. This is what I had with me. All new acquisitions and all well worth it. more…

UPDATED: new incision photo
The procedure I had was a right (my right) hemicolectomy. The idea was to remove the tumor, the section of the large intestine it was in along with associated lymph nodes, and any other tissue they could visibly see was cancerous. more…