Happy New Year

Happy New Year !!!

  2016, man it don't seem like it should be that. I figured that 2009 would be my last one but here I am, guess I ain't done yet. I thought some while putting meds on my scalp to treat the Non Hodgkin's about the past.

  When I was young we'd all watch the "ball drop", counting down along with the TV to the final second, then scream Happy New Year. We'd call and wish other family members the same, even if it meant waking them up, lol. There was no cell phones or answering machines back then, so it would ring until either we stopped or someone answer. The next day mom would fix stuff we'd, or at least I would not eat again until the next year rolled around. Black eyed Peas, Greens, and other stuff that were suppose to do certain things for you throughout the year. I remember greens being money, I guess because we had so little of it. Walk uphill so that one would make advances upon the first walk. Blue eyed people were considered bad luck, and most of us had blue eyes. Keith, and probably some other of mom's siblings had brown eyes, some had green. Hey those were consider good luck if they came to visit during New Year's Day. We would wait until Keith, Dorthy, and their kids would come visit, and they always did so we'd all have good luck. Man were we ever blessed, not because of eye color, or what we ate, but because we had each other. 

   Skip ahead and when I was a teenager, dad had landed a good paying job, so we thought we would  up the tradition by adding a new one to the line up. We had watched people on TV drinking and Champagne seemed to be the "in" thing they drank. Mom bought some Champagne and fancy glasses in preparation of the celebration. I was a young teenager back then and thought this would add something new. We all gathered around and watched the ball drop, counting the last seconds countdown along with them. We all had our glasses, a bit awkward to hold but we'd do as we saw on TV. The glasses were poured and when the ball dropped we all screamed Happy New Year. We raised our glasses, even clinking them together, and preceded to drink. You could see us looking at each other as we held the glasses over our mouth. Some swallowed it while other spit it out into the glass or the sink. Nobody liked the taste, guess we just wasn't cut out for it. So we grabbed our soft drinks, milk, or Eggnog, and refilled our washed out glasses, lol. Thus began and ended this new tradition, lol. 

   Some decades have passed since then, some people have passed since then. even as an adult I always called mom and dad when that ball dropped. Dad would wake up to watch it, mom watched it all. Misty and Annie live away now and Megan is at her boyfriends  (and yes, she has to come home by 12:10). The older ones who once kept us all together have since gone and the younger ones became the older ones over time. We haven't kept the traditions like our predecessors did, and that is a shame. So tonight it will be just me and Denise, watching the ball drop and doing one tradition that mom and dad did, the New Years first kiss, as we have done for 27 years now. Then we will hit the bed, not wanting to disturb our girls.I'll probably at least send a text, which seems a bit impersonal. I see what those who came before me saw, that these times may never come again so be thankful for who and what you have. For a moment I wondered if they considered as they aged if it may be their last one. Then I remember how they lived, oh how they did live, making the most of every minute, every person, everything in their life each day. That makes me say, I want to live like that. 

God Bless and Happy New Year

Anthony    

 

 

 I wish everybody a

 

Merry Christmas  

May God Bless you and yours through this next year to come.

Happy Birthday Josh

Happy 15th Birthday Josh.

11-05-2015

  I have about 2 more weeks before I have the follow-up with Rathfoot to see if that 20mg of Prednisone worked. Also on the same day I see Bushkell on the Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma for my follow-up, we postponed it so that both doctors would be the same day and eliminate a drive to Knoxville U.T. I'm not sure how either will go, hoping that things get better but right now, it ain't looking good. I've been vacuuming up and burning leaves on and off the last 2 weeks, something that will go for at least another month. Living with woods on 2 sides heavy and the other 2 sides quite a few trees, we have our share. That being said, I wouldn't want it any other way. I love our trees. This year I planted a few, about 15 so far.

