2 weeks ago ...

2 weeks ago today was my surgery.

I am amazed and thankful how fast the time has gone by. Tomorrow is a big day, back to the doctor for catheter ("little friend" referred to in an earlier post) removal! It will the next big step in my recovery.

Just finished reading "The Blind Side" by Michael Lewis. It is a book I thought I would like because it is a true story based on the life of Michael Oher, who overcame being a homeless inner city Memphis kid to 1st round draft choice in the NFL. He was helped a lot by a white family who took him in and let him live with their family during high school and made him part of the family.

From living in Jackson, TN, I recognized many of the places and schools mentioned in the book. I was hoping the book would have dealt more on the spiritual side of his development. The only mention of Christ is on page 283 out of 293 pages total. When asked why Michael was not a more vocal voice for Christ, someone from the high school, Briarcrest Christian School, quoted

Exodus 6:12: "But Moses said in the LORD's presence: "If the Israelites will not listen to me, then how will Pharaoh listen to me, since I am such a poor speaker?"

That was all, nothing else, and very little by Michael Oher himself. Not what I thought it would be, but I guess the story is still being written.

Book did have a little other NFL information that interesting, but reading it once was enough. Be glad to let someone else read my copy to save you from spending your money on it.

Memorial Day

Spent the day watching "Band of Brothers" on the History Channel. It is the story of Easy Company from the 101st Airborne Divsion based in WWII. It was a 10 part HBO series that followed a group of men from boot camp to the end of the war. I had recorded it on my DVR and had been watching it throughout the weekend.

Mom and Dad came over and stayed for dinner, Dad brought macaroni salad and pineapple upside down cake. I told him I like his upside down cake because Angela does not make it, that's why he brought it, not sure about the macaroni salad, not a big fan.

Corey and Angela cooked steak and shrimp on the new grill, very good!!!! Used some of Tyler's seasonings on the steak, all I can say is best tasting I have have had in a long time. I think I got my appetite back yesterday for sure. Just finishing up when the doorbell rang and some families from chruch brought over some leftovers from shrimp boil they had!!! So that will be dinner tonight, can't wait. Need to get my "little friend" out so I can start walking and getting my energy back.

Knox's came over later and brought a card and a plant, looks like a rose bush tree, cannot wait for it to grow out some. Looks pretty already, thanks Mike for planting it.

Some reason got up very early today, need to take a nap before the big Cavs game tonight!

What a week!

It has been crazy around here this week. I got home last Sunday and have slowly felt better everyday. My energy peaks about 2 PM then I take a nap and then I am pretty good until 9 to 10 PM. I really think the Juven helped me heal faster. No one can believe I came home from the hospital with no pain medicine. God is good.

Not coughing much today, best night was last night in a few days. Getting more active, loaded the dishwasher last night. Increasing gradually is the key, they say.

Amy just called and Brooklyn is coming home today! She has to have a full body bone scan next week to make sure they know where all of the infection is. Jakob has been here for a while, but goes home today! He is so cute, but it is hard to have a little one around for this long of a time, I know Angela is exhausted and will sleep good tonight.

Time for a shower, enjoy the Memorial Day weekend and remember those who paid the ultimate for our freedom!

Thank a veteran today, fly your flag this weekend!

Pressing On! In Christ Alone!

Thursday Update

Every day is getting a little better. Still have a nagging cough, but no fever or pain. Go back to Doctor tomorrow to get staples out.

Pray for my niece Amy's little girl, Brooklyn. She complained of soreness in her leg, and to make a long story short, tomorrow at 9 AM she will be having a biopsy on her leg. More to come later

As part of my recovery I had promised myself to catch up on my reading. I finished my 1st book today, "Quiet Strength" by Tony Dungy. Tony is a strong christian man who has had success as a football coach in the NFL. Even if you do not like football, I think you will like this book. Just like us he and his family struggle with life sometimes. This book shows how his faith has sustained him.

Favorite quotes:
"God's definition of success is really one of significance-the significant difference our lives can make in the lives of others. This significance doesn't show up in win-loss records, long resumes, or the trophies gathering dust on our mantels. It's found in the hearts and lives of those we've come across who are in some way better because of the way we lived."

