It's going to be a rather bland entry for the day as I really did not do anything of consequence. It's all part of the plan as I do not wish to continually get involved in things and begin to overdo it.
Again, I missed out on an opportunity to see one of my granddaughters perform in a gymnastics presentation. As I said before, this part of the recovery process gets frustrating. At the conclusion of the event, my wife went out to dinner with my son's family. So at least she does get a chance to participate which is good.
Once again, no health issues. Let's pray that that continues.
Tomorrow we have company which will make for a nice day.
I do try my best to keep you all posted but, at this point, there is not much to keep you posted on.
Thus, until tomorrow...
Bob
June 12, 2009 11:35 PM
Not a whale of a lot for today's post...
Medically, I'm still doing fine. Unfortunately, there is never really a lot to say medically, so I launch into some of my activities for the day. For example, my wife and I went to see my grandson play his baseball game today. His team lost, but for me every outing is another win on the road to recovery.
So, my wife and I followed up after the game by going for ice cream and it capped a day with enough excitement for me. I really do not want to over extend myself as I have no idea what the ramifications will be. Certainly the doctors must have an inkling because the don't advise a lot of exertion at this point.
I had a large pastrami sub and some french fries for lunch and a little nausea set in. I think that my stomach has shrunk and I am presently unable to eat the quantities of food that I used to eat before. Maybe this will change, maybe it won't. But I have found, in general, that I can't eat the amount of food that I used to eat before. In truth, I am probably better off for it. Beforehand, I was certainly a candidate for Diet Workshop but far from being eligible to be a contestant on the Biggest Loser. I will be eager to see what I weigh when I go back to the clinic in a little less than 2 weeks.
Tomorrow I expect to have nothing of substance to do. But we'll see how the day turns out.
It bothers me to have to write such mundane stuff but I feel obligated to let you all know how things are going.
That is really everything for the day as I inch ever closer to the end of all of this...
Bob
Medically, I'm still doing fine. Unfortunately, there is never really a lot to say medically, so I launch into some of my activities for the day. For example, my wife and I went to see my grandson play his baseball game today. His team lost, but for me every outing is another win on the road to recovery.
So, my wife and I followed up after the game by going for ice cream and it capped a day with enough excitement for me. I really do not want to over extend myself as I have no idea what the ramifications will be. Certainly the doctors must have an inkling because the don't advise a lot of exertion at this point.
I had a large pastrami sub and some french fries for lunch and a little nausea set in. I think that my stomach has shrunk and I am presently unable to eat the quantities of food that I used to eat before. Maybe this will change, maybe it won't. But I have found, in general, that I can't eat the amount of food that I used to eat before. In truth, I am probably better off for it. Beforehand, I was certainly a candidate for Diet Workshop but far from being eligible to be a contestant on the Biggest Loser. I will be eager to see what I weigh when I go back to the clinic in a little less than 2 weeks.
Tomorrow I expect to have nothing of substance to do. But we'll see how the day turns out.
It bothers me to have to write such mundane stuff but I feel obligated to let you all know how things are going.
That is really everything for the day as I inch ever closer to the end of all of this...
Bob
June 11, 2009 11:55 PM
Another breakthrough day for me!
Tonight we went out to eat with some friends in a restaurant! This was the first time that I have eaten at a restaurant in over four months! We asked for secluded seating and they sat us by ourselves on the other side of the restaurant so that there was no problem with crowds. We stopped at a place just before this and they would not give us secluded seating - so we left!
I find that I seem to fill up with food a lot faster than before and I didn't even finish everything on my plate which is unusual for me. When the others talked of dessert, I had no interest in it which was a good thing for they went to a Dairy Queen for cones and I am not supposed to have soft ice cream. I'm also not supposed to have soda from a fountain machine either. The reason is that you have no idea when the machines were last cleaned so you can't be sure what bacteria might be resident in them. Neither of these things is a big deal but you do have to pay attention to it.
I also stopped in at two stores this morning to do some quick shopping. On Thursday mornings, stores are pretty empty so that was not a real issue either. Now I guess that I'll have to lay low for a while and make sure that nothing has resulted from my adventures. To be out in the real world after over 4 months of relative seclusion is somewhat exciting and is another step toward full recovery.
As I write this, I am in great shape and seem to be progressing well. I would have to say that this recovery period is one of the hardest things that I have ever had to do. It's not physically challenging - but the mental frustration gets to you. I can hardly wait to get back to some of my old activities like singing in the church choir. As I have said so many times, we take everything for granted until we can't do it anymore.
