FEATURED Morning Pops!

[GrammaJan]

Morning Pops and I just had the most unusual thing just happen. My GI doc called me on a Sunday morning with the biopsy results from the procedure on Thursday and when I saw that number coming in, no way did I think that was going to be good news and even told him that at the end of the call. He told me he was happy to make this a better Sunday as he had been concerned about what he saw.

I was still a little fuzzy coming out of the anesthesia when he showed me the pics and his concern was apparent creating that conversation about me being a mystery, which continues according to him and the other docs. But this mystery does have a silver lining. No cancer in the biopsies. The pathologist told him with the amount of dysplasia in that area, how he doesn't have cancer and quite a bit of it is remarkable. They've never seen this before.

The downside is that the more involved surgery, the removal of the bile duct, now with a new stent in it I found out, will have to be done. The bile duct is shot to hell. This will be the most major surgery I have ever been through but I am relieved that I do not have to have that conversation with my sons and that it is not that cancer which it would have been had this turned and it was turning, just a matter of time.

I don't know if this changes the schedule of the surgery since it will be the more involved and don't know if that involves robotics and 008 is on vacation next week so I don't think I'll hear from him but I never thought I would hear from any doc on a Sunday. I've been very lucky to have had these docs, especially having Declan Fleming, 008, doing this surgery.

Now, I get to do the antsy dance. 008 assured me that we had time on this but you know what keeps coming back to me? The words "rare" and "mystery". Everything they know is based on what they know and I've been hearing this "rare" thing so much from all of them, I want this damned thing out of me sooner than later. "Rare" is good applied to steak, tuna, coins and stamps but to an organ inside you, nope, not good.

Earlier, I was having a self pity party, table for one, and now, even though the surgery is more involved, I consider myself a very lucky man. I have some great docs, and one that cares enough to call on a Sunday and that is special indeed, and the other that because he is friends with 008, I get him for this surgery. My GI guy told me if he had to have this surgery, he would wait for Dr. Fleming, if he had to, over having any other surgeon do it. He said "you are really lucky that he's taken you on as a patient".

So, my friends, I am going to stop obsessing about this and boring you with my tales of woe and "all my ailments", man, I detest that and return to boring you with my regular nonsense.

But again, thanks for the support, you have no idea how important this was to me basically go through this alone except for my older son.

GREAT NEWS COACH!!! I know exactly how you feel when you know you’ve got a great team of doctors. Indescribable the relief and sense of peace that you get knowing you’ve got a great team on your case!

Congratulations, and do keep us posted on the upcoming surgery and how everything is going.

So very happy for you. You’ve made my heart smile today.

 

[Xelda]

Good morning Pops and Popsadoodles. That's wonderful news Doodles! I've been trying to tell y'all a funny story, but my words just weren't coming together so it's been silent on my end.

Morning, Pops and peeps. We had a pretty good thunder storm yesterday but it the rain didn't last too long. The thunder started a good thirty or forty minutes before the rain and was pretty much constant.

That sounds wonderful.

Well Jan, I hope you have a good time with "someone"...and yes, meant for that to sound dirty.

You represent us so well.

Ohhh… I will

Go ahead and rub our noses in it.

 

[kskboys]

Good morning Pops and Popsadoodles. That's wonderful news Doodles! I've been trying to tell y'all a funny story, but my words just weren't coming together so it's been silent on my end.

That sounds wonderful.

You represent us so well.

Go ahead and rub our noses in it.

While I'm rubbing your nose...............................

 

[Runwildboys]

Morning Pops and I just had the most unusual thing just happen. My GI doc called me on a Sunday morning with the biopsy results from the procedure on Thursday and when I saw that number coming in, no way did I think that was going to be good news and even told him that at the end of the call. He told me he was happy to make this a better Sunday as he had been concerned about what he saw.

