Eureka - May 2019

5-5-2019.

Wednesday and Thursday I just took it easy.

Friday morning I went to the hospital for the biopsy. Now I have to wait for the results.

From the hospital I went to the Senior Center to have lunch. They celebrated Cinco de Majo early. I wore my Mariachi jacket and wore a sombrero.

I won the first prize.

In the evening I drove to Fortuna for a talk about the Indian tribes in Humboldt County. It was a history lesson.

Saturday afternoon I went to the library where the owners of the Blue Ox Historic Village gave a slide show about the history of their enterprise.

They fabricate wooden parts for Victorian homes, churches and other old buildings.

They built a replica of the hearse which was used at Lincoln’s funeral. The original was lost in a fire. The replica is now located at the museum in Springfield, Illinois.

Most of their work is done with old machinery. Some of the machines are people powered.

In the evening I went Down Town to First Saturday-Arts Alive. I met Nicolette and her boyfriend at an art studio where two of her work is displayed. The earrings are difficult to see completely on the picture. In the display case they can be seen from all sides. She is taking a jewelry course in school.

She also has an ink drawing on display.

Sunday I took Nicolette and Jacob to the Surfside Burger Shack for lunch. I would have preferred the Oriental Buffet in Arcata, but the kids like the Burger Shack.

5-12-2019.

All week we had wonderful Weather. Unfortunately, I could not walk much. I had to stay near a toilet.

I danced a little bit Monday night at the lodge.

The doctor office called me Tuesday and told me to come in on Wednesday the 15^th .  I have a feeling they had not received the result of the biopsy yet and want to talk about the X ray and other tests I took in the hospital.

Now I have to wait a whole week. In the meantime, I am trying to help myself. I bought a food blender and I am making smoothies of vegetables, potatoes and meat, and fruit smoothies.

It helped a little bit.

Since I am not eating solid food for a while I have not gone to the Senior Center for lunch.
Wednesday I drove to Bayside where we had our Advanced Directive meeting. I like the country side. Everything is green.

The Redwood Coast Music Festival started on Thursday. Forty bands were playing at seven venues.

I rested all day and went Thursday night to the Adorni Center.

I danced a few times. A lot of the dancers I know were there.

Friday afternoon I went to the Eagle House Ballroom and danced to the music of Ben Polcer and the Swinging Six.

At 7:30 PM I went to the Adorni Center where the Western Swing Allstars were playing until 9:00 PM.

That was enough for me and I went home after they were finished.

Saturday, at 12:00 noon, I went to the Sequoia Center where the Au Brothers played until 1:00 PM. From the Sequoia Center I went to the Adorni Center where I danced to the music of Tom Rigly and Flambeau, Curtis Salgado & Alan Hager, Dave Stucky &Amp; The Hoot Owls, and Gator Nation. Each band played an hour. I stayed until 6:30 PM.

I danced one dance with Nicolette. I tried to teach her the Two Step, unfortunately I am not a good teacher.

Sunday morning I went to the Red Lion Hotel ballroom and listened to Stompy Jones. I danced only a few times. Nobody of my group was there.

In the afternoon I went to the Municipal Auditorium where they had the Grand Finale. Nine bands were playing. The bands changed seamlessly. While they were playing, they bands changed on the same stage.

This was a great Music Festival. I got my hundred dollars’ worth, even with my health problems.
 

5-19-2019.

The weather forecast was a rainy week, and they were almost right.

Monday, at noon, I went for another Brown Bag Lunch at OLLI. At night I danced for an hour at the Moose Lodge.

Tuesday I took it easy.

Wednesday I went to the doctors office to hear about the results of the all the tests, X rays and scans I had been subjected to. I made it clear that I was at the end of my rope. I told the Nurse Practitioner that I can not take anymore of the constipation. She agreed and apologized that she did not send me for a radical biopsy, instead of the one with the needle.

She promised me she would put an emergency on it.

Thursday morning I got a call from the St. Joseph Surgery General Clinic and asked to come in at 4:00 PM for a consultation.

