01-31-2011

Oh boy, this one hurt and hurt bad. I don't think the gas was strong enough or something. I felt the stitches go in. Next time, for the rest, I will get knocked out. It is just now beginning to stop bleeding at 1pm from about 10am.  I kind of expected it would hurt since it was the lower bottom front teeth. I am so tired of pain.

  Kaden is still very sick. Matt and Misty have taken him to Children's Hospital in Knoxville, baby went with them. Josh and BB are coming back here when school lets out and I'll watch them for them. Misty was concerned at first since I'm down a bit but their company will take my mind off the pain. I love those kids.

  Denise made Megan go to school and now that she is there the nurse called. Megan isn't running a fever but she is still coughing and very weak. I don't think I can make that drive right now and with the pain pills I'm not sure it would be safe, so she is stuck. I suspect since Denise is sick too she done a little displacement anger or bad judgment call on Megan's behalf. I have lots of Vit D but nobody is willing to take it. I should have been the first one down, so I think that was what made the difference.

  I've had a few people suggest having questions about my NDE on  Beyond & Back in a special place so others could read the questions and answers in one place. So while I'm just setting around, I thought I'd try something new, but only if people like it. I can do it any way you all want to. Please give me your input on which is best to do either here or my email. Here is a board I've created.
http://anthonykimbroughbeyondandbackquestion.blogspot.com

This is good. 


 

01-28-11

Well, Megan has the flu, confirmed yesterday. I visited Misty & Matt and baby and Little Man both have something that looks what Megan has. Denise tells me to stay away from Megan, yet I'm the one who took her to the doctor. Guess I could have rode her in the bed of the truck in the cold, lol. She seems a bit better, this is day 3. Schindler also wanted to know if I would take anything. He mentioned Tamiflu, out of the question. I have enough neurological damage now. I've hit Vit D & C hard though.

  I woke up this morning with a sore throat but no fever. Hoping I just snored all night long. Teeth come out Monday... oh boy.

01-24-2011

Oh yea, I got teeth... well sorta. Dr Steltzman made me plastic teeth, a bridge to go over the 6 left in the lower front. Tickled me so much I stopped by and showed mom, then Cindy, Shelly, and Linda at Easy Inn, then Misty & Matt. I wanted to show Denise but they were busy yesterday at the office and I didn't want to get her in trouble. I go Monday to get the lower teeth pulled and then hopefully to get the temporary bridge put back on until my partial comes in, or that is how I'm hoping it will go anyway. Dr Boyd will make that determination though. The teeth aren't cheap but I'm fortunate to have two good doctors on that since most are afraid to work on someone who has had radiation in that area. Both of them have a great crew too that work for them. That makes a big difference.

  I got a price for the whole thing, uppers and lowers, two caps plus repair, and for now since we have to meet deductibles all over again, plus the medicine costs, and the tests, and everyday living expenses... I'm going to wait on the upper plate and extractions. All of this has been costly and so far we've been able to pay as we went and I still want to do it that way. Plus I want to know the throat cancer is gone, if not, it would be a waste of money. That would be money spent better on other things since I know of no use dentures have. I don't think anybody else could use them. But for now... I have front teeth again. Oh yeaaaa. :)

     

01-20-2011

Went to Knoxville today with Misty. Man that was fun. That is the first time just me and her have went anywhere in years. I forgot just how much fun we have together. We talked all the way to Sams and all the way back. God I needed that. Brandon (BB) came back today and we chatted. He is so funny and so smart. I got the shelving rack system, put it together and sorted the can foods. Found some that had went out of date so tomorrow they get tossed. I think actually though I'll empty them out in the garden first, then bag the cans and let Mark have them.

   I got the DVDs in, as promised of the show. They weren't complete but the thought was extremely nice. So thank you to Mary in New Zealand. Too cool.

