I had a great weekend with Katie home: ice cream at the place with the silly name (Flayvors) and the great view, a little gardening, dinner out and dinner in, local strawberries with whipped cream on homemade biscuits, and then to top it off, the Tony Awards.
I also had a brief pity party on my way home from tennis on Sunday. I was playing with friends who all understand my situation and cheer my progress. I hit some good net shots, but my inability to move well just frustrates me.
"Why is it that I'm always recovering from something?" I asked myself.
Well, it's too bad, but at least I am recovering.
With that thought in mind, I got home, took a nap on the couch and felt much better. And that old razzle dazzle of the Tonys, however corny, perked me up considerably.
Monday, June 10, 2013
Friday, June 7, 2013
Surgery date
In the general scheme of things, the following was a very minor annoyance, but it was an annoyance nonetheless.
Over the course of a week, I called my urologist's office three times to find out my surgery date, but got no call back. I e-mailed the scheduler but got no response. I got a packet from the hospital saying my surgery date had been set, but there was no date listed. There was no rush to find out, but I just wanted to put it on my calendar and get that part off my plate.
Finally, on Wednesday night, I e-mailed the doctor, telling him I was feeling fine but was kind of stressed out from not knowing what's going on. He immediately copied me on an e-mail to his scheduler, saying it was very important for her to call me the next day.
It worked like magic.
She called yesterday saying my surgery is scheduled for Thursday, July 25 at 7:30 a.m. I have to be there two hours before. Joe volunteered to take me to Boston, but since I have to be there two hours before, that would mean getting up at 4 a.m. Instead, I'm going to spend Wednesday night in Newton, and Diane will take me. I'm sorry to drag anyone out of bed so early, but she knows the ropes and has done it for me many times before.
Of course I think of things in terms of tennis, so that means I will be able to get in George's clinic Wednesday morning, but I won't make it to Thursdays practice. Oh well, with the Wednesday clinic, our Thursday practice and another game on Sunday, I think I'm getting enough in. George said my balance and my circle swing look good. I had a few nice net put--aways last night. It doesn't take much to make me happy.
Over the course of a week, I called my urologist's office three times to find out my surgery date, but got no call back. I e-mailed the scheduler but got no response. I got a packet from the hospital saying my surgery date had been set, but there was no date listed. There was no rush to find out, but I just wanted to put it on my calendar and get that part off my plate.
Finally, on Wednesday night, I e-mailed the doctor, telling him I was feeling fine but was kind of stressed out from not knowing what's going on. He immediately copied me on an e-mail to his scheduler, saying it was very important for her to call me the next day.
It worked like magic.
She called yesterday saying my surgery is scheduled for Thursday, July 25 at 7:30 a.m. I have to be there two hours before. Joe volunteered to take me to Boston, but since I have to be there two hours before, that would mean getting up at 4 a.m. Instead, I'm going to spend Wednesday night in Newton, and Diane will take me. I'm sorry to drag anyone out of bed so early, but she knows the ropes and has done it for me many times before.
Of course I think of things in terms of tennis, so that means I will be able to get in George's clinic Wednesday morning, but I won't make it to Thursdays practice. Oh well, with the Wednesday clinic, our Thursday practice and another game on Sunday, I think I'm getting enough in. George said my balance and my circle swing look good. I had a few nice net put--aways last night. It doesn't take much to make me happy.
Monday, June 3, 2013
Always look on the bright side
Watch this and then hum along:
It's what I am humming as I tell this little story.
I had a dream last night that, without anesthesia, the urologist took out my kidneys, washed them and then put them back in. He congratulated me for being such a good patient.
I told Joe this morning and he said, "I'm sorry, but at least he put them back."
Katie agreed that it was maybe actually a good dream in that the procedure was quick and easy.
It shows that I have some anxiety about the upcoming procedure. I would actually kind of like to get it over with, but Dr. Steele said to wait until July.
The weekend was so hot that it was hard to do anything. I got up really early on Saturday and walked Maddie, which was a good idea, but when I walked with Meryl yesterday around 10, it was so hot that we could barely make it to The Thirsty Mind for our iced coffee.
On Saturday I planned to go to the gym to ride a bike instead of riding on my real bike, which Joe had picked up from getting repaired. Joe said, "Will you please, please not get on that bike." He texted Ben, who agreed. OK already. As it was, I couldn't even make it to the gym.
Yesterday I put on my bathing suit with good intentions to go to the Swim Club, but all I did was sit around in it and then change back into shorts.
Today looks a little better.
Always look on the bright side...
It's what I am humming as I tell this little story.
I had a dream last night that, without anesthesia, the urologist took out my kidneys, washed them and then put them back in. He congratulated me for being such a good patient.
