it was such a long trip back we decided to buy a car.
Honda Fit here we come
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Friday, February 09, 2007
Another day - another ban
It seems that the US's ability to justify anything from war through to the banning of pink fluffy bunny slippers in public places by means of using a quick chart knocked up in Excel continues.
Today Philly voted to join New York City in banning transfats from restaurant menus. Now transfats are bad. They make you fat. They clog your arteries. They may well give you cancer. They do terrible things to the nation's healthcare system. That said they do store well at ambient temperatures and don't look runny when you take the top off your margerine in the morning.
I'm all for warning people about the dangers of transfats. And all for telling people when transfats are in the food that they're eating... but a ban? really?
I can understand a ban on smoking in public places. Smoke drifts. It gets into other people's hair and clothing and lungs and leaves them feeling like an ashtray. It's a health hazzard that spreads indiscriminately - so great ban it to protect the people who haven't chiosen to smoke from its nasty side effects.
But to the best of my knowledge the inside of my Custard Cream biscuit (100% transfat) does not wander around the restaurant smearing itself upon people's hair and clothes and finding a way into their lungs and bloodstream. No it's contained (deliciously between layers of crispy biscuit) and thus I should be free to eat it - having made a choice based on the fact of what's in it and my own particular weakness for 'cream' filled biscuits.
So Philly, City of Brotherly Love - get off your high horses and stick to label warnings - or the next thing you'll be banning might be gypsies... and you know where that leads....
Today Philly voted to join New York City in banning transfats from restaurant menus. Now transfats are bad. They make you fat. They clog your arteries. They may well give you cancer. They do terrible things to the nation's healthcare system. That said they do store well at ambient temperatures and don't look runny when you take the top off your margerine in the morning.
I'm all for warning people about the dangers of transfats. And all for telling people when transfats are in the food that they're eating... but a ban? really?
I can understand a ban on smoking in public places. Smoke drifts. It gets into other people's hair and clothing and lungs and leaves them feeling like an ashtray. It's a health hazzard that spreads indiscriminately - so great ban it to protect the people who haven't chiosen to smoke from its nasty side effects.
But to the best of my knowledge the inside of my Custard Cream biscuit (100% transfat) does not wander around the restaurant smearing itself upon people's hair and clothes and finding a way into their lungs and bloodstream. No it's contained (deliciously between layers of crispy biscuit) and thus I should be free to eat it - having made a choice based on the fact of what's in it and my own particular weakness for 'cream' filled biscuits.
So Philly, City of Brotherly Love - get off your high horses and stick to label warnings - or the next thing you'll be banning might be gypsies... and you know where that leads....
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Oh well
I woke this morning full of expectation... last night I'd turned on the $5 Craigslist bread machine and I was expecting an oaty, slightly crunchy loaf this morning.
Alas I think that I may have gone heavy on the oats as what I have instead is a loaf that looks like the surface of a witch's nose, cuts with a crack like the earth itself splitting and a taste somewhere between honey and hemp. Oh well it was an experiement in middle class noddling doomed to fail from the beginning.
I do love the way that once essential working class skills are now becoming middle class hobbies or even eyebrow raised hipster entertainment. Baking, knitting, sewing (even cooking) - they're all now genteel or drunken pastimes rather than the essential tools in the housewife's armoury.
Oddly they're skills that Judith seems to miraculously possess - along with the ability to fix a puncture, speak almost any language thrown at her, paint, draw, handle statistical models that prove eye wateringly complex at second view, handle animals, hack up donkeys and of course the essential ability to program the DVR without erasing any of my crap reality shows (Top Design, Survivor, Amazing Race, Beauty and the Geek...)
I only the other hand am a whizz with shaded arrows in powerpoint
Alas I think that I may have gone heavy on the oats as what I have instead is a loaf that looks like the surface of a witch's nose, cuts with a crack like the earth itself splitting and a taste somewhere between honey and hemp. Oh well it was an experiement in middle class noddling doomed to fail from the beginning.
I do love the way that once essential working class skills are now becoming middle class hobbies or even eyebrow raised hipster entertainment. Baking, knitting, sewing (even cooking) - they're all now genteel or drunken pastimes rather than the essential tools in the housewife's armoury.
