Rob's home

Rob came home for the weekend. Cool to have her home. She had a tough week at school as one of her professor decided to give an exam on Yom Kippur day. A tad unfair.

Lots going on today. Every year now I am required (strongly recommended) that I get a flu shot and a pneumonia shot. I had never heard of a pneumonia shot before, but non the less, I got one. No big deal. My flu shot is next week.

A noon massage and an afternoon haircut and I now look and feel maaaavelous. Just my opinion.

Oh yea. We have a well water problem. In a nut shell, our well water had become slightly contaminated because of a hole in the well cap casing. So after having the hole repaired we had to chlorinate the well. It will probably be a few days till the water is back to normal. This chlorination process gives a whole new meaning to bleaching your laundry!!!

Carpe Diem.

Yom Kippur day

The fast went relatively easy for me. Simply because I was not required to fast. When you are ill you have "special dispensation" requiring you not to fast. One of the "benefits" of lung cancer. Just like free hospital parking. What a person has to do to get this???.

Diana and I spent a couple of hours in shul and we both stayed for Yizkor. Yizkor being a special part of the service for anyone who has lost a family member. My Dad having passed away over six years ago and Diana's Mom who recently passed away less than a year ago. Quite somber.

We all broke the fast at our friends (the Levy's) home.

Carpe Diem.

An explanation

Firstly, let me say thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to all of you out there who attempt to keep up with my blog on a daily basis. I really do appreciate the interest, love and support you have all shown me. I also appreciate those that check the blog occasionally. It all means the world to me. To those that have never seen, checked or heard of my blog..............who cares! Just kidding.

Now for the explanation. Sometimes you may notice that I place "explanations" in parenthesis e.g. shul (synagogue). This is for the benefit of my many non-Jewish friends to help them understand what the hell I'm talking about. I suppose, like anything. you could just "google" the word. But out of consideration and respect I do this. Hey, who knows? This may even help my Jewish friends.

MH, you are a champ. Yoda, thanks for the cartoons.

Carpe Diem.

How weird!

This is like something out of an Alfred Hitchcock movie!

Last night as I was walking into Shul (Synagogue) for Yom Kippur evening services the person entering directly behind me was Dr. Jacobs. Yes, Dr. Jacobs the pulmonologist. My pulmonologist. The very same person who told me that I had lung cancer. I don't know why, but I could not bring myself to greet him. I guess some kind of deep seated resentment even though he was just the messenger.

Also, when I sat down, I instinctively placed my index finger somewhere in the prayer book. When the rabbi announced the next page for prayers it was page 401. Guess where my finger was? Page 401.

Carpe Diem.

Catch up

Hi all. Sorry about the delay in posting to the blog but really not much going on of interest the past few days. Just the mundane chores and shopping of home life in Baltimore. No, it's not that boring. But Vegas it ain't! I am getting a lot of stuff done though.

We will not be going away to New York for Yom Kippur (day of atonement). Diana, Mike and I will be at home here in Baltimore for Wednesday night pre fast dinner and then Thursday night we will break the fast at one of our friends' home. Rob will be at school and will only make it home this weekend. Oh well!

The Prednisone seems to finally be kicking in. The breathing is still not back to normal (whatever the hell that was). Taking deep breathes still makes me cough. Also, sometimes a lot of talking makes me cough. Yea, I know. Stop talking and don't take deep breathes. My weight is steady or could even be increasing. My appetite is great. When this breathing issue gets better I will start light workouts again. Right now, I get winded quite easily. Who would have thought that?

I wish all my Jewish friends and my family an easy fast.

Carpe Diem.

Back home

A nice easy Friday morning of much the same with my Mom. It was good to spend the time with her. Had lunch with Phil again and then off to catch the bus back to Baltimore. Relatively comfortable, convenient and inexpensive trip home.

On a medical note, my breathing is a bit better. Still difficult to take really deep breaths. But I feel the steroids are kicking in. My next scan and Dr's. appointment will be at the beginning of November. In the meantime.............

Carpe Diem.

Hanging out in New York

A Typical New York Day for me. Walking, shopping (looking) and eating. Doesn't get any better than that! I spent the morning doing just that with my Mom. Phil took us for lunch to a really nice (foo foo) Italian restaurant near her office. Not before having to say hi to everyone in her office!!! Talked to David Finn (top dog - excuse the description) and managed to get a few of his watercolors and a paperclip statue. He is an amazing and creative man. I feel like such a mooch. Oh well.

My Mom and I went back to the apartment late afternoon. I don't think my Mom has walked so much in quite a while. True to form, I had to venture out a bit later and get a bowl of hot and sour soup to tide me over till dinner.

Howard and I felt like sushi for dinner and no one one else wanted to join us. So off we went. I screwed up on one order. Vile sea urchin instead of fish eggs (cod roe). I guess both sound disgusting anyway. Then back to the apartment to watch the VP debate. How entertaining. I actually could have gone to see Spamalot instead. What an idiot.

Carpe Diem.

Where am I now?

New York.

Tuesday (yesterday) was a slow day while I rested and tried to get my strength and voice back. The breathing is still a little tough. I am waiting for the Prednisone (steroids) to kick in and reduce the lung inflammation from the radiation pneumonitis. The Prednisone medication course is a little stronger than last time and I will be taking it for almost two months. Hopefully this will bring this all under control.

Yes indeed, I am in New York. I came up today (Wednesday) to hang out with my Mom and Phil and the gang. I will be here for a couple of days.

Carpe Diem.

Hospital day 4 and I may be busting out

Once again I managed to negotiate a fairly good nights sleep. They came in at about 6:30am and did the blood draw, vital signs, breathing treatment and repeat chest x-ray. They must have been all lined up outside my room door.

I am waiting for the official word but the blood work looked good and the chest x-ray showed improvement. Yehaa. My breathing is still not great but after a couple of days on the steroids things should start improving. My IV is now disconnected and I am on oral meds right now. Hopefully all this bodes well for my discharge. Stay tuned.

I'm out!!!

Diana picked me up late afternoon. It was so nice to get home. Got a special drooling, licking welcome from Max. Rob arrived from college early evening and the four of us were able to have a wonderful Rosh Hashanah (Jewish new year) dinner together. Hopefully this new year will bring us happiness and good health. It's been a bit of a rough year for all of us!

To all my family and friends celebrating this Jewish holiday, we wish you a peaceful, joy full and healthy new year and well over the fast.

Carpe Diem.

Hospital day 3

A much better sleep night. I managed to negotiate some of the tests etc. to be done at 6am. I'm still a smooth operator. They took another chest x-ray and I am waiting to hear the results. But after Diana (Dr. Ruth) came to visit and have a delightful hospital lunch with me she took a look at the x-rays from 9/26/2008 and today. She saw an improvement but I think I will still wait for the official word.

The official word from Dr. Erlich was there was a very slight improvement in the x-ray but mostly stable. That was good. We had a really nice long chat and hopefully I will be discharged tomorrow.

Di and Mike came to visit in the evening. We had the obligatory Sunday night Chinese dinner. Yes I know. Chinese food again??? It was my idea

Carpe Diem.