  For all my grumbling about being on Prednisone this long (10mg for almost 2 years now), the skin gets like paper and tears easily. I bleed easily and for the first time in my life, bruise. I am so use to bleeding that when I see blood I think nothing of it. Usually I wear camo and it just blends in, lol. But it may have served an unseen purpose, something I totally unexpected. For the 3rd time in my life I got a bite from a Brown Recluse Spider. My 1st time, I was 23 or 24 and had never heard of them, and almost lost my arm. The 2nd time was on a knuckle and I saw that happen and got medical attention fast, lost very little meat and a small scar, nothing like my elbow though. I did lose some lymph nodes from cleaning aquariums at the pet store. Lesson: water that is good for fish is not good if it gets in our body. It entered in the hole left from the spider. This time was the armpit. We've had a rash of prowlers and I grabbed a jacket (it was chilly) and headed out. I waited a few days, probably 2 or 3, then went to Schindler who gave me antibiotics, which I'm still taking. I have 4 days and if it isn't better I have to go back. Already the pain has went down so they are working.

  So tonight I showed Denise, she wanted to see it, and she wasn't too impressed. She put the ointment on it, plus I have pills to take 4 times a day. 2000 mg Keflex. The center is developing a hole down in my armpit, basically the meat is dead or rotting. It probably looks worse than it feels, some pain but not bad. I expected this, the venom rots or kills the flesh it comes into contact with. Now the funny thing is, rather than use pesticides in the garden bug control is accomplished with spiders and Praying Mantis, which I never get a bite from either. I probably mash him (or her) when I put the jacket on, these are not aggressive spiders. So basically... my bad. Tonight is a little rough so I will take the Tylenol Extra Strength, and probably Excedrin. Tomorrow they call for rain and if it is pretty long enough I will work on the tractor I swapped Big Ugly for. I think I will dissemble the body parts to get to the engine parts easier, plus beat some of the dents out of it. It isn't a trailer queen but for a 1968 farm tractor it is ok. Denise don't think it will spear, lift, and carry a roll of hay, I think it will.      

10-23-2015

  Well the extra 10mg of Prednisone is finally over so now I go back to 10mg. Thank God. Taking 20mg of it I gained even more weight plus was getting a little hateful and short fused. A good example of that was when I was leaving Lowe's and came to the red light. The car in front started quickly when it turned to green, then slammed on his brakes. Thankfully UPS driver training you wait a second or two before starting after the car in front starts, just in case. I threw up my hands, no words, no horn, just tossed my hands in the air like I was saying what... Apparently the guy in front saw that and we ended up side by side at the next red light. My windows was down, a/c quit on the truck, so the guy rolls his window down, looks angry and says, "Hey... you gotta a problem?"  I looked over and said, "Actually I do. I'm wondering, did you just not like that shade of green or did you wake up stupid."  I think it caught him off guard and he quickly turned his head and rolled his window back up. We were about the same age, he maybe was a little younger, and I think he was playing with his cell phone. Normally I wouldn't have done that.

  Another side effect of Prednisone (according to Denise), besides weight gain and irritability is thin paper like skin. I get cut and bruise over practically nothing. It is so common that while everybody freaks out I pay it little attention. I wear camo a lot and can wipe the blood on my pants or shirts and what doesn't come out blends in, lol. People ask me if I'm going hunting and usually are puzzled when I tell them I don't hunt. I get dirty and bloody and this hides it, looks like it is just part of the design, lol.

