Lymphoma, Family, Food, and Diabetes

All Over But The Shouting

2010-09-19T04:06:00.000-05:00

How do you end a blog about chemotherapy or any blog for that matter? I started this as a way to keep friends and family informed of my progress but it turned out to be more than that for me. It’s a journal containing memories from my past, it’s a diary of current events for me, and has a hint of the future. When first diagnosed with lymphoma 12 years ago my goal was to see the kids graduate from high school. After they did, Ann suggested I may want to establish some new goals.

I'll take care of myself. I'll live my life so that when someone says "be yourself," its good advice.

It is my family’s turn to end this thing. I asked Eunice, Ann, and Dallas to each write a concluding post for the blog. They can do the shouting. I didn’t really give them any direction. Maybe a letter, something silly, a joke, a recipe, or anything they want.

Something magical and unintended happened. We have a wooden snake that hangs in our kitchen. The words “Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth” are burned on it. I choose those words to conclude each post. It surprised me when I read the posts Dallas, Eunice and Ann sent me that those three themes came up independently in what they wrote. I couldn’t have asked for a better ending.

I love you all.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

From Dallas… Eat Good Food

From Eunice… Be Kind

From Ann… Tell The Truth

Chemo Math

2010-09-18T03:31:00.004-05:00

There were 6 cycles of chemotherapy.

Each cycle had 4 infusions = 24 infusions.

There was 1 booster shot for each cycle = 6 booster shots.

There were 30 capsules of Procarbazine for each cycle (3/day for 10 days) = 180 capsules.

Each capsule contained 50 mg of Procarbazine = 9,000 mg of Procarbazine.

There were 20 Prednisone tablets for each cycle (2/day for 10 days) = 120 tablets.

Each tablet contained 50 mg of Prednisone = 6,000 mg of Prednisone.
- This was the worst part of chemotherapy for me.

Each chemo cycle included 13 hours dedicated to infusions = 78 hours.

Conclusion: Don’t know yet.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

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Collection of Recipes

Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Garlic

The Friday Update: Just the Facts

500 Yards

2010-09-16T06:14:00.000-05:00

I’m feeling well and happy to have the treatments for the last cycle over. I started to swim again although I haven’t been as consistent as I would like. I used to swim 4000 yards a day. That’s a little over 2 miles. I had frozen shoulders and quit swimming about 5 years ago. It took close to 3 years for my shoulders to loosen up and feel pain free again. I went to the pool to swim a while ago and couldn’t complete 500 yards without stopping. I’m happy to say I am able to do that now. I will gradually add 100 yards every week until I get up to 1,800 to 2,000 yards.

The swimming helps me feel better physically and mentally. I should have started doing this early in the chemo regimen. It’s easy to stay in shape. It’s hard to get in shape.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

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Collection of Recipes

Stuffed Trout

The Friday Update: Just the Facts

Cheating

2010-09-15T02:37:00.001-05:00

Dallas and I went to a ball game before he left. He asked me if I saw a play Jorge Posada made where he tagged a runner with his mitt but the ball was in his hand. The runner was called out. We talked about Armando Galarraga’s perfect game that became a one hitter due to a bad call at first that the umpire later apologized for. Imagine if the batter, Jason Donald, did the golf thing and told the ump he was clearly out. It’s hard to say that either Posada or Donald was cheating. What happened is all within the rules of the game.

Sports are a connection to our past and a benchmark for the future. They were and are a way to build memories with your parents and your kids. They’re the great equalizer; race, age, and gender, don’t matter. But now are the games that are supposed to teach character, discipline and teamwork teaching cheating?

I’m proud of Ann and Dallas. They don’t cheat. Trust is a hard thing to build and an easy thing to lose. We trust them but they are responsible for that. They’ve earned it. They have been looked up to inside and outside of sports as leaders. Ann is off to Chicago and Dallas is going around the world. But I’m not worried about them; they are ready for life.

Life presents you with situations where there can be no cheating. There’s no cheating in chemo. You can’t speed it up, can’t cut a treatment, can’t avoid the side effects, and you can’t change the results. I’m done – had my last infusion yesterday. It’s a tough lesson, but not a bad one, especially if you are prepared.

I’d like to thank my parents for helping to prepare me.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

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Collection of Recipes

Grilled Asparagus

The Friday Update: Just the Facts

Where Have I Been? What Was I Thinking?

2010-09-14T05:10:00.006-05:00

Steve gave me the CD Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows. It’s a cover CD of John Prine songs. It’s good. John Prine was in the Twin Cities and played live on MPR during an interview in their studio. So I got interested in getting another CD. After Dallas left we cleaned his room and found a gift card to The Electric Fetus (Steve and Mary gave it to him) and naturally took it to the store and bought 3 CDs including Sweet Revenge. That was a couple of weeks ago.

Eunice told me tonight that Ann was going to give me Bruised Orange for my birthday but it was outrageously expensive. Ann made me dinner in Chicago instead and that was a much better gift. I mean Bruised Orange was good but not $143 good. Dinner with Ann was priceless.

I went to eBay to see if there were any copies on sale for less. I got a little distracted listening to the song “Let’s Talk Dirty in Hawaiian” and ended up looking at Great Days which is an anthology of Prine songs. It has “41 tracks on 2 CDs spanning the years 1971-1991” according to the notes including: “Hello in There”, “Sam Stone”, “Dear Abby”, “Bruised Orange (Chain of Sorrow)”, and a personal favorite – “Sabu Visits the Twin Cities Alone”. Some of the featured artists include: Bonnie Raitt, David Bromberg, Glenn Frey, J. D. Souther, Jackson Browne, Jennifer Warnes, John Sebastian, and Steve Goodman. What a lineup!

I’m still on Prednisone. I placed a bid. Eunice suggested an amount. I doubled it for my high bid. I want this CD. And then the magic words popped up: You're the high bidder and currently in the lead. Unfortunately there are still 4 hours, 16 minutes, and 19 seconds left in the auction as I write.

Imagine if I had discovered eBay last April! I could have bought and sold all sorts of stuff. Eunice doesn’t have a lot of stuff but I would have started there. I never would have let Smudge out – I’d have sold him: Rare Silver Tabby, used but in good condition, $143 or a copy of John Prine’s Bruised Orange. Dallas is gone and I’ve already taken his gift card so why not sell his stuff too? He kind of started it anyway. Ann’s in Chicago and she never threw anything away. There’s a fortune in her closet and the boxes in the basement.

CD Update: You won this auction. And I got it for less than my maximum bid.

Maybe I should do one more cycle.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

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Collection of Recipes

Great Salsa

The Friday Update: Just the Facts

Used Bread

2010-09-13T02:44:00.001-05:00

I mentioned in an earlier post that I have been focused on buying “used bread”. It’s not really used bread. It’s day old bread and there is a thrift store in Hopkins that sells it. For a buck seventy-five you can get three loaves of bread or a combination of garlic bread, hamburger/hot dog buns, rolls, etc. You can get a deal on doughnut holes too. I love it. It tastes good, saves money, and provides me with a soothing comfort I can’t explain. It’s an antidote to my agitation and incipient frustration. Some people like massages, I like shopping for, buying, and eating used bread.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

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Collection of Recipes

Waldorf Chicken Salad: Eat it as a salad, in a sandwich or a wrap. It's versatile.

The Friday Update: Just the Facts

My Brother, My Son, and a Lunatic in Florida

2010-09-11T06:10:00.006-05:00

Today, September 11, is my brother Bill’s birthday. Dallas is in Morocco. And there is a lunatic, Terry Jones, in Florida who wants to burn 200 Qurans in the name of stopping the building of a mosque and Islamic Center two blocks from ground zero. Not on ground zero, two blocks. It’s New York; might as well be two miles.

Jones believes that Islam is a "false religion" that is "of the devil" and therefore must be defeated. But Islam, he believes, is also threatening to take over in the United States. Hence his justification for the Quran-burning: "We must send a clear message to the radical element of Islam," Jones said. "We will no longer be controlled and dominated by their fears and threats. It is time for America to return to being America." Which is…?

This isn’t about a mosque and Islamic Center. It’s about a lunatic who wants a Christian nation. Even that may not be good enough. During a recent sermon Jones also voiced disgust at the United Methodist Church a few blocks away that is planning an interfaith prayer service: "Lily-livered, yellow-bellied Christians” and he said the rest of the country wasn't much better. "Our nation is in ruin spiritually." He undoubtedly would prefer a straight, white, male dominated, evangelical, Christian nation.

You could be next. He's like a cancer that just won't quit. He is endangering our children and absolutely ruining my brother’s birthday.

The Florida lunatic called off plans to burn 200 Qurans, saying he would instead travel to New York today to talk with the imam of the mosque about moving the Islamic center elsewhere. His purpose should be to apologize.

But then again, it’s too late, the damage has been done.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

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Mustard Roasted Potatoes

The Friday Update: Just the Facts

Prednisone, For the Last Time

2010-09-10T04:25:00.004-05:00

I’ve finished the treatments for week 1 of my last cycle. I got tipped again the first day but it wasn't as dramatic since I knew what to expect and the nurse was a bit more athletic. I am feeling well. I am taking the Procarbazine and Prednisone for the last time. That’s a good thing, especially the Prednisone. I think Eunice will be happy when I am done with it too. I’ve painted the bathroom, cleaned out the glove compartment in the car, fixated on vacuuming the porch, cleaned out a my desk drawer, bought a tandem bicycle, got a new shade for the other bathroom, created a detailed itinerary for a trip to DC, insist on buying “used” bread, started letting Smudge out, cleaned out my cubby, insisted on framing and hanging some art, and have been a general pain in the butt when I get focused on something.

