07-01-2011

First and most importantly....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MISTY!!!

  Denise has been off this week and we've worked, or rather she has worked more than I, around the house and in the garden. At night we've watched movies she rented and I think I have my fill of TV now, except for Swamp People, love that show. 

  The visit to Rathfoot went well. He said if it was the first time he had seen me he would be panicked, but since he has been with me through the whole thing he was pleased. I'm showing some progress, enough that he is happy with it. I have to do a sleep study and he thinks I need Oxygen at night. If I understood correctly then the sleep apnea or something like that may be slowing the healing process. He said we have a long ways to go yet but we're making progress. Before he thought my throat would not tolerate O2 and now it will. Megan went with us and saw her first time of watching the scope go through my nose and into my throat. Think she was a little grossed out, lol. 

  The Bandanna worked great, when soaked with water. It probably looks funny but it works. The cool water also help with the heat, an added benefit. It blocks the sun from the front of my throat and when I mowed I pulled it up like a mask and it filtered pretty well too. I'm going to get some of my hair cut, this is aggravating me. 

  The insurance company sent another adjuster out, which was a nice guy. So far it appears to be better, then again I thought that the last time too. So far it's been a nightmare. I'll not count this good until it is all said and done. At least it seems we're not hung in limbo now. I'm still not sure what was done, so I'll not speculate openly, but I got a pretty good idea. It is a shame what this world has become. Hopefully though this will soon pass, everything passes eventually. Thing is, do we really want to see how and where we stood one day when it does. I guarantee that will happen. Is a dollar worth that.      

06-27-2011

Man, it's actually the 28th and here I set at 1am knowing I have to go visit Rathfoot tomorrow morning. I dread the scope up the nose but at the same time look forward to knowing how things are. My throat is a little tight tonight on the side the tumor was, but I think that was from being out in the garden and mowing 2 yards without sunscreen and a mask. My bad.

We went to Morristown today to Hobby Lobby, I bought some large handkerchiefs, more like bandannas. I don't care much for sunscreen and forget to use it a lot, so I thought maybe wrapping them up like we done in the 70s and tying them around my neck, soaked in water. It should serve 2 purposes, keep the body temp down and block the sun. If this works it's haircut time.

I still haven't talked with Larry yet, but that is on the list. I'm still working with this insurance on the houses. What a mess they have it in. I think I'm getting to the bottom of what is wrong, and there is a lot wrong so far. Unethical is a compliment at best. I think that is part of the reason along with nerves, still worked up a bit. Tonight the storm is back, hopefully without the hail and little to no water.

The neuropathy shows no progress at all, but oddly enough I'm use to it, except when it kicks into overdrive. I'm even use to the teeth... kinda. I know why horses don't like bridles, lol. But, life goes on. I'm adding a pic of the garlic we grew.

06-23-2011

Finally getting back up to speed these last few days. The neuropathy is still unchanged but I've adjusted most days. I run 2 humidifiers at night and that seems to help too. I've still got to talk with Taylor about the vitamins. I've started back Vit D 4k per day and Reservatrol (spelling?).

Mowed the yard for the first time in a long time, since I went down that last time. I think I should have baled it, lol. I've been eating a little local honey and weeded whats left of the garden with no mask and no problem. I think I'm ready to finish the wall downstairs now. Hopefully the insurance company will decide to get on the ball and fix the house and garage soon. It's over 2 months now. I got the bike fixed, Terry Briggs made a bracket and bolt, better than the factory, to hold the radiator on. Still have to replace the motor for the horn... tomorrow maybe.

Charlie is heading for the chemo again soon and then he starts radiation, surgery is off the table, it is responding. That sounds good except given the choice surgery would beat that treatment, hands down.

Me and Megan ate breakfast at Shoney's and ran into Ed, he retired from UPS a few years before me. He has lung cancer. He looked good, has 6 more chemo to go. I spent most of my life there working with good people. It's alwasy good to see old friends.

So now yet another storm rages. This year is has been one after the other for storms. The gardens are a wash for the year I think. Between the hail, high winds, and rain, it's took it's toll.

