The question of the day is....So why does a 45 min surgery have to take 7 hours? We arrived at 6:30 as per request and got home at 2:00. I was taken in a little late but not bad, and the surgery lasted about the time we were told. What a day. The surgery went well other than my right shoulder feels like it was hit with a sledge hammer. I really would have preferred it to be in my left shoulder but I didn't have a say in the matter. Particularly since it has to go into a particular vein. Bad news is (and the surgeon wrote this specifically) "NO golf for a month; can work on short game". Now this impressed me as the guy is not a golfer. Most wouldn't know what short game meant. Actually the release nurse who went over the orders read it and said "Do you know what that means?" I kind of laughed and said yes and she said "ok as long as you do."
Some info about the port. Most of you probably have known someone with a port but I am finding a few do not. The ports these days lie completely under the skin. I can feel it (very gently) but all you can see is kind of a bump. The nurses are trained in how to find it and the receiving part and there is a special kind of needle and connection they use. They can either draw blood or insert meds/i v. Since the chemo is only going to be given twice the main purpose is to draw blood to keep blood counts on me. I understand this could be done more than one time a day while I'm in the hospital. After I leave the hospital it will be done almost every day when I go to radiation. I also understand I will have to keep the port for a while after my last treatment as the radiation continues to work for 8 weeks after the last treatment. So I will be going into the lab for blood work during that time.
Tomorrow I go for my hair cut. It will be a drastic cut as it will be the last time before chemo/radiation starts on the 8th. I really don't know how to describe to my hairdresser how I want it cut. I don't want it shaved but very short. Who knows what I'll get? It will be interesting.
I have been lining up hats of all kinds. Even if I don't lose my hair completely with it being so short and then thining out I will need a hat to protect from the sun or to keep warm in the air conditioning. So I am getting a sleep hat from one friend and a straw sun hat from another friend. Of course, being a golfer I have a lot of golf hats. I have a couple of visors too, but I don't think they would accomplish much.
So I guess in the next couple of days I will post a couple of pics to let you see the hair before and after. And then maybe again, really after. Appreciate everyones prayers and cards and thoughts. God is with us. My love to all.

Hi Everyone, It has been a busy day. After a trip to the hospital this morning to try to get somethings straightened out with what one of my doctors wanted, I made another trip back this afternoon for my chemo education class. This is a one to one visit with a practical nurse trained in all the nasty side effects of the particular medicines you will be given. So, I will be given 5-fu for 4 days and mytomycin for the first day. The bad dude is the mytomycin. It is the one with most all of the side effects. I won't list them. You don't want to know. However, it is interesting that the side effects will peak 2 weeks after I finish the chemo treatment. So about the time I will start feeling better I will be ready for my next chemo treatment. Isn't that diabolical? I also saw what my port will look like and it is larger than what I had pictured in my mind. I'm not sure that is a good thing... Anyway, it has now been decided I will start treatment on the 8th of July because that is when my chemo doc will be back from vacation. So I will check in early on the 8th and will be in until Sunday because of having to have exactly so many hours of the chemo drip. Once I get the port in tomorrow, (need to be at the hospital at 6:30 am), I won't have anything else to do but wait. And that is beginning to be the hard part.
I am fortunate I have been making lists of things to do and some of my friends have started bringing books over for me to read. Another friend has offered videos. And the doctors office has encouraged I keep up with as much exercise as I can tolerate. They are also big on power naps. So what are power naps? When I nap I go to sleep I don't plug in or power up or down I just crash. I do it quite well too.
Other than that, things have been pretty quiet. I'm hoping to get to play golf before I go in but I've been told my shoulder could be sore. So, it will be a wait and see game. I hope everyone had a good weekend. I'm happy the weather has finally cooled off to our normal temperatures. It makes it bearable outside. I guess I will catch you tomorrow. KTPC My love Rose

Hello everyone,

First I want to say I am extremely impressed with the number of followers and comments I am getting. I read everyone and appreciate them all. You are great!

I did get scheduled for the port on Tuesday. I appreciate everyone who has given me advice and help. I have a friend who has a sister that works in the surgery waiting room, and another friend who is a nurse anaesthesiologist. Both have given me comfort in what they have said.

The chemo/radiation now may get moved. The radiation doc didn't know the chemo doc was going to be out of town on the 6th when I am now supposed to start. So they have to coordinate again. Always something. I'M READY! I hope that accounts for something!

Went out to eat and tent theatre last night and in the process Scott's shiba inu ( see second pic) decided to eat our house. Cute dog (like to kill dog). So at 7:30 this morning I'm digging out the house specs to find where the builder bought the trim so we can replace what Sheka decided to eat. By 8:30 I'm painting trim board. Now I have to ask one of our wood working friends to cut the pieces. While I painted the trim board I also touched up where the other sweet dog (Keely) has scratched the back door to get in. She doesn't bark she just scratches and looks forlorn. The best of them all is my own dog Maggie who I will post a pic later. She is a min dachshund who doesn't bother anyone or anything. (Well, except squirrels).

