June 29th and a half - can't stop the fun! SOLIDARITY!

Sorry Dad, with computer hackers and graphics maniacs in the family--you can only hope we keep our additions clean and respectful! LOOK CLOSELY to see the differences! ;-)) Love, Darrin and Maura

June 29th, Tommy flew in to be with us just for the day!

There were some pictures taken that were not taken by Maura but still deserved to be included. These pictures, taken in the kitchen, were taken by yours truly. I tried to show how much food we had and the fact that if you put food out, it will draw a crowed. As you can see by Sharon's expression, she was glad it was time to let them eat. You can only keep the place clean for so long, then let the party begin

Thomas was a little up set that he could not make this party because he was her last month, so we helped him be included by Maura's magic. We love and missed you Thomas and you know you are always in our heart.

It's now Monday and I feel pretty good, still no great energy, but I did go get the bread and took it to the Essen House. Margo and Riley helped a great deal. Riley did all the lifting and carrying. I drove and showed them what bread we buy and how to put it in the racks. It sure is nice to have help. Hopefully by next Monday I will be able to handle it by myself again.

It's now after dinner and the Pfisters have been here since about 4pm. Emily brought her new baby over for all to see. I'm sure they are about to leave so I want to wrap for tonight and get back to this tomorrow. I tried to order plain wings tonight at Pizza Hut, nothing on them, just plain. Would you call breded wings PLAIN. Three times I've tried to get just plain wings and three times they have screw it up. I had to eat just the topping of the pizza, it will be interesting to see tomorrow what my BS will be. I used to be able to do that no problem, we'll see tomorrow.

More tomorrow

Tom

June 28th, Day of the party

The best part of the day is captured by Maura's wonderful camera. The lens is at least a foot long and it must weigh 8lbs. I think it's like 12 MP. (it's a 70-200 2.8 IS) Present at the party were: Tom and Sharon, Maura, Darrin, Riley, Brian, Sammy, Cate, Kyle, Margo and Don Sullivan, David, Moe and Greg Howard, Larry, Toby and the dogs, Puddy and Gracie. That was all the close family. Good friends, Bobbie,Tommy, Christine, Molly, Laura, and Meg,

We, or I should say they played on everything in, and around the house. Out side was the swimming pool, tennis court, tramp, and water volley ball. In the basement was pool and foos ball and the theatre room.

Riley and Don have found the theatre chairs so comfortable that they have used them as beds. Riley for the night, Don for a nap. I've got to say I've done the same on occasion. The basement is the coolest place in the entire house when it 90 outside. Lot of pool after a big tennis game. there was a nice wind today but it was still hot.

As for me, my BS is still very touchy. It was 175 this morning and then came down to 147 at lunch and back to 173 for dinner. I did have a very small piece of Mo's carrot cake.

The food was excellent and many brought their best dish. I cooked the meat and the rest of the family did everything else. I stayed with it until about 7:30 and then went for an hours nap. It is now 10:42 and I'm ready for bed. Hope you enjoyed the pictures as much as we did having them taken.
Love to all that could not make it.
Tom

June 27 Darrin, Riley here, Maura on the way

I actually stayed up till midnight last night picking up Darrin and Riley. There luggage didn't get here because they almost missed the plain because of an accident on the free way. They only had 30 minutes from the time they got to the airport until take off. They made the plane, but the luggage did not.

Cate has insisted that I put her pictures of me cleaning the pool on the blog.. They all seem to like the fact that dad has taken over the pool and is willing to keep it clean and filled with chemicals. Debbie D had the job for most of the month, but it was too cold to get into the pool to clean.

We had quite a surprise when Darrin got off the plain last night. As some of you know, Darrin is quite a ladies man and loves that curly head of hair he's so proud of. Well in a sign of support to me he came home with a Mohawk. He thought that the look was fun, but once he got here he decided to,as they say "Take It All Off". And since a picture is worth a 1000 words, feast your eyes on this ladies. This is for all you young ladies that were once from Phoenix. You know who your are. Are you still watching this blog? For the rest, I think it's a wonderful thing he did for me. Brian sure as hell didn't want to do it. We tried to cut Rileys dred locks but he was much to fast for me and the clippers. I told him he better not oversleep, or sleep to soundly.

I hope the rest of the weekend is all about fun and very little to do with my condition. BS seems to be somewhat normal. It still goes high much easier than usual. I was tired this afternoon and took at two hour nap, but I expect to go swimming and then cook out tonight. I don't feel great, but I feel a lot better than the first go round.

Maura is in at 5pm. We are all excited to see her and hear about Caila's trip to San Salvidor. There is blog type site that we can go to and see what is going on. If Caila wants to post something she can, but it's not like a blog where you can talk back and forth. Someone will be responsible to keep it current, and anyone can do that if they choose to do so. She is there for three weeks, and will dive every day.

Maura's in, we all swam and then many played tennis. I sleep after cooking the dinner. More tomorrow.

Tom

June 26th. last day round two, Darrin & Riley home

The weekend is on it's way and so are Darrin, Riley and Maura. It's also the last day of round two of chemo. I get to swim, and I'm looking forward to that. Sharon has actually been in the pool before her usual July 4th. plunge. These 90+ days have gotten to her. The water is up to 83 now and that also helps. As I said once before, anyone reading the Blog is welcome to our get together Sunday afternoon. Bring your suits and tennis rackets.

It's swimming time, the water was 86 and I didn't even need a heater. I did buy a sun cover and that has helped a great deal. These last four days are the real helpers. It's been in the 90's each day and at night it's in the low 60's. Cate said she took some pictures of me swimming, but I have not seen them yet. I'm not sure if any of you want to see that either. My friend Bill Goan use to say I looked like a whale in the water. I could swim longer and faster than he could under water, but I wasn't as streamline as he was. I still love to swim, and I'm not slim or trim, but I'm faster than the average old fart.