All of you should count your blessings...
Bob
Tonight we went out to eat with some friends in a restaurant! This was the first time that I have eaten at a restaurant in over four months! We asked for secluded seating and they sat us by ourselves on the other side of the restaurant so that there was no problem with crowds. We stopped at a place just before this and they would not give us secluded seating - so we left!
I find that I seem to fill up with food a lot faster than before and I didn't even finish everything on my plate which is unusual for me. When the others talked of dessert, I had no interest in it which was a good thing for they went to a Dairy Queen for cones and I am not supposed to have soft ice cream. I'm also not supposed to have soda from a fountain machine either. The reason is that you have no idea when the machines were last cleaned so you can't be sure what bacteria might be resident in them. Neither of these things is a big deal but you do have to pay attention to it.
I also stopped in at two stores this morning to do some quick shopping. On Thursday mornings, stores are pretty empty so that was not a real issue either. Now I guess that I'll have to lay low for a while and make sure that nothing has resulted from my adventures. To be out in the real world after over 4 months of relative seclusion is somewhat exciting and is another step toward full recovery.
As I write this, I am in great shape and seem to be progressing well. I would have to say that this recovery period is one of the hardest things that I have ever had to do. It's not physically challenging - but the mental frustration gets to you. I can hardly wait to get back to some of my old activities like singing in the church choir. As I have said so many times, we take everything for granted until we can't do it anymore.
All of you should count your blessings...
Bob
June 10, 2009 10:15 PM
Back to the topic of hair!
I am still keeping it short. It's just so convenient that way. But the major difference is that my original color has come back! Not only that they tell me that my bald spot (I refer to it as my yamulke) seems to be less obvious than it was before. It seems that some of the hair has come back! I wouldn't offer chemotherapy as a viable alternative to rogaine - but you can't knock success.
I also have to admit that I tend to lose track of the days of the week when I don't have that benchmark of going to the clinic on Wednesday. As the doctor said, it was my only guaranteed social outing and now it's gone! Of course, I won't lose track of the months as I do still go once a month.
Other than that, it was a good day as usual. The weather has been rather lousy of late, but a good day is measured by a far different yardstick - my health! As they say, when you have your
health you have everything.
Right now, I feel that I have everything...
Bob
I am still keeping it short. It's just so convenient that way. But the major difference is that my original color has come back! Not only that they tell me that my bald spot (I refer to it as my yamulke) seems to be less obvious than it was before. It seems that some of the hair has come back! I wouldn't offer chemotherapy as a viable alternative to rogaine - but you can't knock success.
I also have to admit that I tend to lose track of the days of the week when I don't have that benchmark of going to the clinic on Wednesday. As the doctor said, it was my only guaranteed social outing and now it's gone! Of course, I won't lose track of the months as I do still go once a month.
Other than that, it was a good day as usual. The weather has been rather lousy of late, but a good day is measured by a far different yardstick - my health! As they say, when you have your
health you have everything.
Right now, I feel that I have everything...
Bob
June 9, 2009 10:35 PM
I know that everything seems to be continually working better and better for me. Before my diagnosis, I would be out of breath after walking up one flight of stairs and I would be habitually tired - especially after meals. If I were to sit down and watch television in the evening, I would very quickly fall asleep. Though with what's on TV these days, I think it is perfectly understandable that that would happen.
At this point neither of these things occur. I definitely feel that I have more energy. I am sure that the stamina will come over time.
Now, of course, the idea is to keep everything at bay so that the disease does not reappear. This is just going to be a wait and see situation. There are no sure things.
Once again there is no trip to Boston on a Wednesday which is definitely a good thing. But there are things that are somewhat painful, too. For example, one of my granddaughters had a concert at school tonight and I could not attend. These are moments that are never to be repeated - they are lost forever. I know that there will be other concerts that I will be able to attend and that is precisely the mission of the doctors - short term loss, long term gain. But that still does not remove the sting.
It's especially difficult when I feel as well as I do.
Just get over it, Bob, and be happy that you are doing as well as you are...
Bob
At this point neither of these things occur. I definitely feel that I have more energy. I am sure that the stamina will come over time.
Now, of course, the idea is to keep everything at bay so that the disease does not reappear. This is just going to be a wait and see situation. There are no sure things.
Once again there is no trip to Boston on a Wednesday which is definitely a good thing. But there are things that are somewhat painful, too. For example, one of my granddaughters had a concert at school tonight and I could not attend. These are moments that are never to be repeated - they are lost forever. I know that there will be other concerts that I will be able to attend and that is precisely the mission of the doctors - short term loss, long term gain. But that still does not remove the sting.
