Bring on December

Well, we got through Thanksgiving and gave thanks that it didn't snow again
so soon after our October nor'easter. Thanksgiving was pretty much uneventful
which was fine. I had a problem with a tooth that I had seen my dentist about the week before Thanksgiving and after an xray and "nerve test" ouch! he said I needed
a root canal...I pleaded with him that it was really unaffordable and asked if just a filling would help...he replied that it *might* help, so we agreed to try a filling and so far, so good and going on 3+ weeks now. My next appt is in January, but I'm thinking that I might want to change dentists now?

I should mention that the items that I've been sharing via the links over on the right side cannot be shared or deleted now - I'm sorry about that, but Google/Blogger have not responded to my requests and have no changed google reader and have made it non-user friendly.

I'm coming up on my full third year of being in remission and that is another thing that I'm very thankful for. Next CT scan with CEA test and colonoscopy will be in the Spring, but I'll post something cheerful for December, Christmas and New Year's
Day of 2012...

October's gone - bring on November

Remember...walking in the sand......seems like not that long ago but the month
of October was a busy month and lots of exciting and different things have
come and gone since we walked in the sand last.

First of all, I reached the next level of insight as I turned 60 years
old in early October. Don't really notice any new aches, pains or problems
though so I guess that's a good thing. The neuropathy is better and really
only notice it when trying to carry something like an ice cube from the
freezer to the livingroom. Solution: bring the glass to the freezer! Maybe
I'm wiser since turning 60? At any rate, I'm still creative and have a
good imagination, in my humble opinion.

We also had Mother Nature play a trick (or treat?)on us before the Autumn Leaves
were even off the trees in the form of a snowy Nor'easter where some still
are without power after several inches to several feet of snow fell
in local areas. Hope you all have your power back on soon.

Lastly, I went through my series of cancer screenings and also got my
flu shot so I've been 'winterized' so to speak. If all goes well and the
good Lord willin' - - I'll finish my 3rd year of remission in January!!!

So, not to postpone anything coming up I'm going to sign off for now
and order a wall calendar (At-A-Glance) for 2012 because it will be here
before we know it. Thanks and blessings for your continued support!!!

October is here - Next cancer testing this month !!

So...here we are into October already! I chose the video clip of some
foliage because we won't be seeing much this year due to Hurricane Irene's
visit.

I'm now into my sixth decade or past the years of fifty somethings or if you're
still confused...I turned 60 years old last week! There have been some times in
my life when I never thought that I would make it to see this happen, but I did and I'm very thankful.

My next checkup at the cancer center is scheduled for October 31st which happens to be Halloween. I'll have bloodwork done, an exam and hopefully get my flu shot while I'm there too.

As my third year of remission is coming to a close, I'm finding less things to write about, but will try to keep it interesting none the less. As many of you know, October is Breast Cancer awareness month (you've seen the pink ribbons and decorations around maybe?) and I hope that all of you are still tolerating your treatments well and doing okay. It is indeed a horrible disease, as is any form
of cancer, but that is why we must have faith, hope and trust in our medical professionals and to God above. I'll be keeping you all in my prayers and thank
you all for the emails and support that you've been giving me. It really does help and it means a lot. THANK YOU!!!

September - after Hurricane Irene

Well, it's been awhile since I posted an update and since the last post, we've had Hurricane Irene hit us. Many were without power for over a week and approx 72 lives were lost and billions of dollars in damage from this
hurricane.

That was two weeks ago and now we have a bad crop of pumpkins, applesand foliage has already lost a good amount of leaves (and complete trees) due to the storm.

I'm doing okay, not great, but okay and continue to keep thinking positive
and having good days and bad.

The New England Patriots are off to a good start, but our Red Sox can't seem to get back on a winning track. Soon we'll have all four major sports going at once (baseball playoffs/world series, football, hockey and basketball).

Stay tuned for more after I turn the big six oh in a couple more weeks!

Setback - followup

Just got home from hospital and good news, but kind of confused too.
I was given a thorough exam both lying down and standing up and the surgeon
could feel no hernia or tear. I asked him if an xray of some kind would show it, but he said since I only feel the pain when upright or moving, while laying down for scan probably would not show anything and his diagnosis is a sprained
muscle, but said to keep an eye on it and if it gets worse or changes to come in again.
So glad no surgery needed right now anyway, but pain is still there...strange.

Setback

After experiencing some pain that has gotten a bit worse over
the past month, I decided to make an appointment to see my
oncologist tomorrow. I'm pretty sure that it's abdominal adhesions
but want to be sure and see what, if anything can be done.

This is what I found on the web :

"Abdominal adhesions can kink, twist, or pull the intestines out of place, causing an intestinal obstruction. An intestinal obstruction partially or completely restricts the movement of food or stool through the intestines. A complete intestinal obstruction is life threatening and requires immediate medical attention and often surgery.
Adhesions can become larger and tighter as time passes, causing problems years after surgery."

So, it appears that there is no "fix" if this is the case, as more surgery
would just result in more adhesions. Stay tuned for more later this week...

Dog Daze of August

It's August 4th, 2011 and the dog days of summer are going on all
over the country. The weather has been "triple H" (hot, hazy and humid),
but a couple of days of relief before back to the hot days of summer.

