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The last 3 weeks have been good. Lots of weekly blood work, lots of YouTube videos. I watched an amazing series on Netflix, Poldark. Highly recommend. I got into watching an oldie but goodie, Babish videos. I also love watching Matt’s Offroad Recovery and Laura Farms. Great channels to pass the time. I’ve been doing my normal workflow. Orders, processing, etc.

I started my 5th or 6th round of chemo tonight. I can’t remember. I’m trying something a bit different with my meds. The zofran is 3x a day as needed. I filled my pillbox with lunch and dinner dosages, skipping the zofran at breakfast. Trying to help my constipation from it. We will see how it goes.

Big decision time. I received a notice in the mail that my health insurance is ready to renew. Great, I log in and see my premium went from $587/month to $840/month. I self-pay as my work doesn’t offer any assistance. My payroll company doesn’t either. I can’t join a group plan; this is nothing new. It’s always been like this. Now how is this affordable? When the ACA was first passed, I was paying around $150/month. This is hardly affordable now. Here’s the awful decision I was forced to make. I can’t afford to have health insurance. I can’t afford to not have it. What to do? We already scrimp and save as much as possible. I have to choose between a car and insurance. I can’t afford both. Since I’m not driving anymore, the decision was easy. Let the Jeep go. I wanted to cry all week having this looming over my head. I’ve only driven once in the past 7-8 months since diagnosis. It’s not safe for me to drive. I feel like I’m DUI when I’m just walking. It would not be safe for me to put others at risk either. We will make it work. Have you had to make a decision of this magnitude? It stinks; it’s BS. I love that truck. I love living more though. I’d rather be here. I can’t live without treatment. I can live without a car. Other insurance plans may be cheaper, but by $50 or so. Will my treatment center accept different insurance? I’m sure they will. The savings of switching companies aren’t enough for me to risk. Currently, my treatments are covered and all my prescriptions are covered. I’d rather stay with a higher premium, I suppose, than have worry over my head. Ugh, this sucks. Cancer freaking sucks. The insurance game is a joke. But here we are, surviving and managing. Am I thriving? I don’t know, but I’m surviving; that’s all I can ask for right now.

I told my wife, “You better kiss me before I start my chemo meds.” I stole some kisses from my kitties today as well.

So that’s the update, shitty but here we are.

Thanks for stopping by!
~Bruce

I’ve been doing my usual daily routine. I get up, have breakfast, and watch the news. Feeling terrible for Jamaica with Melissa closing in.

I’ve been teaching my wife some recipes for dinner. Easy one-pot, 30-minute or less healthy meals. I have not been able to cook lately. I get the ingredients ordered and prepped, but my wife has taken over the cooking responsibilities, and let me tell you, it’s been delicious. I still get to express my creativity with the meal planning and prep; I just can’t stand there to cook. I can do all the veggie chopping and seasonings for liquids. She follows my instructions, and it’s like I haven’t stopped. This weekend we prepped some pot roast and had that for the last two nights. It was delish. The sauce was luscious and rich. I’m proud of her. Tonight we are having a type of sweet and sour chicken with peppers, onions, pineapple, and sticky rice. I’ve been working out the recipe in my head for the last couple of days. It should be yummy.

I’m about two weeks out from my last chemo round, and I have to say the week of it was brutal. Lots of weakness in my legs. Some brain fog. I hate being constipated from the Zofran. But I won’t trade it for the nausea and vomiting. That sucks.

Today is Tuesday, meaning bloodwork. We made it on time, but the lab was about a half an hour behind. Not too bad; usually, we only have to wait like 5 minutes. My specialty pharmacy was texting me overnight regarding my next refill. I pushed it through, not sure when it will arrive. My next round starts November 4th. I’ll have to let the medical oncologist know when that starts to see if my bloodwork is okay for the next round of chemo.

Thanks for stopping by!
~Bruce

I started my 4th round of chemo on Sunday. It’s a much higher dose of the TMZ. Last round I was on 350mg. This round is 480mg. I was okay Sunday and Monday. I went for my weekly bloodwork today. Fatigue is awful. I have some little dark spots developing on my right arm. I have had it before with previous rounds of chemo. I’m not too concerned about the spots. They go away. My jaw is sore at the hinge. My teeth get so cold sensitive during chemo week. That started today. My appetite is fine. No nausea as long as I stay on the Zofran. Constipation is present. The nurse at my medical oncologist’s office said that is from the Zofran.

Today is my 3rd day on the chemo dose. 2 more after today. Can’t wait to finish this round. Hopefully, all these symptoms will stay the same or lessen. I’m so tired today and the day has just begun.

I’m not the woe-is-me type of guy, but this week is kicking my behind. I try to stay positive throughout all the tests and blood draws, etc. It can be overwhelming. Stay positive and have faith. That’s what I keep telling myself today.

I recently started giving my wife some cooking lessons on some of my quick easy recipes. Sunday she made an Italian-style tortellini soup. We had that for two nights. It was delicious. Tonight I am teaching her a quick egg roll bowl recipe. Super easy, super cheap to make, and no carbs. WW approved meal, very low points. I’m glad my wife is up to cooking. It’s nice having a home-cooked meal and not a sodium-riddled frozen dinner or salad every night.