The latest and greatest was reorganizing the spices. Melinda stopped by last night to pick up vegetables from the CSA. She noticed the spices. It’s almost a work of art. We had a spice drawer that has driven me crazy for years. No more. I found magnetic containers that stick to the refrigerator door and have moved all our spices there for easy access. They look good there too. The containers have clear tops so you can see the spices. The prettiest ones are marjoram, mustard, and turmeric. They are all pretty; different shapes, sizes, and colors. The drawer? It now holds oven mitts, hot pads, and a variety of cooking utensils.

Have something you need organized? Only about seven more days of Prednisone left. Call now. Melinda, you should probably lock your door.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

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Collection of Recipes

Paella With Chicken, Mushrooms and Shrimp: A dose of Prednisone wouldn't hurt for making this.

The Friday Update: Just the Facts

Hawaii Will Never Be The Same

2010-09-08T04:51:00.011-05:00

I finished the Hawaiian Islands on the needlepoint map last night. It will be hard for me to refer to Hawaii as anything but the Hawaiian Islands from now on. Today is the 8th of September so I am about a week behind. I still have to finish the Gulf of Mexico, a bit of the Atlantic Ocean, and part of the border that goes around the entire map. And since I have to spend a week in Detroit later this month I am really two weeks behind. Or can I take it with me? I don’t check luggage so I would have it in my possession the entire way. It’s bulky, it’s a big map, so using the same bag to pack will be an issue but I won’t check it under any circumstances. And how much will I really get done at a business meeting? I should be sleeping better then but may still have time to kill in the morning.

After my first treatment yesterday I went to bed about 11 and was up by 3:45. Yeah, I’ve got some time. The treatment went well. I had to be tipped again although it was less dramatic this time mainly because I knew what was happening. We scheduled a PET scan for early October and I was asked if I had any issues they should know about. I never know exactly how to respond to that question but decided to let them know about some side effects I’ve noticed. The response was this is the last cycle and we will take a look at some of that stuff later to see if it just goes away once I am done. Basically, buck up for now.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

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Collection of Recipes

Chicken-Pineapple Skillet: This recipe is from the More With Less Cookbook, a collection of Mennonite recipes. There are many recipes that are Tyramine friendly in it. They help you consume less of and use effectively the world’s food resources. Our was printed in 1977 but there have been updates.

The Friday Update: Just the Facts

Labor Day

2010-09-06T04:14:00.002-05:00

Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop. ~Ovid

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

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Collection of Recipes

Fresh Strawberry Gelato

The Friday Update: Just the Facts

Talking to People in My PJs

2010-09-03T06:50:00.007-05:00

I don’t really wear PJs but I have substituted pajama pants and a night shirt for a bathrobe in the morning. They are quite comfortable; maybe too comfortable. I stay in them a little longer than I should. This means I end up having conversations with people in my PJs – neighbors, the UPS guys, mail carriers, and others. They don’t seem to mind but what are they going to say? You look like a dork? Only your children will tell you that and they don’t mention it because it doesn’t surprise them.

My sister-in-law, Jan, came to visit a few weekends ago. She’s a trooper. We went to IKEA and the Mall of America and I made her and Eunice stop in many stores looking for a seersucker nightshirt. We never found one but we did find a seersucker pajama top on sale that was very close. It’s very comfortable and I’ve been wearing it a lot.

I tend to wear my PJs more when I’m feeling well. When I’m fatigued I try to get cleaned up early and dress. Today I’m going to be in them for a while – feeling pretty normal – 6th and final cycle is coming up.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

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Collection of Recipes

"Soy" Sauce: Tried several recipes and this works. From Heidi Gunderson’s Migraine-Free Cooking Blog.

The Friday Update: Just the Facts

The Delta Ad Annoys Me

2010-09-01T05:28:00.000-05:00

I was in St. Louis yesterday and am in Detroit today. I’ve been feeling well, traveling more for work lately, and seeing more of airports. There’s a big sign in the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport for Delta Airlines advertising their American Express card. If you have their card you can check your first bag free. They also have a slick brochure in the seat pockets advertising the same thing. I’m not even on Prednisone and this irriates me.

Our stupidity is Delta’s competitive advantage. No kidding, that’s what they must think. Remember when Delta was on the forefront of raising the fees they charge customers to check baggage, underscoring how they were trying to squeeze every nickle from the flying public? It was called it a "gotcha fee." Delta raised checked-on luggage fees to $25 for the first bag and $35 for the second. They also considered charging for carry-on bags.

Because Delta believes we have forgotten all this, they now advertise if you get their American Express card your bag will go for free. So they are saving you the money they are trying to bleed out of you with the gotcha fees.

Do I sound bitter? They may think I’ve forgotten but I definitely haven’t forgiven. Sorry, I’m really just upset when anyone tells me they think I’m stupid and they are going to take advantage of that. Obviously the easiest thing to do is to just not get the card and get a good night’s sleep.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

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Collection of Recipes

Cherry Tomato Bread Salad with Basil

The Friday Update: Just the Facts

Mexico is Done

2010-08-30T06:22:00.000-05:00

I forgot to mention the map of the US that I am finishing also includes Mexico and Canada. Mexico is done and has been done since the end of July. I am on track to finish the map by the end of September. Currently I am working on the Hawaiian Islands. Remember the map is from 1961 and Hawaii had not been a state too long and is referred to as the Hawaiian Islands. I considered shortening it to Hawaii but thought that went counter to the age of the canvas. So I’ll stitch in the Hawaiian Islands thing which will take some additional time. Once I am done with that it’s off to the Gulf of Mexico and finishing the border that surrounds the map.

The map and my 6th cycle should be completed about the same time – mid to late-September.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

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Thai-Style Chicken Salad with Spicy Peanut Dressing

The Friday Update: Just the Facts

Hog on a Log at the State Fair

2010-08-28T06:43:00.009-05:00

Our niece, Emma, stopped to visit on her way home to Michigan from the Pacific Northwest. It was a treat to have her here, literally. We took her to the Minnesota State Fair yesterday evening. The Fair is a big event here and is one of the largest in the country attracting over 1.7 million visitors last year. More important is the variety of food available especially the foods on-a-stick. We didn’t try it but saw a deep fried banana split on a stick available. We tried to introduce Emma to as many foods as possible. I’m unable to eat most of what is offered but did have an apple, corn on the cob, a pork chop on a stick (hog on a log), and a cup of fries. All delicious.

We walked quite a bit and saw many of the attractions. The walking was good for me and I was able to do it without difficulty. Got tired a couple of times but felt good. I slept well last night and am feeling pretty normal already for this cycle. I start my next and final cycle on September 7. There’s a one day delay getting started because of the Labor Day weekend.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

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How to Prepare Corn on the Cob

The Friday Update: Just the Facts

Foyle’s War and Easy Cheese

2010-08-27T04:44:00.002-05:00

Foyles’ War is a British series that blends historically accurate events with the investigations of its main character Detective Chief Superintendent Christopher Foyle. It takes place in the town of the Hastings on the Southern Coast of England during WWII. Eunice and I have gotten into watching the series and recently watched the episode titled Bad Blood.

There is a scientific experiment in this episode that is based on real life WWII biological experiments focused on the use of anthrax. Scientists often used themselves as guinea pigs in their own experiments. Considering some of the things they were testing its not surprising it often turned out bad.

So what’s this got to do with Easy Cheese? I can eat processed cheeses like cream cheese, cottage cheese, American cheese, and mozzarella cheese. It finally occurred to me that I could probably eat Cheese Whiz too. It’s not that I have a hankering for Cheese Whiz but the thought of Nachos was in my head. Tearing up American cheese and trying to make Nachos just wasn’t doing it for me. But to be able to use a can of Cheese Whiz to spread it made it more palatable. I keep saying Cheese Whiz but it turns out the stuff in a can that you can shoot out over crackers, chips and so on is called Easy Cheese. Gotta believe it is the same stuff only in a can instead of a jar. Here are the ingredients for Easy Cheese (American flavor) copied from the can (some website versions may be different):

WHEY, CHEDDAR CHEESE (MILK, CHEESE CULTURE, SALT, ENZYMES), CANOLA OIL, MILK PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, WHEY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF SALT, SODIUM CITRATE, SODIUM PHOSPHATE, MILK, CALCIUM PHOSPHATE, LACTIC ACID, SALT, SODIUM ALGINATE, SORBIC ACID AS A PRESERVATIVE, ANNATTO (COLOR), APOCAROTENAL (COLOR), ENZYMES, CHEESE CULTURE.

I know it says Cheddar Cheese is an ingredient but as processed cheese goes, this stuff is really processed. It all looked safe to me. So like the scientists in Foyle’s War I decided to experiment on myself and the results were good; I didn’t get injured and the Nachos tasted better than you are thinking.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

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Traditional Tex-Mex Nachos

The Friday Update: Just the Facts

Chicago, IL and Halifax, NS

2010-08-25T03:49:00.012-05:00

I saw Ann in Chicago and met the other interns she is living with. Dinner was Pile On followed by delicious cupcakes Ann made that spelled Happy B-Day. The word "Birthday" wouldn't fit on the plate so there were some leftover letters that you can see in the picture. And yes, I didn't eat the raspberries that are high in Tyramine. I'm sure nothing went to waste. Everyone sang Happy Birthday to me and was very gracious. I always love it when people get to the “Dear ???” part and don’t know what to call you. Some called me David, some said Dad, and it was all good. I guess I acquired some new children.

One will be leaving today. Dallas is headed for Halifax, Nova Scotia this morning. He is going on a Semester at Sea where he will travel around the world taking classes and working. It’s not cheap being Dallas. He will return to San Diego in mid-December. We celebrated our birthdays again last night with apple pie and cards.

Eunice gave me a book called Sh*t My Dad Says. According to Dallas, it makes me look normal. I’ll take that as a compliment but it is full of profanity and profundity. And it’s pretty funny. Last night I opened a birthday card from my in-laws; really from my mother-in-law – we know who just signed the card. There should be a website for her called Stuff My Mother-In-Law Writes. She is an avid writer of notes and letters. The note she wrote included the following:

“Not much new here. Believe it or not, the obituaries have items of interest now and then. Clipped one recently of the death of the sister-in-law of my girlhood friend who married a (unpronounceable Dutch name), which was my friend’s married name. So, of course, I had to check that out.”

