So Much Better

Bob's made steady progress since Tuesday in regaining his voice. Unfortunately very frequent coughing has kept him from having visitors and talking on the phone. Apparently the cough is part of the healing process and will pass.

By Wednesday evening he was finally free of his last "connections" other than a portable heart monitor, and the nursing staff cheered as he walked out of his room, clad in his own pajamas and robe - no pole, no tubes, no hospital johnny. He looked mahhhhvelous.

Today was his ninth day at Stanford, and we're hoping tomorrow will be his last. We've had all wonderful reports since the surgery, and the best was last: There's no sign of any cancer now. There will be a lot more healing to follow and home will be the best place to do that. So if you hear a very loud hurrah coming from Palo Alto on Friday, it will be us driving back to San Carlos together. We can't wait!

Improvements

It was not easy to leave yesterday. My father, who had been alert and chatting with us for days, was uncomfortable. The lack of fluids and irritation from the tube left his throat scratchy and painful; he couldn't say more than a few words at a time and those were difficult to hear. If you missed them the first time, there would be no repetition. The epidural, which had given him groggy-free pain relief, had been removed in favor of another very effective drug, but one that made him drift off to sleep frequently all day. He looked more like the patient I expected to see those first few days after surgery. I tried to bear in mind that, although he was looking more ill and unhappy, he was in fact continuing to gain strength as he walked increasingly longer laps around the unit.

The swallow study, that which had been promised for Monday, could not be delivered until Tuesday due to the holiday. This was demoralizing for all of us, particularly as my Dad's discomfort increased significantly on the day it was due. He was brought down early Tuesday morning for the test in radiology and my mother and I strained to hear through the door, nearly jumping out of our seats when I heard a doctor say, "Everything looks really good so far, Mr. Sadler." Things did look good. The radiologist said so, the intern said so, and yet it wasn't until his own surgeon, Dr. Whyte, got out of surgery hours later, reviewed the film and gave it the thumbs up, that my father's tube could be removed and he could start drinking some water. I was happy to know that the test went well but it wasn't until I was about to board the plane that my mother's call came in to say that the surgeon had finally appeared and things were starting to change.

I think there will be big changes this week as my father begins to regain more control over his body with fewer tubes and cords around him and can move more independently. As his throat heals and he can talk more, receive phone calls, and let us know what he wants more easily, I expect he will seem more himself. And yet this healing will take a while, and the long wait in the hospital can take a lot out of people, even those as strong as my father.

I may continue to write once in a while, but I am no longer in California, so I would expect that my mother will do most of the updating until my Dad is able to get back to the computer himself. I have been so grateful for all of your support of our family; it continues to help all of us get through this challenging time.

A Few More Photos

Bob on the ATV in Colrain, MA in August 2006:

Reading to grandson Lyle in October 2006:

Bob and Sharon with Baxter and Lyle, October 2006:

Another excellent historical shot: The Cosby Sadler family, circa 1986:

My Error

Bob has continued to gain in strength and endurance today. Unfortunately he was not able to talk very much today as his throat is now quite irritated. In the morning entry I included his phone number for anyone who might want to call him at Stanford. I would wait a few days now as he will have the tube removed on Tuesday and begin to take liquids if his swallowing test is successful - which we expect to be the case. We'll let you know how that goes.

Boring is good

Bob has continued to make great progress. Yesterday, he took two long walks around the unit hallways going two laps each time. All three of his doctors were in to check on him accompainied by their entourages of eager medical students. They were all in agreement that Bob was becoming a very boring patient with no complications. Boring is good. Also Saturday, Bob walked across the hall to move into a private room. It's given him a bit more space as well as quiet when he wants to rest.

Not that hospitals are really set up for sick people to rest. He's been awakened at 3 am for such things as xrays in the room, blood tests and frequent alarms from a dizzying array of electronic and mechanical devices. These alarms seem to be sounding off with information which reflects more on their function than his. As always, Bob is quite patient (as a patient or otherwise), but he was happy to be in the new room where he'd only be subjected to his own interruptions. It will also give him more space for visitors when he's up to it.