I was still a little fuzzy coming out of the anesthesia when he showed me the pics and his concern was apparent creating that conversation about me being a mystery, which continues according to him and the other docs. But this mystery does have a silver lining. No cancer in the biopsies. The pathologist told him with the amount of dysplasia in that area, how he doesn't have cancer and quite a bit of it is remarkable. They've never seen this before.

The downside is that the more involved surgery, the removal of the bile duct, now with a new stent in it I found out, will have to be done. The bile duct is shot to hell. This will be the most major surgery I have ever been through but I am relieved that I do not have to have that conversation with my sons and that it is not that cancer which it would have been had this turned and it was turning, just a matter of time.

I don't know if this changes the schedule of the surgery since it will be the more involved and don't know if that involves robotics and 008 is on vacation next week so I don't think I'll hear from him but I never thought I would hear from any doc on a Sunday. I've been very lucky to have had these docs, especially having Declan Fleming, 008, doing this surgery.

Now, I get to do the antsy dance. 008 assured me that we had time on this but you know what keeps coming back to me? The words "rare" and "mystery". Everything they know is based on what they know and I've been hearing this "rare" thing so much from all of them, I want this damned thing out of me sooner than later. "Rare" is good applied to steak, tuna, coins and stamps but to an organ inside you, nope, not good.

Earlier, I was having a self pity party, table for one, and now, even though the surgery is more involved, I consider myself a very lucky man. I have some great docs, and one that cares enough to call on a Sunday and that is special indeed, and the other that because he is friends with 008, I get him for this surgery. My GI guy told me if he had to have this surgery, he would wait for Dr. Fleming, if he had to, over having any other surgeon do it. He said "you are really lucky that he's taken you on as a patient".

So, my friends, I am going to stop obsessing about this and boring you with my tales of woe and "all my ailments", man, I detest that and return to boring you with my regular nonsense.

But again, thanks for the support, you have no idea how important this was to me basically go through this alone except for my older son.

That's the best news I've heard in a while! Ya know, maybe the "rare" and "mystery" are what made 008 decide to take you on, in which case, you should be glad for those two parenthetical words.

So, are you ever going to tell the other kids about your scare, or just keep it between you and the Uber son?

 

[Runwildboys]

Good morning Pops and Popsadoodles. That's wonderful news Doodles! I've been trying to tell y'all a funny story, but my words just weren't coming together so it's been silent on my end.

That sounds wonderful.

You represent us so well.

Go ahead and rub our noses in it.

No, not ours.....

 

[CouchCoach]

That's the best news I've heard in a while! Ya know, maybe the "rare" and "mystery" are what made 008 decide to take you on, in which case, you should be glad for those two parenthetical words.

So, are you ever going to tell the other kids about your scare, or just keep it between you and the Uber son?

I spoke with my other son on Friday as the older one told me he was asking questions. I haven't told him about the clear on the cancer yet but when I had to tell him there was a possibility the same one that took his Mom could take me, it was just as I anticipated. I will never get over losing her but he's struggled with it more than anyone in the family. He was a Mama's boy and she was his champion, always believing in him at the toughest times. He is also at the genius level, ADD with some strong Borderline Personality Disorder and has his struggles. He's just a chip off the old block, except for the genius level.

We had him seeing a shrink in Idaho, he was doing drugs and having some other issues and the shrink told us he was getting nowhere because he was playing games with him and trying to manipulate him. He sat there and told us "he thinks he's smarter than I am.....and he is and he knows it". We just looked at each other. He is an absolute sponge for knowledge and doesn't do anything with it.

You are correct about why 008 took this on, he looked at all of the records and history before he agreed to do it. Even being friends with my other surgeon wouldn't have had him take this on with his schedule. He is much more teacher for UT and Dell than surgeon now but he hasn't lost his touch from what they tell me.

Runny, I really didn't realize how special this was until I went over for that 3rd ERCP last week. Hell, I was like a celebrity because 008 is taking me on as a patient. I know it's because of my "rare" bile duct but I can dream, can't I? It's that CC charm.

