I am now 4 weeks post Ivor Lewis surgery - don't wish that on anyone. I've have Home Health PT, OT & a nurse come by weekly and they say I'm close to being discharged as I'm healing "wonderfully". I would disagree with that.

Lots of pain where my chest drainage tubes were. It's like having a gremlin growing out of my side. The site is very hard, tingling feeling from mid chest around my right side to to my back. Hurts like heck. The lung thing is an issue, not much success with the incentive spirometer and lots of dry coughing-even talking is difficult. Still on feeding tube and at last weeks "3 week follow-up" they wanted me to replace my nutrition cartons with real food. Not sure how I'm gonna get my calories and protein at the levels they want in the next 3 weeks, but I'll try like a dickens if it means this feeding tube gets removed. I had 3 IVs blow in my arm (2 in left & 1 in right) still suffering from that: blood cot and nerve damage causing sharp pains down my left side (arm, hip and calf).

Hygiene is an issue. The AquaGuard sheets to cover my J-tube just do not work, even bought some on-line, so no shower but am "bathing". Would love a hot shower.

My lovely wife has been nothing short of a miracle, helping me with my daily meds, feedings early on & flushing, changing dressing, and just about everything else. So thankful for her. God Bless all you care takers out there, its a lot, I know.