Setting here tonight, I had to try just one piece of candy, big mistake. I have to eat on the left side and another tooth just snapped off. Little to no pain involved but right in the front again. Makes me want to just scream. One thing's for sure, I can now breathe quicker, even with my lips back and remaining teeth toughing, lol. It just snapped. How does that happen in life? I did notice since the back one was pulled my sinuses cleared up a bit and actually it had gotten so bad that I think it hurts less. Pretty much no pain all day. Worse part is, I'm getting use to it now. The back saliva glands are trying to work too for a change, now they start, lol.  

01-19-2011

  This has turned out good. All that worry was for nothing. Took pain meds yesterday, today none. A minor discomfort is all, I've had pain, and this ain't it. Now, if I can just keep the socket from going dry. I found a cool video that appealed to me, but I'm a dog person. This is a great, inspiring story. My dogs are like my kids are, they don't pay any attention to me, lol.

01-18-2011

Had the first tooth extracted today. It wasn't as bad as I thought, then again, they are great there. I even took mom's trash off today, but I've stayed inside and played on the computer and chilled. I've taken the pain medicine so far like I'm suppose to, so far. I forgot just how bad I hate feeling like this so I think that last pill was the last one. This ain't bad. I let the last pill run pretty much out to test the waters. I got this. It will be, at least by tomorrow, a minor inconvenience as far as pain goes. Now, if I can just keep my tongue out of it, lol.

  It was great seeing and cutting up with Dr Boyd and all the girls there. I miss pestering them. 7 years I delivered that area and to them. If you all are reading this. Thanks. Unfortunately, I'll be back soon, at least for the bottom ones. Then again, I'll be back for Sidney to check on it. Sometimes I think I'm practicing for senility, lol.  I gotta give Denise that appointment card so she will remind me.  

01-16-2011

Well today I pay for yesterday's activity of shopping, but it was worth every minute. :) I learned that little sign. I fed the cows today and watered the plants in the sunroom so that tomorrow I can be ready for Tuesday. 8 calves now, we've lost 3 from the bitter cold, but I'm glad to see 8 have made it. Funny how after all of this I fear a dentist, lol. I know I'll be in good hands. Dr Boyd has called Dr Rathfoot to check about the medicine he has me on and it is ok. He talked the last time with Dr Panella and Dr Green. I don't think I'll need Hyberbaric Oxygen this time, thank God for that.

  I got 6 weeks before a decision is made about what to do if my throat don't respond and so I'm having second thoughts on the teeth extraction thing all at once, especially so close to the same date. Then it keeps going over in my mind about what if it's not gone, it would be a waste of money and more pain. I know the bottom has to be done, I hate missing a front tooth and it is already getting painful, but nothing I can't handle.

  Not sure why, maybe the rain, maybe the stress, but the neuropathy has been bad the last few days and the other cancer is going wild. The hissing in my ears has taken some of my hearing away, I thought that would be gone by now, maybe it will leave later. I've found that Megan's closed caption has come in handy. I can't imagine how she does what she does, reading faces, captions, lips, expressions... all at once.

  Not sure if it is spasms but piercing pain hits my kidneys occasionally, they have since the chemo. I wonder sometimes if I should put down the aftermath and what seems like ungrateful concerns. Then again, maybe some reading this is in the same boat, and it may help them to feel normal. Whatever normal is these days. Tomorrow I have some errands to run in the final prep. When I was younger I'd not have thought twice about pulling a tooth. These days though it doesn't take a lot to halt things. I may not be affected much by the extraction, but I'm taking precautions buy getting what needs to be done done. The up side is that I need to loose some weight. I really need to find a diet other than the way I've been doing it, lol. 

01-16-2011

Well, I had told some family and friends that it would be back on at 9:00 pm, est on the Bio Channel, I was wrong. The show we're on comes on again at 11:00 pm, est. I did find a link though to the whole show. Now It I can get it to work, lol.

http://www.biography.com/video.do?name=isurvivedbeyondandback&bcpid=676177651001&bckey=AQ~~,AAAAAELG4_Y~…

01-11-11

First an most importantly,

Happy Birthday Brandon (aka BB) Big number 9

Me and Denise went to my appointment for a follow-up with Dr Rathfoot at UT. He ran the scope again and looked at my throat. My sinuses were infected and we both remembered which side is obstructed, the left, so he went in the right side of my nose. Funny, he had to remind me to swallow. He saw no cancer from the visual and the vocal cords looked better. There is still a lot of swelling on the left side, the cancer was on the right. Due to the swelling it has my swallowing and breathing slightly obstructed. He gave me Cipro for the sinus infection and I'm to continue the Prednisone for 6 more weeks. If it hasn't improved he will look at either injections or maybe stretching the throat or cleaning it out. His main concern was that it stays open enough to breath and swallow. I think that is right. Having Rathfoot, Panella, and Green as doctors is nothing short of a miracle.