  I almost made Denise proud a few days ago, Big Ugly I waved good-bye to as it went to the new owners. I told her I could part with stuff, just not as she imagined. Matthew (long time friend) needed a truck to haul scrap in plus pull things. He has an old 1968 Massey Ferguson tractor he don't need. It needs a few things but is fine as it is. I don't really need another tractor but he needs a truck and Big Ugly has mostly sit for the last 2 years. It was a little hard to see her go but now she can do what she was meant to do. I bought the truck when I was selling real estate off Craigslist for 550.00, to pull the hay float. Blackie (F150) just was having a hard time and overheating bad. It wasn't long before I got sick with the throat cancer. While taking chemo you have days you feel better than others, but not really good days, just not as bad days. I found a steel flatbed on Craigslist and William took his trailer and me and I bought it. Cody (now Megan's boyfriend) came and I paid him to fabricate it to fit and make a headache rack. Later I found a seat and William installed it. After the treatments Big Ugly was the first thing I worked on, taking the top of the engine off plus distributor down and replacing the electronic parts and hand cleaning the Plentium.  Denise went with me to look at it and when I bought it dad followed me back. A lot of good memories. I'm not sure I can work on stuff that much anymore. So far he has Big Ugly but I haven't seen the tractor yet. The last 2 days he was suppose to bring it but something came up and he couldn't. He will bring it when he can, I have faith he will.

 (note to Denise) I know you will read this. You look at the cars and trucks I once collected and I know you see junk, but I see potential. JFK once said, "Some sees things as they are and ask why. I see things as they could be and ask why not." Will I live or my health last long enough to even fix one more? I don't know, probably not. They give me hope and something to aspire to be able to do again. The proverbial carrot in front of the horse thing. If you remember back, they told me to walk in the Mall after my heat attack. I did walk as they suggested only I went to junk yards and walked. I done that so much that the guys at Romines and Sonny's sent people to me to ask if they had a certain car or part, lol. It was nice of them since they knew I couldn't afford to buy anything and still allowed me to walk. I thank them for that. My whole thought process is, what if I can. They continue to be worth more so if I can't you can do as you need to do with them. I have lived my life reaching for the stars, knowing I will never touch one, but also knowing I won't end up with a hand full of dirt while reaching up. I had to adopt that growing up. You were blessed with a "normal family", your mom and dad. I grew up living between houses and with 8 different people, each great, each different, plus my parents who visited from time to time. They were young and dumb, so I don't fault them for leaving. You had stability, rock hard and firmly planted... I did not, but I was loved. Funny, all 8 were poor, honest, hard working people, and when you have nothing you have everything you need. Faith and hope abide with those who have little material junk. All we own, all we can touch, is fleeting at best and in time is gone from moths or rust. This stuff serves me now and when I am gone if it does not serve you then get rid of it.    

  Also I read on the Lymphoma Board, then went to the article, a new treatment is being experimented with to treat T Cell Lymphomas and similar blood cancers. For a moment I saw light at the end of the tunnel, then  I saw price. If it is approved, it will be years before it is released. I saw and read how it works and it sounds a lot like Robert (Bob) Beck's way except the take out the blood, just as he said they wanted to years ago. Still, it is hope. I have sores in my head and my skin looks like I've took a bath in battery acid in many places. It has advanced lately, and that is ok too I suppose. None of us get out of this life without dying. We are dying with that first breath, each breath brings us closer. Some of us are fortunate to know this, but the real blessing is something else that we know. It isn't the breaths we should count but the moments that happen between breaths. There, the miracles are found, we just have to notice. People come back from death with some profound knowledge and while I didn't have all this many things, one thing I did and remember well. "Be it good or bad, no moment lasts forever. Therefore endure the bad and cherish the good... knowing this too shall pass."  That simple things was a life raft when I was in the battle with the Throat Cancer.             

