April 21, 2013 (Sun) – Going Naked

As per usual, with a title like this, I am going to keep you dangling. Oops, excuse the totally unintentional x-rated pun…

Yesterday was an awesome day. I met up with a bunch of high school buds up in Mission Viejo for pizza and beer, affectionately known as a P&B get-together. And no, we did not have segregated high school facilities back in ’74. But I don’t have a group photo yet; plus it was hard to get everyone in one shot:

It was great to see everyone again. Most of them I had not seen since our 40th reunion, if then. Someone brought white support wrist bands in support of my journey that everyone wore. How cool was that? What it says is so true! I have an amazing support group.

They also were very generous and brought me a bottle of Rombauer Chardonnay. Some of you may remember from an earlier post that this wine is our favorite splurge. This is not a hint or subtle request to “donate to the cause.” This time. 🙂 We are adequately supplied, thank you very much. But we will break it out for a special occasion. I think after my scans come back improved in about a week would be a good time, don’t you?

I also was able to squeeze in 9 holes of golf with my brother, his wife and Kim after the mini-reunion. So much for staying out of the sun, eh? Probably had half a tube of sunblock on though. It was fun to get out again – it’s been a while.

OK, coming up I need everyone to concentrate all of your positive thoughts for next Monday the 29th. That is when I have my first brain and lungs scans since the radiation treatments and the beginning of oral medication.

OK, I’ve left you hanging long enough. The “going naked” heading is really only referring to the fact that I have quit using the scalp medication a couple days ago. After reading about the potential side effects (of course) since this is a steroid medication, I opted to risk having the ants return in a fury. They have not. Whew. Perhaps it has to do with the oral medication I’m taking for the zits. Or the T-Gel shampoo I’ve been using. This shampoo has as its active ingredient “coal tar.” But it smells like Cal Trans is having a road tar paving party on my head. Heck, it if works, I don’t care if the active ingredients are road apples. Weeel, let me rethink that.

More good news: we won our softball playoff game today and I went 4 for 4. Remember, any time you get on base in our league, it’s a hit. However, 4 may have been a magic number today but it was not so magic yesterday on the fourth hole playing golf. I was lying 4 after two swings of my club, and I was still in the T-box! I know, I know. Stick to softball. BTW, after I got home from softball today I tried to pull the “I already have had my dose of sun today so I really can’t help you in the yard today” excuse with Kim. Nope, not buying it. Off to Home Depot soon for some more potting soil and some cement blocks to raise up some planters to keep them out of the reach of bunnies.

Speaking of Kim, we’ve all been able to stare this challenge in the face and sometimes joke with a macabre sense of humor. So the other day I had to replace the toilet valve because the tank would no longer fill. A half-hour job that took 20 minutes. Never happens. But afterwards Kim said, “See you can’t die. I have too many toilet fixes for you to do.” Some of you may think that a little offbeat. But not in our house. It’s exactly the type of joke that keeps me laughing and shows me that Kim is able to deal with this journey with a sense of humor. I love my wife.

May be a slow week for updated blog posts since nothing is really changing this week in terms of treatment. But you never know.

Business as usual. Day at a time.