Thursday

Two days in a row! Made it to the office and survived, well, mostly.  Really dragging by the end of the day but that means I enjoy my evening nap.

Going to try applesauce this morning, I know I can swallow a big ol pill so applesauce shouldn’t be that big a stretch.  I need to start adding more food to diet and less can crap, Filmore must go.

I do believe I have entered a new phase of recovery, the throat feels like I’ve got something stuck in the back of it that I can’t seem to hawk up or swallow and the throat is filled with glue or paste.

Still filling the spit rags with mucus/glue/spit; at least I am discreet about it, at least at the office I am.  At home its Katie bar the door, I’m over a trash can gagging and hawking and trying to clear the throat with limited success.

Strange thing I’ve noticed, I don’t seem to get hungry anymore. Seems to me a long time ago I used to get hungry and need to eat. Now I can’t remember what that was like. I have to remind myself I need to take nourishment.  There is no feeling of fullness, one can, two cans or four cans it’s the same.

This at least has hope, with a little luck I can control my weight when this is done and finished, I’m at 198 right now and wouldn’t mind stabilizing at around 190.  I guess time will tell, way I look at it; it should cost less to feed me at 190 than 230, just saying.

Hang in there, it’s Thursday and Friday is just around the corner.

Quote of the day:

"If you’re going through hell, keep going." – Winston Churchill

Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler

Happy Hump Day

It’s a hump day and it’s a happy one.  I’m at the office and just realized I wasted all morning and failed to prepare or upload a report.

Yesterday went well, spent it at the office, still dragging a bit but overall not a stressful day except around lunch time.  Not too good with some of the food smells. I remain amazed that my sense of smell is so keen these days.

Trip home was uneventful with the exception I don’t speak much, had a HOV buddy so I managed to be home by four. Home by four and I bed asleep by five.  My new mantra is never passing up a chance to catch a nap.

I have wonderful news to report, water tastes good again.  Yesterday evening, swishing out my mouth I realized the water wasn’t nasty tasting any more. 

Taste buds must be coming back, water actually tastes pretty darn good, almost sweet, fresh and pure.  I’m talking about distilled water here not tap water. Even on the best of days that tap stuff is nasty.

Just a note to let you know I’m out and about, still kicking.

Laissez les bons temps rouler

Twofer Tuesday -

That’s right, it’s a twofer day, two for the price of one. Like manna from heaven, gems of wisdom are likely going to be drifting down in pairs, like good boots, two make one, it's a twofer.

Found out yesterday that Filmore has an evection notice, four weeks and he’s gone, and with him the medi-port goes at the same time, it’s a twofer. Of course this means I got to get serious about poking food down my throat.

And to help in that task is ruckpack, energy & Wellness nutrition.  Check em out at www.ruckpack.com.  There stuff is so good they sold out and are waiting for the next shipment.  This is a combat tested & proven formula, a twofer for kicking Charlie’s butt.

And to boot, in the package was pictures of my two beautiful grand kids, the princess and the beast; she is a princess and he is a beast, takes after his dad no doubt, but with his momma’s sweet disposition. Need I say, another twofer.

Feeling pumped, going to try the in office work thing again, last week was a little early but maybe today is the day. I like working from home but feel more productive working from the office, at least when I need to interact with the level1 techs.

Got a ruckpack down Filmore so anything is possible, let’s roll, got to chatch the A-train and then the green line, yeah, a twofer.

Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler

It's Monday –

It has been twenty days since I finished treatments.  At first it actually got worse, every day seemed to be a bit worse than the day before.  Overall the whole situation was getting out of hand.

Then about 12-15 days I started to notice an improvement, it was little steps but they were steps in the right direction.  I believe I am getting better and the future is looking up.

Today is the first of the follow up exams. Today I meet with my oncologist, I’m sure there will be lab work to check to see how we are doing after the chemo and a general exam to make sure I am recovering well.

I will be wearing a shirt provided by Sissy and crew, it’s one of the nice ones, it’s a Tommy Bahama, model Pina-a-Lotta, It is a keeper.

I look forward to the next few Doctor appointments; it will all be about getting better and recovering.  I will ask about when FIlmore can go and if the medi-port is going to get yanked anything soon.

If all goes well today, I am planning to try to work in the office tomorrow; I think I can make it all day without getting totally wiped out like last Monday.  Most of my Sunday was spent taking naps. After wine making work I spent the next two hours crashed, only getting up in order to take a nap.

Way I see it , the doctor’s appointment at ten should be done by 11:30 then lunch and all I have to drear is four hours of a Monday.  I think I can handle that.

Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler

Weekend Day Two

It was another great night’s sleep. I managed ten hours this time with only a quick wake up at 4:30 AM. I was up and round by 10:30 planning on doing nothing.

Throat continues to improve, one small step at a time, but I swear that each day is better than the day before.  All I managed to do yesterday was feed Filmore and sit around reading or watching old movies.

Looks like that is what I’ll be doing today as well.  It has made it to 4:30 PM and I still haven’t got enough down to post a blog entry.  Is this a good thing? Little things keeping me preoccupied and forgetting to post?