His mother, Shirley, came up to visit from Pacific Grove which cheered him Saturday. Once he gets free of some of the tubes and equipment, he'll feel comfortable about having more visitors. If you'd like to talk with Bob while he's at Stanford, you can call him on his direct line: 650/ 498-3781. Most of the time he's able to have a chat, but don't call him on his cell phone. They aren't allowed on his floor. (Note: I wrote this Sunday morning before I knew that Bob's throat has become a bit sore making it difficult for him to talk for very long. If you call, it will probably be a very short conversation. Once he has the tube removed on Tuesday and is able to start taking liquids, he'll be able to talk more comfortably.)

As before, I'm printing out any emails sent to Jordan or me and comments sent to this blog. Our son-in-law, Matt, has taken some wonderful photos of Baxter and Lyle sending their best wishes, and Baxter has created great drawings for his Papa's room as well. Thanks to all of you who have sent Bob your messages of good cheer.

Friday Update

I was in to visit my father this afternoon for a while. My mom has come down with a mild cold and therefore is not supposed to visit this particular hospital floor. We hope that with some rest she will be back in action very soon; it is difficult for her not to be there, but we don't want my father (or anyone else on his floor, for that matter) to pick up a virus.

Dad was in good spirits, still not in pain, and had been up walking again this morning with the physical therapist. He reported that he'd been sitting up in his chair again for most of the morning! This is quite remarkable. While I was there, what we expected to be a quiet afternoon became much busier...Dad had volunteered to allow a 1st year med student to interview him; this was going to involve a case history and a brief physical exam. The young man expected he'd be with Dad for an hour. I thought that was quite generous of my father, but we would expect that, wouldn't we? While he was involved in that, an occupational therapist came in to do her evaluation and she was very pleased with his balance and coordination. My favorite part of that exam was when she said in front of him that it should go quickly because he was so "high-functioning". I noted that - at least most of the time - his family would agree. What a strange thing to say in front of someone, but I suppose those terms are used differently in my line of work.

The days are going by slowly for my father, but the television has been his best distraction. Unfortunately, when he tries to read novels or magazines, he falls asleep. He was excited to read all the blog posts and your comments that I left him with, however.

I'll be going back later this afternoon and will keep you posted!

Some Basics

We appreciate your blog comments and the emails you send to us (we can't get at the ones sent to my father yet), and we will print new ones on a daily basis to bring to the hospital, so keep them coming!

Some of you have asked exactly where he is and if he can have visitors. Dad is at Stanford Medical Center in Palo Alto and will probably be there until mid-to-late next week. He is in Unit D, which is an Intermediate Intensive Care unit where they place patients who have had major surgery but no longer need individual, round-the-clock care. It is too soon for him to have visitors, he's not up for that yet. We will be sure to let you know when he is able to see you; it is likely to be when he is back at home.

Delighted Once Again

Bob and Jordan 5/22/07

Bob has often surprised and delighted me with something new and interesting when we'd meet up at the end of a day or maybe lingering over breakfast on the weekend: an interesting experience, person or place he had encountered or a new idea or insight that we'd talk over for hours or just simply something unexpected.

Two days ago it was his response to my suggestion that he might get a shorter haircut before his surgery. Here you see the result! I must admit that I haven't seen this look on him since he returned from two years in the military in 1966. I imagine that by the time you see him again he will have abandoned this "new look" but you never know what Bob may do next. That's always been the fun of sharing a life with this wonderful man.

This morning he again surprised Jordan and me when we arrived at the ICU at Stanford. He had improved significantly overnight, and had already made one attempt at sitting up and then standing next to his bed. We were, of course, delighted.

So, as his nurse so aptly commented, he decided to show off for the ladies and repeated it - only this time he walked out of the room into the hallway and back again and sat in a chair for the next two and a half hours. This is not an easy feat after a major surgery 24 hours earlier, but he did it with style. Walking with a nurse on either side (one 8.9 months pregnant) and two poles full of all sorts of attachments, he looked like a cross between a medical miracle and traveling peddler.

It was a great show and we were totally delighted - once again.

More Bob Photos

with Sharon and grandson Baxter:

with mother Shirley:

with son Josh:

with grandson Lyle:

Notes from California

I have written a post about my father's surgery today over on my blog, The Wonderwheel. It is more about my own experience and thoughts, so I didn't feel comfortable posting it on my father's blog, but if you are interested, feel free to read it here.

