This and That

And so we begin another year with new hopes and new adventures in a future we can't see. Sometimes that is a very good thing. Will 2009 bring more rounds of chemo for me? If it does, I won't be too surprised. Of course I will be thrilled if I get through another year without more chemotherapy, which certainly could happen. I am already much further ahead than my doctors or I thought and we thank God for that. Cheryl and I went to Houston for another appointment at MD Anderson this past Monday. It had only been four months since my last time there and I was a little shocked with the blood work results. My IgG level was WAY up at 973 and it has been a month since my last infusion. A couple of months ago it was down to 220 four weeks after an infusion, so this is terrific. Dr. Wierda said to skip this month's infusion scheduled for this coming Monday...yea. Now I have to convince my local doctor to go along with that, which I think he will. Once we started these infusions to stop all the infections, the idea was to get the IgG level to over 700 and infuse whenever it drops below 700. I know doctor Hamblin had said that studies showed that the infusions were helpful only when the level was below 300 and the patient had been getting infections, but except for the E. Coli infection in my lungs I had this year, the constant infections have halted, so it is working for me.

Another bright spot, my platelets are continuing to be up very near the normal range. This time at 128...double yea. Normal is 140 to 440. On the not so positive side, my absolute lymphocyte count almost doubled in four months. If that count doubles in six months or less, that is an indication for treatment. However, no decision is made on just one test and the number is still relatively low for someone with CLL so this jump isn't as critical as it might be if the number was higher. However, if it doubles again next time, that very well could be a trigger. That count is 16.24, up from 8.23 four months ago and 6.08 eight months ago. Normal for their lab is 1.00 to 4.80. My white count is up to 19.1 from 12.1 four months ago and 7.6 eight months ago. 4.0 to 11.0 is normal for that lab. Overall 16 things were out of normal range, either too high or too low, of the 45 things they tested for. In the overall scheme of things, not bad. Because I get my blood work monthly here at home, the climb didn't seem quite so dramatic. Except for lack of energy and my bad back, I have been feeling good. I was feeling worse a year ago when my counts were better!

When Dr. Wierda said to come back in four months, I gave him my sad puppy-dog-eyes-look and stuck out my lower lip. Then he said, "OK, come back in six months." First he had confirmed that I see my local doctor for blood work once a month so he knows I am closely monitored.

While still on the topic of health, please keep David E. in your prayers. He is my Internet friend who has the advanced prostate cancer. He has his final rounds of chemo coming up and it is barely keeping the cancer at bay. After he has his final round on the 15th, he, his wife, and his doctor are going to have to decide what the next steps will be. He has a strong faith but of course this is very worrisome. This month he also enters his fifth year since his diagnosis. He was diagnosed just shortly before I was.

We had our usual exciting New Year's Eve last night. Cheryl went to bed early and I watched the ball drop in Time's Square on TV -- twice. They replayed it for our time zone. I had every intention of going to a party/open house a former co-worker was having, but Cheryl had gone in to work at 4:30 a.m. and was too tired to go. By the time evening comes around, I have zero energy, too.

I spent much of the evening comforting my shaking dog. Fireworks send him into panic mode and we have lots of illegal fireworks going off in our neighborhood starting at dark. At 1 a.m., after it was pretty much over, I tried to take him for a walk before we went to bed. I had to force him out the door. We barely got down our walk and one went off in the distance and he tried to run back. I made him go down the block with me, but his tail was always between his legs and he wouldn't get off the sidewalk. Then we came home and I forced him into the back yard. Still no luck. When we got up this morning I took him out on the leash. At first he still refused to go out, but finally realized there were no more big bad booms. I sure am glad I only got him for companionship and not for protection.

It Pays to Advertise

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas. Christmas is my favorite time of year as we celebrate the most wonderful gift ever given to mankind -- the birth of Jesus Christ. We celebrated twice this year. First with Cindy, Jonathan and Gavin. Corbin, her husband who is an oil driller, was called back into the oil fields two weeks before Christmas. He is in New Mexico and Cindy and the boys flew out to be with him for Christmas. So we exchanged gifts the Sunday before she left. It was such fun watching Gavin open presents. He had fun ripping paper and playing with boxes. He did very well for being only six months old. Here are a couple of the pictures they gave us for Christmas. We actually got a bunch of poses, but I will only post these. I don't want to brag too much on my wonderful grand kids:



Because the desktop computer is about useless and that is the one Cheryl uses mostly, they decided to give Cheryl a laptop, fix that desktop for the grand kids to use, and also got a docking station with a switch so she can still use it in the computer room with her mouse, keyboard, and monitor. She will password protect it so the grand kids can't mess it up. They included a 24 inch monitor, but it doesn't fit on her computer roll-top desk. We haven't quite figured out what we will do with that, yet. Now true, I didn't get my dream desktop, but the actual problem was solved. Hmm, maybe I will buy myself a desktop with blueray player and use the 24 inch monitor. I will have to save my pennies first.