That was long... now I got to do some chores. :)

Follow up in 09-2015

  Forgot that I hadn't posted this up. I put a note on Facebook and then got distracted. I'm old, lol. The last follow-up with Rathfoot went both good and bad. Good that when he scoped me he saw no evidence of the throat cancer. Bad that the swelling has returned. For now we are trying 10 days of 20 mg a day of Prednisone, then I got back to 10mg. I've been on 10 for over a year now. I go back I think the 17th or something like that to check and see if that has helped. If it hasn't then he said maybe injecting that stuff again, which equates to surgery and or more HBOT (Hyperbaric Oxygen) treatments. Radiation... the gift that keeps on giving. It did explain why I am short of breath, especially in the heat. I started out good with the garden but the heat prevented me from continuing good. It did ok though all things considered. We got what we needed and was able to share, so I'm good with that. So far, I can see a slight improvement I think on the higher dose after also a week on it. I really don't want to do the surgery, an open hole in the throat came back to mention, which I will not do. That is my line in the sand. HBOT, I'd rather not. Those trips to Knoxville are long and tiring. I'm not much on that chill pill either than helps with claustrophobia, some kind of anxiety pill. What will happen is what will happen though. We cross that bridge when we get there.

  Charlie meanwhile they determined does not have cancer. William said it was just scars and these places on his lungs. I have those too. Actually, it is sort of a trade mark here in east Tennessee. Those born here or who have lived in this area for a while develop these things in their lungs and the doctors don't know why. TVA? Oak Ridge? Who knows, but apparently they are harmless. I guess Tina and Charlie know William will tell everybody because they have never actually said.

  Meanwhile, Cody (Megan's boyfriend) and me have worked on the boat. Our first trip out it was embarrassing to say the least, funny to say the most. We noticed 2 men in a Canoe paddling to our right close by the bank. Was he passing us? Yep, they passed us and we were wide open, lol. The next trip we got up to a whopping 11 mph, going down stream, coming back... not so much. That test made us search out why a little more effectively. We changed the prop, put new plugs in, clean the carburetor, set the timing (better). Cody scared the do out of me. We actually passed Bass Boats that were going fast. They are letting the lakes down so a lot of what was water is now land with unannounced hills and debris that are located in places you'd not think about. We got it fixed just in time for winter to be winterized, lol. Come spring though, we will be ready. I bought me a fishing pole (man those things are expensive), a cheaper one, but I'm happy with it. I plan to fulfill (God willing) my goal to fish again after 30 years. Some of my fondest memories are of us all going to the lake with a skillet, cornmeal, salt, and pepper and frying up what we caught right there when I was small. It seemed like it happened a lot but maybe it was rare, either way left a good impression.

  This will be one thing off my bucket list. The next is to see the Ga Guide Stones, maybe see out west once. I may sell one or two of our old cars (Denise, if you read this, key word is "may") and buy an A Model. So far, thats my bucket list.

  This is my 1000.00 boat with Megan and Cody getting ready to launch. Not new, now fancy, and still needs some work, but it will take us fishing.

09-27-2015

   Charlie got his PET Scan back, it is cancer in his lungs. The doctor told him he would get with another doctor and maybe do a biopsy to see if it is the fast kind, or the slow kind. Either way though, surgery is not an option, it is too advanced.

  Throat cancer can follow what they call "the tree", that is the brain, throat, lungs. So while Charlie's throat cancer is gone (I think), his cancer isn't. It has just migrated. We've lost several in or family to cancer and it has been our experience that when it comes back after chemo and radiation, there is little to no resistance. As the doctor explained to me before my treatments started, "It like dropping a nuclear bomb on a battlefield. It kills the enemy but also kills the good guys too."

  Please remember Charlie in your prayers.

09-25-2015

   Things go good then bad, intermittently... right now in a bad phase. I think it is something in the garden that has my sinuses, throat, and breathing shallowed. I noticed Megan after being in the Green Bean area doing much the same. Still, it leaves one to always wonder if this stuff migrated. I guess that goes with the territory. It seems I don't sleep much anymore, waking up several times in the night and hard pressed to get to sleep to start with. That translates to not getting a whole lot done. Right now I say I wouldn't do nothing except let the doctor keep me out of pain if it returns, but I am reminded of what an old Indian Chief once said. "Its easier to be brave at a distance".

