EGD and Family Fun

Monday we met with Dr. Vignesh, a GI Dr., to talk about why Gary was having so much trouble swallowing.  Dysphagia can be scar tissue or spasms caused by radiation.  We decided we needed to go down and take a look.  That procedure (an, EGD - Esophagogastroduodenoscopy) was scheduled for next week.

Finally we got to St. Pete for me to work and Gary to help paint and fix things.  Six hours later we were stuck in rush hour traffic that took us an hour to get home.  Yuck.  I hate traffic.

Tuesday was PUVA treatment and when Gary got home we went to our favorite Oriental Market for some nori so that Gary can make sushi.  Yum.  We need to find a good fish market for sushi as it is raw and must be fresh, fresh, fresh!  Google to the rescue!  We found a really cool place called "I C Sharks" on Gandy Blvd.  Can't wait to check that out!

Wednesday it was back to work, and a Dr. appt. at 2 pm.  Gary had to drive back to Moffit for that one alone.   This was the Dr. that would determine our length of stay here in Florida.  The big question was could he do something about his eyes.  At first the Dr. was not very keen, but he saw the dejected look on Gary's face, and offered to try electron beam therapy.  This is commonly used to treat skin cancers because it does not penetrate deep into the tissues.  I'm still a little anxious because he has had radiation done to those areas before, and the area that needs to be treated is right around his eyes.  He was warned that he won't have eyelashes or eyebrows ever again.  Who cares, right?  We can buy those somewhere, I'm sure.  We just want to get rid of the bad stuff. 

At the end of the appointment, the Dr. said they'd call us to schedule an appointment within the next two weeks to get fitted for his bolus (a mask to manage the treatment positioning) constructed by physicists and dosimetrists (ooo, new word). 

But we got a call on Thursday to schedule him for an earlier EGD on Friday at 8 am - yay!  Friday am came and we met so many nice people helping Gary get ready for this simple procedure.  They gave me a beeper and I had a cup of coffee that I just finished before it went off signaling that he was ready  in recovery.  He was alert and feeling fine.  The Dr. said he couldn't see anything that would cause his symptoms, and recommended another Dr. to investigate further.  Hmmm.

That afternoon, we drove over to St. Pete for a dinner with my daughter's family and my son, Tristan and his adorable girlfriend, Tracy.  Tristan said he didn't do very well on his The Voice audition, so I guess he won't be hearing from them.  Bummer.  Gary received a call to instructing him to show up on Monday and Tuesday for his "fitting".  Thank goodness we don't have to wait two weeks!  We had a great dinner, hung out until 10 and then headed out for our 45 minute drive home.  Universal Studios was mentioned before we left...

We slept in a little, but got a call at 8:30 to organize the troops for a trip to Universal.  Gary and I drove ourselves and enjoyed a Cinnabon and coffee before they got there.  Then the organization began.  Six kids were hungry, so we started our day at lunch:

Tracy

Henry waiting for his food

Then it was off to the races.  We split up, met up again, exchanged kids, split up, enjoyed the rides

Mom and Dad

Some wet bums

and sights and around 8 pm (the park closed at 8) we said our good byes.  Tristan and Tracy will be leaving for Miami on Sunday morning, and have invited us down next weekend to his house!  (We will not be taking Bella).   The forecast was for high winds and thunderstorms which moved in somewhere during the night.  It woke us up, but we didn't look at the clock. 

That brings us to today which was really windy, and cooler but I did all the wash and some paperwork.  Tomorrow it is back to work, but we need to leave a little early to make the three o'clock appointment. 

I'm afraid this blog is not very travel related, and practically turning into a medical journal.  Well, that is what is happening right now, so we deal with it the best we can.  Gary is seriously looking forward to some relief.  Here's hoping...