Karen and I are really looking forward to Thanksgiving next week. I hope to see as much of you as you can take of us. Karen and I are both feeling well. We'll just have to remember to take it easy.
Tuesday, the 25th, Karen and I will be going to Wichita as Ashley and Dan close on their new house. If any of you are here (i.e., Mary Anne), you're welcome to go down with us. I think I'd like to stop briefly in El Dorado on the way to say hello to the folks. We're planning a fairly early start that day (8:00 am or so), so let us know if you're interested.
"Oh, distance has no way of making love understandable..." , Radio Cure, Wilco
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Sunday, November 16, 2008
John & Karens' Week
Hello, my friends (and no, I'm not trying to paraphrase John McCain). In my humble opinion, that guy just couldn't generate the charisma to compete.
Karen and I hope you are satisfied with the election results. Me, I don't really enjoy debating politics with people who disagree with me. I am not a political animal. Some people like it, though. To me, we're all a bit like Tom Cruise, as described by Jack Nicholson, in A Few Good Men:"[We] can't handle the truth." Nor are we interested in doing so, really.
Today was a beautiful November day in the 50s. Karen and I worked on winterizing the lawn. Karen worked harder than I did. I use my weakness from chemotherapy as an excuse for taking it easy. Karen will buy this for the most part and, frankly, it is based in truth. My seizure a few weeks ago may have been, in part, a response to fatigue from the prior day's strenuous work. I have also put on 6 lbs since therapy began. Another result of taking it easy (and eating well).
My 14 1/2 year-old pup (a Cairn Terrier, you know, like Toto, named Katy), is fast asleep between Karen and I and that's telling me it's time for sleep.
More soon.
Karen and I hope you are satisfied with the election results. Me, I don't really enjoy debating politics with people who disagree with me. I am not a political animal. Some people like it, though. To me, we're all a bit like Tom Cruise, as described by Jack Nicholson, in A Few Good Men:"[We] can't handle the truth." Nor are we interested in doing so, really.
Today was a beautiful November day in the 50s. Karen and I worked on winterizing the lawn. Karen worked harder than I did. I use my weakness from chemotherapy as an excuse for taking it easy. Karen will buy this for the most part and, frankly, it is based in truth. My seizure a few weeks ago may have been, in part, a response to fatigue from the prior day's strenuous work. I have also put on 6 lbs since therapy began. Another result of taking it easy (and eating well).
My 14 1/2 year-old pup (a Cairn Terrier, you know, like Toto, named Katy), is fast asleep between Karen and I and that's telling me it's time for sleep.
More soon.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Congrats to Danielle (and, yeah, Nathan too!)
We're very happy for you, Danielle and Nathan! We hope your every dream comes true with the expectation of your first child. This couldn't happen to a nicer, more deserving couple. Karen and I can't wait to become a great aunt and uncle once more. You'll just have to blog the sonagrams.
Please take care of yourselves and keep us informed of every step on the way.
Love,
Uncle John
P.S. It was nice staying with you. Thank you for that. It was also very nice meeting Ellen.
Please take care of yourselves and keep us informed of every step on the way.
Love,
Uncle John
P.S. It was nice staying with you. Thank you for that. It was also very nice meeting Ellen.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Happy Halloween!
Karen and I had some fun carving jack-o-lanterns tonight. Let me know what you think of them. Karen and I are looking forward to seeing Nathan and Danielle soon. We're ready to enjoy some happy election returns with you. BTW, both these pics feature my "pumpkin face." Happy Halloween!
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Heading Back to Duke Soon
Karen and I are getting ready to return to Duke Medical Center soon. This trip will be a quick-hitter, only a couple of days. The Duke Cancer Center (the Robert Preston Tisch Brain Tumor Center - Where Hope Lives, to be exact) is expecting our visit. They have worked closely with our local doctors, especially Dr. David Einspahr, our oncologist. They make a fantastic team.
We had a scary experience Sunday. I had a seizure for the first (and I hope only) time. I had just gotten up and was letting my dog out when I fainted and lost consciousness. I hit my head pretty hard and bled a lot from my forehead. Karen was really really frightened but she kept her wits about her. She called 911 and emergency responders and an ambulance rushed to our house. I was still out of it as the paramedics took charge and I didn't really begin to track events until they had me in the hospital's emergency room. They told Karen not to follow the ambulance to the emergency room but to give them five minutes head start. According to Karen, I was combative and I was not cooperative. They managed without my help.
