Peace at last

A bello fortiter certaverunt,

mortem cum dignitate

9/9/2015 14:15

Tough times

Paul  as asked that I take over and post the updates.  It’s really hard because there is nothing humorous about the state of things.

Things aren’t always what they appear to be.  As Paul said last month, if it could go wrong it did. Compared to his battle against charley, mine was a piece of cake, a walk in the park.

His first chemo triggered a reaction and caused the ulcers Paul didn’t know he had to flare up big time. That delayed the first radiation treatment for over a week.

Then things started going downhill.  Radiation treatments tend to sap your energy and in Paul’s case it appeared to cause some fairly serious pain.

Some good days, some bad, nut the pain was constant and it wasn’t getting managed to the level he needed. Between the pain, nausea and other issues he knew something was not right.

MRI/CAT scan whatever revealed lesions in the brain so that entailed a new course of action.  The gamma knife surgery was the best option at the time.  The results were somewhat as expected, after all it involved the destruction of some areas of the grey matter.

Nausea, loss of balance, double vision and that constant pain. Things were not getting appreciably better.  The next round of chemo caused almost as bad a reaction as the first but that was because the mediport had developed a staph infection.

The infection led to being hospitalized for heavy duty antibiotics.  But the real issue was the pain and the management of it.

Like Paul remarked, he thought he saw the light at the end of the tunnel, but he realized it was a 800 lb gorilla. 

The fight’s not over, but it’s getting tougher with each day. Like Margret said, the mind is still there but the body is slipping behind. 

If you want, now would be a good time to call and visit, but keep it short, Paul will let you know if he needs to go and he might ask you to call back after he has gotten his next round of pain meds.

I hate charley . . .

Odi illud rat spuria vitulamina charley

Route 66 and me

The following post is comprised of random thoughts, statements and observations made by bro Paul yesterday evening whilst he was somewhat still in the arms of Morpheus.

    

Current update, after the chemo he took a down turn, seems he might have been hanging around nasty girls or something, he has a staph infection on the drug highway that he is getting treated for now.

So, as he is installed in the doc box for a few more days, his boredom level is eclipsed only by the pain in his back. He stridently wanted me to let you fine readers know he is up for phone calls, 8 to 8, break up his day,  call him.  It’s OK, call him.

Take note, if he is really down or not in the best of sprits just say hey and get off the phone. He’ll likely let you know if he’s not up to a call.  Direct number -à  1 -806 -725 – 3774

Now for the drug induced ramblings of a somewhat deranged mind,  his and mine.

That damn highway is a national monument, venerated by thousands,  the go to stop on life’s highway.

The damn highway, route 66 a travel icon.  Now Paul’s at age AGE  66,  but that is where he noticed that the rules have changed. One thing for sure, he’s not a national monument, venerated by thousands, he’s just Paul.

Things hurt more at age 66. Getting drunk at a younger age meant an inconvenient hang over when you went to work the next morning.  Sort of a daily verification that work sucks.

At age 66 you don’t go to work, you be retired so you can get drunk and not have to worry about the next day. Except the hangovers’ lasts for an addition two or more days.

Paul seems to take the fact he no longer has working days he has the right to stay drunk. He might be on to something, another way to challenge this otherwise unpleasant rough road he travels.

As Paul remarked; “No more non working days, it’s a sign from the internet gods  that I should stay drunk during this ordeal”.   He might be on to something.

Shift geasr,  Paul then went  on to brag on Amber,  he was rambling at this point in time but something about kicking ass and going home in the same day.

 Making him look like the woos, He wanted a big shout out to Amber,  and I concur, way to kick charleys ass Amber!!

Shortly after that discourse Paul announced it was past his bed time, said he needed his beauty sleep and if I was up at 3 or 4 in the morning to give him a call, he’d love to talk.

FYI,  today I checked back with him, he recanted the 3-4AM call window.  But he would love to hear from you. So call!!

All comments greatly appreciated

Shout out to Amber

Voca me , ego sum ​​paulo sobrium

Thoughts and Musings of a Renaissance man

Guest editorial:  Paul, Amber, and I have been there, done that, or are doing that. Amazing how charley can change your priorities and how you look at life. It's just a little different. 

My mantra became "If they can't kill you or put you in jail, it's not that serious".

About the time I started to function again I found myself taking notes when I read, heard, or just thought up a clear concise evaluation of a situation. Sometimes you wonder . . .

I am now up to 14 pages, but here are the first two to start:

Thoughts and Musings of a Renaissance man

Comedy is simply a funny way of being serious.

