Wednesday, June 26, 2013

June 26, 2013


Oh, hello there. (Bob Ross voice)

It has been a while since I've posted I'm truly sorry. Once that needle comes out I'm worse than a Mexican jumping bean - all over the place and can't be stopped.

I've actually been thinking about exactly that recently: back in November and December, I found myself questioning if life ever would be the same. Of course in many ways it most certainly will not, but I specifically thought about the physical aspect of what was going on. Before all the symptoms hampered me, I would consider myself to be a pretty active guy, trying to participate in a variety of sports. Then after the surgeries, I walked whatever short distance I could hunched over - a far cry from racquetball or squash days. It's unbelievable how far I've come and hopefully I can continue to progress towards full health. Maybe I enjoy getting out and golfing so much because it brings me back to before everything happened medically. Or perhaps I enjoy it just because I physically can do it - something that shouldn't be taken for granted.

That all being said, this heat wave is seriously cramping my style. Like legitimately a month ago it was a high of 50 here. I remember it vividly. Insane weather.


So what else is new? Nothing! I'm boring I told you. Just trying to plan out the rest of my summer now that I'm starting to see how I feel at certain points of each chemo cycle. So many things to make sure I do and see when I can. Which leads to another point - there really are some great people out there. Thank you to all of you; the amount of love, support and continuous generosity that has been shown time and time again to my family and me is simply unreal. It, of course, does not go unnoticed, ever.

Since the heat is unbearable...WiiGolf today. I'll update with a high score soon.....shooting for that -18 still. Later everyone.

Friday, June 21, 2013

June 21, 2013

What's up people?

Been a while, I know I know but hear me out. I was going to write Wednesday, then I watched that hockey game until too late...then last night, but then I watched that basketball game until too late. Bottom line here? We have much to discuss. Let's get to the discussion.

Everyone, rejoice! The farce that is the NBA is finally over for months and we don't have to watch a game of so-called "basketball" for another nice long string of months. Next.

This hockey series is intense. Even though I really don't find myself pulling for one team over the other at this point, game 4 was easily the most entertaining game of the NHL playoffs this year. No doubt. Gotta love the puck game. And now that we have HDTV and you can actually see the puck floating across your screen (minus the little blue tail that Bigfoot loved so much...gross), it's that much better. Next.

Anyone with two eyes and a pulse could see that Miss USA was a two horse race between Illinois and Alabama. From my estimation, this should've clearly been a "Roll Tide" scenario; however, one always has to be wary of pace with match races. Burn each other out in the early going and some competitor with no business even being there will sneak up and snare the victory. Those Nutmeggers are a sly group I tell you - congrats to Miss Connecticut. Miss 'Bama, call me. Next.

Shot 18-under at Modico Country Club...no big deal. Not on WiiGolf yet - that's coming though, I can smell it. At least that's what I think I smell. Hope that's it.

Oh you guys wondering how chemo is going? Boring. Just plodding along here...last day of cycle 3 is at hand. Let's go. Needle out...watch out. Later world.


Sunday, June 16, 2013

June 16, 2013

Happy Father's Day to all those padres out there!

A nice, quiet weekend here in between chemo weeks. So that brings us to 2.5 rounds down, many more to go, but nevertheless counting DOWN right??

Made it through the first week relatively unscathed. Dynamite. The taste in the mouth is there and being combated, as always, with different and wonderfully innovative ways! A.k.a. not innovative at all...gum, drinking something, or eating basically all day. This could be bad news, as this would normally not work for people, most of whom are likely concerned with their appearance or looks. However this is simply irrelevant news, because I am merely concerned with living and not vomiting from the gross taste chemo brings about - so ha, my newly minted spare tire laughs at you.

Hopefully I'll be a feeling a little better this next week and will be able to move about a bit rather than just marinating inside all week. Quietly confident that will happen. But as for now, well, I've got some Miss USA competition to be watching. Laterrrrr

Thursday, June 13, 2013

June 13, 2013

Through 3 full days of cheeming out; two more to go in week one. Nice progress thus far, hopefully we can keep it going.

Been seeing what I can do with this needle in; so far, swinging a golf club has proved to be not too bad but not exactly easy, tossing a baseball not so much, driving is good, and messing with Katie is (of course) excellent. Walked in from hitting some practice golf balls yesterday and Katie was so passed out that when she finally heard me and looked up, her entire face was mushed from laying on it. The dog is great entertainment; I'll give her that any day.

