Friday Night

12 hours and 48 minutes of sleep last night. What can I say.

Healthwide, I had a pretty good week except for a little trouble with the nausea Friday. I was with a friend so I was lucky enough to hit the Ondesetron and lay down in a guest bedroom for an hour and twenty minutes. After that, all was well.

Plan on an easy week end with nothing much on the schedule except an oil change. Lots of miles lately.

Will try to put something worthwhile on here later but wanted to post something as I've had a number of concerns on personal emails that I haven't posted since last Tuesday.

I'm workin' on it.

Sr.

Laughing at Other's Expense

There are lots of "sayings" out there that are good natured and rooted in attempts to make your fellow man feel better about a seemingly negative situation. "An apple a day, keeps the Dr. away"- without a doubt doesn't work. "An ounce of prevention beats a pound of cure"- Also, a less than factual stab at motivating someone to be prepared. I could go on all day with broad generalizations and folk wisdom; instead I'd rather share with you what works for the Butler Boys.... Laughing at Other's Expense. Thank God for You Tube. A simple slice of technology that can comfort even the most obtuse individual into realizing that there is always somebody more intellectually challenged than you. I've taken the liberty of adding a You Tube gadget to the right hand side of the blog. All you have to do is search a subject and wait on our country's best and brightest to shine for all the world to see. A search for "Mrs. Peaches" will give you a whole new perspective on fried chicken and a search for "Little Shrunken Sings the Blues" will have you toe-tapping a wonderful little ditty that will surely help you wade through the seas of ignorance that surround each of our own little islands of joy! Poppa T is doin good and all is well in Timmyland USA.
R/

Jr.

Cross eyed with Paper work

Now that Jr. is back, paperwork is the order of the day. After I do the nausea thing in the morning we got our benefit options outlined and today, we went to the Disabled American Vet office here in town.

Hopefully, I'll be able to qualify for the program that will stop the medical bills and give a vet with agent orange, a little bit of help.

Thanks to all the combat vets from the 199th Light Infantry Brigade and the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment for all the notes regarding the combat part of our combat missions. It means everything to the DAV.

Haven't felt up to posting over the past couple of days but most of that is due to nausea and fatigue than anything else. Nothing added to the list of things to worry about. Just part of recouping and the effects that has on your system.

Tired..................Sr.

Tuesday Report

Sir-Sleeps-A-Lot and son are about to head out for the days first meal. Scratch some pretty serious fatigue, nausea and a noticable loss of appetite and Poppa T is doing well. If it were up to him he'd be putting in 50hr weeks at the stone yard and downing rack of lamb by the pound but nature dictates couch time instead. It is good to be home. Looking forward for next weeks birthday celebration however that may manifest itself. Thanks to all for support and encouragement; stay tuned for more to come......

R/

Jr.

Sunday

Sunday better than Friday and Saturday. Despite the fact that I actually went to Strawns and ate breakfast this morning, I'm back to nausea at 8:20 pm Sunday night. This thing has no schedule and you don't have a clue when you'll be sick.

It's easier to fight chemo and radiation than it is to fight the abscense of everything.

Will try to keep up the chin and keep the legs kicking hard.

Sr.

Ondenstron/Omeprazole and .......

Managed to medicate my way out of the nausea today and by 3 o'clock I was able to eat. Over the past two days, I've had two pieces of bread, a grilled cheese sammich and a piece of pie. Not much but I'm thankful that I managed that much.

Feelin' a little bit better. Getting off the chemo sucks. I hate, loathe and despise being sick but I know that it's just temporary and the drugs mentioned above will have me watching LSU and Auburn tonight. Count your blessings as it's better than being sick.

Sr.

The Heaves.

Started Saturday morning off with the "yipee" that comes with being off chemo for 25 days and the "damn it" when the dry heaves hit at 10 a.m.

It seems to me that anytime you get "off" something like chemo that you ought to "get on" with feeling good. Not so.

My sister Elaine came over from Jackson. Kristin is in Monroe but will pick Jr up at the Jackson airport tomorrow and bring him to Shreveport Sunday evening. I hope Leland can make the drive over from Austin but I'm not sure what his schedule is like yet.

Hangin' tough and still fightin' it the best I can but the stomach rules the body. Will let ya'll know.

sr.