My BS is finally some what under control. It was 167 this morning, but by lunch it was 101. That is about normal for me when things are going well. Anything under 140 is acceptable to me. I now have two weeks off to try to get back to feeling normal again. I felt good in the water, I wasn't feeling all the great until I got in the water, but once in, I stayed for and hour and a half. Swam laps for 20 minutes and spent the rest of the time cleaning the pool. I don't know where the little pool bunny has been, because the pool needed some well deserved vacuuming. It should be good now for the weekend.

This round of chemo went pretty well. I was tired in the afternoon after a full morning, but I didn't feel bad. I hope thing will go smoothly for the next couple days. Last time the bad time was 48 hours after the chemo. I'll keep you informed.

Ta TA for now.

June 25, day 4 round two

Nothing really unusual happened at Chemo. I was out by 10am. and picked up Louis so we could talk to Ron at the bank. It was a very pleasant meeting and it looks like we are moving ever closer to getting the Manor House to cash flow on it's own. We have 21 in and three more that are ready to move in once they get some last minute details complete. At 26 or half full, we will be in a positive cash flow. We are doing better than we expected once we got approval, but the approval took six months longer than we counted on. I give you all permission to pray for that day to come . Two families have given it all we have to make it a success. Prayer is now the answer. I can remember in 6th. grade a student ask a teacher if it was alright for a funeral director to pray for business. Many were shocked and didn't know what the teacher would say. She simply answered, "It would be wrong to pray that someone died, but it is certainly allowable to pray that the persons family picks your place of business for the funeral." I feel the same way, I don't wish anyone poor health, but if they have poor health I hope they find their way to the Manor House. We have a loving caring staff to take care of their every need.

My BS is doing much better 145 this morning and at lunch I used two perandin because I was at the Essen House and didn't have any insulin. I had a salad and a cup of vegetable soup. I only had about half the salad because there were so many people that came up to me to wish me well. At dinner it was 135 so I had some tuna salad and a piece of toast. It feels good to know so many people care. I know that most of the people of the town appreciate all we have done. We appreciate the towns people for supporting what we choose to do.

Sharon is off to her book club and Cate and Brian are cleaning for this weekend. The pool is finally up to swimming temperature and I get to swim tomorrow for the first time this year. I've had to have the chemo tubes in my port this week and you can't get them wet. They will be removed tomorrow so I will have two weeks to swim. That's a good thing.

That's enough for now, thanks for listening

June 24th day 3 of second round.

Day 3 started OK but then we hit the first traffic jam of the summer. Some motorcycle hit a deer is what we hear happened. The traffic was backed up for at least three miles on I-469 and the same for I-69. So everyone headed for the side streets that we use to get to the cancer center. Thank God we know the back roads, being Harley riders, we were able to get around traffic with only minor inconvenience. We talked to friends that were in traffic for 45 minutes. In Fort Wayne that's an eternity.





My BS was 152 today so I gave myself 4 units and just had a small cereal and a piece of wheat toast. I then took one of the new nausea pills and went to the center. When I got home my BS shot to 257. I don't know which medicine they gave me shot it up, but up it went. It was down to 177 at 12:30, so I hope it was just a temporary spike.





It takes less and less time as the week goes on because they give me nausea medication the first three days and then that's it until the next cycle. Tomorrow should take about an hour, today it was just under two hours.





We are getting everything ready for Maura, Darrin, and Riley's arrival. Don't worry though Darrin there is still plenty left for you to do. Everyday Brian looks to see what you and he can do as opposed to what Brian and I can do. I've got cancer you know. So bring your big boy pants and we will keep you busy.

I was going to finish this last night but fell asleep at 9pm until 10:30 so I just went up and went to bed. That new pill is very potent as to sleep.

It's early thursday and I need to go to Chemo, By for now

June 23 Day 2 second round.

The Chemo just really knocked me out yesterday. I came home and didn't feel too bad, but then it hit me, and I had to fall asleep. I've been feeling very dizzy and in a fog. It's not like the flu that I had the last time, but it doesn't let you do much. I don't have any energy and just want to lay around. My blood sugar is back to normal and I had a 97 reading finally. It was 147 this morning. I'm back on the perandin and not insulin. I'm going to have breakfast and then off for more Chemo. More later.

The Chemo is not bad while I'm getting it, it the damn side effects of the medicine I take for side effects of the damn Chemo that kick the sh-- out of of me. I come home and I can't keep my eyes open. It says not to drive or operate heavy machinery. I could just see someone driving while on this stuff.

My BS didn't respond too well to just the perandin. It was 147 this morning and I just had some NS cereal and a piece of toast. I had two perandin and had lunch of a NS soup and a 1/2 a pita and two slices of roast beef from the deli. My BS was 189 at 5pm so I took 4 units of insulin to try to bring it back down.

These new pills that I'm taking for the nausea cost $190.00 for two pills. Someone is making some money somewhere. They say they are somewhat experimental but have been approved by the AMA. I've not been the least bit nauseous I don't think, I've been sleeping, so how the hell would I know. If I were in the hospital, they would wake me up to see if I were nauseous

I'm signing off for the day before I have to go back to sleep. More tomorrow.

June 22, 2nd round of Chemo

I had my appointment with Dr. Adhami today. He has been contact with Dr. Rushing and they are definitely changing my Chemo so I will no longer be getting the medicine that screwed up my blood sugar. I get a new pill that apparently cost a bunch since the drug stores only bring it in after an order. They will only order two of them at a time. Thank God for Insurance, and that Sharon has such good benefits from the California Lottery.