 

[Runwildboys]

I spoke with my other son on Friday as the older one told me he was asking questions. I haven't told him about the clear on the cancer yet but when I had to tell him there was a possibility the same one that took his Mom could take me, it was just as I anticipated. I will never get over losing her but he's struggled with it more than anyone in the family. He was a Mama's boy and she was his champion, always believing in him at the toughest times. He is also at the genius level, ADD with some strong Borderline Personality Disorder and has his struggles. He's just a chip off the old block, except for the genius level.

We had him seeing a shrink in Idaho, he was doing drugs and having some other issues and the shrink told us he was getting nowhere because he was playing games with him and trying to manipulate him. He sat there and told us "he thinks he's smarter than I am.....and he is and he knows it". We just looked at each other. He is an absolute sponge for knowledge and doesn't do anything with it.

You are correct about why 008 took this on, he looked at all of the records and history before he agreed to do it. Even being friends with my other surgeon wouldn't have had him take this on with his schedule. He is much more teacher for UT and Dell than surgeon now but he hasn't lost his touch from what they tell me.

Runny, I really didn't realize how special this was until I went over for that 3rd ERCP last week. Hell, I was like a celebrity because 008 is taking me on as a patient. I know it's because of my "rare" bile duct but I can dream, can't I? It's that CC charm.

It sounds like your son needs to be challenged, and that he's so bored with the "average" that it won't hold his attention. I think you should give him the all clear ASAP, before something in him decides to do something to take his mind off your situation.

Maybe it's just the rarity 008 is interested in, but that's okay, you don't seem like the type to look at him as an option. He'd try to change you, and then what are you gonna do, get rid of your liquor with a yard sale? Just remember, if you make it into the medical books, I want an autographed copy.

 

[CouchCoach]

It sounds like your son needs to be challenged, and that he's so bored with the "average" that it won't hold his attention. I think you should give him the all clear ASAP, before something in him decides to do something to take his mind off your situation.

Maybe it's just the rarity 008 is interested in, but that's okay, you don't seem like the type to look at him as an option. He'd try to change you, and then what are you gonna do, get rid of your liquor with a yard sale? Just remember, if you make it into the medical books, I want an autographed copy.

Get rid of my liquor in a yard sale? You have a cruel side I haven't seen before.

 

[Xelda]

Get rid of my liquor in a yard sale? You have a cruel side I haven't seen before.

I was kinda hoping you'd gloss past that yard sale comment. But it was a good indicator of your gumption.

 

[Cowboys_22]

Morning Pops and I just had the most unusual thing just happen. My GI doc called me on a Sunday morning with the biopsy results from the procedure on Thursday and when I saw that number coming in, no way did I think that was going to be good news and even told him that at the end of the call. He told me he was happy to make this a better Sunday as he had been concerned about what he saw.

I was still a little fuzzy coming out of the anesthesia when he showed me the pics and his concern was apparent creating that conversation about me being a mystery, which continues according to him and the other docs. But this mystery does have a silver lining. No cancer in the biopsies. The pathologist told him with the amount of dysplasia in that area, how he doesn't have cancer and quite a bit of it is remarkable. They've never seen this before.

The downside is that the more involved surgery, the removal of the bile duct, now with a new stent in it I found out, will have to be done. The bile duct is shot to hell. This will be the most major surgery I have ever been through but I am relieved that I do not have to have that conversation with my sons and that it is not that cancer which it would have been had this turned and it was turning, just a matter of time.

I don't know if this changes the schedule of the surgery since it will be the more involved and don't know if that involves robotics and 008 is on vacation next week so I don't think I'll hear from him but I never thought I would hear from any doc on a Sunday. I've been very lucky to have had these docs, especially having Declan Fleming, 008, doing this surgery.