She’s 92, it’s my birthday, I have cancer, and the obituaries are of interest. But more than that this is the continuation a game called Dutch Bingo. Some people play chess by mail, we play Dutch Bingo.

Here goes:

“This afternoon we will go to the 50th anniversary of one of Dad’s seminary classmates. He’d studied in the Netherlands, met this 12 year old girl and waited till he could marry her! Neat, right? Ted isn’t doing too well, tho’, of late.”

I’m not sure Ted was doing too well then either. I don’t mean to make fun because while I find this funny, I also find it endearing. It is so my mother-in-law. I can hear her voice and see her face as I read it. She’s one in a million. Loved the card and the note.

I’m about as happy as can be.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

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Pile On: a repeat for my birthday.

The Friday Update: Just the Facts

54 and 77

2010-08-23T05:27:00.005-05:00

Today is my 54th birthday. I’m feeling well and have gotten over the fatigue I was experiencing late last week.

Eunice took me and Dallas out for dinner last night to Murray’s for our birthdays. Dallas will be 20 on the 28th. We had the silver butter knife steak for three and I splurged on the garlic toast rounds. It was delicious. Dallas and I went to the ball game afterwards and the Twins won 4-0. The last batter for the Angels wore number 77, a minor league number. He needs a new number - this is the majors. Good food, good game, good company.

Later today I’ll head to Chicago for work and will be able to have dinner with Ann. She and the interns she is living with invited me for dinner. It’s a good birthday. Hope to have many more.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

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Murray's Garlic Toast

The Friday Update: Just the Facts

Cleveland, Ohio

2010-08-20T15:15:00.004-05:00

I went to Cleveland this week to conduct some interviews. This was a little different from other trips because I had to take the Prednisone on the road. It worked out fine but I did run out of steam on the way home last night and have been paying for it today taking frequent naps.

Cleveland reminded me of Detroit. Thinking of Detroit reminded me of the Michigan primaries which reminded me of the Minnesota primaries. The connection between Cleveland and the Minnesota gubernatorial primary is a history of embarrassment.

Cleveland took a hit when the Cuyahoga River caught fire in the late 60’s or so. I grew up in Ohio and as I remember the river caught fire a lot – I mean it wasn’t really something new. Anyway it kind of started a lot of trash talking about Cleveland and environmental concerns. Cleveland has come back a long way since then. They’ve overcome their embarrassment; not so with more recent Minnesota elections. We’ve elected some doozies.

How would you like to be Norm Coleman who lost the governor’s race to Jesse Ventura, the Senate to Al Franken, and won the year his opponent, Paul Wellstone, died 6 days before the election? Anyway this year Mark Dayton (D), Tom Emmer (R), Tom Horner (I) won their respective primaries. They are all embarrassing. The question seems to be which one is most embarrassing. Right now, Emmer seems to be leading in that category but given time Dayton can overtake him. The race is on but we didn’t get a good cat in this one.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

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Tater-Tot Hot Dish: a Low Tyramine version of the Minnesota classic.

The Friday Update: Just the Facts

Tipping

2010-08-17T18:22:00.004-05:00

“I’m not getting a good blood draw. The fluids are going in but the blood just not coming out right. I think we'll have to tip you.” That didn’t sound good to me. I thought I might have to call Great West to get pre-approval for surgery and I was actually hoping they would say no this time. Each cycle starts with drawing blood and doing labs to make sure I’m fit for the chemo. My labs have been very good. They use my port to draw the blood and then I am also hooked up and ready to go for the infusions. I forgot to mention that to begin this cycle the nurse was having trouble drawing blood from the port and said she was going to “tip” me.

I was happy to find out that she was just going to tip me over; get the blood to rush from my lower extremities to my upper ones. The nurse was all of 5’ and a little change. I’m 6’ 3” and 230 according to my driver’s license. It sounded like a challenge but I was just along for the ride.

She took me to the chemo room, had me sit in a recliner, and tipped me back and forth a few times. Sounds easy but she struggled. A few deep breaths later the blood was flowing. I had been successfully tipped and the 5th cycle was off and running.

I completed the last infusion and booster shot for the cycle today. One more cycle to go – I’m anxious to be done. I’ve been feeling much better this time than last and my attitude is much improved. I asked my oncologist about my lack of patience. He said he could give me something for it but I was taking enough stuff as is, the impatience was common to the drugs, and basically told me to buck up.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

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Huevos Rancheros

The Friday Update: Just the Facts

If You’re Bored, You’re Boring

2010-08-15T04:34:00.004-05:00

One of the challenges I face is being isolated. My nephew’s wife sent me an email that pointed out that being diabetic can be isolating and having lymphoma and going through chemotherapy could add to that. I disagreed but now I’m not so sure. I find myself bored at times. Eunice says if you are bored, you are boring. Not very nice but probably true.

But how do you know if you really are boring? I just searched the internet for clues and there are a lot of checklists that contain the same information. How boring is that? I have a feeling these things were published repeatedly in Psychology Today or Reader’s Digest but here are the tips people seem to agree on to know if you are boring in a social situation:

“Oh really?” If the person you are taking to keeps saying this over and over, it means you are boring.

Not being interrupted. If you are droning on and on and no one else is attempting to interrupt, it means you are boring. Interruption actually signals interest in the conversation, so no interruptions means someone is being bored out of their mind.

Look out for body position. If someone is interested in what you are saying, they will usually turn to face you. Conversely, if the person you are talking to is partially turned away, chances are they are not engaged in what you are saying.

Are you bored? Chances are if you’re bored with someone’s conversation, they are bored with yours as well. Time to find someone else to talk to.

So let’s say you are boring and you are OK with that. Who says you have to change? Here are 5 webcams that won’t over stimulate you.

Watching Paint Dry

Watching Grass Grow

Watching Traffic

Watching Cheese Age

Riding Through the Car Wash

Maybe you do need to change. At least don’t get bored with your food. Here are 10 tips to avoid that.

1. Pick up one new thing from the produce section
2. Visit the spice aisle
3. Buy fresh ingredients instead of canned or frozen
4. Try the unprocessed version like brown rice
5. Search the internet for new recipes
6. Garnish it
7. Buy a new pot or pan
8. Pair it with wine (ignore this for a low tyramine diet)
9. Cook the same ingredient four times different ways
10. Cook with a friend

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Bronzed Catfish

The Friday Update: Just the Facts

Rush Hour, Traffic Jams, and Deadlines

2010-08-12T05:42:00.001-05:00

I was listening to a local sports radio show on my way to chemo yesterday. One of the personalities was flying back from somewhere in the morning and thought he had plenty of time to get to the station for the morning show. His schedule made him unfamiliar with rush hour traffic. After getting frustrated with stop-and-go traffic he stopped for breakfast and called in his show from a local Perkins. He took a lot of grief from his colleagues but maybe it will become a regular feature in the future.

I’m kind of like that guy. One reason I am able to keep working without problems is that I don’t have to deal with rush hour, traffic jams, and deadlines. I’m not part of the herd. As a remote employee I don’t have to shower, drive to work at 8, stay all day and return home. That would be tough. I’m up early, can start working early, take a break when fatigue hits, work some more, and fairly easily meet my work requirements even on busy days without it being a severe drain on me. The folks at work understand this and even appreciate it. Technology helps too. There really is a place for telecommuting in the workplace today to reduce stress and increase productivity not only for cancer patients but for everyone. Bricks and mortar are overrated.

I just finished the first three days of infusions of cycle 5. My sleep is disrupted again, hands shaking from the prednisone, attitude good, a little fatigue occasionally, feeling well, and happy to be avoiding rush hour, traffic jams, and deadlines.

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Shepherd's Pie

The Friday Update: Just the Facts

I Miss Ingrid

2010-08-09T14:41:00.002-05:00

I ran into Ingrid this morning on my way in for chemo. She was coming out of the pharmacy and we chatted for a while. She went on a road trip with her mother down and up the Pacific Coast Highway and had a fabulous time. They rented a convertible and instead of her hair billowing back as you see in commercials, she let the air caress her bald head. They had a blast.

She asked about the kids and I filled her in as best I could. I told her Ann is in Chicago and has a list of things she has requested to be sent to her. I also told her about Dallas’ upcoming Semester at Sea and she thought that was great. He shouldn’t be surprised if a talkative, bald, diabetic woman appears on his ship. I shouldn’t say bald; her hair is beginning to grow out a little and she has quit using a lint roller for grooming.

The chemo room is more subdued without Ingrid. Today is my long day and I miss her most on this day. Seven hours is a long time and we were typically here the entire time together – others would come and go. Sometimes I take a nap and the room turns over. It’s a little disconcerting when that happens. They really need a Master of Ceremonies to introduce everyone and facilitate the conversation now that Ingrid is gone.

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Buttermilk Scones: A repeat of the recipe Ingrid gave me at my first infusion. I think it was the first I posted and perhaps the reason I started including recipes.

The Friday Update: Just the Facts

Art Fairs

2010-08-08T08:42:00.007-05:00

Eunice and I went to the Uptown Art Fair yesterday. We took the bus and got there as it was opening at 10. The featured artist for the fair is Xavier Nuez. I’d never heard of him (which isn’t unusual and is why you go to art fairs) but he roams alleys and abandoned buildings in urban areas and takes pictures to capture their “beauty” in edgy settings. Detroit is one of the cities he visited and I was interested to see what images he might have. Turns out I don’t care for his photographs as much as others do. There seems to be a trend among photographers to use lighting and other means to dramatically highlight colors and make them more vibrant. I’m more of a black and white guy.

