well, contrary to recent episodes, I AM still alive ! ... but, a lot has been going on since my last post ...
my last few attempts to enter a new post were blocked, evidently because I was using a wifi connection from my hospital room ... it had objection to my 'server', so that's my best guess ... back home now, it's working for me again ...
every month I have a general checkup with my cancer Dr., run blood labs, and get an 'Xgeva' shot ... 'Xgeva' is a very expensive shot that does a pretty good job of preventing the cancer from further invasion into bones ... I previously had a large cancer tumor that had eaten away most of the femur, to the point of it close to breaking the rest of the way ... now, I have a titanium rod from hip to knee, to reinforce it ... the '6 Million $$ Man', haha ...
anyway, after the appointment, I went to the local COSTCO store, where I get my prescriptions filled, they are WAY cheaper than anyone else around here (for example, they charge me less than $40 per month for my morphine pills, compared to other pharmacies that are anywhere from $120 - $250 for the identical scrip), it's just crazy how much the prices vary ...
since it's a narcotic drug, I have to 'walk' the prescription in, it can't be faxed, etc., so after driving out to my Dr. for the papers, I have to drive back to COSTCO, and wait while they fill it ...
I arrived at COSTCO feeling just fine, I have been in very good condition lately, but I still wait and grab one of the little electric carts they provide for us cripples ... after dropping off my scrip at the pharmacy window, I ride back to the stacks of bottled water, and lift a couple large bundles into the front basket of the cart ... while they are pretty heavy, I felt no discomfort lifting them in, and returned to the pharmacy desk ...
about 1/2 way there, suddenly it was like I was stabbed in the area of my right kidney (or, where my kidney WAS, as it was removed a few years ago, victim of a large cancer tumor), man it HURT ! ya hear me ? ... BADASS PAIN is the best way to describe it, like a big hunting knife was plunged into my back ... it flat took the wind out of me, and I was doubled over on the cart ... someone came up and asked if I was all right ...
naturally, so as to not sully my Superman rep, I said "I'm OK", and drove on ...
getting near the pharmacy counter, it hit again, and this time, when someone asked if I was OK, I said, "I'm gonna need an ambulance" ... to hell with this Superman crap ! ...
maybe it was a Kryptonite knife ??
thank God, it seemed like the ambulance got there instantly, and took me to Enloe Hospital in Chico, CA ...
there I spent the next 8 days in Intensive Care, while a tumor in my adrenal gland was bleeding internally ... that was the cause of the pain, they said ... I'm guessing when I lifted the cases of bottled water into the cart, the strain must have burst the tumor ...
emergency surgery was performed to place a stent in some artery feeding the kidney, I guess ... the theory was the increased blood flow may clot quicker, and slow the bleeding ... or, I would quickly be dead ...
with the bleeding probably slowed, I was kept in Intensive Care for 8 days, where they treated me very well, Enloe Hospital was a very good place for me to be, no doubt about it ...
after I was considered stable, I was sent to Paradise, CA's Feather River Hospital Hospice ... Feather River Hospital, you may remember, is the most hated medical facility I have ever in my life been subject to ... and, I've been in a LOT of hospitals ...
just to be clear, the regular hospital part isn't too bad, (I give it a 5), but their Emergency Ward division is a disgrace that seriously needs to be shut down ... that's not just my opinion, there have been a few Doctors on staff there over the years, that have made efforts to clean it up, but never followed through ...
that brings us to their Hospice ... the Feather River Hospice is a strong 11 on a scale of 10 ! ... they are priceless , and the Doctor in charge of the Hospice, a Dr. An, is a wonderful man, human being, and Doctor ! ... truly, I cannot say enough good things about them in general, and Dr. An in particular ...
I was in their Hospice unit, a separate facility altogether, it is several blocks away from the hospital on their own grounds, etc. ... it has 6 rooms, 6 terminal patients at a time, with around the clock care that is second to none ... I was there for 3 weeks, 22 days, I think ...
feeling I was once again stable, I was released to go home for in-home hospice care ... when signing me out, Dr. An told me I was admitted from Enloe with a prognosis to be dead in 2-3 days ... I was unaware of this at the time (I mean, they could have just asked me, hahaha) ... actually, I have felt a LOT worse before, and survived, so that surprised me ...
now, I am once again home, living with my wonderful, loyal and reliable girlfriend of over 12 years, and she takes super care of me ... (from Superman, to Super Care !) ...
I've been home just over a week, now ... I haven't been out of bed much, as I'm a bit wobbly, and the last thing I need, is to fall on my ass ! ...
I'm on a morphine pump that supplies me constantly, plus a button for an extra burst if needed ... also I'm on methadone, which is a pill ... we are slowly reducing the morphine dosage while raising the methadone dosage, to hopefully get me off the pump, and onto the pills ... much more convenient, it's a drag with these hoses and wires dangling off me ...
I'm doing real well so far, the methadone relieves the pain and leaves me much more clear-headed, while the morphine makes me dopey and stupid (now I know how Liberals must feel) ...
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a couple days ago the Pastor of my church volunteered to help me sell my dear van, 'Lucille2', my prized toy, I loved that van ! ... I said when I bought it, it would be the last vehicle I'd ever own, how's that for accuracy ?
after driving it to town, he called me up, and said he wanted to buy it ! ... I can't tell you how happy I am to have him wind up with her, as I was sick with the thought of selling my beloved van to a stranger ... friends that know me, know how seriously I took the maintenance of my van ... while I am a slacker when it comes to waxing and polishing (stupid, I know, it's like cosmetics come second to maintenance with me), I do my best to help them run forever, I can't afford to buy replacements, ya know ? ... it's sure been a great truck, just turned 80,000 miles, almost all highway, and never abused ... never, ever ...
I prayed for a long time for the Lord to help me sell my van, as the proceeds from it are all I have to leave to my girlfriend ... she certainly deserves it, just for the way she has stood by me, and all she has put up with ... and, truth be known, she hasn't even gotten to the really bad part yet ... it's no fun watching your loved ones die of cancer ...
true to form, HE has taken care of me again ... again and again, throughout my life, I have dodged death and tragedy, with no other explanation except for the Lord's protective love of me ... I will always be safe, always cared for, and He has a plan for me that I trust in completely ... I couldn't be more serious about that ...
as usual, my simple 'post' has turned into a novel, so I'll try to pick it up again, later ...
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I'll keep trying to post the day-to-day adventures of a dying wildman, hopefully I won't encounter any more difficulties signing in, etc. ... we'll see ...