   Today and tonight I find myself still troubled after today's news. Charlie's cancer is back and into his lungs. I remember the doctor telling us it follows the "tree", which was throat, lungs, and/or brain. Charlie and Tina are devastated. Tina said the doctor said he had it for a while and it is inoperable. The only thing they can do is see if it is the fast kind or slow kind. I guess that will determine how long he has.

   One of my best friends I worked with at UPS who battled cancer, he and his wife, she died a couple of days ago. Hers came back and after a valiant battle for 2 years, he trials are over. They were married 30 years. How does one recover from the loss of a partner after that many years? Danny is strong and a good man, his faith is strong as was Kathy, his wife. We know there is no such thing as good-bye yet that does little to actually ease the pain. For Kathy I rejoice but for Danny, I am sad.

  But is all hasn't been a bad year, I grew (with help), 2 small gardens. Like last year though I couldn't keep up with them, I guess those days are gone. It was a weird year for gardening and we managed to produce enough, so it wasn't a waste. Like Charlie, I can't do this heat. The important thing though is I try and as long as someone tries, they never really fail. I also bought a boat, yep, a boat. We really don't have the money to spend on one but I got this super cheap. Me and Megan's new boy friend have worked on it. Did you get that? Megan's new boyfriend. I like Cody, he is a fine young man and treats Megan with respect and works hard. We are planning on doing something I have anted to do for the last 30-40 years... go fishing. Last weekend we attempted to put it in the water but failed. It leaks and needs 2 new seals, which I promptly ordered. I really want to get it in the water just one time at least before they let the lakes down too low for it to work. Yep, I bought another boat that needs fixing. The other one I never quite got it to run.  Our hay for the year is done.

   Denise just shakes her head when I do junk like this. She is patient with me when I do something like that or take a while to do something slowly. I have come to know that patience is a gift from God and something to work to obtain. He is patient with us, so imitating His virtues is just one way we show our devotion. She knows I wear down easily but she also knows I will try as hard as I can. I am at that stage in life where I would like to enjoy a little, not much but a little. I want Denise to enjoy with me. I'll never be able to afford to take her on an expensive vacation. Seldom am I ok to ride the bike, it gets more rare every year. But I can take her boating and fishing. It is not the motorcycle but just as much fun. I did shoot a Buzzard (Vulture) that was one of 16 that attacked and killed our new born calf. We may get reimbursed, so I submitted a claim. The guy said they were Federally protected. What was left of the calf was in the field and over in the distance was a dead bird. I smiled and told him that one wasn't as protected, lol.

  So in a nutshell that has been lately.
       

Happy Birthday Megan

Happy 23rd Birthday 

Megan

Follow Up 06-22-2015 (Rathfoot)

Today was my 3 month follow-up with Dr Rathfoot. Despite being a little sore (my fault from timing) all things look good so I get another 3 months. Stretching and injections may be in the future but for now he was impressed. This is twice now HBOT has been a God send in reversing the radiation damage.

  I did however discover something not so good, I'm fatter than I thought. At 250lbs this is the most I have ever weighed and it means it is well past time to make some changes. Some say the Prednisone but I think equally guilty are Dr Peppers, Potato Chips, and Cookies. I was rather surprised to see I am that heavy. I told the nurse I'm not really over weight, I'm under tall. I got a laugh out of her. 

Hello

     I apologize for not responding back when someone posts on here. A good friend called me yesterday, it was nice to hear from her, to check on me. She said her and David had wondered if I was ok since I hadn't responded back. It is nice that I have friends who care and were worried. It was also nice to hear from her and how she and her family are doing. I have this set up to where it is suppose to email me when comments are left and for whatever reason it has stopped doing that. I did notice that it restarted finally, a little late notifying me with Lori's comment, but maybe whatever the host's problem was is fixed. Every now and then I would check but I must have picked the ones where nobody had commented. I assumed that nobody was reading or had anything to say. I apologize for not looking a bit harder.