Oddly they're skills that Judith seems to miraculously possess - along with the ability to fix a puncture, speak almost any language thrown at her, paint, draw, handle statistical models that prove eye wateringly complex at second view, handle animals, hack up donkeys and of course the essential ability to program the DVR without erasing any of my crap reality shows (Top Design, Survivor, Amazing Race, Beauty and the Geek...)
I only the other hand am a whizz with shaded arrows in powerpoint
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Thinking of warmer climes
With the winter continuing its brutal onslaught (-11c outside right now) and with Jude getting closer to completion of her PhD it's time to start thinking about how much of the summer we can spend together and where that time might be spent.
To date there's time in the diary for Jude and her mom to take off in May to a Caribbean island somewhere. A sort of celebration of freedom from the tyranny of deadlines. After which Jude has booked herself close to eight weeks in Africa. All in that means her being away from the middle of May through to the end of July. A long old time. More time than I have vacation. Which is why I need to choose carefully.
My ideal would be to head off mid May for Caribbean sun and then early July for African winter. That way we don't spend much more than 4 weeks at a time apart. Manageable for all, you'd hope.
Still it's nice to have one eye on the sun (even if the other is on the bank balance) when all that you see outside is grey and icy
To date there's time in the diary for Jude and her mom to take off in May to a Caribbean island somewhere. A sort of celebration of freedom from the tyranny of deadlines. After which Jude has booked herself close to eight weeks in Africa. All in that means her being away from the middle of May through to the end of July. A long old time. More time than I have vacation. Which is why I need to choose carefully.
My ideal would be to head off mid May for Caribbean sun and then early July for African winter. That way we don't spend much more than 4 weeks at a time apart. Manageable for all, you'd hope.
Still it's nice to have one eye on the sun (even if the other is on the bank balance) when all that you see outside is grey and icy
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Poor Velcro
With the temperatures hovering around -10c Velcro isn't getting the walks that she's used to and whilst she's taking it with a stoic resolve there's a spring in her step whenever we do venture out that leaves no doubt as to the fact that whilst it may be too cold for me out there it's walk in the park weather for her
Still she's as cute as a button (whatever the hell that means)
Still she's as cute as a button (whatever the hell that means)
Monday, February 05, 2007
To quote Hannibal
"I love it when a plan comes together"
Ok it's Hannibal Smith from the A Team rather than the great elephant marching general but the quote still holds. Finally have French recruiters and translators working for me and my Paris trip will be something other than disasterous. Hooray.
I guess that the mounting panic I felt was a control thing - I'd sent out the requests, had heard nothing back and was starting to get itchy - as I didn't know what my next move would be. All a little seat of the pants for me; but hey I'm here and pretty 8 days out; which can't be at all bad.
It's -11C outside and thus I am delaying my departure for work for as long as I can. The thought of being stuck on a station platform in this weather is too much to bear. As is the thought of the heating bill which will surely follow. During really cold snaps we spend about $15 a day heating this brick and glass heat sieve.
Still the journey outside cannot and will not be put off forever - and thus I shall end this brief but audible sigh and head for work - wrapped head to knee in goose down (if only we'd bought a bigger goose)
Ok it's Hannibal Smith from the A Team rather than the great elephant marching general but the quote still holds. Finally have French recruiters and translators working for me and my Paris trip will be something other than disasterous. Hooray.
I guess that the mounting panic I felt was a control thing - I'd sent out the requests, had heard nothing back and was starting to get itchy - as I didn't know what my next move would be. All a little seat of the pants for me; but hey I'm here and pretty 8 days out; which can't be at all bad.
It's -11C outside and thus I am delaying my departure for work for as long as I can. The thought of being stuck on a station platform in this weather is too much to bear. As is the thought of the heating bill which will surely follow. During really cold snaps we spend about $15 a day heating this brick and glass heat sieve.
Still the journey outside cannot and will not be put off forever - and thus I shall end this brief but audible sigh and head for work - wrapped head to knee in goose down (if only we'd bought a bigger goose)
Saturday, February 03, 2007
Burning man
I'm thinking of going to BurningMan this year... part Edward Woodward (a man whose name Noel Cowerd said sounded like 'a fart in a bath') Wicker Man horror, part Mad Max desert apocolypse, part hippy festival, part excuse for people to get naked in the desert. The photo ops are amazing and the art is all huge in scale and impact.