It took twice as long today because the first day of Chemo they give me some sort of medicine that they have to deliver with big syringe and they are dressed in protective clothing. It's the same as last time, they don't want any of this stuff on them. It doesn't phase them that it's being put in my veins, just don't get any on them. This is the stuff that will effect you if you go into the sun. It makes your skin very sensitive to the effect of the sun. It also turns your urine red.

After Chemo I went home and crashed. I think it was around noon, the next thing I remember it was 3:30. Catie actually took pictures of me asleep on the couch. I would put them on the blog, but I was not looking my best. I now see why I sleep with a respirator. My mouth was open like I was trying to trap fly's. I've destroyed the pictures, accidentally of course.

My blood sugar actually got to 127 today. I celebrated and went out and got a Hot Fudge Brownie Delight. No I didn't, I had oatmeal and a piece of wheat bread. For lunch a 4oz. piece of hamburger and a salad and ice tea. I took the pills today instead of insulin, so it will be interesting to see what my sugar is at dinner.

That's all for now folks.

June 21 Fathers Day, first day of summer

I went to 7:30 mass this morning and then surprised Sharon at the Essen House. Since no one was at home I didn't feel like eating alone. It's good to see all the familiar faces on a Sunday morning. We have a great Sunday Brunch, but the old farmers and the regulars like to come in early and just have breakfast. They all know about the cancer and wanted to see the bump on my arm. After the show and tell I went home to paint the porch.

This is quite a day, Fathers Day, first day of summer and the longest day of the year. It's also Sunday and a beautiful day here in Fort Wayne IN. I heard for Tom Whitney today and I had not heard from him for a while. He and I graduated from different schools together. We both started out at Lima Central Catholic in 1957 but he went to the seminary and I went to Marmion. We however are both accepted as classmates of the 1960 class at LCC. As a matter of fact most of them don't even remember that we both left before graduation. We both went to school with most of them our entire life before that anyway.

It started about 11am when the kids started calling dad. Cate was the first, then Maura, Darrin, Tommy, and Brian. It was great hearing form all of them. Darrin wants to know if he will end up looking like me. I ask him if he thinks he looks like me when I was 40 in that picture. I haven't heard his answer. Margo called today and admitted she didn't know who it was with the two girls before she actually read the blog. We're really close, hay Margo. The head teller at the bank didn't recognize we either. She was very embarrassed in front of the President of the bank, that's who I was with. I just gave her a big hug and told her my kids didn't recognize me either when I shaved my beard once before. I didn't tell her that was 37 years ago when they were 8 years old.

Well tomorrow I start my second round of Chemo. Start the prayers again so I don't have the same reaction I had the first round. I'm feeling confident about this round. Someone said the second round is the worst, but what the hell do THEY know anyway. They're not me and I'm not going to have any more of the flue like stuff if I can help it. But prayers help the most.

. By the way, we are having a party Sunday the 28th. for Maura and Darrin and Ryley who are coming home next week for the 4th. of July week. Anyone reading this blog is invited. Come one come all. Now if I can get the parts to the pool heater you can all swim. If not you can still swim, it's just that the water is at 78 and I like it at about 83. I like to swim laps, and when it is 78 I can only stay in for about 20 minutes before I get hives. At 83 I can do my 40 minutes and then get hives.

My blood sugar is somewhat back to normal. I actually had a 127 reading for lunch and a 157 for dinner.

More tomorrow. By for now

June 20th. Saturday

I just heard back form Mike Dawson and surprisingly enough he does look a little different, His stash is gone. See, I didn't even notice. He said Louise did, but she still love him just the same. I agree with Mike, those close to us are blind, no that's not what he said, he said they love us just the same.



My blood sugar or BS is starting to come down. Last night it was 152 so I had a little watermelon to celebrate and this morning it was 195. I don't know how it does that because I didn't have that much. Maybe ten bites. I'm talking small bites. I even gave a bite to Sharon. By the time she wanted another one though, they were gone.



It's now lunch time and it's back to 159 so I'm happy with that. I had a few peanuts about an hour ago but they only have 5 carbs in a handful so that should not effect my sugar much, and it didn't. I'm going to have some soup and a salad for lunch and hope it keeps the sugar down low. More later.

Well the sugar has been so low I decided to take perandin instead of the shot of insulin. I didn't test because I started to eat dinner before I remembered to test. I'm accustomed to taking the perandin and I can take it any time from one hour before or during the meal. I'll test tonight to see what the reading is.

I went to Big Lots today to get my father's day gift since Cate will be in Bloomington and Brian is in Michigan and Sharon is not my child. I also got Sharon a gift of a steam iron since she dropped hers yesterday and it broke into many pieces. I'm into getting my own gifts, that way I don't have to spend the time taking everything back. At least I told Cate and Sharon what I wanted and they said "Well go get it." So I did!!! I wrapped it in the nicest paper bag we had and waited until I had dinner to open it. I had a very nice dinner of 4oz. of flank steak, 10 small spears of asparagus and some onions that I cooked the steak in. After the meal I had a very nice opening of the present I bought myself. I then did dishes and came in here and finished this blog. I got tired of watching the US Open. It's so messed up this year with all the rain, I don't care who wins, but I hope Phil does well.

I'm out of here,

June 19th. friday

Mike Dawson read the blog and wanted me to see the small change that has accrued since 1982. His wife is still as beautiful as she was then and I still can't see much of a difference in my appearance, but Mike thinks he looks different. Take off those damn rose colored glasses Mike, this is 2009 and the real world is upon us. Now here are both pictures, you decide

There is a much more disturbing thing that happened yesterday that I have to mention. My beard has fallen off of my face. For the first time in 37 years I do not have my beard. My mustache is still attached as you can see because it has not lost a single hair. You see, now I can see that my looks have changed a little bit. Thank God Sharon new me before the beard. When she got up this morning she looked at me and told me I'm just as pretty without the beard as with the beard. So with this picture, you can make your own decision. I only want positive comments coming back. As my daddy always said,"if you don't have anything good to say, don't say anything at all.