          I'm not sure if I put that the second test showed the combination of the Arthritis medicine and Prednisone were what stripped my Platelets or not. I put off the second test, caught a bug then caught laziness. They wanted me to stop the medicine and take pain medicine but I cut it in half instead. I bought a cheap TENS Unit off Ebay and use that to ease the pain. I remember having them do those treatments in Physical Therapy when I was at UPS, seems I was tearing or stressing something out the last few years, shoulders, elbow, ankles, knees. It actually works, even with the cheaper one I bought. It is not a miracle and don't stop all pain but it does enough. It is not evasive, addictive, and to my knowledge has no side effects. I got a new one in a couple of weeks ago that has reusable electrode pads, or at least I'm reusing them. Megan twisted an ankle and it helped her heal faster.

   Megan has a boyfriend! Yep, our baby is growing up. He is a nice boy, well I guess young man, big dude, 6'4". He graduated TSD (Tennessee School for the Deaf) but he is like Megan, actually seems to have more hearing that she does. I watched them and they talk sign language when they don't want us to know what they're saying, lol. Denise don't know sign language but I know some, how me and Megan converse when at the beach or in a crowd. I turn my head though, I don't want to ease drop. He probably don't know I know and she is a bit excited and maybe forgets I know, or maybe she knows I will stand to the side and give them some privacy. The hardest thing about being a parent is watching your kids grow up and have a life that you are not the center of. Megan is my work buddy too, so now I am alone, yet I am happy that should something happen to me and Denise, she will not be alone. Basically it is hard to share your kids, but part perhaps one of the circles in life where a parent has to love their children more than themselves, enough to let go. All three girls now have someone, all three are different and all three are good. I see a lot of Megan in this boy named Greg. There is a connection there between them and should it not work out I feel they will be friends either way. He is quite impressive so far. Megan use to say she is fat or ugly, or different. The only one of those that were true is the different part. I told her to the right person you will be perfect and to the wrong person you will never be enough. There is a right person out there, they just haven't surfaced yet. It is good to see her so happy and know that should that day come, all three girls will not be alone.    

Happy Birthday Denise

Happy Birthday Denise

I Love You

 

 

05-04-2015 Blood work

  The results came back on my blood work and Denise will fax them to Dr Bushkell this week after she goes over them with Deb to see what she thinks. My Platelets are low and I assume that means we don't have lunch, lol. Why they are low is a good guess. The Prednisone, Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma kicking it up a notch, who knows. Everything else seems to be OK she said, so that is a good thing. I figured something was up. I bump myself and bruise and I don't normally bruise. My skin also tears easily and I bleed like crazy. Of course it is always in the back of my mind what if the other cancer is back. I looked on WebMD and it says that fatigue goes with the low platelets, and there I thought it was because I'm fat. I figured the tired all the time was from the weight gain. I'm either fat or under tall and since my feet are going out of sight I figured fat. If it is the NHL I will not do anything more than I am now unless it would be natural. I will just ride it out and pray the ride ends fast.

  It is spring and garden season, now to get it put out. We got it out last year but I just wasn't able to maintain it like I should have been able to do. This year we will do the green beans again, first time in 2 years. I tilled Charlie's garden with the Rotorvator, but he is not sure if he will get to put one out. It seems he is having a hard time too, but in a different way. He has a series of blood clot or something like clots in his right leg all the way into his foot. William can't help him with it either, he is down to 15% of his Kidneys and suppose to start Dialysis. Tina had a heart attack, but she is doing good. It has been a Hell of a year again. One thing is for sure, there ain't many of us left now to lose so maybe the newer generations will fair better. Mark was a plus, his sight in one eye has been restored and next is the other eye. Annie graduated RN school, there is yet another plus. We go Thursday to see her graduate or get Pinned or something, maybe both?

