Back on social media — and hopefully blogging again — after a two-month hiatus

Lightly edited copy of a status update I posted this afternoon to Facebook. Due to a combination of health issues and a computer that died when I was in the hospital and too busy to get a new one. But I’ve been recuperating at home now for several weeks, and Debi found a way to get me back on Facebook as “Doc Ellertsen,” using the nickname my students gave me when I taught at Benedictine. You should be able to find it with a keyword search in FB.

Prayers appreciated! (Plus healing vibes, cat pictures, tacky puns, etc.) On Wednesday I’m scheduled for a hospital procedure following up on the surgery that removed my bladder back in April. Depending on what they find, I may or may not require more surgery.

In the meantime, I seem to be recuperating – finally! – from chemo and complications of the surgery. The worst of the fatigue and other symptoms are gone, I’m actively engaging with PT and OT, and I’m back on social media (thanks, Debi!) after a two-month hiatus.

Why the hiatus? Not only was I in and out of the hospital several times in April and May, but my old computer (another geriatric case) chose that moment to sputter out and eventually die completely. With everything else that was going on, getting a new one wasn’t exactly at the top of my to-do list.

The good news is that my scans show no malignancy, and the complications from surgery appear to be treatable. I was pretty sick for a while there, and it’ll still take me a while to get over it, but I’m cautiously optimistic. I’ve appreciated your prayers and support throughout this cancer saga, and I’ll very much appreciate it again.

[Published June 18, 2023]