At last!
After nine months, I've finally had my Pizza Hut meat lovers pizza once again. From February to the end of May it was not possible beacuse of my dietary restrictions. But since the end of May until now, the opportunity never presented iteself to go. And, if it did, something else always seemed to interfere.
As the old joke's punchline goes, "tonight's the night". It's little things like this that you all take for granted - and well you should. But it's these little things that just make up the total fabric of our lives.
Of course, I am missing bigger things from my life but everyday I get closer...
Bob
November 6, 2009 11:10 PM
Happiness is a choice!
I was just watching a TV show where one of the characters said that he saw a bumber sticker with that phrase on it and it changed his life!
It's not going to change my life but it can certainly change my outlook somewhat. For example, my wife to the local Barnes and Noble Bookstore to watch a local chorus group sing. We know people in the group and we knew that we would also know some of the people in attendance. I very much wanted to go! But, she said that it would probably be risky for me as it would be the first time that I would have seen some of these people in a long time and there would be a lot of handshaking and hugging. A great way to pass around germs.
I was bummed!
I know that she was right and that I must choose to be happy in my current state even though it's very stifling right now. I know that better days are coming and, that as each day goes by, they get closer and closer.
But it is frustrating. I want my old life back! Maybe not the work part - but everything else in it was fine by me.
As it is said, "Lord give me patience and give it to me now!"
Bob
I was just watching a TV show where one of the characters said that he saw a bumber sticker with that phrase on it and it changed his life!
It's not going to change my life but it can certainly change my outlook somewhat. For example, my wife to the local Barnes and Noble Bookstore to watch a local chorus group sing. We know people in the group and we knew that we would also know some of the people in attendance. I very much wanted to go! But, she said that it would probably be risky for me as it would be the first time that I would have seen some of these people in a long time and there would be a lot of handshaking and hugging. A great way to pass around germs.
I was bummed!
I know that she was right and that I must choose to be happy in my current state even though it's very stifling right now. I know that better days are coming and, that as each day goes by, they get closer and closer.
But it is frustrating. I want my old life back! Maybe not the work part - but everything else in it was fine by me.
As it is said, "Lord give me patience and give it to me now!"
Bob
November 5, 2009 11:05 PM
I can't help it!
I still think about what was going on in my life a year ago. I suppose that it's human nature to do so - especially when you were going through a lot at that time and you're not doing so now. As I said yesterday, you can look at my actual blog entry for the day to find out what was going on. I found it quite interesting when I went back and looked at what I had written a year ago. I was pretty chipper for someone who had no idea what was before him and the dangers involved. As they say, "ignorance is bliss" and I really wanted to keep it that way. Fight the battle day by day - do not think about tomorrow - that was my game plan.
Needless to say, today I'm feeling great. It's now been a little over a week since I've been off of the immuno-supressants and there have been no signs of any problems.
So what do I do all day? Well, at present, I'm still working on cleaning up my basement area. It's coming along real well but I have a little more to do. Then it will probably be time to take a break to decide what's next.
I know the doctors say that it's great to be this way, but I find the time to be dragging and the days to be uneventful and boring...
Bob
I still think about what was going on in my life a year ago. I suppose that it's human nature to do so - especially when you were going through a lot at that time and you're not doing so now. As I said yesterday, you can look at my actual blog entry for the day to find out what was going on. I found it quite interesting when I went back and looked at what I had written a year ago. I was pretty chipper for someone who had no idea what was before him and the dangers involved. As they say, "ignorance is bliss" and I really wanted to keep it that way. Fight the battle day by day - do not think about tomorrow - that was my game plan.
Needless to say, today I'm feeling great. It's now been a little over a week since I've been off of the immuno-supressants and there have been no signs of any problems.
So what do I do all day? Well, at present, I'm still working on cleaning up my basement area. It's coming along real well but I have a little more to do. Then it will probably be time to take a break to decide what's next.
I know the doctors say that it's great to be this way, but I find the time to be dragging and the days to be uneventful and boring...
Bob
November 4, 2009 10:50 PM
What a difference a year makes!
This time last year I was admitted to the hospital and immediately underwent the implantation of a "Hickman" catheter to allow for the infusion and taking of liquids without the need to "stick me". Since I was definitely going to be in the hospital for a month, that would have been a lot of sticks and your body just can't take it.