06-18-2011

Been a week. Happy Birthday Missy, sorry we didn't make it to the party. I fell asleep and slept for quite a while and Denise didn't wake me.

Josh got saved at Bible School Misty tells me. She questioned him and he knows what he is doing. Way to go Josh, we're proud of ya.

The meds seem to be helping my throat so I think it was yeast. I'm still down a bit. Last night I faltered on my responsibility. The dogs went off and so did the peacock that stays on this side. Then the motion light went off. I didn't check it out until I heard a dog yelp in pain. One of the pups (about 60-70 lbs) was on the ground. This morning it was dead. That will not happen again no matter how bad I feel. From here on out I'll be outside at the first signs and waiting. Few things make me mad, but this was one. Macy was Megan's favorite pup.

06-16-2011

Woke up this morning with my voice slowly coming back, but raw. I'm tired but that could also be the Benadryl that is making me sleepy. Just in case I've allergies since I've played in the weeds. Tonight even tea hurts to drink.

Me and Megan took the trash off here, mom's, and the office. I stayed in after that other than feeding the chickens and the cat that seems to have adopted me. He/she stays in the carport around back with the 65 Corvair, but this evening he was in the one with the 64 Corvair. I'd run him off but he was skinny when he came here and now he is fattening up. I hate to see anything hungry. I slept on and off all day today. I went later on this evening to the office and entered the data on a contract for mom on a HUD. There is a lot to foreclosures and it's all done by computers now and that was what I specialized in the last year and a half.

I actually watched some TV too, which is unusual for me. We all watched Swamp People tonight. I looked foe Sally's email and this is the second night she hasn't written which worries me. We have the same NHL but her's is far more advanced than mine. We've talked pretty much every night since we met on the Lymphoma Board, never met face to face though. She lost her husband Aubra about two years ago to this stuff. I'm getting a bit worried now. She always tells me when she heads for Vanderbilt to see Zic & Greer. I haven't seen them since 07 so they probably think I'm dead by now, lol.

I'm skipping my vitamins and herbs tonight since I've already managed to get my pills stuck and supper didn't go too well either. The last pill I thought I would not get it back up or down without aspirating on it. Too me a few minutes. Funny, I use to panic when stuff like that happened but now I remain calm and focus. Funny what one can get use to.

So maybe this is the start of getting it better. I had a little voice today but I didn't push it. I'm going to try and wait until my next appointment with Rathfoot at the end of the month. Maybe it will be better then and I'll avoid another surgery for a little while longer. Tonight the dogs bark again so that means I have to go out and investigate again.

All in all though it was a good day. Tomorrow I'll start fresh and who knows, may wake up and feel great. I've definitely found the limit again, and it is longer than the last time, so I'm making progress.

06-15-2011

Today started a little worse than yesterday. My throat is raw and my voice is a whisper at best. I'm wondering if it might not be yeast from the steroids. I know I over done it for a few days but not this much.

I did get the beans and corn tilled, I just took my time. I actually done what I was suppose too for a change, wore a mask and sunblock on the front of my neck. I wish I had done that all along. I didn't get to work the other one.

It looked like rain and smelled like rain, and it did rain. Me and Megan took a cat to a man, actually 2 that she found a home for. When we got back one of those sudden fatigue things hit and I slept through the first storm, briefly waking up and a second had come, slept through it too. Right now I'm in about 2 clicks to going out yet again tonight.

Dusty's chicken got broke into last night. I suspect a coon. It looked as though it tried to get mine but failed, so I guess it went to his. He found seven bodies or at least what remained. I went out once already and I'll go one more time and check with nightvision. He has a trap set so hopefully he can catch him and relocate him/her. I no longer have a live trap but I do have a trap that goes boom. It kind of relocates it too. :) I told Dusty I'd check his too, they are close to where ours are.

So tonight I go to bed swelled up and breathing even more labored, not to mention the neuropathy kicked it into high gear, and the swallowing went back like it was. Tonight Denise made a soft dinner, still got choked, but man was it ever good. I think I will keep my butt in tomorrow and rest... maybe. :)Well, there goes the dogs again, so something is up. So ends this day. Best part of this week though was I got to help a few people, that felt good. I may take mine and mom's trash off, but that'll be it. Nite.