  I told him about my teeth and he said that was common. He also talked about Hyperbaric Oxygen as a treatment again, I hope not. I'll do what he says though as I have 100% confidence in what he says. He takes his time to check and to make sure we know what he thinks and is talking about. Denise often understands more of what is said than I do, but I get the jest of it and what I lack Denise tells me.  I feel a little more comfortable with having the work done. It worried me that we would spend this money for nothing as I don't think anybody could use the teeth that are made, and it would be enough for a decent casket. 

  While I'm not happy about my teeth I am slowly accepting it. There again, I have confidence in my Dentist as well. I also have confidence in Dr Boyd in taking them out. My teeth are one of those things I prayed about but sometimes the answer was no. I don't like it but I will accept it, like I have a choice, lol. So tomorrow the first one comes out. I filled the feed can at the chickens and opened the new cat food at the garage, readied the next bag of feed for Jack. That way tomorrow when I feed it will all be ready. 

  Tonight though, we celebrate BB's 9th birthday. We have 2 BB's in the family now, my cousin and my grandkid.  

Beyond & Back Show

I thought about dating this but it would have to have tomorrow's date. We sat and watched the TV show Beyond and Back on the Biography Channel. It is here on the web, well, it will be here eventually, lol.
http://www.biography.com/video.do?name=isurvivedbeyondandback

The show turned out extremely well. I've had a lot of people already email, post comment on the blog and Facebook me messages telling me they enjoyed it. Chris, Supryia, and Alex.. plus the ones at the Bio Channel have done an excellent job. as we watched I heard sniffles, looked over and Denise was crying. She cried almost all through her interview which lasted from about 9-12. The first thing she noticed was that she had cried her makeup off and her face was puffy, lol. Personally, I thought she looked good. I aired with Dea and Matt. I haven't spoken with Matt but Dea is a nice lady. She write a book she sent to me, a very good book I must say.

 If the events in my life have changed even one person, helped one person... then it is all worth it. That would make my life have meaning and it will be a life worth living. I will be truly blessed. Already I have heard from some that have said they liked the show. Already I have made new friends. And that is what life is about, the wealth you can take with you. Love, Honesty, Compassion, Forgiveness, Faith, Friendship.

  Thank you to all of you who have commented. May God bless you and keep you from harm. But when and if harm comes, may He have reminders shown to you that no matter what happens, you are not alone unless you choose to be. May God keep it in your heart and mind that you count, you matter, and because of that, you are counted on.
God Bless and Keep You,
Anthony

01-09-2011

  Today is another day, lol. I had a bad abscess that came on my gum, maybe from cleaning, maybe not, who knows. It has finally gotten big enough to burst and actually feels so much better. I'm adjusting to the no teeth thing. I don't like it but then again Ive experienced a lot I really didn't like in the last 2 years, so I'll get use to it.  One thing is sure, if Denise ever threatens to slap my teeth out, I can always hide the jar. :)


  Tonight on the Biography Channel's I Survived Beyond and Back, me and Denise air. I think at 10PM, est. Boy do I ever look different now, lol. Denise says I'm a fuzzy, snaggle toothed woolie booger, she left out the word fat.

  Tomorrow we see if the Prednisone is working I've been on for what seems an eternity. It doesn't feel like it has. I think the constant sinus and bronchitis have set it back a bit. Not sure if that will effect the scope up the nose, I think not. The other drug they injected in surgery last time, they are suppose to be able to inject from the outside now. If they do I hope they knock me out first, or at least dope me up where I won't know better, lol. While it may be wrong, I picture the shot like the shots in the shoulder or knee.      