Now, I get to do the antsy dance. 008 assured me that we had time on this but you know what keeps coming back to me? The words "rare" and "mystery". Everything they know is based on what they know and I've been hearing this "rare" thing so much from all of them, I want this damned thing out of me sooner than later. "Rare" is good applied to steak, tuna, coins and stamps but to an organ inside you, nope, not good.

Earlier, I was having a self pity party, table for one, and now, even though the surgery is more involved, I consider myself a very lucky man. I have some great docs, and one that cares enough to call on a Sunday and that is special indeed, and the other that because he is friends with 008, I get him for this surgery. My GI guy told me if he had to have this surgery, he would wait for Dr. Fleming, if he had to, over having any other surgeon do it. He said "you are really lucky that he's taken you on as a patient".

So, my friends, I am going to stop obsessing about this and boring you with my tales of woe and "all my ailments", man, I detest that and return to boring you with my regular nonsense.

But again, thanks for the support, you have no idea how important this was to me basically go through this alone except for my older son.

 

[LeonDixson]

Morning Pops and I just had the most unusual thing just happen. My GI doc called me on a Sunday morning with the biopsy results from the procedure on Thursday and when I saw that number coming in, no way did I think that was going to be good news and even told him that at the end of the call. He told me he was happy to make this a better Sunday as he had been concerned about what he saw.

I was still a little fuzzy coming out of the anesthesia when he showed me the pics and his concern was apparent creating that conversation about me being a mystery, which continues according to him and the other docs. But this mystery does have a silver lining. No cancer in the biopsies. The pathologist told him with the amount of dysplasia in that area, how he doesn't have cancer and quite a bit of it is remarkable. They've never seen this before.

The downside is that the more involved surgery, the removal of the bile duct, now with a new stent in it I found out, will have to be done. The bile duct is shot to hell. This will be the most major surgery I have ever been through but I am relieved that I do not have to have that conversation with my sons and that it is not that cancer which it would have been had this turned and it was turning, just a matter of time.

I don't know if this changes the schedule of the surgery since it will be the more involved and don't know if that involves robotics and 008 is on vacation next week so I don't think I'll hear from him but I never thought I would hear from any doc on a Sunday. I've been very lucky to have had these docs, especially having Declan Fleming, 008, doing this surgery.

Now, I get to do the antsy dance. 008 assured me that we had time on this but you know what keeps coming back to me? The words "rare" and "mystery". Everything they know is based on what they know and I've been hearing this "rare" thing so much from all of them, I want this damned thing out of me sooner than later. "Rare" is good applied to steak, tuna, coins and stamps but to an organ inside you, nope, not good.

Earlier, I was having a self pity party, table for one, and now, even though the surgery is more involved, I consider myself a very lucky man. I have some great docs, and one that cares enough to call on a Sunday and that is special indeed, and the other that because he is friends with 008, I get him for this surgery. My GI guy told me if he had to have this surgery, he would wait for Dr. Fleming, if he had to, over having any other surgeon do it. He said "you are really lucky that he's taken you on as a patient".

So, my friends, I am going to stop obsessing about this and boring you with my tales of woe and "all my ailments", man, I detest that and return to boring you with my regular nonsense.

But again, thanks for the support, you have no idea how important this was to me basically go through this alone except for my older son.

Great news, Coach! Congrats. If I were you, I would tell 008 "No anesthesia for the surgery." That way you get to enjoy every minute of your path back to good health and hear the nurses marvel at his skill at every tricky move he executes flawlessly.
I almost wish I was in your shoes, but don't take that the wrong way. I don't want the surrgery. Just those expensive Italian loafers I know you keep hidden away.

 

[Bobhaze]

Morning Pops and all y'all.

Guess what I am in the possession of? Here's a hint, there are 31 of them. Oh, I probably gave it away in my whiny post yesterday. I have 31, count them, 31 photos of my bile duct. There, there, don't let your envy get the best of you and start demanding this from your health care providers just because I am the only one with these little gems.