So that’s my week thus far. It’s been a toughie. I’ll make it through like any other week/obstacle. The weather has been nice. 60’s in the morning. I was a bit chilly when we left for blood work today. I saw a meme on FB that called it Florida’s False Fall. We’ll probably be back in the 90’s next week.

Thank you for stopping by!
~Bruce

I had another MRI yesterday at a different location than we are used to. The MRI was easy and only took about 45 minutes. My patient portal showed the appointment was at 12:30. I checked the time again yesterday for the address to load into my Google Maps, and the time changed to 12 noon. They didn’t inform me of any change, so we just had to put a little more pep in our step to get there on time.

Now the meat of it. I had an appointment with my medical oncologist 90 minutes after the MRI. We went to the cafeteria and had lunch while we waited. We finished and made our way to the doctor’s appointment. All was good. The staff was so kind, coming in to check on us. It makes for an easy appointment having such caring staff. The doctor comes in and gives us the news. There has been 1 cm of shrinkage! This is major. 1 cm may not seem too big in the scope of things, but it is massive in regard to the size of my tumor. In March, it was measured at 6.1 cm. Yesterday it was 5.1 cm. Huge difference. I’ll post the pic of the scans since the beginning. Top left is the current, and bottom right is the initial. Amazing news.

I am also scheduled to start my 4th round of chemo. There is an increase in the dosage with the steroid weight gain. I won’t forget my Zofran anti-nausea pills this time. That was a nauseous nightmare not having the anti-nausea meds in my system.

Every morning and night before I get up and before I go to bed, I pray for stability/shrinkage of the tumor, aka Rudy. We would like to see him dissolve more. I feel like it is working. Please keep your positive vibes and prayers coming my way.

Scanxiety got me for a week prior to yesterday’s MRI. I was so nervous to hear the results. My wife asked me the night before if everything was okay. She could read my face like a book. I told her I was nervous about the scan, and she understood. I feel like I am on a good path with the recent scan. I am hopeful to continue down this positive path.

Another one down, on to the next. Chemo meds are ordered and will arrive Friday for my next round. I’m due to start that on the 12th.

Thank you for stopping by!
~Bruce

This week has been okay. The chemo really got me exhausted Thursday. I slept a lot. I didn’t realize it was knocking me out until I woke up. Today, Friday, would be my last day on this round of 5/23. No nausea this round. I’ve been taking the Zofran as directed. It really does help. I had blood work Tuesday like every week. We stopped for a breakfast sandwich afterward. The coffee was so good. A cold brew with cold foam and toffee bits atop. Delicious.

We have a new kitty coming Sunday. His name is Leo. We’re calling him Uncle Leo as he will be the boys’ uncle. The person who had him before us is moving into a place where she can’t keep him. It’s a sad situation, but we are happy to be able to help out. I hope the transition and introductions go smoothly. It’s not the first time we’ve introduced a new member to the family. But it can be stressful for the kitties and the humans. I asked the previous owner to sleep with or keep a towel or washcloth with their scent to allow for soothing familiarity for Leo. I’m not too worried about the introductions. Our boy Pancake is very open to new members of the family. Chip can be a brat at times. Leo comes from a house where he is the only cat. This only slightly worries me because he hasn’t had cat friends before. He should be fine though; from what I hear, he is a pretty calm and chill boy. He is a chunky slow boy, so we will have to get that weight down. He’s going to be my in-laws’ cat. They are familiar with him, and he with them.

So that’s my week. It’s been good except for the fatigue yesterday. Hope y’all are doing well.

Thanks for stopping by!
~Bruce

Getting to the lab was a breeze today. Not too much traffic. I noticed there was a fast food restaurant with a new iced coffee drink. It piqued my interest, so we stopped on the way back. It was delicious. Salted caramel toffee iced coffee. Yum. It really hit the spot. It went down so quick and smooth.

Today I receive my 2nd round of 5/23 chemo via UPS. It will be my third round of chemo. I start that next Monday. I won’t be forgetting the Zofran this round. I hated being nauseous last time. I only vomited once, but that was enough to ensure I take my meds.

The lab techs love me. They all know my name. They’re all happy to see me and my wife. They love her hair. Every outing, we have someone who compliments her hair color. I’m not jealous lol. I have a Pac-Man tattoo. That gets me compliments a lot. Not as much as her hair, though. I think it’s cute that many people say something about it.

The cats have been good lately; the big one had an upset tummy yesterday and vomited a couple of times. Today he seems good. Sometimes I think he overeats and forgets he just ate, and then barfs. Chip has been wanting to roam each night. Usually, he goes in his room and has a calm evening. The last few nights he hasn’t wanted this. Last night was a calm, structured night for him. I got up around 4:45 to go pee, and he heard me. He puts out a baby cry to get his way. We let him out then. Prior to this week, he would get up around 1-3 am and ask to come out early. No problem; he’s a good boy most days. It was nice to not hear it at 1 am.

