Back Home

Back from Orlando, was a long week.  The conference was good.  Spoke to lots of people.  But glad its done. I feel bad but when I get home I don’t want to talk to anyone.  Just want to go in an isolation tank.  Right now that isolation tank is my backyard.

This pix is from our recent makeover of the backyard. Truly a wonderful retreat.  Still lots to do but right now my goal is just to keep everything alive, and from there we will plan the next step.

I”m home for this week, then off to Syracuse, NY on Monday. Hoping the snow stays away so i can get there and do the presentation and leave that same day.

Starting New

Inspired by Meghan to work on this blog a bit more.  Going to try for an entry a week.  And keep a focus on “life’s mysteries”.  The goal,  to chronicle one’s life.

So to date. Fred is cancer free, however he still in quite a bit of pain.  Possibly the most pain is caused by the lack of responsiveness from his cancer doctor.  He has an appointment to interview a 3rd doctor. Hoping to find someone who can give us a bit more time, and a few answers.

Currently he is still in pain, which we think is from the past set of bladder treatments. That was about four months ago.  The doctor at Sloan Kettering told him to not do any treatments until after he sees him again in March, because his  bladder was too ripped up for any additional preventative treatments.  I think it’s still from that, but every time he has to go to the bathroom, he really is in quite a bit of pain.  Monday is an appointment with a new doctor, we are hoping for a good meeting.

Other than that we are trying to put the pain to the side as much as possible.  Fred has joined a “wellness” group with Gilda’s Club.  I will be calling to join the support group for caregivers.  It’s been a tough year, and even with the news of “no cancer” we still seem to be waiting for the next doctor visit which will eventually tell us it returned.  It’s been tough, not having it be at the forefront, especially with the constant pain he is feeling.  He’s not the same guy that he was a year ago when he was diagnosed.  And I guess that is also something I need to learn to accept.

Hope for good things with Gilda’s Club.

Finished a weekend with Meghan, Zack, and the ever amazing Dash.  Wow.  Was an amazing weekend and was so much more emotional for me than I thought it would be.  But was great.

Tomorrow I am off to Orlando.  A 3 night / 4 day conference.  Will be just fine.  Might be nice to get a way for a few days.

Update

I would have some pictures of the pool.  I just got done cooling off after working in the yard. But since we were robbed I began hiding our smaller electronics, one being my digital camera.  Low and behold it is gone. I can not find it at all.  So i am now off to the store to buy a new one.  At least I have an excuse to update my digital camera.

Fred began his “preventative” treatments.  What we thought would be 3 sessions has turned into six.  That is ok.  We feel like we are actually doing something.  These will continue through october. He will then need to wait 4 weeks before he heads to NYC.  From there we will wait to see what happens next.

All for now.  Pix with new camera soon to follow.

We Begin Again

Seems like the pool was put on hold a bit with all the other stuff going on in our lives.  But it begins again today.  And we are near completion.  There is no love lost with us and this pool company.  And there are a few things we will have to pay a contractor to come in and fix eventually, but since we are near I just want them out of our lives.

Today they are pouring the “diamond brite” pool coating and then we begin filling the pool.  Our pool only hold about 4,985 gallons of water, which means we should be able to fill it before night fall.  We just turn on the garden hose and fill the pool.  It should only cost us about 175 dollars.  So better than i thought.

Here are some pictures as they begin the work, maybe as they DON”T begin to work.

We Were Robbed!

Well it’s been a tough couple of weeks.  We were at a movie, and our house was burglarized.  This was about two and half weeks ago.  We had the home alarm set, which probably is why they only took our computers.  Or maybe that is all they were wanting.  The alarm company sent in the emergency call to police department at 9:35 and they were at our house 20 minutes later.  I’m not sure if that response time would be considered good, but none the less.  They took both my work computers, my back up hard drive (!@!) and then Fred’s computer.  Other than that, the house was untouched.  They popped a deadbolt on the bedroom door, that was not installed properly, we come to find out.

However, all in all, and keeping what is important at the forefront of our lives, this is just a small blip on the radar screen of life.  But it’s all ok.  We are spending way too much with increased security and replacing all our locks.  I’m sure it’s what these companies count on, but it does make us feel better that when we leave the house for the evening, we will come back to all our stuff.

