Rescheduled

The transurethral resection is back on... The bladder cancer surgery that I have had about 15 or so times now is scheduled for this Wednesday. In and out, forgive the pun...out patient- with just enough discomfort to require some Oxycontin. I am such a sissy, I am still concerned I will get hooked like Rush Limbaugh did...

I switched my Cal 101 chemo trial clinic to Tuesday. That seems to be doing well- still no nasty side effects, and the nodes are still reduced...

Anyway, here at the Dublin Chalet (I called it the Dublin Dump- but was corrected by a friend). Visiting some old friends and some long lost biological siblings... another post, another time. My family's primary goal when I was growing up was to one day be just dysfunctional...

Well at age 55, battling Chronic Lymphocritic Leukemia, Bladder Cancer, and having had a kidney removed due to cancer- I guess I can say I have a lot to be thankful for. In retrospect the challenges of the past are what build us in character. I can see the ultimate good that God has brought from what at the time appeared to be the worse possible time ever...I am saving my "childhood" for another day. Just one note that I learned a long long time ago- "You can't call yourself an adult if you still blame mommy and daddy for not ...fill in the blank.

Wouldn't it be great to just fast forward to the good times? I think we can- if we just remember to do so- thank God for the circumstances, and expect the good will be revealed to you some time down the road. Why wait feeling good if you know it is coming?

Sometimes we allow ourselves to be kicked down- or go into Eeyore mode. You know, the Winny the Pooh character who is described as being quiet, intelligent, and always depressed.

Yeah, Yeah- I know...some of you guys might think I have "fox hole religion"... Ain't no atheist in battle. But I actually have been using this thankful to God creed well before I knew what a Urologist actually did---or attended a bible teaching church.

Okay, just another reminder why we call this Ramblings by Randy....

Laundry day.

God Bless

Columbus again...

Catching up... Flew back to Columbus on Tuesday... Had a great visit with Denise and the grand kids...Neese was all over me...Denise and I went to our favorite beach area to read and wade in the frigid waters---76 degrees- ate at a couple of our favorite restaurants, drove the Mustang with the top down, and Denise made my favorite meal- a chicken casserole that strangely has replaced my old favorite chicken casserole that was loaded with Velveeta... The new one has stuffing. No Tofu...gotta keep up the weight- the Olympics are coming...

Fun in the Sun... but I return to my birth state.

Clinic on Tuesday, everything seems to be going well- the lymph nodes have decreased- no skin eruptions... still a bit fatigued- but for clinic I can't take my legal speed until afterwards... feeling pretty good today. Stocked up on the "man" groceries... chicken patties, soup, breakfast sausage, and a case of Dasani water... I also scored a really great radio at Goodwill. A Sony Dream machine- stereo that I can run my XM through... $4.00! I soaked it in disinfectant... but it sounds great. The bored dude at Radio Shack who did not have time to deal with my questions saved me at least $40.00 for a sub standard radio...

One day I want to write a book called- "I Want to Give you Money..." with my buddy Gil. Many stories about trying to buy something and being blown off... Like the Plant City contractor who has yet to give me his estimate for a new garage... times must be better than I thought... Of course it has been a year now...

Not sure what the weekend will bring- taking it as it comes...being grateful for all God has given me, and the opportunity to swing the bat a few more times...

Ain't giving up yet...

God Bless,

Follow the Money

http://www.fec.gov/disclosure.shtml

This is a great web site to check and see where your representative from the Senate, House, even White House has received their funding...

Knowledge is power...

God Bless,

Always planning my next meal...

88 degrees and sunny. As my friend Gil might say- it is a little "close" out there. Humid. But not too bad.

Spending some time doing the local things... like breakfast at Snellgroves... Double order of "heart attack on a plate..." Keep the paddles handy...

That's Biscuits and Gravy for my northern friends...

CDB Pizza this evening...Denise and I use to go there on "dates" 30 years ago...

All is well... feeling pretty good.

God Bless,

Feeling Normal

A fellow CLL'er had an accident recently, falling off a ladder while cleaning out the gutters at home. Reading some of his symptoms, ills, aches and pains one might immediately ask if the man is insane... I mean he has a severe case of CLL... Nope...he is just trying to feel normal again.

Made me think about myself- being self centered and all...

I was diagnosed in 2004- and since then I have underwent numerous chemo treatments, beet juice drinking, no meat, no sugar... and I still have CLL. Actually a rather intense kind that needs treatment, like a bone marrow transplant- or a miracle.

I told my immediate family after a few months, and I stayed on the job until January this year- 4 1/2 years- telling only a few at first, then being open about two years ago. I think I did okay, even in this troubling economy- but when I made a sales trip to LA and felt like I was "in trouble"- weak, unable to perform as I should- I took the spikes off. I received SS Disability, as well as insurance disability as soon as possible...so here I am...

At work, I was initially assigned to a position that allowed me to be somewhat creative---and I appreciate the opportunity. I also felt, as a man with an ego...that I was stuck in one place. I guess I should be thankful- and I actually was when I rationalized my thinking- but it was a special feeling...not normal.

In my home life, my friends and family were of course concerned... sometimes to the point of frustration. Some, I felt, wanted to take my pulse every time I saw them... I cannot fault them for being protective- but it was not normal.