That said this is taken from 2005's "Barbie Death Camp & Wine Bistro) a much smaller scale installation than most, but one that's still impactful.
Tickets are a non-hippy friendly $250 and I'd need to get to Nevada but a friend has a Winnibago and a spare ticket and I might just offer to drive across from San Fransisco for the whole thing.
Things to think about
That said this is taken from 2005's "Barbie Death Camp & Wine Bistro) a much smaller scale installation than most, but one that's still impactful.
Tickets are a non-hippy friendly $250 and I'd need to get to Nevada but a friend has a Winnibago and a spare ticket and I might just offer to drive across from San Fransisco for the whole thing.
Things to think about
Thursday, February 01, 2007
I think that this is too stunning a picture
... not to add to my blog. I could do with a little glamor as today felt comfortably mundsane with work slowly coming to life, people coming and going and a very late spicy tofu dinner that I have to say was really rather good.
The day saw me helping a llttle towards some new electronics ideas, had a bunch of students in and ranted endlessly at them, bought them drinks at the bar (they may not have ALL been old enough) and then headed for home and aforementioned spicy tofu stuff.
Breakfast with a recruiter tomorrow (I'm feeding him names, he's keeping me on his radar) then in for lots of company meetings and a lunch with one of the students from tonight (I liked how forward she was, was I ever that confident?)
Now bed is calling (as is Jude) - one more look at this pic and off with me. More profound entries to follow.
The day saw me helping a llttle towards some new electronics ideas, had a bunch of students in and ranted endlessly at them, bought them drinks at the bar (they may not have ALL been old enough) and then headed for home and aforementioned spicy tofu stuff.
Breakfast with a recruiter tomorrow (I'm feeding him names, he's keeping me on his radar) then in for lots of company meetings and a lunch with one of the students from tonight (I liked how forward she was, was I ever that confident?)
Now bed is calling (as is Jude) - one more look at this pic and off with me. More profound entries to follow.
NIce day
Spent the day today talking about new gizmos and gadgets and will spend the evening talking to MA students about advertising.
Bliss
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Weight
I'm reading a book at the moment - not unusual for me I will admit. I rad a lot of books. Or rather I read three quarters of lots of books - either losing them or interest as the days pass and the pages turn. But the book that I'm reading at the moment is a 'look up and realize that you're still on the subway and somewhere in Queens' kind of a book.
It's by Daniel Gilbert (a refreshingly funny pyschologist) and is called "stumbling on happiness)
The font and fronnt quote immediately alerts you that this is a 'Freakonomics' style book - but I find it much more fascinating. Central to the argument at the moment is that we spend half of our time investing in the happiness of a future self who will look back in horror at all that we did (and all that we collected - 'where did this junk come from') and that happiness requires at least the illusion of control.
It's packed with great experiments and nice annecdotes and is quick to dispel advice such as 'live in the moment' as trite, impossible and the recipe for a living limbo that feels a lot like hell (you wanna live in the moment - have a lobotomy)
Anyway the control that I seek most often is over my weight. This is healthier than trying to exert control over somebody else's weight but not a whole family away from anorexia (I have a healthy perspective on my body - I know it's crap right now) but the choosing of a light dinner, my decision to quit drinking, not eat meat and spend at least 30 mins over lunch are all linked, all exercises in control and all investments in my future self.
I'll stop rambling now and have an ultra high fibre breakfast
PS - I LOVE THIS PICTURE, check out more of Esther's work over at flickr
It's by Daniel Gilbert (a refreshingly funny pyschologist) and is called "stumbling on happiness)
The font and fronnt quote immediately alerts you that this is a 'Freakonomics' style book - but I find it much more fascinating. Central to the argument at the moment is that we spend half of our time investing in the happiness of a future self who will look back in horror at all that we did (and all that we collected - 'where did this junk come from') and that happiness requires at least the illusion of control.
It's packed with great experiments and nice annecdotes and is quick to dispel advice such as 'live in the moment' as trite, impossible and the recipe for a living limbo that feels a lot like hell (you wanna live in the moment - have a lobotomy)
Anyway the control that I seek most often is over my weight. This is healthier than trying to exert control over somebody else's weight but not a whole family away from anorexia (I have a healthy perspective on my body - I know it's crap right now) but the choosing of a light dinner, my decision to quit drinking, not eat meat and spend at least 30 mins over lunch are all linked, all exercises in control and all investments in my future self.
