Saturday, September 8, 2007

PA-A-A-ARTY

My sister, Lorie, called last night to see how I was doing. It seems that, although she gave me encouragement for, and even checked out my first post, she hasn't been going out to this blog to see what's going on with her big brother. She mentioned something about a "blond moment."

I got her straightened out, gave her the short version, and directed her here for the long version. Welcome, Lorie. I hope you'll be stopping by on a more regular basis. Especially after Monday when Chemo starts.

My nephew, Jordan, has taken up the guitar. He played a short piece for me last night over the phone that, despite the cell phones, sounded pretty good. It even sounded familiar which is unlikely because I wouldn't assume that a 13-year-old and I would have the same musical tastes. But he is doing a good job teaching himself. Keep it up, Jordan! I regret having let my guitar efforts get lost in life's shuffle.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One of the first songs I ever learned to play was The House of the Rising Sun. I was in college and still going to church. Several of us spent the weekend at my friend's (Tim D.) house in Indiana, one of the most fundamentalist states in the Union. So we attended my friend's church and someone got the idea that we should sing a song for the service; a song with our own spin to it. We ended up singing Amazing Grace to the tune of The House of the Rising Sun. Yes, it works. And yes, it sounded pretty good, too.

Despite being pretty hard-core fundamentalist, several of the good church folk understood young people and we left feeling pretty good about what we had done. It didn't always work that way.

It was years later that my good buddy, Rawley, requested a 'religion-free' funeral, should he ever proceed me in death, but then surprised me with his musical request. He wanted Amazing Grace to be played during his funeral, but on the bagpipes.

From then on, I kept an eye open for his requested music. When I finally found it I told him about it. I sometimes wonder if I did the right thing telling him 'cause it seemed that too soon after I told him, he had his accident.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lorie isn't the only one with "blond moments." If I'm getting up at one AM to take my pain meds, why can't I take my Carafate then as well? This was the question asked by a new friend, a nurse, during our conversation yesterday. That way I only have nine waking hours in which I won't be able to eat instead of twelve.

But when the alarm went off this morning, I ignored it for almost an hour before finally getting up and taking both meds. The dreams I was having were pretty weird. Weird enough that they kept me from getting up for quite some time, but then driving me to get up, later. It's hard to explain.

The scale read 185 this AM so apparently I must be doing something right. Like eating all that 'healthy' food from Hardee's and McDonald's, 'cause I didn't eat much of that unhealthy Chinese food!

To get back to my blond moment, I ran out to the store this morning before taking my Carafate. How blond is that? I'm starting to think I might be needing a keeper pretty soon. Or a bigger chart like Nettie suggested.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The title of this post mentions a party. I'm having my friend Teo, his wife Amelia, and their two little girls, Angelina and Natalie, over for a play party. Lot's of swinging, playing, a campfire, and some hot dogs, brats, and the like. I may post a picture or two.

I haven't told Teo yet; I haven't told anyone related to work yet. So I hope I get the opportunity to bring it up. After next week when I lose all my hair, the cat will be out of the bag. Folks will know something is up. But friends should find out from me.

So, the dew is still on the lawn so I can't get out and set up just yet. But soon. I need to get something posted here for you. And then I need to EAT!!!!!!

Hasta Luego!

Friday, September 7, 2007

Break Time!

It's a rainy day in Wisconsin. Somehow that just doesn't 'sing' like "...a rainy night is Georgia..."

Anyway, I can't work out in the yard. I still need to edge the sidewalks for the second time this year to get them ready for the coming winter. With salt in the grooves along the sidewalk the ice and water drain a whole lot easier, making the sidewalks safer for pedestrians.

So, I've been in the basement sorting and cleaning, getting stuff ready for the local charity, and making room for Ben's things. One of the reasons I loved this place when I moved in was the room that I had to spread things out to be able to sort through my many boxes, some of which haven't been opened in years. With one end of the basement pretty much cleared out, I don't have the same room to sort. But I'll get by.

Maybe later I'll feel more like talking, but for now, I think I'll just curl up for a while with a book and read.

Later, tater!

Thursday, September 6, 2007

Remind me....

...not to do THAT again.

I hope that you really didn't think that I was going to eat the remains of the Hardee's Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Biscuit for lunch. I ran out for 'take away' Chinese and ordered one of my favorites, Chicken and Cashew, only hot and spicy, the way I normally used to eat it.

Big mistake!

I had taken my pain meds at Noon and thought that I'd try getting back into real food. The Vicodin should be able to save me, right?

Going down was fine, but once the food had been there a while, it stopped being fine. I had to eat a pint of Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream to put the fire out! And then just barely.

So I spent the afternoon, trying to nap to escape the stomach pain.

Because of the ice cream, I missed one of my scheduled doses of Carafate today.

Ben, there's some good Chinese food in the fridge that I won't be eating. It's all yours. I hope that you like Chicken and Cashew.

