Sunday, June 17, 2007
Happy Father's Day!
Hey everybody! Well the time has finally come for me to go back to work. I am so thankful. I had my feeding tube taken out May 29. I can only eat half as much as I did before my cancer. I lost a total of 35 lbs. since January 17 that was the day of my surgery. I had my appointment with my chemo Dr. last week, he said my neck will be swollen for about another month and my tongue is still burning from the radiation. My tongue will heal in about 3 months. It has been a long hard road for Judy and I. I could not have made it through all of this without her by my side and family and friends and most of all Gods grace and the strength he has given me through all this. I will have a Pet- Scan July 27 to make sure that we stay on top of everything. I still have appointments with my surgeon in Baylor every 6 weeks for the first year. The company I work for gave me a brand new 2008 Peterbilt and trailer to start back to work with. I will have to take it slow for a little while till I get my strength back. I just want to thank each and every one of you for your calls, cards, prayers, and love you have shown us during this time. Happy Fathers Day to all you Dads out there!
This is Trailblazer signing off.
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Update From Robert
May 11, 2007
Friday
Hey everybody! Sorry it has been so long since my last log. Today is Friday May 11. I had my appointment with my radiation Dr. April 25, he told me everything looked like it is supposed to. I had begun to eat a little a week before my appointment but due to the swelling and soreness of my tongue I had to stop. He told me I would have to be eating 2 weeks on my own without my peg tube before I could have it removed and be showing a steady weight gain. My weight was 195 lbs. It is impossible to gain weight when your on nothing but liquid. He told me he really expected my weight to be a lot less than that so I actually was doing better that anticipated. He gave me another prescription for antibiotics for 7 days. My next appointment with him is May 16. Judy and I head to Dallas for my appointment with my surgeon Dr. Oxford May 8. The weekend before we leave I started eating again, it was a little difficult but at least I was trying. I went Saturday night and all day Sunday without using my tube, but when I got up Monday my neck was a little swollen. I thought well they told me it would swell from time to time because I don’t have any lymph nodes anymore so the fluids will have to find new routes out of my body. We leave Monday morning to go to Dallas and enjoy getting out and spending the night so it won’t be an all day drive Tuesday. We stop Monday in Sulphur Springs to eat lunch. We ate at Long John Silvers. I had 2 pieces of fish, 3 shrimp, 1 hush puppy, a few french fries, and a medium Root beer. It sure was good! I told Judy maybe tomorrow Dr. Oxford might o.k. for my tube to be taken out since I am eating pretty well. We stopped again in Greenville at TCBY and got ice cream, but then after that stop downhill from there. My neck started swelling and got hard as if I had swallowed a bag of concrete. It is really painful. So Monday night I had to go back to the tube what a disappointment. Got up Tuesday morning went to my appointment. Dr. Oxford said I had an infection in my neck, so he gave me a prescription for amoxicillin which is an antibiotic for 10 days. He said my tube may have to stay in for a little while longer. He showed Judy how my tongue was cooked by the radiation, it is still awfully sore. He said the radiation should be completely out of my body in another week or so. So today is May 11 and my neck is swollen and has fever in it and it really is painful. Hopefully the medicine will take care of it. Hope all you Mothers have a blessed Mothers Day !! Talk to ya’ll later.
Friday
Hey everybody! Sorry it has been so long since my last log. Today is Friday May 11. I had my appointment with my radiation Dr. April 25, he told me everything looked like it is supposed to. I had begun to eat a little a week before my appointment but due to the swelling and soreness of my tongue I had to stop. He told me I would have to be eating 2 weeks on my own without my peg tube before I could have it removed and be showing a steady weight gain. My weight was 195 lbs. It is impossible to gain weight when your on nothing but liquid. He told me he really expected my weight to be a lot less than that so I actually was doing better that anticipated. He gave me another prescription for antibiotics for 7 days. My next appointment with him is May 16. Judy and I head to Dallas for my appointment with my surgeon Dr. Oxford May 8. The weekend before we leave I started eating again, it was a little difficult but at least I was trying. I went Saturday night and all day Sunday without using my tube, but when I got up Monday my neck was a little swollen. I thought well they told me it would swell from time to time because I don’t have any lymph nodes anymore so the fluids will have to find new routes out of my body. We leave Monday morning to go to Dallas and enjoy getting out and spending the night so it won’t be an all day drive Tuesday. We stop Monday in Sulphur Springs to eat lunch. We ate at Long John Silvers. I had 2 pieces of fish, 3 shrimp, 1 hush puppy, a few french fries, and a medium Root beer. It sure was good! I told Judy maybe tomorrow Dr. Oxford might o.k. for my tube to be taken out since I am eating pretty well. We stopped again in Greenville at TCBY and got ice cream, but then after that stop downhill from there. My neck started swelling and got hard as if I had swallowed a bag of concrete. It is really painful. So Monday night I had to go back to the tube what a disappointment. Got up Tuesday morning went to my appointment. Dr. Oxford said I had an infection in my neck, so he gave me a prescription for amoxicillin which is an antibiotic for 10 days. He said my tube may have to stay in for a little while longer. He showed Judy how my tongue was cooked by the radiation, it is still awfully sore. He said the radiation should be completely out of my body in another week or so. So today is May 11 and my neck is swollen and has fever in it and it really is painful. Hopefully the medicine will take care of it. Hope all you Mothers have a blessed Mothers Day !! Talk to ya’ll later.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Robert's First Meal!