They did a nice thing this year and had an Art Hop bus that takes you to the Powderhorn Park and Loring Park Art Fairs too. We ended up going to all three. Eunice got a pair of earrings at Loring Park and we decided we liked the smaller art fairs a little better. Uptown is a large art fair with a long history, lots of artists, and lots of stuff.

I can’t really eat anything they offer at these types of fairs. But there was a French Fry stand in Uptown so I got an order for lunch. They cut and cook the fries in front of you which for me raised some concerns about the status of my immune system. They went down fine and so far, so good. Minneapolis has a growing Hispanic community near Powderhorn Park. Many of the vendors at the fair offered Mexican fare which, to my chagrin, I could not eat. On our way home I was a little low on sugar from all the walking and I drank a Mountain Dew – sugar good, caffeine bad. Got a little bit of a headache but it didn’t last too long. It was a very nice day; quite an outing for me.

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Steak Fajitas

The Friday Update: Just the Facts

Club Chemo

2010-08-07T04:24:00.004-05:00

Eunice told me something interesting the other day. She’s tired of chemo. She has chemo fatigue. Two more cycles seems like a long time. She is suffering from her own fatigue; the daily grind of my treatments, side effects, diet, and so on. She needs Club Chemo.

At Club Chemo all-inclusive resorts she’ll enjoy an unforgettable experience that allows her and other families, couples or solo patients to experience fun, exotic cuisine, adventure and luxury chemotherapy. She’ll discover the elegance of Club Chemo and its customized treatment programs run by specialists in the art of chemotherapy. They welcome the major names in health insurance with the very best in treatments all of which have been created especially for the patient and their significant others. Why not experience sensational moments with rare drugs and essential poisons, and a multitude of other benefits in an environment devoted exclusively to future well-being? Fitness areas will welcome Eunice, me, and you for daily classes depending on the prescribed treatment program. And remember, because Club Chemo uses dangerous drugs, reducing its carbon footprint is a major concern. All their values are in the right place.

Hopefully just thinking about Club Chemo makes Eunice feel better.

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Flour Tortillas

The Friday Update: Just the Facts

Black Cat or White Cat?

2010-08-04T05:27:00.003-05:00

I went to China about 3 years ago and found some notes I’d taken when on the tour bus. We had a great guide who was interesting and didn’t hesitate to confront questions (some plainly rude) about the differences between capitalism and communism in a philosophical and thought provoking way. Her explanation of the difference between the two was it doesn’t matter if you have a black cat or a white cat. If you have a cat that can catch a mouse, you have a good cat. It was a great answer since it made people stop and think while she moved on to the next question.

I’m in Southfield, a suburb of Detroit. I watched the local news yesterday morning prior to the gubernatorial primary. You would think the issue would be jobs but given the news report it was abortion. That was good news for an organization called Right to Life that was noted to be the state’s best organized and powerful advocacy group. Probably a disappointment for many others. The right to life candidates were predicted to prevail and among Republicans the “more” right to life candidate. Jobs? Who cared?

The results would seem to say the news report I watched was off base. Yesterday’s vote in the Republican primary represents a defeat of sorts for traditional conservative groups. Right to Life of Michigan backed Mike Cox who wound up finishing third. Former computer executive Rick Snyder, as self-described nerd, defeated four opponents to capture the Republican nomination for Michigan governor. His support for easing restrictions on embryonic stem cell research reportedly turned off social conservatives, just not enough.

Snyder will face Democrat Virg Bernero in the November election. Bernero has been the mayor of Lansing since 2006 and dubbed America's "Angriest Mayor" for his rants favoring federal bailouts to General Motors and Chrysler. He is the son of an autoworker and apparently stressed the economic frustrations of a blue collar base decimated by a decade of job loss.

The "nerd" and the "angry mayor" will battle to be Michigan's next governor in November. It looks like the mouse is job creation and economic recovery. Hopefully Michigan has a choice of two good cats to lead it out of its economic troubles.

I start my 5th cycle next Monday. The last cycle I fell into a pattern of self-pity. I wasn’t very pleasant to be around especially for Eunice. I need to be more philosophical and focus on the future. I have to make a concerted effort to not let the drugs affect my attitude. I need to be a good cat too.

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The Friday Update: Just the Facts

Quick Turnaround

2010-08-01T06:45:00.003-05:00

Ann is finishing her final trip with Wilderness Inquiry today and will get home late tonight. She was accepted for a volunteer position at Amate House and is leaving for Chicago early tomorrow morning. If we blink we might miss her. Amate House is a volunteer program for the Archdiocese of Chicago. Ann will live in a community house in the neighborhood where she will serve. She interviewed and was accepted to work with an organization called Girls in the Game. They provide and promote sports and fitness opportunities, nutrition and health education and leadership development to enhance the overall health and well being of girls across the city of Chicago. Ann will have opportunities to visit schools, coach activities and help to recruit and train volunteers. It is a year-long commitment so there will be some travel between Minneapolis and Chicago for us in the coming year. Coincidentally, I have a business trip to Chicago the 23rd of this month.

I’m feeling well but sad that Ann is leaving. I am starting to feel more “normal” earlier and earlier after each cycle. I have about a week to go before I start the 5th cycle.

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Chicago-Style Hot Dog

The Friday Update: Just the Facts

Driver’s License

2010-07-29T05:01:00.006-05:00

I had to renew my Driver’s License. This is not the best thing to do during chemo. It arrived and the picture is very flattering. I’ll have to keep my hair short for the next 3 years to get through airport security. My hair did not fall out. It is patchy and looks a little funny as it starts to grow out but the personal groomer has worked like a charm. I can cut my hair in 5 minutes or less each Sunday. I’m a donor, have a living will, and lied about my weight so I am feeling well and optimistic about the future.

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Beef Brisket and Baked Potato Coupé: Attitude is what makes this work.

The Friday Update: Just the Facts

Fatigue

2010-07-26T06:36:00.006-05:00

I am having more fatigue. I went to a few different web sites to read about cancer related fatigue. One common thing I found is that fatigue often is but should not be confused with tiredness. Tiredness happens to everyone. It is an expected feeling after certain activities or at the end of the day. Usually, you know why you are tired, and a good night's sleep solves the problem. The fatigue I’m talking about is unpredictable. Usually, it comes on suddenly, does not result from activity or exertion, and is not relieved by rest or sleep. It just happens.

Some signs of cancer-related fatigue I found at a variety of sites are:
• Feeling tired, weary or exhausted even after sleeping
• Lacking energy to do your regular activities
• Having trouble concentrating, thinking clearly, or remembering
• Feeling negative, irritable, impatient, or unmotivated
• Lacking interest in normal day-to-day activities
• Spending less attention on personal appearance
• Spending more time in bed or sleeping

Those are great descriptions and I think I’ve experienced all of those to some degree. However, they miss a key point about cancer related fatigue. It makes it sound gradual but the fact is it is often sudden and paralyzing. And dangerous. When Dallas and I went fishing, I fell asleep while driving. Dallas calmly took control and woke me up. But the whole language of “falling asleep” isn’t correct. I didn’t fall asleep; I shut down – like flipping a switch. It’s said that Cool Papa Bell was so fast he could turn off the light and be in bed before the room got dark. That’s the challenge of coping with cancer related fatigue.

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Spicy Chipotle-Tomato Sauce: Great on steaks and burgers.

The Friday Update: Just the Facts

Fishing

2010-07-23T06:00:00.014-05:00

I haven’t done a lot of fishing since the kids were born. I didn’t do a lot of fishing before that either but did enough to be dangerous. I have my grandfather’s 1959 3HP Evinrude motor, fishing poles, tackle box, etc. I decided it was time to clean this stuff up and start to do some fishing. While I’m starting to work on my tackle box Dallas tells me he’d like to go fishing sometime. He hasn’t been fishing since he was using a Thomas the Tank Engine pole. So I’m thinking I can clean my stuff up, rent a row boat, put the motor on, take him fishing in a lake I’ve haven’t fished in years with gear that hasn’t been used in years, and the whole thing will be a disaster. Or I could look for a guide who knows what they are doing, break back into this thing with some success, and have some fun. Fun seemed like the better option.

Mille Lacs Lake is Minnesota's second-largest lake and well known for its fishing – especially Walleye fishing. It also has Northern Pike, Muskie, Perch, Small Mouth Bass and I’m sure other types of fish. And it is less than a two-hour drive from our home. Lake Minnetonka is closer but also has more recreational boaters so the fishing may not be as much fun. Mille Lacs it is. Tim and Tina Chapman run
Chapman’s Mille Lacs Resort & Guide Service. I found them on an internet search and made a reservation for Tim to guide me and Dallas.

In the meantime, Todd calls to see if I want to go fishing after work on Wednesday. I’m all over this. We headed out to Lake Minnetonka where his boat is and embarked on a 3-hour tour. Like the Minnow we had some problems but still had fun and each caught a little Northern. Now I’m ready to go to Mille Lacs confident that I can fish and finding a guide was the right decision.

Dallas and I arrived around 3:30 and Tim and Tina welcomed us. Tim is prepared to take us out and not only guides us but teaches us about the lake and fishing too. This is fun and stress free fishing. Dallas got the first catch – a small perch we didn’t keep – and then the walleyes started hitting. We were getting "good eating” walleyes that we can keep and get our limit. We also had the excitement of catching a very fat 18” small mouth. It was a beautiful evening.

With the chemo and everything I thought I might be taking on a little too much with this trip. It couldn’t have been better. I got to spend time with Dallas, fished on a beautiful lake, and Tim and Tina took care of everything. I'm refreshed and feeling great.

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Pan-Fried Walleye Fillets: Couple of options. Nothing really new here since my grandfather last used the motor.

The Friday Update: Just the Facts

A Bicycle Built for Two

2010-07-21T04:00:00.008-05:00

I finished the last infusion and my booster shot for this cycle this week. Feeling well but a little more on edge than in the other cycles. My sleep has been more disrupted but I’m doing OK. I’m more prone to frustration – little things bother me – and I was (maybe still am) spiraling into a funk. Eunice has accommodated me in many ways during my chemotherapy. But she went above and beyond last night.

