Best Laid Plans

Well, the best laid plans.... I had planned to go back to work Thursday but I was too sore and ditto on Friday. I really did want to get in to do some work that needed doing and might otherwise not get done but I was told in no uncertain language to DON'T GO.

Way back when I was drinking, I took any opportunity to "miss" work no matter what I was doing. What a change.

The doctor didn't call today with the biopsy results so I have to wait until Monday but I am optomistic. In all honesty, I must admit that I am also cranky and that is not a pretty picture.

Got through yesterday. Doctor says the kidneys are ok and I will have the results of bladder biopsy Friday or Monday. It may be an infection and not a return of the cancer.

After surgery I had a splitting headache and it lasted well into the night. Also it was like peeing molten lava, but the vicadin helped that.

I am hoping for some good news Friday. I am happy I have a doctor who cares and doesn't take chances with my health and my life.

Tomorrow is the day

Tomorrow is the day. I check in at the hospital at 6 am and have surgery at 8:30 am. At least I won't have much time to think about it tomorrow, or miss my morning tea. I can't have anything to eat or drink after midnight tonite.

Rap CDs

Enjoying my new Rap CDs - 50 cent - Curtis; Kanye West -Graduation, and Chamillionaire - Ultimate Victory. I finally used the iTunes Store credits from last Christmas.

Walked along the Los Angeles River for my 45 minute daily walk. Saw an old abandoned car partially in the water and partially on land. Also saw some sort of upside down boat. Later saw two sort of strange looking guys in beards on bicycles looking down on the car. I wondered if that was their home.

Deeper

I wonder how much deep the oceans would be without sponges?

Life in the 1500's part 2

In the 1500's most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May, and still smelled pretty good by June. However, they were starting to smell, so brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odor. Hence the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting married.

Life in the 1500's

In the 1500's baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the sons, then the women and then the children. Last of all was the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it.

Hence the saying, "don't throw the baby out with the bathwater."

Criticize

Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you criticize them you are a mile away and you have their shoes.

Working working working

Keeping busy working on Accessible City Expo and some things seem to be getting done slowly. Maybe I should set up some sort of schedule to see what I have accomplished and what is left to do.

Just a couple things would make a big difference, such as getting celeb to endorse HIV testing program and to get some more incentives. At least we have 10 free lunches from a fast food company, so that is a start.

I am trying to keep my mind off of next week but that is hard. I really should do something this weekend but don't know what.

Surgery date set

Tuesday, Sept. 25 set for the biopsy surgery. Monday I have to go to the hospital and talk to people I will probably never see again. First you have to see an anesthesialogist (sp?) and give and get a whole bunch of information, none of which is recorded anywhere apparently. When you go into the operating prep room you meet the REAL anesthesialogist who knows nothing of the first person or what they said or asked.

On Monday I also will see a urologist whose prime function seems to be to collect the $10 fee for talking to a doctor. Usually he knows nothing of my case and it is a lucky thing if he can pronounce my name correctly.

Oh, well, that is over a week away. Meanwhile I have to do something this weekend to get my mind off the whole thing. Maybe get the new Kanye West and 50 Cent CDs that came out Tuesday.

SHERIDAN

Perspective

Some times it is hard to get perspective on something when you are going through it - like dealing with cancer. But perspective is what makess things more liveable and workable, and also inserts a little reality. Reality, we sometimes don't realize, isn't always a bad thing.

Pavarotti had pancreatic cancer, one of the worst, and he managed to survive only about a year. I, however, have survived for more than three years and many more years likely. Also he had pain and I have not had pain, except during treatment or right after surgery.

In the New York Times yesterday and today there were articles on the lack of morphine to deal with pain in Sierra Leone and in India. The only time I had real pain was right after surgery and they gave me a shot of morphine with no problem.

I guess what I am really saying is that I have a lot to be grateful for. Things could be better and things could be worse, but that is life. For sure if I hadn't stopped drinking over 32 years ago I wouldn't be dealing with cancer, cause I would have been dead long ago.

Yesterday I talked with a friend of mine who is also dealing with cancer and it was an amazing conversation. Here were two sober AA members talking (meaning we were still alive) and being positive (what ever happened to the "poor me" syndrone), and enjoying life. Wow.

Not the best news

Today the weather got better - not as hot as the last couple days. Yesterday it was so hot that I was so sweaty that I kept slipping out of my chair and landing on the floor. I was working a crossword puzzle and had to put a piece of plastic on top to keep it from being soaked with dripping sweat.

The oncology visit today wasn't so great. I had hoped to be put on a six-month schedule for the cystoscopy exam, but my doc. saw something and now I will have to have a biopsy surgery in three weeks or so. I also have to see if my kidneys have decided to get in on the bladder cancer act. (He said there was only 2% chance of this happening, so I guess that is good).

Well, this is just more of the ongoing saga. I did lose three people recently to cancer: Ferd Eggan, one of my heroes who was active in AIDS prevention; Ellen (aka Puppy) who kept a wonderful sense of humor and a zest for life all the way to the end: and Ken, a kindly gentle man, an artist, and an over all good person. I really don't want to join them, but I couldn't find better people to join.

I am still M L COOL S, the oldest living Rapper.

Hot Day in L.A.

Hot day today in Los Angeles, but didn't stop us from going to the African Marketplace. Lots of people there and lots of things to buy. Had the greatest mango juice drink that helped beat the heat. Also had a watermellon juice drink but the pulp clogged up the straw. Both were just juice and some water to make it liquid and not completely pulpy.

For lunch I had a po boy catfish sandwich and was it ever great. Also got a nice picture of Bob Marley.