While I was about to post a picture of me with my NEW,NEW look, two of Catie's close friends came in and exclaimed how Harley looking I was. We're talking mean. They begged me to let them pose with me for the picture. So how many of you old farts have that happen? Jim Bailey, your right, they love us bald guys. Epecially us handsom dudes.

How do you like them apples? The only problem I see are the allergies I've had the last two days with something that is bugging my eyes. They are all red and watery. Hey, it's hard being perfect, but I keep trying. As Sharon always says "very trying"

It's late now, Louis and I just came back from Kokomo and I'm ready for a rest. BS today was very good 179 for breakfast, lunch 172, and dinner 178. I just had an egg and two pieces of crisp bacon and 1/2 a pita. Lunch 4oz. of Corned beef and a small tossed salad, and a glass of ice tea. For dinner two spare ribs and a glass of water. This is less food than I used to eat in one meal.

June 18 thursday Mike Dawson Day

3:30am came quickly this morning. I had promised Louis that I would pick him up before 5am so we could meet Kalvin by 5am at the office. We were off to Flint Michigan. That was only 25 miles from where we used to live in Brighton Michigan. I was the first regional manager of the newly created Great Lakes region for the Research Institute of America. One of my first hires was a man named Mike Dawson. That was in 1978 and he worked for us until I left in 1985. He knew that when I left it was time to go. He then went to work for Ameri-Tec and did a great job for them until they were purchased by on of the baby Bells. We had not seen each other for 25 years. The nice thing about our meeting was that we both looked the same. Nothing had changed in 25 years. We are just as hansom now as we were then.

The purpose of our trip to Flint was to look over our project for Aunt Millies. Louis and Kelvin talked with the men doing the excavating and hung all the required signs for ASHA. We then went and got a first aid kit that is required. You would think that would be simple task. That aint the case in Davison Michigan. I said, I saw a Walgreen's when we came in, so lets get it there. As luck would have it we saw a Rite-Aid first so we went there. No luck, they told us to go to the speciality Drug store about a mile down the road. Not today, they sent us to the grocery store down the road that has a pharmacy. Oh they had one alright, it had like three band aids and couple cotton balls. Guess where we went next, Ya to the Walgreen's that I first wanted to go to. I love to try to find simple things in small towns.

The site does look good and out job superintendent is doing a great job of keeping things flowing. Now if the rain will hold up things should start to move. You can see the job site behind Mike and me.

Blood sugar or BS from now on was only 152 this morning. 202 at lunch. I had a light meal of a salad and crab legs and a small piece of cod. Louis had half the meal and I ate the other half. Louis was so tired of waiting for me to crack open the crab that he decided to help. He did such a good job I let him eat what he had chucked. I'll check my BS before dinner but I will not report it until tomorrow. I'm finished for tonight. Cate has her college roommate home for dinner so I must go.

More tomorrow. That's not a song you know.

Tom

June 17 Wed.

I'm getting tired of reporting on this Blood Sugar, from now on I will refer to it as BS, and that is how I feel about it. It was 199 this morning when I got up at 6am. I had a small breakfast of oat meal an english muffin two pieces of well done bacon and a glass of ice tea. At 11am I took it again because I'm supposed to have snack and it was 232, I took two perandin and had about 10 small pieces of watermelon. It is now noon and I'm going to have a small lunch before I take Louis down to Indy.



Cate is back in the hunt for a Condo in Indy. The people who withdrew the offer to her have called her back and wanted to see what her situation was. They feel they will be making her an offer at the end of the month. the bad part is the condo's that are on the market in the same sub are at least $12,000.00 more. I haven't made an offer yet, but it will not be a full price offer I assure you. The comps will show that the units that have sold are much less than what they are trying to get.

This has been a facebook kind of day. The first person that is new to FB is Bill Goan, a friend of mine since college. He too is an old fart and hasn't even been able to put a picture up yet. I've got an old picture of him from our Cabo trip that I will put up for him so he can just download it. I told him to find a teenager to help him learn FB. Then the next young pretty thing to invite me to her site is my lovely wife Sharon. She found a 22 year old to help her get on FB. Then I just go a shout out from our old friends The Clarks from Brighton. It's only been 30 some years. Must be nice living in Florida now. I've got to convince Shaon we need to find a warm place to be in the winter. Indiana is great in the summer with all we have at the house, but a swimming pool and a tennis does not do a thing for me in the winter.

Well guys that about it for today, my BS was 232 just before I wrote this. Dinner is at 7:10 Margo and Cate and I are sitting down to dinner together. She has some chicken dish that is only 120 calories for a cup. I think I'll have two cups.

I'm leaving tomorrow at 5am to take the boys to Flint, so I'll tell you what went on tomorrow night. "Till then" that would be a good name for a song.
see ya

June 16,

Darrin showed me how I can come in at different time and blog and then save it and come back later and add more too it. So it 9am and I just took my blood sugar reading and it's 170. That feels great because Cate had Kyle here last night and we had a full sit down dinner Margo. We had a salad, corn on the cob, I had 1/2 an ear, green beans that Kyle made, I made steaks on the grill, I had about 6oz,. and for desert, they had Cookie Cottage cookies and I had a small cookie I had from Nutra System. I'm now going to have a very lite breakfast and see if I can finally get it back under control. If not, I'm going out and have hot fudge brownie delight and screw trying to regulate my blood sugar. I'll show them who's boss.