I'll stop rambling now and have an ultra high fibre breakfast
PS - I LOVE THIS PICTURE, check out more of Esther's work over at flickr
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Cat Scan!
The CT scans came back clear...
"you're still boring" quoth the Doctor, unimaginatively but with remarkable consistencty
Next one due in April
"you're still boring" quoth the Doctor, unimaginatively but with remarkable consistencty
Next one due in April
Results day
Nasty day today - I have a dentist apppointment this morning - a chip to a tooth that is causing no pain but is making me aware of its presence via a dull throb.
Then it's off to the hospital to get the results of my CT scan. Hopefully it will offer a better result than the one picture here, which I think has some suspicious looking shadows. It's a great image though.
In between I'm writing some recruitment criteria (check) drinking too much coffee (check) and hopefully taking the dog out for a walk in the sub zero temperatures (-3 and sunny as I write)
I think I'll take the camera with me - something tells me that today will be filled with photographic opportunity. My spidey sense is tingling.
Then it's off to the hospital to get the results of my CT scan. Hopefully it will offer a better result than the one picture here, which I think has some suspicious looking shadows. It's a great image though.
In between I'm writing some recruitment criteria (check) drinking too much coffee (check) and hopefully taking the dog out for a walk in the sub zero temperatures (-3 and sunny as I write)
I think I'll take the camera with me - something tells me that today will be filled with photographic opportunity. My spidey sense is tingling.
Monday, January 29, 2007
Way too early
It's Monday morning and I'm up way too early - preparing for a meeting that I won't be running but that feels somehow pivotal to something that has yet to reveal itself.
As I write the car is sitting in front of the screen and the dog, back from daycare and affectionate is retsing her head on my lap. All looks quite idyllic until I turn up covered in cat hair and smelling of dog. Ho-hum.
Okay Velcro needs out and I need to get going - aren't these posts interesting?
As I write the car is sitting in front of the screen and the dog, back from daycare and affectionate is retsing her head on my lap. All looks quite idyllic until I turn up covered in cat hair and smelling of dog. Ho-hum.
Okay Velcro needs out and I need to get going - aren't these posts interesting?
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Back at last
Toronto was fun - if cold. We ended up having to stay a day longer than we wanted to as Air Canada cancelled our flight claiming 'freezing rain' was buggering up their de-icing procedures. No other airline had this problem and later flights took off on time but of course when a delay is weather related the airline doesn't have to compensate its passengers and so we were stuck with a hotel bill and a 9.15am flight home for which Judith was only waitlisted (she was the last person they allowed aboard) and which got us in far too late to meet up with Wahn Yoon and other friends for brunch.
I enjoyed Toronto, it's a cosmoplitan city with a good mix of Europe and the US but visiting did confirm just how hard it's going to be to find a place that isn't going to disappoint after New York. As we decided yesterday - if great jobs came along in Toronto we could move there for them but we wouldn't move to Toronto in search of great jobs.
Busy couple of days coming up. Monday is an all-day meeting at work followed by 'couples drinks' with Faith at her house. Tuesday sees me first at the dentist and then getting the results of my scans. Here's hoping that both go smoothly. We'll see.
I have a 100 things to catch up on here so this will be it for today. More tomorrow
I enjoyed Toronto, it's a cosmoplitan city with a good mix of Europe and the US but visiting did confirm just how hard it's going to be to find a place that isn't going to disappoint after New York. As we decided yesterday - if great jobs came along in Toronto we could move there for them but we wouldn't move to Toronto in search of great jobs.
Busy couple of days coming up. Monday is an all-day meeting at work followed by 'couples drinks' with Faith at her house. Tuesday sees me first at the dentist and then getting the results of my scans. Here's hoping that both go smoothly. We'll see.
I have a 100 things to catch up on here so this will be it for today. More tomorrow
Friday, January 26, 2007
4.28am
And I'm waiting for a cab brave enough to risk the swirling winds and double digit minuses and take me to the airport.
