Transitional Thursday

Turns out Thursday are no longer the dreaded day of the week. Two weeks since the last cheno treatment and I’m feeling no effects from it, guess it’s all out of the system now.

The biggest issue with Thursdays was I was so dang tired, work on something for twenty minutes then sleep for two hours.  I wasn’t at my normal productive self but I did get a lot of rest. Heck, I had to take a nap in the early afternoon to offset the effort of staying awake that long.

Zyrtec, you are my friend, and whoever it was that suggested I try it, you get a gold star in your crown in heaven, it’s great. Taking one has relieved the mucus problem, and along with that issue, the gagging and pukes. It’s not 100%, but its way, way down, like maybe 95% gag free.

Email at work is back up and working, thanks again to Alex for working that out for me, I was so frustrated, but now no excuse, I gotta go to work.

Time for a light snack, maybe two cans of liquid food then I think I’ll try to finish the upgrade site I have been working on for the last two days.

Feels like another great day is in the works, I might even try talking today just to get the voice box working again.

Shout out to trusty sidekick, he cleaned on the garage it is amazing what he got accomplished. I have room for more than I scotter in there now.  Heck, I’ve been going out in the garage to sit, there is so much room.  Come visit, we’ll sit in the garage and drink beer, at least you can drink beer if you want to.

Weight today – 197.5

Blood Pressure – 134-86

Blood Sugar – 150 fasting

Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler

Latest Hump Day Happening’s

Four in the morning and I wake without warning, it’s a country song moment, complete with strange dream to set the stage.  I ‘invented’ a device that allows one to poke a small hole in a screw top wine closer to test the wine without opening it. This way you can test the wine everyday till it is at it's peak and then enjoy it.

It was a dream, seemed to make some sense during the dream but now, I’m pretty sure it would never work, I mean, opened is opened, drink the wine it doesn’t change that much day to day.

I must be getting better, I don’t remember any dreaming during the last 3 weeks of treatment, I was just to tired to get any really good sleep.

Right now I am still dealing with the super industrial strength rope like saliva I swear this stuff could be used to pull locomotives with and the adherence strength is remarkable, it doesn’t release. I have filled numerous wiping rags with samples if you need some for testing.

Looks like I’m going to be up for working again today, maybe I can get in another 8hr plus day, I need to, behind the power curve on performance. It’s one thing to work from home another thing to do enough work to make working from home a viable recourse.

Now if I could only get the issues with email worked out.  Today I start rattling cages.

See, I’m getting ornery, must be getting better.

Weight today – 198

Blood Pressure – 130-79

Blood Sugar – 148 fasting

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Toiling away at work

Crap, you would think I was supposed to be sick but no, I wanna work so I log in remotely to look at a few things and the next thing I know is I worked through lunch and all the way up to 5. 

Can’t complain, best I’ve felt in a looooooog time and even saying that I don’t fell all that good.  Would not have worked if I was in the office but from home the trash can is still my friend.

Everything is better than yesterday, at least it seems that way.  Earlier I was needing to take a break, and was about to go lay down, when I realized I haven’t posted a blog update today.

Got lots of stuff to wail on and a few pretty big stupid targets but I think I’ll take the nice way out today. 

Got a fair amount of work done which is a miracle because mail is totally hosed up and IT help is a mythical creature. If I am having issues tomorrow I think I’ll put on my righteous hat and go on a crusade.  Woo-Wee Pedro’s on the warpath.

If I feel good tomorrow, I promise to post a little bit earlier.

Weight today – 199

Blood Pressure – 119-78

Blood Sugar – 138 fasting

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FIlmore Revolution, Film at Eleven

Ok, no film but I think there something going on; Pinko red commies, left wing radicals, snot nosed pre-pubescent young  punks, someone is stirring thing up with Filmore. Last night he popped his top not once, but twice.  This morning I am doing laundry.

Amazing how one can go from a somnolent state to wide eyed terror is a split second. Most likely that’s not good for the heart.

It’s a Monday, corporate holiday, so I am sleeping in this morning, no need to get up early.  Typical PC crap, can’t have good Friday off, that would offend non-Christians so we take the Monday after as a spring celebration day.  Can you say CRAP.