Well I haven't gone for the hot fudge brownie yet, but I'm still not happy with what happened. By lunch time the BS was back to 230 so I again took 6 units. I just had a bowl of NS soup and added some rice that Cate made last night. At 3pm I had a snack of a1/4 piece of watermelon and two crackers. At 5:20 my BS was 249 so I had to take 8 units and had left overs from last night. 3oz. of steak, 1/2 ear of corn and 8 green beans, 2 crackers. Now that's a man size meal. I mean I've had that much as a small, and I mean small, snack. We'll see where it ends up tonight. I'll have a small snack around 8:30 or 9pm and then test again tomorrow.

I'm driving the boys up to Flint tomorrow, we have a nice job building a warehouse for Aunt Millies bread. We are going to be using a blog that Darrin and Brian set for the construction site. This way the architect, engineer, city planning, and even the owner can check in on the progress whenever they want. I'm excited to see how it will work. We have a job superintendent who Louis knows but he has never supervised a job for us before. This can actually be used on multiple sits at the same time. It's a great way to Inspect what you Expect. I think Louis and the guys have heard me say that before.

I kept my pants up today. I tucked my shirt in and that seemed to helped hold them up. You see I don't where anything under my swim trunks. Oh yea I went to the gym today and worked out for the first time since I found out I had cancer. It went well, I didn't overdue it, I hope to do it at least three time a week at least. the funny thing is I can't get my arm in the blood pressure cuff any more. I have to have one of the instructors take it for me.
I'm so pitiful, I piss my self off. More tomorrow.

June 15th Monday

Last night my blood sugar was 192, this morning it was 222, I had breakfast of one egg one small piece of ham and an English muffin. Before lunch it was back to 289. That's just nuts, usually it would be no more that 140 at this point. For lunch I had a small cup of soup, chicken barley, and a tossed salad with tomato and cucumbers and two small radishes. Under normal circumstances my blood sugar at 3pm would be again no more than 140. I'm afraid to take it again. I've already had a injection of 6 and another of 8 today. I'm loosing weight because I'm afraid to eat anything.



I went to the bread store to get the bread order for the Essen House and I had a very large order. They had a great weekend. So I loaded up two large flats of bread and paid and started to walk to the car. I've got a pair of swim trunks on with no belt and all of a sudden they start to come off. It's either drop the bread or lettum fall. Down they went to my knees. I was walking with my knees together and my ass hanging out. This guy in the car next to me was crying he was laughing so hard. Thank God I had the back of the esclade open so I could just toss them into the back with out haven to open the doors. It was funny, but the embarrassing thing was I wasn't finished and had to go back in there and face the ladies that know me pretty well. This one lady was red in the face and had been laughing I could tell. The smartellick crack, You showing off out there. I said you want me to show you what happens when I really suck it in, now. They all laughed and said they didn't need to see that.

Well it wasn't any better at 3pm, my blood sugar was still 250, I didn't even eat a snack as I'm supposed to do because it will just force it up more. I'm only to have three injections a day but I should have 5 small meals each day to try and regulate the sugar and keep it on an even keel. Oh well, I can stand to loose the weight. I hope I have this discipline when I get finished with all this Chemo shit. I'll be a lean mean fighting machine. Until tomorrow

I forgot to tell you I have now got a gmail account so I should be able to answer your comments. Darrin also said he added the feature that anyone one can comment. So lets hear it for technology.

June 14th. The Lakers Won

I just got finished watching the Lakers win the 15th national championship. If the Celtics can't win then I'm a Lakers fan. Maura, who lives in LA, and worked with Shack at Nestles, didn't even know the game was on. Last year at game 5 she and Cate were at the game complements of the owners of the Boston Celtics Corinne and Wyk Groseburg. I'm sure they were watching the game Maura.

I just want all of you to know that I talked to Bev today and she told me she just read the blog from start to finish today and never found a mispelled word or grammer mistakes. I told you she would know what I was saying. Larry said my spelling was terrible but he knew if he corrected it and sent it too me that I would block him from the blog. He agrees with most that say the blog sounds like the way I talk and that I don;t use commas etc. when I speak.

The only thing medically today is that the blood sugar is still a problem. Last night the blood sugar was 179 when I went to bed and 240 when I got up. I then took 6 units of insulin and had breakfast of two eggs and a little sausage that was left over from yesterdays breakfast. I also had a piece of raisin toast. At lunch it was back up to 250 so I took 6 units and had a tuna fish salad from Penera. When I went home the reading was 293 so I took 8 units and had a salad of greens, tomato, cucumbers, and a little graded cheese. It now at 193, we'll see where it is tomorrow.

I did get to go to mass today, last Sunday I was just too sick to get up at 7am to go. Since my hair is mostly gone I got some really strange looks at mass. the priest that I like was saying mass and as he walked by he have me a look like, "That's a new look" I had my Harley shirt on and my Levis.

I did get out today to the Art fair. It's a nice local show but nothing like Ann Arbor. If you ever get a chance to see that, do it. It was nice and hot today so I had to watch my new hair style so it didn't get to burnt.
Well I'm going to bed, more tomorrow

June 13 Sat.

I'm still having a difficult time trying to manage my blood sugar. This morning it was 229 so I just had an egg and some sausage and 1/2 piece of toast and a glass of water. At lunch it was still 225 and I had taken 6units of insulin like it says to do. I just checked it again at 3:15 and it's 179. That's not as bad as it was, but I expected it to get much lower because for lunch I had a salad with oil and vinegar.

Margo I just tried your sugar free jello and it does taste pretty good. It's better than I thought it would be. I also tried that drink that the Cancer Center gave me to try and I think I'll pass on buying any of that.