Homeward Bound

Hellllloooo blogosphere! Sunday morning I will be hopping on a puddle jumper to make the flight back to Shreveport, family and friends. Lord knows I need a break. I figured I could come home for a couple of weeks of leave or spend a few weeks in the Brig for insubordination...... they granted me leave. Don't understand how Compassionate Reassignment could be confused with retard limbo and military lethargy but hey, it is the government; I probably should have used smaller words and a larger font.
Ready to be back home. Looking forward to seeing sleeping beauty. Don't know if I've ever seen the old man sleep 12 hrs in a two day period, much less one straight shot.
Managed to get the leave period bumped up to cover Poppa T's birthday on the 4th. Sounds like a rack of lamb, mashed potato and pink cake night to me. I think fireworks are in order and will see what I can do along those lines. Love ya'll, miss ya'll and much thanks to my bride for corralling my sanity over the last few months. Don't think I've ever heard of a Saint Kristin but we'll see, stranger things have happened......... Obama got a Nobel prize for cryin out loud.

Deuces- Tim Jr.

Made it through last night

Today is the last day of chemo for 25 days. I made it through last night without getting sick so maybe the other part of chemo, the coming off the drug part, won't be as bad as it was that first time I got off chemo and radiation. I hope so because I want to be able to eat and not freak out about the nausea.

I've received several testimonials from the men I served with regarding my combat experiences in Vietnam. Thanks to all who have responded so far.

I have chemo in 20 minutes and then I have to go to the VA for an interview of some sort. Hangin' tough.

Sr.

Stomach

It began around noon time but it really wasn't that bad. I tried to eat a sandwhich at lunch but could only make it through 1/3rd of it. Tried supper but couldn't get through more than three spoonsfull and that was it.

I've taken my antinausea but I'm on a double dose of chemo. Tomorrow is the last day but I don't have much hope of even making it through the night without getting sick. Damn, I hate this part of it.

More tomorrow, gotta be still.

tb

Feeling good so far and other stuff

I'm 5 hours past my third session with the double dose of chemo and everything is good so far. I'm a little uneasy but definately not sick.

Would like to thank Doug Heywood and Joe Brophy, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, for sending their statements about my war record. Thanks Doug and Broph!!

Appears that I will be able to gather all the paper work I need.

Will let ya'll know how this evening goes as I will be approaching the 72 hour full saturation period in a matter of hours.

Sr..

T minus 12 minutes to chemo and other stuff

Full saturation dosage beings at 10:30. I'm a wee bit nervous about that as I'm concerned about the nausea but I'll swallow the whole 9 yards as directed and see what happens.

I received a call from the Disabled Vets this morning. Seems as though the record keeping inside the units weren't exactly the best in the world. They've lost my Bronze Star and also want proof of my involvement there. I've emailed surviving crew members and other pilots and will have no problem proving any of it. I also have pictures and movies.

Speaking of that, which one of you guys out there sprayed Agent Orange with me at FSB Mace? I think it was Femmer (RIP) but it may have been Craig, Kat or Dudley. If ya'll remember, please respond. Buffy, was that you in the back operating the pumps?

Also, any of you guys who were there when Major Stiner pinned the Bronze Stars on the Nighthawk crew, please advise. Eddie, Smokey, were you there?

Last but not least, I need somebody to respond to action the day that Dan Coombs and Blick were killed. Mike, I know you were there too and I've already sent you an email so don't worry about it. If any of you know how I can get my hands on the Brigade Summaries from July 4th when Jernigan and Stearns were killed, please advise. Craig Wolman and I watched them go down.

All of these requests are made so I can update my benefits package. It's expensive to have cancer and the DAV will help me find some additonal relief for drugs etc.

Thanks,
More later.

Sr.

Update

Joey, thanks for putting the pic on the blog. That was taken in Bob's driveway sometime around 2007 ( I think).

Stan, name of my chemo is Temozolomide or something close to that.

I'm into my second round of chemo now and it's been about 34 hours since I began. Taking two anti nausea drugs. Ondesetron and Omeprazole. Good stuff and no sickness yet. I've needed an extremely large number of hours of sleep. The sleep comes easily and the need is quite different than the need that comes from the fatigue of radiation.

I'll try to keep everybody posted as well as I can but tomorrow begins the real day with my third dosage. Oncology says it takes 72 hours to be fully "saturated" with chemo so I'll know sometime soon, maybe tomorrow but certainly no later than noon Thursday.

Sis, come on over this week end as I plan on going to Leesville next week.

News tonight that Tim Jr will be here in roughly two weeks. Will be great as I know the price of being in the Navy and having a wife away from your duty station is dear. Freedom is not free and being a true patriot who does his duty, is sometimes super expensive. Thanks Jr, thanks Kristin.

Poppa

Chemo begins again

I began round 2 of chemo today.

