Hi Everybody
I saw the surgeon Monday. The ulcers in my mouth are still there but improving all the time. The surgeon has set me up for a PET/CT scan on 3/20/06. He feels the ulcers in my mouth will be healed enough that I will be able to lie on my back for at least a half hour without spitting or choking.

Now that my mouth and throat have healed a lot, I decided to begin trying to swallow again. I have been unable to swallow. The water will not go down. Some was aspirated while other parts of the water came out my nose, all from trying to swallow small sips of water. I also saw the speech therapist, Monday, about this problem. She had set me up Thursday for a scoping. This is where they will put a tube up my nose and down my throat so they will be able to see what’s going on with my swallow, voice box, throat and whatever else is down there.

Thursday came along with the scoping. I have a very strong gag reflex which doesn’t work well with nose and throat scoping. The speech therapist had big plans of watching, through the scope, while I swallow water, milk, juice and pudding. She inserted the scope and asked me to say a few letters of the alphabet. This was to see what my vocal cords are doing. We never got to the rest of the test because I kept gagging and eventually threw up on myself and on her. We looked at the recording of the scoping and saw that things look normal, yet swollen and red. Much of the swallowing problem seems to be attributed to my body and mind blocking the swallowing of mucous and food over the past 4 months. I need to retrain my body and mind that it is OK to swallow again. I am doing this by constantly swallowing or trying to swallow an eighth to a quarter of a teaspoon of water. The good thing coming out of the scoping is that I can now burp again. I have been unable to burp for months. The air would come up but was unable to be let out.

My voice is still hoarse. Talking for any length irritates my throat and makes it swell. . When I spoke with my doctor, he says I am right on schedule and healing nicely.

Randy

14 plus inches of snow

Hi Everyone!
I guess most people reading this got hit with all this snow. It looks beautiful!! I did work the snow blower for about an hour to clear the driveway. It super pooped me out.

The picture is a group of us at Nana’s wake last week. We are doing a toast to Nana. That is a double shot of cosmopolitan I am putting down my feeding tube. Nana would have enjoyed it. My first alcohol since Andy’s wedding in October.

I feel better this week than last and a whole lot better than a month ago. I seem to be getting some stamina and strength back. I don’t nap as long during the day. All my food is still through my feeding tube. During the past few weeks, I had stopped trying to eat the baby food. This was due to the burning in my mouth and throat. I am thinking about trying again soon. I will keep you posted.

Thank you for you support, comments and prayers.

Randy

Weasle's Mom

It is with a very sad heart I tell you that Weasle's Mom, Mary Ann Reilly, passed away early this morning, Wednesday, Feburary 1st. She had a heart attack on Saturday morning. Weasle and Laura picked up Mary Ann, AKA: Nana, Saturday on the way to Laura's basketball game. They were joking and having fun during the drive. After arrival at the game, they walked up a flight of steps. At the top of the steps Nana was out of breath and sat on a chair. She passed out and 911 was called immediatly. Weasle with the assistance of others began CPR. Within 10 minutes an ambulance had arrived and Nana was on her way to Union Memorial Hospital. She was unable to recover from this insult to her body. She is survived by 8 children, 24 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren.