Radioactive

2014 Dwindles And Dawdles

On The Stereo: Piu Che Puoi, Eros Ramazzotti
In My Bloodstream: Levaquin, omeprazole, prednisone

Early July was spent with family and Moffitt visits.  The trial drugs were a continuing concern, and prednisone was my constant companion.  It seemed to provide me periods which were relatively pain free, especially given the heavy burden imposed by my earlier stages.  There was no doubt that we were experiencing positive results, but there seemed no end in sight to the debilitating harshness of the process.  New side effects popped up on an irregular basis and each one required attention to keep me stabilized.


                                         Bea and me driving the golf cart, searching for fun

Rose came to stay with us for a few days and was a help to Kath and a comfort to me.  Steph came with Bea and her infant, Zac, and left them with us while she attended a meeting in Miami.   We loved sharing time on our own with the grandkids and were sorry to see them leave.  We drove them to the Miami airport and became incredibly lost.  The highways in that area were under construction and our GPS could not find the necessary exit.  At one point we ended up at the commercial end of the  airport and nobody could speak English.  By feel, and with luck, we finally got the kiddies delivered to a time-concerned Stephanie.  It was a close call.  Kathy started taking Spanish lessons shortly thereafter.

We had planned to attend Kathy's niece's wedding in British Columbia, mid July, but there was no possibility of travel for me, and Kath would not go on her own.  The Tysons left to join Stephanie's family, and then up to Courtenay,  on Vancouver Island, for a great family event.  I cannot do justice to how sad we both were, and remain, that we were unable to join everyone.  The kids sent lots of pictures.  Happy to get them.  Sad to see them.


                                                Kathy's brother Bob with our two girls

                                                    Our niece Allie, and Jeff Hoy

Of course we were coincidentally dealing with my head surgery and making slow progress in its recovery.


                                          Why I didn't make the trip west  - self imposed exile            

We spent my birthday, again at Moffitt, for another visit with Dr. Weber.  We had time enough, this time,  to get to Tampa, instead of the local ER.  We received the needed help and a prescription for more drugs to fend off the continuing problems in managing pancreatitis .  We returned to Moffitt on the 24th for a battery of tests, stayed at our hospital home away from home,  Embassy Suites, and met Dr. Weber the next morning to review the results.  We were coping well, he believed.  I did not believe it.  Then we shuffled over to the infusion center for my next dose of ippy.  It was not getting any easier.

With Rose already gone, and Stephanie on her way home, we depended on Kristin, Doug, and their boys, to fill the room in our lives.  The Tysons returned home on the 27th of July and nothing could have lifted our spirits more.

                          Avet and his monkey family arrive at our house in Fort Myers

Kath and I had lunch one day at a shopping center in Naples and a lady stopped Kathy and complimented her on how well she dressed me.  She said that she would love it if her husband would look like me.

                                           If she only knew the secret under the hat.

My skin graft was on the mend, save for the horrific scar on my forehead.  It would never look any better unless there was reason to enter into another operation, and at that point, we were in no way anxious to visit another surgical theater.

                                          Showing off my new haircut at Pollo Tropical      

                                             

Autumn came with a pleasant distraction from our norm.  One of our godsons, Matt Deverell, was to be married in Toronto on the 15th of November.  We were able to shuffle our Moffitt schedule to give us a few days to catch up with old friends.

                                                  Outside the Park Plaza in Toronto

We flew in for the rehearsal dinner on the 13th at Lambton Country Club and met Michael and Patricia, along with Matthew's Becky and their friends.  It was such a fun evening.  We were treated royally.  After  the rehearsal, we made our way back to our favorite Toronto hotel, The Park Plaza, and managed to find the Rooftop Bar to say hello to their manager, and old friend of ours from years past.  Oh yes, we did manage a nightcap.

We toured our old haunts the next morning, and met the MacMillans for lunch.  Another wonderful opportunity to share our stories with those that have played leading roles in our life.  

The wedding reception was held in an old, renovated movie theater.  Vintage black and white movies played on the big screen.  There was music, cocktails, dinner and a chance to sit and talk with many off our long term friends.  Kristin flew up to attend the wedding, making our time there even more memorable.  Could not have been better.  Only time could end our evening.  And it eventually did.  Kristin and her friend Val did manage to close down the bar, not so much drinking, but talking about each others' lives.

                                         Snow starting to fall in time for the Santa Claus Parade

 

Sunday morning, with Kristin, we caught  up with David and Rose for Dim Sum on Yorkville.  Then we were off to the Deverell home for brunch, with their family and new daughter -in- law.  Their close friends, Julian and Mandy, and Kath and I were the only other guests.   And then we toddled off to the Traffords for dinner.  Matthew and Thomas joined us for an evening of food, drinks and witty conversation, thanks mostly to their two boys. What a great family.   We were home Monday night, after an action-packed few days.  We were a few pounds richer and our livers were still intact.  Hallelujah.

I did not mention how embarrassed I had been.  My head was a frightful sight.  I felt like Quasimodo, but without a bell tower in which to hide.   Our friends still liked me.  Amazing.  I felt so repugnant and unfit to be in public display.   The lesson was mine.

Update  today, Dec. 10, 2018

Just started to play some Christmas music and will watch our pics on Apple TV.  Trying to get into the spirit.  Intend to postpone a visit scheduled to see my new dermatologist this week for additional biopsies.  Not planning to see any doctors or visit any hospitals until the new year.  God laughs.

Next week will be my last post of the year.  Some Christmas stories.