I found a used tandem bicycle on Craig’s List. I’d gotten it into my head that I wanted to get a tandem so we could talk while taking a leisurely bike ride. We have many trails near our home and the state is full of bike trails on old railroad lines. When we ride together we get separated and it is hard to talk. Plus I could steer and Eunice would be the little engine that could. We test drove the tandem (an older Trek T50) and bought it last night. It’s in good shape, was a fair price, and fits us both well. We needed a larger frame since we are tall and many tandems won’t fit us well. It’s blue which seemed to fit my mental state.

I did suffer my first injury during the test ride; actually at the end of it. The bike has leather toe straps that will be removed. When we got on I mentioned I would probably forget about them. Sure enough, when we stopped I didn’t get my feet out and over we went. I scraped my elbow and knee and bruised my hip. This isn’t good for a guy with low platelets and I’m a little sore but have a smile on my face. Mentally I’m better, physically I’m worse. When I coached little league a kid once told me he preferred the “mental part” of the game. I’m appreciating that more and more.

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Grilled Salmon with Blueberry Sauce: A meal with a little blue.

The Friday Update: Just the Facts

Buying Local

2010-07-19T06:01:00.004-05:00

I feel well. I realized something about my cold last month. The chemo does affect my throat. I’m not sure which drug but something makes my throat sore and raw. Combine that with the cold and cough and I was pretty miserable last month and the irritation from both just built on one another. I have the raw throat again now but no cold and it really isn’t a problem but there is always the unexpected. Eunice gave me a Jr. Mint today and the strong mint flavor/burn nearly did me in. It was funny after I was able to breathe again. I am taking the Prednisone which makes my hands shake and increases my appetite. And I'm taking the Procarbazine which restricts my diet.

I like Toad in the Hole but I can’t eat it now because of the sausages. Toad in the Hole combines two UK favorites; sausage covered and baked in Yorkshire pudding. It’s a favorite pub food and dinner dish. It is sometimes confused with eggs in a basket, the process of breaking an egg into a slice of bread with a hole in it, and frying the result. Nothing wrong with that but Toad in the Hole uses bangers, which are large pork sausages. The Yorkshire pudding recipe is not an actual pudding, but a baked pudding made from flour, milk, and eggs – basically a popover. This batter then covers the sausages, and the result is a heavily browned, raised crust that surrounds the meat. Many say onion gravy is a must over the top.

So what’s this got to do with buying local or my health? I’ve become a fan of Whole Foods because they have a lot of uncured meat products which allows me to eat things that are on the forbidden list because they are not cured or preserved. Things like uncured ham, corned beef, bacon, hot dogs, etc. with no preservatives are OK. But I haven’t seen sausages until… can you believe it, uncured Bison Cocktail Sausages? So I’m all excited and telling Eunice about this, suggesting we make “Tadpoles in the Hole” when she points out to me she isn’t crazy about Whole Foods because it is a national chain and not a local enterprise. Shouldn’t we be buying from local folks, local groceries, and local co-ops? Man o’ man – I played the cancer card but she had a point.

We went to the Lynden Hills Co-op to refamiliarize ourselves with it. In September they are going to be more conveniently located near us – even more local. They did have a supply of uncured meats but no Bison Cocktail Sausages. Fortunately I’d already bought them at Whole Foods anyway and my trip was mainly to make Eunice happy and open the door to making Tadpoles in the Hole. It was shameless on my part. I buy into the buying local thing and will do it – later. But as I said, I’m taking Prednisone right now.

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Tadpoles/Toad in the Hole

Onion Gravy

The Friday Update: Just the Facts

Does Cancer Stimulate the Economy?

2010-07-15T04:30:00.008-05:00

When Bob Kerrey was asked about dating Debra Winger, he said she was his "stimulus package”. I wondered if cancer falls into that category. I thought maybe developments in technology, drugs, education, jobs, etc. related to cancer might have some economic impact. I couldn’t find anything to support that.

It’s hard to say if my personal spending related to my lymphoma and treatments has helped stimulate the economy. We spend less, virtually nothing, eating out. We do spend more on food at markets, spread that spending around more than we did in the past, and purchase groceries several times a week to have fresh things. And then there are just things. My treatments also coincide with Ann and Dallas coming home from school so that means we spend more than when they are away and that creates a perception that my treatments are vigorously stimulating the local economy. Eunice just shakes her head.

People also send me stuff, nice stuff. Friends have sent flowers, books, things to watch on DVD, baskets with treats, a straw hat, cards, good thoughts, and well wishes. Someone is benefiting from all this. So what’s an internet search show is doing well these days? Fun things like…

Clinical Strength Deodorant
Yep, major deodorant brands are experiencing a jump in sales due to clinical strength deodorants that have just recently hit the market. Deodorant must be a staple in our lives no matter what the economy is like. I guess we sweat a lot. Personally, my biggest jump in hygiene products has been for hand sanitizer.

SPAM
No, not Email, but that little can that you have seen collecting dust in the back corner of your grandma’s pantry. This is of particular interest to me since it is made in Minnesota, I have visited the SPAM museum, and SPAM sales are up. The, employees of Hormel Foods in Austin, Minnesota are living the dream. They are producing as much as possible and we are buying it. I actually like it, much to the dismay of my family, but it’s not for a low Tyramine diet.

Video Games
I guess they are relatively inexpensive compared to out-of-home forms of entertainment, and they can provide many hours of entertainment. And they are an escape from the real world. During the Great Depression, American’s flocked to the movies to take their minds off what was going on around them. Now you can get hours of fun playing video games.

Online DVD Rentals
People are not taking their money out on the town like they once were including to the movie theaters. We have NetFlix and can watch a movie at home, make our own popcorn, and, in my case, enjoy a cold glass of water for the cost of the straw that comes in a drink at the theaters.

I guess cancer spreads quickly, not economically.

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How to Make Popcorn Eunice learned this from a co-worker many years ago. Almost all of it pops and no burnt kernels.

The Friday Update: Just the Facts

Feeling Lucky

2010-07-13T04:09:00.005-05:00

Last month I went to chemo and while I was in the waiting room a guy was sitting there with about a half dozen or so scratch off lottery tickets. I was called into the chemo room before I could ask him about them. I’d like to have heard his story. The next week Eunice was leaving for West Virginia and as I was driving her to the airport I asked if she had ever played the lottery. The answer was no. I don’t either with the exception that I have bought Powerball tickets for Eunice and the kids at Christmas to put in their stockings. We’ve never come close to winning anything.

While Eunice was gone I bought a one dollar scratch off lottery ticket. I won $5, actually 4 since I was in for a buck. But I was committed to losing that dollar and I traded my winnings in for 5 more lottery tickets for the same game. This time I won $10, so I’m up 9 now. I’ve became that person that holds you up in line while they cash out their lottery tickets. I was still committed to losing my dollar so I went back to the gas station trading in my tickets for 10 more tickets; playing the same game and won $20. This lottery thing takes time, I’m really not enjoying it by now, and my commitment to losing a dollar is waning so I go cash out and call an end to the whole thing. I’m up $19 and I’m not happy about it. I’ve made 3 trips to the gas station, this was the week I'm not feeling well, the whole thing has become a pain, and I’ve shown an inability to lose a dollar. I only felt better when I used the money to buy pizza for the kids for dinner.

Yesterday I started my 4th cycle. We were going to do a scan after this cycle to see how things are going. But we know it is working and I’m going to have all 6 cycles so why do the scan. We will wait until after the 6th cycle and see what’s happening. It won’t all be gone and it’s a bit of a wait and see thing to see if the fast growing cells are gone. Perhaps the bigger news is I saw the guy in the waiting room again; he didn’t have any lottery tickets. I asked him about them and he told me his brother had given him 10 of them and he found them in his pocket and thought it was something to do while he was waiting. It had less to do with luck and more to do with boredom.

I don’t know about “luck”. But my brief dip into the lottery pool changed my view on luck. Luck is a random thing; a probability that isn’t in your favor. I have told many people I have been pretty lucky through this whole thing so far. The results of my scan aren’t going to be luck; the probability is in my favor. Good doctor, good nurses, good friends, lots of support, feeling well, and in general doing as well as can be expected. These are things I can count on or have some control over, not random luck. I’m not lucky, I’m grateful.

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Crispy Salmon with Spicy Lentils: Lentils have been described as resembling coins, so they are a symbol of wealth. And since lentils plump up after being cooked or boiled in water, their growth symbolizes increasing wealth. In other words, they are lucky.

The Friday Update: Just the Facts

Improving Your Golf Game

2010-07-09T06:11:00.004-05:00

John invited me to play golf last night. I was a little hesitant but was feeling pretty good and decided to give it a shot so to speak. Walked nine holes, carried my bag, didn’t get overly tired, and actually played OK. I think I hit every fairway on my drives. I had three birdie putts, missed them all, but my short game stinks and there isn’t anything new there. I only hit three really bad shots. A port may be the answer to the duck hook.

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Sauteed Kale with an Egg and Salsa: We joined a CSA and have been getting some kale in our box. Apparently it is considered one of the top cancer preventing foods available to us. This is a suggested recipe.

The Friday Update: Just the Facts

A Better Berry

2010-07-08T07:23:00.002-05:00

A friend of ours, Joan, is redoing the garden in her front yard and invited us to take many of the plants in it now. She had many beautiful perennials and a truckload of strawberries in the garden. We have a garden on the south side of our house of which about half we don’t use. Eunice and I were both excited to fill in the back half with strawberry plants and we did. I felt well enough to extend the fencing (to keep the rabbits out) and help plant the strawberries. Joan told us they spread like crazy and we didn’t need to cram them in. We crammed them in. My mother loved strawberries. She told me once that God could have made a better berry, but never did. Not sure where she got that but I agree.