The only problem I have is that my GI guy showed me these and explained them when I was coming out of the roughest anesthesia I've ever encountered and they had to use this apparatus in my mouth when they used the Spyglass that really hurt my lips and caused them to swell. I looked like Goldie Hawn in "First Wives Club" after she had Botox. I awakened to a nurse with the second most beautiful set of (you thought I was going naughty on that, didn't you? I know better. Just in case I had died on the table and just in case I made it to heaven, I wasn't going to have my first angel say "my eyes are up here") eyes, next to my wife's, bathing my lips in gel. She was apologizing because she'd overheard my discussion with the gas passer about how they wrecked the inside of my mouth the first time. Well, they decided to do the outside this time. I must say I am rather pouty lipped and if I was another man, a gay man, I could go for me in a big way. Just adds to my overall "cuteness".

I hate being right. At least about this ever since it began. What I did get from this is that the bile duct does not look good and that raises the question about the surrounding organs again and he did take biopsies but the results won't be back until next week. I have been elevated from "rare" to a "mystery" now, at least by the GI guy. He told me from the MRI, this looked like a simple stones in the duct and ball bladder, although stones are rare in the bile duct, to something he and the surgeon have never seen before. On the plus side of that, that is the reason I have Dr. Declan Fleming, 008, doing this surgery and I found out yesterday, he's like a living legend in his field. I thought it was something that he heads up UT's Cancer department but my docs and nurses told me they were lucky to have him.

They really impressed on me how fortunate I was to have the best doing this. And at the same time, I read what they weren't saying and my GI guy spent a little too much time with me and my surgeon even stopped by to say hello, that's not normal. The GI guy is the one that asked me "how honest do you want me to be"? I had the feeling he wasn't being completely honest with me but then he also didn't have the pathology results.

I also learned that this is a far more complicated surgery, and now made more so with these pics, than I had initially thought. I was thinking it would be like the gall bladder removal but it's not in the same league but the best thing is I have this guy doing it and he decided that I would be one of his patients and he doesn't have a lot of patients with his duties at UT and Dell. I am a little disappointed it isn't because I am charming but a mystery but I will take it.

I still do not feel good about what they will find when they open me up again, I am conditioned to that by now, but I do feel good about this surgeon and am lucky to have him. But they can do so much and I have had a bad feeling about this as it has gone on. I don't know if that's my natural pessimistic proclivity returning, because I thought I had beaten that back, or just the way this ride has gone so far.

Appreciate the kind words and permission to be me, something I am sure you will learn to regret, and to have a place to put this down because that is necessary to my psyche. When you filter through the emotional input, a trait passed on from my Mom, you either learn how to deal with that or it will drive you mad. This is also bringing back some memories that I had suppressed when they were trying to diagnose my wife's condition and connected to that.....other memories that I had hoped I had buried forever.

But, on the bright side, I can return to my decadent and self-destructive cigar smoking and cocktailing today and somehow, sticking a stogie between these Goldie Hawn lips seems like the right thing to do. I will also do Charles Laughton impressions better with full lips. Actually, they're voluptuous lips, if I do say so myself.

Good morning Pops….Coach, you are the only person on this forum that could describe the extreme difficulty you are going through and still somehow make it both medically descriptive, emotionally moving, and funny at the same time. You are a gifted writer my friend.

Standing with you in all these challenges. Take care of yourself my friend.

 

[Montanalo]

Good morning Pops and Friends,

@CouchCoach, congratulations, glad to hear things are looking up.

I have to disagree with @Bobhaze - CC is not a gifted writer; he's a gifted storyteller. There's a difference. When I scan through the new threads and posts each morning, I typically avoid those more than a couple of paragraphs long. It is not the same with CC. I will get my cup of tea, head to the balcony and settle in for a entertaining story.... so, thanks @CouchCoach.