They got me a fantastic, new digital camera. It is a Canon, but even better than the one I had been hinting for, well blatantly writing about. It is a good one! I started taking pictures before reading directions and at first I was disappointed with the results. Then I learned I was doing it all wrong. I am just now figuring it out and it takes TERRIFIC pictures. It has tons of different settings. I use auto setting if I want to make sure I get the picture. I know I will get better with it. Here are a couple of my first attempts that I didn't delete (some were much, much worse) and then one taken later:


On Christmas eve we attended the candlelight service at church as we always do. The service ends with the flame from the Christ Candle being passed throughout the congregation to small candles each of us are holding. It is so neat to watch the flame being passed until the entire sanctuary is aglow from over 900 candles burning. Very impressive and moving. A we pass the love of Christ from one to another, the results are also very impressive.

Then we came home and had our first annual, non-traditional, pizza dinner with Cheri, Marc, Holly and Jimmy.
Usually we have a regular Christmas dinner of turkey or ham on Christmas eve. However, this year Cheryl was turkeyed out from Thanksgiving and then our SS department party at our house where we also fixed a large turkey. She isn't that fond of ham, so we decided to do this. Of course the kids loved it. After dinner I read the Christmas story as I traditionally do each year and the kids opened one gift.

Cheri, Marc, and kids decided to spend the night so they went back and got their dog and brought her here.

In the morning we got up fairly early and started opening gifts. Guess what I got from Cheri and Marc? A Garmin Nuvi GPS - and it speaks street names, just like I wrote about. Now where did they get that idea? HA! We used it to go to MD Anderson and it actually took us on a much faster route in Houston than MapQuest always had us go. And coming back out it was slightly different but still much faster. It was great! We even found a short cut leaving the Austin area that cut out two miles. We still haven't figured out a name for the female voice we are using, but we will. The one we used in New York we named Thelma, so perhaps Louise is appropriate for this one. If I want, I can even have it speak Russian and have all the text in Cyrillic! (I was a Russian linguist in the Air Force.) Of course I would have to call the Russian lady's voice Svetlana, Tatyana or maybe Natasha. No matter what name I use, I can now find my way home from church and don't have to wear the sign around my neck Cindy got me last Christmas. That sign said, "If found, please return me to..." and my address and phone number.

Everyone got wonderful gifts. The kids each got a laptop, too! Black Friday specials from their Mom and Dad. After gift opening we fixed breakfast of bacon, eggs, toast, and cinnamon buns. It was great. Marc then drove to another town and picked up his other daughter and brought her back here. In the afternoon, we had our first annual non-traditional grilled steak dinner. Normally we have left overs from the night before, but that wasn't going to work this year. So, I grilled steak, we had fries and a traditional fruit salad -- can't throw out all the traditions.

It was a wonderful day!

Oh, I also got my eyes examined and picked up my new glasses this week. So, I got most everything I had posted about under the post "I'm a Gadget Guy." It really does pay to advertise. Now, if I can just convince Cheryl I really do need a flat screen High Definition TV! HA!

41 Years!
On December 23rd we celebrated our 41st Wedding Anniversary. Where does the time go? We actually went out to dinner that evening which doesn't often happen. Usually we are so busy getting ready for Christmas, we are too tired. This year, we were ready the earliest ever. Cheryl said this was the least stressful Christmas she can remember in years and years. I think this picture says it all:

Where Is My Energy?

I think the most frustrating thing about CLL is the fatigue and lack of energy. I have big plans for the day of all the things I am going to accomplish and then little actually happens. Now true, sometimes it is just lack of motivation. But many times I just get started and sputter out. Case in point, it took several weeks to decorate the outside for Christmas and that was even with Jimmy and Jonathan's help. They got up on the ladder for me for the roof lights except for the two tall peaks. That height scared both of them too much so I did that part. I could barely make it up the ladder and that really depressed me. I used to do it all with no problem. Last year I did the front and Jonathan did the side when I tired out. This year I could barely make it up the ladder the second time and I really doubt I could have made it a third time. Grrr!

Later that week, as I was putting rope lights down to outline the sections of the yard, my back was hurting too much with the constant bending putting in the stakes, so I got down and crawled around doing it. Then when it came time to get up, I didn't have the strength and I was outside by myself. I had to crawl over to a tree to help pull myself up. Of course every time a car came down the street I stopped crawling and pretended I was doing something right there.

