Hot Summer Daze

 
     In June of 2012 I had my first-ever Bone Scan.  A few days later I was informed that a follow-up CT scan was booked for me.  There was a concern that I had something called  Paget's Disease of the Bone.   This was  unexpected.  As I read up on it I could see some similarities to my general complaints about a sore hip and some pain when standing for extended periods.  A CT scan would be performed on my neck and skull to check for evidence of this disease.  I was concerned, but not worried.

     Another CT.  I've lost track of how many I've actually received since 2010, but it's close to five or six.    I have to wonder if all these CT's  have any cumulative effect.   Only time will tell.

     Despite my misgivings regarding the number of CT's I've had,  the results were essentially good news:   No evidence of Paget's was found.   This probably  means I  have some arthritis setting in.   Eventually I'll have to get a rocking chair.  And start wearing suspenders.  Perhaps I'll predict the weather based upon my particular aches, and maybe criticizing  politicians will become my full-time occupation.

    So I'm getting older,  that's fine.   I don't have Cancer, even better.    It's difficult to find that balance between complacency and overreaction.   Every time I get a twinge in my stomach or pain in my back there's that briefest twinge of "uh oh...".   Fortunately I can relax a bit, no point in always being scared.   Right now I'm more interested in being cool -the ambient-temperature kind, 'cuz we all know IT guys are Fonz-cool by default. Whoah.

   Even though I am cool , July was extremely hot and humid, not very conducive for exercise and activity.   Despite not finding evidence of strange and weird diseases,  I can't get complacent.   Activity, any activity which gets the body moving and pushes the cardio up a bit is generally good.   Ex-cancer patients who want to remain that way should be highly motivated in this regard.  Which is why I started to walk and bike ride with a little more conviction.

   I walk moderately-fast.  The walk around the park behind my house has me covering 3km in about 23 minutes, not bad for a casual walker.   I'm not consistent in my walking times or goals, I simply walk to feel better.  Of course I still ride my bike when I can, but I just don't seem to find the time to do the 40km a night that I once did.   Finding that balance between what we want to do and what we have to do is probably the closest  I'll get to finding the Meaning of Life.

  So far my life has been good, all things considering.  I'm learning to not worry too  much about all the things that can go wrong with the human body (a lot), and I'm trying to do the things that I want to do.  The medically relevant portion of my life is routine and just something I do.   I always seem to meet nice people when I go for tests or treatments,  that's surely a good thing!

  Surprisingly summer has flown by.  August is nearly spent (I started this particular blog entry in July...).    This month I had the hum-drum boring old Port Flush and my quarterly blood test for the all-important CEA  numbers.  My last count have my numbers less than 0.5, which is very very good.   One more year of this and I can get my Port removed.  Soon I'll  see my oncologist and surgeon for six-month checkups instead of every three months.  When I look in the mirror I no longer see the sick, scared patient I once was.  I see a person who can accept who he is.   Also there are a few silver threads amongst the gold...a few more gray hairs here and there. 

The blog is winding down, and save for the monthly port flush and B12 shots, there won't be much else Cancer-related to write about (I HOPE!).   I guess I can start thinking of formally closing my blog when the Port is removed, the final procedure that literally severs my link with Chemo.  On that day I hope I can appreciate the profound effect how some small wayward cells that can only be seen with a microscope have altered my life forever.  On that day I hope I will realize that life is not simply what we endure, it's the journey through which we realize our true humanity.