I've been- poked, prodded, stuck, blood sucked out, chemicals pumped in. In short, chemoed.
Yesterday I met with the estimable Dr D, which always fun as well as being helpful and informative. He always looks at the whole patient, as opposed to the specialists who tend to look at the disease. Anyway, he gave me a script for my toe, which seems to have acquired chronic cellulitis, whatever that is. I've had 4 treatment cycles with k-flex, to no avail. It gets better, then comes back after the k-flex is over. This time I've got something stronger. He also said that the only objective measure of how I am doing is my weight. (He knows that I know what he means by 'objective'.) My weight is holding in the low 154s and has been for a month or so.
Today was Geisinger Medical Center. They did their usual thing- took blood, ran quick analyses, measured vitals, the talk to J the PA. She is really happy- says I'm responding just the way they want me to. Counts are good, including the WBC which I've had trouble with. She is also very impressed by my level of reduced pain, better digestion, and the like. She will talk to Dr W re a CT scan in the near future. And she is so nice that she is trying to schedule around the ACS meeting in Philly. In short, she's pushing that old gorilla around pretty good.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Shook!
The Western front got all shook up yesterday. We watched some of it on the LA tv stations. The denizen of the Western front is fine; she posted in her blog yesterday afternoon. Click on Bootstrap Productions on the list on the right margin. She hadn't seen her apt. yet.
All quiet (and still) here. We made another batch of tomato-spinach-basil soup and had it with tomato/feta cheese with red wine for dinner. Outstanding! And, no gastric distress!
My office is finally starting to see a little order. I'm trying to minimise stearic hindrance, which is an expression my first boss in chemistry used for my habit (then) of working in a very messy lab. I'd just shove things to the back of the lab bench until there wasn't any room to work. I learned to clean up as I went, until I kinda turned into a neat freak by the time I retired. Anyway, I got all my medical papers into one thick file. My table actually has a clear top. I found a fair amount of stuff I didn't know I had. For example, I have 3 Paper-Mate refills. Apparently I'd buy one, it would get buried, and I'd buy more. I used to carry a Paper-Mate pen.
This afternoon I see Dr D, my PCP, then tomorrow morning I go into Geisinger for my chemo etc. So tomorrow the blog will be late in the day. Don't panic- it'll be along.
All quiet (and still) here. We made another batch of tomato-spinach-basil soup and had it with tomato/feta cheese with red wine for dinner. Outstanding! And, no gastric distress!
My office is finally starting to see a little order. I'm trying to minimise stearic hindrance, which is an expression my first boss in chemistry used for my habit (then) of working in a very messy lab. I'd just shove things to the back of the lab bench until there wasn't any room to work. I learned to clean up as I went, until I kinda turned into a neat freak by the time I retired. Anyway, I got all my medical papers into one thick file. My table actually has a clear top. I found a fair amount of stuff I didn't know I had. For example, I have 3 Paper-Mate refills. Apparently I'd buy one, it would get buried, and I'd buy more. I used to carry a Paper-Mate pen.
This afternoon I see Dr D, my PCP, then tomorrow morning I go into Geisinger for my chemo etc. So tomorrow the blog will be late in the day. Don't panic- it'll be along.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Burnt!
What was coming next was a burnt hand. I was happily grilling pork chops, and after turning them reached out to close the grill cover without looking and grabbed the top of the grill (HOT!) instead of the handle. Wow! Closed the cover with the other hand and ran to the laundry room sink (only 4 steps, actually) and the cold water. Thence to the freezer and ice. Iced until the hand was getting numb, and the pork chops were done. (They were excellent with red wine.) The hand felt pretty good- only a little sore and stiff. By this morning it's fine- like it never happened. Moving fast is the trick- get the burn under cold water fast!
We got the new file cabnet up to my office. I did skin my elbow in the process, but that's all. Now I have to sort and file my medical records. As you may imagine, there are a lot of them.
Weather in the EF is really nice, but it's getting a little dry. We missed the storms that were forecast through the weekend. We generally have a dry period in August, where the grass goes dorment for a while. Kinda looks like that will be happening soon.
I dreamed about work again last night. This time I was trying to get a lab running. Everybody was standing around or working at cross purposes, where one person would set up something and the next would take it down, resulting in arguments which I had to referee. It really was a group leaders nightmare!
We got the new file cabnet up to my office. I did skin my elbow in the process, but that's all. Now I have to sort and file my medical records. As you may imagine, there are a lot of them.
Weather in the EF is really nice, but it's getting a little dry. We missed the storms that were forecast through the weekend. We generally have a dry period in August, where the grass goes dorment for a while. Kinda looks like that will be happening soon.