After I went to my room, they took me to do a bunch of tests - all in preparation for the start of my chemotherapy the next day. I'm not going to go into a lot of details about what went on at the hospital because I started this blog on the 5th so you can find out all the daily details and why this blog was started by going back and reading the entries from that time.
A few behind the scenes details leading up to my entrance into the hospital. The night before, my wife and I went to dinner at a friends house with a few more of our other friends - eight of us in all. It was great to be out like and, for the time being, to forget about what was in store for me and to get that support that I needed as my journey was about to take its most decisive step to that point.
Prior to going to dinner, my son came over and buzz cut my hair so that it would be much less noticeable, when the inevitable occurred, and I lost my hair. It really felt strange having such short hair with the most obvious being that now my head was cold! A year later, I find that I don't notice the cold as much. But that night, there really was a need to where a hat.
On the way to the hospital, we stopped and bought the notebook computer that was my constant companion(other than my wife) during my 3 hospital stays. It allowed me to write my daily blog entries; to converse with family, friends, neighbors, and acquaintances via e-mail; to while away the time playing games; to keep up date regarding news events; and to serve as a DVD player so that I could watch some movies. All in all, a Godsend! I have new found respect for those who went before me without such modern devices.
The start of my chemo was something that I both looked forward to and dreaded. At last something was being done to address the disease that I had - but at what price?
Tomorrow I would begin to find out...
Bob
This time last year I was admitted to the hospital and immediately underwent the implantation of a "Hickman" catheter to allow for the infusion and taking of liquids without the need to "stick me". Since I was definitely going to be in the hospital for a month, that would have been a lot of sticks and your body just can't take it.
After I went to my room, they took me to do a bunch of tests - all in preparation for the start of my chemotherapy the next day. I'm not going to go into a lot of details about what went on at the hospital because I started this blog on the 5th so you can find out all the daily details and why this blog was started by going back and reading the entries from that time.
A few behind the scenes details leading up to my entrance into the hospital. The night before, my wife and I went to dinner at a friends house with a few more of our other friends - eight of us in all. It was great to be out like and, for the time being, to forget about what was in store for me and to get that support that I needed as my journey was about to take its most decisive step to that point.
Prior to going to dinner, my son came over and buzz cut my hair so that it would be much less noticeable, when the inevitable occurred, and I lost my hair. It really felt strange having such short hair with the most obvious being that now my head was cold! A year later, I find that I don't notice the cold as much. But that night, there really was a need to where a hat.
On the way to the hospital, we stopped and bought the notebook computer that was my constant companion(other than my wife) during my 3 hospital stays. It allowed me to write my daily blog entries; to converse with family, friends, neighbors, and acquaintances via e-mail; to while away the time playing games; to keep up date regarding news events; and to serve as a DVD player so that I could watch some movies. All in all, a Godsend! I have new found respect for those who went before me without such modern devices.
The start of my chemo was something that I both looked forward to and dreaded. At last something was being done to address the disease that I had - but at what price?
Tomorrow I would begin to find out...
Bob
November 3, 2009 11:25 PM
Bring it on!
That was my battle cry a year ago as my last day came to an end before I entered the hospital on the 4th. Was I nervous? Was I afraid? You bet! I had never been sick or had anything wrong with me for years. It was 35 years ago that I had my appendix out - that's the last thing that ever befell me.
When I looked at all the possible side effects of chemo - one of them was death! That didn't set too well with me either. But if I didn't start the treatment, death would not have been a possible side effect - it would have been a reality.
So was I a brave man? No! I had no choice! My back was against the wall and there was only one way out. Each of you would have done the same thing. You grasp at anything to stop your descent.
If I knew then what I know now, of course I would not have felt the way that I did. But that is one of the wonderful things about life - you never know what's coming next! If it were all neatly laid out for us and we knew what the plan was - it would be dull and boring. Who wants that?
I am prepared to give it my best shot...
Bob
That was my battle cry a year ago as my last day came to an end before I entered the hospital on the 4th. Was I nervous? Was I afraid? You bet! I had never been sick or had anything wrong with me for years. It was 35 years ago that I had my appendix out - that's the last thing that ever befell me.
When I looked at all the possible side effects of chemo - one of them was death! That didn't set too well with me either. But if I didn't start the treatment, death would not have been a possible side effect - it would have been a reality.
