Tag: My Brother Loren

The Grudge Race

RC Cars on the Beach

I took my Radio Controlled car, a Losi Short Course Buggy, when I visited my brother at the coast.  He has a Traxxas four wheel drive R/C gas truck.  I love the big fat tires on it. 

At the beach, I was quickly putting parking lot dirt and debris in the air with the wheels of my little car while my brother was working at getting his gas motor started.  When he got it running, we had a lot of fun speeding and skidding out on the sand. 

I challenged him to a straight line race from way over here to way over there.  It was a clean start, neck and neck as I slowly began pulling ahead, but by the ¾ mark, he caught and passed me.  I could feel it in my battery, I should have recharged between the parking lot and the beach.

I suggested a rematch, but he would savor his win for a year.  When I got home, I ordered another battery, one with extra punch.  Next year I would be ready…..   And there would be no burning up half the pack before the race!

Keep the shiny side up

With my next annual visit, the grudge race was on.  I had a fully charged C100 battery, and I resisted (most of) the temptation to speed up and down the sand until after my impending victory. 

My brother had his truck making smoke in his garage before we headed out, and shortly it was running again at the beach.  Soon we were back on our imaginary starting line and he yelled Go! 

With the kindness and humility of a loving big-brother, I won’t go on about how badly I beat him.  We’ll just say that it was my turn to savor the win.

Before long, I packed some sand against a baseball bat sized piece of driftwood for a jump. 

The race was over and I still had a couple battery packs to burn up, and that wide open sand was enticing.  We were Cat & Mouse chasing, drifting, fishtailing, and purely enjoying radio controlled fun.

My brother had to restart his truck several times, and ended up replacing three glow plugs that day.  Finally, it would not start, so I invited him to drive my SCB while I took pictures of it flying off the jump. 

He liked it enough to consider going electric.  I can’t wait for the race next year!

This month I had my follow up appointment with my heart doctor’s associate.  Going in, my question and reason for seeing the doctor was, “Why do I get so easily out of breath?”  Does it have to do with the cancers, the treatments, or am I just getting old and out of shape? 

The diagnosis and official answer: My stress test showed the possibility of a minor abnormality, but before further investigation, they suggest I lose weight, exercise more (get into better shape), and come back in three months for more tests.

I also had my three month appointment with my oncologist.  She used my favorite medical term (concerning the protein they test for because it’s a real good indicator of what the cancer is doing), “undetectable.” 

I can live with that.

Cliff Hanger?

My last low dose chemo shot was New Years Eve 2015. My Oncologist said to come back in three months for testing. Three months have passed. I went for tests on April 4th and anxiously waited for the results.

I saw my Urologist that same day, my five year and final appointment with him. His office called later to say my PSA (Prostate cancer indicator) was undetectable. I love that word.

My three month test results for Multiple Myeloma, although reported mostly in Medical Greek, were finally posted to a web site I access.

This message was included with the report: “The serum protein electrophoresis exhibits a possible monoclonal immunoglobulin band in the gamma region. Serum immunofixation (IFE) for further identification of this band has been reflex ordered.”

And this: “A reflex test is a laboratory test performed (and charged for) subsequent to an initially ordered and resulted test. Reflex testing occurs when an initial test result meets pre-determined criteria (e.g., positive or outside normal parameters), and the primary test result is inconclusive without the reflex or follow-up test. It is performed automatically without the intervention of the ordering physician.”

That alone does not mean bad news, but it seems a step in that direction. My Oncologist said she would call me if ever there was anything we need to discuss. So far, no call.

In the meantime, there’s much to do as I remain among the living.  I finally connected the computer to the stereo, I continue organizing photos, and I actually think I spotted retirement way out there on the horizon.

This is my second, new Radio Control car, a Losi 22T with one of my favorite racing bodies from the old days.  For now, this is an indoor turf track only car .
It’s fun to run it with friends at the indoor RC Plus track in Salem, Oregon.
My two year old grandson, Kellen, is learning to drive RC cars with an old RC10T.  He’s got tight circles pretty well figured out, and is very familiar with the transmitter’s on/off switch (it’s so fascinating!).
I recently had another great visit with my brother, Loren, in Brookings, Oregon.
My winter project on the Chevy this year was replacing the rear main seal.  Check that off the list!
I’m not sure how this will play out, but my scalp has become consumed with “Revenge Of Chemo Hair.”
My grandson, Kellen, “taking time to smell the flowers.”