I dreamed about work again last night. This time I was trying to get a lab running. Everybody was standing around or working at cross purposes, where one person would set up something and the next would take it down, resulting in arguments which I had to referee. It really was a group leaders nightmare!
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Stung!
What next, you may ask. I was out cutting grass, which tired me a little more than I thought it would. Afterword I sat down in the shade with a cold drink, and felt some insect crawling on my face. So I flapped my hand at it, you know how that goes, and it got up under my shades and then stung me. Hat and glasses went flying, and I swatted the bug to the ground. Looks like a mud wasp to me. I called for Mom to get the after bite stuff, she did, and it really works. Pain stopped almost immediately. I now have a wasp sting on me left cheekbone, right under the eye.
During the quest on Saturday, we acquired a new 2-drawer file cabinet. We have the old one down to the garage, and the new one at the foot of the stairs. At that point, I had to sit down for a while. I'm a lot weaker than I was. That gorilla is taking it's toll.
I dreamed about being at work last night; that's the first time I've done so that I remember. I was in a discussion about playing softball and mentioned that I have cancer and so very little endurance. (I did play softball on the company team back in Muskegon back in the early 70's.)Somewhere in my head I realized that I shouldn't have cancer in my dream, so that woke me up. That sort of thing happens when dreaming rather often- I realize I've lost the boundary between dream and real universe, and that wakes me. Probably a good thing.
Several days ago I defined at least to myself what it is I miss about work- the rigor in the thinking that chemistry requires. Not that I want everyday life to be rigorous, but I miss the intellectual exercise of focused thinking and data based conclusions and carrying two different theories which contradict each other in your head and all the rest of it. Thinking was always the best part, I guess. Cooking requires some of this, which is probably why good chemists tend to be good cooks, not an original observation.
During the quest on Saturday, we acquired a new 2-drawer file cabinet. We have the old one down to the garage, and the new one at the foot of the stairs. At that point, I had to sit down for a while. I'm a lot weaker than I was. That gorilla is taking it's toll.
I dreamed about being at work last night; that's the first time I've done so that I remember. I was in a discussion about playing softball and mentioned that I have cancer and so very little endurance. (I did play softball on the company team back in Muskegon back in the early 70's.)Somewhere in my head I realized that I shouldn't have cancer in my dream, so that woke me up. That sort of thing happens when dreaming rather often- I realize I've lost the boundary between dream and real universe, and that wakes me. Probably a good thing.
Several days ago I defined at least to myself what it is I miss about work- the rigor in the thinking that chemistry requires. Not that I want everyday life to be rigorous, but I miss the intellectual exercise of focused thinking and data based conclusions and carrying two different theories which contradict each other in your head and all the rest of it. Thinking was always the best part, I guess. Cooking requires some of this, which is probably why good chemists tend to be good cooks, not an original observation.
Quest
We did a real old-fashioned quest yesterday. Williamsport, Montoursville, Lycomng mall etc. We also stopped for lunch at Johnsons in Montoursville. I had an outstanding Reuben sandwich, which had no ill effect at all. We found most of what we were looking for, but not all. A big "want" is for a double bladed skewer for grilling shrimp. If you're not careful putting the shrimp on the skewer, the heavy side will rotate the shrimp, making it impossible to turn them. I saw one on the Food Channel, and Amazon has a set for about $12 with $11 for shipping. Nice lady at the kitchen store in the mall agreed it would be handy, but she didn't have any.
We stopped at the Amish veggie stand on the way home and got a tomato, which we had with Feta cheese and olive oil for the first course for dinner. Outstanding with red wine. Second course was grilled shrimp. We put them on the skewer by putting the skewer through the shrimp twice, on the thick end and the thin end. No rotation. Excellent with red wine. No gastric distress from any of it.
Looks like the Northern Front may have some bear around, based on a photo of some scat. Hmmm. Don't leave the grandbaby out by herself!
As a consequence of all the questing, we were really tired last night and slept really well until the thunderstorms rolled through. That not only woke us, it kicked the power off long enough to crash the electric clocks. So this morning I got my watch and mis-read it so we didn't get up until 8! I was able to talk the dog into going back to bed. So today we're running a little late.
The gorilla is being really cooperative, as long as I keep up the pain killer. I'm eating foods that would have caused considerable distress several months ago. There seems to be no effect. I seem to have more energy and less pain too. This week I get to see Dr D, my PCP, on Wednesday, and then have another chemo treatment and see the PA on Thursday.
