Introduction

Vi and I were sitting on the patio today, listening to Z88.3, Orlando FL and enjoying the cooler October weather.

We were able to look back at all that has happened since the beginning of the year. The fear, the sadness, the great confrontation with this disease called cancer. Vi has kept very good records of what has happened from documenting each medication taken and how much liquid food was taken with it, to the notes she had while waiting at Florida Hospital Celebration. 

We arrived at the hospital at about 5:00 am. Her notes followed from the time I went to the surgery staging area at about 6:00 to the time she kissed me goodbye before they wheeled me away. I was not sure what to expect and neither did Vi. For that matter, the surgeons were not sure until they actually started "dissecting." 

I had been haunted by visions of Roger Ebert after his string of surgeries. I also maintained the respect I had for him as he carried on with his normal life with his abnormal appearance. 

I recall when the surgeon came in prior to the surgery and Vi told him "We are trusting you, doctor." He replied with a simple "Thank you." He asked which leg I wanted bone taken from since they might have to remove part of the jaw. They would have then rebuilt it with the bone from my leg. Fortunately, I woke up to find that was not necessary. 

Vida's notes followed all the procedures as the nurses kept her informed throughout the 8 hour operation. The tracheostomy, the catheter, the PEG tube, the dissection of the oral cavity, the harvesting of skin and veins from the arm and leg. 

In some respects, I was the lucky one since I "slept" through all of this. But then, I was also the one that had to wake up with the results: no lower teeth, unable to talk, hardly able to move and in severe pain. 

This was March 11, 2014 and our journey with cancer had only just begun.