Boxing Day

Pardon the title. A hang over from my days in Canada. I like the concept by the way.

I have a few additional observations to make about mom and the treatments. TT sent a comment that x-ray technology was not advanced enough to have provided mom with radiation treatment. And he is probably correct. He also stated that he was 12. That made me think and that would have been in 1955. Bro, I was speaking of my memories from 1949. That summer, we were staying with our maternal grandparents on the farm. Dad was in Minneapolis with mom and she was at Fairfield hospital which I believe is on the river in southern part of the city. That is where my son Wade was born. I understand that mom received directed beams of radiation from a nuclear source such as Cobalt. I remember a description of her being draped with lead padding to protect areas that did not need to be radiated.

At that time I was only 8, you were 6 TT. Santini was 4 and Gino was only a wee lad of 2 years. I remember the terrible feeling of separation I experienced and the joy I felt when mom finally was able to return. I did not know what had happened, really, but I knew something was different. She gave us a gift that is still giving. Along with her doctor whose name I recall as being Jenkins, they were doing research that is still going on today to save our wives and daughters and others that come after us. Their names will never be celebrated in monuments or awards, but I know what she did has helped with what is happening with Darilyn. Again, I must add, Thanks Mom.

Adieu

Christmas Eve

It is Christmas eve here in sunny Florida. Actually, it was raining here today with a temperature of 72. That is why I live here. The temperature. We are sitting around this evening watching a little TV. The movie "The Lion, The witch, and The wardrobe" is on and it is well worth the rewatching. The presents are wrapped and under the tree with care "in hopes that St. Nick will soon be there".

Darilyn has been finished with chemo now for 4 weeks. On monday, we went to see the radiologist to find out about the radiation regimen. I learned something about the battle she is facing. She has what is called stage 3C breast cancer. Look up cancer stages through GOOGLE for a good definition of what that is all about. I did and was very thouroughly enlightened. Anyway, she will be having a Cat Scan on tuesday to determine where the location of possible cancer locations reside and from that, a scanning program will be created to irradiate the remaining locations. She will receive 5 treatments a week for 6 weeks. The chemo was to remove any possible cells that may have escaped into the body. This should greatly reduce the chance of re-occurrence.

Christmas this year is a little subdued. There is not much family around and that makes it smaller. Also, there has been so much happening that has been higher priority that somehow it has not gotten the attention it has usually required. We will have a good pork roast for dinner as we were a little tired of more turkey. We are looking forward to the day of peace and quiet.

Well enough of that for now.
* * * *
It is a couple of hours later now. I was laying in bed talking to Darilyn about things and a subject came out of something I was saying that I have to put down here for the older three of my siblings. That is TT, Gino, and Santini.

Guys, I was talking to the radiologist on monday with Darilyn and I told him that our mother had been a recepient of radiation treatment in 1949. He said, with some awe and surprise, that she had to be among the very first to have received that treatment. I do remember that it was said at the time that she was engaging in experimental studies in an effort to help herself as well as others. It seems that what she was part of was the beginning of what is today the standard treatment for women with breast cancer. It was part of what has saved the lives of thousands of women. To me, it has become the gift down the years to many others and to me. It is the gift of life and well being for the woman who I love more than life. Mom is still taking care of us guys. It is AWSOME. Thanks Mom.

Now I can logoff for the night on Christmas eve.

Adieu

Saturday Evening at home

Here it is another saturday evening at home as it says in the title. My lady has completed her chemo about 2 weeks ago. The aftermath was again without mercy. The troublesome white cell count again decided to go south for a while and that relegated Darilyn to the homestead and bedstead for a couple of rocky days. She had a little better time of it but it was still a long spell of fighting to get better. She is a very tough nut to crack. She says it is for me and if that is what makes her stronger to get through it, than it is ok with me. And she is doing much better. Tuesday afternoon I put her on a flight to visit her brother and mother in Las Vegas. This has been in the works for some time as a reward for getting this all taken care of. And it is his annual Christmas party which she has fun helping prepare. And she is happy to be with the people as we have other friends out there as well. She needed it. I have been in contact by phone and I can hear her strength returning in her voice. Tonight is the party.

I have been batching it here. I have Darilyn's daughter Barbara here and the grand daughter Jessica around this weekend to keep the old man occupied with family things. I will work my other gig as a security officer at a Jeff Dunham concert tomorrow evening. I will be working as an usher in hopes that I will have an opportunity to see the show as well. Good planning isn't it. Getting paid to be entertained. I like it.

I saw my endocrinologist, read diabetes doc, this week. All is going very well it seems. The HDL/LDL's are excellent, the blood glucose levels are excellent so all seems to be well in that department as well. If I can keep the blood pressure controlled as I have been, then I should beat the odds for a while longer. I find that when I mention to people that I have 9 stents in my heart that this seems to be bit of an oddity. Most have never heard of more than 4 or 5. I don't know what the good lord has in mind, but I will take whatever is coming as a gift. The father did not seem to make it as long it seems but he did not have the medical science we have.

I have spent the evening engrossed in my favorite past time. I have been playing online poker tournaments for the last couple of years in the play money category and find that I have learned a fair bit about No Limit poker. I find it very challenging and requires a goodly amount of skill. As well as being able to present your opponents with a truly false picture of what you may have in your hole cards. That is where I have learned quite a bit. And it is free. So that is a good thing.

Time to close for the evening.

Adieu

Another Day, December 3 this time

I have posted a photo of self with my pup from a few years back. I just found it and liked it, so there it is. Comments will be ignored of course.

My lady is in the doldrums of recovery these days. She has developed something called "thrush" and is not doing very well. But better than last time as we seemed to have gotten it earlier. That is a good thing. We got the meds she needed this morning and now it is a matter of waiting it out. I will be on call and try to keep the house in order. The experience of the years shows that I have kinda learned how to do it when I need to. As always, we do what we need to do to get the job done.

I have a telephone interview on the morrow for a possible position in Atlanta. It will be something to help pay the bills and has the potential of going on for a couple of years. If it comes about, I will work there on the week days and get home weekends. Darilyn has her work here and a pention plan via the state that she needs to become vested in for future protection of her well being. If there is such a thing with all the crap going on these days. Anyway, I just wanted to let the world know we are still here.

Adieu