Had two sets of visitors to day, the bean counter stopped by and we talked about the great expedition, it’s coming then the Starkster dropped in and we worked on the wine kits. Started a Tango and went to settling on the other, port has another week before we need to address it.

Loyal minion is home from the paint ball center and taking a nap, which is right out of my play book, sounds like a good idea.

Consider this a post, a place holder until tomorrow, tomorrow, when things are bound to be more exciting.

Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler

Weekend Day One

That’s right; it’s the weekend, and so far it is shaping up to be a great one. You ever wake up and just know it’s going to be  great day?  Today is like that, I am expecting great things.

Maybe it was the fact I slept straight through for eight hours, and finally feel rested up. Maybe it the fact I can tell the throat is making progress, it isn’t right by a long shot but it is moving in the right direction.

Sipped a little coffee yesterday, very little, but it wasn’t water. In fact I even ate about an ounce of chocolate malt. The best part is the chocolate malt it did sort of like taste like chocolate

All I need to do is to start forcing fluids by mouth since the taste is moving from dead rat taste to a more natural flavor.  Makes swallowing a tad bit easier. Yeah the taste buds are re-awaking and maybe there is hope on dumping Filmore.

Filmores existence is predicated on my inability to take enough nutrients by mouth.  Once I can do that, Filmore is history.

I have the oncologist doctor appointment on Monday,  That’s the first follow up but not significant in assessing the results of the treatment.  More like a meeting to schedule the follow up  and to make sure I’m at least trying to get better.

I want to go back to work in the office five days a week. That’s because if I can do that then I have regained my strength and am no longer on a first name basis with Mr. trash can. 

Right now the crap in my throat has the consistency of peanut butter, you can’t seem to clear your throat and trying to usually leads to a gag reflex episode that most likely involves Mr. trash can. I hate it. I want that crap gone, at least it is getting better, from once every fifteen minutes to maybe once an hour, the throat is getting better.

Talked to warrior child yesterday, he has found an amazing product for me so stay tuned to here about it.  He is busy juggling family, school, the army. He is one amazing young man.

Faithful minion help fill the garrison brothers keg yesterday. Retirement keg is working. There are two, possibly three wine kits to be decanted and racked this weekend. It may be time for patty to start her last kit. I need to build up my wine inventory for the day I start drinking wine again, I got time to make up.

Porch garden is looking good, all pepper plants are up and looking strong. I am hopping that they can stay on the front porch another thirty days before I have to move them to the back yard.

It’s the week end – I plan to max it out, I have tomorrow to rest up if I over do it.  It’s going to be a good day.

Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler

Weekend Eve

Technically that is correct; the weekend doesn’t really start till after 4 (COB), but it’s in full swing come Saturday morning.

So today is dedicated to looking forward to the two days off and all our plans. Mine include a wine making exercises and rose trimming with a possible run to the dump. Talk about exciting; woo wee, living on the edge.

Thursday was a pretty good day, managed to work with Alan and stay awake for most of it.  I can not believe how washed out I was after the single day in the office. Three days to recover? Dang it Bobby, I’m not in that bad of shape am I?

Once again, looks like rest and recuperation is to be the order of the day for this weekend. I’ll take care of the email that has piled up since yesterday and then look around for a problem to work on.

If I was at the office the problems would come looking for me.  It seems like the issues have been really weird lately. 

A co-worker, Jeremy, isolated an anomaly in a built in performance tool that we have been using in most of our diagnostic testing. Now we are going to question its reporting every time, not good.

Heck of a find, I think it should be reported so they can do a bug fix.

Hoping for some early morning thunderstorms, I would like to sit in my garage and watch the storm roll on through.  We haven’t had a good storm here in a while, granted there was one a week or so ago but I slept through it so it never happened.

All I got to do is get through eight more hours of tedious waiting and it’s the weekend.

Stats this morning:

Blood pressure:  123/78

Blood sugar: 143

Weight: 199.5

Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler

D-2 Till the Weekend

Looking forward to the weekend. This might be the first one in several weeks that hold promise as to be more than a rest and vegetate  type of day.

Not that I am planning any great projects or adventures but I am actually feeling pretty good.  The way I feel has a big impact on how the day goes.

Yesterday was a slow day, I was re=covering from the day before that one. I overdid it a bit on Wednesday so I paid for it yesterday, and today I am good to go.  Looks like I still don’t have a full day of energy in me yet, but I am getting closer.

Si if I have the timing down tomorrow is a down day and Saturday is a good day. Here is to hoping it happens that a way.

Meanwhile back at the casa Pedro, I have had to lay down twice since I got up this morning, what’s up with that?  Today is supposed to be a good day not an  I am a worn out puppy day.

Working from home is on the books as I have already slept off most is the morning and still haven’t got the blog posted.  And I started at 5:30  already.

Plan on a little wine making this weekend have at least one ready to bottle and maybe a second one as well. Patty has a kit she needs to start and Jeremy has port to finish up. I washed bottles yesterday and have a few more to clean up but then I am ready.