Bob & Family circa 1976

You only think you know my Dad. I mean, the real Bob. But you can't really say you know Bob Sadler until you've seen the best Sadler family photo ever (dig it!) -

Wow!

My mother and I returned to visit my father in Intensive Care tonight, bracing ourselves for more of what we saw this afternoon. Instead, we found Dad with his bed raised up, watching Jim Lehrer and surrounded by one of today's surgeons and his entourage of residents. He greeted us, and was able to talk to us for about half an hour before fatigue set in again. True to her word, the nurse had helped bring his pain down to a "3" from an "8" and this had made a world of difference. He said that the biggest discomfort tonight is his dry mouth, which unfortunately will dog him for 5 more days. The nurse was letting him swab his mouth tonight, though; guess she's a softie since she told us earlier that he probably shouldn't have them. She jokingly referred to him as "King of the Swab". Dad really likes this nurse and we were so happy to learn that she was going to work overtime tonight and stay on until midnight.

My mother and I are feeling giddy with relief tonight. After the past 5 months and all the fears about today, it is such a good feeling that he's doing so well. For sure he's got a long way to go in his recovery, and the coming week will not be easy for him, but just the change in the past 4 hours has made us feel really positive about things.

Successful Surgery!

My father walked into Stanford Medical Center at 5:30 this morning with impressive determination and the eternal twinkle still present in his eye. He claims to have slept well, but we had to be up at 3:45 AM to get ready to go, so it was a short night. As he pointed out, though, he would be getting an awful lot of rest in the coming weeks.

He was in surgery from 7:30 AM to 12:45 PM today with two phenomenal surgeons. Mom and I were able to get updates through hospital volunteers, so we knew when the first surgery was completed and that things were going "well" throughout. Mom knitted, I read, we chatted, talked to family members, and went to a nearby shopping center for a bit to get some fresh air. Despite our methods of self-distraction, these were an incredibly long 5 hours.

Dr. Whyte, the Thoracic Oncology surgeon who was with my father for the duration of the surgery, met us in the waiting room at 12:45 to say that all had gone well. He noted with satisfaction that the chemo and radiation had done its job without leaving much scar tissue, and there had been no complications today. My father would be taken to the ICU for the night, as is standard procedure after such a major procedure.

We visited with my dad for a short while at about 1:30 PM, when he was first brought to the ICU. He was awake, and had more color in his face than we had anticipated. He is on oxygen and has a nasogastric tube in place. As is customary in Intensive Care, he has a nurse by his side at all times; this afternoon's nurse was kind and intelligent. She explained that since all of Dad's vitals are fine, her job is to help him manage the pain.

And, unfortunately, the pain today is considerable. He has an epidural in place and yet stated that on a scale of 0-10 his pain was registering as an "8". The nurse showed him how to give himself a boost in pain medication by pushing a button, but this had not taken effect by the time we left. She was calling a doctor to come in and increase the dosage going in through the epidural, and promised us that he'd be down to a "3" by the time we got back this evening. It was extremely difficult for us to see him in such pain, particularly knowing as we do that he is not a complainer; this pain is not minor.

It is going to be an arduous couple of weeks for my father. He will have an x-ray swallowing study on Monday in which they give him a trace amount of fluid and watch to be sure it follows the appropriate course through his body. There is no reason to believe that it won't, but until they do this procedure, he may not eat or drink at all. Yes, that's right: he must wait 5 days before even having a sip of water; no ice chips, no swabs. It is difficult to know at this point when he will come home, but the 7-10 day estimate seems appropriate.

We will go back this evening to visit again; there are brief visiting hours for family every two hours. We believe that he will feel better each day and that the pain we've seen him experience is as bad as it's going to get as they learn to adjust the medication properly.

The strain of the past five months has been tremendous on my parents, but they have risen to the occasion and shown incredible strength. They are a strong couple, but they couldn't have done it without you. We are all grateful for all of the love and support we have received from all of you, our family and friends. We are also overwhelmed with gratitude for the medical staff who has treated him.

My mother or I will continue to update this blog as frequently as there is news. If you would like to contact us directly in the next week, feel free to email us at either sharonsadler@earthlink.net or jordansadler@sbcglobal.net. We will print out any email messages (or comments on the blog) for my father, and bring them to the hospital. I expect to be here until Tuesday, May 29. In the meantime, I have selected some of my favorite photos of my father from over the years to share; and, truly, with some of them, this is the perfect time to showcase them because he isn't available to stop me!!

