Well, the final report from the pathologist came in, and I was finally given a complete diagnosis. Apparently, I had what is known as "TICC", which is "Taco-Induced Colon Cancer." It's a rare diagnosis, defined as "Colon Cancer that has as its source the excessive overall consumption of tacos, in combination with a high speed of individual taco consumption."
I am gratified to finally know the reason why I got cancer. Unfortunately, despite my current taco drought, I suspect that I will return to my ways, and thus face the prospect of "SOTICC" or "Secondary Occurrence (of) Taco-Induced Colon Cancer".
Saturday, August 30, 2014
Monday, August 25, 2014
Howzitgoin
Well, I have a reader! I got an email from one of my friends pointing out that I hadn't posted in a while, so here we go with an update.
Round 4 of chemo has been easier than Round 1, 2, or 3. To recap:
Round 1: Shock & awe. I was unprepared for the psychological impact of the pump, and the much more aggressive nature of the infused chemo vs the pills. I had a strange impact on my vision (which wasn't repeated), along with nausea, exhaustion, etc.
Round 2: The unbearable itch made its appearance, but was mitigated by Benedryl. Nausea & exhaustion were there, but I was more able to handle the psychology. Unfortunately the hair loss began.
Round 3: Benedryl & Doxy-something (steroid) kept the itch at bay, but triggered Restless Leg Syndrome, which led to sleep deprivation. Hair loss accelerated. Exhaustion was there - partially due to chemo & partially due to not sleeping more than 4 hours a night (on average - there were some sleepless nights & some 5-6 hours).
Round 4: Benedryl in the infusion triggered immediate restless leg, but a nurse tipped me off to taking hydrocodone (lortabs). Getting home from chemo infusion I took a hydro and it immediately tamed the restless leg & I was able to nap. Since then, I've found that a combination of Xanax & Hydrocodone will allow me to sleep through the night. So very minor itching, a lot of sleep, etc. Plus, I got a substantial haircut (and said goodbye to Cancer Beard) and so the hair loss was not as obvious - it has continued, and now there is visible baldness if my hair isn't combed just right, but at least I'm not clogging the shower drain. The worst part of Round 4 is mouth sores - which in my case are unfortunately located right along the side of my tongue. It wasn't too bad the first week, but entering the second week after infusion, it's terribly irritating because I can't speak, chew, or swallow without rubbing that sore against my teeth. I have a bottle of numbing swishy-stuff that I can pour into my mouth, which numbs the sore and makes it bearable, but with the result that my tongue is numbed (like going to the dentist).
There's something wrong with my truck - it's making a mysterious nonperiodic knocking noise when it gets hot (after 15-20 minutes of driving), while going over 30mph, and has nothing to do with acceleration, braking, turning, climbing, etc. Took it to a shop today and they couldn't figure it out. Hope it's not catastrophic.
Triumph is running great - many a spin around the neighborhood. Maybe take it to Oak Ridge this week on a big drive. I need to get it aligned, as it pulls hard to the left.
Elizabeth has a new exciting job, but I don't feel good enough to celebrate properly.
Kids are driving me crazy, except Baby Rose, who is charming and wonderful.
Trying to make ends meet, but I've drained the HSA, so medical bills are now having to come out of my paycheck. I know, poor me, but it'll be a while before Elizabeth's new income catches up with the medical bills and the cost of daycare for the girls. Plus we're back on the Dave Ramsey system, which means there's never money for anything. Good thing I bought all those Triumph parts before we started Dave Ramsey! Can't wait for the new top & rear bulkhead to show up.
In sleepless hours I'm building a plastic model of the USS Enterprise with Jackson (OK - it's mostly me reliving childhood memories) and continuing to plug away at my wooden sailboat model of the Lightning.
Lost & then found my favorite rosary. That was a nice surprise. Thanks St. Anthony!
One of my favorite grade school teachers, Mrs. Banick, passed away last week. Farewell Mrs. Banick. You always said I was one of your three favorite students - which means I was your third favorite student. Not too shabby, but I know Joe Riehl was #1.
Many deep thoughts about Obamacare, Iraqi Christians, Racism & Fergustan, and libertarianism vs. the Catholic Church. But I'll spare you all right now.
Got a huge NSF grant with University of Tennessee, which was the culmination of a ton of hard work by myself, some of my Nano colleagues, and two professors at UT. I have a tremendous sense of pride that this finally paid off. Now we've got to deliver. Very exciting that I have something to do that doesn't involve recalculating budgets and planning cash flow. Well, it involves that as well, but at least it's project management, which I thoroughly enjoy. I'll suffer through the accounting.
Received an award for Export Achievement from Senator Corker. Very proud of that as well - I spent 2013 focusing on sales & marketing and shepherding a lot of export orders through our system. A lot of credit goes to other people for recent accomplishments, but I'll take my share, thank you. A spent a lot of time in 2012/2013 building a network with the local infrastructure of city/state/federal resources, private organizations, etc. Odd for a libertarian to say, but I recognize the value of a lot of the work that is done by these various agencies. Of course, saying it's hypocritical for a libertarian to use public agencies is like saying it's hypocritical for an environmentalist to breathe polluted air.
Anyway, life is pretty good. Chemo's not that bad. Evelyn Rose's birthday party was a great reminder of how lucky I am to have my family close.