  I think of something I heard that I liked and seems to be true. If you want to make God laugh, make plans. Certainly life has not quite turned out like I had thought when I was young, but that doesn't mean it didn't turn out. I have been blessed with the good times, and to have survived and eventually thrived through the bad. Not that I'm a Saint but in the journey I lost me way, but found it back again. I would say I found God, except it wasn't Him that was lost, it was me. If life had been easy that never would have happened, so I am blessed. It isn't this world we should seek but the next. Whatever comes of this will come and we will deal with it as best we can as long as we can. Its all good.     

04-02-2015

  I am awake tonight and kind of excited. Tomorrow morning I will get to sleep late. No up before 6, no 1 hour commute, no 2 hour treatment (dive), no 1 hour back commute. I encourage you to look into this if you suffer from Radiation damage, burns, or Diabetes and have a sore that won't heal. There is probably more this will work for too, but that covered the ones I done "Dives" with. The treatments are called "Dives" and one has a choice of the casket looking boxes where you get in an all clear box and lay down, or ones like I have done which are like a part of a Submarine (or large tank) that holds 10 plus an ENT. If you have a doctor that does not support it insist, and if that don't work find a doctor that wants to help you. I really don't see why a doctor would not want this for a patient that can benefit. If you think it looks claustrophobic, it is, but they will help you with that too. This saved my throat in 2010, and now in 2015 it has saved it again. Radiation is the gift that just keeps on giving. There has to be a better way.

  I now retire my helmet but should I ever need to use it again, I would not hesitate.

    

04-01-2015 End Of HBOT

  Tomorrow, 4-2-2015, ends my HBOT (Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy) finally. I have done 60 treatments or as they are called, "Dives". This time I have finished my rounds and that is due to the excellent staff they have. A big Thank You is in order for Dr Hall, (2 doctors I don't recall the names), Sherri, Starla, John, Caleb, Charlie, and Brian. These people do a fantastic job. They have people who come and get you and take you home this time too, and I thank them as well. Jamie, Cindy, Bill, Billy, and James - those were the ones who drove me to and from. This will be Dive number 60. I thought Friday was 60 but hey, I'm tickled that Thursday is the last one. I was with a great group of people too and I will keep them in my prayers that they too heal well and complete. We had a good group, people came and went, but all were good people. Just in case the ones who were there for radiation damage to their throat like I was, hang in there, you got this. None of this would have been possible if not for Dr Rathfoot, who I thank so ever much. I get to keep my throat, at least for now.


  I had a follow-up with Dr Bushkell, didn't go as good as it could have but more along the lines I thought it would. He is an excellent doctor. The NHL (T Cell Lymphoma) is advancing, which I have been blessed that this is 10 years now that it moved slow. I will see if the sun helps and if not if the Narrow Band Ultra Violet Light Therapy (NBUVB) treatments will back it off along with my ointment, but if not then it is what it is. He offered and I declined some of the treatments that are pretty harsh. I am so tired. This is the hardest time, night when I am still. The itching and pain can break through to keep one from sleep. Usually Advil and making a bed in the floor helps. I've had worse, lol.

  I finished a small greenhouse with Megan's help. I still want to place 2 shelves inside it but it could be used as is if I wanted to. I used the cheap plastic from Lowe's instead of the expensive greenhouse plastic. It didn't turn out as clear as the one I saw a guy on the web build but this was my first time and I wanted to get my feet wet before spending 100 bucks on a good plastic. Good thing I did too, this takes skill, which I do not yet have but I will the next time. On Youtube it is called the Tx Prepper Greenhouse and really simple to make plus fairly cheap too. I did make a few changes in mine though. Megan has learned a simple build now too, so that is great. 

  I wish everyone a Happy Easter and for those who celebrate Passover, a happy one.    

Happy Anniversary

Happy 26th Anniversary 

I love you. 