That’s about it for this week’s update.
Thanks for stopping by!
~Bruce

Today I treated myself to a much overdue haircut. High and tight was the answer. The question, how long will this mop get? I feel so much better having a nice fade again. It’s been months. My wife drove me down for the appointment. She got to meet my stylist. Instant friends, love that. I had a huge bald spot in the back from the radiation. My hair was long in all the other areas. It looked worse than a bad toupee. The hair was hanging over the bald area. Awful. Skin fade and longer on top. She really hit the nail on the head.

After the cut, we went to the job and I signed some checks and rolled around the shop to see what all I couldn’t see on reorder reports. I have an idea of fill-in orders to plump up some inventory. We need it. It was a nice adventure out for a few hours. Nice time spent with my main squeeze. It was nice riding somewhere other than a blood work appointment. That’s tomorrow morning anyway. More blood work, but that can wait till the morrow. I’m done for the day. It took a lot out of me and I’m pretty tired. Tonight we are just going to have a quick meal I can throw in the oven.

Thanks for stopping by!
~Bruce

This week has been a normal week. Wake up, get ready, blood work on Tuesday, rinse and repeat. It’s nice being off the chemo meds again. The first night I had some nausea and vomiting with the higher dose. I also forgot to take the Zofran. That I won’t forget again. After that, it sailed by. This week without the chemo has been wonderful. Chemo constipation is a real thing. I’ve gone so much this week lol.

I may have mentioned in a previous post, but I can’t recall. My docs started me on Ativan to help with the vertigo. I’m not too sure it is helping relieve it or not. I do know it makes me drowsy about an hour after I take it. I figured I’ll just take it with my morning pills, so if I fall asleep, it’s an early nap instead of a midday or afternoon nap. Not that that matters anyway. I can nap at the drop of a hat lately. I have noticed when stepping down my steroid, my symptoms worsen. More vertigo and unsteadiness. It’s a constant back and forth between messaging my nurse and getting orders to go back up. It seems I can’t get below 5mg without the dizziness just taking over. Why do they keep urging me to taper down my steroid? It helps keep me level.

My boys haven’t been abandoning me as much these past couple of weeks. They have been with me most afternoons and hanging out to nap with daddy. I love having them here with me even though it’s at arm’s distance. My wife has been such a rock. She has been doing so much to help me out. She is truly my caregiver. She won’t let me do too much, but I also don’t want to burn her out. I am very appreciative of all she does for me. She has a lot on her plate with the boys and me.

I scheduled a haircut for Monday. It’ll be my first one in 4 or more months. I’m well overdue. I’ve been using a walker to help get around the house and it has been much easier on me physically to move around. Even getting out the door to go to my blood work appointment is easier with the walker. I am much more steady and can move faster. I shouldn’t rush and move fast, but it helps me get by. It’s just cumbersome at times. I ordered a walker bag that attaches on the front so I can get things and carry them with the use of the walker. The cats have been kind of bratty with the walker. They like to “kiss” it and plop down in front of me as I’m walking. Not too safe, and as you know, cats don’t listen, period. Brats!

Thank you for stopping by!
~Bruce

Quick entry. Yesterday was my last day of the 5/23 chemo dose. So glad to be done with it. My balance has still been off this week. We didn’t have to meal prep any egg bites this weekend. We have a couple of bags in the freezer still and some in the fridge. I got to sleep in until 8 today, which was really nice. Chip wanted to get up at 2 a.m. It’s been a pretty rainy morning today. I like it. Very calming. This weekend and last weekend I switched up lunch for a protein shake. They have kept me satiated.
Thank you for stopping by!
~Bruce

Yesterday was my second dose of the higher chemo meds. I did not forget to take my Zofran. It helped immensely. Zero nausea and vomiting. I was a bit nervous to eat last night. I almost just wanted to have a protein shake, but I thought to myself, no, that lasagna is worth it. So I powered through and ate.

Be sure to follow your doctors’ and nurses’ orders. Don’t forget a medication that is prescribed. They help. My wife told her best friend about my situation and the nausea, and her response was, “Oh no. Zofran was a Godsend. It kept the nausea and sickness away.” I also had a bunch of water with the Nectar Hydration packs. I think I had 3 yesterday. Today, I had 4.

My day today was light and easy. Not much to do. I did some sitting exercises and standing exercises. I prepared my breakfast with no difficulty. The higher dose of steroids has helped me regain some balance that I had lost with the lower dose.

Last night, I was frustrated with a local Jeep dealership. I went on a social media blast campaign to light a fire, as I have been trying to resolve a Gap insurance refund since May. I lemon-lawed my Grand Cherokee earlier this year, and they all but ignored my correspondence. Let’s take it to social media. Finally, someone reached out, and I got some headway with them. They’re finally returning my Gap insurance. Annoying, but these are the hurdles I had to jump through. Thankfully, getting the ball rolling via a social media blast was easier than trying to just get it done normally and nicely. I guess nice guys finish last.

Only a few more days of Chemo doses left. I can’t wait to be off it. The nerves of not knowing whether I will be sick are getting to me. I keep some Emesis bags nearby. Haven’t had to use them today or yesterday. Just the first day.

Thank you for stopping by!
~Bruce