A good week

So far, this week has been fine.  I feel pretty good.  Even two days with no headaches!    I get a little pain now and then.  They told me I could get bone pain from that shot that increases the white blood cells.  It is usually short lived so no big deal.

Day 31

I felt pretty good all weekend.  Only effects just that headache I seem to have each morning and of course a little tired.  I am pretty use to that so it feels "normal."  I can't wait until this is all done.  It will be a welcome change to feel really good.

Greg and I went to Comerica to watch the Tigers and they retired Sparky Anderson's number.  It was a good game . Kind hot and sunny and of course we forgot the sunscreen in the car.  Luckily I was wearing a hat to protect my near-bald head.  Our seats were about 25 feet from his new number on the wall.

I admired Sparky for his work for charity, especially with kids.  He was a good guy.

Day 28 and 29

I felt pretty good yesterday.  We went to Lansing to see Mom on her Birthday (#79!)  Had a nice visit, went for a short walk around the neighborhood.   I think MSU might be doing some experiments with aggressive mosquitoes.   A swarm attacked us on the walk.  Looked like the Japanese coming into Pearl Harbor!   We all got bit a number of times.  I was thinking if a mosquito bites me while I am in chemo, and if that mosquito had cancer, would she get cured?

After the walk we went to PF Chang's for dinner.  Mark joined us there.  Got home fairly late.

Did not feel like doing much today.  Mostly lied around and watched TV.

Day 27

Here is picture I took on a walk Monday.  Camping was pretty nice.  I felt pretty good.  I wish I could say it stayed that way.  When we got home yesterday I had a headache that would not go away.  I feel better this morning.   I can tell the chemo is killing off the cells in my mouth.  I seem to have lost most sense of taste and it makes everything taste weird.  It makes water taste funny.  

Days 22, 23

We are going camping for a few days at Metamora-Hadley Rec Area near Lapeer.  I didn't want to venture too far from home.  I felt pretty yucky yesterday morning but I was OK after noon or so.  We went for a short walk and that was enough to make me tired.  Gonna try to get in some canoeing today.  It is very peaceful here, lots of birds singing and frogs croaking all night.  I slept pretty good, much better than Saturday night.  I think the fresh air helps.

Day 21

Went to the hospital for my second chemo infusion.  Pretty much the same as the first except I slept right through most of it.  That is a trick I learned from my grandfather Hector Meerschaert.  I took him to the dentist and the dentist told me Heck was his best patient.  He said hello, laid back in the chair and fell asleep throughout the procedures, no matter what they were.  When he was done he would say "All done, Heck"  and grandpa woke right up.

I fell pretty good this morning.  I am counting on the anti-nausea medicine to do it's thing.  I have a slight headache just like last time.  I am losing a bit more hair everyday.  We will see how the day goes.

day 20

I finally ran all the trimmings from the old bushes through the chipper-shredder.   I hope I have time in the morning to mow the lawn, till the garden and finish moving around the wood chips.  Chemo is at 2:00 and who knows what I will want to do after that.  As they say, make hay while the sun shines.

Picked Greg up at the airport (DTW)  He will be here until Monday the 27th.

Dad and me. I am guessing 1958.

Day 17

Not sure why it happened today but 10-20% of my hair decided to fall out last night.  After the chemo on Friday I will probably look like a cue ball!

I am hoping that means I will get out of shaving for awhile.  Every cloud has a silver lining!

Day 16

We went to see Dr. Abramson, the oncologist.  He said my blood cell counts are good.  Weight the same as last time, temp, blood pressure, pulse all good.  Next Chemo is set for Friday.  I was due for Thursday but asked him work around Greg's flight coming into Metro on Thursday.  Rather than having to rush back he said it makes more sense to just move it to Friday.  I am hoping the treatment goes well and I will get to do some fun things while Greg is here.

Here is what insane people do in the middle of chemo treatments

Here is what the bushes in the front of the house looked like on Saturday morning:

Here is what they look like now:

Only took about 14 hours of hard labor to accomplish this.  I saved the lilacs and planted them elsewhere.  They grow too big to be in front of the porch.  I still have to run the trimmings through the chipper-shredder. Ran out of ambition before I got that done.  Maybe after work tomorrow if I feel like it.