I am, after all, a guy who always tried to succeed...who fought against the odds, and to some extent did better in life than I was expected to...to me that was normal. I liked in business being the underdog---as well as in life... and as I told one friend, I loved it when someone would say---"how did you get here?"

I like beating the odds.

I like doing it myself.

I like feeling normal...

So, my CLL Friend- I understand. I recently bought some synthetic oil, filter and found where to discard the old oil... not because I can't afford to have the oil changed...but because I want to feel "normal".

Let's hope the ramp hold....

God Bless,

Timing is everything...

Just got back to Florida- Denise and my granddaughter, Neese picked me up... and on the drive home from the airport, I get a call from Dr. Pohar's office (OSU James Retreat Urologist), scheduling me for surgery on Monday... in Columbus. I get back on Tuesday. aghhhh.

I went to register for this chemo trial at OSU on June 28th, put everything on hold waiting for the call... got the call October 6th, accepted into the program October 13th. I saw my local Urologist at Moffitt in Tampa back in August- scheduled my procedure for October 15th, which I had to cancel for the chemo trial... Dr. Pohar I saw on Tuesday- and he had pulled some strings to get me in next Monday... I did not expect to hear from him until tomorrow... and thought it might be several weeks before we were a go...

Amber, Dr. Pohar's assistant is working to reschedule- again.

God Bless,

68 degrees and sunny

The weather is beautiful in Columbus today. I have the patio door and windows open and just returned from a 3 mile walk to pick up the newspaper. It is 82 degrees back home- so things there are finally cooling off and becoming tolerable.

I go in for day eight of the Cal 101 trial tomorrow--- so far no problems. I have tried stopping the Provigil (speed) to see if my energy is coming back...I know I am impatient- but the walk probably helped as well- got the old endorphins going. I hate taking unnecessary medications.

I saw the Urologist today, Dr. Pohar...he will be scheduling the Transurethral resection sometime in the next month or so- here in Ohio, so on Thursday I am flying back to Florida for a few days...I have been gone now two weeks today- so it will be nice to be home again.

Guess I need to start thinking of things I need to bring back from Florida to Columbus...and do some laundry...

God Bless,

Is that Ohio Columbus? No, that's Columbus, Ohio.

Sorry, old gum advertisement from the sixties...who says advertising doesn't work..

I have arrived, safe and sound in the north country. Just in time for the drizzling cold rain turning to frost and soon snow.

I have been tested and accepted into the Cal 101 trial at The James Resort, Ohio State University- which requires that I take 2 pills in the morning and 2 in the evening. I started last week- with no ill effects. The only effect I have felt so far is my skin seems to be clearing up on my legs. They were swollen, and some disgusting eruptions had taken place. Now they are practically healed and all is well...I expect that the Band-Aid company will post a loss for this quarter.

Could be the Cal 101- or the cold...

I am about an hour south of Cleveland- my old home town, four hours from my sisters in PA, and two days from my wife in Tampa. I will probably fly home for six days between treatment. I have an appointment to see Dr. Pohar here at the James to deal with my nasty little bladder cancer issue. I need an outpatient surgery that I will do here. Denise may fly up for that- once we get the schedule.

I worked out a good deal on a condo- one bedroom deal in a gated community so I am exploring how to cook something other than grilled cheese and chicken noodle soup... local television even has the Browns games...(good and bad thing)

I would like to say that Ohio State is a terrific medical center- and as a teaching school, up to date on the current practises... I recommend that everyone when faced with any medical issues go to the best medical facility that handles that particular illness. I am not sure how the proposed medical legislation would have worked in my situation, but the original Doctor I saw wanted to immediately put me on a drug that is sarcastically called "Aids in a bag" for the damage it does to your immune system... That was in April 2004. I was a mess- but I did read that hasty treatment could do more harm than good- so I got a second opinion from a CLL Professional. I also fired the local doc when I discovered that both his patient rest rooms had turned off the hot water...like a gas station.

The more you question and learn, the better off you are.

God Bless,

Back to Columbus- Byrdland

I received word on Friday that I am expected to be in Columbus on Friday for pre trial screening... The trial is Cal 101, at the James Cancer Center under the watchful eye of Dr. Byrd. This trial has had some positive results... and hopefully I can add to those statistics.

I have decided to point the Cadillac north- and fly back in a week or so... once I get a firmer understanding of my schedule. I bought the Caddy for northern exposure when I was in Columbus circling the Bone Marrow Transplant drain. The Mustang ragtop is more of a fair weather car- tail end swings in rain, ice would be tragic. I actually feel the Caddy's 27MPG on the highway- 19 in the city is pretty good for not driving a lawn mower. I will probably pull out Tuesday, take my time, and arrive Thursday night.

I will also have to cancel my scheduled transurethral resection for my bladder cancer at Moffit- and possibly reschedule it in Columbus, with Dr. Pohar- dependent upon the screening results and schedule. As an out patient surgery that I have had about 15 times...not a big deal.

Anyway, tomorrow and Monday I will be getting things together-speaking to the housing people, so I will post as I can...

Also have to start working on wearing shoes... flip flops for the last month or so...

God Bless