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Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Weight!

Wow-so here is something I haven't had to concern myself with for a while-weight! Seems I have reached my self imposed upper threshold. Jumped up this last 5lbs FAST too. Well, having two birthday parties over three days as well as the Easter festivities probably helped that acceleration. I've been steadily cycling through these 5 pound increments from my low of 180 I withered away too, through 185 and hovering in the 190 range that I have grown quite fond of-Am really enjoying all the exercise been getting with the water sports of late and that certainly a good thing. The knees and ankles are much happier, steadily built up the strength where I am comfortable, mobile and effective on the boats and boards and have started to acquire clothing that fits. Even the doctors are pleased and you all say I look great so I'll take it! Now, I jump on my control scale at the club yesterday to see I am suddenly just north of 195!


YIKES! STOP!

Granted that is a self imposed limit but I have no desire nor need to tip 200 again. That would be close to a 50% retracement to where I started and I simply don't wanna! I viewed a slide show presentation at the Saturday birthday party I was at and was in a few shots where I barely recognized that larger version of me and just don't like it! Guess it is time to throttle back on the see-food diet I've been relishing for the last few months and not eat whatever I see! That is not entirely true as I am pretty good on what I consume, just have not worried about how much and when but apparently that time has now arrived! Well at least until we get on the ship next month right!

Friday, April 22, 2011

Deaf, Dumb & Blind

Well I don't know about the deaf and dumb part (oh shush!) but the blind............?

So long as I've got myself as clean a bill of health on the cancer front as I am going to get for the time being, it's time to address some of the other secondary issues that require my attention and pay a visit to those doctors as well.

Deaf-no need as not problematic since that one occurrence I had that was associated to my Cisplatin regiment and that has corrected itself as we had hoped upon purging all that poison from my system.

Dumb-well not really I don't think although I still occasionally do seem to have a "chemo-brain" moment but can I really attribute that to all this????LOL.

Blind-without question, age and a whole bunch of nasty chemicals have taken their toll and as much as I have been avoiding the reality-I need to bail on the Costco readers and FINALLY go see my friend Jen Bossart for a real eye exam as things have certainly deteriorated. Even before this whole issue was discovered I had noticed some fuzziness and as I was catching up with my old roommate in San Diego awaiting our Thanksgiving cruise in 2009 he ran into the hotel shop and got me a $10 pair of readers as a joke-Hey they worked! Now however, things are getting noticeably worse. Lisa has actually gotten used to reading me menu items if we are in a dimly lit place and I have become quite accustomed to changing the view size on my 24" screen here to 125% or greater (as it is right now.) Not good and the eye fatigue I am noticing of late by mid afternoon at work is also getting detrimental so guess the time has come to make that appointment.

Additionally as I have spoken often of my constant dry mouth and the need to have a companion with me in the form of a water bottle-on a recent exam, one of my doctors even made mention of visually noticing my mouth being dry. That can have serious repercussions I realize so even though I have ignored the reminders from the dentist to come in for my annual check up, need to address that as the reduced saliva can cause havoc on oral hygene and the bodies natural ability to combat a whole host of nasty issues-Gone are my days of not seeing the dentist for over ten years as was the case prior to being forced to see one before my treatments began. Necessary appointment number 2 on deck!

I have been good with the dermatologist I must admit-unfortunate as the chemo cleaned me up but the psoriasis came back almost immediately so have had to see him to get back on my Humira but the other 2 "specialist" I need to make some time for-next weeks project!

Outside of that, might have to find some time for a massage-maybe even one insurance will cover. For some reason, as much as I am swimming as well as surfing, sailing and on the SUP-my entire neck and shoulder area are abnormally stiff and sore for the last couple weeks. My ENT did say that her patients that do not exercise or stretch the area radiated that the muscles tend to seize or stiffen up as time goes on but she considers me to be quite active so am a little perplexed on this development I must admit-Like I said, probably have to retain a masseuse-DARN!

Have a Happy Easter everyone!

Monday, April 18, 2011

And that's a sweep for now! Woo Hoo

I still absolutely HATE walking into the dungeon, the whole place still gives me the creeps but it was time for my Radiology 6 month follow up down there so off we went this morning. The first thing I notice is the huge ass 60" flat panel that always seems to have the food channel is gone. (Always found it odd as most of us down there undergoing treatment can't eat a damn thing so why make us suffer!) It apparently broke and was donated so Queens wont spring for a new one so this huge wall is now barren shy of the little 15" replacement giving the general feeling of even a more stark barren cold room-YUK! So glad it's no longer a daily requirements for me.

Anyway-here I am in my usual anxious state awaiting another exam and opinion on my scans and although I never anticipate much from this guy as you know, he still a part of my team and I need him to concur with the rest. I get called in and the nurse does a double take-again falling victim herself to not recognizing me-she still has that horrible Jabba the Hut photo they took of me back on my first visit, bald, pale and bloated, clipped in my file. She reminds me she also saw the transformation yet hasn't seen me in six months of further recovery and looking as I do now-"fit and with hair" as she says - LOL.

Now here comes Dr Observant, always amazing at the (dis)connected he has his patients (i.e. ME!) and today no exception. He walks in pickks up my chart and greets me with "Wow-you've lost some weight haven't you Mr Davis?"

HELLO! Seriously? All you remember of me is that picture? You honestly have no recollection of freaking out on me that I had lost TOO much weight when I plummeted down to 180, got thrown back in the hospital and had to suspend my treatments? Not only have I not LOST weight since my last visit, Ive actually put 15 pounds BACK ON! So reassuring. Anyway, enough of the vanity and he goes through his litany of poking, prodding and viewing and then reassures me again by asking when I will be having another PET done. Again have you actually looked in my file? Oh sorry all looks good and since the other two Doctors still seeing you regularly and all looks fine to me, I don't need to see you for 4 months. Again, my goal was to have him concur and he did so I'm happy but between the scatter brained weight and PET comments and now acting like 4 months is good even though it has been 6 since my last does nothing to reassure me and I am so grateful things are going in the right direction as do not want to count on this member of the team any longer than I already have.

Interesting visit, short sweet and certainly not to the point but as I mentioned -a clean sweep on the follow ups and I'll take it! Woo Hoo

Back to the office and the realities of the day!

Saturday, April 9, 2011

April Foolishness!

Again! What a difference a year will make! Last year JMW delivered my shirt as I was forced to be an absentee participant in my room at Queens-this year I'm able to make my reappearance with the Boys! Too bad Lucy wasn't feeling well and had to leave early.