"And so we press on. We press on with our memories, our hearts buoyed by a God us and want us to know Him deeply. We press on with our sense that life's not always fair. And we press on with the knowledge -and assurance- that even though we can't see all of God's plan, He is there, at work and in charge, loving us. We press on with the conviction that even though we don't deserve the gifts and blessings we've been given, He gives them anyway. We press on into an abundant life on earth, followed by an eternity with God"

"We got it all"

While no one wants to hear they have cancer, after surgery this is what you DO want to hear. Friday night Doctor Kaufman came in with the good news. The cancer was contained to my prostate gland, nothing spread to lymph nodes. With that past I can now focus on my recovery.

Some of the "memorable" moments since last Wednesday:

• Surgery on Thursday went pretty well, got back to the room in the afternoon.
• Was not in a lot of pain, so I was surprised when the nurse came in and told me the more I hit the morphine pump (a wonderful invention I might add), the smaller the dose that comes out. I couldn't figure it out, I had only hit it 2 times, so I could take a nap, all day. After she left everyone started laughing and told me, Corey had been helping me out by hitting the button for me! No wonder I was feeling good!!!
• Food was interesting, ice chips on Thursday, all liquids on Friday (think bland pureed baby food), and regular food on Saturday home on Sunday. My brother in law John added "Royal Red Robin burger", from Red Robin to the whiteboard in my room under "Type of Diet"as motivation to get out of the hospital. You will have to ask Donna and Michael George what they added to my diet.
• Amazed at all who stopped by to visit, [note to self, buy Billy Andrews map of Columbus.] Must have been 20 people over the 4 days. THANK YOU!
• Tammy and Gary's car got hit from the back while coming over to see me. Not much damage, but Tammy was shook up a little. Since that is the same car that someone backed into when Corey was driving, might be time to get rid of it. Never heard of a car being an accident magnet, this one might be the first.
• Tyler and Rachel drove all night Wednesday to be with us, Tyler me us in the parking lot when we first arrived a the hospital. Later during the weekend they went to dinner with Angela, and Rachel got up to leave and almost knocked knocked a lady walking past the table. The lady almost ended up in Angela's lap!

That's all for now, getting tired, so will post more later

Pressing on, in Christ alone!

Counting down

Just got the call from Mount Carmel and they moved the surgery up tomorrow. I have to be there at 5:45 AM with the Surgery at 7:45 AM. In a way I am glad, so we can get this done and begin the recovery. I adjusted the countdown clock on the left to reflect the correct starting time. It feels strange that it is almost here. Seems like only yesterday that I found out I have prostate cancer. God has been good to keep me busy these last few weeks.

Today is "clear liquid diet" day, and I am starved! Wish I could have a Royal Red Robin burger or a large beef, bean and cheese sopapilla, but there will be plenty of time for that. Angela even made some Angie Bars and Marshmallow Puffs for the boys, but nothing for me today, except my Juven. I guess my diet starts today and will last for at least a few more days.

Still getting cards, e-mails, and calls of support, one of my best friends in TN called last night and prayed with me. Very humbling, but I am thankful for all my friends, coworkers, and church people who are thinking of me.

Pray tonight for Doctor Kaufman and the others that will be with me in the Operating Room tomorrow.

Pressing on!

42 Hours

As I write this, it is about 42 hours before my surgery. it is getting down to hours, not weeks or days, until I go in to Mount Carmel East, for my 1st hospital stay ever.

today is my last day of work, so everyone is coming by and telling me good luck, or giving me hugs, and telling me they will miss me. I keep telling them I will be back in 4 weeks, but that can be a long time.

Tomorrow I will be working from home, clear liquids all day, no Angela desserts for awhile, as I prepare for surgery.

Stocked up on some books to read during my downtime. Jim Tressel, Tony Dungy, Charles Stanley books I have been wanting to read for awhile. Thanks to Julie for the gift card, I got 3 books with it.

I heard about a new Darryl Strawberry book just coming out. How Christ changed his life and got him back on the right path. Have to get that one later.

Also, been recording some shows on my DVR to watch later. Also, have some DVD Civil War programs I want to watch. I am sure the 1st few days I'll be moving pretty slow and taking it easy.

Happy Birthday to Donna Sipes in TN and Gail Leiber in Chicago!

Happy college Graduation to my favorite niece Jordan this weekend, your Aunt Angie and I are proud of you, we would be there if we could.

