BETH, THANKS FOR TELLING ME TO DO SOMETHING I SHOULD HAVE DONE SEVERAL WEEKS AGO.

I OWE SO MANY FOR CARING ABOUT MY WELL BEING. FIRST OF ALL; FOR THE MANY GET WELL CARDS, LETTERS, E-MAILS, AND TELEPHONE CALLS.  I DID NOT REALIZE HOW MANY FRIENDS I HAVE FROM OLD ISTROUMA HIGH.  THANKS.

I WAS OPERATED ON APR 5TH FOR ESOPHAGEAL CANCER.  LIKE MY DOCTOR TOLD ME THIS WAS A BIG TIME SURGERY. AFTER ABOUT 41/2 HOURS ON THE TABLE HE CUT ABOUT THE TOP 1/3RD OF THE STOMACH OFF AND 8'' INCHES OF THE ESOPHAGEAL TUBE THAT WAS ATTACHED TO THE TOP OF STOMACH, SEWING THE STOMACH AND ESOPHAGEAL TUBE BACK TOGETHER THEN PUSHED BOTH OF THEM BACK THRU MY COLLAPSED RIGHT LUNG INTO THEIR NEW RESTING PLACE THEN SEWED UP THE TWO INCISIONS, PATTED ME ON THE HEAD AND SENT ME TO RECOVERY FOR ABOUT 36 HOURS.

AFTER 3 LONG WEEKS IN THE HOSPITAL I WAS TOLD TO GO HOME AND GET STRONG ENOUGH FOR CHEMO AND RADIATION.

AFTER ABOUT 6 WEEKS I GOT A CHEMO PACK I WORE FOR 96 HRS THEN 3 DAYS LATER I STARTED 25 RADIATION TREATMENTS  OF 5 TREATMENTS EACH WEEK FOR 5 WEEKS WITH THE CHEMO PACK ON FOR 96 HRS THE 5TH WEEK. I GOT 4 WEEKS OFF THEN ON TUESDAY AUG 10TH I GO IN FOR MY NEXT TO LAST 72HR CHEMO PACK THEN 4 WEEKS OFF THEN MY LAST CHEMO PACK SEPT 14TH THRU SEPT 17TH . FINIS !!!  SOMETIME AROUND CHRISTMAS I GO BACK IN FOR CAT SCAN AND BLOOD WORK TO GET THE RESULTS.   HOPE TO SEE ALL YOU INDIANS FOR THE FALL FLING.

R. Riley