I know there are at least 3 nurses watching this blog, if you have any suggestions, please let me have them. It's not bad enough to call Carol, but I am open to suggestions.

Another thing I found out today was, Hyaluronic Acid works. If you don't know what that is, look it up on the Internet. It helps joints and your skin. It's in all parts of your body. It's what they inject in a race horse if they go lame. It's approved if you want to get a shot from a doctor, but the AMA has not approved the use by pill. You can get it on line, and the reason I say it works is, I have a bad knee since football in high school. I also had a problem with my shoulder and was unable to raise it above my head. I started taking HA three years ago and all that vanished. for some stupid reason when I got the cancer and started having to take all this other medicine, I didn't order any more HA. Today I paid the price, I couldn't even get out of bed my knee hurt so much. After three extra strength aspirin I'm finally able to walk on it. It still hurts, but I can walk. So if you have similar problems. try the Hyaluronic Acid. It worked for me.

Well I guess I get to stay home and watch Sammy. Brian is in San Diego visiting his college buddies and Sharon is going to a party with her girl friends. The Harley group is having a Music Fest, but I think I'll have to pass. I'm sure Cate won't miss her dad at the party. Boy am I pitiful, is everyone feeling sorry for me yet.

OK then, it looks like time to sign off for the day.

June 12 Dr. Rushing Visit

Sharon and I were off at 9am to see the Dr. Rushing, the Sarcoma specialist. His office is so organized. You walk in and they give you whatever it is you need to fill out for you visit. In my case it was to confirm all my medications and sign consent forms. Once that is done the vampire comes out and wants to suck your blood. She takes me into her dungeon and draws two viles of my lovely blood. She actually has pictures of vampires all over her room. She's a screeem, and has tats all over her body. I love her sense of humor.

After getting drained they took me and weight me, took my temperature and blood pressure. I love the fact that they know it's going to be higher than normal. I said, you guys know it's going to be higher than normal don't you. She laughed and said if this place doesn't scare you, you are in bad bad shape.

After this you are escorted to the office and sit there until the Dr. is able to see you. Today he was running about 45 minutes late. When you do get to see him, he gives you his undivided attention. He then gives you a through exam and ask you all kinds of questions about how you have felt since he saw me last.

This is the part Maura that we have to write a book about. After I told him all the problems I was having, he let me which drug caused the side effect. My biggest problem was the back ache and the flu type symptoms. He said"Oh that's from the shot that causes your blood cells to recover. You know your blood is very strong, so I don't think you will need that any more. He then explained that the ant-nausea drug caused the elevation of my blood sugar. There is a brand new drug that you can take as a pill that works quicker and doesn't raise the blood sugar reading. That's the difference between an expert, which Dr. Rushing is and the Dr. in Fort Wayne that gave me these other drugs. It's not that these other drugs don't work, it's the damn side effects that get you. I want to write a book about the NEW drugs and compare them side effect to side effect. Who should take them and when shouldn't they take them. I'm sure that if you read and could understand what the fact sheets said about each drug, you could figure it out. Who the hell has the time and the expertise to do that. they need a down to earth plain English text that would and could explain, how when and under what circumstance you should take these drugs.

Now about me, Dr. Rushing said that everything looks very positive at this point. My blood count is excellent, so no more of the shot that gave me the back ache etc. I've not had any vomiting or nausea, so they are going to use the pill rather than the medication that raised my blood sugar. After my next Chemo starting June 22 I will get another full scan and a look at the sarcoma again. If all is well I will then go for the third Chemo round. After that I have to have another Heart Muggen to make sure the heart can take the fourth and final round of Chemo. After that I have to go in for more tests and then the operation can take place about a month later. I should have the surgery sometime in Oct. Of course Sharon wants me to go on the Posse ride again sometime in late Oct. She said I could drive the Escalade if I didn't think I could ride the Harley. That's why I sold the Harley, so I would have an excuse not to try it so soon after surgery. I know Sharon loves me because she has always had my back and supported me in every crazy projects I've be in, but I always have to let her know that I'm not nearly in as good a shape as she is. She keeps up with Cate and her friends, I keep up with some of the people my own age sometimes. I can usually out think them, but out work them is another thing.

I must now show you the new look that I took with me to see the Doctor.

June 11th Carol Burns I love you, good-bye hair

I've been having a very difficult time regulating my blood sugar so I decided today to try to stop in on my Diabetes doctor. Now mind you I need at least three months advanced notice to get an appointment with this wonderful lady. She has saved my ass more times than I can count. She made sure I got arch supports because she examines my feet each time she sees me. She made me get a sleep study because she felt I had sleep apnea. She was correct and I now sleep because of her concern. She told me what was wrong with my sagging right eye. I still have a small problem, but nothing like it was originally. I won't go to the plastic surgeon and have it cut and snipped.

So that is why I love here, now someone that busy and with a double schedule today actually took time to come in and see me. Not only that, she gave me her private phone and told me to call her if things got bad again. I only wish that all health care providers would take her example of caring. She then turned me over to one of her assistants to help me get the prescriptions and insulin pens I will need to get back on track. The Chemo people know that this type of thing happens, but they do not have the experience or background to help you. Thank God for Carol.

While I was at the office I happened to put my hands through my hair and guess what happened. You got it, the hair came out in my hand. I told Carol she was privileged to be the first person to see my hair fall out. Now all of you bloggers get to see it also.

I got home from the doctors office and decided rather than to let the hair fall out as it may, I would give it a helping hand. Jim Bailey was telling me that the women love a man with a shaved head, so I'm excited to go to the next Harley meeting. By that time, I am sure I will have lost more than just the hair on my head.

Dear Darrin,

I appreciate the fact that I can't spell, and I have always wondered how do you look a word up in the dictionary when you have no idea how the hell you spel it? My mom got me a dictionary when I was about 10 and used to tell me to look it up and I said you find it for me mom and I'll read the definition. So thank God for spell check, but it doesn't check my grammer and if I can't come close to spelling a word correctly, it still can't help me.

Bev- If you are reading this, you know we are both excellent spellers as long as you know where we came from. We know what we are spelling, it's the rest of the world that can't figure it out.

June 10th Wed. It's raining

I had a great nights sleep. I still had to get up twice, but went right back to sleep. I actually slept from 10pm until 8:45am. I don't ever get that much sleep. When I finally did get up I decided it was time to go to see the people at Cancer Services. I had mixed feelings about going because all the information I read had to do with Help Groups etc. It's true that they have them, but there more into helping you in whatever way you need help. They have a large warehouse full of all kinds of helpful cancer items. From beds to wheel chairs, wigs, medical supplies. They also have concelers if you need any kind of help at all.

Margo had told me that they also have Ensure and things like that for energy. They gave me some sample cans of different drinks, but because I have diabetes, they don't have anything for FREE. He told me he had tried the drink they sell, but that he didn't much like it. He said to try before you buy. I'll see what it's tastes like Margo!!! He did say that it was very important not to try and loose weight while your on Chemo. He said it will confuse the Chemo. I didn't even know it cared. I do feel hungry all the time and someone else I talked to said they feel the same way. My problem is always finding something that will not effect my blood sugar. Cakes and pie has always satisfied my huger pangs. Ice cream will do the trick also. But those little carrots, as nice as they look, they just don't fill me up.

I feel good today and hopefully all the Chemo symptoms are gone for now. I still have all my hair.

Bill Goan: if you read this and decide not to come and see me I will be pissed and everyone that reads this will no that fact. How do you like those apples.

See ya

June 9th again

It's now much later in the day than my first post. I've noticed today that I have lost all the hair on my legs. I had shorts on today and it's the first time I've really looked at my legs in a long time. I did notice a couple of days ago that my legs looked smooth, but I didn't look any closer. I still have all my hair on my head however.

I have been having trouble with constipation but not any more. I don't like writing about this stuff, but I must remember that this blog is to document what is happening to me. I will be using it on my second round of Chemo to see if the same things happen to me each time. So now I have diarea and I can stop taking all the foods that make you unplug. They by God worked. Lots of green leafy veggies. Bran cereal, flack seed and bran bread. You name it, they have told me what works and what doesn't. OK so now what?????

I was up this morning very early and it is now 8pm and I've only had a small nap. I still have energy, but I got to get the pool heater fixed so I can start geting more cardo workout. I don't enjoy walking so much any more because of my arches. I sure do love to swim though.

I heard from Darrin and Maura and they will both be here from June 26 until they care to leave. Maura is staying until at least the 11th of July. they just want to be here when I loose my hair. You know 40 years ago I shaved my beard and neither of them recognized me. Do you think they will this time???

We'll see!!!!!

Later

June 9th. Tuesday

Up and running at 4:30am I'm taking Mary and Anna to the Essen House and Manor House this morning. I feel much better and have lost all of my flu simptions thank God. I actually lasted until 5pm yesterday and didn't even nap.. I did go to bed at 10pm however. I heard from my loving sister who follows the blog religiously and lets me know if I doing anything wrong. thanks Margo. I also hurd from a good friend for the Hog group. It's very nice to know there are so many of my friends who car. Darrin even said I need to write each day. I will !!!!!!!!!!1

More tomorrow. Louis needs a ride now.
Tom

Monday June 8

Well the weekend's over and I feel a lot better than I did this weekend. this Chemo has been a lot harder than I expected. These flu like symptoms are real. I felt like I had the flu and didn't want to see or hear for anyone. Sharon decided I was so hard to get along with she took off for the lake. Brian went on a motorcycle ride for the day. Sammy went to Kings Island with a friends family and Catie had things to do all day long out side of the house. I just sat there feeling sorry for my self most of the day. It was interesting however when Brian and Cate came home from church Sunday night I started feeling better. I heard from an old friend and former employee about his problems and I somehow felt better. He had a great son who plays third base for San Diego and has been doing great for the past three years and now is having a very hard time. We talked about being a dad and how you want the best for your kids and when they are hurting it hurts you as much as it does them. As a dad how do you help a situation like that. I told him I would put him on my prayer list and mention that I would ask all you to pray for him also. He said he didn't raise him to pray but that he and his wife are now starting to go to church and including the Lord in there everyday life. I told him it was his job to let his son know it was a good idea for his son to Jesus also. Lets help them with their struggle

I'm off today to drive my Amish friends and hope to feel well enought to participate in life agian. I'm going to beat this thing but it is a lot different than I emagined

June 6, Saturday

Well I didn't think I would be adding to this thing that often, but I felt I had to note the back ach that I had yesterday. I had to take 4 strong pain pills to gt me through the night. It just came on like a cloud and took over my entire body. My blood sugar was good today 118, so that made me happy. I didn't know if this thing had to do with my blood sugar or not. It didn't thank God.

I supposed to be in Carlsbad for the annual board meeting but sinfce I'm not I going to be on a speaker phone for the regular board meeting before the annual meeting. I'm not feeling too bad now and look forward to the meeting.
I still have hair.
Tom

June 5th. sore throat

A couple of thing happened yesterday and today so I decided I should post. I started having a sore throat Wed. but then it really got worse yesterday. By this morning I decided to go back to the doctors and see if I needed to do anything about it. I was told that the throat is an area that might bother me because it is an area of fast growing cells. The Chemo kills not only cancer cells but all kinds of epically fast growing cells. The official name for what I have is a High Sarcoma. That means that it is a fast growing cancer. There is low, medium and high. I'm so lucky to have the high.