They ran late and I saw the surgeon at 6:00 PM. He told me that he can not remove the large mass by surgery. The lump has surrounded major arteries and it would be too dangerous. He will make an incision and remove material for the pathology department. Then a decision will be made whether I need radiation or chemo treatment to shrink the growth.

Thursday morning the person who schedules surgeries called me and told me to go the hospital at

10:30 AM on Monday the 20^th for a pre-op check up and return Wednesday the 22^nd for the biopsy. They will keep me at the hospital over-night.

Saturday I took it easy.

Sunday the sun was shining and I went Down Town and walked a few blocks. I prefer now to walk where people are, in case I need help. I still feel light headed.
 

5-26-2019.

Monday morning I went to St. Joseph Hospital for a Pre-Op appointment. The procedure was explained to me and what I have to do before and after.

From the hospital I went to OLLI for a talk about river otters.

In the evening I danced for a while at the Moose Lodge. Richard Scott and Kimberly Key are camping at the lodge for two weeks and came to the dance. They used to belong to the WINs and doing their own traveling now.

Tuesday was a rainy day. I went to Fry’s Care Home and visited Silas, a friend from the Senior Center. He has dementia and can not take care of himself anymore. I also visited Mary, Mary Ann’s mother. She stays at the same home.

Wednesday morning I was at the hospital at 7:30 AM for the biopsy. They got me ready and at 11:00 AM I was wheeled to the operating room. I woke up at 1:00 PM with a five inch ( 13 centimeters) cut above my navel, and a lot of pain.

After recovery they sent me upstairs to a room. The procedure was supposed to be an outpatient one.

I am glad they decided to keep me overnight.

Thursday morning I felt bad because I could not urinate. My body had recovered from the anesthesia but not my bladder. A catheter was pushed up my penis and the bladder emptied. This was not a pleasant experience.

Since I was nauseated and vomited they could not sent me home.

Friday morning the doctor assistant came and told me the news and gave me information about Non-Hodgkin Lymphomona. The growth in my abdomen is cancerous. The surgeon came later and talked to me about what will happen next. The Oncology Department will give me an appointment next week and we will talk about the treatment options.

I was released at about 11:00 AM and stopped at Walgreen’s to pick up five prescriptions. They are for pain and the constipation.

Saturday was a beautiful sunny day. I would have liked to go to the Kinetic Championships which started in Arcata, at the Plaza.

I have to stay home for a few days.

Friends called today, which was wonderful. Another heath problem started today. The skin on my penis is swollen. I called the office of the surgeon and the doctor on call told me that it could be a delayed reaction of the catheter insertion.  For my constipation she recommended to use suppositories. I called Mary Ann, and she went to the drugstore and bought some. She also brought me blueberries, mangos and other fruits, and Whey Isolate Protein, to make smoothies.

I need some protein since I do not eat any meat right now.

The suppository worked. I felt a lot better.

Claudia and her family are in Sacramento for the long weekend, They will be back on Tuesday.

It had rained all night, but Sunday morning was perfect for the Kinetic Sculptures to enter the Humboldt Bay in Eureka.

I spent all day either in bed or the couch. Mary Ann came by and brought me five bottles of Boost, a nutritional drink.

It is her birthday today and she and her mother went to a restaurant for dinner.

I do not know why Mary Ann wants to hang around me, my journey will be not much fun, just a lot of pain.

5-31-2019.

Monday I rotated from resting on the couch and the bed.

I did not feel like doing anything.

Tuesday I called Mary Ann and asked her to be with me in the motorhome while I was taking a shower. I still feel light headed and I was worried that I could fall and be away from the telephone.

The swelling of my belly has gotten better, but not the pain.

Wednesday was the first day I had less pain.

Thursday I had an appointment at the surgeon office. They did not take the stables out. Claudia drove me.

Friday I had an appointment with my primary care giver. She will be out of the picture for a while. The oncology will run the show. I hope they call me very soon.