Days 13 and 14

Much cooler!  A welcome relief.  It was actually kind cold.  I was buying gas in Grayling and a lady had on her winter parka.  I commented we went from spring to summer to fall, all in one week!  Typical Michigan weather.  I am feeling fine now.  I seem to be near 100% but still get tired.  I was riding with Ben, a co-worker, on Friday going from Caro to Fenton and it was all I could do to stay awake.   I went to Bay Regional Med Center to get my blood tests on Thursday.  I lucked out as I was in and out of there in 10 minutes.  Some days it takes an hour.  Saw my regular doc Thursday also.  He said everything is looking good.   I go to the oncologist Monday. Should get the next treatment scheduled for Thursday or Friday.  I am hoping to get some stuff done in the yard to day and tomorrow.  Weather looks good, cool and dry.  I am not sure if I will be able to do much after the next chemo.

Days 11 and 12

Dang it is hot!  In the 90's both days.  I was just looking at the Weather,com site and it is 88 here, 93 in St. Louis and 85 in Apopka.  That just doesn't seem right.   Spent at least 8 hours on roof tops both yesterday and today.  I try to drink lots of water and it wasn't too bad.  I was falling asleep on the way home yesterday.  Good thing I wasn't driving.  That heat takes a lot out of you.  It suppose to be 67 Thursday so that will be a welcome change.  Going for a another blood draw tomorrow so they can see how the white blood cells are doing.

Day 10

Despite trying to eat right I lost 4 lbs.  I did do a fair deal of work outside over the week end so it might be just the water I lost.    I can tell the chemo is affecting the cells in my mouth (and hopefully killing any rouge cancer cells too).  I can feel the difference, especially on the roof of my mouth and gums.  Not a big deal.  Just different.

Mindless Eating -- Food Psychologist Explains The Mindless Way People Overeat

Mindless Eating -- Food Psychologist Explains The Mindless Way People Overeat

So if you want to lose or help maintain your current weight easier, just throw away your big plates and use smaller ones.

Eating dirt can be good for the belly, researchers find

Eating dirt can be good for the belly, researchers find

Interesting.  I can't help but wonder which book will sell more copies, Craving Earth: Understanding Pica -- the Urge to Eat Clay, Starch, Ice, and Chalk or Kwame Kilpatrick's book.  

Day 9

I just love our health care system.  When they put the port in for the chemo I was told one benefit was that when I need to get blood drawn they could just use the port.  Went to the lab at the hospital to get the tests done I was told only an RN or doctor could access the port.  The labs techs can't.  Reason given was they do not want to risk infecting the port.  That is all good but I wonder if they can't access the port without that risk , How safe is the hole they put in my arm?

Other than that it was a good day.  Only effects left from the first chemo seem to be a slight head ache every morning and being a little more tired.  It does seem to kill your appetite but I have made sure to eat at least three good meals a day and get 8 hours of sleep each night.

Day 8

Pretty good day.  Trip to Alpena was fine, just a little tired on the way back.

Dust storm

Very windy yesterday.  I took this picture in Western Saginaw county.  Dust blowing up across the fields.  It was like the dust bowl days of the 30's.  You remember those.  Oh wait, I wasn't born until 56.  Must have seen it on TV.  At some points the visibility was near zero.  Must have sucked for those farmers and their families.

day 7

Yesterday was a pretty good day.  Not as tired.  Working on roof tops is a bit easier at 70 than 90.  I get to drive to Alpena today so that will be a test.  I have a coworker, Ben, going with me so If I get tired he can drive.

Day 6

I feel a little better each day.  I guess that will be the case until the next treatment (June 16).  I actually wish it were sooner.  The sooner I would be done!   Only woke up once last night, that was nice.  Still had a slight head ache when I got up.  I wish that would stop but it isn't that big a deal.  It was 88 yesterday so that didn't help, only in the 70's today.  Should be e decent day.