David’s Blog

On another note….

blog -

I know, it’s been awhile. I was just prompted this morning with an email from a total stranger, making sure I was OK. I am.

Work has been incredibly busy. Meeting after meeting after meeting. There was a day last week when I left the house at 7:00am and did not get back to my desk until 2:15. After barely looking at email for 30 minutes, I had another meeting with my Director and then I was off to my golf league.

When ‘the other David’ and I signed up for this back in January it sounded like a great idea. Leave an hour early each Wednesday, play nine holes, meet some new people.

Finding the time is going to be killer, enjoying it will not. So leagues began this week and the weather was fully cooperative. 70 degrees but a bit breezy, however, no complaints! Running behind I had no time to warm up or go to the driving range. I won’t give you a shot by shot narrative but my first shot found the sand……as did my second! I found myself on the back fringe facing a tricky, downhill putt to save bogey. Not wanting to run it by the cup, I barley stroked it but it kept rolling and rolling and finally stopped…..IN THE HOLE! Some of you may not be too proud of a bogey, I’m about an 18 handicap and to start the first hole of the year in this fashion was just what I needed. In the end we accomplished our goal for the year, we had fun, I had a few more good holes (and a few bad) but it was a wonderful start.

To finish the day, I got home at 7:30, quickly ate dinner and attempted to finish compiling the catalog for our church auction. This is another reason I have been lax in keeping up the blog. I spent at least four hours a night for 7-8 days working on this masterpiece. Wednesday I was up past midnight, by Thursday I was wiped out. If you are interested, click on “Auction Booklet” on this page.

So if you are wondering…..this is what I’ve been up too!

Health wise, nothing to report – I was having some leg pain last week, nothing a few Advil did not take care of…otherwise looking forward to my next check up on the 24th.

On another note:
Mary’s Birthday is today. I got her a ‘shopping spree” and a few other items. A fabulous dinner is in store as well. After all, she puts up with me and she deserves it…..and more!

Spring Break is coming up and we are off to Florida in a few weeks. As you may infer, I need a break from work anyway! I really like what I am doing, the people, etc, just need a break and a re-charge!

Flashback…..

Advanced Prostate Cancer, Des Peres, flashback, Kirkwood, PCa, PJ's Food and Drink -

From the time I was 15 until I was 19 or 20 I worked in a restaurant call “PJ’s Food and Drink”.
Thirty years later, the memories of that place are fresh in my mind. The original location was on Manchester Road in Des Peres, MO. but it is long gone. It re-opened in a new location a number of years ago in downtown Kirkwood.

The photo above was sent to me from my ex-brother-in-law, Bruce (he is in the photo, on the left). The handsome devil on the right is yours truly (click on the photo for a larger view). I would guess I weighed in at about 120 pound in those days. Skinny, but what a handsome fellow, no?

The things we did back then, cars, motorcycles, girls, beer, the list goes on and on. There crew included Airhead, Hoppy, Steve (aka X), a bartender named Curley (female), PJ himself, his brother Urban, and both my brothers.. Mom and Dad came in most Saturday nights.

Thanks for the flashback Bruce, those were the days indeed.

Posted by Picasa

Ric Masten

Advanced Prostate Cancer, on the mountain, poet, ric masten -

There is a man named Ric Masten. He has suffered with advanced PC for 10 years now. A link to his website is on the left. His blog is one of the first that I found after my diagnosis.

He is a poet, skilled well beyond my silly little verses.
Ric is not doing so well. I ask that you take a moment and add a little prayer for him and his family.
A few weeks ago we traded emails about his poem “On the Mountain”.
You can read it here, for those that know me well, you might guess what we talked about.
I am really sad right now…..CANCER SUCKS

You are late

Advanced Prostate Cancer, hyacinth, PCa, spring -

Has winter got you down? Me too!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You are late
2-26-08

Where have you gone?
Patiently, anxiously, I wait,
for your arrival.

Unlike years past,
your teases and
days of temptation
have been lacking this year.

The days drag on,
cold, damp, dreary.
I long for you,
but you are late.

When will you come?
When will you temp me
with warm breezes,
the scent of hyacinth,
and green, green grasses.