Thinking of what I'm going to do once I'm done with chemo. After a little pause to collect myself, that is. Thinking of going back to grad school for my Masters in Material Science. Thinking about the permanent Deaconate. Can't do both, probably shouldn't do either.
Live long & prosper! No... wait... Spock was a utilitarian. Screw Spock. So instead:
Da pacem Domine in diebus nostris, Quia non est alius Qui pugnat pro nobis nisi tu Deus noster.
Stick that in your Google and translate it, sucka!
Round 4 of chemo has been easier than Round 1, 2, or 3. To recap:
Round 1: Shock & awe. I was unprepared for the psychological impact of the pump, and the much more aggressive nature of the infused chemo vs the pills. I had a strange impact on my vision (which wasn't repeated), along with nausea, exhaustion, etc.
Round 2: The unbearable itch made its appearance, but was mitigated by Benedryl. Nausea & exhaustion were there, but I was more able to handle the psychology. Unfortunately the hair loss began.
Round 3: Benedryl & Doxy-something (steroid) kept the itch at bay, but triggered Restless Leg Syndrome, which led to sleep deprivation. Hair loss accelerated. Exhaustion was there - partially due to chemo & partially due to not sleeping more than 4 hours a night (on average - there were some sleepless nights & some 5-6 hours).
Round 4: Benedryl in the infusion triggered immediate restless leg, but a nurse tipped me off to taking hydrocodone (lortabs). Getting home from chemo infusion I took a hydro and it immediately tamed the restless leg & I was able to nap. Since then, I've found that a combination of Xanax & Hydrocodone will allow me to sleep through the night. So very minor itching, a lot of sleep, etc. Plus, I got a substantial haircut (and said goodbye to Cancer Beard) and so the hair loss was not as obvious - it has continued, and now there is visible baldness if my hair isn't combed just right, but at least I'm not clogging the shower drain. The worst part of Round 4 is mouth sores - which in my case are unfortunately located right along the side of my tongue. It wasn't too bad the first week, but entering the second week after infusion, it's terribly irritating because I can't speak, chew, or swallow without rubbing that sore against my teeth. I have a bottle of numbing swishy-stuff that I can pour into my mouth, which numbs the sore and makes it bearable, but with the result that my tongue is numbed (like going to the dentist).
There's something wrong with my truck - it's making a mysterious nonperiodic knocking noise when it gets hot (after 15-20 minutes of driving), while going over 30mph, and has nothing to do with acceleration, braking, turning, climbing, etc. Took it to a shop today and they couldn't figure it out. Hope it's not catastrophic.
Triumph is running great - many a spin around the neighborhood. Maybe take it to Oak Ridge this week on a big drive. I need to get it aligned, as it pulls hard to the left.
Elizabeth has a new exciting job, but I don't feel good enough to celebrate properly.
Kids are driving me crazy, except Baby Rose, who is charming and wonderful.
Trying to make ends meet, but I've drained the HSA, so medical bills are now having to come out of my paycheck. I know, poor me, but it'll be a while before Elizabeth's new income catches up with the medical bills and the cost of daycare for the girls. Plus we're back on the Dave Ramsey system, which means there's never money for anything. Good thing I bought all those Triumph parts before we started Dave Ramsey! Can't wait for the new top & rear bulkhead to show up.
In sleepless hours I'm building a plastic model of the USS Enterprise with Jackson (OK - it's mostly me reliving childhood memories) and continuing to plug away at my wooden sailboat model of the Lightning.
Lost & then found my favorite rosary. That was a nice surprise. Thanks St. Anthony!
One of my favorite grade school teachers, Mrs. Banick, passed away last week. Farewell Mrs. Banick. You always said I was one of your three favorite students - which means I was your third favorite student. Not too shabby, but I know Joe Riehl was #1.
Many deep thoughts about Obamacare, Iraqi Christians, Racism & Fergustan, and libertarianism vs. the Catholic Church. But I'll spare you all right now.
Got a huge NSF grant with University of Tennessee, which was the culmination of a ton of hard work by myself, some of my Nano colleagues, and two professors at UT. I have a tremendous sense of pride that this finally paid off. Now we've got to deliver. Very exciting that I have something to do that doesn't involve recalculating budgets and planning cash flow. Well, it involves that as well, but at least it's project management, which I thoroughly enjoy. I'll suffer through the accounting.
Received an award for Export Achievement from Senator Corker. Very proud of that as well - I spent 2013 focusing on sales & marketing and shepherding a lot of export orders through our system. A lot of credit goes to other people for recent accomplishments, but I'll take my share, thank you. A spent a lot of time in 2012/2013 building a network with the local infrastructure of city/state/federal resources, private organizations, etc. Odd for a libertarian to say, but I recognize the value of a lot of the work that is done by these various agencies. Of course, saying it's hypocritical for a libertarian to use public agencies is like saying it's hypocritical for an environmentalist to breathe polluted air.
Anyway, life is pretty good. Chemo's not that bad. Evelyn Rose's birthday party was a great reminder of how lucky I am to have my family close.
Thinking of what I'm going to do once I'm done with chemo. After a little pause to collect myself, that is. Thinking of going back to grad school for my Masters in Material Science. Thinking about the permanent Deaconate. Can't do both, probably shouldn't do either.
Live long & prosper! No... wait... Spock was a utilitarian. Screw Spock. So instead:
Da pacem Domine in diebus nostris, Quia non est alius Qui pugnat pro nobis nisi tu Deus noster.
Stick that in your Google and translate it, sucka!
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