Pop

Some of you know, some of you don't. I spent most of the last two days in Lubbock with Pop. Pop had surgery on Saturday to remove, what I thought was one, but turned out to be two, cancerous growths in his colon. For anyone who doesn't know, Pop is my mom's father. One of the growths was the size of a softball. In the process, they also removed 27 lymph nodes, 3 were malignant.

Tuesday, I met all of his doctors, and late in the day, we met with the man that will be his oncologist, cancer doctor. He said that there is a 65% chance of a reoccourance without chemotherapy. But what surprised me is there is still a 30% chance if he does the chemo. They will have to modify the chemo if Pop decides to do it because he has a pacemaker and is 81 years old. So, that incredibly tough decision will be up to Pop, Granny, Mom, Ricky and Larry. I will support whatever decision they come to without question.

Better news is that Pop is progressing in his recovery. He needs to walk to get his bowels moving, so he can get off of his current liquid diet. The surgeon removed a 12"-18" chunk of his large intestine, or colon, and they are waiting until he passes gas to give him food. He walked once Monday, once Tuesday, and 3 times today, before I left at noon, so I feel like he will be eating again very soon. I bet he can't wait to get home to a nice meal that Granny will whip up for him.

On the lighter side, in true Pop form, after the Oncologist told him all about his options for chemo or not, and the percentages and everything else involved. Pop asks the cancer doctor, "My knee hurts, can you fix that?"!!!!! The doc took it well, ordered him a test for blood clots and found his way out. I'm sure Pop strained a muscle or something moving himself around in the bed, but what timing!

Anyway, thanks to Tanner and Jennifer for putting me up for the night and driving me back and forth to the hospital. I really do appreciate it, and sorry for not being able to turn off the water in the shower, what a moron I can be sometimes. It was good to see everyone that I got to see. Sorry it does not happen more often, but I'm glad that when I usually see you that it is not under these circumstances.

Pop and Granny, I LOVE YOU!! Get well soon!!

Jimmy

P.S. Tanner and Jennifer, how's the Pathfinder?

J