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Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie We also have rhubarb in the garden and I’m looking forward to a homegrown, homemade strawberry-rhubarb pie next spring. Eunice makes a delicious pie. The key is to roll out the pie dough very thin.

The Friday Update: Just the Facts

Baseball, Baseball, Baseball…

2010-07-05T06:48:00.004-05:00

I’ve been feeling pretty well although I still have a bit of a cough. But I felt well enough to take in some baseball games this weekend. We went to the Twins game on Saturday and that went well for 7 innings. The Rays scored 7 in the top of the eighth with the help of a pinch hit grand slam home run and went on to win 8-6. Bart Giamatti wrote that baseball breaks your heart and it was designed to break your heart. The game lived up to that.

We also went to the St. Paul Saints game on Sunday and they won 9-0. We were given tickets and sat on the warning track, yes, the warning track, in front of the wall. The area was “protected” by orange snow fencing and any ball hit in our area (not over the wall) would be ruled a ground rule double. We sat in the power alley and someone hit a home run, over our heads and the wall. We did not stay for the fireworks after the game.

I was thinking about Giamatti with the recent headlines during Elena Kagan’s confirmation about Chief Justice John Roberts' metaphor that a judge is like a baseball umpire who calls balls and strikes (balls and strikes was a really poor choice for this metaphor). Giamatti saw baseball as a metaphor for life in general (he probably would have chosen the infield fly rule for the metaphor). Where would Giamatti find a metaphor for cancer in baseball?

Who cares? I prefer to watch the game for the conversation. Maybe that’s the connection to cancer; the emerging patterns, connecting the dots, the creation of a story. Something happens on the field; we see it and wonder what might come next. Then another thing happens and the story gets another chapter. Then it becomes history. That’s the beauty of baseball and surviving cancer.

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Grilled Steak Sandwiches: I can't have hot dogs or most of the other fare sold at the ball park. I had a steak sandwich at the Twins game and it was good but I had to remove the cheese. This sandwich has no cheese and is topped with a marinated tomato, onion, and watercress salad.

The Friday Update: Just the Facts

Happy Fourth of July

2010-07-04T07:07:00.005-05:00

It’s the Fourth of July and I am starting to feel back to normal. That can only mean that my next cycle is just around the corner – July 12th. I’ve never really experienced the symptoms of cancer like night sweats, fatique (OK looking back I did this time), loss of weight, etc. I’ve always felt pretty well when I’ve been told I needed to start chemotherapy. My joke has been that I feel good so they make me feel bad so everybody feels better.

I was reading an article on MinnPost.com by Timothy Walch, director of the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library in West Branch, Iowa, about historic words too important to be misquoted. Apparently Herbert Hoover gets misquoted a fair amount – no chicken in every pot and car in every garage – but so do the Constitution and Declaration of Independence. Why? Because we are lazy.

According to Walch, we “too often rely on questionable Internet sites or biased cable-TV talk shows for news and information; we too often digest what we read and hear as factual when it's more accurately opinion or, perhaps, pure fabrication. Compounding our gullibility is the tendency for Internet pundits and political leaders to misquote or take quotes out of context to bolster a particular point of view. In short, "documentary information" is too often twisted to justify partisan perspectives.”

He goes on to say that there are good ways of checking stories and quotations. Just as the Internet is the source of a lot of misinformation, it also offers the tools to find the truth. Most well-known stories and quotes can be checked using the search box on Google.com other sites such as Snopes or WikiQuote.

Does my referencing an article found on the internet make you stop and pause? I hope so. I like the way Walch put it - "The Fourth of July, the day we cherish freedom, is a good day to use our thinking skills to check the accuracy of what we read and hear."

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

Click below for the collection of recipes or for an easy to print copy of a single recipe.

Collection of Recipes

Grilled Pepper Salad

The Friday Update: Just the Facts

Buck Up

2010-06-30T05:24:00.004-05:00

In 2003 my father died of lung cancer. He lived with it for about 3 years – probably longer than anyone thought he would. The legend is that at one point he told my mother he just didn’t feel like he could go on much longer and her response was that he had to “buck up”. Turned out he had a collapsed lung at the time and once it was fixed he lived a while longer. After last week, Eunice told me to buck up.

Where do idioms like “buck up” come from? I think we’d all agree that buck up means to basically grin and bear it or just plain old “get over it.” Since I have time I did an internet search for the origins of buck up. Apparently it is related to the male spirit of rutting deer (bucks). And there may have been some connection to “bucks” or snappy dressing “dandies” of nineteenth century Britain so that “buck up” meant to dress better.

Last week, I had a bad week. The cold and cough got the better of me and I wasn’t very nice – pretty self-absorbed actually. I didn’t feel well and was extremely tired; dozing off for a few moments in the midst of things. Eunice took the brunt of my bad attitude and I really spiraled downward for a few days. I went to urgent care, got some antibiotics, and started to feel a little better. I apologized to Eunice for my behavior and received the “you need to buck up” message. It’s was good advice on both fronts: to get over it and snappy dressing.

I have a much better attitude this week as I traveled to Detroit for work. I dressed very casually for the trip out wearing shorts, t-shirt, and sandals. Not exactly snappy dressing. However, I forgot to pack my shoes (see chemo brain) so I am wearing bright orange sandals with slacks and an oxford shirt for my business meetings. I may have started a new trend. It’s a bold fashion statement, very snappy, and has been well received by others. Fortunately orange goes with anything.

Buck up!

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

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Collection of Recipes

The Friday Update: Just the Facts

Clearing-Up Some Things

2010-06-27T05:55:00.010-05:00

Ann got six nice messages from around the country and the world wishing her a Happy Birthday. It looks like I have 6 readers and 5 of them are outside the state of Minnesota. Maybe readers in Minnesota are shy. I’m not really into social media. It seems to be more technology focused than really useful for some purpose. Someone sent me a link: Twouble with Twitters that I found funny and took me back to the reasons I starting writing letters to Ann and Dallas when they went to college.

Last week was not a great week. I know I claimed Cytoxan might be the cure for the common cold but it’s not. The cough got worse and is still bad. I did find a decongestant I can use but it's not really very effective. The tiredness I experience with the cold seems additive to the chemo fatigue. I’ve been very tired this week. Hoping it goes away soon.

Eunice is back from the family reunion in West Virginia. Apparently the next one (3 years from now) is going to be held in Minnesota. It’s not clear to me how that happened. It appears there are many needs that have to be met so right now I’m leaning toward seeing if we can reserve one of the many rehab centers in Minnesota; not so much a reunion as an intervention.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

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Collection of Recipes

Southern Oven-Fried Chicken: lighter alternative to fried chicken.

The Friday Update: Just the Facts

What is a Normal Day?

2010-06-24T05:21:00.007-05:00

After looking at the blog a friend, Sam, asked me, “When do you sleep”? I guess that’s as good as place to start as any. I go to bed around 10 or 10:30 and get up around 3 or 4 in the morning. Five to six hours of sleep seems to do the trick. I have a cup of coffee and work on this blog either jotting down some ideas for posts or cleaning some things up. The blog has helped keep me sane in the early morning hours.

I’ll start work around 5:30 or 6. I work from home for a company called Maritz. and the people I work are located in the Detroit area. My primary client is General Motors. I do Organizational Development work with their dealer network and a group of nationwide Facilitators to help improve work processes in GM dealerships. Buy American. I recently read an advertisement by the president of Toyota, North America extolling their commitment to quality and safety since 1937. I don’t think I would have gone back quite that far. Did I mention my father was a WWII vet? He was in the South Pacific. GM and Maritz have been very good to me.

I take a break around 10:30 and try to walk the dog and grab some lunch. Since the folks in Detroit are an hour ahead of me this overlaps with their lunch. The afternoon is more work, take a few breaks, and I’m generally done at 5 or so. I have a lot of flexibility. I also have a lot of variety and creativity in what I do, it isn’t physically taxing, and I’ve been able to continue working without a problem. Chemo brain interferes a little because I am forgetful and have some confusion keeping track of my schedule. The folks I work with have been very forgiving.

Especially when on Prednisone I tackle a variety of small household tasks throughout the day. I tend to think about the things I’m working on while I start a meal, clip some flowers, or whatever. Random thoughts get in too like thinking about painting the other bathroom. I watch many Twins games in the evening and try to do some needlepoint during the game. Baseball is similar to the blog; it helps keep me sane but in the evening.

I do interact with my family and there is no “normal” routine there. Eunice is in West Virgina for a family reunion. Ann and Dallas are working and keeping me company in the evening. We have dinner together. The consistent thing is they take great care of me. Sleep comes with a “love you, goodnight” for all.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

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Collection of Recipes

Noodles with Peanut Sauce and Vegetables: a family favorite.

The Friday Update: Just the Facts

A Cure for the Common Cold?

2010-06-22T03:53:00.007-05:00

I caught a cold last week and, no, it wasn’t a side-effect of the chemo. I dislike colds very much. They tend to last 2-3 weeks for me and involve a trip to urgent care. I did not want that. I was out of sorts and not feeling so well for my treatment on Monday, yesterday, and it had only been 3-4 days. My throat was a little sore, nose running, and a cough. I told my nurse if I needed a mask I’d be happy to wear one or whatever so others didn’t get it. The funny thing was I was the only person in the chemo room so they left me alone. That lone Monday infusion (D8) is Cytoxan and only takes about 2 hours. I slept quite a bit through it and when I got up to leave realized I felt pretty good, almost like my cold was gone. I thought maybe it was all the fluids or something.

Twelve hours later I’m still feeling pretty good – maybe a little congestion.

Twenty-four hours later and all is well. I have a little congestion but will call the pharmacy today to see if there is a nasal spray or something I can use to help stop that. The Procarbazine has so many restrictions that I can’t take a lot of OTC medications.