01-06-2011

  I went for a cleaning and plan today to the dentist. It was good to see my old friends at Morristown Dental Center again. Denise had me ask for a neck shield for the X-Rays and so I shielded my throat from them. It did not go well. I kind of knew in the back of my mind what would turn out but secretly prayed it would be better than I thought. It wasn't. The lack of saliva is hard on keeping teeth, and mine have never been good teeth anyway. The chemo probably didn't help the matter anyway on the gums as they are in very bad shape, but I'm guessing on that one.

  While he said he would do whatever I wanted, he was honest when I asked his opinion. That is one thing I really like about Dr Stelzman, he is sincere and honest, plus one of the best in the field. Dr Campbell was too when I saw her back right after the chemo, but she is facing some surgery, so I'm not taking anything from her. I know the team and Dr Stelzman from delivering to them for years, plus I went to them as a patient for many years. I trust him and the ladies there.

  The treatment recommended is to pull all but 2, maybe 3 teeth teeth on the bottom, no guarantees if they will be saved. If he can save two of them he can make a partial, which he says is better than a full plate for using. I've heard that from may people. He says that it will be hard even then to keep them. Dr Sidney Boyd is who will extract them, most excellent in his field. We start Tuesday with the remaining back tooth first. Then, after it heals enough, we see if any can be saved of the 5 remaining teeth on the bottom. Make the impressions and then have them pulled. That equates to more pain. I'm so over pain. I deal with it on a daily basis, but it is always tolerable without using meds. Then I think it will be a month of without teeth. I talked to mark tonight. He says the worry is worse than it is and after a slight period of getting use to them and how to eat with them, I'd probably be better off.

  He said that he would have like to have seen me before the radiation started. Before the chemo I had restricted airways, after the chemo I stayed was so sick. I'm tired of the fight, I grow weary. It seems that it will never end. But, I'll rock up eventually. Then I will see what it costs and what I can afford, which I know it will be a lot of money. Our Dental insurance sucks. How to get the money is the great question and how long I have to get it. Right know, I haven't a clue as to what it will cost. So far, the savings we had are gone, but we've kept everybody paid up. Now the year starts again, only the savings is about depleted.

  Note to God: I need a break now.

0102-2011

  This is actually for Sunday. I caved in and went to the ER, seemed the only way to satisfy Denise, plus I wasn't any better. She took me to Morristown Hamblen Hospital, at first with the events of dad I strongly said no, but I'm glad went went. Turn around was actually quick. The PA was nice and knowledgeable, the nurse and the X-ray tech were too. This trip was more like I remembered from the heart attack in 05, extremely impressive.

   I got lucky. The X-Ray showed no pneumonia but Acute Bronchitis. I have to taken Leviquin (spelling) for 7 days and use an inhalator every 4 hours. Denise said probably a combination of cleaning moldy cement in the basement but mostly from the Vitamin D pills getting stuck and dissolving in my throat. The ones I have are small pills and anything too small is prone to getting stuck or going up my nasal passages. The stuffy nose hasn't been much help and seemed to start about the same time. A Nettie Pot is what I use for sinuses. Dr Rathfoot even likes those. If snot was worth anything I'd be the next billionaire. So I ran in the New Year again sick, slept most of the day but nowhere near last New Year when this one seemed to be unattainable.

  Tomorrow I have to feed the cows. Probably not good but something that has to be done, plus Denise has fed now for me everyday and Jack misses me, lol.  

New Year 2011

 Whew, I made it. I did though shortly after bragging how good I can swallow get some Vitamin D capsules stuck and couldn't dislodge them. So much for bragging, lol. I woke up yesterday with a serious lung infection. Denise says I have pneumonia due to aspiration. I've ran a fever and for whatever reason can't see to clear my lungs. So if I wait until Monday I can see a doctor, not really keen on ERs. Denise has had to feed for me, I hate that since this the last of her vacation. Plus I kinda like doing that myself.

   At any rate, Happy New Year.