Bentsen Palm to Royal Palm

Bentsen Palm Dr. that is, to Royal Palm RV park. It’s an OK park. True to its name, for you RGV folks, it kind of looks like Victoria Palms in the RGV from a distance. That is every site has its 30/40 ft Royal Palm. Pretty close-in, north of downtown Phoenix. Rather typical I guess? For a 55+, long term stay park. According to the brochure there are 334 home sites and 124 RV sites. All the RV sites are together. There is a nice pool, library, pool tables, laundry, and rec room. Typical !! I think it’s about 7 miles from the VA hospital. Where we have spent some time.

The VA is not as bad as you may have heard. We did spend 10 hours in Urgent Care/Emergency that one day and night but other than that it’s been pretty good. Kat just gets kind of protective and in that mode her claws seem to come out. Not a bad thing. It just makes it seem it’s worse than it is. But with some persistence and phone calls, Kats’ specialty, we’re getting results. We took my records in yesterday, for the second time, to be reviewed by the head of oncology. Being the second time, that was a little frustrating.  We got a call today and have an appointment with a doctor on the 15^th. So we’ll see what they have in mind here. Originally I was not really due anything until late April. Chemo was coming to an end and all I had was my hormone shot and stent replacement. We thought we would be heading west with nothing to do until April. But then my Texas chemo doctor thought we should continue chemo. Frankly, I’d rather not. Chemo Sucks !!!! Big Time !! It’s been a month since my last chemo and I’m just beginning to feel better. But I will do what I have to do. I’d just rather it weren’t chemo. Did I say Chemo Sucks !!!!!!!!! Guess I did.

Being further west is kind of neat. Stuff has familiar names and looks a little more like were use to. No more HEB (Harold E Butts). Now it’s Albertson’s and Fry’s and Safeway. Imagine that, more than one choice for groceries. We’ve been to Albertson’s and I got some good bagels. No more of those bollio’s Mexican rolls or whatever they were. Now it’s In and Out, Carl’s Jr. and even a Dutch Brothers coffee. One of Kats favorites. And they had almond syrup for her 16 ounce Almond latte, not too hot. I had to turn into that place real quick let me tell you! But it wasn’t like the experience in Missouri. I must have wrote about that a few years ago. Worth another tell. We had been traveling through Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri for a while. If you’re familiar, there are no Starbucks, Dutch Brothers, Seattle’s Best or anything like that within a light year. It’s one of those second star to the right and straight on till morning things. A long way !! Kat is on the phone with her son Rick, I’m driving the motorhome and we’re approaching Interstate 40. It’s an unusual entrance on to the freeway given that there is a stoplight on to a busy freeway entrance ramp. Lot’s of semi’s and big rigs and stuff. And across the freeway is some sort of shopping mall. Now we’ve been in rural America for a couple of weeks. Kat who was very much use to the Northwest and a coffee shop on every corner is still addicted and fighting withdrawal. The only thing we had seen was Family Dollar, Dollar General and Dollar Tree. The last place we had stopped was a fruit stand combination antique store and the couple who ran it didn’t have a mouth full of teeth between them. So there we are, waiting at the red light to turn on to I-40. The light turns green, I start into the intersection to a blood curdling scream from the right seat. I didn’t know whether to crap my drawers or go blind. Rick is on the phone and I can hear him wondering if we have become a long grease spot on the interstate? I come out of shock enough to look for and expect the oncoming semi about to crush us, only to see Kat pointing across to the mall and a Starbucks sign. Holy Crap !!!!!! And we were on the freeway and didn’t even turn around and go back. Something you don’t do on the freeway driving a motorhome and towing a dinghy. It got so I good see those coffee house signs and just pull in and avoid the stress. But now Kat is pretty much over it and we don’t even stop that much, although I do ask. Just to be on the safe side. It’s those claws!!

Just kidding.

Texas in the Rearview Mirror

Now that’s hard to believe! We ain’t been outta Texas in 16 months or so? Don’t get me wrong, I like Texas. So does Kat. But we’re Oregonians. It almost seems like some higher authority didn’t want us to leave. As we approached the border with New Mexico I began to think about it and was afraid to say anything for fear something would happen. But it didn’t. We gassed up at milepost 0 and slid right across the state line. I thought maybe gas would be cheaper in Texas, but it proved to be the same price in NM. Actually it was 1 penny cheaper at one place I saw. Go figure! By the way, It was 980 miles, give or take from the RGV to El Paso. If you figure going backwards to get the tire repaired and some side trips to eat, park, and of course deviate to San Antonio for medical, I’m sure it was well over a thousand miles. But we made it. Most of the drive was OK. The wind was bad a few times. Mostly when we were climbing, like across the Continental Divide, or through the mountain passes. At times it was hard or impossible to keep the rig in overdrive, in our case, 6^th gear. I know buy a diesel !!! Not gonna happen. We like what we got !!! But we weren’t in that big of a hurry so we just stopped a little earlier. We had a little trouble with some blown fuses too. Our 12 volt plugs wouldn’t work for the Brake Buddy, tire monitoring system, and Susie (our Tom-Tom GPS). One of the plugs is on the chassis electric system and the other is on the coach 12 volt system. Anyway we blew them all somehow? But we looked in the book and figured out where the fuse boxes were and finally got them all replaced and everything working. Took a while though. And we had to replenish our supply of fuses. Good to go now!
Does anyone have any idea how much we could reduce the Federal or State deficit if we quit putting up stupid road signs saying that ‘bridges may ice before roads’? For goodness sake! We’re mostly where they don’t ice anyway, and if you’re not, you should know it happens. I say take’em down and if you’re too stupid to know about it………. Maybe that would just be a good way to ‘thin the herd’.
Well !!! Chemo still sucks. And one of the reasons is ‘chemo brain’. It just doesn’t seem like you can function at the same level as you could before chemo. It’s harder to concentrate and stay involved. At this point I know some of you would say, ‘what’s your point’, you didn’t function at that high a level before you started chemo. Well maybe so, but I didn’t read westerns to the exclusion of all other genres of fiction either. Not that there’s anything wrong with westerns understand. But I’m going through Johnston’s First Mountain Man series at a book a day. Maybe it’s just wholesome reading. The Code of the West, the good guys prevail or something like that. I’m enjoying !! Preacher, the First Mountain Man pretty much has it right. He’s the strongest, fastest with a gun, best tracker, injun fighter there ever was and he don’t kill somebody unless of course they really need to be kilt. Then he does it wholesale. My kind of guy!

Not so bad

In order to understand this you might want to read the previous post, if you have not.

The trip to San Antonio was uneventful. Just an easy trip up I-35. We didn’t pick the best RV park but it was the most reasonably priced and only 12 miles to Audie Murphy hospital where we had to go, and that is why we came here. If you remember that was by order of my PCP, Dr Barriero, in McAllen. She was concerned about some perineal fluid retention or some such that was found in my latest CT scan. So we got to San Antonio, set up real quick and drove to Audie Murphy. We probably waited about 4 hours in emergency, but it was ‘emergency’ so we were kind of prepared. I was checked out, got an X-ray, peed in the cup, gave about 8 pints of blood and then waited around. Fortunately I had a copy of my CT scan report so that helped the doctor understand the situation. My kidneys are always of concern because of the uretal stents. AND !! Ta Da and a drum roll. My kidneys are fine. As the doctor said, “they are functioning properly, perfect”. I do have another infection though. Urinary tract this time. Before it was kidney, and before that it was bladder, or visa versa? So I got an antibiotic and we were released after a total of 8 hours. I do have to go back and see the urologist today, but that shouldn’t be a big deal I think. We’ll have to let you know on that score. But, as usual we were treated well and had no complaints.

Speaking of being treated well; both Kat and I are amazed at our send off from Bentsen Grove. Even before that there were the many and continuous offers of help, support, and kind thoughts from all of our neighbors and friends. Speaking mostly for me, there just aren’t better people than those in the woodcarving group. Once again you made me feel like a Rock Star. I know Kat has similar feelings for her craft group friends as well. We will keep in touch and make every effort to get back in the fall. So for those who get this, please share our thoughts and thanks for those who didn’t.

And now I can report that we will resume our trip west in the morning. I saw the urologist in Audie Murphy and he says this whole kerfuffle (need some help on spelling there) about retaining fluid and a urinary tract infection weren’t worth the effort. We’re taking is opinion. “JACKS UP”

Such a Day

Here’s something new.  Kat’s first posting in the Blog.  As you will read it was a tough day and I pretty much just crashed after we got to Laredo.  As well as being tough it was eventful and Kat wrote about it.  She read it to me and I thought it was definitely worthy of being in the Blog.  So here ya’ go !!!

 

Left Mission, and stopped to have the front tire on the motor home repaired because it had a slow leak.  Well, they can patch it, but they can't put it back on the front, it will have to go on the back wheel now.  Well, okay, you might as well rotate the tires.... Not like a car, you can't just take the wheel  off the hub and roll it back to the rear, you have to take the tire off the rim and put in on one of the dual rims before you can put it on the back. "Do you want those balanced?"  2.5 hours later and $299.00 (which probably cheaper than other paces) Now, we are back on the road, but it's almost time for lunch, cripes. Well, we will pull into a Walmart, need more milk anyway. Quick trip, but the engine won't turn over in the motor home, this is the second time Randy had to hit auxiliary and start it off the house batteries. So, down the road, we go.  But what happens if we get to a park for the night and it won't start?  So, another Walmart stop. $110.00 later and a battery we had to put in ourselves.  Randy lifted that turkey and he really should not have but Walmart rang it up and they told us OH, we can't install it in a motor home. So rather than have to go through customer service get a refund and then go find a battery retailer who WILL  install it. Randy did it.  And between the two Walmart stops, Randy’s Primary Care doctor calls him and tells him that he is retaining fluid in his peritoneal cavity and he should see a urologist soon.  So, guess where we are headed tomorrow?  San Antonio !  That is the closest full service VA facility.

When Randy had the CT scan done, the fluid was mentioned in the report we took a copy of to the Oncology doctor and we ask about this fluid.  The oncology (chemo) doctor said it wasn't enough to worry about, but he isn't a urologist, The primary care doctor, who just got around to reading that same report isn't a urologist either,,, so, we are going to San Antonio again.  And with any luck on to Phoenix to the VA there, without further issues.

Randy and I are both itchy to travel, that is what we do, that is what we like, but health comes first and I've read good things about Phoenix VA Cancer treatment, so better there for now, than say Seattle. Not ready for that fog, rain, cold, gray, nasty weather.  We would love to see our kids though.  It's been forever !!  The grandchildren are driving for goodness sakes.  One of mine has a almost 2 year old boy I've never seen. But Phoenix will be fine until May or June lol

We are staying at Lake Casa Blanca (Laredo) tonight and there was a beautiful sun set.  Will start making phone calls to San Antonio VA as soon as we get moving tomorrow.

Pray, cross your fingers, spit and turn around three times. What ever it takes.

Oh, forgot about the basement storage compartment coming open.  This annoying little red car kept beeping at us and Randy saw in the mirror the door on the drivers side was up and open. Had to stop between Walmarts and close that, it was locked, guess just not latched.  Back on the road it dawns on me I stuffed the rest of the yarn for the afghan I'm working on in that storage compartment and it's gone.  The Linen color accent yarn was running short and I was afraid I wouldn't have enough to finish and I have already tried 3 Walmarts, Hobby Lobby and Michaels in the Mission area and can't find that color. But the same Walmart in Laredo where we got the battery had that color yarn so I bought 2 skeins which I hope will be enough. So, our luck is already changing.  It's going to be a great ride to San Antonio, with good reports from the doctor there. 

So there ya’ have it. 