The day has finally come. It has been a very long road, but Robert can now eat and swallow a little bit. Some of our Beavers Bend friends brought us Baked chicken, green beans, mashed potato’s, pecan pie and bread. Well Robert fixed him a plate and between tears he is able to get some down. He said he forgot how good chicken tasted. He has drank about 32 ounces of tea also. What a happy day in the Goodner residence this is. I can not tell you how good it looks to actually see Robert eating. Many prayers have been answered today. Wanted to share the news with you as soon as possible. Ya’ll have a great weekend we will for sure……
Love,
Judy and Robert
Love,
Judy and Robert
Friday, April 20, 2007
Message From Robert
April 19 2007
Thursday
I just wanted to update a little, I know it’s been about 3 weeks since my last update but my mouth has been so sore I haven’t felt like doing much. My left side where the radiation was concentrated most is still swollen and it really hurts. My throat feels like as if you would have a bad case of strep throat, but now I have started to be able to swallow my saliva and it really is uncomfortable. I try everyday to swallow water, tea but my throat is just not ready yet. I am very thankful that I am not going to get dry mouth. My radiation Dr. said when you contract dry mouth it usually takes up close to a year for your saliva to return. I go back to Paris next Wednesday for my radiation Dr. wants to check and see if I am still hydrating myself properly. That is the most important thing you have to stay on top of is hydration. Believe me I know from experience. I have put more Gatorade and water through my feeding tube than the law should allow. I pray everyday maybe in the next coming weeks I will be able to swallow and start trying to eat a little. You don’t know what it’s like when it’s taken away from you. I told Judy when we get to go out to eat it’s going to take a little longer because I am going to be thankful for every bite I take!! The following week I go back to Baylor for Dr. Oxford to run a camera down the back of my throat to check and see if the radiation got everything. After that I go back every 6 weeks for a year and get a CT SCAN to make sure I am clear of Cancer. Then the second year it’s every 3 months. I want to thank everybody for your prayers, calls, cards, your comments on the blog, it really means a lot to me. Most of all I give God thanks for giving me the strength and direction to get through this setback in my life!! I will post again soon. See ya’ll later.
Thursday
I just wanted to update a little, I know it’s been about 3 weeks since my last update but my mouth has been so sore I haven’t felt like doing much. My left side where the radiation was concentrated most is still swollen and it really hurts. My throat feels like as if you would have a bad case of strep throat, but now I have started to be able to swallow my saliva and it really is uncomfortable. I try everyday to swallow water, tea but my throat is just not ready yet. I am very thankful that I am not going to get dry mouth. My radiation Dr. said when you contract dry mouth it usually takes up close to a year for your saliva to return. I go back to Paris next Wednesday for my radiation Dr. wants to check and see if I am still hydrating myself properly. That is the most important thing you have to stay on top of is hydration. Believe me I know from experience. I have put more Gatorade and water through my feeding tube than the law should allow. I pray everyday maybe in the next coming weeks I will be able to swallow and start trying to eat a little. You don’t know what it’s like when it’s taken away from you. I told Judy when we get to go out to eat it’s going to take a little longer because I am going to be thankful for every bite I take!! The following week I go back to Baylor for Dr. Oxford to run a camera down the back of my throat to check and see if the radiation got everything. After that I go back every 6 weeks for a year and get a CT SCAN to make sure I am clear of Cancer. Then the second year it’s every 3 months. I want to thank everybody for your prayers, calls, cards, your comments on the blog, it really means a lot to me. Most of all I give God thanks for giving me the strength and direction to get through this setback in my life!! I will post again soon. See ya’ll later.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
April 15, 2007
Sunday
Well it has been just a little over 2 weeks since Robert’s last radiation treatment. Robert’s face is completely healed, he has no more sores on the outside of his face and his skin is a pink color. Robert now has a wisdom tooth trying to come through on his left side, where most of the radiation was concentrated. We talked to my Uncle Gary who is a dentist and he told Robert to gargle with warm salt water and take his pain medicine and he can use an ice pack until we can talk to the doctor. I called the radiation doctor and they said Robert can not have any dental work done for 6 months, so we are hoping that tooth will not give him much trouble. Robert has good days and bad days, but more good than bad now. He still has to take pain medicine on a regular basis and still can not swallow due to the pain in his throat, but he tries everyday. He wants to be able to drink or eat anything so bad. He will try to drink tea or have a popsicle, but his throat is still not ready. He is much closer to being able to swallow than he was a couple of weeks ago, so I know after a couple more weeks he will be eating everything in sight. I can’t wait for that day. Thanks again to all for your thoughts, prayers and encouraging words.