Temozolomide sounds like something you'd spray on your weeds. I'm taking 345 mg of it everyday for 5 days then off 25 days. I'm only four hours and five minutes into it right now and I'm doing fine.

Last time I did the same in the beginning stages but it takes 72 hours to become fully saturated. I hope I can handle it just like last time and, as I understand it, now that I'm off radiation, I should be able to handle this just fine.

Will let ya'll know.

Sr.

Progress

Hank, rest in peace. Cancer always puts up a good fight and you fought a good one all the way to the end. Stan, keep fightin'. I'll fill you in when I make it through the first 72 hours of the second round of chemo.

I'm feeling better today but I'll have to admit that I actually had one day last week where I asked myself: "is this it"? Lost hair, lost 14 pounds, lost all my energy and damn near lost my will.

I made some mistakes when I got off chemo and radiation. I picked two customers I could go see and picked the shortest distance to drive and the shortest work day I could manage. I made it okay and only drove 170 miles total and made a total of different stops. Probably should not have done that but in review, I think the only problem was the fatigue.

The next week I drove to Leesville and visited a number of places on and off post. I believe the total mileage was 370 and it took two days. Only problem with all that had to do with the real onset of nausea. I stayed in a hotel room instead of Tommy and Lanell's house and I'm glad I did especially after getting so sick in the hotel room about 2:30 a.m. or maybe 3:30.

The following week was a real tough time for me. "Getting off everything" does not mean getting off chemo and radiation alone. I thought it meant everything including steroids, anti nausea etc. It didn't or shouldn't have. I was sleeping a minimum of 12 hours everyday and in a sense, beating the fatigue but I wasn't anywhere close to winning the nause battle. Dry heaves are the worst.

Kristin fixed the support drug thing and eventually I managed to make it through the day without being drop dead sick. I thought I was dying. Am really glad to be back in the pink, so to speak.

Kristin has totally redone the interior of the motor home. Smells like an advertisement! Is really nice to have the "men's den" back.

I go to the VA tomorrow to begin chemo again. Will not do radiation as they've hit me so much I ought to glow at night. Jr keeps tellin' me not to pee in the front yard as he doesn't want his place to glow at night. He's still in Norfolk awaiting Navy orders to send him here to help out when I'm totally out of it. It's taken two months so far and the orders have not yet been cut. Glad I didn't have to wait that long for support when I was in combat. Jesus, times have changes in that area.

In any event, I'm ready to start the 5 day on 25 day off deal. If the control drugs work as well as they eventually did the first go round, I'll tell you right now that I'm going to Leesville. I'll hang there for the 25 days off period and even go back to Tim and Kristin's for the week ends, Lord willin'.

Hang tight. I am.

Stan, will let you know the minute I get started with this second round of chemo. It will be double the dosages so I should be able to get word to you before you have to start yours. Hang tough and I'll lead the way.

Jr, tell those paper pushers that I said: "Don't make me come up there".

Sr.

Ondestron and Omeprazole Saved the Day.

Before I managed to get the nausea under control, I lost a total of 14 pounds. Kristin brought out the book and the two drugs mentioned above seem to work. What a good daughter in law she is! Thanks, KK.

I go back on chemo Monday. I'm going to the VA Monday morning to make damn sure I have every single support drug I could possibly need because the chemo dosage is going to increase by a factor of 2. That's right, twice as much.

Despite the nastyness of all that, I'm only going to be on chemo for 5 days every month. I'll be off of chemo for 25 days. I'm planning on heading south on the sixth day.

Tommy, Joey and Al Carroll have pretty much completely rebuilt my motorhome. New water pump, new air ride suspenstion system, all new v-belts, generator tune up and replaced sky lights in the roof. Kristin is finishing the inside with a stem to stern clean up.

Thanks to everybody for emails during the really sick part of this treatment. I thought I was done for at one point. I've never been sick so this has been an experience for me.

Hangin tough. Not scared of chemo. Radiation is done ....period! Will let ya'll know how it is as soon as I make it through the first 72 hours.

Sr.

Doing a tad better.

Nausea still here but a bit more manageable than last week. Improvements in the fatigue department. I'm able to make it through the day without a mandate for naps in the morning and the afternoon. That's an improvement. Will be glad when the strength level returns and the nap scenario is a non issue. Sounds great to alot of blog readers but naps that are mandated pretty much suck.

Fever not consistent but at least the differences are on the low side between 97.3 and 98.6 instead of the 101.3. Fever and nausea at the same time suck.