Thursday, the 6th

OK, the lawn's mowed, I picked up some 'critter' food for the rabbits and squirrels in the back yard, I'm about ready to take a bath, and then change my stupid bandages. This should be interesting.

BTW, except for a 'nature call' I was able to mow the lawn in one session, compared to the last time when I had to stop quite regularly to rest my back. It's amazing what good pain meds can do for a person's performance.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nancy, her two daughters, Shelly and Dee, and Shelly's daughter, Jamie, stopped by last night to play on my swing, sit in my hammock, and to cheer me up. They did a pretty darn good job, too. Cheering me up, I mean. Although they did have the swing just a goin'.

It was nice to see the girls outside of Wal Mart, which is where I usually run into them. And it felt good to be able to talk to them.

Years ago, I tried to cut off three of my fingers while up North at my buddy's cabin. Shelly happened to be there and asked me, with my blood all over me, if I were going to cry. When I said that I wasn't, she confided to me that she might. Shelly doesn't like seeing blood.

So, I kept an eye on her when I showed off my brand new "Power Port." Well, I showed where it was buried under the skin, anyway. But, since there was no blood, I guess it passed inspection without comment.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

I really believe that I'm eating less now than I was before due to the medication schedule.

I stopped at Hardee's this AM for a Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Biscuit. I've always liked the strong tastes represented by this sandwich. Since I can't "wolf" a sandwich down anymore, I was left with a third of the sandwich by the time I had to stop to be able to take my next meds on schedule. How strange is that?

Guess what I'm having for lunch.

It's off to the bath now!

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

The Day After

Technically, I'm on vacation now until September 18. I'm recovering from having the port implanted and preparing for chemotherapy. If I can still function, I plan on working during chemo. If I can't, I won't.

Anyway, since I am on vacation, I won't be getting around to posting quite as early. I'd like to sleep in as much as possible, husband my strength, as it were.

I'm 182 this AM. I'd like to maintain this weight, if I can. I may have figured out how to eat. First I need to drink an Ensure to get my stomach used to the idea of food. Then I can actually eat. Yesterday, after surgery, I was able to eat a Kwik Trip sandwich and some ice cream, without ill effect, using the Ensure method.

So, I'm off to take a bath without disturbing my bandages. Later today, I'm expecting company.

Hasta luego!

Tuesday, September 4, 2007

Minor Surgery -Revisited

I'm back! Things went well and the meds they used for this wore off a little quicker then the meds for the EGD. So, I was active and alert a whole lot sooner. Ben and I had a normal conversation, not the "Dad, you just said that" type of conversation with the Versed and Demerol.

I am a bit tired and have a slight headache, but that could be the antibiotic. But, I'll take things easy, get back on my medication rotation, get some food in me, and then sit down and watch the last of the Mummy trilogy. That may mean I'll be taking a nap. ;-) Then we'll see how I'm doing this afternoon.

I was thinking of posting a look at the port, but under the bandage, there's not much to see. It's subcutaneous. So, the chemotherapy won't be totally painless!

Thanks for checking in!

Minor Surgery

OK, today I go in for some (hopefully) minor surgery to implant a vein access port under the skin so the docs don't wear out my veins during chemotherapy. I go under the knife about 8:30AM and should be getting out about 11:30.

I'll be talking to my son about his ability to post to this blog on the way into the hospital.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nettie, I really have to thank you for the suggestion concerning medication dosing in the middle of the night. It seems counterproductive to set an alarm in the middle of the night, but I've gotten better sleep the last two nights than I did before. Thank you.

Now, you see, this is why I started this blog. Some of you folks out there have experience that I don't have. But, I'm willing to learn, if you will just share with me and everyone else who reads these words.

Another example, my son came over the other day unwrapping a roll of Vitamin C tablets. Chewable Vitamin C!! I had been obsessing lately because I have given up all my vitamins because my stomach doesn't tolerate pills very well. And I need Vitamin C. So guess who now has a couple of rolls of chewable Vitamin C. I can still learn new tricks.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meals didn't go as well as I would have liked, yesterday. Maybe my hopes were too high, or maybe there's a sequence to it that I haven't figured out yet. But I need to be careful eating while driving, at least until I know how the stomach will tolerate the food.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ronny, I can see what you meant about the Vicodin. When I'm driving, when I'm concentrating, I'm fine; no problems. But when the pressure is off and I'm just reading a book or something over lunch, the mind does want to start wandering. Or when I'm taking a bath, it's way too easy to fall asleep. So the point is---FOCUS!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I've added some pics to my otherwise dry words, so if you haven't seen them, take some time to page back and check them out. I've also added a current photo along with the photo I posted from last year to the top of the blog. You get to see how my face has changed to date. After all my hair falls out, I'll post another one.

And, as usual, any comments, suggestions, complaints, etc. are always welcome.

Monday, September 3, 2007

Labor Day!

I have to thank Nettie for her suggestion yesterday that I set my alarm and get up to take my Vicodin in the middle of the night. I tried that last might. Not only am I pain free this morning, I slept all night long! The alarm actually woke me this AM rather than hearing the alarm go off in the bedroom while I am on the computer in the "office."

