Hi again, JohnUK,

I've been very low profile here lately myself, due to my own recent treatments.

Since posting about it in this thread earlier, I've had the same procedure on the left lobe of my liver (I wrote just after the Right lobe had been packed with radioactive beads called SIRI-spheres.)

I had no noticeable side-effects from the right lobe; but the left (two weeks later,) because it's quite a bit larger than the right, gets quite a bit more of the radioactive beads.

Enough more that the side effects (pain, nausea and major fatigue and weakness) are indeed, quite noticeable. In fact, they quite handily kicked by butt seven ways from Sunday. Enough so that I lost another 9+lbs. Now that doesn't sound like much, but my body fat was down to less than 10% and the loss was nearly all solid muscle.

[Everyone reading this nods sagely and observes "That boy should practice what he preaches..."] Very true, my friends, do not forget adequate nutrition - 2500 cal/day.

The experience is quite different that that from the machine, where you get 15 minutes/day; this way you get it 24/7.

OK, that's where I've been. I am well on the way back!

I've been going to the gym for some time every week since the procedure, but am only now able to do useful work there. I can see my body responding to the additional nutrition I am able to feed it, now that the (short lived, couple of days or so at most) pain and nausea are mostly in the past.

Until today, my workouts were drastically curtailed because every time I'd do a set of pushups or pullups, the exertion would bring on the nausea and I'd have to call it a day. Today, I got three sets of each: Pullups, pushups and dips! And no nausea! Fatigue is still a problem, but becoming less so. Woo hoo!

Of course, my sets were only 10 reps (instead of my usual 20) for pushups, and 3 reps for pullups (But HEY, those were perfect Airborne Pullups!) but I'll get back within a couple of months or so.

One step at a time, brothers and sisters, one step at a time!

One day at a time Bart. Hope everything continues to improve for you.

Thanks, and Merry Christmas, David!

It's all good, brother! I am definitely on the up-swing and recovering nicely.

I've extracted my head from my fourth point of contact and increased my nutritional intake appropriately.

As I said, it's all good. Every day looking down at grass is a good one!

Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year to all!

Bart

Merry Christmas Bart

Thanks, Doolittle, and the same to you!

And the same to everyone here in our extended family!

Hello All,

I have been laid out and having a miserable time, better now. Rads finished end of Nov and I was OK for a couple of weeks then got a big hit, skin flaked form neck but luckily all good beneath so no burns outside. Inside was different, a couple of real whoppers, one on tongue and another high left in throat so spent mid to late Dec on soup and bread loosing 30 pounds.
Had three weeks max morphine and patacetomol.
Anyways, that's all done, had an all clear in Jan at my first check up so allowing for surgery in August I have had no detectable cancer since they had me under the knife. Next check Monday Feb 3rd.
The fatigue thing has caught up and unusually from feeling very pumped up through treatments and after (must be the body and mind being on full alert) I have done lots of the sleeping thing.
Neck is stiffer than usual so doing the exercises and unfortunately have a very obvious wobbly chin, they call it a dewlap here in the UK, its collection of lymph fluid resulting from neck dissection and rads. Apparently this starts to clear up but can take a few months.
Told have PEG out in next couple of weeks, never needed to use it so lucky there) which means I can get on with some fitness work too.
Has anyone here experience of the dewlap, its a common side effect. Massage apparently can help but I am conscious of lots of unregulated people offering 'beauty' treatments to help lymph nodes drain when in fact I have pretty much lost all the nodes on left side.
Hoping everyone I have messaged is doing well and sorry for being away a few weeks...was utterly whacked by the end Dec three weeks getting through the burns on the inside of mouth and around tongue.

Hey Bart
I trust you are well.. the rads got me in Dec, week 2-4 post radio finished I got big ole burn on tongue and in mouth so had two weeks living on soup and feeling shattered. Cleared up first week Jan and now just damn fatigued. Develop done of those floppy chins that apparently will sort itself out over weeks or months ahead otherwise looking forward to a good review at my second monthly check next week. End of Feb will be six months from surgery and so far no sign of any cancer since.

Hope you are doing well.

Hi John, thanks for the kind thoughts!

Brother, I am delighted to read that you are handling this so well! Not surprised, but definitely delighted! You are definitely a survivor!

I've actually begun to see some progress in my rebuilding work, I've regained 3/4 of the weight lost from the last procedure and I've started to add push-ups and pull-ups (tiny gains, but real ones.)

As the Davidcpa said, one day at a time. And for the record, I'm enjoying each of them.

Hi People,

Still battling along, had a whack this week, lots of fatigue and its starting to lift but felt steamrollered - and sleep pattern gone completely wonky. Bigger chin! Doing the throat and neck exercises, THEY WORK!

Hey Bart, impressed you are working out. Good to hear you hanging tough and enduring - that's what most of this is, endurance testing I think. If one can shoulder discomfort and has a mind set not to worry to much about something that has an end in sight then it can be done.

PEG out next week, that will make me feel less 'sick', never needed it. I lost 20% of my weight but had gone overweight before the start. Had my second monthly check last week, all clear, end of Feb will be six months from operation without detectable disease but elected for precautionary chemo and rads and don't want to go back again. I have been put on six weekly checks now. Early days but a six month mark is encouraging if not too much to get carried away with...

Still a bit sore and getting left side back to work chewing. It feels notably strange!

All the best to you all and will check in soon.

John

Very nice update John, really great to hear the good news. I know getting that PEG out will make you feel even better.

I just realized I have my first 6 month checkup (since surgery) tomorrow; so, I'm right there with you.

You're ahead of me some as I haven't started doing the upper body rebuilding thing yet, but have kept up the legs training via walking and lots of dancing.

I don't want to steal your thread, so I'll end with a hearty good luck, and don't be a stranger.

You might consider starting a new thread in the Immediate Post Treatment forum. I expect others will be interested in seeing how you continue to progress in recovery.

Tony