So was I a brave man? No! I had no choice! My back was against the wall and there was only one way out. Each of you would have done the same thing. You grasp at anything to stop your descent.
If I knew then what I know now, of course I would not have felt the way that I did. But that is one of the wonderful things about life - you never know what's coming next! If it were all neatly laid out for us and we knew what the plan was - it would be dull and boring. Who wants that?
I am prepared to give it my best shot...
Bob
November 2, 2009 11:55 PM
Scrabble!
We have New York friends visiting with us these next three days. And, being the old fogies that we are, we spent the evening playing Scrabble. I know that it doesn't compare to the fast-paced, computer games of today but we though that it was a lot of fun anyway. With games like Scrabble you can sit back, take your time, and banter back and forth. Let's see you do that with Kung-Foo Mermaids or whatever the new-fangled computer games are called. It said on the box that the game was copyrighted in 1948 and I bet that first game is still going on! Parlor games can be a lot of fun!
A year ago was my last Sunday at church. I can still remember(I haven't lost it yet!) the priest telling the congregation what my condition was at announcement time and all the wellwishers who talked to me after church at coffee hour.
Now I'm well on my way back to good health which was far from assured a year ago.
What a wonderful difference...
Bob
We have New York friends visiting with us these next three days. And, being the old fogies that we are, we spent the evening playing Scrabble. I know that it doesn't compare to the fast-paced, computer games of today but we though that it was a lot of fun anyway. With games like Scrabble you can sit back, take your time, and banter back and forth. Let's see you do that with Kung-Foo Mermaids or whatever the new-fangled computer games are called. It said on the box that the game was copyrighted in 1948 and I bet that first game is still going on! Parlor games can be a lot of fun!
A year ago was my last Sunday at church. I can still remember(I haven't lost it yet!) the priest telling the congregation what my condition was at announcement time and all the wellwishers who talked to me after church at coffee hour.
Now I'm well on my way back to good health which was far from assured a year ago.
What a wonderful difference...
Bob
November 1, 2009 9:35 PM
You've been through a lot!
That's what some friends said the other day when we crossed paths at the supermarket. The remark stood out for me because I have never seemed to put it all in that context. Why? Because I have been so fortunate not to suffer any of those side effects that seem to get to almost all leukemia patients. Therefore, I have never viewed myself as going through a lot. I guess that if you really look at it, a lot of things have happened to me over the past year. But they have all worked out so well that it almost feels like I've been doing nothing but recovering the whole time.
A year ago tonight, we went over to a friend's house for a special dinner that was cooked by some members of our church. There were 8 of us there(all church members) for the dinner along with the cooking and serving team. One of the attendees commented to my wife the other day that she was impressed by our showing up for the evening. We had been looking forward to the evening for several months and there was no way that we were not going to attend if at all possible. It was a small blessing that we got because I did not have to go to the hospital on Friday which was also a possibility. But I was feeling fine at the time. The only thing that I wanted to do was to be myself and not burden everyone else with my problems even though they all knew about my diagnosis. Hopefully, I achieved that goal.
As for this year, we spent the day at my sister-in-law's house and had a great time.
Indeed, a lot has happened in the past year. All of it good...
Bob
That's what some friends said the other day when we crossed paths at the supermarket. The remark stood out for me because I have never seemed to put it all in that context. Why? Because I have been so fortunate not to suffer any of those side effects that seem to get to almost all leukemia patients. Therefore, I have never viewed myself as going through a lot. I guess that if you really look at it, a lot of things have happened to me over the past year. But they have all worked out so well that it almost feels like I've been doing nothing but recovering the whole time.
A year ago tonight, we went over to a friend's house for a special dinner that was cooked by some members of our church. There were 8 of us there(all church members) for the dinner along with the cooking and serving team. One of the attendees commented to my wife the other day that she was impressed by our showing up for the evening. We had been looking forward to the evening for several months and there was no way that we were not going to attend if at all possible. It was a small blessing that we got because I did not have to go to the hospital on Friday which was also a possibility. But I was feeling fine at the time. The only thing that I wanted to do was to be myself and not burden everyone else with my problems even though they all knew about my diagnosis. Hopefully, I achieved that goal.
As for this year, we spent the day at my sister-in-law's house and had a great time.
Indeed, a lot has happened in the past year. All of it good...
Bob
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