Have been told to count my blessings in that most guys haven't had the accomplishments I have since beginning chemo and radiation. Hair falling out on both sides of my head now and weight loss of roughly 10 pounds makes that advice a bit hard to follow but I'm sure once my strength returns I'll have a different attitude.

Hangin' tough but pretty tired of the same old same old.

Sr.

Positive, Comparitive and Superlative degree of "suck"

I'm feeling much better today than I have been over the last ten days. I didn't have a clue how much getting off chemo and radiation would suck but now I know. I think that it's not quite up to the superlative degree of suck but it surely is well seated in the Comparitive degree.

My temperature never got higher than 101.3 that I know of. Despite that, when all the factors are considered, the fever, the nausea and the fatigue, all rolled into one, sucked big time. You have to be so still that you don't dare do anything at all even small things like answering the phone. You just have to be real still and let mother nature or the drugs do the work.

I'm losing some weight now but am not all that bothered by it. I had to bulk up to 230 to endure the chemo and radiation but now that those are gone I'm noticing the weight loss like one normally would. Ten pounds in ten days.

Sorry this is so short and without much value except to Tom, Hank, Stan and maybe the others who are approaching the time when they will get off chemo and radiation. Ya'll watch out! IT SUCKS big time!

Still keepin' that chin up but only after I've taken my nap and have enough energy to lift my head if you know what I mean.

Bruce, Hawaii sound great.......................................tb

Tough Saturday

I am NOT in denial about being sick! The reality of all that came to visit this week end. I've been having these bouts with nausea but I've not experienced any fever until this past week end.

I went to Albertson's and bought a thermometer. I knew that the 188.8 number was wrong so I kept trying to find out what it really was. I finally hit 101.3 and decided I better go to the hospital as directed by my Oncologist.

Spent several hours there and finally was released after seeing a couple of ER technicians.

Kristin met me at the emergency room and stayed the course. She made sure that I had a good supper and stayed with me until we were both convinced that the fever was going away and that I would make it through the night.

This 'off chemo and off radiation" thing is the craziest thing I've ever experienced. I've been in the worst shape I've been in "after" everything stopped.

I've had it explained to me that I've really been through a rough time and that my body needs time to "ward off" the drugs. Not sure what "ward off" means but I am assuming that it means that "now" that there isn't a daily dose of chemo and radiation as well as a daily dose of all the support drugs, that my body has to deal with getting rid of all that. Well, "this getting rid of business" has been a real bitch!

Joey took my motorhome to the repair center and it came home Saturday morning after a $1,500.00 upgrade on the suspension system. I was thinking that I'd be able to go camping at a lake real close to Ft. Polk but that went out the window as the temperature began to rise.

In any event, I'm back at it today and trying to make it through the day without the nausea. Hangin' tough!

Sr.

Quit Pushing So Hard

I've been getting some pretty good advice about "pushing the recovery too hard".

It's awfully confusing to me. I've been sick during the chemo and radiation but nothing compared to what I've experienced in the last two weeks.

I felt good enough to go to Leesville and spend the night week before last because I was off chemo and radiation. I ended up being sick in the hotel room bed about 2 a.m. and so fatigued later in the day that I had to pull off the road on the way back to Tim and Kristin's.

Despite all that, my spirits remain pretty high and my planning continues. My motorhome rebuild project only lacks a few small things to complete but none of those are mechanical. I had over $2,000 worth of suspension system work done at Al Carroll's RV Center and I picked it up this morning and drove it to Joey's. It won't fit at Jr's house but that's okay cause I'm going to take it to the lake anyway. Should be able to stay there on my 28 day off period.

I'm tired but I'm still fighting.

Jay, Welcome home.

Sr.

Black Friday

Started off with dry heaves this morning.

That came before I even had a chance to try breakfast. It passed and I wrote it off to not having to take the antinauea tablets or the steroids. Tried a little breakfast but that didn't work and neither did my attempt at a hamburger at 1 pm.

Will go by Al Carroll's to check on the motorhome and then immediately back to the sofa. I'm hangin' tough but this is surely a tough opponent.

Welcome home, Jay!
Sr.

The New Chemo, Paranoia and Concern

How's this for a "Side Effect" statement for the new chemo?

"Nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, constipation, tiredness, weakness, and headache may occcur. Nausea and vomiting can be quite severe. Drug therapy may be necessary to prevent or relieve nausea and vomiting. Not eating before your treatment may help relieve vomiting."

They go on to discuss weight loss but I think the above note is enough for now.

I spent the morning at the VA again today as this finished 4 days in a row there this week. I don't mean to sound like a complainer but I sure am ready for a little relief from everything that I've been experiencing since the wreck. I'm ready for a break.