06-14-2011

I think I found the limit once again. I woke up this morning with little voice and my throat is tight and painful tonight. I haven't hurt like this in a long time. Me and mom had an appointment with the insurance man this morning so I kept the appointment. We stopped by and talked with Matt about shingles at Allen-Surrett Hardware, he owns the Dandridge store. I also introduced the new neighbor's friend, I still don't know his name, but he is nice. We went to the store in town here and now he knows where the Hardware store is and who Steve and Kaye are. I like doing business with them, good honest people who own it.

I pretty much stayed in except for going to get sand for the neighbor's pool twice. Her truck and his truck are both nice and I thought it would damage them so I offered to take Big Ugly and get it. They have their pool up tonight and filling it. They seem to be very nice people and she has had her share of troubles. She and her friend both offered to pay me but I told her she deserves a break after a year of what she has been through. Big Ugly needs the work out, plus the gas was getting old and I like to play in the dirt.

When Denise got home we walked in the garden and finished the stringers in the green beans and she picked a couple of cucumbers. Today wasn't as hot but I still had a hard time breathing, I should have had that and tilling done, not to mention the yard mowed. I did get the swing moved to where Matt & Misty's pool is so they will have something to sit on this evening with Denise's help. I just am down and need to recuperate a bit, get this swelling down. Maybe tomorrow I'll be back up and work on the bike since it is suppose to rain.

Tonight Matt & Misty's fence needed worked on, Rex kept getting out. I went with Matt and we took some old T posts I had, he done most of the work. They were older posts and if we had time there are newer ones in the garden we could have exchanged. I did discover another stray cat while I was out in the carport. I fed it too while I was there. It looked hungry. Megan caught the other stray cats I feed on camera, they are wild. This new one though is friendly. First one I've fed and actually got to pet. Jack, Jenny, and Dora came and me and Brandon gave them a treat while we were getting stuff to fix the fence. I'm running on empty and hurting pretty bad, so ends another day. A good day, I got to feel useful, and for that I am thankful. Tomorrow I will feel better though, heal up a bit.

6-12-2011

One of the few times I actually missed getting on the web this weekend, other than on to find some info and back off. The place in my mouth where the nut cut the gum seems to be pretty bad, left a pretty decent hole. I wear my teeth in public but it hurts pretty bad so I take them out at home. Lucky Denise, lol.

I've helped Misty & Matt with their pool. The 30 minutes grading work ended up being almost 2 1/2 days... slightly underestimated that one, but it's done now. They are having a ball in the pool. Most of what I done was with a tractor but it wore me out. We rode bikes yesterday evening, but I wasn't quite up to par on it, still me and Denise both needed it. Denise has been stressed at work lately so she more than I. We sheared a bolt at the top of the radiator but Missy & Richard and Dale turned back and we strapped it to the frame. We still ended up riding for a few more hours, no problem.

I still need to finish making stringers for the beans to grow on and fix the bike. We've got some new neighbors up from us that walked down this evening while I was doing some of the stringers. We never exchanged names but they seemed nice. She looked at the pool and asked how the ground was cut (it's cut about 3-4 feet deep into the bank). I told them then they asked if I could cut theirs to level a spot. We walked up and looked, it don't need much, few hours at best. Not like I really don't have things that need done but... nothing that won't wait. Weather permitting I'll do that tomorrow when the heat sets in, my tolerance for sun just ain't good lately even with the hair.

I seem to not be healing and my blood is thin, along with my skin. Every time I play with teeth and ears (Misty's dog) I end up with torn skin and blood everywhere, freaks Misty out, we play rough like always. I bump into stuff and the skin tears like paper. Maybe that is partly why the gash in my gum isn't healing. I got an appointment the end of the month with Rathfoot and if I remember I may bring it up and ask why.

We got home last night after 11pm and I crashed, never heard the storm, lol. Today we just goofed off and I tried to build back some strength. At one point we stopped last night and my legs trembled, thank God riding only takes balance, which I was short there too. My cold is healed up enough to return to the wall, but I'm running on empty right now. On the good side though, I made it 3 or 4 days before I ran out this time. I know that I will never be in the shape I once was, but maybe I'll get close, and if not it won't be from lack of trying.