Brrrr
Velcro is at Eva's, the cats I'm not sure about but they certainly see my being up as a proof that it's time they were fed. I bought their silence with some cat milk and will make a run for it before they start to protest again.
Knowing that I had to get up this early made for a very restless night. I woke up at midnight, 2am. 3.30, 3.50 and gave in at 4.10. I will, of course, be absolutely knackered and no use to anyone as of about 9am today. Never allow other people to book your tickets... there's a life lesson.
Still it's good to be getting away - if only for a day or two and I am looking forward to exploring
Hope that you have weekends a little more fun than usual, it's -15C in Toronto so not taking the camera (it'll freeze, the battery will run dry and my fingers will fall off)... back Sturday night anyway
Brrrr
Velcro is at Eva's, the cats I'm not sure about but they certainly see my being up as a proof that it's time they were fed. I bought their silence with some cat milk and will make a run for it before they start to protest again.
Knowing that I had to get up this early made for a very restless night. I woke up at midnight, 2am. 3.30, 3.50 and gave in at 4.10. I will, of course, be absolutely knackered and no use to anyone as of about 9am today. Never allow other people to book your tickets... there's a life lesson.
Still it's good to be getting away - if only for a day or two and I am looking forward to exploring
Hope that you have weekends a little more fun than usual, it's -15C in Toronto so not taking the camera (it'll freeze, the battery will run dry and my fingers will fall off)... back Sturday night anyway
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Here it comes
I'm really hoping that my plane tomorrow morning (it's a 6.15am flight so I need to be at the airport by 4.45am) manages to take off. The Canadian Lakes are gearing up to dump cold air on us and the weather people are gleeful about the soon to be felt high winds, squalls and sub, sub zero temperatures.
We're talking about temps of -12C that feel like temps of -27C. And that's in New York. It will be the coldest day since Jan 2005 and of course it's the day that I need to leave the ground on time. We'll see.
No word on scan results yet but I'm sure that they'll come along in their own sweet time. I'll just add a little sucrose to the mix and hurry sweet time along a little.
More - and more entertaining - later today. It's too early for this.
We're talking about temps of -12C that feel like temps of -27C. And that's in New York. It will be the coldest day since Jan 2005 and of course it's the day that I need to leave the ground on time. We'll see.
No word on scan results yet but I'm sure that they'll come along in their own sweet time. I'll just add a little sucrose to the mix and hurry sweet time along a little.
More - and more entertaining - later today. It's too early for this.
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Gearing up for Toronto
I'm not entirely sure that one gears up for Toronto, I'm told it's too laid back a place for any upward gearing. But I'm looking forward to the trip anyway - despite it having a ridiculously early start. It's gonna be nice to get away and be forced out of my comfortable Friday night rut and into exploring - or as much exploring as the cold allows.
Don't have my scan results yet - which is a good sign I think. Certainly all of my experience points towards a call from the doctor when all isn't well. I do need to call Adela today and set up an appointment to see him between his public speaking and his golfing engagements. That's not fair I know but I think that Thurs is 'clinic day' and I do wonder what he does the rest of the time.
Work is finally weighting up enough that I feel busy, i if not useful. Hard to get used to being the 'know nothing' personin the room and harder still to embrace a process that works at a much slower rate than you like to personally. I can see that it works, I just need to figure out how it's going to work when I run it.
Still worried about my ability to gain weight at the drop of a hat and my inabiliy to grow much hair at all. But the thyroid checked out fine and the scans might offer a clue. As might the fact that the gym sessions have been ramping up and we're looking at muscle building rather than fat burning. Still 5lbs in two days isn't a normal weight gain - unless it's all water, in which case I guess I'm the Dead Sea.
Okay enough of this gloomy noodling - breakfast, dog walk, work
Don't have my scan results yet - which is a good sign I think. Certainly all of my experience points towards a call from the doctor when all isn't well. I do need to call Adela today and set up an appointment to see him between his public speaking and his golfing engagements. That's not fair I know but I think that Thurs is 'clinic day' and I do wonder what he does the rest of the time.
Work is finally weighting up enough that I feel busy, i if not useful. Hard to get used to being the 'know nothing' personin the room and harder still to embrace a process that works at a much slower rate than you like to personally. I can see that it works, I just need to figure out how it's going to work when I run it.