Besides having some pain that could be scar tissue/skin adhesions, everything
seems to be going okay, not great, but I'm happy with okay!

My next oncology visit will be in October, on the 31st (Halloween) and I'll
be asking some questions that I keep adding to my list.

Have a happy and safe summer, but beware of carcinoma!

Hotter Than the 4th of July !!!

The month of June started off with some chilly weather and rain, but it's
now hotter than the 4th of July and expected to stay like this for awhile (through the 4th of July).

Aside from some internal adhesion/scar tissue pains, I'm still doing well and hope that this continues and best wishes for a very Happy and safe upcoming Independence Day holiday weekend!

It's June and 55 degrees F ???

It must be because the Bruins are still playing hockey and tonight is game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final Playoffs!

We've had a few stretches of hot and hazy weather, but it's nice to get a break from the heat every now and then. I can recall when I was starting chemo three years ago and the wicked heat we had. I used to wear long sleeves and cover with a blanket during my infusions. Those chemo meds
work well, but the side effects included neuropathy and feeling cold very easily.

At any rate, we're hoping for a Bruins victory tonight and then looking
at a warm summer season....eventually! For those of you who are going through chemo right now, may God bless you as He has blessed me!!!

Edited to add - The BRUINS won!

Starting 3rd Year in Remission !!!

Yes, my recent screenings went well as I start my third year in
remission now. I had a CBC and CMP test done, then a week later
went for a CT scan and had my CEA and follow up the following
week and so far - - so good!

Thanks again for all of your support and remember, early detection
can make a huge difference, so if it's your time, I urge you to
get checked.

The Ides of March

Greetings! What a difference some rain and a few warm days make. The snow is gone and talk of baseball is in the air. We turned our clocks forward last weekend and Spring is in the air :)

This month, my wife and I celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary (Pearl) and I've just finalized my dates for next months cancer screenings. These are various tests that I undergo twice a year now, not including the colonoscopy.

I'm starting my 3rd year in remission! ...I just had to stop and say a prayer for how thankful I am to still be here and able to say that.
My diagnosis was in May of 2008 and it's been quite a journey since then,
but positive thoughts, prayers and God have helped to make it a very
bearable journey. There have been some unpredicted twists and turns along the way, but that's to be expected. I can still remember those words that I heard from my doctor that day, "You have cancer, and it's spreading".

So, moving forward, I begin lab tests/CT scan/oncology visit and exam on April 15th through April 29th. This time I've been given to option to drink the barium at home, so when I go in for the first 2 blood tests which are taken a week ahead of the CT scan on the 15th, I'll be also picking up my barium milkshake to bring home to remind me every time that I open the fridge that I'm very lucky. Colon cancer has the highest risk of any cancer to re-occur, because I was diagnosed stage III, I'm a bit more at risk.

I still remain positive in my thinking and hope for a good report from the tests when they are all over and done for this period, but I'd by lying if I said that I had no anxiety about finding out if this will be the series of tests that show something bad. Every cancer fighter goes through these thoughts and although some may not say it, they are thinking it.

So, that concludes this month's update and hopefully next month's will be a good one!!!

February 1st - 2011 - Still More Snowstorms !

Not the best video on this blog, but an 'A' for effort! It's been snowing at a clip of one or two snowstorms a week since the turn of the new year.
I'm looking forward to Spring...very much!

The Red Sox are looking pretty good with their signing of Carl Crawford, formerly of the Tampa Rays. Speed, power and skillful knowledge of the game and who knows...maybe he's the spark that the club has needed? Time will tell.

I had my flu shot last October and so far, so good. The family has been struggling with flu symptoms and colds, but so far I've been lucky enough to avoid that...but then again, they chose not to get a flu shot.

We're all taking vitamins now too. One-a-day, supplements, vitamin C and b complex, omega 3 caps. Getting plenty of stretching and excercise in also.

We're into February now, let's get the taxes done and see if
we're getting anything back or paying this year. Usually we do get a small refund from the Federal, but a chunk of it goes to pay the State. They don't call it Taxachusetts for nothing. ;)

Next CT scan and CEA bloodtest is scheduled for late April and no colonoscopy this year - - woo hoo - I get the year off and don't need another until next year (2012).

Stay tuned, next month we celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary!

2011 - More Snow

Well, the holidays are behind us now and 2011 came in with a powerful
nor'easter on January 11th and 12th. Some of the weather people were calling it 'Thundersnow' - - we called it an old fashioned blizzard!

I have two years in remission now and have my next series of tests
and CT scan tentatively scheduled for the last week in April. Maybe
by then all of the snow will have melted ;)

I'm feeling pretty good for the most part but still a bit of lingering neuropathy is noted especially in the cold weather. It's mainly the fingertips and toes of my feet. Compared to what it was like while going through chemotherapy, this is very mild and just a nuisance.

I'm still taking my daily vitamins and D supplements and was doing pretty good as far as losing some weight until the holidays hit - - but now it's back to the excercises and treadmills and hoping to 'lighten up' a
bit and get back to following the glycemic index more faithfully.