I was trying to get things done for the annual Sunday School Christmas party we host at our home. I had a lot done but still didn't have the lights around the garage and the three evergreen trees. But I had a week left to do it. Everyday I planned on going out and didn't. Finally on the Saturday of the party I was out there and finished up about 3:30. I didn't even have all the lights out I normally do. Oh well, it still looked nice. Next year I might just put electric candles in the windows. If I can find the energy. And the extension cords.

What Happened to January?

Not sure how it can be February already. It sure seems like it was just Christmas. I really have been busy -- I think. We had a great Christmas with our girls and grandkids. Then we had our usual wild New Year's Eve celebration. Cheryl went to bed about 9 p.m. and I watched TV. At 11 p.m. I whispered "whoo-hoo" when the ball in Time Square lit up 2008, then said "whoo-hoo" again when it reached midnight here (I think I was still awake). That has been our tradition for about 30 years.

The only difference this year was that my killer dog, which I adopted last August, spent the night shivering in my arms -- terrified by all the fireworks being shot off in the neighborhood.

In fact, I had a difficult time getting him out in the yard even the next day. Unfortunately the carpet paid the price and Cheryl threatened him with returning to the pound. I can't wait for the 4th of July celebrations. Just yesterday we had a new back door installed that has a doggy door so he can come in and go out at will. The old door was almost all glass, but the bottom core was rotting from where it used to get wet before we had the patio covered. It needed to be replaced so we did the doggy door at the same time. It was funny trying to teach him to use it. I got stuck part way in it trying to show him how. (Not really)

Of course, now that he can come and go as he pleases, I will get even less exercise getting up to let him out and then getting up to let him back in. We will still have to go for our walks down the street which he gets really excited about!

On January 4th, Cheryl's sister, Diane, and my Mom flew down from upstate NY. Diane was divorced this past year and really needed the break. We were both very glad to have her here, but unfortunately she had to go back on the 14th to go back to work. She always helps out so much when she is here. Last visit she helped paint two rooms plus some other projects. This time she helped us get all the Christmas decorations put away (we have so much we have a separate storage shed full, just for Christmas decorations), washed some windows, trimmed some bushes and still had some time to do some sun tanning on the nice days. I need to have her come down at least once a month.

Mom will be staying with us for a few months. She is now 93 and much weaker than when she was here two years ago. It is a very good thing I am not working because I would not want to leave her very long in the house alone. She still gets around the house with a walker, but barely. One morning, Jimmy forgot his morning medication and I had to take it to him at school. Mom had not been getting up until after 10 a.m., so I decided to take the time to stop at the grocery store as long as I was out. I got back to the house at 9:20 and Mom was stuck in the bathroom on a stool we had put in there for her to sit on in front of the sink and mirror. She had gotten ill in the night and had gone in to get cleaned up. She had a pain in her left side and couldn't get up because it hurt too much when she tried. She had been calling for me and she didn't know I was not home. I felt horrible. I won't do that again! I ended up buying a lift chair from SAMS Club because she couldn't get up off any of our chairs. With my bad back, I was afraid I would really hurt it if I had to help her too much. Now we have pretty much settled into a routine. Her mind really is very sharp and it it wasn't for her horrible arthritis and bad knees, she would be in fantastic shape.

Cindy has been traveling quite a bit so I have also been watching Jonathan and taking care of their dogs. She is still struggling with morning sickness -- morning, afternoon and night. Her allergies have also been terrible. "Cedar Fever" is really bad here for folks with allergies from about Christmas until mid February. She is now up in Amarillo with her husband as he is going to have a medical procedure on Monday that requires anesthesia. He has been having difficulties for a couple of months now and, like a typical guy, had put off going to the doctor. Now it is really bad and they are going inside to look as the doctor suspects a tumor. Of course they are both very anxious over it. She flew up there last week to go with him to the specialist. The doctor wanted to do the procedure the next day, but he is a driller in the oil fields and he said he HAD to be to work that night. He needed time to get a driller to cover for him for 24 hours. They should know something Monday afternoon when the procedure is completed.

Wow, and I had pictured in my mind that when I retired I would be spending many days fishing.Well, since I don't get away from the house that often, perhaps I should try this type of fishing.

Well, I think that is all the news that's fit to print and some that ain't.

Tired, Tired, and Retired

What happened to August? Did anyone see it go by? Wow, what a busy month and it flew by. August was my practice-for-retirement month. I had managed to save enough leave that I was able to take just about the entire month off before my official retirement date. So, what were some of the significant happenings? Well, first of all NO blood tests this month. That was a first for quite awhile. A little strange also since the last blood tests put me back to stage four. Oh well, I have some tests coming up this month and we will see what is happening.