Pressing on! For my self proclaimed theme Song click here

Back home

Drive home from Michigan had a little drama. The guys from the plant at Sturgis, MI told me of a better way home. I went through Fort Wayne, IN and then took State Route 30 from there to upper sandusky, Ohio and picked up state route 23. What they did not tell me was there were no gas stations for 200 miles on that road!!!

1st the Range to Empty changed to "low", the gas tank started blinking "E", never a good thing. I could not find a gas station anywhere!!

Finally, found one and put 19.99 gallons of gas in the car!! Not sure how big the tank is, but I think it is 21 gallons, but the good Lord was with me.

Tonight, our CONNECT group went to the Montgomery Inn and then the Coldstone Creamery, we had 14 people go and had a great time. (Ask Penny Gierling about her leftovers). Thank you to whomever bought Angela and my dinner tonight, that was super nice and greatly appreciated.

Angela making snacks for our class tomorrow, so the pressure is off for the my lesson to be good. I don't know if I ever posted my class motto:

"The teaching may be mediocre, but the snacks are great!" To tell the truth I borrowed that from my old SS teacher in Jackson, TN, Brent Lay.

Call your mom tomorrow, it is Mother's day.

Pressing on!

Thursday = surgery, life will never be the same.

Time getting close

As you can tell by the countdown clock, it is about a week to my surgery date. I am trying not to get nervous, but it is getting harder everyday. Nervous is not the right word, but anxious describes it better.

I continue to be amazed by all the people who have sent notes of encoragement, connected with Randy Schmidt again and he put my name on his pray list at his church. I was in Chicago yesterday for meetings and several co-workers came up to me and asked how I was doing and mentioned they were praying or thinking about me.

I started taking Juven, which is a product we make for people recoverying from surgery. A coworker went through a major operation and she started taking it a week before and a week after. She said her recovery time was very quick and gave me some to try (it comes in packets that you mix with water). I'll let you know if I think it has helped afterward.

Family doing ok, Brandon and Julie went to see Tyler and Rachel in Memphis last weekend. Corey and Audrey went to prom last weekend. He was driving Tammy's Mercedes and a lady backed into the car! He was upset when he called me, did about $600 worth of damage. Angela started back to tanning bed again, looking good!

New family member, my baby brother Jim is a grandfather! Ryan Lee Salyer was born 9:09 AM on 5/5 to Nate and Beth, Congrats to all! 8.2 lbs and 20.4 inches long.

Don't forget Mother's Day is Sunday.

Pressing ON!

When it rains to pours

God has a great way to keep me from worrying about my surgery, he keeps me busy with other things. In the last 10 days:

1. The hot water tank broke
2. The garage door broke
3. The garbage disposal broke
4. Gave blood for my surgery
5. Gave blood for my surgery
6. Had Pre- op testing with my family doctor
7. Moved more of Aunt Rhoda's stuff to Chapel Grove
8. Went for 2 mile walk 3 times
9. Mowed the yard
10. Fixed the garage door opener
11. Got the oil changed in my car
12. Went to funeral home for Polly Branham

So, as you can see it has been a busy time. I cannot believe how fast time is going.

Yesterday I learned the term for giving blood for yourself, autologous donor, where you donate blood to yourself. Marvin the technical was pretty good, it only took about 6 min for me to donate a unit of blood. We talked about pizza and he mention the best pizza in Columbus is classic pizza, have to look it up.

No other problems, by my nurse from my health insurance called to go over my upcoming surgery, very nice, said she would pray for me. I now have 3 nurses, at least working for me:

• Doctor Kaufman's nurse
• The nurse for the Abbott leave center
• The nurse from my insurance
• so if I have a question, I really should be able to get an answer somewhere!

When I talked to Dr. Kaufman's nurse this week, I asked about why they did not order a bone scan. She said my Gleason Score was not high enough. The Gleason score is used to help evaluate the prognosis of men with prostate cancer. Mine was low enough where a bone scan was not needed.

Went to the funeral home last night, Audrey Knox, Corey's girlfriend, grandmother died. The queen and I ate dinner at Clay's Cafe in Hebron. I had Stromboli and she had pizza, both very good. I remember that place as kid. We would go there sometimes for the ice cream as a treat, think it was called something else. We will go back, recommend it.

Better get to work on this deary Friday.

Pressing on!