Scott

No Shots – No Change

After a few missed shots, I thought I felt a kind of thawing out sensation in the neuropathy in my feet, but no symptoms or side effects have really changed.

I’m still sorting and organizing files in my picture archives. Lately my push is assigning dates to my pre-digital camera pictures.

Those picture files report the date they were scanned as being the date they were taken, which is far from accurate. I can fairly guesstimate dates for pictures with my kids in them, but without them, it’s tough.

Many years ago, Diane and I stepped out in faith and started a small business. If you are or have ever been self employed, you know what I mean about stepping out in faith.

In the startup supplies we purchased for our in-home office was our first, large, 23 inch x 18 inch wall calendar. It was great for scheduling and recording my jobs and other work related items.

I also began adding personal notes like birthday reminders and event dates. Before long, the wall calendar became a sort of “Express Lane diary for five items or less.” My favorite entries are from after our kids came along. There are a lot of “first did” and “first said” notations.

On December 17, 1980, my 2 ½ year old son said he will shoot and kill the neighbors. Where did he get that?

In November, three years later, the same son asked if your spirit was like a bubble with God in it. Where did he get that?

Kids are funny. Overall the calendars tell a story of busy people quite involved with family and friends.

I have hundreds of pictures that need accurate dates. I have about 372 monthly calendar pages from 1976 to 2007 that record most of the events represented by pictures needing dates. All I have to do is match them up!

The Blessings continue.

I’ve Graduated

The side effects aren’t nearly as strong as 50 shots ago. There’s much less itching, redness and tenderness around the injection sites on my stomach. The chemouflage has faded and I rarely experience Bug Zapper Syndrome anymore.

These may be signs that my body has become accustomed to the Chemotherapy drug, Velcade. I went to the hospital this morning for the final blood draw and shot in my prescribed two year, bi-weekly series of low dose chemo infusions. The doctor and nurses – everyone was offering congratulations.

There were hugs and well wishings. The fact that it was New Years Eve may have contributed to the feeling of a life chapter ending. When I was presented with my usual After Visit Summary printout, I felt I had just been handed a diploma confirming my graduation; a diploma representing a two year degree in Needle Injection Theory.

*My Grandson listening eagerly as I dispense another pearl of wisdom (Thanks for this picture, Robin)*

What’s next? I will be tested every three months as long as the cancer does not proceed. When it does (as I’m reminded that Multiple Myeloma always will) we will begin treatments with one or more new drugs that have just recently become available.

Three More Shots Please

*The Chevy with a backdrop of Traveling Graffiti*

I haven’t driven the Chevy in weeks, there just hasn’t been time.

Earlier this summer it wasn’t running quite right. I started it up and began adjusting the idle mixture screws when I discovered I could tighten one all the way down and instead of killing the engine, it had no effect. Now what?

GENERAL SURGEON’S WARNING: Tightening a fuel mixture screw all the way should kill your engine!

I’ve surprised myself by finding good mechanical advice on the Internet, often with helpful video. But, how do you search for, “tighten the idle mixture screw all the way on an Edelbrock carburetor and the engine doesn’t die?”

I searched a phrase something like that and, wow – there was a helpful guy on a video telling me, “here’s what you do – remove the screw and blow the screw hole out with compressed air.” It worked!

I recently met a guy who had some dirt to get rid of. I had been watching for free dirt to raise the elevation of the lowest part of our back yard. He delivered, and a friend loaned me a small Kubota tractor to move it around.

Before it was completely smoothed out, it occurred to me that it resembled a radio controlled car track. I mentioned that to my good friend, Jason, and with his help we made it look exactly like an RC car track.

It’s mud now, but we did manage to run cars on it a few times before the rain began.

If it turns out to not get that much use, I’ll smooth out the jumps and berms and throw some grass seed on it. So far, it has cost us zero. Don & Diane, I hope you can get out here next spring or summer and give it a try.

*A back yard off road dirt track for radio controlled cars*

I’ve done far more organizing of my photos than editing. I wonder if that means I’m more systematic than creative.

The Photoshop Elements program says I’ve identified (and tagged) 302 people (so far) in 97,650 photos. Tagging faces is like eating potato chips, it’s hard to quit. I’ll stop and back up the catalog after one more folder; okay, maybe one more after that….

Some blessings require that you only sit back and enjoy, like a stunning sunset, or music that genuinely pleases your ears.

Other blessings seem to require constant maintenance, like this old house, or my hair.

*That’s me next to the face I love tagging the most (1034 times so far). This was on our 42nd anniversary*

My life has been overflowing with blessings, and they do keep me busy. Grandchildren represent compound blessings. I love seeing our sons experiencing the same joy with their babies that we savored with them.

We treasure the time spent with our grandson. We are anxiously looking forward to meeting our granddaughter. The arrival of Grand-baby number three has been announced for June.

The end of 2015 will bring the end of my two year series of bi-weekly low dose chemo maintenance shots. When I began this Velcade infusion therapy, my Oncologist said it gives patients “more time,” and that after two years, it’s done all the good it is going to do.

I’m grateful for more time. It’s a commodity I can never seem to accumulate enough of. Ending the cycle of shots feels a bit like removing training wheels.

Thank You

I ran into a friend at a funeral Saturday. While visiting she told me she enjoys reading my blog. I talked on about something I don’t remember now, but realized later that I did not say thank you for reading my blog.

I enjoy writing. I would (and do) write even when I’m the only one whose likely to ever see it. I’m still surprised when someone tells me they read something I wrote. Without feedback, I don’t know if anyone reads me.

Mary Jo, thank you for reading my blog. Everyone who follows, anyone who clicks over from Face Book or MyelomaBlogs, Thank you. I feel honored that you take the time to have a look.

Time is money, time is tight, everyone is busy, so I do feel blessed and encouraged when you comment (on the blog, by email, or in person) about this online – ongoing adventure.

I almost feel I owe an apology; this started out as a means to update and share my medical news because I might have cancer. Three cancers later I remain among the living, and posting here, I do wander off topic now and then.

For those still reading, thanks again.