August 3rd I turned 62. It is this milestone birthday that is allowing me to retire early as I can collect reduced Social Security. I think I have said here that I hadn't planned on retiring until I was at least 66. However, with this stinkin' disease, it was time. I wasn't real productive at work and I was so tired most of the time. I wanted to retire now so that I could still enjoy some of this time without working. I didn't realize how busy I was going to be, at least so far. But, even though I am getting up fairly early each morning, it still isn't 5:30 a.m. and most days I do get a nap in at some point during the day.

Most of August I had one of the grand kids staying over just about every weekday. I think the family thought I might get bored or depressed not working - HA! I really do like having the kids here though. Even went fishing a couple of times with the boys.

The second week in August I spent a day at two dog pounds picking out a new companion. I thought I had found one at the first pound and spent some time in the yard with it. But, even though it was OK, there didn't seem to be a strong connection and after we got into the yard, he pretty much ignored me. So I went over to the county pound and immediately fell in love with a long-hair Chihuahua mix three year old male dog. He weighs 8 pounds. I took Cheryl back when she got out of work to have a look at him and we came home with him. Got him on Tuesday and had him groomed on Friday. Here are before and after pictures, meet Snickers:
We have certainly bonded and he barely leaves my side. He is a super calm dog and sleeps most of the time, either on my lap or in his bed. He doesn't know how to play at all and I am trying to teach him. Today he actually ran around the yard in circles, the most activity I have seen from him. We do go for walks a couple of times a day so at least I get some exercise. Here is his favorite spot when he is not on my lap:


Next on the agenda was the going away luncheon my work held for me. It was a wonderful time. There were even several friends from my former work place who were able to make it. All of my local family was there except for our granddaughter, Holly. She was at camp that week. I really appreciated all the hard work my boss and others put into the affair, even though I had asked them not to make a fuss. It was held in our training room and the theme was Independence Day (my independence from work). Plus they know I like patriotic themes. Here is just one of many pictures I have of the affair and a coworker took a bunch of pictures and his wife set them to music on a DVD for us. Nice memories.


Then that next Thursday was my very last day at work. In the morning I attended a class as a student. A co-worker put together a new training and it was based on generational differences on views of human sexuality. I was the token old person represented, oh, I represented the "mature" generation - my desk sign said so. Then I spent the afternoon doing the final sorting of papers and cleaning things out and packing up stuff to keep.

That night was the next huge thing that happened in August. Our one 12-year-old grandson, Jimmy (um, "James") has some major problems and as a result had a very difficult year last year in school because we all felt the school officials did not deal with him properly. Cheri, his mom, tried to get him transferred to a different school within his district (one that was actually closer to their home). The new school accepted him, but the principal of his former school refused to release him. She appealed the decision. That Thursday the appeal was turned down because that principal still refused to release him. Cheri got upset and withdrew him from school. Earlier in the year we had discussed him coming to live with us and going to Round Rock schools, but when we were told she would have to give us legal custody, we didn't pursue it anymore. Well, now we had to pursue it. That next day was the last day to register before the start of school on Monday. And it had to be before 11 a.m. We spent Friday scrambling to get him registered, filling out papers and getting legal paperwork notarized. Somehow we got it done at 10:55 a.m. We are his guardians for school. Jimmy lives with us from Sunday afternoon until he gets out on Friday then he goes to his house for the weekend. He has also signed up for football. He made it through the first week of seventh grade without any trouble, including football practice. Three weeks ago, in addition to seeing his psychiatrist each month, he began seeing a Christian counselor once a week. He is very motivated right now to get his emotions under control. I think he is on too much medication (9 pills a day), but it is better than when he is not on them. He has seemed much happier so far and is doing very well. Here is a picture just before leaving for his first day of school. We had prayer just before he went out the door.

So, as you can see, I have not just been lying around. Oh, I am doing the cooking, cleaning and laundry too. I may have to find a job so I can relax, HA. Coming up next in two weeks are blood tests, another CT scan and then the week after an appointment with my oncologist. I don't think there will be too much change from last time. In fact, it may be my imagination, but I think the lymph nodes in my neck might actually be a little smaller than they have been. At least I don't think they are growing.

Our CLL community suffered a very sad loss this past week. Kurt Grayson passed away from complications of CLL. He was a character and I considered him a friend even though I never met him in person. We corresponded a lot and he gave me lots of advice, particularly when I was first diagnosed. He was an actor who was in many, many television shows and movies in the 60's, 70's and 80's. He lived the life in Beverly Hills, but he was a warm, caring, passionate and sometimes ornery human being. He was a generous person who reached out to fellow CLLers and helped them in so many ways. He was one of the founders of http://www.cllforum.com/. He had really been struggling this past year and although he was weak and wheelchair bound, traveled to NY with his nephew to seek a final treatment. He barely got started when he ran into major complications. Another tragic loss from the "good" kind of cancer. Stinking disease!

I'll try not to be so long before the next update. I know, I know you have heard that before.