It's snowing in Houston!
(of course the ground is too warm so nothing will stick, but it's still snow!)
10 December, 2008
06 December, 2008
Updates
Ok, here are a couple of posts--just keep reading until you hit old stuff...
Getting back to Normal
Life has pretty much gotten back to normal. (whatever that is) I’ve just been keeping myself busy, trying to catch up on what I think I missed out on for 6 months this year. It’s all self-imposed stuff, but that means I haven’t taken any time to put much up on the blog. I haven’t really been doing much that’s blog-worthy. (e.g. stuff that wouldn’t bore the crap out of you)
Health Stuff
Ok, I’ll keep this short. I wouldn’t keep posting about this stuff, but people ask.
I had my most recent follow-up last week and my cancer markers still look good. My oncologist seems to still be happy with things. I’m scheduled for more blood work and CT scans sometime in Jan/Feb.
I’ve been getting lots of compliments on the hair. It’s still fairly short, a slightly darker shade of brown and really soft. (and, perhaps a bit thinner) I’m not sure if people are commenting on it because it actually looks good or if it’s just because they were accustomed to seeing me bald. Or it could just be that people don’t know how to express “I’m glad you’re not sick and maybe even dying.”
In any case, I’m probably going to keep it like this for a while.
Traveling
In the last month, I’ve made two trips to Oklahoma with a total of over 2,500 miles driven. I also flew to Indiana for an extended weekend. I’m really glad I’ve had the opportunity to get in some travel and see some people I haven’t seen for a while. (even if I’m really starting to hate that drive to Oklahoma) It will be nice to be at home for the weekend.
But that only lasts for a little while. Soon the Christmas travel begins. Again, I love to travel, but it’s been a lot of driving lately and that gets kinda old.
Car
Ok, I’ve got to make a decision soon. I started to crave the Altima Coupe again. I was at the Nissan dealership the other day to get a faulty sensor replaced and I took the opportunity to get a close look at the ‘09 model. I even took a couple for a test drive. That V6 is damn fun to drive: 270 horses and the new continuously-variable transmission. That means that you can just put your foot down—it puts the RPM’s at 4K and keeps it there until you let off the gas.
I’m going to either buy this thing or forget about it. I’m giving myself until the end of next weekend to make a decision. Either way, at that point it’s done.
Getting back to Normal
Life has pretty much gotten back to normal. (whatever that is) I’ve just been keeping myself busy, trying to catch up on what I think I missed out on for 6 months this year. It’s all self-imposed stuff, but that means I haven’t taken any time to put much up on the blog. I haven’t really been doing much that’s blog-worthy. (e.g. stuff that wouldn’t bore the crap out of you)
Health Stuff
Ok, I’ll keep this short. I wouldn’t keep posting about this stuff, but people ask.
I had my most recent follow-up last week and my cancer markers still look good. My oncologist seems to still be happy with things. I’m scheduled for more blood work and CT scans sometime in Jan/Feb.
I’ve been getting lots of compliments on the hair. It’s still fairly short, a slightly darker shade of brown and really soft. (and, perhaps a bit thinner) I’m not sure if people are commenting on it because it actually looks good or if it’s just because they were accustomed to seeing me bald. Or it could just be that people don’t know how to express “I’m glad you’re not sick and maybe even dying.”
In any case, I’m probably going to keep it like this for a while.
Traveling
In the last month, I’ve made two trips to Oklahoma with a total of over 2,500 miles driven. I also flew to Indiana for an extended weekend. I’m really glad I’ve had the opportunity to get in some travel and see some people I haven’t seen for a while. (even if I’m really starting to hate that drive to Oklahoma) It will be nice to be at home for the weekend.
But that only lasts for a little while. Soon the Christmas travel begins. Again, I love to travel, but it’s been a lot of driving lately and that gets kinda old.
Car
Ok, I’ve got to make a decision soon. I started to crave the Altima Coupe again. I was at the Nissan dealership the other day to get a faulty sensor replaced and I took the opportunity to get a close look at the ‘09 model. I even took a couple for a test drive. That V6 is damn fun to drive: 270 horses and the new continuously-variable transmission. That means that you can just put your foot down—it puts the RPM’s at 4K and keeps it there until you let off the gas.
I’m going to either buy this thing or forget about it. I’m giving myself until the end of next weekend to make a decision. Either way, at that point it’s done.
That Festive Time of Year
I want to tell a little story. Bear with me here a bit.
When I first started my chemo treatments, my doctors wanted me to check into the hospital for the first week to make sure I was able to tolerate all the meds. Luckily, my system seemed to handle them very well. Actually, I felt really good for that first week. That means that I was bored as hell sitting in that tiny little hospital room.
