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Real Name: Steve E. Swenson Address: PO Bin 440 Bakersfield, Ca 93302 Cell: (395)736-7 Gender: male Date of Birth: January 03, 1949 Member Since: March 17, 2006 Last Signed In: September 30, 2009 Profile Views: 10866 Blog Views: 14986 Didn't catch any fish and Lopez Lake, but lots of fun anyway I feel oppressed, and out $33 Eating a burger in the shadow of Michelle Obama A must watch and pass on Lovey dovey on my patio Mexico trip rerouted to California -- oh yippee, skippy Met up today with an old cancer buddy The governator wants to tax golf???????? Took my love to Red Rock Canyon Ending fish plants in the Kern River???? June 06 July 06 August 06 September 06 October 06 November 06 December 06 January 07 February 07 March 07 April 07 May 07 June 07 July 07 August 07 September 07 October 07 November 07 December 07 January 08 February 08 March 08 April 08 May 08 June 08 July 08 August 08 September 08 October 08 November 08 December 08 January 09 February 09 March 09 April 09 May 09 June 09 July 09 August 09 September 09 October 09 November 09 
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I now have a cancer mask, a mark on my chest and a touching card
Wow. I'm gonna get stuff with this cancer treatment -- a mask, a taped mark on my chest, a reduction of my beard to a goatee and a stomach tube. These were some of goings on in my second visit to Dr. Dean Davis' office by Mercy Hospital as a follow up to the first visit that got interrupted by my trip to the ER for nine hours. We all had a good laugh. This little glob of cancer I have in my throat -- wife Mary says it looks like a white mushroom -- will likely be treated with radiation from Dr. Davis and chemotherapy from Dr. Anthony Ciarolla, who I will meet on Monday. The mask -- formed by heating a white netting of thermal plastic that's bordered by a blue piece of wood on three sides -- is intended to keep my head still so they zap the cancer and not, for example, my wagging tongue. A cheery therapist named Lorri, who says I have a perfect neck (for cancer treatment) and pretty blue eyes, fitted me with the mask. We will take a picture of it to show in future blogs. The nose looks a little witchy, but it will help me breathe better. Lorri became the first woman who ever shaved any of my chest hair. We will always that. It was to put a quarter-sized piece of clear tape on my chest to center me on the machines. There's other marks on the blue mask frame and I have shoulder braces to reduce any nervous wiggling. I got to lie down in a simulator and, later, a CAT scan with all this stuff to prepare me for the real thing. Dr. Davis answered some more questions for us. He noted that as the therapy goes on, it will be too painful to swallow food, and the passage way will be too small. So, a surgeon is going to poke a hole in my stomach and insert a rubber-type tube. We'll have a funnel system for Ensure or any other liquid type stuff to pump in my belly. I'm thinking since I won't be able to taste any of this gunk, I might as well put nutritional stuff in there, like liquid beets or turnips that I would never touch otherwise. The tube, which will have a plug, will be taped to my abdomen when not in use. This in and of itself won't stop me from playing golf, but the treatment process may make me too weak to do so. I'm thinking this stuff will be a heck-of-an excuse. He said I will also lose my beard on my right side. This actually concerns me because I've had this beard since 1974 when a very pretty girl named Susan told me to grow it. She hasn't given me permission to shave it off (though I haven't seen her much after the few dates we had) so it's been a fixture. I'm keeping the front of my beard because my chin looks funny. My boss, Davin, wants a video of me shaving off part of my beard. So we'll try to download that for everyone when the time comes. I'm beginning to feel like a freakish media event. But I'm writing all this to demystify this process. I'm lucky that we have an 85 to 95 percent chance of curing this cancer in a relatively short time. I have been very gratified by all the support I've received from family, co-workers, friends and people that don't even know me. But I have to tell you, I got a card in the mail that made me cry. I didn't recognize the return address. It was from Paige Knowles, a 10-year-old girl I met once on July 4 when she was running a lemonade stand by our church fireworks booth. I wrote about her because after sitting there for hours on several days in the summer heat, she donated her proceeds to the Jamison Children's Center. She said she and her family are going to pray for me. I have never been so deeply touched by such a young child.
19 comments from 14 users
1
posted by
sagefever
on Sep 22, 2007 at 06:18 PM
Steve~some kids are just so special ,eh? The tube,,that will be no fun, but not forever either. You are one of the most steady folks I've had the pleasure to "know",with a sense of humor,style and grace of your own. God Bless You and Yours.
posted by
dusty1215
on Sep 22, 2007 at 06:27 PM
Steve..when you explain it all..it does seem to demystify the process. Thank you for making your personal life so public.
posted by
possummomma
on Sep 22, 2007 at 06:29 PM
::hugs:: I don't know what else to say. posted by
NancyII
on Sep 22, 2007 at 06:42 PM
You're a very brave man Steve. Sharing your progress through all this is something a lot of folks couldn't do, and it's my sincere hope that by doing so it will relieve a little of the stress you may be feeling right now. Thank you for sharing...you must know how much we all care, and how we want to support you through this. I'll ask God to ease your way through the tubes and shavings and bald spots and such and I'll also ask him to make your golfing friends go easy on you the next time you play. After all, we know you could clean out their pockets if it wasn't for this little side trip. Your story about the little girl and her card reminded me of an older song we used to sing in church when I was a kid. "Jesus loves the little children, all the little children of the world." Bless 'em all...and you. posted by
dusty1215
on Sep 22, 2007 at 06:49 PM
Hey Nancy..now I got that song in my head..but I remember it from childhood too :) Isn't AllRed one of Steve's golfing buddies?
