11/24/13

Emily says I have to blog even if I have nothing to say.  Just because she has nothing to say when she speaks doesn’t mean I have to follow suit. 

This is my 4^th stay in Norton’s Commons – no wait – it’s Norton’s Hospital, since this sojourn began months ago.  I’ve kind of gotten used to walking around in a gown that’s open in the back.  It feels liberating.  I just wish that creepy guy down in 610 would stop following me around. 

This term is supposed to be a mirror image of my first stay, which, if you remember, was really bad.  But through the miracles of modern medicine this has turned out to be quite the opposite.  So far I’ve had no reaction to the constant flow of drugs.  Some weakness.  5 days of constant hiccups.  (IF you’ve never experienced that – you don’t want to.  They are painful!)   But other than that – nothing.  Now the heavy shit comes later in the week.  The 24 hour KILLZ ALL is sometime this week.    I’ll just pretend it’s turkey and dressing and sweet potatoes and cranberry salad and green bean casserole and pecan pie and Uncle Don’s dumplings, and  mashed potatoes and gravy and --- well you get the message!!!!!!!!!!!!

I’m beginning to dig the glossy dome look.  Makes me look like Mr. Clean!!

For those of  you that care, my weight is hanging in there.  I’m running at about 190-195. Hey at least I weigh more than this IV pole I’ve got to drag around with me everywhere I go.  I’ve named her, by the way.  She’s Lemonade Lucy!  I’m thinking about opening up my own Lemonade Stand down on the corner of the nurse’s station.  But I seriously doubt if anybody would want to spend a dime for a cup of this poison. 

I know the temperature is going down but the sports are heating up.  This is a great time to be bed ridden – if there is such a time.   With the Cats and the Cards life is exciting.  And 24-7 Sports Center.  Im becoming an expert.  De de de-de de de.

 

I’ve been on thorazine for the hiccup problem.  For all of you out there that like your blood pressure to hover around 10 get on it.  You’ll be doing the thorazine shuffle before you know it.  If you don’t know what that is watch One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, or ask someone from my generation. It’s groovy, Daddyo!

I’ve about run out of words, but I have to address the holiday this week.

As you all sit down this week with those you love and those that love you and tip back that glass  - remember those that don’t have what we have.  Remember those that are sitting alone.  Remember how blessed we are!  Someone sitting at one of those Thanksgiving tables that I’m talking to right now should get teary eyed thinking about how much we have.  Everybody take a second and look around you.  Why are we so blessed?  We have to give something back.  Most of us have been given far more than we deserve!  We must make a solemn promise to ourselves to do something to return the blessings that have been bestowed upon us.  Little – big – doesn’t matter.  Give something of ourselves to someone that doesn’t have what we have.

Nothing has made me appreciate what I have like this latest setback.  I am a wealthy man.  As a matter of fact we are all wealthy people.  Let’s share the wealth.

 

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.  With great love, Chemo Bob

Just couldn't stay away

Good morning all.  I trust this blog finds everybody hale and hearty.

 The chemo gods (they don't even rate a capital g) played a cruel trick on me and gave me a fever - that wouldn't go away.  It just kept coming and coming and coming.  Believe me folks with no armies in the fort (that's chemo-speak for no white blood cells) the enemy (infection) can rape, pillage and plunder to its heart content!  I found myself being raped and pillaged.  The pillaging wasn't so bad but I'll pass on the rape portion of the equation.  Yep the Vandals swept in from the north and had their way with me..

I was the proverbial fly on the wall as I lay there on the ER gurney and watched my beautiful wife dictate, direct and for all intense and purposes dominate the scared ER docs and nurses.  It was poetry in motion.  I've never loved her so deeply or so intehhat night.  She was firm but sincere.  Her expectation of ER performance was set higher then these people had ever even dreamed!  And she would have nothing less then top notch  care.  She was marvelous!!!

But the end result was I am stuck in this jail cell for another 3 days.  Waiting for the cultures to come back.  I think they take my blood, put it a petri dish and watch what grows.  I don't know, I guess they put it on a hot steamy radiator or something.  This is how they found a cure for polio.  Anyway, cultures are due back on Wednesday. We'll see what alien life form is growing in this temple I call my body!

Anyway I'm hoping for a Wed release so I can salvage some of my vacation time.  I start the BIG chemo treatments again next Monday.   I was hoping to ride the golf course with Luke on one of these pretty days.  While I'm on the topic of Luke.  What are he and Metcalf brewing up in Luke's kitchen??  The neighbors are beginning to wonder what kind of people moved into their neighborhood.  "Breaking Bad" right here in Louisville??????  Thanks Luke for stepping up to the plate with Thanksgiving.  Luke and Katie have taken on the task of feeding the Raque family on Thanksgiving.  I'll be here and Luke will join me in hell.  (Just kidding to all the Raques that are reading this.)  (It's the truth to all the non-Raques that are reading.)  Luke has grown into quite a young man!  A father couldn't be more proud!

For all you dense people that couldn't figure out my state::Storrington Court quiz from my last blog (and this goes for members of my family that pride themselves on being sharp and witty) do some research!!!  You all have a computer or you wouldn't be reading these words.

Go Cayuts!!!  Dare I even dream of a prefect season!!??!!

I'm done for now.  Keep fighting the good fight.  We'll talk again, Chemo-sabe.  Chemo Bob

11/5/2013

I’m back on “home recoup” time.  This is good time because I get to move around and I’m in friendly environs.  But it always starts pretty bad.  I still feel the residual of the chemo and my stomach is upside down constantly and I feel like I’ve been beat with a 20 oz. Louisville Slugger.  In about 4 or 5 days the chemo will be out of my system and I’ll be able to function like a quasi-normal human being.

I get to stay home until the 18^th.  Then I’m back in for about 4 weeks.  It is a rerun of the first series of drugs.  All I’m doing right now is lowering my head and plowing through.  I’m tired of feeling this way – and I know this is only the beginning.  Thank God for Emily who sees it as her mission to work on my sense of humor, although she did humiliate me last week walking through the halls of the hospital.  I’ll never be able to show my bald head in public again. But that’s ok. I laughed.  That felt good.  I wonder what she has in store for me on Thanksgiving?

Quiz;  What do Alaska, Delaware, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, DC, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington and 8707 Storrington Court, Louisville, KY 40222, all have in common??????????????

I buried my nose in the Halloween candy basket.  Thanks Guetz!!!  I’ve always said you are an extra-ordinary young lady!

A special thanks to Philip and the beautiful people of Daviess County, KY.  After a particularly bad day I was right with you all on Saturday afternoon around 5.  I believe in the power of the unison voice!

I just finished trying to catch up on my e-mail.  Teachers sure love to talk!  I didn’t break the news to them that it’s not them I miss, it’s the kids.  I never realized how much I get from the students.  They give more then they get.

I’m tired.  It’s time I put it away.  I know its short today, but I’m getting chemo brain!  To illustrate how bad chemo brain is (believe me, it’s real), the other night Becky beat me at Jeopardy!!  And it wasn’t high school Jeopardy!  I’m a total wreck sometimes!  You guys stay cool. 

Signing off, your local chemo-sabe.  Chemo Bob.  High Ho Silver!