Trial and error

That's the first week of January consigned to history. Linda was here for several hours every day and took great delight in beating me 5-1 at Scrabble. As I write (just after 2 in the afternoon), she is on her way to the airport to fly home. She said she would probably come over again sometime in February.

I might well be home by then. After a long spell of observation with nothing much happening, I was wheeled downstairs for a video x-ray (I didn't know there were such things) of me trying to swallow colour-contrasted liquid. The aim was to capture exactly what happens on video and then for the three main players (those in charge of gastroenterology, visceral surgery and ear-nose-throat) to sit together and analyse exactly what was happening and what to do about it.

The outcome was that the entrance to the new "oesophagus" was very tight. They have now widened it to a certain extent and will do that again two or three times. Then a decision was made to stitch back the nerve at one of the two vocal chords. That nerve is not performing so the vocal chords are permanently locked together which means I can't breathe through them. Now, by stitching back one side, I should be able to breathe and swallow more normally. In fact, if the attempt is successful, it might even mean that I can do without the cannula which would be wonderful.

The strategy is now defined. For the next 2 months, the doctors are going to try every possible way of solving the eating/drinking/speaking problems by conservative means. The stitching back of the nerve described above is a start. That operation (which should take no longer than an hour) is scheduled for next Tuesday. If it works, it will be great. If not, they will try something else. After two months, if nothing has been properly solved, they will then go for the drastic solution - removal of the larynx.

So things are moving. I won't have to stay in hospital for the next two months. As long as there is no further danger of suffocation, I will probably be released and then treatment will continue on an out-patients basis.

Whatever happens, recovery will take many weeks. I have to live with that but am hoping that I will be fit and be able to eat, drink and possibly speak normally by 13th September, which is my son Peter's wedding day. That's the target.