After all the talk of corking, there was no cork. I wore tape all day, gradually re-learning to breathe through my nose and mouth without the help of an extra airway (I was allowed to remove the tape if I couldn’t get enough air). As I mentioned last night, the difficulty is not breathing in but exhalation, probably because there’s a giant tube in my trachea that’s now blocked. Struggling to exhale is a strange sensation, though. Like the inverse of drowning. It got easier as the day went along, and prompted by a resident who said i should do more to push myself, I was close (though not quite) to full speed in the halls and late in the day on the stairs. My next test, which begins now, is to make it through the night with the tape. We shall see what morning brings.
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You are very brave- what perseverance! I’m sure it will pay off. Good luck,
emma
Hi Jonathan, I’m following your blog and your progress and just wishing you all the best. You are a courageous man, and if wishing can make you better, let me join my wishes to everyone else’s too. We’re so cheering for you. All the very best, warmest thoughts, cathy
I was looking for more info on your mp3 book, and instead stumbled onto this other story that seems to have emerged over the last few months.
I wasn’t too surprised, after reading your more recent “it’s not about braveness” entry, to see the comments on this one.
Not knowing you, and not having anyone close to me have thyroid cancer, I really enjoy this post just because it’s unusual but vivid imagery explaining something I otherwise have no experience with. It definitely doesn’t sound like a fun time, but it’s interesting to read about.