 

Time to move

The Super Bowl is over and the Patriots lost. I really didn’t have a dog in that fight so it wasn’t a big deal but I still don’t like the Patriots. Neither the Patriots or the Giants were the best representatives I thought, but there they were. Another less than super Super Bowl. But how about Kyle Stanley? If you didn’t notice and you probably didn’t, he was the young golfer who led the PGA tournament of the week two weeks ago from start through the 71^st hole and then was tied on the 72^nd and final hole, after having a three shot lead, and then lost in the playoff. This would have been his first PGA win and meant all kinds of perks, bennies, invitations and exemptions. What a crusher!!! I mean this would have been like losing a 4 or 5 million dollar lottery after getting 71 of the first 72 numbers and losing on the 72^nd. Or maybe missing the proverbial chip shot field goal to win the Super Bowl or National Championship. Being a golfing fan I can kind of relate. Your heart has to go out !! And you wonder what would this do to ones psyche. Is that something you come back from anytime soon or ever? Well, you know what? He came back and won the next weeks PGA tour event. He made about a four foot putt to close it out. Not an easy task. But it was really cool !!

On the personal front I’ve finished my last scheduled chemo and had a visit with the doctor. Everything looks pretty good. My tumor and the whatever it was on my lymph nodes is reduced in size. Cool! But, the doc is in favor of continuing chemo a while longer. He thinks another three months worth or maybe nine more treatments. And he doesn’t want me to spend too much time getting started again. Maybe a month or so. But as I think I have said, “I am not spending another summer in South Texas. Soo.. with the doctors blessing we are fixin on heading closer to home. For now we’ll head up the Rio Grande through El Paso and the I-8, I-10 corridor into NM and AZ, then CA and on up to the Northwest. Leaving on the 21^st. Of course now we’ll be looking a little faster. Meaning we’re checking on VA hospitals that can handle it. We were thinking maybe Roseburg OR would work as a good base but now we’re not so sure. It will be somewhere between Phoenix and Seattle for sure. For now at least, I feel a little better every day as I get further removed from my last chemo treatment. But chemo still sucks. Although it’s hard to argue with my results.

Yellow Slippers

There is a term, which I can’t remember, for a phrase that describes a condition in terms that are immediately understood. That’s the $64 question, what is that term? Like I said, I forgot.  Anyway, as an example, the term ‘pizza face’ would describe someone with acne, or if I was looking at a guy and said “nice rug”, you would know I was referring to his hair piece. If you were a urologist, or go to one like I do, you would learn that the term used to describe a man with prostate problems is, that guy with a ‘rusty zipper and yellow socks’. “If the shoe fits.’ But don’t take me too seriously, although there is some truth to things like this, which is the reason they are humorous. Anyway, I got up this morning and was headed to the John to avoid the ‘rusty zipper and yellow socks’ thing when I was confronted at the bedroom door by Kat. She informed me that I could only pass after a kiss. I told her ‘this is no time to mess around and we better make it quick or your pretty blue slippers are going to be yellow”. I did make it and got a much better kiss later.

I did have what I thought was my last chemo treatment. But now I am scheduled for three more. My doctor thinks it’s best and I want to do what is right. I’ll have the next on the 18^th and then the last on the 1st of February I believe. Then I’ll have an evaluation and maybe we can get out of here. And the Doc knows that and agrees. We’ll see. Right now we’re thinking we’ll try the VA hospital in southern Oregon. Roseburg. The reports we’ve heard are all very positive. Neither of us is all that excited about Portland or Seattle. Just too much of hassle in terms of population and traffic. And southern Oregon is much more RV friendly. Not too far to the coast or mountains. The southern coast of Oregon is really neat. But! As is the case with extra chemo, I will do what’s right. If we have to go to a more complete facility like Portland or Seattle, we know the way. And we have the motorhome so we are likely to roam all around the Northwest most of the summer. I should only need to be at the VA hospital in late April for a while and then again in late October. That’s my six month rotation on the uretal stents and hormone therapy. And I’m really looking forward to doing some exploring in the Northwest. I don’t have much of a ‘bucket list’ but maybe I can dream up a few items just to cross them off.