Was looking forward to watching some golf on these cruddy days - of course the US Open is in Philly and getting hit by the same storm, though. Tough break. WiiGolf it is, kicking Bigfoot's butt everyday. Though I gotta give her credit, she knows how to put backspin on the ball and I most certainly don't. Impressive skills, but Katie's not impressed.


Just living the dream here folks. Getting after it, all day everyday. Into the weekend we ride.

Monday, June 10, 2013

June 10, 2013

Greetings Earthlings.

So what did we think of the Belmont Stakes? Kinda lame right? Maybe only because I didn't win any cash on the race but nevertheless. I did have some serious rooting interests in the preceding races, including the day before in the Brooklyn Handicap (essentially the Belmont Stakes for horses 4 years old and older), so that made for an exciting weekend of racing. Quite possibly nothing I enjoy more than such.

In and out of Sloan today like the place is riddled with the plague. Which it kind of is, in a way, sorta - correct? It's great getting out of there ASAP - and I think the pharmacy there knows that's my gig. I first get a finger stick to get my blood counts (yes a CBC merely from a prick of the finger), meet the team to discuss the blood counts and whether or not they're good enough to begin the next chemo cycle, and if they are I head back to the day hospital - if not, I head home. Extremely luckily, I haven't experienced the latter - and I feel like that's definitely been to my benefit in terms of treatment and beating this little nuisance though it is certainly physically demanding. I say this because the entire process from finger stick to chemo being ready to go took a grand total of maybe 30 minutes, which is simply unheard of. Talk about a small victory right there. Couple that with getting my main nurse to throw a little needle action in the mediport and get it working perfectly again, and we have what shapes up to a great day in the life of a cancer patient. It's the little things.

And so we start the next two week cycle. Getting after it. Later world.

Friday, June 7, 2013

June 7, 2013

Sorry for the delay in blogging; when the needle's away the Nicky Mo will play. Am I right?

We caught some really nice weather days here, so I had to take full advantage of them. Spent one down in the Bronx watching the pinstripes and another out on the links. Getting more and more used to swinging with this mediport, which is cool I guess. Then again, hopefully one day I'll have to get used to swinging without the mediport...riiiiight?

Which brings me back to my recent recollection of acquiring the aforementioned mediport on a gloomy November day (actually unsure if it was even gloomy, or what day it really was, or anything except that I woke up after surgery which is real good news). One second I'm hanging around getting ready for a little casual surgery action, the next I'm coming to and have a solid bump above my left pectoral muscle (or lack thereof but they tell me there's supposedly a muscle there) with needles stuck in and tubes running in and out of it. I was told that they'd possibly put in a temporary port (not even sure what that means) but it was pretty interesting waking up and looking like something straight out of Alien vs. Predator, (gotta be from Bigfoot's side of the family.......just kidding), with the tubes pumping whatever into my system. Great times. I'm sure you can all imagine how comforting it is to pass out going into surgery at the oasis that is Sloan Kettering and waking up with tubes running into you - like oh great what happened now? I lucked out and it was all good news - including news that it wasn't a temporary mediport but a normal one (I guess).

And yes, though we have had our bumps in the road, Meddie Port and I have been bestest of friends since. She holds a special place (directly) in my heart. Later world.

Monday, June 3, 2013

June 3, 2013

What's up everyone?

Here we are, starting up the off week from chemo. Feels like it's been a while since we've been so free and needleless. Taking advantage of every single minute of it.

What's new around the compound you ask? Well the Modico Country Club is really coming together. The course is a bit soggy due to recent weather conditions, but the peripheral landscaping is really filling in. Better hit those fairways; the rough is unforgiving. We have a new resident, a turtle moseying around the course. This thing is like Houdini - I've never seen a turtle move so fast. Then again, I haven't seen it move as of yet, technically. Everytime I look for it, it's in a different location, and no where near where it just was. This turtle has wings I tell you. Wings. Needless to say, Katie was unimpressed (as she snores in our faces).

Guess I'll hit the hay early tonight, get up nice and early and get blood taken down at Sloany Ketts (a check up), and get some errands done tomorrow. This whole cruising down to Sloan for just a quick CBC is a bit lame, especially at 7 AM, but ya gotta do what you gotta do. Speaking of, I gotta get my you-know-what in gear and get some stuff done around here while I can...then hit the links later in the week. Priorities.

Later everyone.