Bubble off plumb...

Another day is near its end and although I feel a kind of off I do feel better than I did on this day of cycle one.  I think one thing that helped was having family around, my youngest  nephew came by and mowed the yard, my brother called a couple to talk and make sure I was doing ok. My sister was here, we cut up a couple melons and talked. I think we ate most of the watermelon. My oldest nephews wife Angi came by with some fresh cucumbers and a big bowl of macaroni salad made just how i like it. In the middle of this another friend Connie called and offered to drive probably 30 miles to mow my yard, but my nephew had already comitted.

We grilled some brats,had a good lunch along with some strawberry shortcake.  My youngest  nephew finished off the afternoon with haircuts.  The original plan was for Angi to even things out from my work last night.  My nephew did not have hair in the right places to join me in a mohawk but he did join me in getting the shave today. 

After everyone left I layed down for a nap, I woke up to find a note from my oldest nephew on my laptop. He has a key to the door and had stopped by to check on me.  Said I was out and he was gonna let me rest. 

It has been a long day and I think I'm gonna play a little guitar and try to get some sleep sometime tonight.

R

100% Past Tense... almost

Yesterday was day 2 of cycle two of my chemo, things were a little tense so I did not do any writing.  Some of you understand what I mean.  Ive gone through many different stages or events over the past 48 days since being diagnosed with bladder cancer. As I sit here pondering the various events I think back to my moms funeral when I shared that "it was the hardest thing I would ever do - until the next hardest thin came along. and God would carry me through that too."

I think the question of who got told first was hard, who got phone calls, E-mails, text messages, etc. I do know it was family first and in the process some may have felt the should have been informed differently.  We grow up and move on, best thing to do.

Yesterday was what I call a major event on this journey. As I sat here working at my desk I saw a few strands of hair on the keyboard. I ran my hand through my mohawk of 10 days (another major event) and grabbed a few more strands, finally I grabbed hold and pulled out a few clumps. The hair loss they siad might start after 3 weeks of chemo started in 2.  

For the first time going through all of this I cried.  Of all the events I think this made it more real than any. I felt like I was official cancer patient. I didn't cry  long, a friend of nearly 40 years Connie Yeater would be picking me up shortly to drive me to my chemo treatment.  

Of the 4 hats I've got, the English Driivers Cap seems to be the one people like most so i put it on went to my chemo treatment. Upon arrival I told them about the hair problem and asked if they got the wrong mix the day before.  We all laughed. I got home and about 8:30 and grabbed a beard trimer and tightened things up so I would not sit around pulling my hair out. My nephews wife, Angi will be by sometime to day to even things out.

Passed out with a President...

I'd just re-read a Blog post from Jan of 2011 I titled "Bucket list my Bucket," I'd wrote this after a long dreamed about attempt at snowboarding.  I think part of the push may have been from have been from watching the movie "The Bucket list." 

I'd seen the trailers for the movie and thought it was a movie I would actually go to a theatre and see - but didn't. I did buy the DVD, loved it and watched it many times before I was "diagnosed." I've watched the movie several times since being "diagnosed" and still love it.  As I type I'm sitting here looking at the box, one of the headers of a paragraph reads "You only live once, so why not go out in style?" This is the first time I remember reading this and I'm thinking how cool is that. 

I'm not planning on going out anytime soon but I find the idea of "going out in style"  to be an interesting thought.  Having cancer changes the way you and everyone around you looks at everything in life - past, present and even future. Sometimes you intentionally   look at things differently and other times it happens naturally.

I find I'm trying to take more pictures, and the other day at the Harding Memorial I found myself wanting something  different. I sat for a bit looking for that unique photo op, then I eventually sat down at the gate and while looking out at the traffic driving by decided that I did not need a photo op but just a different angle. So I laid  back on the step between 2 pillars pointed my camera skyward and clicked a few.

Cancer will change your life and the lives of those around you, the question is how will you let it change you're life?

R

Oh Boy !

I have Cancer. There I said it - or at least typed it.  It's been a long time since I've posted on this Blog and I'm gonna try to get back into it. 

While having a cystoscopy performed in March of 2012 I heard the DR. utter two words. "Oh boy"  I'm not sure but my guess is in my mind I said "oh shit"!  The DR. told me about the tumors and was ready to do surgery the next day. Thanks to the hoops of our healthcare system the surgery was done 3 days later on a Friday.  

I was sent home with a catheter and returned the following Wednesday to have the catheter removed and hear the DR. say the word "cancer." The benefit of this was it got to the point and I did not have to ask what malignant or benign meant - always got the two confused. 

I have no idea what I will share as I try to get back into the habit of blogging.  It may be something going through my mind, how I'm feeling or totally off the wall.  All I can suggest is check back or subscribe and find out.

R