posted by
NancyII
on Sep 22, 2007 at 07:00 PM
I believe they've played a couple of rounds but maybe not for money. It's those wicked ones Steve regularly plays with that try to take his money...but I think he usually Doesn't it drive you nuts to get a song in your head and not be able to get it out. Especially if you don't know all the words and keep repeating the same few over and over? I used to work with a young gal who knew all kinds of old songs. One day she was humming "Jimmie Crack Corn And I Don't Care" when a customer turned to her and said "STOP IT !...now I'll have that stupid thing in my head all day." :-) posted by
dusty1215
on Sep 22, 2007 at 07:06 PM
Sometimes Nancy, it just takes someone mentioning a singers name and one of their songs will pop into my head. The other day I was reading something about Barry Manilow and one of his songs stuck in my head for the better part of the day. And I can't stand Barry Manilow music :PHope Steve takes them all to the cleaners if they play for money :P posted by
ChicoEsquela
on Sep 22, 2007 at 07:28 PM
I think you are taking a courageous and correct course in your treatment in that you are sharing it Some don't I did I think it is better for all concerned if you share it you will come across an entirely new group of friends with this new "journey" you are embarking on. Its been several years for me. I now have vets and cancer "vets" as friends... I now have friends who wheel their "chemo carts" (IV's) up to me when I go for treatment and its such a great thing to see some of those old farts that are still around. I worry about every single one of them. Some are vets. Korea and like me VN. It is so great to talk with them. We all bitch about the VA, our wars, politics, etc. then get on to what is important -- our trucks, kids, yokuts........ haha you think you have it bad until you are at Rommel Givens (great guy) who has set up his java cart for us at cancer center and some old fart comes up to me and says "Chico, donde esta frijole, caballo?" (where you bean, hoss?) we crack ourselves up.... its all we got.... He's had more tumors than me just in his brain. I begin to feel bad. Man, what was I feeling sorry about. This last guy was ecstatic becuase he didn't have anymore tumors in his brain (he had 5) or in his chest (he had 20) I was ashamed. I was reminded of the man with no feet parable. "I had no shoes, then I met the man with no........." posted by
randomfactor
on Sep 22, 2007 at 08:52 PM
Hang in there, Steve. You're in our thoughts. . Re: the stomach tube, you may wind up with two bellybuttons. Spouse #2 did (or would have, if the natural one hadn't been surgically removed.) posted by
blognroll
on Sep 22, 2007 at 09:28 PM
You are the only one who blogs here that I have actually met in person, and it was a great pleasure. You are a great person, and a great role model. If I were God, I would have dealt you a better hand. I'm not going to throw out any hackneyed cliches about all of this making you a stronger, better person, not because they are hackneyed cliches, but because it's hard to imagine picturing a person stronger and better than the person you are right now. I will not stop thinking about you and praying for you.
posted by
allRED
on Sep 23, 2007 at 12:08 PM
I HAVE BEEN QUITE ABOUT STEVE: I really like him but I haven't said anything about his condition. Of course I feel for anyone with health problems, I do HOPE it works out for the best. Ron. posted by
woofwoof
on Sep 23, 2007 at 03:03 PM
Steve, with you being able to share this so calmly, makes me believe you will get through this fine.
posted by
ChicoEsquela
on Sep 23, 2007 at 03:10 PM
a positive attitude certainly helps
posted by
OldBlue56
on Sep 23, 2007 at 05:15 PM
Steve, I'm not sure what style of putter you currently use, but since you are more than likely to beat this and be back on the links soon, why don't you ask the doc if he can place the stomach tube incision in the center if your stomach. Then, when it heals, you can switch to a belly putter, and have a nice, solid spot to anchor it in.
posted by
ChicoEsquela
on Sep 23, 2007 at 05:17 PM
the sheep jokes were good but...... ROTFLMAO!
posted by
mildmannered1
on Sep 23, 2007 at 05:43 PM
Thanks for explaining things I'm lucky enough to not know about. My father has 2 navels, from cancer in 1973, and he'll turn 89 next month. Had to shave off his moustache for a little skin cancer this year, so it's just a new look. He's still cute and I'm sure you'll be, too. I'm sharing your blogs with my kids. We wish you all the best and will keep you in our prayers.
posted by
steveeswenson
on Sep 23, 2007 at 07:12 PM
OldBlue, I just burst out laughing at your comment. I don't, and won't, use a belly putter. Just too much fluctuation there for consistency. To the rest of you: again, I appreciate your support and concern. It's humbling to have people care about you. And, Chico, one of my great goals is to be an even older fart. posted by
robbwillis
on Sep 24, 2007 at 07:27 AM
Wishing you a speedy return to the links Steve!
posted by
sfinboston52
on Sep 24, 2007 at 07:52 AM
Steve wishing you well and your in my thoughts
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