The simple things.

Advanced Prostate Cancer, Blue Koi, Lupron, Zometa -

Another month has passed. Another doctor appointment, another blood draw, another shot of Lupron, another infusion of Zometa and another lunch with my wife.

As boring and repetitive as the medical portion of these monthly sojourns may sound, there is one portion of the day that repeats it self each month which is something that I absolutely love. You see, Mary and I always have lunch when we are through. We always go to the Blue Koi. We always split an order of steamed chicken dumplings and an order of black bean chicken.

Long ago we stopped looking at the menu, it was just time wasted. We talk, we eat, we laugh and eventually, I go back to work.

It’s the simple things……

I no sooner clicked the Send button to post this entry and the phone rang with Dr. H on the other end. The current PSA level is 29.4 (Down from 36.2 on January 28th).

Thank you for your continued thoughts and prayers!!!!!


YOU FORGOT WHAT??

Advanced Prostate Cancer, Faith-Love-Hope-WIn, PCa -

I guess you could say I’ve been a little busy and a little distracted?

2-18-08

Sound familiar? My three year anniversary came and went and I just let it slide!

Wow, so much has happened in the last three years. I am not sure where to begin? What to include?

Instead of looking back, I’ll look forward…maybe three years or so:

2011
– Mary and I will celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary
– Brad will turn 15 (that’s a frightening thought, driving, girls, Wow!)
– My 30th high school reunion
– My dad will turn 80
– I’ll have survived 6 years with this damn disease

It’s a little late, and I’m struggling for words tonight.

So here’s to three years down and many, many more ahead!

5,096

Advanced Prostate Cancer, Dierks Bentley, Long Trip Alone, PCa -

So, it’s back to the music.

I spent the weekend taking every CD we own and copying them to my iPOd. I now have 5,096 songs (46 + plus days of continuous music!).

Out of all those choices, I’m here at work listening while writing up a requirements document.
What comes on is “Long Trip Alone” by Dierks Bentley.
And so I quote:
So maybe you could walk with me a while
Maybe I could rest beneath your smile
Maybe I could feel right beside you ’til I’m home
‘Cause it’s a long trip alone

It’s such a beautiful song.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Of her”
2-19-08

I think of her,
and I cry a little tear.
Man how I hate this…
I want it back,
my life without it,
my life with her.

More on Dan Fogelberg

Dan Fogelberg, music, PCa, prostate cancer, Sometimes a Song -

Back in December I wrote about the passing of Dan Fogelberg.

Jean, the widow of Dan Fogelberg, has teamed up with the Prostate Cancer Foundation to raise money for prostate cancer research. A new song that Dan recorded back in 2005 is available. 100% of the proceeds will be donated to the PCF.

Details are available here

I have downloaded ‘Sometimes a Song’, and it’s pretty good, I encourage you to do so as well.

Spoken like a politician, weatherman or economist…

Advanced Prostate Cancer, bone scan, CT scan, Nilandron, PCa, radiologist -

I finally got the radiology report from last week. The CT report needs to be re-done because it states “no previous exams are available for comparison”. Kind of funny (but not ‘ha-ha’ funny), being that my previous scans were done at the same hospital!

As for the bone scan, they apparently were able to locate the previous exams. Here is the Radiologist’s report:
Impression:
1. Stable foci of activity involving the left ilium, right acetabulum and pubic ramus as well as left 7th rib posteriorly. Initial patient’s known history of prostate cancer and elevated PSA levels these lesions are suspicious for stable metastatic lesions.

You get it, right? This is the report, word for word. Reminds you of a politician, economist or weatherman doesn’t it? For those of you who don’t speak the language of radiology, the last sentence is the key take away: “…are suspicious for stable metastatic lesions.” Interpretation – So PSA aside, things are stable!

I asked the doctor to have the radiologist re-write the CT report based on a comparison of the previous report. After this screw up, we might be in the market for a new diagnostic imaging center in the future!

Nilandron, which I started the day before the scans, might be working; back pains are all but gone. We’re definitely keeping the positive attitude going!

More updates later….work beckons.

Article Categories

Archives