We stopped at the Amish veggie stand on the way home and got a tomato, which we had with Feta cheese and olive oil for the first course for dinner. Outstanding with red wine. Second course was grilled shrimp. We put them on the skewer by putting the skewer through the shrimp twice, on the thick end and the thin end. No rotation. Excellent with red wine. No gastric distress from any of it.
Looks like the Northern Front may have some bear around, based on a photo of some scat. Hmmm. Don't leave the grandbaby out by herself!
As a consequence of all the questing, we were really tired last night and slept really well until the thunderstorms rolled through. That not only woke us, it kicked the power off long enough to crash the electric clocks. So this morning I got my watch and mis-read it so we didn't get up until 8! I was able to talk the dog into going back to bed. So today we're running a little late.
The gorilla is being really cooperative, as long as I keep up the pain killer. I'm eating foods that would have caused considerable distress several months ago. There seems to be no effect. I seem to have more energy and less pain too. This week I get to see Dr D, my PCP, on Wednesday, and then have another chemo treatment and see the PA on Thursday.
Friday, July 25, 2008
STORK?
I drove out of the valley to Wal-Mart- along the way there was this strange looking large bird standing in the middle of the roak. It looked for all the world like a gray stork, or at least what I would think a gray stork would look like. There were two of them; the second one was sitting on a fence post. I slowed down, but the flew away when I got close. Kind of clumsy take-off, but once they got going they seemed graceful enough. I looked them up in the bird book later- Great Blue Herons. Yeah, yeah, I know- wading birds. What are wading birds doing standing in the middle of a road nowhere near any water? Dunno- it's the enchanted forest!
Wal-Mart was it's usual self, full of rednecks standing in the aisles chatting. I should talk- I'm going to the store to get out of the house for a while. I did pick up a few things, but, really, I just wanted to get out. Pathetic, isn't it. It was kinda fun walking around the store though, looking at everything. They have the "back-to-school" and the hunting stuff out already.
I'm feeling a lot better without the pain. Dinner was tortellini with tomato sauce, which was excellent with red wine. I decided that drifting along, sleeping in the day and being awake at night, was something up with which I was no longer willing to put, so I took a one hour nap in the afternoon and then stayed awake until bedtime. Kinda took myself by the scruff of the neck and said "Take charge of your life". Slept very well. Part of the plan is to drink a few cups of tea during the day to get a caffeine shot to help stay awake. I'm drinking it British style, with milk and sugar. Pretty tasty.
Wal-Mart was it's usual self, full of rednecks standing in the aisles chatting. I should talk- I'm going to the store to get out of the house for a while. I did pick up a few things, but, really, I just wanted to get out. Pathetic, isn't it. It was kinda fun walking around the store though, looking at everything. They have the "back-to-school" and the hunting stuff out already.
I'm feeling a lot better without the pain. Dinner was tortellini with tomato sauce, which was excellent with red wine. I decided that drifting along, sleeping in the day and being awake at night, was something up with which I was no longer willing to put, so I took a one hour nap in the afternoon and then stayed awake until bedtime. Kinda took myself by the scruff of the neck and said "Take charge of your life". Slept very well. Part of the plan is to drink a few cups of tea during the day to get a caffeine shot to help stay awake. I'm drinking it British style, with milk and sugar. Pretty tasty.
Pain
Pain is not a good thing. Useful, and even necessary, but uncomfortable. I did skip one Oxycontin, and ended up in pain. Not the agonizing can't stand it kind of pain, but the kind where it hurts a little all the time. So I restarted the every 12 hour routine. As a consequence of messing with the gorilla, it wouldn't let me sleep last night, so I'm a little whoosy today. So it was a good experiment in the sense that I got a definite result, albeit a negative one.
No gastric distress today. I had pork chops for dinner- that's it, just pork chops grilled on the outside grill, with the obligatory red wine- and they digested nicely. Seems to me that meat and fat digest well, but too much grain leads to distress. I suppose that's what Dr S at Penn meant when he said eat junk food.
Cold here last night! It was 55 this morning, and that's cold for the end of July. The forecast is for rain for the weekend through Monday. Grass is too short to cut now, but will be knee high by then. O well. It's a beautiful day in the EF today.
No gastric distress today. I had pork chops for dinner- that's it, just pork chops grilled on the outside grill, with the obligatory red wine- and they digested nicely. Seems to me that meat and fat digest well, but too much grain leads to distress. I suppose that's what Dr S at Penn meant when he said eat junk food.
Cold here last night! It was 55 this morning, and that's cold for the end of July. The forecast is for rain for the weekend through Monday. Grass is too short to cut now, but will be knee high by then. O well. It's a beautiful day in the EF today.
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