Judy and Robert
Sunday
Well it has been just a little over 2 weeks since Robert’s last radiation treatment. Robert’s face is completely healed, he has no more sores on the outside of his face and his skin is a pink color. Robert now has a wisdom tooth trying to come through on his left side, where most of the radiation was concentrated. We talked to my Uncle Gary who is a dentist and he told Robert to gargle with warm salt water and take his pain medicine and he can use an ice pack until we can talk to the doctor. I called the radiation doctor and they said Robert can not have any dental work done for 6 months, so we are hoping that tooth will not give him much trouble. Robert has good days and bad days, but more good than bad now. He still has to take pain medicine on a regular basis and still can not swallow due to the pain in his throat, but he tries everyday. He wants to be able to drink or eat anything so bad. He will try to drink tea or have a popsicle, but his throat is still not ready. He is much closer to being able to swallow than he was a couple of weeks ago, so I know after a couple more weeks he will be eating everything in sight. I can’t wait for that day. Thanks again to all for your thoughts, prayers and encouraging words.
Judy and Robert
Friday, March 30, 2007
Hallelujah Robert Has Rung the Bell!!
Ringing the Bells
Proud Graduate
No More Mask
March 30, 2007
Friday
Well treatments are over!! Robert had his last radiation treatment Wednesday. At Paris Cancer Treatment Center they have a bell you ring after your last treatment. Robert told Dr. Kerley when he saw him Monday that he better be sure and wear his ear plugs because he was going to get down on that bell. And let me tell you he did, it was so good to see him ringing that bell, they heard the bell all over the building. Dr. Kerley told Robert he would continue to get worse before he gets better. The radiation will continue to burn him. The radiation burns from the inside out. When the doctors and staff would tell Robert he would have pain, they were not stretching the truth. Robert is in constant pain now. As you could tell by the previous pictures Robert’s face is really burned. He does not complain about his face, he just complains about the inside of his mouth and throat. I think Robert is a little discouraged now, he was thinking when he woke up Thursday morning he would already feel better. He had hopes of being able to go back to work by his birthday which is April 18th. Robert still has a long recovery and I hope and pray God gives him the strength to stay positive and see the light at the end of the tunnel. We can not tell you how much your comments have helped us and please continue to let Robert hear from each and everyone. It helps more than you realize. Robert does not talk much, probably does not say more than 10 words a day, but looks forward to reading the blog. If anyone wants to send Robert a personal email and does not feel comfortable leaving comments on the blog please do so. You can email him at judygood@pine-net.com. Robert got his first ecard from Sandi the other day and thought that was the coolest thing. Thanks again for your prayers and thoughts.
Judy
Friday
Well treatments are over!! Robert had his last radiation treatment Wednesday. At Paris Cancer Treatment Center they have a bell you ring after your last treatment. Robert told Dr. Kerley when he saw him Monday that he better be sure and wear his ear plugs because he was going to get down on that bell. And let me tell you he did, it was so good to see him ringing that bell, they heard the bell all over the building. Dr. Kerley told Robert he would continue to get worse before he gets better. The radiation will continue to burn him. The radiation burns from the inside out. When the doctors and staff would tell Robert he would have pain, they were not stretching the truth. Robert is in constant pain now. As you could tell by the previous pictures Robert’s face is really burned. He does not complain about his face, he just complains about the inside of his mouth and throat. I think Robert is a little discouraged now, he was thinking when he woke up Thursday morning he would already feel better. He had hopes of being able to go back to work by his birthday which is April 18th. Robert still has a long recovery and I hope and pray God gives him the strength to stay positive and see the light at the end of the tunnel. We can not tell you how much your comments have helped us and please continue to let Robert hear from each and everyone. It helps more than you realize. Robert does not talk much, probably does not say more than 10 words a day, but looks forward to reading the blog. If anyone wants to send Robert a personal email and does not feel comfortable leaving comments on the blog please do so. You can email him at judygood@pine-net.com. Robert got his first ecard from Sandi the other day and thought that was the coolest thing. Thanks again for your prayers and thoughts.
Judy
Monday, March 26, 2007
Let's Say a Special Prayer
This is Robert's last week of treatment but as you can all see he is in tremendous pain not only from the burnt areas on his face and neck but also from the sores inside of his mouth. The pain for Robert is so tremendous that he is consistantly on liquid morphine and at times still finds the pain unbearable. Robert and Judy are almost done with this treatment but still are in need of healing prayers so let's all pray;
Lord Jesus Christ, by your patience in suffering you hallowed earthly pain and gave us the example of obedience to your Father's will: Be near me in my time of weakness and pain; sustain me by your grace, that my strength and courage may not fail; heal me according to your will; and help me always to believe that what happens to me here is of little account if you hold me in eternal life, my Lord and my God. Amen.
posted by LisaW
Lord Jesus Christ, by your patience in suffering you hallowed earthly pain and gave us the example of obedience to your Father's will: Be near me in my time of weakness and pain; sustain me by your grace, that my strength and courage may not fail; heal me according to your will; and help me always to believe that what happens to me here is of little account if you hold me in eternal life, my Lord and my God. Amen.
posted by LisaW
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