See? Proof positive I am getting better, stupid stuff is beginning to get to me again. I know, you can’t fix stupid, not even with duct tape.

Yesterday I did the pot plants, 9 pots of peppers are in first class soil and out doors on the porch. Turns out I bought twice enough soil and stuff, I need to go buy 9 more pots and plant something else, maybe cukes, okra, or tomatoes.  

Thanks to the visitors this weekend, enjoyed the visits and thanks for know short is better than long. Like Melinda figured out pretty fast, yes-no questions were the ones I preferred.

Today the throat is a little bit better, much improved from Friday but still a long ways to go but improving. Voice is still just a croak but getting better.

Weight today – 199.5  . . .

Blood Pressure – didn’t take it, it’s the weekend

Blood Sugar – didn’t take it, it’s the weekend

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Easter Eggs and Bunnies

Ha! The title was a diversion, but at least you were interested enough to read on.  It is Easter, a traditional time for renewal and that is what I am doing, getting renewed. Not wearing my Sunday finest but still in the renewal process.

Every day I search hard for some modicum of improvement, anything to show I am moving in the right direction, everyday I test my voice to see if I can talk louder than a whisperer.

I’m getting there; it’s just taking me a little bit longer than I thought. Tuesday is the one week since the last radiation treatment so I should start to see some improvement, already my neck isn’t as red, no longer looks stir fried or sore, so the insides should stat looking and feeling better soon as well.

Started a new wine kit yesterday and other than that I ether slept or thought about sleeping. Except for lat night, a t night I can’t seem to sleep, wake up gagging and puking every 30-45 minuets so it’s not to pretty.

Easter resolution #1; to go a whole blog with out using the term Gagging or Puke. Starting now. . .

 Not to much on tap for today, a run to Lowes is still in the works, in fact may just do that in the next 30 minutes or so.  As soon as I get the garden out the better I will fill about it. Storms are scheduled for the next 4 days so I might need to leave the pots indoors for a few.

Grass and weeds are greening up nicely, both empress trees are out and blooming but one is doing 100% better than the other, hope there’s no lasting drought damage to them. Roses are blooming big time and I still need to do some trimming.  Looks like a garden day to me.

Weight today – 198  - got to eat more . . .

Blood Pressure – didn’t take it, it’s the weekend

Blood Sugar – didn’t take it, it’s the weekend

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Clean Up on Aisle 6

Rough night last night, I got to seriously cut back on my carousing around and partying.  It started out pretty good, but I finally made it to bed about 11.  I managed to get about 2 hours uninterrupted sleep. Then Filmore had a say in things.

I hate it when FIlmore pops a gasket, it is one big mess. But now I know it’s worse when he does it while you sleep.  That sickening feeling of waking up in a mess of what is really puke sets the stage.  It’s just nasty, and you got to clean it up but then you are afraid to try to go back to sleep.

Most of my gag and pukes are the result of choking on a bunch of mucus, I don’t know if it’s a result of the radiation, or the fact my throat is still so sore I can’t swallow or speak, or maybe just sinus drainage. Doesn’t matter it happens , I gag, I choke, I puke, not much, just enough to burn the hell out of my throat.

So this morning I am doing laundry and putting clean linens on the bed.  With the light of day it’s not as bad as I thought it was last night. In fact that is the most amazing thing, pain and misery is now, as bad as it has been, I can’t really quantify it if it was more than  6 hours ago, I mean I know it was bad but was it really? 

The only thing that really matters is the hear and now, this is how I am doing and this is all I have to contend with. I think I try to get out some today, maybe head up to Lowes and get garden stuff.  This is not going to dictate my life; I will work around the issues

Stay tuned I might even update this during the day. Loyal minion and faithful sidekick are going fishing today so I supposed there will be some fish stories to relate later.

Weight today – 202

Blood Pressure – didn’t take it, it’s the weekend

Blood Sugar – didn’t take it, it’s the weekend

Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler

Disappointment Day

It’s Friday, normally this is a cause for great celebration as the reasons are numerous, 3 day weekend, free food,  the weekend.  But for me I sit slightly disappointed, the overnight miracle I was counting on didn’t occur, my throat, while possible a tiny bit improved, is still the pits.