Of course, that puts me behind my established schedule!

And of course, I start to feel better before I go in for my minor surgery tomorrow!

Nancy called last night to see how I was doing. Her daughter, Shelly, reads this blog to keep her mom up to date. But Nancy likes the human touch!

And I received a cute baby picture from my friends, Dennis and Lois, in Illinois; a relatively new grandchild. It's so cute, I may have to put it on my screensaver photos.

Now, I learned the name and sex of the baby during our annual meet during the EAA, but for the life of me, I can't remember. (I'll explain that issue in a later post. It may be a sponge, Nettie, but I don't have the strength to squeeze the darn thing out all the time. ;-) ) Saving the picture to my computer, I came across other pics of this cute little girl. Her name is Aubrie Marie!

180 pounds this AM, but I'm not surprised. Even the little that goes is should come out. The Vicodin might help prevent that, so I'm having to take measures. "Every action has an equal and opposite reaction." Go figure.

So, tomorrow involves a little surgery and is the start of almost two weeks off work. Maybe more. I'll keep you updated right here.
Edited: Added photo and names.

Sunday, September 2, 2007

Work Day -Update

Actually, things went pretty well today. Much better than expected. Maybe I'm getting the dosing schedule right. Speaking of which, got a call from Cuz today and we discussed the Carafate, among other things.

Now, I can't eat two hours before taking it or one hour after. That's three hours per dose that I can't eat. At four doses per day, that's twelve hours I CAN'T EAT! I thought the whole idea was to get me eating again! Subtract the eight hours I try to sleep and that leaves only four hours per day to eat. Factor in the fact that I'm at work and have little control over my time there, and that makes eating kinda difficult. But I guess I can still drink the four Ensures my doctor wants me to drink, though.

I stopped at Arby's today to get a Beef and Cheddar just to see if I could eat one. Not my first choice, but it was all my circumstances allowed for. It took me a little while to eat it, but I ended up eating the whole thing within my hour time frame. "I can't believe I ate the whole thing." (What commercial was that from?) And without serious discomfort, just some minor stuff.

Anyway, I felt pretty good about that. Has to be the first time I've eaten that much at one time in a long time. We're talking months, here.

Maybe Nettie's suggestion about the schedule is required for at work. I could post it in the truck, right there on the front window so I won't miss it. Yeh, that's the idea! That'll work!

My back felt pretty good all day as well. The truck I drive happens to have a pretty good seat. Not all our drivers fare as well, unfortunately. But the Vicodin certainly helped with the radiated back pain.

So, all in all, it was a good day. Therefore, I'm expecting tomorrow to go as well.

Well, it's been an hour since I took my last dose of the Carafate so I can take my next dose of Vicodin with a little something before I go to bed. I was up early this AM as well. I see I posted before my alarm went off at 4:00AM.

I must be off. See you later!

Work Day

Today will be my first day back since Tuesday. I'm interested to find out how the drugs will help me feel at work. They don't help as much as I would have liked for food.

I did stop at McDonald's yesterday for a Breakfast Burrito Meal. And I got an extra burrito in case my sister showed up. I took a photo of it that I may get a chance to post later.


It took some time for me to eat the two burritos that came with my meal. I never finished the orange juice, although I dearly wanted to. But I did find that I can drink ice cold liquids again on the meds.

Later in the day, I spent three hours at the Fiesta. I really enjoyed myself. I got to meet some friends that I hadn't seen for awhile. I got to see their wives and meet their kids. (These are Latinos, you know.) I held a five-week-old beautiful little girl named Bianca for a while. I never got her to smile, but she didn't have to. Like Robert Heinlein once said, "Little girls and butterflies need no excuse."

I got a lot of "delgado" comments, skinny or slim. But then, when most of them last saw me I was 50 pounds heavier. My photo on the blog was from back then. I should take another like it to show the difference.

And the food, although very good, was actually Guatemalan. Not that I would know the difference, but the tamales were wrapped in banana leaves. I did bring the rest of my plate home for (hopefully) consumption at a later date.

Getting back to the drugs, I really don't know how I'm going to keep to a dosing schedule. The one, Carafate, can only be done on an empty stomach four times a day. I have to take it one hour before a meal or two hours after. The Vicodin should be taken on a full stomach to avoid any possible stomach irritations every six hours. That and schedule meals, such as they are, and work. Confusing.

And I'm finding that I may have to take a dose of the Vicodin during the night as well. I've gotten use to minimal pain too quickly, I'm afraid. After taking my dose last night at 7:00PM, I was starting to hurt by 3:00AM. So, right now, I'm hurting pretty good. Not what I want before going to work.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I received some inspirational word and videos (I'll check them out tonight when I get home) via email from friends in Illinois. It's nice to know that friends that I get to see once a year are checking the blog and thinking about me. Thanks guys!

Until tonight!

Edited: Added photo!