still dodging bullets

 

 

 

Squamous Cell Carcinoma ... Still Dodging Bullets

Written Aug 28, 2012 3:21pm 

The last 48 hours

Monday 7:00 am , Went to Chattanooga, dropped Karen and Lillie at chemo doctor for check up ... Jo was there to meet with them. Lillie is good to go for another month!

Rushed over to the eye doc for emergency eye check for an amoeba floating around in the lens. After eye dilation the eye doc said it was normal aging process not an amoeba!
10:30 ... went back to chemo doc, got my weekly dose of chemicals, and picked up Karen/Lillie. Dropped Lillie off in Valley Head and headed to Bham for pre-op appt at 3:30 with skin cancer Doc.

Along these same lines, this morning at approximately 6:30, Dr Monheit in Bham, cut out a portion of the outside mouth below the lip. Following 50 minutes he came in and said, "we got all the cancer through a vertical ventuscular inclusion section and now will repair you with a cum sum lada Efrem Zimblas, Jr technique". I excitedly replied, " sounds good to me".
Got home at 11:30 am with a fat face and accompanying fat lip. I look like the "blob that ate Milwaukee".

With all this said, the good Lord is still blocking all the fiery bullets coming our way, so he must have plans for me and mine.

 " and he must needs go to Samaria."

My mom, "mother Mary, had the same technique performed last week on her leg and is doing great!

Karen, I and all our families appreciate the many thoughts and prayers from all !

It humbles us greatly.


Cheers from Valley Head
Karen and Mark

the beat goes on ....

 

 

The beat goes on ...

Written Aug 12, 2012 5:51pm

  Martin colony I host and caretake ......


Sorry it has taken so long to update from our trip to Little Rock...but I'm almost 61 ... ain't it great!!!

ME
The great news first .... STILL IN REMISSION!!!!!! and Dr.W says the prognosis is for a long and fruitful life. Even though we do not live in San Francisco I can deal with the fruit part.

Karen and I were in Arkansas last week for the 6 month roundup test. Everything is green and go.

Also, saw the dermatologist as a routine and they (2) found two squamous cell carcinomas which were biopsed. They are cancer and now am scheduled for a MOHS  surgery on both. I hope they leave some of my face.
As September and football season approaches, I, being of good faith and sound mind, wore my Auburn national championship shirts throughout the hospital for 2 days. None the less, you can certainly appreciate the many random and off the cuff links remarks hurled my way. After all, I was 3 years old the last time Auburn won a national championship.

After many comments and serious discussion of the upcoming fall frenzy, one theme kept being asked of me.

What is the difference between Auburn and Alabama fans?
What a philosopical question to ponder ... in Little Rock Arkansas.
Several days of deep thought and sleepless nights consumed my brain on this question. Here is what I came up with:

• Most Auburn fans went to Auburn and actually studied ...possibly even graduating
• Most Alabama fans buy a butt ugly marone vehicle of some sort and put A's all over it ... go figure
• Most Alabama fans are really not from Alabama but above the Mason Dixon which we do not recognize as civilization.
• Most Alabama fans ALWAYS wear a hat or shirt or pants with Alabama plastered on it... every day... can you say give it a break
• Most Auburn fans are polite , courteous and intelligent ... need say more
• Auburn fans celebrate victories in the spirit of sports... Alabama fans tend to appreciate the poisoning of trees and defamtion of character. Hey its a stupid football game!!
• Most Auburn fans live in houses ... bama fans tend towards mobile homes

Welll thats about enough of that rant as I'm sure someone is po out there in la la land.

KAREN
Karen is still fighting her knot on shoulder from surgery. However, not much if anything can be done about it.. so she just keeps on going about her duties ... no problem.

Lillie
Probably doing better than anyone, Lillie continues to amaze all of us. She now walks around doing flowers , yard stuff without any walker...cooks when she wants and does all her house chores by herself. Also drives to town and mailbox to do whatever. All this without being too bucky. Unbelievable!!

WINE REVIEW
May God forgive me.. to tired to go to church today but the wine must flow...... have mercy.
Tonight is a Chateau Gazin Rocquencourt 2005 .... very balanced on the get go.. hints of red berries and marbled glass ... could be a sleeper of the vintage .... 89 MAF ....not bad for 12 bucks


GOD IS GOOD AND FULL OF GRACE!!!


Cheers,
Mark and Ka

Updates

Lillie, Karen, Mark updates

Written Jul 11, 2012 3:48pm

Summertime at beach 1979 thereabouts





Miss Lillie

Some of you may know Miss Lillie had emergency surgery approximately 45 days ago. She had a malignant cancer in her intestine which was removed along with 4 of 12 glands and a colostomy performed. The cancer doctor says the surgeon got all the cancer and she will not need chemo. She will be monitored by monthly blood analysis. If she needs chemo in the future it will be a pill taken 2 weeks and off 1 week with no loss of hair, sickness and other side effects of chemo. Miss Lillie was very upbeat with this news and we all went out and had a fish sandwich with fries. She is at home and doing very well. Cooks rarely, cleans and points likes she always has..it is really remarkable. Karen is tending and keeping eye on things from a distance.

Karen

Karen has been aggravated with the shoulder surgery for a while now. Mainly the bone build up on the plate which is very painful. She went to another otho in Chattanooga to see and was told would need to take the plate out to fix. Well since the plate is glued in ... good luck. So she has not said much about  getting attention for the problem

Me

Labs still look good, aches and pains prevail but who's gripping....don't ask my wife please. Go to Arkansas first week of August...praying for good things.


SIDENOTES AND VICIOUS RUMORS

• Why does it take a billion dollars to run for President in this country by both candidates...that's 2 billion dollars. I don't get it.
• Been checking into my genealogy lately ... seems my great great great grandmother on some side of the family was never married back in the 18 hundreds .. rumor has it a wealthy train tycoon building the railroad at the time ate several dinners at the house. Sounds good anyway. Similarly, on another side of the family my great great great great grandfather rode with Teddy Roosevelt in Florida chasing the Seminole indians. In 1862 he joined the confederate Calvary at the age of 72, along with his 4 sons. All the sons, one of which is my great great great grandaddy all made it back, thankfully ...but Old Mige did not. All that can be said from my view is he must have liked to fight  alot.
• well time for a wine review .. today is a Stefano Farina Italia (that's Italy) Barbera d' Alba 2008 ... nice bottle, lovely appearance, fragrant with a hit of sea salt and sand. (sounds like a girl on the beach) Not bad for 11 bucks. I give it an 88 MAF

Cheers and keep positive thoughts when at all possible.

Mark