Drinking rum before noon makes you a pirate, not an alcoholic

If I’m ever on life support, unplug me, then plug me back in and see if that works

Sleeping, it’s like being dead, but without the commitment

When you’re dead, you don’t know you’re dead, it’s only difficult for others, it’s the same way when you’re stupid

Sometimes I wrestle with my demons, sometimes we just snuggle

Of all the lies I’ve told, “Just Kidding: was my favorite

Bucket list, beer, ice, pretty much now I’m good to go

I see no good reason to act my age

You find it offensive;  I find it funny, that’s why I’m happier than you

People keep thinking I care, well that’s weird

Don’t ask stupid questions if you don’t want a sarcastic answer

Don’t grow up, it’s a trap

Barium, Cobalt, and Nitrogen,  That’s what I’m talking about

To Do List: 

  1. buy sword,  

  2. Name it kindness, 

  3. Kill people with Kindness

IRONY is the opposite of Wrinkly

Right or wrong, wrong is usually the fun one

I’m not a gynecologist but I’ll take a look

Animals taste good

Cleverly disguised as an adult

Annoy a liberal, use facts and logic

Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, who’s bringing the chips?

I tried it at home

I should have come with a warning label

The voices may not be real, but they have some great ideas

KARMA!, I have a list of the people you missed

You can’t fix stupid, not even with duct tape

If people could read my mind I’d get punched in the face a lot

The first 40 years of childhood are the hardest

My train of thought got derailed, no survivors

I speak fluent sarcasm

Of course your opinion matters, just not to me

Most of my great ideas get me into trouble

My guardian angel drinks

I don’t hold a grudge, I remember facts

Not to get technical, according to chemistry alcohol is a solution

Beryllium plus erbium, I’ll drink that

If you come for my guns you better bring yours

I’m sorry; my job is not to fill your life with joy

The voices in my head, they don’t like you

You look like I need another beer

That’s Mr Asshole to you

Did you eat a bowl of stupid this morning?

A friend will help you move, a real friend will help you hide the body

Seemed like a good idea at the time

In every old person is a young person thinking,  ”What the hell happened?”

Don’t kill them with kindness, use a hammer

My level of maturity changes depending on who I’m with

Hang tough Amber - we stand with you

Occidere Benigne Eisdem

Super Shirt Shout Out

I believe one of my Super Bros Has provided me with the appropriate attar for tomorrows Chemical adventures.


THANKS BRO

                                                                 

I think I found a pattern...

After all these weeks I think I have found a pattern. One day I feel really good, get a little active, apparently overdo it with an activity or two, maybe s visitor and BOOM..... I am shot on day two into day three. I am going to make a concerted effort in controlling my activity levels to a single day followed by rest.... If nothing else I'll get a lot of rest.

My eyesight is still shot, but everyone says the drooping thing looks better. Now for it to translate to the keyboard.

John stopped for a visit, Helped me get one of Anne's cell phones working as an emergency backup since I am down one phone.

EVERYONE 

Tomorrow is big day for my Ambi, Please what ever you are doing keep her in your  thoughts and prayers. Lets make this one less battle to fight. 

WOW - No way that was any fun...........

Talk about after affects. No fun No fun at all. Hopefully it was better than the alternative, Can't get up, can't move. Have gone from a cane to a walker...Not happy wrong trend.

I an in a complete"Brain Fog" as bro Pete would say.Nothing working, no energy, not a thing. having a really hard time  putting anything together.

 Four days and I have managed to type four lines..... This is not going well. Monday and Tuesday are a complete blur. Someone will have to talk to Margaret or Mary to see if I was even here at the house. Started coming around on Wednesday but it was slow. Here it Saturday and for the first time in a week I actually got up and got dressed and am trying to stay out of the bed.

Margaret has been a God send. Without her I never would have made it this far. She has saved me from God knows what hell.She deserves any and all credit for helping in my recovery. For you That are using the prayer list route, please put both Margaret and Mary on that list in gratitude of their support.

I have recovered enough from the knife fight that I do believe that the scheduled chemo on the 24th is a go. Just hope it doesn't knock me back to bad.

John is bring Abby to Lubbock this weekend (move for Tech). Said he might stop by for a short visit. Little does he know I have a couple of chores lined up for him. (posting that as a fair warning for future visitor). Actually not much more to say. Not back to a sarcastic attitude yet so I'm going to post this. Eye sight is still shot, so this post may be full of grammer and spelling error. Please bear with me (who knows my alternate EGO Bro Pete might correct) May post later if things change or we have a breakthrough.

Pablo