Hope everyone has a safe and relaxing weekend. I'm going to start back to work. My love to all.

I want to tell you all I really appreciate how all of my local friends have volunteered to help us when the times get tough. I promise you that I will call upon you for everything from borrowing books or movies, to getting a ride to radiation (so Mel can have a day off) or maybe even food. Right now I don't know for sure what we will need, but it is an absolutely wonderful feeling to know that you are out there.

Tuesday when I was getting ready to leave to play golf Mel stopped me and said, "Aren't you going to wear a hat?" The ladies I play with know I never a wear a hat. I looked at him and he had his male stern look on and I just said "What?" "Do you think I'll get cancer?" He couldn't top that but I did walk out with a hat in my hand.

Then I received an email from a long long time friend. Since he is reading this I will stop with 2 longs. But we had to laugh when he said "Carry a can of "C" whip ass in your bag and if anyone gets in your face or in your way let them have it." Now you can tell he isn't from around here because he would have said whoop ass!

I really enjoyed seeing most of the gals today on the course. It was hot and it took a lot out of me. I played well except for one hole which the heat and the stupid Japenese Beetles got to me. (Those things are nasty). I realized I was going to have to hunt a lot more shade than what I had been hunting. But even with the one bad hole I shot a 79. That's probably only 2-3 strokes off what I would be shooting normally.
Tomorrow the port will be scheduled and we will be going out to eat and tent theatre. I have nothing planned for the rest of the weekend other than to try to catch up on some house work and do the grocery shopping (both which Mel does more than his fair share). I also need to have a chemo education class scheduled sometime next week and probably a pre registration for my hospital stay. Right now it seems like I am always waiting for a call from some doc about something.
So, keep the prayers and thoughts coming. I'm enjoying the comments and emails also. Love to all.

For everybody who has been praying for me ( and I know there are a lot of you) the first of our prayers have been answered. I had the PET scan this morning at 8:15 (not one of the more enjoyable tests I've been through) and my radiation oncologist called at 2:30 to tell me all areas are clear except the low anus area of the cancer. This means it is a STAGE 1 . This is huge. It keeps my curable chances up very high. I am still extremely emotional over this news (which means I'm crying). The other news is that she has moved up the starting date of treatment to July 6th. Folks I'm ready to go after this with my whole being.
A lot of you know how competitive I am and right now I'm thinking this is a good quality.
I have an appt Friday early to schedule the port to be put in which I believe will be Mon or Tuesday as they promised me it would be done before my insurance changes over.
I plan to play golf tomorrow with the gals at 8 and have lunch. I am going to try to do some things I want to do before all the action starts.
Once again my love and appreciation to you all. Rose

It is 96 degrees and not even noon yet. I got to play 9 holes and held up fairly well. I was lucky that my good friends at the golf course were kind enough to push me ahead of a lot of groups so I could tee off over an hour earlier than what I was scheduled. Thanks guys...
What's that? What did I shoot? Well, considering today is the 14th day since major surgery I don't think a 40 is so bad do you? For those of my Millwood golfing buddies reading this I was over the green on number 7 in 2. (For the rest of you it is a par 5 for ladies). I really wanted to keep playing but I knew I would only last another 2-3 holes at the most with the heat and the back side is a lot hotter than the front side since there is less shade. I don't envy Melvin still being out there.
So I will rest this afternoon and then eat a meal of prime rib tonight in preparation for the PET scan tomorrow. (That is what they said to do I just can't have the baked potato or bread).
If you have problems leaving comments or just don't want to please feel free to just email me. This will be my only contact with a lot of my long distance family and friends. Which I may top the long distance part as I have a nephew in Saudi following my "trek". Thanks Martin.
Again. love you all...