Still worried about my ability to gain weight at the drop of a hat and my inabiliy to grow much hair at all. But the thyroid checked out fine and the scans might offer a clue. As might the fact that the gym sessions have been ramping up and we're looking at muscle building rather than fat burning. Still 5lbs in two days isn't a normal weight gain - unless it's all water, in which case I guess I'm the Dead Sea.
Okay enough of this gloomy noodling - breakfast, dog walk, work
Monday, January 22, 2007
A year since Chemo
Saturday was one year since I started chemo... thought that I'd reprint the two chemo posts from a year ago by way of 'celebration'
Looking at a long old day today. Standard chemo takes about an hour to administer... but the R part of CHOP R takes 5 hrs the first time.. infusion reactins are common and the slower they go the less likely I am to become a shivering wreck. Add in blood work and the all important Insurance Checks and you're looking at a 10 hr day.
Have loaded up the i-pod (Cyndi Lauper - The Body Acoustic). the DVD player (Deadwood Series One) and have my taking forever to read Roddy Doyle book with me (the one where the Irish guy comes to New York in the 20s) so I'm as ready as I think I can be... and looking forward to actually starting treatment.
September seems a long time ago - but that's when the cough started and when I had the first x-ray. Starting today means being finished end of July (and end of World Cup) meaning that I can start in the gym ahead of a September beach holiday. OK, maybe October (we'll head south) - besides September is the US Open and perfect, perfect weather.
Time to head off...
Well yesterday was long - but not unpleasant.
Everything went pretty much to schedule and to plan... I needed a break from the Rituxin at 100ml / hr, but a benedril shot fixed that and the rest of the infusion passed without incident and I got up to 300ml / hr without incident.
Had an M&M meets injection of orange goop vomitting spell toward the end of the day... never has vomit so closely related ad' - a whilrl, swirly, chocolate kaleidoscope of color.
Everything else was unremarkable.
Got home last night, slept well, took all the drugs suggested and feel good today... slightly strange, but by no means sick. Have walked the dog, picked up more drugs and checked football scores, brunch later... of course next couple of days will be the real test of how things are really going; worst comes at 3-5 days I'm told.
We shall see
hemo +3 today and I'm up early and ready to head in and get my white blood cell boosting shot of 'as seen on TV' Neurestra (?)
Last three days have been the tale of three coughs. Saturday my tight cough of 4 months became a deep, chesty. booming thing that had me coughing up old wounds, bits of body and (for an hour over brunch) rather a lot of blood.
Day two was less bellowing - but no return to the love lorn seal bark of yore. Lots of nasty thick phlegm yesterday.
And today, much better. What a restaurant might describe as a 'stunningly light cappucino foam' - certainly the lighest cough (and the lightest 'product' of that cough) in months and months.
Of course by way of recompense (the universe demands payment after all) I woke up singing the Boyzone version of the Cat Stevens song 'Father and Son' - at 7am!
Not the most pleasant of posts I admit - but feeling sparkly good here today, let's see how long I can keep this going
No coughing today - which is miraculous.
Managed to get out and about quite a bit and to move with phlegmatic impunity until the early afternoon when my back started to ache like a rotten tooth in a Robin Williams movie. It's agony and my immediately turning into Albert Steptoe has done nothing to help matters.
Other stuff.
Bought a vacuum cleaner with a 7 year warranty - there's optimism! - it's Italian - there's more
Started to resent unfit looking smokers - bastards, who gave you the good genes?
My brother announced / admitted that he's about to become a dad - in 7 weeks. It's a girl
Walked through the Polish part of town - marvelling at how only in NYC can you go from hip to hip replacement in 3 blocks
Fell in love with Newborns at Ralph Lauren - making me the gayest straight man in the world (but c'mon cashmeer kimonos)
Took a pic in which I looked terrible - then posted it anyway in a 'see I AM sick' statement
Looking at a long old day today. Standard chemo takes about an hour to administer... but the R part of CHOP R takes 5 hrs the first time.. infusion reactins are common and the slower they go the less likely I am to become a shivering wreck. Add in blood work and the all important Insurance Checks and you're looking at a 10 hr day.