I haven't driven anywhere the past couple of days, so imagine my surprise this morning when I discovered my pickup covered in a fine white and gray ash. Holy Pompeii, Batman! We've had smokey, sooty skies for about a month and, since last week, have been under an "evacuation watch" - meaning, be prepared to evacuate. It really hit home this morning, though, finding enough ash on the pickup to start a small garden. The good news is that is suppose to rain today and tomorrow.

 

[Runwildboys]

Good morning Pops and Friends,

@CouchCoach, congratulations, glad to hear things are looking up.

I have to disagree with @Bobhaze - CC is not a gifted writer; he's a gifted storyteller. There's a difference. When I scan through the new threads and posts each morning, I typically avoid those more than a couple of paragraphs long. It is not the same with CC. I will get my cup of tea, head to the balcony and settle in for a entertaining story.... so, thanks @CouchCoach.

I haven't driven anywhere the past couple of days, so imagine my surprise this morning when I discovered my pickup covered in a fine white and gray ash. Holy Pompeii, Batman! We've had smokey, sooty skies for about a month and, since last week, have been under an "evacuation watch" - meaning, be prepared to evacuate. It really hit home this morning, though, finding enough ash on the pickup to start a small garden. The good news is that is suppose to rain today and tomorrow.

I hope that rain is enough, but at the same time doesn't start landslides. Best of luck, my friend!

 

[Xelda]

Good morning Pops and Friends,

@CouchCoach, congratulations, glad to hear things are looking up.

I have to disagree with @Bobhaze - CC is not a gifted writer; he's a gifted storyteller. There's a difference. When I scan through the new threads and posts each morning, I typically avoid those more than a couple of paragraphs long. It is not the same with CC. I will get my cup of tea, head to the balcony and settle in for a entertaining story.... so, thanks @CouchCoach.

I haven't driven anywhere the past couple of days, so imagine my surprise this morning when I discovered my pickup covered in a fine white and gray ash. Holy Pompeii, Batman! We've had smokey, sooty skies for about a month and, since last week, have been under an "evacuation watch" - meaning, be prepared to evacuate. It really hit home this morning, though, finding enough ash on the pickup to start a small garden. The good news is that is suppose to rain today and tomorrow.

I'm sorry I didn't respond to this earlier. That's what I get for reading while asleep. Park your truck in the garden and stay alert. I hope the rain will remove the fire without removing the residents.

 

[LeonDixson]

Morning, Pops and peeps. We're headed to California today. Our daughter turns 50 tomorrow. Our non-stop flight was cancelled and replaced with one that has a three-hour layover. Oh, joy.

Colo, good luck with the wildfires.

 

[GrammaJan]

Morning, Pops and peeps. We're headed to California today. Our daughter turns 50 tomorrow. Our non-stop flight was cancelled and replaced with one that has a three-hour layover. Oh, joy.

Colo, good luck with the wildfires.

Have a safe flight, Leon. Go explore the shops in the airport during your layover. Amazing how it can kill extra time.

 

[Montanalo]

Morning, Pops and peeps. We're headed to California today. Our daughter turns 50 tomorrow. Our non-stop flight was cancelled and replaced with one that has a three-hour layover. Oh, joy.

Colo, good luck with the wildfires.

Thanks, @LeonDixson. It rained almost all day on Tuesday. The air is clear, no smell of smoke and the temperatures are in the 40's. The tops of the nearby mountains (about 8,000 ft) have a very thin, but visible dusting of snow. It won't last a day, but still nice to see.

 

[Xelda]

Good morning Pops and Popsadoodles. Have a good trip, Leon. Montanalo, 40s in August? Inconceivable! Scoot over, Doodles and I are headed your way. Have a good Wednesday everyone.

 

[G2]

Afternoon everyone, I hope all are well.
Heading to my pre-op in a few. Maybe when I come out of anesthesia it will be 2022.
Wish me luck!