A nurse friend of ours has told us that a seizure is not necessarily a bad sign at all and that it may indicate healing is taking place. That's what we are praying is happening. Anyway, they have tuned up the Keppra (anti-seizure medication). It may have been set too low.
Karen and I visited with our family doctor today, Mike Atwood, who went over our experience with us in detail. I had an MRI yesterday and Mike was very pleased with the results of the tests. That really made our day and Karen is still smiling with relief.
The seizure has, at least temporarily (6 months maybe?) revoked my driving rights. My beloved Audi will have to sit in the garage for now, I guess.
Nathan and Danielle, Karen and I are looking forward to seeing you soon. Are you ready for a couple of low-maintenance guests? I hope your invitation is still on. We'll see you soon.
Love,
John
We had a scary experience Sunday. I had a seizure for the first (and I hope only) time. I had just gotten up and was letting my dog out when I fainted and lost consciousness. I hit my head pretty hard and bled a lot from my forehead. Karen was really really frightened but she kept her wits about her. She called 911 and emergency responders and an ambulance rushed to our house. I was still out of it as the paramedics took charge and I didn't really begin to track events until they had me in the hospital's emergency room. They told Karen not to follow the ambulance to the emergency room but to give them five minutes head start. According to Karen, I was combative and I was not cooperative. They managed without my help.
A nurse friend of ours has told us that a seizure is not necessarily a bad sign at all and that it may indicate healing is taking place. That's what we are praying is happening. Anyway, they have tuned up the Keppra (anti-seizure medication). It may have been set too low.
Karen and I visited with our family doctor today, Mike Atwood, who went over our experience with us in detail. I had an MRI yesterday and Mike was very pleased with the results of the tests. That really made our day and Karen is still smiling with relief.
The seizure has, at least temporarily (6 months maybe?) revoked my driving rights. My beloved Audi will have to sit in the garage for now, I guess.
Nathan and Danielle, Karen and I are looking forward to seeing you soon. Are you ready for a couple of low-maintenance guests? I hope your invitation is still on. We'll see you soon.
Love,
John
Friday, October 17, 2008
Going to See Dan & Ashley this weekend
Tomorrow Karen and I will be taking a quick-hitter trip to Wichita to see Ashley and Dan. These quick easy trips work best for Karen and I as we are both fighting wellness issues. It's going to be well worth it to see Ashley and Dan.
I had a scary experience on my new bike. I was out riding on a country two-lane to try to recover some of my past fitness. The road was quiet and rural. There is a sharp left bend in the road. As I cut the corner to maintain speed, this young man in a big, old pick-up fills my view. It was totally my fault (the disease has messed with my left peripheral vision). He slams on his brakes and moves to the right of the road. I jackknife the bicycle and wobble across the road inches in front of him and into the ditch. I never even fell off but we were both pretty shaken up. Thank God this young man was a responsible driver. I can still see myself vaulting over his grill. He turned around and came back to check if I was ok. I told him I was (I didn't mention my soiled drawers, lol). I was a lot more scared (I think he was too) then I let on. We wished each other well and went on our ways.
I learned an important lesson about where and how I should ride. I could have gotten killed except for the Grace of God and this young man's driving skills.
Be careful out there, all of you!
I had a scary experience on my new bike. I was out riding on a country two-lane to try to recover some of my past fitness. The road was quiet and rural. There is a sharp left bend in the road. As I cut the corner to maintain speed, this young man in a big, old pick-up fills my view. It was totally my fault (the disease has messed with my left peripheral vision). He slams on his brakes and moves to the right of the road. I jackknife the bicycle and wobble across the road inches in front of him and into the ditch. I never even fell off but we were both pretty shaken up. Thank God this young man was a responsible driver. I can still see myself vaulting over his grill. He turned around and came back to check if I was ok. I told him I was (I didn't mention my soiled drawers, lol). I was a lot more scared (I think he was too) then I let on. We wished each other well and went on our ways.
I learned an important lesson about where and how I should ride. I could have gotten killed except for the Grace of God and this young man's driving skills.
Be careful out there, all of you!
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Nice Weekend
Hi everyone. I hope you got a chance to enjoy the lovely mild early Autumn weather. Karen and I did. This is just a short note to let you know another chemo cycle begins next week. Karen and I are ready. I'll be in touch.
Martha: Thank you for your input this weekend. You are an angel.
Love to all of you.
John
Martha: Thank you for your input this weekend. You are an angel.
Love to all of you.
John
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