Two days to go and it’s the weekend. . . hang in there, stay strong.

Stats this morning:

Blood pressure:  110/78

Blood sugar: 155

Weight: 198.5

Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler

Happening Hump Day or Wonderful Wednesday

Started this late Tuesday night when things had gone pretty good for the day, Train ride in and caught a ride home with Alan so I was back to casa by Four thirty and asleep by four forty-five. 

It wore my butt out.  I underestimated what it would do to have to stay on task with out the occasional rest breaks. I will be working from home tomorrow and most likely several days in a row.

Woo Wee, that was all yesterday’s news; this is a blog about hump day the traditional middle of the work week, when we begin to smell the weekend. It’s coming and it’s coming fast.

Speaking of smells, that is one thing I have noticed, my smeller is working overtime, I can smell stuff. Since I have mentioned it to others, they are all like. smell what? I don’t smell anything, but, I can attest, I can smell it.  Unfortunately it doesn’t always smell good.

Biggest offenders, dirty socks, dishes in the sink, the garbage can.  Ok, maybe I had my head in the garbage can a bit much so that one gets a pass.  I wonder if the smeller is compensation for the lack of taste?

Lack of taste is why I am having such a hard time getting back to taking input by mouth.  It’s hard to swallow when stuff tastes nasty with a capital N. And that includes water, not tap water which not only smells bad but has a taste so gross it’ll gag you, but distilled water, water I that I used to love drinking, no odor but the taste is just wrong.

So far I’ve been able to down about 6 oz a day. That is drinking till I can’t stand the thought of another sip.  Actually I can get down one to two ozs at a time; I just lose interest real fast.

I am cutting a fine figure now days, looking cool with my britches riding down on butt.  I have to remain diligent in the event they slip past and head south. What are the punks of today thinking, just seconds away from major embarrassment and they do it on purpose.

Wearing 36 inch jeans now, 34 would be way too tight but 35 would fit fine if I can find any, what to do with the many pair of 38 inch jeans in the closet now?  What’s sad is those 38’s, they were really tight there at one time. Guess losing 38 pounds can do that to your wardrobe.

Throat is pretty darn sore right now but I do believe that it is an improvement over what it was a week ago so I can live with it.  Hurts to swallow but at least I can swallow so that’s a plus in the right column.

Strength and stamina is slowing coming back, overdid it yesterday, I was one whooped puppy by 3PM,  all I could do to get home and take a nap. I guess I need to take it a little bit easier may be next week is the return to working in the office 2-3 days a week. I may try one more day this week but it will not be humpday.

So where are we? Well the doctors are lining up like this April 23, I see Dr Nguyen, my oncologist, at 10 AM,  May the 9 I see Dr Simmons, (internist) at 8 and on the 10^th I see Dr Lliha (radiation oncologist), and last of all I see the dentist may the 31^st at 7AM.

There isn’t any moss growing on my co-pays.

One thing that I was kind of looking forward to was hair loss, I‘ve been considering shaving my head and be a bad ass biker dude but never had the courage to pull the trigger. So I was thinking with the chemo I’ll loose hair and just do it.  Didn’t happen, no hair loss, I am missing out of a ton of pity and concern just because my body refused to become follicly challenged. 

Makes one wonder, did I get the drugs I was paying for?  I got some of the other side effects, just not the loss of hair.  I still may shave the head, just to see what it could have felt like.

Full stats this morning:

Blood pressure: 138/83

Blood sugar: 158

Weight: 197

Shirts worn to date: 45

Shirts available for wear: 19

Throat: Fair to sore

Over all condition: better than the day before, about 40%

Work towards the weekend;

Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler

Tuesday Trial

Such a pretty day, think I’ll try a run to the office. Yesterday was ok in terms of issues but productivity is somewhat bottle necked by the working environment.  I plan to see if  I can make it in to the office today.

Working from home I lose all but a single channel of communications due to the VPN tunnel, unless I can get my VOIP phone back up at the same time it will be a workable environment but not he best environment.

Looks like standard blood pressure with out medication is going to be just under 130 and 75, not to bad as that is actually better than what it was when I was taking the benicar and weighing an additional 35 pounds.

Now if I could only get the blood sugar to reduce a bit. . . it’s been running 146-148 as a fasting number.  This really needs to be down closer to the 100-120 range.

Tax extension filed so that is one item that I can take my time on now,  I guess I should start to gather up all the parts and pieces to get the info to the CPA, hopefully it won’t take too long.

Monday was a good day but I was so tired all day, my nap at noon lasted till 12:30 and I was still tired. I welcomed Four o’clock so I could take another nap, this one lasted till six.  Seems strange, I sleep, but I still wake tired and exhausted.  It must be the healing thing.

I am heading out soon, A-train to green line, green line to downtown.  Nice to know that at any stop I can reverse the process and head back home.  Hopefully the day won’t be a taxing experience.

Blood pressure – 129/75

Blood sugar – 146

Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler