SOME RESULTS - SOME ANXIETIES

 The PETA test came back and showed mixed results.  The tumor in the left lung is stable and clearly defined.  It should respond to Radiation well.  There looks to be no spreading.  The PETA test also showed signs of possibile cancer somewhere in my throat and neck.  This will be determiined by  a deep needle biopsy on July 11 th.  At this same time, my lung will be drained again, as it has filled once more with fluids and collapsed around the tumor.  This will set back the day for radiation treatment to begin.  If applied now, the lung would cook.

The good news is that the MRI brain scan came out neg - no tumors.

I actually was all set to go - my head mold was made and the tattoos were put on my chest to make sure we were all lined up.  As the Doc was running a test run, he noticed the collapsed lung and all bets were off.  All in all, good news since both cancers are seperate and treatable.  And for the FIRST time,  the Doc mentioned the tumors were curable !!!

NEW EYES - NEW PAIN

     Hello again my gentle readers, bleeders and breeders !  There has been a rapid change in my health status.  I have been diagnosed with squamous cell lung cancer.  I still need to get a Pet scan to see if and where the cancer might have spread,  Also, I need to get an MRI  to see if there is any cancer at, in our near my brain.  This is all new and sudden, requiring me to getteth my crapus together.

My first symptom was a mild but persistent cough which we  blamed on my two recent bouts with pneumonia .  Since I am riddled with MRSA, this was speculation, but another infection was in the ballpark of possibilities.  However, a week into the coughing, I started bringing up about a teaspoon of frank blood laced with jellylike clots.

I went to the ER the next day, and the Hospitalist knew immediately  what was happening.  He sent we to Radiation Medicine and the fine folks there drained 1,700 ml from my left lung !  They discovered that the lung was collapsed.  The attempt to scope my throat with a nasal gastro tube failed.  They tried it with Conscious sedation, which was a total failure due to the severity of my deviated septum.  Either I lost more bar room fights that I can remember; or college hockey was as truly  viscious as I remember.

I needed to go into the O.R. and be given general aniste&#$@ (knocked out )  The surgeon managed to spot a fairly large tumor in my bronchus, and managed to get a chunk of it that was malignant  for squamous cell cancer.  The fluids from these probings did not show any cancer cells  A small, good sign.

My problem with my treatments is the fact I have all these co-morbidities.  i.e.  The Diabetes, the COPD, the Mrsa infections.  The Doctors will not operate to remove the lung because I would never survive the Op.  I have two oncologists: one for Radiation treatments and one for Chemo.  It's not yet known if i will survive the  Chemo.  The two Docs will huddle and come up with a plan.  I have good feelings about both Docs, good vibes and professionalism permeated the room.  Both work out of Mass. General.  My PCP said, no need to go to Boston.  Boston comes to Lowell once a week.

So - I can't see the future ( well,  actually, I can ) but i'll  give this thing a fight.  I've up-armored my wheel chair and Got my K-bar shined and sharpened ready to put on my Assault-Cane.

Let's Roll !

In the Spring - Looking Out

Small Steps

7:22 light,  sure

She steps out

  a shadow detaching

          itself from the

woods leaving

the trees behind

she steps ginger footed

down the lawn

between Murphy’s house

and the driveway of Lefrancois.

She enters my eye

while watching Dr. Who

      dreaming of Rose

and magic travel time

this doe slightly built

  young tender footed

from the Arcacia Club herd

            bobs her head

        and tail walks her way

down to the road

and sniffs the tar

  rank with smells of a 

new foreign world

turning in fear and confusion

she runs for mama.

She’ll be back

This one-

I'm Still Out Here

Hello -

Since I last posted, I have been hospitalized 3 times. All for a nasty, life threatening Bone infection.
I'm back on Home IV Therapy. "But i'm sure if anyone is reading this, you don't wanna hear aboutit. I wouldn't.  Back to posting when I feel better.
Bob

I'm Still Out Here

Hello -

Since I last posted, I have been hospitalized 3 times. All for a nasty, life threatening Bone infection.
I'm back on Home IV Therapy. "But i'm sure if anyone is reading this, you don't wanna hear aboutit. I wouldn't.  Back to posting when I feel better.
Bob

Back in Circulation

Had my 8th annual check-up on my leg grafts last week.
The absolute good news, is that my circulation is the same at my ankles, as it is on my arm. They do blood pressure tests at both sites and see how they measure up. What this means practically, is that any surgery I may need as a result of diabetes and/ or infections, can be done mostly safely. As in, healing can happen because I can get oxygen down to my feet and back.

I know, most people take that for granted, but middle aged men really shouldn't. There seems to be psa's on tv now, for PAD. Peripheral Artery Disease. If you get pain and cramps after walking a short distance, but the pain subsides upon resting; you have Intermittent Claudication. Get it checked out!

And stop smoking!!!!!!! There is a genetic component to this disease; smoking cigarettes is like holding a gun to your head.

So, at the moment, all is pretty good in the health department.

Besides the pneumonia I had last month and the two unhealed wounds I have on my feet.

But, i'm certainly mentally happier!

A Quick Winter Poem

" After that, what else?"

A small boat, with a cover for shade.

A small but powerful steady engine.

Have a copy of "A week on the Concord & the Merrimack" by Henry David.

A slow burn up from the Pawtucket Falls.

Slowly glassing the Shore.

Looking through the undercut roots.

Peering back through the centuries.

Looking for the clues, tell tale glints,

Campfire spirits materializing in the haze.

Ears alert for the baying of the camp dogs,

alerting my distant cousins that another one,

more white than red has come calling.

Eager to find the flints, the cuttings the pottery.

Mic Macs - masters of the small boats and the

little places where the Salmon Go.

Wanna Buy A guitar?

Hey, it's happening!
I'm losing feelings in places that i didn't even know I had!
If you are familiar with the guitars I own and/or are interested in purchasing them. ( Or, just one! ) don't be afraid to inquire.

I'm going to keep a Les Paul, a Strat or two, a Tele my 135, and not much else. I'm going to make the switch to slide. I already have an Asher, a Chandler and an old Fender clone. But i'd consider trades.

More to follow. ( All my photos are on another computer.)

I Have Been Unable To Post!

Because I lost my way!
My Dashboard disappeared from me!
A woman whom I have never met, showed up
when I googled Reverend Lowell!
I am not dead; yet.
I will resume posting later.

October Red

... or lack of it.
As of today, the foot doc has cut me loose. My amputation is healed.
No more open areas. No more infections. No more PICT lines. No more vancomycin twice a day.
Of course, I have no idea what will come tomorrow. I'll just have to trust that the world will be awaiting me when I nudge the eyelids open.

The home rebuilding is done. I need to put up an "After" little film. I need to edit the last one, as it is massively unwatchable.

Not to be seen as searching for pity; but  the first thought I had upon seeing the room : " What a great room to die in!"

I have a Kindle (sorry Beckett). As I was culling books for a scaled down library, I discovered I had six copies of Moby Dick. I still have 1965 copies of "Peanuts".  I have every "Doonebury" book. I have amazingly huge color cartoon books of "Calvin and Hobbes". Pynchon and Helprin, of course.

I'll go out tomorrow and pick up a repaired guitar amp. A 1962 Epiphone Devon Tremelo.  I'll see if John Harrington is there and drop hints about jamming with him up at the studio. Look up Little John and the Sherwoods; to get a sense, a touch, a taste of what 1960's Lowell was like.\

I'll , at last, see if Tom and Ness and another Derry guy want to get together and play some CSN&Y.

I'll hire some hot shot secretary/typist to help me assemble all my poems and get them out to UMass Lowell and be done with it.

I'm still working on "Radio Plays - Drama, Doom and Comedic Ditties (Rhymes with Kitties). Except I'll learn how to blogcast? them.

In other words, I'm Back!

Perhaps I spoke too soon.

Indeed.

After behaving quite nicely in the Healing Department, my left foot began hurting the other night. I got my usual 100.4 temp and severe pains in my joints. Although there was no redness in the leg; it was clear that the leg was not right and would be shortly going bad.

So we didn't fool around.  On wednesday, we drove out to see the Doctors' Assistant and she advised going right into the hospital. Which we did. Or, I did. We saw the Emergency room staff and they presented me with the Steak Knife premium from the Gift Catalogue. We had vancomycin flooding into my arm about 16 hours from the first twinge of betrayal.  Spent two nights there thinking we had reacted quickly (we had) enough to stop this from advancing. We are now not so sure. One of my Doctors thinks it's not too bad and the anti-biotics should kill it. One another, a friend of Maureens spoke to her and suggested more dire endings. He thought I should accept my fate and have a Below Knee amputation.

This week I will see a Foot guy and an ankle guy. They will order some pictures and read the results of my blood tests. Get the lab reports on what' exactly is brewing down there. They will make their recommendations and on thursday I will meet with my Primary Care guy and we will make a decision. I'll probably write about it here; rather than the FDP, because I don't want it to be a distraction. I think i'll put a notice in Moe's, sending the interested here.

Also; i'll be putting the 'Bird up for sale at the FDP.

WHITE COTTON - WOODEN DESIRE

New bandage - a small hidden  moth -
and a beautiful piece of wood.

CAST REMOVED! FOOT FREED, TOES MISSING !

Things went as well as they could. The wound was closed, the foot shape was well rounded and strong. This was the cast this morning.

This is the view out of my Doctors waiting room.  He is the Foot and Ankle guy for the Patriots. If I keep letting him cut away on me; I might be able to get some Patriot's tickets!

This is the poster that greets you when you wheel in:

CAST REMOVED! FOOT FREED, TOES MISSING !

Things went as well as they could. The wound was closed, the foot shape was well rounded and strong. This was the cast this morning.

The after demolition movie.

Self explaining -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gx1tEuL35ek

I MISSED THE SUMMER !

I told you I was sick, back in Feb- March, or whenever.  I went into the Emergency room on the 4th of July.  I got out treatment IV for the weekend and got admitted to the Hospital in Lowell.
I went home with Vancomycin which my wife and I were administering. When all my "Pictures" came back, the left side of my foot looked wonky. My foot surgeon made an appointment for me with Dr. Chiodo of Boston's Bringham and Womans. I saw him out in Foxboro, at Patriot Place, home of Gillette Stadium. He's now the Foot and Ankle guy for the Patriots.  He is a very forthright guy. As  he was debriding the left side of ny foot, at the little toe, he was hitting bone. Osteomyolitis. So I had to have an amputation. Either a Transmetatarsal or Below Knee; depending on how far the infection had progressed.

So we pushed an operation up to july 30th. When I came out of the OR, I had the best possible outcome. I  was left with half a foot, which will give me much more stability than a BK. So , i've been home for 4 days, getting a little better each day. I'll see Dr. Ciodo on auguat 13 to get the partial cast off and we'll peek at the stump. I'm still non weightbearing and I hope that changes to partial weight bearing.
......................................................................

Look for me to be selling about 10 guitars and a few amps. I need to downsize! I am probably never going to go out playing much, if at all.
......................................................................
Ask me about the Ammo re-loading stuff I have... useful for when the disaster strikes.
.......................................................................................................
I'll be selling about a thousand of my books - and getting a Kindle.
......................................................................................................
It's getting to be about that time in my life. No regrets .......

AFTER THE DEMO.

speaks for itself.

Before the DESTRUCTION

Banks are giving us  .25% on our savings accounts.
Which means they are now Losing Accounts.
So, being disabled, I choose to put my "money"
into solid, touch 'em assets. Such as home improvement.
We are staying here, so we are making the place
wheelchair friendly.

COME PLAY