Journal: News & Comment

Three things

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You know, I said this wouldn't turn into an all-cancer, all-the-time blog, but you will have to put up with mostly-cancer, most-of-the-time, especially since back when I wrote that, I didn't think it was nearly as serious as it is. Here are three things that I didn't know before this weekend:

1. When I say my ass still hurts almost three weeks after my endoscopic rectal surgery, you might think, well, duh!, but healing from surgery takes longer than I expected. I was finding it distinctly uncomfortable. Rising from bed at least three times a night to refresh the hot pack, use the bathroom, and maybe take some more painkillers was getting old, and seemed perhaps to be getting worse. There was no fever or other signs of infection, but I was also turning into a grump around my family.
2. Sleepiness also lasts a long time, whether from my surgery, the cancer, the painkillers, or whatever. Sometimes, when I'm feeling good, I can take on something like a full day's activities. Get the kids to school, go downtown, eat out, that sort of thing. But no matter whether I go out or stay at home, at some point in the mid-afternoon I tend to crash, hard, and nap for as long as two hours. I'm learning to avoid feeling guilty about it.
3. While they often equivocate, doctors do know what they're talking about a lot of the time. I went to see my GP, Dr. Hassam, today (he was the first one to tell me about the cancer), told him my woes, and he prescribed a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory suppository—often used to treat rhumatoid arthritis—three times a day. Less than an hour after the first dose, I was already feeling better. I didn't even need that nap, though I was pretty sleepy in the bathtub before dinner.

My first appointment at the Cancer Agency is with Dr. Mah next Friday, March 16. It's supposed to last three hours, and may include another CT scan. One of my friends even told me where I might find free Wi-Fi there.

Oh, and don't forget to move your clocks ahead. Tomorrow morning it will be an hour later than you expect.

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