Today is the day...

It's 5:00 am and I'm off to Stanford in a few minutes. My surgery is scheduled to begin at 7:30 this morning. The first team will take about 90 minutes to get the tumor out and the next team will take another 3-4 hours to tie my esophagus back to my stomach.

The plan is to send me from the recovery room to the C unit. It is unlikely that I will need to spend time in the ICU but that sometimes happens. The surgery team is great. My preoperation tests were great. I feel great.

I got a very short haircut yesterday. How short? Well, think David Letterman. The last time it was this short I was headed for Vietnam in 1965. I guess I have a thing about short hair as the right fashion statement for major challenges.

I probably won't be in condition to add to this blog over the next 5 days at least. Jordan will fill in.

Thanks so much for the outpouring of prayers and good wishes. You've bolstered my spirit and my faith.

Almost There...

Tomorrow, I talk to the surgeon again about what he is going to do on Wednesday. Then, I go for some standard tests to get ready. I'm also, just to be on the safe side, going for a breathing test with my pulmonary specialist tomorrow afternoon. My heart rate, rhythm, and blood pressure have been ideal for the past four weeks since the cardiologist helped me with heart rate and rhythm in the hospital at the end of my radiation treatments.

I've managed to gain about 6 pounds back since the end of radiation/chemo. My new weight is just about right because I will lose another 10-15 pounds from the upcoming surgery. I should complete recovery at about the ideal weight for someone my height.

Best of all, I shot an 83 for 18 holes at Pacific Grove Municipal on Friday. That's my best ever score! I'm eager to recover and get back out before I forget what I did.

Feeling Great!

The past week was wonderful. I feel great! Sharon was able to spend most of the week with our daughter, son-in-law, and two grandsons. She is on a plane on her way back from Chicago this evening. I spent a few days with our son, Josh, at a retreat north of Napa valley. Then I spent the weekend in Pacific Grove. I was able to celebrate Mother's Day with my mother. I also played 36 holes of golf and walked the distance. Daniel and Dixie Dixon invited me to dinner on Sunday with friends and we spent the evening singing. My sister-in-law, Joyce and her husband had me to dinner last night. So, what could be better?

I spent the afternoon planning a second photography/painting workshop with Guy Magallanes. We collaborated on a very successful workshop which was held in Pacific Grove at the Asilomar Resort. We decided to hold another one early next year. Guy teaches watercolor painting and I teach photography. The workshop is Sunday through Friday and provides instruction to a wide range of levels.

I'm beginning to schedule work for August. My hope is to be back in action at least part time.

Sharon and I are headed to Pacific Grove tomorrow for one more good weekend before surgery. We will be back in San Carlos on Sunday to get ready for preop appointments next week. Our daughter, Jordan will arrive from Chicago on Tuesday and plans to stay a week.

I'm looking forward to finally getting on with this next step. Thanks, again, for all your thoughts and prayers. You have lifted my spiritual and emotional state to match a very strong physical state. I am optimistic that I will recover as quickly as possible from surgery. Hugs to you all!

Summer Is Here!

We've had a beautiful string of sunny, warm days in Pacific Grove. Everything has the shimmer of summer on it. The ocean shimmers. The trees shimmer. Even the monarch butterflies, which live here from October to May in three trees by the tens of thousands, shimmer.

My good friend, Kevin Woodson, came by for a day and we did some plein air watercolor painting. Well, actually, Kevin gave me a lesson in plein air watercolor painting. I did take some good photographs while absorbing 'the Woodson Method'.

Our remodeling project is mostly done and there are only one or two contractors here at a time now. Our home should be completely livable by the time we leave for the surgery date.

The surgery is still, somehow, academic. I'm feeling no anxiety or fear. At some point, I'll probably break out in a sweat, hives, or who knows what, but I'm enjoying the peace while it lasts.

I'm doing so well that Sharon is headed for Chicago on Wednesday for a week of visiting with our daughter, son-in-law, and two grandchildren.

I'm headed to Napa Valley for a few days to visit with our son.

We are both looking forward to some children time!

Again, I am overwhelmed with well wishing and prayer. I can't express how much your support has meant.