Have loaded up the i-pod (Cyndi Lauper - The Body Acoustic). the DVD player (Deadwood Series One) and have my taking forever to read Roddy Doyle book with me (the one where the Irish guy comes to New York in the 20s) so I'm as ready as I think I can be... and looking forward to actually starting treatment.
September seems a long time ago - but that's when the cough started and when I had the first x-ray. Starting today means being finished end of July (and end of World Cup) meaning that I can start in the gym ahead of a September beach holiday. OK, maybe October (we'll head south) - besides September is the US Open and perfect, perfect weather.
Time to head off...
Well yesterday was long - but not unpleasant.
Everything went pretty much to schedule and to plan... I needed a break from the Rituxin at 100ml / hr, but a benedril shot fixed that and the rest of the infusion passed without incident and I got up to 300ml / hr without incident.
Had an M&M meets injection of orange goop vomitting spell toward the end of the day... never has vomit so closely related ad' - a whilrl, swirly, chocolate kaleidoscope of color.
Everything else was unremarkable.
Got home last night, slept well, took all the drugs suggested and feel good today... slightly strange, but by no means sick. Have walked the dog, picked up more drugs and checked football scores, brunch later... of course next couple of days will be the real test of how things are really going; worst comes at 3-5 days I'm told.
We shall see
hemo +3 today and I'm up early and ready to head in and get my white blood cell boosting shot of 'as seen on TV' Neurestra (?)
Last three days have been the tale of three coughs. Saturday my tight cough of 4 months became a deep, chesty. booming thing that had me coughing up old wounds, bits of body and (for an hour over brunch) rather a lot of blood.
Day two was less bellowing - but no return to the love lorn seal bark of yore. Lots of nasty thick phlegm yesterday.
And today, much better. What a restaurant might describe as a 'stunningly light cappucino foam' - certainly the lighest cough (and the lightest 'product' of that cough) in months and months.
Of course by way of recompense (the universe demands payment after all) I woke up singing the Boyzone version of the Cat Stevens song 'Father and Son' - at 7am!
Not the most pleasant of posts I admit - but feeling sparkly good here today, let's see how long I can keep this going
No coughing today - which is miraculous.
Managed to get out and about quite a bit and to move with phlegmatic impunity until the early afternoon when my back started to ache like a rotten tooth in a Robin Williams movie. It's agony and my immediately turning into Albert Steptoe has done nothing to help matters.
Other stuff.
Bought a vacuum cleaner with a 7 year warranty - there's optimism! - it's Italian - there's more
Started to resent unfit looking smokers - bastards, who gave you the good genes?
My brother announced / admitted that he's about to become a dad - in 7 weeks. It's a girl
Walked through the Polish part of town - marvelling at how only in NYC can you go from hip to hip replacement in 3 blocks
Fell in love with Newborns at Ralph Lauren - making me the gayest straight man in the world (but c'mon cashmeer kimonos)
Took a pic in which I looked terrible - then posted it anyway in a 'see I AM sick' statement
I have a meeting today
with a client whose name I'm not allowed to speak - even within the walls of the agency. It's not my meeting or even a meeting in which we have to do much other than listen and take notes but the fact that there are going to be new people there and that I'm new at this meant that I found it very difficult to sleep last night - I just kept waking up and wondering what the day was going to be like and worrying that I might have missed something and will be forced to perform unprepared, leaving the worst kind of impression.
I do hope it's not too long before I start taking things in my stride here. It's not tough work, no ditches are being dug and I'm smart enough to get stuff done without too many hitches, glitches and balls ups.
But still the stomach is knotted
I do hope it's not too long before I start taking things in my stride here. It's not tough work, no ditches are being dug and I'm smart enough to get stuff done without too many hitches, glitches and balls ups.
But still the stomach is knotted
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Very little to report here
the weather is cold but not nearly as sexy as you might imagine from this pic.
It's all blustery winds and aching ears here.
Silent negotiations are taking place over who takes the dog out and who gets to play their game on the bigger of the screens in the house. Each look, each sigh, each indication of comfort a plea to be let off the hook.
It's going to be a long winter
It's all blustery winds and aching ears here.
Silent negotiations are taking place over who takes the dog out and who gets to play their game on the bigger of the screens in the house. Each look, each sigh, each indication of comfort a plea to be let off the hook.
It's going to be a long winter
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