I'm done with chemo

I finished chemo with flying colors. Dr said my labs looked good. Now I've got a number if appointments lined up for the next two weeks to determine the next step. I hope I'm ready for surgery. Oh and I plan to grow a giant beard to make up for having no hair for the last 4 months. With that said I'd like some eyebrows and eyelashes please.

mmmmm Beer

I'm having my first beer in probably the last year. Ice cold bottle of Erebuni imported from Armenia. BTW I'm at Rafi kabob waiting patiently for my food. My idea of heaven.

I think the chemo caught up with me

This week I've been feeling nauseous and running to the bathroom to pray to the porcelain gods. It's not a fun week. Can't wait for this to end. I need to be good for Elina's b-day next weekend.

1 more chemo day left

I can't believe I've come so far. I've got one more chemo day left next Monday. Then we cross our fingers and hope I'm ready for surgery.

3 days of fun

These last 3 days have been a blast. I've been busy hanging out with friends and family. I've noticed I do better when I'm surrounded by family and friends. Yeah I have my pain but overall I've been eating better and been more active. Thanks to everyone I've seen this weekend.

I miss it

The minute I'm able to run, jump and crawl I'm going paintballing. This cancer is interfering with my fun.

bouncy bouncy

Here's a pic of my Jeep. This should be a fun toy.

Thanks but no thanks USC

Today I asked USC if they could make an exception to their policy and defer my MBA until 2013. They said no and offered to make an exception and return my $1500 deposit. Then I can re-apply from scratch next year if I'm well. That's not what I asked for. I guess when you're USC and you have warm bodies lined up to come to your school you don't need a cancer sob story. I told them never mind. I'll come to class sick.

Live your life to the fullest they say

So I told my mom about my coworker passing away and you know what she said. She told me to go enjoy my life and do everything I want to do.

So in that case I'm buying a slightly older Wrangler to enjoy with my fiancé. We're gonna lift it and use it for the beach and camping trips this summer. Then this coming winter I hope to drive to Mammoth with it. I've needed a 4x4 for a long time.

I died and went to heaven

This weekend I dropped $100 on my oyster appetizer, 8oz fillet, 16oz lobster, glass of wine and Creme Brûlée at Taps. I needed this. It's been too long.

Cancer does it again

Today I learned that one of my co-workers from Boeing lost his battle with brain, lung, and stomach cancer. He was 54 and had a 12 year old daughter. From what I've been told he knew it was coming.

As close as this hits to home with me, I can't imagine being in his shoes.

I probably haven't said this but I might have been in his situation if I didn't have my fiancé, my family and my friends to support me and give me the love, attention and energy I need to battle my disease. Thank you for staying by my side.

My Dr said

I ran into my Dr on my way out of the hospital yesterday and the first words out of his mouth were hi, you look good. I've heard this I look good comment before and I don't get it. What part looks good, the bald head? The dark circles around my eyes? My hairless goatee or my eyebrows and eye lashes that are disappearing? I just don't get it. Yeah I feel good but I don't see anything good looking. I'll stop bitching now.

Chemo #5

Yesterday ends my 5th chemo session. So far so good. In 2 weeks I start my 6th and final chemo. Then if things go well we go into surgery. I'm scared.

On the road again

Today I drove my car for the first time since my treatment began. I drove to Glendale from OC. I've never felt so free and normal in the last 3 months. It's an awesome feeling.

Residents

Can't seem to get rid of these useless resident doctors. They come and ask me questions that if they spent any time reading my reports they would know the answer. Then they try to find things wrong with me so they can request useless tests that tell us what we already know. They're trying to make a name for themselves so they got their medical book and they're digging for something to do.

Today they wanted to do a chest X-ray to see what's going on with my lungs. Then they wanted more blood work. Not to mention they wanted to take my kidney bandage off and just replace it with another bandage. They wanted to see how the infection is on my right kidney tube. First of all this isn't a paper cut. It's a hole in my body going all the way into my kidney. There's protocol and procedures for replacing these bandages. You need sterile gloves and 3-4 diff cleaning and disinfecting agents every time you replace one. They were going to treat it like a regular bandage. Peel the old one off and stick on the new one. I don't think so.

I gotta thank my fiancé on this one. I was in the restroom and all I hear is my fiancé giving them an earful about how this kind of incompetence landed me in the hospital for 10 days. So when I came out I told them they are not touching me until they talk to my Dr. If my Dr said its Ok then it's ok. If not then no. I told them not to come back until they get their facts straight and they talk to my Dr. So what happens, I call my Dr as soon as they leave and my Dr says no matter what they want to do I'm getting chemo as planned and as written in a report which these idiots haven't read. So really they are wasting their time. Half hour later the useless Dr comes to tell me she talked to my Dr and we're not doing any of the tests. Well duh.

So my chemo started as planned and "knock on wood" everything is ok.

My Dr knows I have a cough and a infection. That's why I'm on antibiotics. These residents don't know enough and don't care. Based on my experience I'm scared of what the future holds. These are next generations doctors.

CT scan results

I got my CT scan results and it shows signs of improvement. We're going to continue chemo today.