Tidbits: A few days last week it almost felt like winter was upon us. Arrghh !!! Winter sucks ! Right next to chemo. But then just a few months ago up in Hondo in the throes of summer I would have paid big bucks for a couple of those days. Not now! This is a little out of date, but did anyone besides me notice that the Army-Navy football game as listed on Direct TV gave a subject description of “Military-War”. No kidding ! Right in the spot where they put the genre of a listing like Romance, Comedy, Action-Adventure, it was listed as “Military-War”. Does that kind of demonstrate a bias in the media or what ????? It was a freakin football game for Crisakes !!! We are nuts !! Oh and just so you know, I have now been cooking (off and on) for 59 years, 7 months, and 17 days (figuring I started at 8 years and some months) and have yet to need one of those egg crackers advertised on TV that I just can’t live without. And a Happy New Year to all. We braved the fallout, put on our flak vests and steel pots (helmets) and went out on New Years Eve and watched the fireworks all around us. Fireworks are huge down here. It sounds like a war zone on every holiday. And based on the fact that every once in a while a bullet hole is found in some building around here, all that goes up is not just a Roman Candle or Sky Rocket. Steel pots can come in handy.

Hope you had a Merry Christmas

Since I’m starting this on Christmas Day I’m guessing it won’t be read until after Christmas. So….. I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas; if you were looking for a Happy Holidays, you’ll have to go to another Blog. No political correctness here. Not a chance! I will go out of my way to avoid being PC. If you want PC go to CNN (the Commie News Network, or maybe MSLSD, any of the networks will work too. But back to Christmas.

We couldn’t wait to open gifts and not having kids around to so as not to spoil the belief in Santa Claus, we opened our gifts last night. I got a really neat set of wireless headphones so I can hear the TV while Kat plunks away on her laptop and doesn’t have to sit under a blaring TV. Hooked it up and it really works well. I would recommend it highly to all of you old guys out there who have the same trouble. You can even go to the bathroom and keep listening in case you miss something and need to hit the back button on your DVR. It’s not at all like the same thing I had tried from Radio Shack. Not knocking RS, it’s just that this set works. Name of Sennheiser. I got it working really easy but I do have to do a better job of hiding what little wire there is. Then I got a folder to keep all of my medical stuff in for when we go to the MD’s. I carry current things like appointments, vouchers, new records and stuff. Just a good thing to keep it tidy. Actually I had a better one, sorry Kat, but I lost it for being too slow to use it. Kat bought it for me but then absconded with it before I put it to use. She figured it was really neat for all her crocheting and knitting patterns and stuff. I guess it was kinda’ my fault, but I do think she took advantage of a sick old man in this case.

I got Kat a little crank up flashlight in the shape of a Black Kat. She just has a thing for cats you understand. She was giggling as soon as she started to open it all the way thru seeing how it worked. I felt like it was a real hit. Actually that was from me and Jade. Santa brought her a pearl Tennis Bracelet. Kat says that it can’t be a Tennis Bracelet because its pearl and it has three strands. I maintain that it is, but as long as she likes it I don’t care. Moot point! Correction. She found out it is in fact a tennis bracelet.

27 ??? Twenty Seven ??? I typed that in below what I was working on to remind me of something and now I don’t have the foggiest? Let me know if you figure it out and I’ll finish it. Old Timers or CRS?

Christmas day was the potluck and we did that. We have sign up sheets for about 4 different potluck groups that probably total somewhere around 400 folks. You may remember there were 337 for Thanksgiving. I’m sure a few more folks got here for Christmas. We took Creamed Peas and Potatoes and a Seven Layer salad. Kat made the Peas and I did the salad. I have been informed by family and friends at our table that I will return to my standard of Scalloped Potatoes for all future potlucks. OK! It’s nice to be appreciated. And it’s just as well. I sure ain’t doing no Seven Layer salads again. It must be a West Coast thing. Like I said we don’t have any West Coasters here that I’m aware of. It’s all Mid-Westerners. Maybe a more meat and potatoes, green beans and corn, and Jello salad crowd. I say that because by the time we got to the chow line somebody had stirred my Seven layers into One. And I think that was after they dirty picked the bacon and cheese and topping. Now I wonder if I can send this to my whole list of recipients. But I’m sure it wasn’t anyone I know so I guess I’m safe. And I’m just kind of kidding anyway. Although it is a true story.

So now I will wish you all a Happy New Year and get this off.

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!!