I don’t recommend it but an infusion of Cytoxan may be the cure for the common cold.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

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Collection of Recipes

Braised Chicken with Mushrooms and Oven-Baked Polenta: all four of us liked it.

Oven-Baked Polenta: if you just want the Polenta recipe.

The Friday Update: Just the Facts

I Went to a Garden Party…

2010-06-20T06:42:00.007-05:00

Really it was a graduation party for John and Angie’s son. A beautiful day, sitting outside, catching up with people. I’ve been a little socially isolated.

Kathy complimented me on the blog. I was trying to explain to her and Bob that it is a real outlet for me but not just for the writing. The “putting it together” piece is just as important. It helps with my tunnel vision by really giving me something on which to focus.

So how does a blog work? Search me. Most of it is automatic but when it starts “thinking” for me it gets very interesting. What I want and what it does often are not aligned. I get focused on fixing those things and it can keep me occupied for hours.

The blog has actually been 3 blogs that I tried to tie seamlessly together. The collection of recipes and the recipes themselves are separate blogs that open in a new window so you never have to leave this one and click back; same with incorporating pictures and other links. It is not an automatic function so I had to incorporate the HTML language to make that happen. I’ve made a lot of trips to the HELP section and HELP is not always very helpful. Basically it is a control issue and right now, I have a high need for control.

Carrie told Eunice she also like the blog but that I never said how I was. She didn’t know what she was starting. I’ve been working on that with tunnel vision since last night. There is now a 4th blog – The Friday Update: Just the Facts . I'll include a link for it at the end of each post and also on the top sidebar of the blog. You can simply click on it to get the short update on how I am doing or bookmark it to go there directly once a week so you don’t have to wade through all this other stuff. Thanks, Carrie for the suggestion via Eunice.

I’m still feeling well. Had some issues with constipation this week and felt a little off for a day. I also have a sore throat and think I may be catching a cold which is not good. This morning I noticed I also had a mouth sore and it occurred to me that the sore throat could be a side effect of the chemo especially because otherwise I feel fine. I gargled with salt water to see if that would help I did get some immediate relief but I remember as a kid my mother had us gargle with salt water as a “cure” for sore throats. Can’t hurt.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

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Collection of Recipes

Mediterranean Potato Salad: Good for a Garden Party.

The Friday Update: Just the Facts

The Daily Bunny

2010-06-18T04:34:00.027-05:00

I’m going to get in trouble for this one. We have rabbits in our yard. Not pet rabbits – rodents. They eat (destroy) plants, bushes, and even small trees. I have a strong dislike for rabbits but not your pet bunny. There is a distinction. I’ve tried to prevent them from damaging the plants. Sprays don’t work. Leaving a portion of the yard for them to eat doesn’t work (they do most of their damage in the winter). I’ve tried trapping them to move them to another area and that hasn’t worked. I even built a snare to catch them but that didn’t work either. Other suggestions I heard were get a dog, fox, or cat to prey on them.

We have a dog (Shadow) and two cats (Sadie and Smudge). Shadow is getting old (11+) and he isn’t really a hunter or chaser anymore. He might trot after them if he sees them and they might or might not run away. They seem to sense he is harmless.

Both cats are indoor cats. Sadie has a variety of neuroses that make her unsuitable for much more than sitting in your lap to be petted. Even eating is a chore for her. She hovers around 8 pounds and we have to watch to make sure she doesn’t lose weight.

Smudge and I have not been the best of friends. He is an overeating bully with few redeeming qualities other than he's a good looking silver tabby. He is big - 15 diet-controlled pounds. Sadie doesn’t like Smudge.

As you might imagine Prednisone and Smudge were not a good match. My impatience with Smudge grew to anger and a great deal of frustration. I’m comfortable saying it was a Smudge-induced injury – not self-inflicted. I decided to let him go outside early in the morning and late in the afternoon before we fed the cats. Smudge has an internal clock that goes off at meal time and I felt confident that he would return. And he did. In fact he doesn’t leave the yard, wanders around it a bit, and stays close to home. This is where I get in trouble: he has starting catching rabbits; chipmunks too!

A friend, Mary, took me to task so you don’t have to. Mary has a great framing/gift store in the warehouse district of Minneapolis called Mitrebox. She sent me a link to the The Daily Bunny a collection of pictures of people’s pet bunnies, not the scurrilous things you’ll find in my yard.

Smudge and I are on much better terms now. When he returns from his outside adventures he likes to be petted; briefly but petted none the less. He doesn’t chase down and bully Sadie anymore as he did in the past although Sadie still hates him. He and Shadow have always been friends but he has taken that to new heights. He is turning into a good cat. I made him a ribbon and hanged it above his food dish that reads: “Bunny Catcher Extraordinaire.” We’ll see what happens this winter but I’m anticipating fewer rabbits and less damage. Good Smudge!

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

Click below for the collection of recipes or for an easy to print copy of a single recipe.

Collection of Recipes

These are NOT low Tyramine recipes - pets only!

Pastries for Cheese Loving Cats: Bet you thought this was going to be a rabbit recipe.

Dog Biscuits: Don’t forget the dog.

Fertility, Menopause, and Banana Nut Bread

2010-06-16T04:32:00.010-05:00

Yep, the conversation in the Chemo room turned to fertility and eventually menopause. Ingrid started asking questions about the effects of chemo on fertility. Of course they are not good; depending on your perspective. A quick scan of the participants includes Ingrid (40+), 1 chemo nurse (30+), 2 couples (70+), and me and Eunice (50+). I mentioned that loss of fertility wasn’t necessarily a bad thing and that some of us actually look forward to it. One woman receiving chemo chimed in that the “8 golden years” of menopause weren’t so golden. Her husband agreed that menopause isn’t good for anyone. I should add at this point people are laughing and enjoying this conversation. The women seem more comfortable than the men.

Ingrid is reading from a copy of an article on the side effects of various drugs. It seems some of hers have the possibility of rendering her sterile and facilitating early menopause. She does not have children, doesn’t want to have children, but still wants everything to work so the "possibility" exists. The rest of us have children and having more isn’t really an issue or desirable. What does this say about us? Life is a paradox.

Ingrid concludes with the website recommendation to harvest your eggs/sperm prior to chemo. This seems to go beyond functionality and more to implementation. I don’t bring it up because it's a message of hope and really the whole conversation is a lesson in hope. Here are four people with cancer actively discussing the future with no expressions of doubt that they will be participating in it. The chemo room is a hopeful place.

Another thing fascinates me. It’s the perspective of different generations. The people in the conversation represent 4 different generations: the silent (b. 1928-45), baby boomers (b. 1946-64), Gen Xers (b. 1965-80), and Millenials (b. 1981 +, the chemo nurse just squeezed in). I was surprised by the willingness of everyone to participate in the conversation and lack of any embarrassment on our parts. I am familiar with some of the research around generations due to working with organizations and how different generations work together etc. and this caught my attention. Our niece Emma (and I hate to drag her into this) posted a link on her blog Open-Eyed and Uffish to a Pew quiz called “How Millennial are you?” and I took it. It is a brief survey and I scored in the Gen Xer category. I was born in 1956. It’s hard to categorize people; life is a paradox.

Everyone is different except you and me, and sometimes I’m not too sure about you.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

Click below for the collection of recipes or for an easy to print copy of a single recipe.

Collection of Recipes

Banana Nut Bread: My father’s (b. 1917) recipe.

What Do You Wear to Chemo?

2010-06-14T18:26:00.001-05:00

The Orvis Catalog came and I am looking for a hat – perhaps the Orvis Snowy River Hat. The catalog says it is an authentic Panama straw hat, 3” brim, and traditional pinched front. It comes in a putty color. Or there is the packable Fedora. It has an adjustable nylon headband for a “perfect fit” and a tuck-away chin strap for windy days – or fast driving with the convertible top down. Women don’t find anything more attractive than a bald diabetic with cancer driving a convertible with the top down. I’m sure I am in demand. We were talking about this at dinner a while ago; what my “billboard” would be. The kids thought perhaps Eunice should give me some money too. I haven’t seen our checkbook in 25 years and I never seem to have any cash. They think that would be more impressive than hair.

The Orvis catalog also has a shirt that is ideal for chemotherapy. What do you wear to chemo? The short answer is whatever you want. It was hot and humid (over 90 and 90) on my first day of my second cycle and I wore shorts and a t-shirt. Today, starting my third cycle it is cool and raining so I wore jeans and a long sleeve pullover. The chemo room is cool and they are pumping fluids into you so it all chills you. Summer heat and chemo room cool are quite a contrast. The warm blanket and heated chair help but it made me think of chemo-wear. A shirt with an opening for the port is very handy. The Orvis shirt is the Havana Sunset Camp Shirt. It buttons up and would give good access to the port. Its two front pockets would also hide the bump from the port a little. Pure cotton and meant to go with the Panama hat that I’m already less enamored with than when I started writing this post. I need a garage sale special straw hat, a little floppy, worn on the edges of the brim, and maybe it sheds a little too. But the pre-revolutionary Cuban shirt is just right.

It would be interesting to see what someone with imagination and who knew what they were doing might create for a chemo-wear line. I think it would go beyond form and function and have a comforting tactile component as well.

Ingrid is having her last week of treatment – no need for chemo-wear.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

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Collection of Recipes

Black Bean Corn Salsa

A Good Egg

2010-06-13T04:23:00.006-05:00

My daughter has a friend who insists that you if there are two foods you like you should be able to combine them and enjoy that too. It’s not a bad idea for trying new combinations of food but it tends to breakdown with eggs and desserts. A fried egg over a dish of ice cream; I don’t think so.

My need to not leave leftovers too long in the refrigerator has gotten me to try leftovers with a fried egg over the top for breakfast: chili on a piece of toast, enchiladas, mashed potatoes and cream gravy, baked beans on toast, the beef from fajitas on toast with cream gravy, rice and pile on ingredients, a hamburger, salmon with lime sauce, and so on – all with an egg over easy on top. It’s filling; often the breakfast holds me over until dinner.

