Scott

Keep Drinkin’ That Dew!

I picked up Diane today in the ‘57 and drove to my appointment with the Oncologist. This was a follow up to my last set of x-rays. The Doc had good news.

She said the x-rays look good, all the blood numbers are good (as in no change), and the M-Protein number that had increased and prompted the substitute doc (in for my vacationing doc) to send me for x-rays may have been a false alarm due to the fact that the lab that usually tests my blood gives the resulting number only to the tenths as in 1.2, but the lab that tested this time reports to the hundredth, as in 1.29; so, the 1.2 could have been up to 1.24 all along (assuming they round up at .05) making the increase to 1.29 extremely small.

That’s the longest sentence I have written in a while, I almost had to rest my arms. The doctor said just keep drinking that Mountain Dew and come back in three months. Okay, that’s not a direct quote. She said to keep doing what ever it is I’m doing and come back in 3 months. If I’m still in your prayers, I thank you.

*Egyptian Mt Dew (didn’t taste anything like Mt Dew)*

Spin That Wheel

I left work at noon telling the guys I was going to my 3 month cancer check appointment to “spin the wheel.” That’s kind of what it feels like. Today the wheel landed on 1.29. That’s my M-spike, or M-protein number, the main indicator the doctor watches to monitor this cancer.

Although my bone marrow biopsy in June had actual good news, today’s 1.29 (up from 1.2 in June, up from 1.0 in March) is not. This prompted the Doc to prescribe another skeletal survey (a full body set of x-rays) to see if there are any bone lesions or tumors under construction.

I will go back in two weeks to discuss the x-ray results and the next step, if any. Note to self: Thank God for a wonderful year beyond the Multiple Myeloma diagnoses. If I get more years, thank him for those also.

I’m Not Laughing At You

Today was my 6-month blood test for my urologist and 3-month blood test for my oncologist. Instead of two blood draws in two days, at two clinics, I arranged to get blood for both doctors in one “draw.”

The nurse lowered the flip armrest in front of me as I settled into her “blood drawing” chair. Imagine an adult size high chair with padded armrests including a big one that closes across the front like a drawbridge.

I told her that because of my uncooperative veins, I usually end up with the butterfly needle right here (I pointed to the back of my right hand).

“I do this all day – every day,” she said. “You see those vials?” she asked as she nodded toward a pile of 5 or 6 tube containers, “I need to fill all of those.”

That’s a lot I said. Do whatever you need to do.

“You’re going to feel a sting” she warned as she poked the needle into my arm. I jumped as if I’d received an electric jolt. “That wasn’t too bad.” I determined out loud.

She began giggling quietly. I told her I hadn’t noticed the seat belt when I first sat in the chair, but maybe I should have buckled up. She started laughing out loud as she nimbly swapped each full vial for another empty.

“I’m sorry,” she said, “I’m not laughing at you. I’m really sorry.” I told her I believed her because I could hear the sincerity in her laughter. She began laughing so hard she sat down the vials and was leaning against the counter, bracing herself with both hands.

Laughter is good medicine. That was the most fun I’ve had giving blood.

Goals On The To Do List

I’m told that people with cancer survive longer if they have goals. I’m going to have to come up with new goals, because, of my top three for this summer, two are now checked off the list, and I’m closing in on the third. Brandon got his Corvair running and it is now in the shop, out of the moisture.

Brandon also helped me install a new drainage pipe while he was here to surprise his mom for her birthday, and, I’m closing in on the deck railing project.

*This should really help keep the rain water away from the shop*

Maybe my next goal could be a gate to hide the storage area on the side of the garage. With that, the first thing you see when you pull in the driveway wouldn’t be the junk stored there.

Yea, I could get rid of the junk, but a nice, unique gate made from an extra ’57 Chevy hood sounds even better. I think that would be nice. Let me find a good way to present this to Diane before you say anything about it.