Dr Nason called us at home this morning to let us know that the initial results were in and all came back negative (no cancer found anywhere). They will review the three hot spot nodes more in depth over the next couple of weeks but these first results are very positive news.

We expect to receive another call about an appt shortly to review the results, inspect and discuss healing and the steps from here on in.

Psalm 27:7
The LORD is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in him, and I am helped.
My heart leaps for joy
and I will give thanks to him in song.

The music is going! Kelly and I are very grateful for the care and support you have shown and will continue to show us. We are not officially out of the woods just yet but we can see an opening in the underbrush.

The physio is going well and we have made great strides in improving my neck movement. My shoulder is coming along more slowly. My lip has improved a bit - I still bite it a lot when eating (maybe I should eat less) and looks a little funny when smiling - I can deal with that. The nerves take some time but I understand that they will improve with time.

I'll keep you posted on what is next.

Ok - here is the brownish/reddish grizzly adams growth in bloom. It hides the scar pretty well for the most part. I think I may take it off after I see the surgeon for the pathology report - we'll see. He nor his office have yet to call - so I have nothing to report as far as that is concerned.

I have been going to work - often between 5-6 hours per day. I haven't really got into any major projects or anything - I feel I should wait until I have the report from the surgery.

I called the Docs office today - left a msg. I continue to hurry up and wait.;

As I am typing my nurse called and said they sent my "stuff" to Toronto as Winnipeg was too busy so I could be waiting another two weeks. Isn't that neat!

I guess it could be lot worse - they could have lost the "stuff" and had to go back in....

I'll keep you posted.

Physio fever! I have been busy getting to physio appts this week. The work is been done to my neck and shoulder (left). There is still a great deal of swelling from behind my ear, down my neck and in my throat areas. I am working on recovering my neck mobility - side to side, up and down (up is tough) etc. We are also working on reestablishing my shoulder nerves. My great physiotherapist KD thinks I might have some minor rotator cuff issues. It could also be as a result of the swelling. I am atthis point working on extending my arm from my side straight out and up. Currently it moves about 30 degrees. Some ofthe muscles in my back are trying to do the work for muscles that are currently not working because the nerves have been slightly damaged.

What is kinda funny is - after I complete a session, I am pooped! I laugh at myself. I do get lots of homework with physio that I am working hard at. We are making progress - esp. in the neck mobility. I hope we can get the swelling to subside soon to make it a bit easier.

I am booked with physio to the end of November and suspect that it will take more than that to accomplish what we want to do. We'll make it happen!

I am still blown away by the responses you give me. A special aunt from Waterloo and a good friend/cousin from Crystal City reminded me today to keep this up so I will. I am getting to the offices every day - about 4-6 hours per day is max at this point. I try to get a snooze in where I can in the afternoons. My team mates have been incredible about this whole ordeal - thanks.

I am growing the grizzzly adams look - I'll try to post a pic again soon of how the healing is coming along. Have a great day!

Just finished a great weekend. The German National Hockey team game was great - great company and a good promotion for Southland Honda. Our Honda team did a great job! On Saturday my girls played some hockey - Lani - 6 - played her first tim Bit's hockey practice and did very well! Maria played in the afternoon and had a great time in a close game. Mac played Sunday. So I was out and about a fair bit - going to bed at 930 last night was imperative.

I came in to the office this morning. I have my first physiotherapy this afternoon on my shoulder. The numbness on my shoulder exists from my ear lobe to about the end of my clavical (sp?). I do have some mobility with the left arm - especially close to the body - but not once it is extended. It feels like I am about two weeks into a 2nd degree shoulder separation. It is tender to the touch as some areas feel as tho' they are awaking from sleeping - you know - the time where a sleeping body part is REALLY sensitive to touch.

My neck still feels as tho' there is a large turtle necked shaped vice squeezing it. Not to the point of pain - just discomfort. There is still a pile of swelling around and behind my left ear and dwon through the neck in to the adam's apple area.

I really appreciate all of your thoughts and well wishes and most importantly your prayers for my family. I am not stresses and have very little real pain throught the whole ordeal to this point. I belevee it is only becasue of the prayers you have sent for me.

We will meet with the surgeon sometime in the next two weeks to review the pathology report and determine from there what if any our next step is.

Some of you have mentioned to me it is tough to comment on this blog - you can email me at greg@southlandhonda.com or gregens@courtesymotors.ca

I still owe you that pic of me and Bobby Hull right?

I would never have thought it would take this long. I suspected relatively complete recovery from my "radical neck dissection" within a week - 10 days at the outside. I did a meeting with the honda team this morning at 7, stopped in at Courtesy and was wiped by 9 am! Went home and had a 3 hour snooze with the captain and gilligan.

Last night I went to bed at 615 in preparation for the early am and as a result of a long day. Sounds funny huh?

I hope to spend a couple of hours at Courtesy tomorrow afternoon, catch a snooze and get to the German national hockey game at the rink at 730 pm. I have invited a good friend whom I haven't seen enough of in the last year to come to the game and hope he can come.

It is Christines birthday tomorrow - we may try to get together for supper a as family on Saturday depending on everyones hockey schedules etc.

Next week we start getting into the groove of going in with the computer every day for some work.

Thanks again for your comments, emails and words of encouragment.