In his own words

December 8, 2005.

Greetings all,

Leave it to Kemer to find a way to reach you over cyberspace without a computer! He typed the following message into his PDA, one letter at a time. Now that's impressive! Sadly, as I left Kemer tonight, he was still awaiting those wonderful two words, "ice chips," to magically appear on his medical chart in the form of a doctor's order. Surely, his surgeon must know the angst Kemer suffers while he himself heads home to a loving wife and dinner. Ah, but wait, I have the answer. The surgeon plans to hand deliver those precious ice chips in a silver goblet while accompanied by six scantilly clad beauties all dancing to an exotic tune and throwing rose petals around the room. Of course. He wouldn't have it any other way!
Aletha

Now Swallow This...

The great moment of truth in the transhiatal esophagectomy is in the swallow test. Now that the surgeon has sliced off all but a fraction of the esophagus, stretched out and slimmed up the stomach and then sewed it all back together, it is given almost a week to knit together. You then need to know if it leaks--or not.Most leaks are not too serious, they just mean several more days in the hospital and then another swallow test.

Oh, did I mention that from the day before the operation until you pass the swallow test nothing passes your lips? Actually, it's not as bad as you may think, but I think I've lost a lot of weight in the last week: my skinny legs are complete strangers to me.

Today was my big day. Let's jump to the good news: I passed, and I'm in bed dreaming of the doctor's imminent orders: Kemer shalt suck on ice chips, perhaps moving to real fluids tomorrow! Greater ambosia there is not, at least at this time!

The test itself was facinating. I assume that radiologists are considered strange by their fellow doctors--funny gnomes who live down in the cavern, worshipping giant machines, but I have considered myself more like them. They have always seemed genuinely enthusiastic, and today's proved to be so. He allowed Aletha to stay and watch. Right now she has a pretty good idea of where my newly reorganized organs are.

I, on the other hand, got to drink some magic concoction that tasted like chocolate run through a gerbil's digestive system; that good! That's okay: it was over soon and I know those ice chips will be sent over any minute now—in a silver goblet!