HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND THIS AND THAT

Saturday, Dec 20th

Christmas is upon us and I am not prepared. Why do I always wait until the last minute?

I bought Christmas cards nearly three weeks ago and have not completed a single one. I fail yet again.

I used to be good about it, and this year my intention was to sit down and write them all out, each with a personalized greeting, but time has gotten away from me.

Can I just blame in on Cancer? That excuse has worked so well over the past 2 and a half months. Hell - I think it got me a discount at one of our favorite restaurant the night I was diagnosed. I asked if they had a cancer discount - and the bill was surprisingly low for all we ate and drank.

It’s worth a try!

To all those that I intended to send cards – I apologize – I have cancer... well… had cancer…. Hopefully don’t anymore!

I have to keep the “C” word light and laugh about it all!!!

Christmas shopping – AAARRRGGHHH!!!

So far I have bought some clothes for Noelle and Christopher but that is it. Noelle spent the night last night and I don’t know how I am supposed to go shopping with her here, but we always have such a great time together I will find the time.

Noelle has a bag of stuffed letters, given to her by my friend Joann, and today we played a game - she would pull a letter from the bag and I would tell her the name of the letter and then words and names that start with that letter. She is so smart and her development is so important to me. I am always encouraging her to count and go through her “A B Cs.”

Now that Noelle is no longer in daycare, she isn’t getting the stimulation that is so essential to her development and so I work with her. She is naturally bright and it is vital that we help cultivate an inquisitive mine.

Christmas Eve will be Fettit, the girls, and the grandkids. Jon has to work but we are hoping he will get off early. Dad and Jane have made separate plans this year - new traditions.

I wish we could make new plans - new traditions - but its difficult with Fettit having to play the organ at midnight mass. It keeps us in town.

For Christmas Eve dinner we have decided upon a rib roast and fried shrimp, accompanied by baked potatoes and a fresh vegetable.

Christmas day we are going to the Wiley-Conforti’s for drinks, dinner and game day/night. We try to do game night once a month but depending on the time of year it is usually once every two or three months.

Besides the Wiley-Conforti’s, our friends Ray and Mark round out the customary players. I think our friends Kevin and Brad are joining as well. We have a wonderful group of friends and it will be an enjoyable day.

On Friday I had a follow-up appointment with my surgeon and I am healing well. The two small cuts on each side of my stomach have healed completely and are almost unnoticeable. The small incision a couple of inched below my navel is also fading nicely, and the three inch incision (which is through my navel – extending one inch below to about two inches above) is also healing well. From looking at the incisions it is not easy to tell I underwent major surgery just over a month ago.

I rarely had severe pain after I left the hospital and although the doctor gave me vicodin, I didn’t like the way they made me feel so I didn’t take them. I cannot imagine finding that feeling pleasurable and becoming an addict.

Hell, I asked the doctor for sleeping pills and he begrudgingly gave me a few ambien and those didn’t even work. I guess my drug of choice is tequila.

I am amazed.

Dr. Buckmire informed me I will have to see him every three months for the next two years and then as long as everything continues to be favorable that will be decreased to every six months and eventually I will discontinue seeing him.

Tuesday I go to meet another new doctor, my oncologist. He will be the person who decides if I require chemotherapy.

Although Dr Buckmire didn’t say I wouldn’t need it, I have a hunch I may not need chemotheraphy. I am going to encourage them to give it to me. For one reason, if there is a chance they didn’t get ONE cancer cell, I want it gone, but more importantly, I want the damn AFLAC chemo money. Hell – the first chemo session banks me $3,000. I won’t deny it… I want the money Oh yeah, and I want to be healthy too... but and initial payment of $3,000 and then $900 weekly after that certainly isn’t anything to sneeze at. Just think of the trips I could take. I need cancer to pay off for me… CHA-CHING!!!

I encourage all… get the AFLAC Cancer Coverage - you get paid to have cancer!

The cancer has been an experience. I took my father’s diagnosis far more serious then I did my own. I have laughed all the way through it – perhaps not the first day after the surgery – but certainly before and right after.

Cancer should be such a scary thing but at no time could I even wrap my head around the gravity of the situation. I never thought it was going to be anything more then a little surgery I would undergo. I would have it removed, recuperate a little and continue on with my life – and that is what I have done.

I'm gonna live till I die! I'm gonna laugh 'stead of cry, I'm gonna take the town and turn it upside down, I'm gonna live, live, live until I die. They're gonna say "What a guy!" I'm gonna play for the sky. Ain't gonna miss a thing, I'm gonna have my fling, I'm gonna live, live, live until I die.


Sunday, December 21st

Yesterday after lunch I was able to get some shopping done. I could not get over the crowds and the traffic. Horrendous!

I hate giving (and receiving) gifts just to give (receive) something, you know, the bad cologne gift packs filled with outdated scents that are accompanied by deodorant, and such.

HATE THEM!!!

This year I have told everyone not to buy me anything. I buy what I want when I want it. There really isn’t anything anyone can buy me that I would be crazy about.

Take me to dinner or to drinks, or buy me tickets to a traveling Broadway show. Don’t give me Stetson cologne, soap on a rope, a chia pet or the clapper.

So I am only buying for Christopher and Noelle.

These children have far too many toys as it is and I can’t stand spending money on crap that will only be played with once and abandoned. They have enough other relatives to buy them toys - I won’t be a part of that.

So going with what I mentioned earlier about Noelle’s development, I only purchased items that will expand her mind and encourage her learning to count, recognize and learn alphabet, and shapes and colors (although she knows most of her colors already).

I found a really great book on the United States but then I disappointingly realized that it was too advanced for her and I would be the only one enjoying it - I always love books on travel and new places while she still enjoys me reading Dr. Seuss to her.

Christopher was more difficult. It is not easy to find anything for a four month old. In the end I found something appropriate that he will be able to use for a few months that should assist with his development.

After Christmas I am abandoning Fettit and going to take a bite of the apple (now that I can digest it) and hang with some friends, and then once the holidays are behind me, I will return to office.

It will have been nearly two months since I sat at my desk and worked. I am really looking forward to it. Working from the confines of home is not for me. I realized that during my last job where I did it full time.

I need to interact with people.

Okay… I need to go start my day. Sorry for all the rambling and jumping from here to there!

Until next year – Happy Holidays and I wish all a prosperous, healthy New Year!