Month: May 2016

I think Judy and I have done well over the years making the opportunity to travel, attend concerts, etc.   I especially enjoy surprising her or doing some spur of the moment thing.

Months ago friend Tom had invited us to see Billy Joel at Safeco Field in Seattle.  After my cancer diagnosis, my first reaction was to tell him, no I couldn’t make it.  Then I thought why not, I wanted to see Tom and Susan, knew I’d enjoy the concert and thought I could work it out with the chemo schedule.  Last Thursday my chemo was deferred due to low platelet count.  Initially I was bummed but then realized we could stay in Seattle the whole weekend and celebrate Judy’s birthday there.

And so we did, having a fantastic weekend.  Took the train to King Street Station and Tom was better than Uber, transporting us around.  We always enjoy Seattle, being my birthplace I somehow feel a connection. The concert was awesome, we shared a great visit with Tom and Susan, celebrated Judy’s birthday at Ivar’s, sailed the ferry to Bainbridge and got home about 11 PM Sunday.  Another great chapter in our memory book.

60 Minutes icon Morley Safer just died, barely a week after retirement. I’ve had friends and acquaintances that put off too many things till retirement and didn’t live to see the day.

I’ve shared with some of you that if I knew how long I have, would this be how I spend my time?  I have no crystal ball, no knowledge of the future. Neither do you.  So, cancer or not, I’d encourage you to seize the day and enjoy your life now.  Judy and I love the Disney series Phineas and Ferb, here is their take on Carpe Diem: Phineas and Freb Carpe Diem

Yesterday I had my 5th round of chemo.  They had to back off the dosage of my Oxaliplatin because my neutrophils (related to white blood cells) count was low.  I’m reluctant to change anything I hope will kill this dragon but Doc knows best. Just a part of the process.  I’m feeling fine on day 2, pretty much same as before, some tingling fingers, shakiness and a bit fatigued.  Most of that goes away by day 4 after treatment.

Today was to have been my fifth chemo treatment, unfortunately my platelet count from yesterday’s blood test was too low.   Another test today showed an increase but still below the threshold for treatment.
So, I’m deferred to early next week, assuming my count recovers as expected.

Met with my oncologist today and he is pleased with how I’ve been tolerating the chemo and my general condition.  I did a 40 mile bike ride Tuesday, he smiled about that.

Everything has been going per plan thus far and I’ve sort of scheduled my immediate life around the every other Thursday though Saturday regimen. In the grand scheme of things, this isn’t a big deal but I’m bummed about this little setback.  Apparently I need to be reminded, it’s not my plan.

Years ago while having dinner in the caboose at Pizza Caboose, one of our progeny emphatically stated “it’s not fair!”.  A woman dining in an adjacent booth chimed in “I’ve never been to a snot fair” thus minting an enduring family non sequitur.

This week at work the coffee station conversation turned to what is “fair”.  I think the brain trust concluded there is no “fair”, in health or life.

A friend at church recently lost a second wife to cancer. Snot fair. Little kids get cancer before they can read. Snot fair.  Hard working folks at Intel are laid off because the market changed. Snot fair.  A friend recently retired only to learn he has Parkinsons. Snot fair.  Why did Butch and Sundance die in a hail of Bolivian lead? Snot fair.

Why do I have cancer? Snot fair.

There are only questions, no answers, this side of heaven anyway.

My fourth chemo treatment went well, less side effects than 2 and 3.  Just small mouth sores, cold sensitivity and the tub looks like someone shaved a gorilla.  Round number 5 is scheduled for Thursday.

Although it’s Cinco de Mayo today, there are no tequila shots in my plans. Instead, it was round four of my chemo series.  Lounging in the recliner at the infusion clinic, I got to thinking of that country tune Ten Rounds with Jose’ Cuervo.   So with apologies to Tracy Byrd, here is my version:

But after one round with FOLFOX chemo
fingers tingle from cold but little else to report

And after two rounds with FOLFOX chemo
hair started to fall, thrush coated tongue hurt like hell when I’d eat

Then after three rounds with FOLFOX chemo
still strong in the spirit and Doc wants me to pig out so as not to lose weight???

And after four rounds with FOLFOX chemo
effects do accumulate, I’ll just have to wait …

Though dealing with some side effects, I’m better off than if I’d had four rounds of tequila.  Happy Cinco de Mayo everybody.

When I’m well again …