Update

Just a few things.  One.  Fred is doing better.  Getting stronger each day.  Been a lot of months worrying about this cancer.  But we are on a break from it until November.  He is working on scheduling the next visit, we are hoping around November 1.  Hoping for the best.

Pool is moving along.  They placed in the pavers for the decking.  We like it so far.  There are some areas they need to improve. Try again.  We are waiting for an update on the electrical in our house, that will take place next week.  And then they plan to put in the pump and water.  Maybe by the end of next week.  But somehow I think it will take a few more weeks.  I’m ready to overlook some of the stone work on the pavers, but Fred is not.  So that is a good thing.  He can take over from here. I’ve been in charge of all the pool decisions, since we started.  He got his cancer disgnosis about the second day after we signed the pool contract.  So now that he is doing better, he can take over from here.  I’m starting to lose steam.  here are a few pictures.  More to come.

Back At Home

I have returned from Berkley, California.  And Fred returned from NYC.  I arrived on a red eye Saturday morning, at 8:30 a.m.  Fred arrived on his flight at 3:30 p.m.  So I had a chance to catch a few winks before I was back at the airport.

I am here until Wednesday then off to Atlanta.  Fred should get his biopsy results on Thursday or Friday, so then we’ll see what the next step is for him.  If we do another round of immuno-therapy then we are going to stay here.  And he will receive the treatment here.  If surgery is needed to remove his bladder, then we will back in NYC for a while.  Will let you all know.

Fred sure wants to thank everyone for all the emails. I know he really appreciates it.

love you all.  More pool pix to follow.

Pool Fairies were here

The pool keeps on trucking along, even though we were not here last week.  And I am really happy how it’s going.  While we were gone they added the coping around the pool, and then our tile.  They also backfilled the pool and took away the wood frame.

Soon they will begin the plumbing for the pump and the electricity.  I think that might be next week.  Then the week after that they will be laying the pavers around the pool.  We are holding off on the landscaping until the pool is done.  Want to see what we have left and where we want to put plants.  We got an upgrade on the pool pump, so we only have to clean it one time a year, versus every two weeks.  And well that is almost 4 feet high and will sit near the fence, on a 4×4 slab.  We will definitely want to do some lanscaping hide that.  But again, will wait until we see it finished.  Here is the pool as it sits now. I was in it early today, looking around.

we hope to be finished in 3 to 4 weeks.  not sure how realistic that is, but we hope it’s finished by then!

Catching up

An interesting news clip.  Bob Scheiffer had bladder cancer.  It’s a video clip and story.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/08/05/eveningnews/main6747445.shtml

Sorry for that delay in posting.  As all of you know we were in NYC at Sloane Kettering Hosptial this past week.  Fred is still there.  He will have another biopsy on Thursday, August 11th.  His cousin Eve (like a sister, they grew up together, across the hall from each other) and his son Russell will be there. I will be in Houston for part of the week and then in Oakland, CA for the rest of the week.  We will meet back in Florida on August 16th.  Monday.  Just could not change my work schedule.

This is his 3rd biopsy.  Dr. Herr, which we like a lot, well for all the 12 minutes we spoke with him, needs to take his own tissue samples.  Biopsy is on Aug. 11th.  We will hear results around the 20th of August.  I’ll be in Atlanta, but then home that night.

We have no idea of what the results will bring.  We feel hopeful from this past week.  But results of biopsy will either allow another six week trial of BCG’s or a cystectomy (remove the bladder).

We are hoping for the best, but feel reassured with the care he is getting at Sloane Kettering is the best.  Fred went through a series of pre-op tests the other day and said he had never met such nice people at every turn when at Sloane Kettering .  It’s a large campus.  Spread out over a lot of blocks. They have a shuttle service to take you between buildings.  It’s a factory that is for sure, but they see and treat a lot of people with cancer.  We really felt they knew what they were doing.

So that is it for now.

The Pool has Landed

So they started this morning. And the pool is dug and framed.  Tomorrow the steel guy comes and does steel like stuff.  Inspector comes on Wednesday, and then Thursday or Friday they pour the gunite.  Which I think is a concrete like substance.  The gunite has to sit for 28 days.  Here are some pix.

Fred also wants to thank everyone for the support he had from the family.  Meant a lot to him.  We are waiting for final word on the pathology report but again, we think it’s all gonna come back with great improvements.  Still minute amounts of cancer, but seems like they can continue to treat with the immuno-therapy.   And the pool will also help greatly!!!