....much better, thank you!

I was in the Army Security Agency for 3 years and spent about 20 months in Asmara, Eritrea.
Well, the ASA was a semi-secret organization so we flew to Africa in commercial planes and not in uniform--as if someone couldn't spot an American soldier! So, the picture is of the only Air Force plane I ever flew on, a C130 which my friend and I flew on for a free ride to Europe via Saudi Arabia for 4 weeks in summer l965! Last weekend Josh and I took a whirlwind trip to the Air Force museum near Dayton and then on to Indiana to see Chuck and Rosie, the only friends from Eritrea that I contact on a regular basis. Great 3 day trip.

Now, about my last blog. All true at the time and just reporting the facts. The chemo wasn't working and made me quite sick so it was stopped in favor of Tarceva which I take one a day in pill form. I also have stepped up (with Anne's "coaxing") my efforts to take the supplements recommended by my integrative doc.

Well...I am much better. In fact I haven't felt this good since the pre-pneumonia days. According to the docs, there might be some side effects but I haven't seen them yet. I would be very happy to go on feeling this good for a long time and I hope I do!

We all know "what goes around, comes around" and the other pic is me holding the weeks old babe of the folks next door. The great hope for the future is another generation! ...and I am sure glad that someone else is having babies since I am way beyond that even though I do like all kids.

I hope this blog conveys the hope I now have and the good spirits and relatively good health I now have!

....kinda dreary around here.

On my last blog it was a beautiful sunny day and even though I know I am sick, I felt pretty good about things. But I am not feeling as good these days--it is actually quite a dreay day outside. The good news is that the oncologist has cut out my chemo called Alimta since it was making me quite sick. The bad news is that he also stopped it out because the CT scan I had Monday showed a progression of the cancer in my lung, perhaps moving into the liver. Certainly not good news, but the progression is slow and I am still around although with a pain in my side and shortness of breath.

So, I have now started taking a daily pill called Tarceva which--just like all the health commercials on TV--has a myriad of possible side effects. I don't think depression is one of the side effects since the cancer is enough to move one in that direction anyhow! (No, I don't think I am depressed--maybe later) I am working with one my many helpful friends, Linda, who is a yoga instructor, in order to increase my lung capacity and it really seems to help (pic in her garden above). I am so lucky to have a large network of friends who support me in so many ways--more on that later.

Anyhow, these are good times in lots of ways. Lili had her 27 Bday yesterday and I thot I would include a pic taken in Wisconsin (at Road America racetrack) when she was about one. The other pic is a boy (well, long ago boy) and his dog in one their favorite places--the front porch.
I hope to travel some in the next few weeks although I don't feel comfortable driving long distances alone so I am trying to coordinate something with Josh, Lil, or Anne in two weeks when she is out of school.

I guess this could all fall into the "sad blog" category, but that is not the goal here. The goal is to report what is going on with my health and to continue to fight this "incurable disease" in every way that I can while still having fun and maybe even helping others a little bit. Perhaps some miracle will still come for me.

Take care and do good.

boy, spring is really here!

Spring is great, all the new things popping up on lawns and gardens, warm weather, too much to do and go to! I would like to say my pic was in "our" garden, but it was actually at Whites Mill where we were buying plants! Evelyn has been so cute lately, I though some pics of her and Lili would be great to have here.
But. new beginnings of spring are not the things on my mind lately! I have been thinking a lot about the past and places/people. I am so jealous of my friends who have friends from "other lives". Oh yeah, I am grateful to be in touch with my high school chums, but I spent 3 years in the army and am only in touch with one person! Likewise, I spent several years getting a degree at Oshkosh and can't hardly remember anybody!

After going to grad school at Ohio U, I am really not in touch with any of former classmates. Likewise, I am not in touch with any former students who don't live in Athens from my 9 years of part-time teaching at OU! I have friends going to Florida to meet for mini reunions or getting together each year on the outer banks, etc. Where did I go wrong?

Or did I just choose (or fall into) a different route. I have lots of friends in Athens and usually there is way to much to do around here with them. I guess getting old can also make one melancholy as well. Buck up wil and get over it! Today has an international street fair, a Rotary Convention, and a music festival with Loretta Lynn all in Athens or nearby Nelsonville. I do get tired a lot, but otherwise feel pretty good so I guess I will try to make it to them all!

It's a good life.

No matter what it's a beautiful day....

Well, seems that I did have chemo on Monday and as usual I am starting to feel bad today. But that didn't stop Roxie and I from taking a nice walk in the sun. The flowers, bushes and trees in the yard are beautiful the weather is beautiful, even the town looks good! Although I could not get a good pic of myself, nor get Roxie to pose in Downtown Athens. Maybe she was uptight cause she knows the laws and I don't put her on a leash!

As for me, I'm looking and feeling pretty old and the self-portrait stuff doesn't help! I no longer seem to be able to walk Roxie up to the top of the hill for the beautiful view of Athens. I just don't seem to have enough "breath". I guess my lung is going (gone?), but next week when the chemo "drag" leaves me I am determined to start to work lots harder to get in better shape. Maybe if the lungs don't work well, having good muscles will get me to the "top of the hill."

But ya know, I am enjoying the weather and life in general. Having my condition continually leaves one with lots of questions. Like, should I be doing things differently? Or maybe a different diet? Lots of stuff like that for which there seems never to be "clear and correct" answers! I'm working--with help--on our yard and planning some trips which is always important because it gives one something to look forward to.

I am enjoying my "new" car. Pretty nice wheels after all these years. I also went out and bought a new pair of shoes! But they were clogs, not stilettos as someone suggested after my last blog.
As usual, I wish all of us can enjoy ourselves while continuing to do good things.