So it didn’t take me long to talk the nurses into letting me leave the floor whenever I wanted—as long as I was back in time for treatments. On the third day—with IV in tow—I headed up to the pediatric floor of MD Anderson. They have a heck of a nice setup there. A full kitchen and dining area so parents can cook familiar meals for their kids. Computers with Internet access. A two-story gym with all sorts of toys. A “craft” room. They even have a classroom where kids can keep up with their schoolwork.
After playing catch with a little 4 year-old boy, I met Shannon. (not her real name) She was the cutest 12 year-old girl you’ve ever met. Tall and thin with the signature baby-smooth bald head that left no question as to whether she was a patient or guest. She had a type of bone cancer and she and her mom had temporarily moved from out of state for treatment. She recently had her right tibia (shin bone) removed and replaced with one from a cadaver. At the time, she was in the middle of yet another round of chemo.
But, like a lot of kids in that situation, she was tough. After talking to her a bit, I could tell that she knew exactly what was going on. She knew things were going to be rough for a while. She even seemed to have processed the idea that her situation might not have a positive outcome. But instead of shrinking into a well of self-pity (as she had every right to—her doctors were starting to think that her body wasn’t accepting the new bone and that they would need to try the surgery again) she was up and doing crafts with her mom and helping to plan how to juggle the rest of the family’s schedule.
And Shannon was independent. When she wanted something to drink, she got up and got it herself. That may not sound like much, but realize that she was on crutches with a big IV pole to drag around. That was an impressive balancing act.
While her mom was in the kitchen area cooking some dinner, we were talking and she said that she really missed playing dominoes. As well-stocked as that floor was, there were no dominoes to be found. So, while Shannon and her mom ate some dinner, I snuck out and found the last box hiding in the back of a gift shop.
You should have seen her face light up when I walked back in with that box. We spent the next couple of hours playing dominoes with her mom. I finally had to leave to start my treatments, but for those couple of hours it seemed like it took a little of the burden off her mind. Maybe that’s just what I wanted to see. But if I was able to put a smile on her face and help her have a few laughs with her mom, that seems like a well-spent effort.
The Child’s Play banner is back up. You know what to do.
When I first started my chemo treatments, my doctors wanted me to check into the hospital for the first week to make sure I was able to tolerate all the meds. Luckily, my system seemed to handle them very well. Actually, I felt really good for that first week. That means that I was bored as hell sitting in that tiny little hospital room.
So it didn’t take me long to talk the nurses into letting me leave the floor whenever I wanted—as long as I was back in time for treatments. On the third day—with IV in tow—I headed up to the pediatric floor of MD Anderson. They have a heck of a nice setup there. A full kitchen and dining area so parents can cook familiar meals for their kids. Computers with Internet access. A two-story gym with all sorts of toys. A “craft” room. They even have a classroom where kids can keep up with their schoolwork.
After playing catch with a little 4 year-old boy, I met Shannon. (not her real name) She was the cutest 12 year-old girl you’ve ever met. Tall and thin with the signature baby-smooth bald head that left no question as to whether she was a patient or guest. She had a type of bone cancer and she and her mom had temporarily moved from out of state for treatment. She recently had her right tibia (shin bone) removed and replaced with one from a cadaver. At the time, she was in the middle of yet another round of chemo.
But, like a lot of kids in that situation, she was tough. After talking to her a bit, I could tell that she knew exactly what was going on. She knew things were going to be rough for a while. She even seemed to have processed the idea that her situation might not have a positive outcome. But instead of shrinking into a well of self-pity (as she had every right to—her doctors were starting to think that her body wasn’t accepting the new bone and that they would need to try the surgery again) she was up and doing crafts with her mom and helping to plan how to juggle the rest of the family’s schedule.
And Shannon was independent. When she wanted something to drink, she got up and got it herself. That may not sound like much, but realize that she was on crutches with a big IV pole to drag around. That was an impressive balancing act.
While her mom was in the kitchen area cooking some dinner, we were talking and she said that she really missed playing dominoes. As well-stocked as that floor was, there were no dominoes to be found. So, while Shannon and her mom ate some dinner, I snuck out and found the last box hiding in the back of a gift shop.
You should have seen her face light up when I walked back in with that box. We spent the next couple of hours playing dominoes with her mom. I finally had to leave to start my treatments, but for those couple of hours it seemed like it took a little of the burden off her mind. Maybe that’s just what I wanted to see. But if I was able to put a smile on her face and help her have a few laughs with her mom, that seems like a well-spent effort.
The Child’s Play banner is back up. You know what to do.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)