Today is the first day I've been off nausea and steroid tablets as per yesterday's orders from Doc. Had lunch at Ralph and Kacoos today (with Lane who is a customer and a road contractor).
Enjoyed the crab claws and have no nausea as of right now.

Still keepin' my eye on the target but wanted ya'll to know that I may miss a day posting. I don't have to start this fight until the 19th and I'll only have to take these for 5 days on then 28 days off so regardless of what happens, it will be short term and I should be able to have a somewhat smooth time of things during the 28 day off period.

Going to check on the motorhome. It should be finished tomorrow or Monday for sure. I've spent almost 4 grand on the upgrades since the wreck and I'm more than ready to get it parked on the lake.

Will have it located on a nice spot close to the dam on the south end of Toledo Bend Lake, a 15 minute commute to Leesville. It will either be that or on the south shore of Anacoco Lake maybe 5 minutes west of Leesville. It's really pretty there.

Ya'll hang tight, I'm still kickin' it and I'll keep posting.

Sr.

Two days in the hospital

Despite the fact that I've spent the last two days at the VA Hospital in Shreveport, it was well worth the time. I have rec'd a formal declaration regarding the radiation and I will NOT be radiated anymore. That is super good news. I really like the crew down there but I'll really like NOT having the burns and the fatigue that come from all that.

I spent all day in the hemotology department and oncology department today. My blood is back where it's suppossed to be and my white count/platalate count/coagulation count is bad to the bone.

I have to make one more trip tomorrow but that's the final trip for chemo indoctrination OR an explanation of the double dosage, when it's taken, how often and what I have to do with the support drugs to counter the nausea. I know that I can handle that cause Doc said I could and he's never been wrong about anything.

With that, I decided to tell him that I went back to work last week for two days and then decided I wouldn't. I changed that story to " I went to the Lake last week to rest up for two days". In reality, I did do that in that I went to the Lake but I was with Tommy and we were actually looking for a spot to put my motorhome.

Sometime tomorrow I'll get the skinny on the chemo. I already know that I'll be able to do 28 days off each month until the end of February. That only puts me out of action for a part of 5 days per month. Beats everyday at the hospital to pieces. Ooooooh Rah!

Thanks to everybody for putting up with the "no posting" during the times I've been too sick to do it or the times where I couldn't get on line. Life is looking better.

Sr.

Passed Radiation This Morning

I passed my final exam in the Radiation Department at the VA this morning.

I met with every single person there. They even gave me a diploma / achievement of sorts that is suitable for framing. I don't have to go back until December 30th but that's just for a follow up and will not include being radiated again.

I have to go back to Oncology and start chemo again but I will only have chemo for 5 days straight then 25 days off. I'll call that "maintenance chemo" because I don't really know what's up with chemo for 6 weeks then no chemo for 5 weeks then back to chemo again.

In any event, I'm doing a whole lot better. They seem to think that the fatigue will get better in two more weeks. I'm glad of that because it's really tough to make it through the morning without hitting the bed and impossible to make it through the afternoon if you don't.

Yeeee Haaaaaaaaa!

Sr.

Still kickin but without daily net access.

I'll admit that I've been having a lot of nausea trouble lately and that the fatigue level is higher now than it's ever been. I don't really understand how you can "get off" chemo and radiation and end up "getting on" a more difficult reaction to all that but I've accepted it.

I'm looking forward to the 5 day on and 25 day off chemo period because I'm certain that I will be able to more effectively use my support drugs and begin to have some kind of a normal life after discovering what malignant brain cancer can do to a fella.

I made it to Leesville last week and had two days that were great. Being able to do that without any pressure is the thing that allows me to do that. It was fabulous.

OOOOPS. JUST MISSED AN APPT AT RADIATION. SR.

Wonderful Saturday nite....bout time.

Had a great steak dinner last night. No nausea, no nothing but good food and good conversations with Melissa. Have been waiting for the nausea to leave forever but now it's gone. Just have to be real, real careful about the fatigue and taking all the meds on time. My fault again.

Having hell with the wireless at Joey's so my post times are limited. I'm workin' on it. Thanks to all for the support and well wishes. Tim jr, get home boy!!!

Sr.

Computer down

Haven't been able to post because I have been having problems connecting. Joey's wireless has been out for a week or so and Tim Jr and Kristin's has been intermittent.

Still having the fatigue issues as well as the nausea. Can't seem to figure that one out but I accept it and adjust my food intake accordingly but nothing has seemed to work so far.

Will post when I feel a bit stronger. sr.