Fall in January

It's been exactly two weeks since the big cocktail and the side effects I was warned about happened but were again minimal. Last big cocktail (and the final step in "THE PLAN" ) is next Tuesday so someone cue the fat lady...
Hair loss, which I've heard about since day one, began just two days ago and took me back a bit. They didn't tell me the fallout is from e v e r y
w h e r e ... nuff said, but I still have to shave, go figure. Interesting comments to the last blog about the soothing effects of fire - no wonder it's so quiet on the beach at night.
Would like to ask you to include an old friend in your prayers, if you wouldn't mind. Found out recently that Sam has been battling a rare form of lukemia for the past year. Here I am acting like a big baby complaining about being poked a lousy eight times for infusions and Sam has gone down that road over a hundred times in the past twelve months with no end to his "plan" in sight. Yeah, he's a fighter...anyway, thanks.
Will write again after next Tuesday and hopefully have a CT date.
Ken

Light one up

One of the things I look forward to after mass is lighting a candle for all the patients I've met or seen at the cancer center over the past several months. It's the young people that I can't get out of my head. You know how there's that time around a beach fire when everything goes silent for a few minutes and you just sit there staring at the flames. Remember what or who you were thinking about during that time ? I get that for a moment at the back of the church and it feels good.
I'm interested to hear what you all think about while staring at the flames. Need help? Light a candle. Consider this our first interactive blog. This time I want to hear about YOU.
Don't be bashful.
LIVESTRONG

The Good Stuff

It never ceases to amaze me how good these doctor's are. Joann and I had an appt w/my Oncologist, Dr Mackler, last Monday, the day before the big cocktail, and he scared the hell out of me about all the terrible things that will likely happen and oh, by the way, it won't occur right away, it'll happen 2 to 3 days afterwards. It did. The nausea hit Thursday night, which was a first and was contained with compazine, the good stuff. Eighteen hours later and it was gone. The body aches, also a first, were something else again. Best way I can describe it is someone hitting me with a baseball bat from head to toe just hard enough to get your attention. Nothing's touched that and we're going on two days now, but it's getting better. I'll know what to expect for my last big cocktail in two weeks. If you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain...

I am now convinced that there is nothing I can throw at these doctor's that they haven't already seen and know how to treat. Now if I can just get them to tell me which way the market is headed....

The dock is in sight - throttle up.

LIVESTRONG

JUST A QUICKIE

Boy, did that ever have a different meaning in my younger years....anyway, today is Joann's birthday and let's just say she's 39 and change...change from a 20 that is.
Yesterday's cocktail went well due in no small part to having my favorite nurse, Robin there for the poke. Robin was my first infusionist when all this began last November and came up with the "go to your happy place" phrase. Funny how more comfortable and relaxed I am around people I trust. Five hours later I was out the door. I made an appt with Robin for my Feb 2nd cocktail promising her Joann's brownies as a bribe.
No adverse side effects so far and I hope they don't appear at all. Just have to be concious of running a temp - infections are a no-no with low WBC counts. The doctor's harp about it all the time - must be something I don't want to experience. Thought I was running one this morning but it turned out Jo had a hot flash last night and threw all the covers on my side - problem solved - temp @ 98.6.
Jo and Deb are going shopping again today so Ric and I better cash in the empties... It's a gorgeous winter day, I hope you all get a chance to enjoy it. Talk to you again soon -
Ken

Make mine a double

It's been nearly a month since my last cocktail and I'll be the first to admit I haven't missed "the poke". Tomorrow I get the first of the two "big" cocktails which will conclude THE PLAN, so today was the blood draw poke. We were warned that these last two double doses will likely cause some of the side effects that I've so far avoided and that they may occur up to seven days after infusion. Seven days ? Hell, my worse hangover ever lasted only two, or was it three ? And now you know why I'm writing this the day before - they've really spooked me this time. I hope it doesn't happen. The good news is I'll be able to go through the CT scans in early February instead of waiting till March, what I've referred to as the final exam - the one that counts.
Have been doing very well thank you since my last radiation Dec 18th. The back burn is completely healed and I'm nearly keeping up with Joann during our nightly walks at the local high school. It's kind of embarrassing being passed up by the local grandma's that hike the halls also, but it just reminds me how far I've yet to go. Bet I could take most of 'em in arm wrestling..
The attached photo taken this Christmas is of my youngest son, Paul and our Cioc. Everyone has a Cioc, you just don't realize it, but your's likely isn't like mine. You see, mine is also my guardian angel and she has God's ear.
LIVESTRONG

2K10

Dr Henning checked out the back burn Dec 30th and predicted it would be much better in a week. He was right again, the improvement over the past 48 hours has been remarkable. Three more days and I expect it to be gone entirely.

Spent New Years in Port Austin at Ric and Deb's place on the water through whose window this picture was taken. Wind chill on New Years Day was -5 due to a pretty stout westerly wind. We didn't spend much time on the beach...but it sure was pretty to look out at. Everything appears secure on Buffa Court also. You could have fired a cannon down M25 and not hit a thing. Sure is quiet up there in the winter.

See the docs again Jan 8th and the 11th before the big cocktail on Jan 12th which should take around 4 hours. Ann tells me I WILL lose my hair so to minimize the fallout Deb gave me a "summer cut" today and lopped off all the gray - love that woman ! Feb 2nd is my last scheduled cocktail and I've heard mention of several CT scans thrown in there somewhere. The end of "The Plan" is in sight, yep, the boat is nearing the dock. The EOB's are coming in fast and furious - big numbers !

Many of you have been sending me inspirational notes lately and I've enjoyed and found strength in all of them, but here is one that really hit home - "Life is simpler when you plow around the stump " Amen to that.

Happy New Year, good health to all and thanks again for sticking with us last year

Ken