I told Joe this morning and he said, "I'm sorry, but at least he put them back."
Katie agreed that it was maybe actually a good dream in that the procedure was quick and easy.
It shows that I have some anxiety about the upcoming procedure. I would actually kind of like to get it over with, but Dr. Steele said to wait until July.
The weekend was so hot that it was hard to do anything. I got up really early on Saturday and walked Maddie, which was a good idea, but when I walked with Meryl yesterday around 10, it was so hot that we could barely make it to The Thirsty Mind for our iced coffee.
On Saturday I planned to go to the gym to ride a bike instead of riding on my real bike, which Joe had picked up from getting repaired. Joe said, "Will you please, please not get on that bike." He texted Ben, who agreed. OK already. As it was, I couldn't even make it to the gym.
Yesterday I put on my bathing suit with good intentions to go to the Swim Club, but all I did was sit around in it and then change back into shorts.
Today looks a little better.
Always look on the bright side...
Friday, May 31, 2013
Good stuff
Picked up Katie at the coffee shop where she works yesterday and had a nice lunch at a little place a couple of doors down.
Saw Melissa for a check of my blood, and all is normal, with platelets at a high of 180! My lungs are clear, but I am still coughing a little.
Then went to Margaret's and from there to the restaurant where she was celebrating her 60th birthday. Margaret and Nick had invited 20 people or more, and we took up a whole back room at the Biltmore Bar and Grille in Newton. The napkins were black, but the mood was festive, and it was nice to see some of Margaret's old friends and new ones. Great food, great service, fun balloons and an incredible mocha birthday cake that looked like a work of art.
I stayed overnight and drove back home this morning. It is hot hot hot and hard to do anything. Time to put the air conditioners in. I prefer real air, but when the weather is like this I'm more than ready to give in.
On Wednesday I went to George's tennis clinic – my first time out. At first I couldn't connect with the ball, but then I got the hang of it, and he said I did well. It's always fun to be around George. "Why are you laughing? You should be crying," he said to two players on the other side of the net who had bumped into each other. But he said it with his little smile, kind of laughing himself.
At the end we always play some doubles. There were four of us, and after a couple of games I realized that I had had it. I asked George to take my place instead of playing badly the whole time and then feeling exhausted. One of the many times that I did play too long, I threw myself onto the court at the end. Walking out before it gets to that point amounts to progress!
Saw Melissa for a check of my blood, and all is normal, with platelets at a high of 180! My lungs are clear, but I am still coughing a little.
Then went to Margaret's and from there to the restaurant where she was celebrating her 60th birthday. Margaret and Nick had invited 20 people or more, and we took up a whole back room at the Biltmore Bar and Grille in Newton. The napkins were black, but the mood was festive, and it was nice to see some of Margaret's old friends and new ones. Great food, great service, fun balloons and an incredible mocha birthday cake that looked like a work of art.
I stayed overnight and drove back home this morning. It is hot hot hot and hard to do anything. Time to put the air conditioners in. I prefer real air, but when the weather is like this I'm more than ready to give in.
On Wednesday I went to George's tennis clinic – my first time out. At first I couldn't connect with the ball, but then I got the hang of it, and he said I did well. It's always fun to be around George. "Why are you laughing? You should be crying," he said to two players on the other side of the net who had bumped into each other. But he said it with his little smile, kind of laughing himself.
At the end we always play some doubles. There were four of us, and after a couple of games I realized that I had had it. I asked George to take my place instead of playing badly the whole time and then feeling exhausted. One of the many times that I did play too long, I threw myself onto the court at the end. Walking out before it gets to that point amounts to progress!
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Moving along
I am feeling better and better although still coughing a little.
Yesterday Donna and I walked Maddie, went to Atkins so that she could shop and I could satisfy my graving for an apple turnover and then continued to Andrews Greenhouse, where I bought flowers and basil for my planters. I found the first box of local strawberries at Atkins and just inhaled the wonderful smell.
I am getting someone to do the first major weeding of my garden because I really can't do it. When I go in to do a little something, I usually trample some poor little plant. My balance is just not good enough. As it was, I had to take a break doing the planters. I lay down on the living room floor and Maddie got down beside me, putting her head on my shoulder. Later, I crashed on the couch. But I am glad that it is done, and I don't think I'm any the worse for wear.
My tennis "mothers" have been looking after me, not giving in to my pleas to play doubles. I am going to try George's clinic tomorrow, and they say they will play doubles with me on Sunday.
I'm working on a magazine story for Newsmax and just generally enjoying the sunshine after days of rainy weather.
Yesterday Donna and I walked Maddie, went to Atkins so that she could shop and I could satisfy my graving for an apple turnover and then continued to Andrews Greenhouse, where I bought flowers and basil for my planters. I found the first box of local strawberries at Atkins and just inhaled the wonderful smell.
I am getting someone to do the first major weeding of my garden because I really can't do it. When I go in to do a little something, I usually trample some poor little plant. My balance is just not good enough. As it was, I had to take a break doing the planters. I lay down on the living room floor and Maddie got down beside me, putting her head on my shoulder. Later, I crashed on the couch. But I am glad that it is done, and I don't think I'm any the worse for wear.
My tennis "mothers" have been looking after me, not giving in to my pleas to play doubles. I am going to try George's clinic tomorrow, and they say they will play doubles with me on Sunday.
I'm working on a magazine story for Newsmax and just generally enjoying the sunshine after days of rainy weather.
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Out, out damn spot
Well, it's a good thing I got pneumonia.
I saw the urologist yesterday, and he said the spot on my kidney is indeed cancerous and needs to come out. He will make a small incision between two ribs, cut out the lesion and the margins, and then that will be that and I will be cured. Easy peasy.
If I had not received a CAT scan to find out the extent of my pneumonia, it would not have been found at such an early stage. Kidney cancer is otherwise difficult to diagnose until it has spread. My kidney numbers are good, which also bodes well for me.
I will probably spend two days in the hospital (Brigham and Women's) and then have a couple of weeks of recovery at home. I am going to schedule it for sometime in July, after I have totally bounced back from the pneumonia. I saw Melissa today and she said my lungs sound clear and I look good.
I had an easy drive in yesterday but a hard time getting home after I spent the night in between appointments at Margaret's. On my way out of town from Dana-Farber this morning, I could barely make it to Diane's, where I stopped and took a nap. The traffic was terrible on the turnpike, and even though I had a coffee, I got tired again and stopped in the Framingham rest area for a nap. Then it started to pour shafts of rain. I ate my way through the rest of the trip and arrived home without incident.
I am not happy to have something else to deal with, but I am good with the way it has been presented to me. Shit happens, and having had cancer once is no guarantee that it won't happen again. When compared to what I've been through, this is nothing. I am thinking of this as cancer lite, spot removal, whatever.
As my father used to say even when he had something to complain about, I can't complain.
I saw the urologist yesterday, and he said the spot on my kidney is indeed cancerous and needs to come out. He will make a small incision between two ribs, cut out the lesion and the margins, and then that will be that and I will be cured. Easy peasy.
If I had not received a CAT scan to find out the extent of my pneumonia, it would not have been found at such an early stage. Kidney cancer is otherwise difficult to diagnose until it has spread. My kidney numbers are good, which also bodes well for me.
I will probably spend two days in the hospital (Brigham and Women's) and then have a couple of weeks of recovery at home. I am going to schedule it for sometime in July, after I have totally bounced back from the pneumonia. I saw Melissa today and she said my lungs sound clear and I look good.
I had an easy drive in yesterday but a hard time getting home after I spent the night in between appointments at Margaret's. On my way out of town from Dana-Farber this morning, I could barely make it to Diane's, where I stopped and took a nap. The traffic was terrible on the turnpike, and even though I had a coffee, I got tired again and stopped in the Framingham rest area for a nap. Then it started to pour shafts of rain. I ate my way through the rest of the trip and arrived home without incident.
I am not happy to have something else to deal with, but I am good with the way it has been presented to me. Shit happens, and having had cancer once is no guarantee that it won't happen again. When compared to what I've been through, this is nothing. I am thinking of this as cancer lite, spot removal, whatever.
As my father used to say even when he had something to complain about, I can't complain.
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Robin Roberts been lucky in her cancer fight
In my latest post on Newsmax Health, I discuss the good luck that Robin Roberts has had so far in her cancer fight.
In talking about Roberts' bone marrow transplant, I "reminisced" about all the restrictions that followed mine. I couldn't quite understand how Roberts' doctors allowed her to return to work on Good Morning America five months after transplant, while the general rule is one year. She must have been very persuasive.
Anyway, in writing the blog post, I pulled out my big white binder filled with information on stem cell transplant. I don't know why I have kept it so long. Maybe because Mary Lou is on the cover. I reread all the restrictions and was so glad to be eating a bowl of fresh berries as I wrote.
In talking about Roberts' bone marrow transplant, I "reminisced" about all the restrictions that followed mine. I couldn't quite understand how Roberts' doctors allowed her to return to work on Good Morning America five months after transplant, while the general rule is one year. She must have been very persuasive.
Anyway, in writing the blog post, I pulled out my big white binder filled with information on stem cell transplant. I don't know why I have kept it so long. Maybe because Mary Lou is on the cover. I reread all the restrictions and was so glad to be eating a bowl of fresh berries as I wrote.
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