It's especially difficult when I feel as well as I do.
Just get over it, Bob, and be happy that you are doing as well as you are...
Bob
June 8, 2009 10:35 PM
Well, I had a subject for tonight but as the day wore on, I forgot what it was. As they so often say, if you can't remember it, then it just wasn't that important.
A friend called this morning and commented how well I was doing relative to the experiences that friends of his have had with cancer and we ate at a neighbor's house tonight and they had similar comments about people that they've known who have suffered from cancer. And suffer seems to be the operative word here as it relates to the experience of so many others. I have been so fortunate.
I was saying that I really can't share my experience that much because I've never really experienced the experience. But one friend said that I was looking at it the wrong way. I should hold up my experience as the way that it can be if you maintain a positive attitude and never give up the battle. It does not always have to be a torturous path. There can be a better road to follow and others have taken it! I suppose that he's right.
This all sounds so self serving to me as I have done nothing to bring about my condition other than to follow the doctor's orders. I have benefitted from the support of so many others that has now created a debt that I can never hope to repay. It's really been your prayers that have kept me going.
Hopefully, I've successfully backfilled my entry even though I cannot remember what I was initially going to say.
Maybe it will come to me tomorrow...
Bob
A friend called this morning and commented how well I was doing relative to the experiences that friends of his have had with cancer and we ate at a neighbor's house tonight and they had similar comments about people that they've known who have suffered from cancer. And suffer seems to be the operative word here as it relates to the experience of so many others. I have been so fortunate.
I was saying that I really can't share my experience that much because I've never really experienced the experience. But one friend said that I was looking at it the wrong way. I should hold up my experience as the way that it can be if you maintain a positive attitude and never give up the battle. It does not always have to be a torturous path. There can be a better road to follow and others have taken it! I suppose that he's right.
This all sounds so self serving to me as I have done nothing to bring about my condition other than to follow the doctor's orders. I have benefitted from the support of so many others that has now created a debt that I can never hope to repay. It's really been your prayers that have kept me going.
Hopefully, I've successfully backfilled my entry even though I cannot remember what I was initially going to say.
Maybe it will come to me tomorrow...
Bob
June 7, 2009 11:10 PM
I was watching a TV show tonight and, even though they were appying it to mental disease, the comment was made that "in order to get well, you must release all the thoughts that are inside your head". Of course, I could say that that would be a snap for me as it would take all of 2 seconds to offload what I am capable of thinking of! But, all kidding aside, I think that it applies just as well to the physical side.
This blog gives me an outlet that years ago would not have existed. And, I would basically have been left alone with my thoughts other than what I shared with my wife. But, it would have been a captive and very limited audience and I think that I would still feel that a full catharsis would not have been reached in that case.
There are so many aspects to the healing process another one being the lake visit today that I mentioned yesterday. Though the weather was not as originally predicted (it was cool, cloudy, and windy) the company was great and the opportunity to widen my horizons a little bit more was not to be missed.
But it really is great to be able to unload all my experiences in this fashion and this is an opportunity that is not meant to be missed either. It is such a vital part of my recovery program. I certainly know a lot of you who are reading this as you have told me so over the course of time. But there are a number of you whom I do not know and that makes this all the more special for me as your reasons for following this blog differ from those of my family and friends. I hope that each of you come away from each entry with something. Though, at times, I find it hard to imagine what that might be!
But, as we all know, God works in mysterious ways...
Bob
This blog gives me an outlet that years ago would not have existed. And, I would basically have been left alone with my thoughts other than what I shared with my wife. But, it would have been a captive and very limited audience and I think that I would still feel that a full catharsis would not have been reached in that case.
There are so many aspects to the healing process another one being the lake visit today that I mentioned yesterday. Though the weather was not as originally predicted (it was cool, cloudy, and windy) the company was great and the opportunity to widen my horizons a little bit more was not to be missed.
But it really is great to be able to unload all my experiences in this fashion and this is an opportunity that is not meant to be missed either. It is such a vital part of my recovery program. I certainly know a lot of you who are reading this as you have told me so over the course of time. But there are a number of you whom I do not know and that makes this all the more special for me as your reasons for following this blog differ from those of my family and friends. I hope that each of you come away from each entry with something. Though, at times, I find it hard to imagine what that might be!
But, as we all know, God works in mysterious ways...
Bob
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