Happy Birthday Baby

Happy 9th Birthday

Alexandra 

(aka Baby)

 

Love You

03-01-2015 Update

   Well over the last 2 weeks I've attended HBOT (Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy) only twice I believe, due to weather. I've lost ground some on the improvement that was taking place, but that should change once everything is back on schedule. Hopefully that was the last of the extreme cold weather and snow and ice. I have to admit though, it was kind of nice to sleep in.

  I've managed to get a side effect from this that hopefully will be short lived, I've lost a lot of vision, at least half what I usually have. The only upside to that is I look better in the mirror now. If I can describe this accurately or even sort of: Nearsighted vision is worse than usual. It is a known side effect and hopefully will reverse after this is over, which looks like a long time. Everything is way out of focus and it's like the convergence is set high bleeding out on white or lighted things. I'll not give the real names of the others in there, but one, we'll call him D has lost more than I have. He has to sit at the monitor to be able to read the words on the movies.

  There are usually several of us in there and it changes from day to day. Some days it is others who have had neck or head radiation and the others have diabetes and sores that will not heal. Some have had operations that will not heal with their diabetes. The ones who suffer radiation damage are a lot like me, some are worse like D is. I'm not sure if they are in danger of losing their throat due to the radiation damage causing the cartridge to harden and die, but I suspect they are. D and another guy, H, have never recovered their Saliva Glands. From the 90 I done in 2010 a miracle occurred and I have 1 that works most days most times. It isn't enough to keep me from having to carry liquid with me or to eat without a lot of liquid, but it is better than nothing. They usually offer cough drops and D says there is no point in them giving him one because he has no saliva to dissolve it with. I remember those days.

  So tomorrow we switch areas from St Mary's, now Tennova downtown to Parkwest which is owned by Covenant Health (cough cough) Systems. I am no fan of Covenant nor the lack of care they give or the way they treat their employees. I don't care for their doctors either. Their lack of care missed mom's Leukemia and later on female cancer. Plus years past I have been there as a patient and know they are way lacking. The owners of HBOT have moved it to there though, shame it wasn't at UT. We keep the same doctors and staff plus the drivers will be the same, which is a plus. Now if Covenant will step aside and allow the ones now giving service to continue at the level they already do it will be ok. If not, then we will see what is next. I know I will not do a throat resection, but that doesn't mean I will bow. 



  


        

1-12-2015 Follow-Up

  I had a follow-up with Rathfoot today to see how HyperBaric Oxygen (HBOT) treatments are working. He wanted to see me after 10 treatments and today's made the 11th. I can tell a difference in my breathing and swallowing after that few. He saw a difference in it when he scoped me, but I don't think it was as much difference as he had hoped for. He said if he done surgery to do injections again that he didn't think I would be able to breath without a trach. He thought as soon as the breathing tube pulls out my throat would close off. I told him I was opposed to a trach and would not do one.

  We left it at he is going to try and get the insurance company to approve more treatments, but I have to go back fairly soon to be checked again. He said he would let me be the optimist, he would be the pessimist, and Denise could be the judge. I am refusing resection of my voice box or any other part that would leave a permanent hole. Apparently my danger is in getting a cold, but the real fatal danger is sleeping. I believe I have all the loose ends tied up, so it is in God's hands now, I'm good with whichever way this goes.

  I've been battling the Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma a lot lately. For whatever reason it has kicked into high gear and this time I can't seen to control the patches. I'd post a question on the Lymphoma Board but I have little confidence in that. I read it but stopped participating in it a long time ago. I have few friends there left alive anyway and I watch the same questions as was there ten years ago.

  I do HBOT with a few people, many are Diabetics who are fighting to save an amputation of a limb. It is a slow progress but I've yet to see it fail and of those times are when Insurance Companies drop their coverage for it. I hope the ones who make that decision dress light when they die because I serious doubt God will approve of their fruit and drop His coverage of them. There are several I've met with radiation burns to the neck (throat) who now battle to keep what they have after the cancer is gone. I would love to know where the adage "Do no harm" comes in that oath they take is.