I saw the nurse and she was not too upset by my sore throat. She said to use Chlorasepitic and an high dose aspirin to see if that helped. So far it's working somewhat. It still hurts to swallow but then again I don't need to eat that much. I do have a bit of a reserve.

When I went in today the lady at the front desk said, Your early Tom, I looked at her as though she had made a mistake. She said your appointment isn't until 11am this morning. I said I didn't know I had an appointment today. Who made it? She said all she knows is that I'm on the schedule for 11am. When I went back to the Chemo office they said I was supposed to get blood work done today at 11am but since it was 8am and no one was there, I could get it done now. They took me into the lab and started to take my blood when I said, aren't you going to use my port? Both nurses liked at each other and said, you have a port? After showing them my port they then called another nurse and she took me into the port office. By this time they are all chit chatting about the screw up and I was asking if it better to have the blood drawn from the port or just stick my arm. The port nurse said it's up to me, but using the port is much more sanitary. So she proceeds to get the port ready for a blood draw. As it turned out it is a lot more involved to get the port stuck than just a regular blood draw. It's got to cost three times more to draw from a port than just a simple blood draw.

She then proceeds to stick my port and draw my blood. Since I had never had it done before I was a little apprehensive, but as it turned out it didn't hurt and it was just fine. When she was finished she started to look at the chart and said, You weren't supposed to have this done today. You shouldn't be in here until next week at this time. Sit here and I'll see why they had me draw your blood. About ten minutes later she came in and said I still don't know why they had you here, but your blood count is good so you can go.

I do like the people at the Chemo office, but it once again proves, "They practice medicine and if you let them, they will practice on YOU!!!"

One other thing happened today. When I went to shave today I noticed that I had very little growth. I think it's starting to leave me. I'll keep you posted.

Day 6, June 3 One day after Sharon's birthday

I had just one more thing to do before I was free from the Chemo clutches. I had to go get the shot, ya one more poke, of the stuff that will bring my blood count back so they can give me more Chemo in three weeks. I did all the things they said I could do so the poke would not hurt, except the nurse that told me where she was going to poke me was not there and the new nurse said she wanted to poke me some where else. So all the prep of putting the numbing cream on my arm was for not. Then she tells me, it's not the poke that hurts, it's the medicine in the shot that hurts. It's very thick and you feel it going in. It do sting. There was an 80 year old lady that got one just before me and she survived, so I had to sit there and grin and bare it.

I finally slept until 5:40am today. They took the needles out yesterday and it is a lot easier sleeping with out them in my chest. They make me drink water all day long, it's to flush the toxins out of my system. the only problem is that at night is when they want to leave me. I'm up like four time a night getting rid of excess water. The other advantage is however that you also loose weight doing this. I'm down 10lbs in just a week. If this keeps up, you will not even recognize me.

I'll keep you all informed as to when the hair starts to fall out. My blood sugar was still high today at 225. I'll get that back under control now that the Chemo is over for a while.

Larry, if you don't make the parties you can't defend yourself. That's the way of life my boy. You are my younger brother.
Tom

June 2 2009 5th day of Chemo

Another short night. Up again at 4am and not able to get back to sleep because of the needles in my port. Blood sugar at 250, much too high, they put that medicine in me again that spikes the blood sugar. I'm going to have them stick me each time from now on and take the needles out each day. I feel better today than I felt this weekend. I'm tired but want to get out and get something done. I'm going to take the bread over to the Essen House and probably have lunch over there and see some friends that I have not seen for a while.

Speaking of friends, my closest high school friend Chuck Reid, who has also beat cancer, called today. His wife, thank God, actually has the Internet up there in Big Timber. They just arrived at the upper ranch having spent the winter in Arizona. I've known Chuck since high school and this is the first time I will be able to communicate with him, actually France, via the Internet. Chuck, if your reading this, it ain't going to cost much to do this I promise. I know how you watch the pennies up there in Big Timber. But think, now you don't have to use the cell phone and spend that money. You gotta know there going to get you one way or another. Read about the other two blogs that Darrin did about our Cabo trips.

Well hopefully I will now be free for two weeks. I start the second round of Chemo on June 22nd. If my hair falls out I'll let you know I'll add something if I feel the need. In the mean time, Thanks again for all your support.

Day 4 of Chemo

After a great day with the family I was definitely worn out and ready for a good nights sleep. My beloved sister came up form Cincinnati and was right on time to clean and get the party started. She is not happy unless she is doing something and being the BIG SISTER. We all love her because we know she will always take care of her much younger brothers and sister.

It was great to see everyone and to know you guys follow my blog. As I told you I will do my best to keep it interesting and at times humorous.

My blood sugar was 180 today because Debby made that damn cake and I had to have some of that great butter pecan ice cream with it. I forgot to take my pills as I had it and the blood sugar reading this morning reminded me of that fact. I wasn't feeling all that great yesterday with the stomach cramps and all. I feel somewhat better today but still not great. I don't have a great deal of energy and didn't get a great nights sleep again. I at least got to 4:30 this morning before I was wide awake.

The Chemo and all went fast today. I've got it down as to when to be there. This was the first time they were going to re-stick my port and I wanted to see what that would be like. I had to take the tape off in the shower and then put on the medication so I would not feel the new stick. It worked very well. I felt the pressure of the nurse pressing the needle into the port, but there was no pain. She said the incision looked good and had healed well.

Well that's about it for today, I'll be back tomorrow. I get to be with Tommy today and we are going to get the bread order and probably take it out to the Essen House. He goes back to California tomorrow.
Love to all,
Tom