I have almost no voice, just a croak, with a volume level of 1. If I try real hard I can hear what I am saying. Thank goodness I don’t have much t say because it hurts to talk.  This stuff is supposed to be getting better, I am getting impatient.

Last night was standard gag and puke, three times, every 1.5 hours so I am getting sleep in 1 hour increments.  But it beats getting no sleep at all.

So now I have the day to look forward to with me starring in the role of the slobber monster.  It seems the one thing that is happening back in the throat is a lot, a lot, of thick ropey snot/salvia is being produced. It is this fine product that eventually chokes me down and cause a gag puke reaction. In between times I just drool like a slack jawed, mouth breathing, cretin.  All I need is a banjo.

Got in my pepper plants last night so I do have something to keep me busy this weekend, I am going to try pot gardening this year.  No, not that kind of pot growing, the kind where you grow your garden is lots of separate pots.

When you come visit you can enjoy my pot garden, right now it’s all peppers but I am thinking a tomato bush and a cucumber vine will complete.

Weight today – 202

Blood Pressure – 128/78

Blood Sugar – 152 – no breakfast carbs till it’s down to 130

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Last Nadir Day

Thursdays have been the low point in the way I felt after a chemo session, so today is the final bad Thursday. I really hoped I would see a lot more improvement in my overall condition but I guess that fact it’s not headed south is a good thing.

Throat is somewhat better than yesterday which wouldn’t take much improvement to make me happy. It is as raw as I can ever remember and almost impossible to speak.

Had a ton of issues with the work computer yesterday but with the help of Alan and Alex they fixed me up big time so I have the ability to work remotely once again.  Local computer is a disaster, but I did it to my self, what was I thinking?

I basically performed a frontal lobotomy on my machine and lost everything, what was I thinking? Or maybe why wasn’t I thinking. Oh well, they can’t kill you or put you in jail, then it’s not that serious.

My niece Bella had sent me a note abut the best cake in the world as being something called a  Joy Cake so now I guess she is going to have to bake me a joy cake.  I sure am looking forward to it.

And I finally broke down and did it, yep, wine down the feeding tube.  I was pretty disgusted by o-dark thirty last night, kitchen sink was stopped up, I was done playing plumber and the mess was everywhere. The sink still wasn’t draining all that well but at least it was draining. Then loyal minion arrived hauled his power snake to the roof and got after it, all this after 9 PM.

He cleared the drain and saved the day, now all that is left is the clean up. That is one of the items on the to-do list that I am starting, things I need to do when I feel better/strong enough to do.  Number one item, clean the garage.

2oz of a fine malbec that's just a taste but I was disgusted enough I needed a drink. Anyway it was the symbolism not the actual consumption, and I know you want to know, no, I didn't taste a thing.

Weight today – 204

Blood Pressure – 129/76

Blood Sugar – 192 – got to work on this

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End of Mission

Guess this makes today the first day of the rest of my life.. Got some healing to do, As I understand it, radiation keeps on working for several days/weeks after the last dose.  But I am betting that the physical effects are lessening as we speak.  Wonder how soon it will be till I can feel the strength returning to my swallowing muscles.  

Over all a good day yesterday, the tornadoes didn’t get me, slept through the worst of it, gag and puke is way down.  Hope to make it in to the office today, working from home hasn’t been all that successful and now I am having VPN issues.

Think I’ll A-train it tomorrow, that way I won’t pay for parking and still get to ride the train.

Some things don’t change; I currently have 4 doctor appointments scheduled in the next month.  Am I that nice a guy they just can’t let me go? Actually it is 3 doctors and 1 dentist.  The questions I have are when do I lose the medi-port, and when is Filmore out of here?

Right now I have gag and puke under control but have zero stamina. I laid down for a rest yesterday afternoon after getting logged in to work at noon and woke up at 10.  And this after only 14 hours of sleep the night before.

So if I make it to the office,  I A-trained it, if not I’m asleep again.

Weight today – 205

Blood Pressure – 120/78

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Thoughtful Tuesday

A little after five this morning, a mockingbird decided it was time to greet the new day with a song. But there in lays the problem, damn bird only knew one song, and after the first hundred times, I know it as well. So an hour and a half later it’s still singing. I moved to the front of the house.

