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11/27（日本語は後に続きます）

It is truly interesting that exactly two months after the surgery I started having a serious infection with J-tube. Suddenly the foul smelling pus started oozing out of the insertion site, soiling my clothes.

Is it Murphy’s low or what? Medical emergencies always happen over the weekend. The doctor on call suggested that I go to the emergency room, but I decided to stay put till Monday and to take only the antibiotics.
I had been contemplating removing the J-tube all together for a few days anyway.

After consulting with BWH’s surgeon, my oncologist removed the J-tube in a second this morning. It was an unbelievably easy procedure, and I did not feel anything. The tube that came out was very long and narrow, and disgusting looking (I should have taken a picture). According to him, the insertion site is supposed to close in a matter of a few hours, and I should feel much better; the tube actually taxes the patient’s body heavily even though it serves as a lifeline. I am excited because I will finally be able to lie on my left side after 6 months of restriction.

In spite of my feeling that I hit the bottom of my health, he was quite happy and cheerful, and said, “ you are doing very well. You should carry around a snack bag all the time for a while, now that you are on your own.”

According to him, most esophagectomy patients lose at least 10 pounds, which will become their new weight baselines, and I have to be careful not to lose any more weight. OK…my new figure is that of Audrey Hepburn, then? I should go to the GAP, buy a new pair of “slim pants,” and make all the teenagers envy my figure.

When I saw the BWH surgeon, his primary assistant surgeon boasted, “no matter how long it takes you to regain your eating ability, you will be OK because you have a J-tube, be it three months or a half year.” His statement betrays the limit of a young surgeon’s understanding of the human body. Your body is not a machine; it rejects foreign objects, because it tries to heal by itself. I loved his unequivocal belief and passion in science, but hope that he will open his eyes to the mystery of life more.

Even though the infection was not really a big problem, you panic anyway. I am so thankful that Mark decided not to go to Australia at this time.

Come to think of it, probably this was a humbling and defining moment of our relationship going forward. Precancerous day I must have thought it was crazy that Mark cancel a professional conference on my behalf, considering it heroic that I perceiver the difficulty no matter how big it is. Well, actually it may be more heroic to admit that you need help, and accept another’s sacrifice. I hope that he would do the same to me (not in this kind of context, of course.)

In reality, however, Mark had to waste one full day to reschedule his trip in summer 2007, and pay an extra 500.00!!