06-06-2011

Setting here inside the house escaping the heat. I've found that heat and throat don't go well together, especially with the remains of this cold. So I go out early and late to play in the garden. I've not quite got the energy or stamina that I had last year, or so it seems. Somewhere in the back of one's mind I think the threat of cancer still lurks around, perhaps worry is a better word for that.

I wonder since the lung and sinus infections comes and goes, seems I can't shake it. Then again, Denise, Misty, and Megan can't either, so maybe that is natural.I'm going to go back to the honey, a tablespoon each day and the Vit D seems to help somewhat.

I saw Charlie today and he is out and about. He is keeping his weight good and doing the fluids has helped him a lot. I should have done those when I had my chemo. He has the chemo color and little hair, said he had lost his taste as well on food and drinks. He said that he was having a hard time recovering from the second chemo. I didn't tell him but the taste thing doesn't come back all the way, or at least mine didn't.

I worked, or rather piddled, in the gardens today until it got hot and called and checked on the insurance on the houses and cars. It is a little disgusting being hit twice, but we're far better than some. So far Farm Bureau has been good, especially on the cars. The houses aren't settled, one hasn't been looked at yet by them, but I've had three contractors who have given me estimates on repairing them. The two garages are what worries me the most with the type of roofs they have. The parts room in the main garage is gone, along with I'm guessing the insulation. I had it patched from the first storm, the second one undo the patches.

So maybe that is the reason part of my energy, apart from the cold, is less. Just kind of disgusted. Just a few years ago I could have repaired all this myself. I sat and remembered designing and building it all. Back then it seemed like no big deal, and now I wonder how I did it. Good memories though, we had fun working on them. I guess this is a reminder that all we acquire here is moth and rust.

06-02-2011

  Finally a break this morning from this cold. I went about 7am and collected the metal fence posts and put them in the garden with the green beans. Other than 1/2 of 2 rows, they all came up despite the storm. I also replanted a few tomatoes later in the evening. Me and Megan grabbed some breakfast and she bought some material, says she wants to make quilts like Denise's mom does.

  I got the last of the components for the 3rd and final custom computer I anted to build and Matt built it pretty fast. Part Apple and part Windows, it's pretty cool. So I played switch-a-roo with the downstairs and Sunroom ones. The cool one stays in the downstairs, it lights up blue in it's clear case.

  Tonight the cold comes back though, straight into my lungs. Denise and Megan both had a relapse too. Missy says that a lot of people have it as well. Charlie is sailing through his 2nd chemo, right proud of him. This one is the last hopefully. Now they can maybe cut it out and he will be done. He did meet with the Radiologists today though. I pray that he will not need this. I'm still staying away from him because he doesn't need this junk.

  Mom was down and out today. She visits dad's grave 4-5 times a week. Today was a shocker. Jefferson Memorial Gardens had apparently decided to take all the flowers off all the graves. When she questioned why they said the flowers were old and faded. Dad, Annie, Papa, and the rest were all new. So then he said the storm had blown all the flowers off, except she was there yesterday and no flowers were blown off and no storm had come last night, just heat. They had collected a whole trailer full and a container full too. When she returned from getting the manager, the trailer was gone, but she got pictures. They had stripped hundreds of graves. He kept asking her< "Why do you think we'd be doing this?" 

  It placed in mind what we use to see at the office, only they are on a larger scale. A car would drive by rather slowly, the  return slowly back. By then you knew what was next. The car would come fairly quickly, pulling off the highway, often sliding to a stop with the passenger door slinging open many times before it stopped. Out would run a man or woman, like they were in a sprint, grab a preselected arrangement or something placed on or near a grave, then run back and speed off. Most of the times it was a new Cadillac, Hummer, and even once a new Porsche. Never old beater cars. After some time we began to call the cops, but they always got there too late to catch them, they were fast.

  Who does that? Who desecrates a grave? Eventually one was caught and they were reselling the flowers. I think this has to be the lowest form of life on earth, or at least one of them. Needless to say, mom was torn up.