Harper lee was wrong, it’s not a sin to kill a mockingbird, it’s self defense.

Meanwhile back at the ranch, figuratively speaking only, because I mean the casa on Mill St, I am sitting here in a better condition than I have been in over last two weeks.  It might be temporary, a result of a great chemo day, but it’s nice to not be keeping a eye on the closest trash can.

Today, the last radiation day, Going to be wearing one of the re-purposed shirts my mom and Anne brought up, a fine blue and gold thrift shop item, a dollar forty-eight as I recall them saying, one fine shirt.

Well, that’s a round up for this Tuesday morning, about to head off to radiation for the LAST TIME. I have been looking forward to this since week 3 when I started having all the throat issues, Still got some, and still working through them, but it’s getting better. And each and every day should bring some improvement . . . 

Well they said the hair loss could happen at any time and I just lost about half my hair.  It's laying on the floor at Tommy's barber shop. and I am no longer looking like a damn hippy.

The good Lord willing and the creeks don't rise

Weight today – 205.5

Blood Pressure – 110/69

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Magnificent Monday

It was a good one, this day known to all as Monday, I was pumped as it was second to last radiation day and the last chemo day of the treatments.

Hell, chemo day has always had to be one of the better treatment days, I think it has to do with the happy bag that gets hung as part of it.  And other than a tendency to drift off to sleep I fell pretty good during and I feel great afterwards.

Pope Buford stopped by to drink a cool one and delay his departure to cardio re-hab. Near as I can tell,, his recovery program is lot better then the one outlined for me, I get no beer.

Posting is being made today from princess, the laptop, the HP workstation suffered a designed flaw and I didn’t think before I chose a course of action which was just about the stupidest thing I ever die.  More about that later as I attempt to recover any thing possible from secondary sources.

Anyway we digress, Sunday night Monday morning I had a 2 hr gag and puke about 2:30AM. So I was so ready to be getting up at 5 and meet this day, the end draws near, the end draws near.

To honor this last chemo day I wore the ’86 ensemble, got a load of complements on the combo, I think the Panama hat was the crowing glory,  here be pictures:

With matching green compression bandage

In the chemo lab, special chair for me

 I don’t care who you are, that’s styling . . .

As we head to the finish area, there is no finish line just a place to check up see how we’ve done.  You, don’t really beat cancer, you might beat it into submission or run it out of its current hiding places but the cold hard facts of life is that it’s out there,

charlie is opportunistic, I can fight cancer I can be cancer free, but I must always remain vigilant, he might be back. I have my first follow up in three weeks. First PET scan is in about 90 days.

I’m feeling pretty good right now, happy bag from chemo hasn’t worn off yet, but it’s a good feeling not like a buzz, but I have clarity about this situation right now, a clarity that is lost in lala land while I’m puking. 

Thanks for all the support, one last day in this operation,  in fact I’ll call it now, end-op at 12 noon, tomorrow, operation kill charlie is complete and operation APB-BOLO PETE’S #1 Enemy Charlie starts. 

Weight today – 204

Blood Pressure – 99/71

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Final 4 – Final 2

Great games last night, especially liked the way big twelve Kansas came back to win. It's like that, never give up, keep plugging away. Two left in the tournament and two days left in the treatment plan, it's the final two

This post is being developed on an instance of Zorin using libreOfice, put it on my machine last night as a dual boot but so far can't get it to do anything but but to zorin, this isn't good.

But that's all the technical stuff, Saturday was pretty good, little rough at times but overall just another day on the trek to wellness. Did I mention that I have two treatment days remaining? I am so ready for this to be over.

No plans for today except maybe Lowes for some weed killer and fertilizer, the yard is actually green!, well, weeds are green.

Also time to do maintenance on the AC mister system. I had to kick on the AC yesterday, got to 90, and I was miserable, so AC on. This may be the earliest that I ever ran the AC.

Trouble is I like it and now it's going to hard to cut it off.

Oh well, its a kick back day of R&R and I feel better than I have in the last 5 days so maybe this is really almost over.

Weight today – 202
Blood Pressure – 117/76

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