Hey Everyone, It has been an interesting day. I've been kicked a couple of times but have gotten back up and still going strong.
Started the day by visiting my church. Good way to start the day.
First appt with radiation people getting me ready for the radiation treatment. Won't go into the gory detail but they did another CT Scan and I'm now a tat women (as my friend said). That is the last time I meet with them until treatment starts which is right now scheduled for July 12.
Met with the general oncologist who schedules the chemo. I have a lot of news there. Do you want the good news or bad news first? Just kidding. There is a possibility that my stage 1 cancer may jump to stage 3. I have some irregular lymph nodes that look suspicious. However, the doc said there is a possibility it is a reactive situation since I had problems before the surgery( the bleeding) they are reacting to that and do not have cancer cells. The PET scan on Wed will tell the tale.
I will be taking 2 chemo drugs. I'm not going to tell you the names yet. This is because she said them so fast I didn't catch them. However, I have to go back for chemo education and I will know them then so I will let you know at that time. The chemo will be for 4 days in a row 24 hours a day, 2 times during the 6 week period of treatment. At the very beginning and at the end. One drug (5-fu) will be given one day and the other (?) will be given for four days. They will be given simultaneously with each other and with the radiation. The bad news on this is that for the first treatment I will spend 4 days in the hospital. It evidently can have some side effects that they really want to keep close check on. The doc said if I did ok the first treatment they would consider letting me do the last treatment as outpatient. Yea, yea, promises promises.
In amongst all of this today I found out my insurance plan was changing starting July 1 and not for the better I might add. So I requested thru the doc she call my surgeon and schedule my port ASAP. That means I could be going in as early as this Thursday to get the port put in.
Here's the way I look at it. With what went on today I have some better karma coming my way and Wed will be a great day for it.
Plans for tomorrow in 99 degree heat. Play golf what else!! Seriously I doubt if I will get more than 9 holes played, I may even only get 4 played. But I have to get out there ,swing a club and feel the fairways under my feet....Until tomorrow or maybe Wed. God bless you all and keep the prayers a comin' I can feel them, I really can.

Hello again,
I have one more addition to my background information. The type of cancer cell I have is squamous cell cancer which some of you may be familiar with as a skin cancer cell. It is also found in cervix cancer besides the cancer I have. It is interesting that my surgeon asked me if I had ever had any irregular pap smears which I did about 32 years ago. He said this was probably some dormant cells from that which have become active. He also said for me to be sure to get a pap every year even though as you get older it is not recommended.
If you are interested in the new method of radiology I will be going through go to www.stjohns.com/cancer/therapies and go to tomotherapy (or type it in). It describes how it is used and why it is better than the traditional therapies.
So I will be adding to this for sure after Monday because I have another exam with radiation dr. and my first meeting with my chemo doctor, Dr. T (she has a long name). Hope you have a great weekend and fathers day. I will be watching the Open of course and trying to kick back and rest. Love to all

Rest of the history

So far I have had a CT scan and a visit with my radiology oncologist (who is awesome). AT this time it is thought I have stage 1 cancer although that could change after I have a PET scan on Wed. On Monday I meet again with my radiology oncologist and also my chemo oncologist. My radiation doctor said she will be using tomography (I may be correcting myself on that one later) a fairly new machine that is much more accurate and specialized in treatment than the older machines. I understand there are only 2 of these in MO. I believe the other one is in St.Louis. There are none in Ark. There is a waiting list for this treatment. However, since I got to her so quick after my surgery I still need some time to heal and she needs time to get more tests and develop a very specific plan of attack. So it is looking like I will start treatment sometime mid July. It will be a 5 day a week treatment for 5-6 weeks. Also, I want to emphasize that without my having gone to the doc when I did this could have gone a lot further. Right now everyone is positive that I will be cured as long as I can keep the therapy going.
I plan on posting some pictures along the way. I have been told by everyone I will lose my hair. Again, those of you who know me know I keep my hair short for care purposes. This will be the ultimate for me. My surgeon who is also awesome, has said he will bet it will come in thicker and possibly with some curl. Won't my beautician love that!!!
So, this blog was longer because of catching some of you up on everything. I plan to keep you posted as I have appts and ups and downs. keep in touch either thru the blog or at my email address. Love you

This is for all my friends and loved ones (most of you are both) who will have questions but won't know what to say or ask. I have already felt uneasiness from some of you who want to say or do something and don't know what. Thank you for all the love and care and concern you have already sent my way.

The intent of this is to keep you informed of how I am doing and to give you some insight into my mind and feelings during this time (whoa that might be dangerous for all of us!). Hopefully, it will also give you some insight into this particular type of cancer because as I am starting to understand it is not a common form of cancer.

So, let me start by giving you some history. I don't mean to gross anyone out. But my type of cancer can be considered gross as it is anus cancer. Not rectal cancer, or colon cancer but anus cancer.

I have had a history of hemorrhoids. When I started having a little spotting I was concerned but waited. When I had more blood than what I thought was safe, I went to the internist. The internist quickly sent me to a colonrectal surgeon who in turn quickly found an anal tumor. He then scheduled surgery.

For those of you who know me you know I am an avid golfer. With my biggest tournament of the year coming up and the surgeon already telling me if it was cancerous it would mean chemo and radiation both at the same time I opted for the latest date possible to schedule the surgery.
Surgery was done June 9. This is June 19. I am recooping well. On June 17 I received the news that the whole tumor could not be removed and it was cancerous. I would begin my session with more tests and oncologists and chemo and radiation.