I am a changed man.

I am a changed man. I have had an incredible week or indeed ten days. I would always have claimed to be a fit person. I normally take no medications. Recently I have been short of breath and unable to do things I used to do. Yard work etc.

The only medication I have been taking is/was a sleeping tablet. My only reason to go see my doctor was in order to get a repeat order. His questions about losing weight and having no appetite led to blood work. The result of that led to a retest and an urgent call to get myself to Emergency. Several hours in ER and several tests on heart and stuff and a final cat scan late at night showed up a large mass.

I was admitted late on Tuesday 8/25/09 to Jacksonville Baptist Hospital. Several doctors came to see me on Wednesday with plans of action. Surgery and radiation and chemotherapy being the strongest plans. I had heart tests first and got prepared for a ´top and bottom´ on Thursday. I went down early for the two procedures and got bad news on my revival. Partially blocked colon that prevented proper investigation. Later a short smiling Dr Lerner with white hair told me he was trying to fit me in for major surgery later that day. It was quite late when I was taken again and then I was bumped for an emergency. I eventually was in surgery for three hours and awesome things were done to my bowel to bypass the colon. At one time I believe that a colostomy bag would be the result. My bowel was detached/relocated somehow and stapled elsewhere.

I awoke some time later to bad news. A large mass attached to spleen and kidneys and abdominal wall. Too large to remove but not now affecting bowel movement. I have not had any pain before this or since and very little use of the self service morphine pump. I recovered quite quickly from the surgery and getting rid of catheter and stomach pump were the highlights. Five days of drip feed ended finally. Soft food and just ´one´ real meal in all my nine day stay. A trip to surgery once more on Weds 9/2/09, the day of my release to get a portocath.

It took a couple of hours to place this port on my chest to make chemotherapy easier. I recovered quite quickly from that surgery too and apparently a pipe goes down to the area that needs the chemo. The port protrudes as a lump on my right chest. My right arm was affected for a while as being numb and weak. One day later that has gone. I had a great nights sleep in my own bed and feel great today.

Please everyone get your colonoscopy frequently. I should have. Patrick Lockyer.