Turns out I didn’t discover eggs and leftovers or creative concoctions using eggs. There are people out there eating eggs on almost anything. I found a blog dedicated to putting an egg on it. There are a lot of good ideas for topping things with an egg and some not so good ideas as well.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

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Collection of Recipes

Frying an Egg Over Easy

Adapt, Improvise, and Overcome

2010-06-11T04:13:00.004-05:00

Some people are surprised that I needlepoint or maybe I should say that I know how to needlepoint. I take it up off and on. I come by this honestly – my father taught me to do it when I was a kid. I still have some of the early pieces I did. When my father died I found a map of the United States that he started in the early ‘60s. He completed a lot of it but got frustrated because there was a lack of blue yarn to complete the oceans. He put it down and never got back to it.

I’ve decided to complete the map. Each strand of yarn has three threads and you take one thread, double it, and use that to do the stitching. I can’t exactly match the color of the 50 year old blue yarn but I can get close. If I use one strand of the old yarn and one strand of the new yarn it is pretty close in color and hard to tell the difference. I have to adapt, improvise, and overcome.

Chemo and needlepoint have some similarities. As I understand it chemotherapy was “discovered” as a side effect of the use of mustard gas during World War I. We’ve come a long way since then. But the mixing and matching of cocktails to the cancer, stage, dose, schedule, etc. makes chemotherapy part science and part art. While there are standard protocols there may be more than one good option for treatment based on its known advantages and disadvantages. And while oncologists select the best treatment regimen for their patients, there is no guarantee that an individual will achieve the desired response and that can alter the regimen. But we all need to adapt, improvise, and overcome at some point or another.

I had a scan last Friday. It showed things are getting smaller. My oncologist actually said he was “very pleased”. I asked how we would know if it was gone since I have two types of lymphoma, the slow grower and the fast grower – think of it as a collection of cells not a single thing. His answer is that we won’t know for sure without doing a biopsy. Neither he nor I are big on that because it means opening my chest up. There are a limited number of routes to the location and the surgeon has used two already – there aren’t a lot left. We’re saving the big one for later. But after my treatments are over we will basically just stop. If any of the fast grower is left it will start growing quickly and we’ll adapt, improvise, and overcome. If it doesn’t grow then we have the dormant slow grower that I’ve had in the past and I’ll just continue to live with my old friend.

I’m due to complete my last cycle the end of September and I hope to complete the map by then too. Nice to have a deadline.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

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Collection of Recipes

Chunky Applesauce: A slow cooker recipe seemed appropriate.

Travel

2010-06-10T05:15:00.000-05:00

Just returned from a trip to Detroit and traveling was easy. It’s amazing how accommodating people are; not just friends but everyone. I went to a deli for lunch and all their sandwiches had something I couldn’t eat. Darius, the guy behind the counter offered to make me a sandwich that met my needs. He built it ingredient by ingredient suggesting interesting things to put on along the way. It was great and I think we both had fun while he was doing it. I was careful in restaurants but it wasn’t a big deal. I also was able to sleep well and didn’t get overly tired. I made plans to go back on June 28-July 1 for some additional meetings.

I have an appointment to go over the results of my scan today. Don’t really know what to expect but hope everything is smaller. I’ll post the results later.

Rapunzel, Rapunzel, Let Down Your Hair...

2010-06-05T08:41:00.009-05:00

My hair loss hasn’t been dramatic. My hair is definitely thinner but there is enough that I haven’t shaved (or lint rolled) my head. I did order a gentlemen’s personal barber from Hammecher Schlemmer. It’s like a comb or brush that allows you to trim your hair and keep it short. I keep my hair short anyway so this is something I’ll continue to use. It works great.

Baldness can be uncomfortable for anyone but especially for women. Hats are great but keeping your hair is even better. I read an article in our newspaper the other day about the Rapunzel Project, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping chemotherapy patients keep their hair during treatment. It was founded by two breast cancer survivors and their website has information about cold caps and many tips that may help prevent hair loss during chemotherapy. It appears that keeping your hair during chemotherapy is becoming a reality.

Adding the two extra units of Lantus appears to have done the trick controlling the increase in my morning blood sugar. One of the good things about getting up early is that I could test my blood sugars throughout the morning. The increase in blood sugar happens from about 5-7 in the morning. I’ve always experienced an increase overnight and most people (diabetics and non-diabetics) have fluctuations that occur over the course of the day (basal rate). My Lantus insulin manages those fluctuations over a 24 hour period. Many diabetics use an insulin pump to give a low level amount of insulin that does the same thing. Both mimic the insulin produced in a normal person to control these natural fluctuations. That is probably more than you wanted to know but the important thing is it seems to be working.

I wasn’t up early this morning. I slept almost 9 hours last night. Feeling well rested and ready to go.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

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Collection of Recipes

Headquarters Chili: We make this camping too. It's easy and will make your bald head glisten.

Happy Birthday, Annie

2010-06-03T03:11:00.011-05:00

Twenty-two years ago about this time (3:15am) Eunice's water broke. By 12:30 we had a little girl. She got a 10 on the APGAR scale - good lungs - and let everybody know it. Happy Birthday, Annie!

I was re-reading some letters Ann and I exchanged her freshman year in college. In one she talked about how letter writing was a dead art. I had brought the topic up in a letter I sent her. She was connected to her cousins and others through social media like Facebook. Even email was starting to be used less because of the immediacy of Facebook. And now my cohort and baby-boomers around the world have taken over Facebook reconnecting with friends from high school, little league, college, and revealing private things publicly (see the Turdulence post). I created this blog to keep friends and family informed about my lymphoma and selfishly to keep track of my progress through chemotherapy. I imagined a small group of people that I know reading this occasionally but I have no idea who is reading it or where they are.

So let's try an experiment in social media. IF you happen to read this (today, tomorrow, or weeks from now) do me a favor and leave a comment wishing Ann a happy birthday. I'll pass on your good wishes to her and promise not to publish them.

I didn't really get an answer (not that there is one) regarding my overnight rise in blood sugar other than it may be time to increase my dose of Lantus insulin in the morning. Many people take Lantus in the evening but I take it in the morning to avoid overnight lows. I'll raise it two units and see if that helps.

In the meantime if you're not on a Low Tyramine diet, enjoy a piece of Ann's birthday cake. It has ingredients higher in Tyramine and obviously isn't friendly to diabetics either.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

Click below for the collection of recipes or for an easy to print copy of a single recipe.

Collection of Recipes

Double-Coconut Cake: A favorite of Ann's. This is NOT a Low Tyramine friendly recipe. I will NOT include it in the collection of recipes. But for Ann's birthday and the rest of your family, here it is.

Sweet Sleep

2010-06-01T05:47:00.005-05:00

My sleep has been off and on. I sleep well but not for long periods of time - typically about 5 hours. I've been taking a nap during the day for 30 minutes or so. Felt lousy all afternoon last Saturday for no apparent reason. That's all I have to complain about so it isn't much. The other odd thing is that I go to bed with a "normal" blood sugar but wake up with a high blood sugar; not just a little bit high but near 300. This is unusual for me. I'm going to check in with my endo today to see if she has any insight/advice. I have a scan on Friday.

In the meantime, Dallas has started his work as a lifeguard and is happy to be busy and earning some money. His friend, Amanda, is coming to visit next week. Amanda was here last year and we are looking forward to another visit. Ann returned from her first trip with Wilderness Inquiry and loved it. They took 16 mentally/developmentally challenged people to the Apostle Islands for a camping/canoeing weekend. She was enthusiastic about the everything.

I continue to feel well and enthusiastic about things too.

Never Eat Anything Bigger Than Your Head

2010-05-31T06:21:00.023-05:00

In the ‘70’s, B. Kliban published books of drawings (cartoons) mostly about cats. I was in college and found them very entertaining especially one not particulaly related to cats, Never Eat Anything Bigger than Your Head. The cover shows a man at a restaurant being served a huge mound of food – bigger than his head.

I’m not sure they were influenced by the book but I read an article recently about two brothers who studied the amount of food in various paintings of the Last Supper. While it is the same meal, portions have increased over the past 1000 years.

Apparently even the Last Supper has been supersized!

According to the study's findings after indexing the sizes of the foods by the sizes of the average disciple’s head, they found that portion size, plate size, and bread size increased dramatically over the last one thousand years. Overall, the main courses depicted in the paintings grew by 69%, plate size by 66%, and bread size by 23%. The study’s findings are published in the April 2010 issue of the International Journal of Obesity.

Last night Eunice and I ate something bigger than our heads. We had fried chicken, mashed potatoes and creamed gravy. We thought we’d have leftovers for a picnic today. Didn’t happen; none left. In our defense, Dallas got off work early, arrived home in time for dinner, and also ate something bigger than his head with a proportionally big smile.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

Click below for the collection of recipes or for an easy to print copy of a single recipe.

Collection of Recipes

Fried Chicken: Use the 4 Steps for Healthy Frying

Mashed Potatoes: My mother's recipe which really just depends on using as much butter and milk as you want for taste and texture.

Cream Gravy: I was going to say it won't kill you but it might - but not from the Tyramine.

Memorial Day Weekend

2010-05-29T05:04:00.006-05:00

For me Memorial Day was always the beginning of summer. You got together with friends, had a picnic, maybe there was a parade, and things were good. My father was a WWII veteran and at those picnics he and his friends would “bore” each other with their stories. Our house came with a 48-star flag and we hang it on Memorial Day weekend (and others). As I was putting it out this morning I thought about something a friend, KC, told me a while back - that when I was in an airport (I’m in a lot of airports) and saw someone serving in the military eating at a stand, bar, or restaurant table; I should ask the server for their check, introduce myself, and tell them thank you. I’ve done it a couple of times. Their faces light up and you’ve made a friend and connections to the past, present, and future. Happy Memorial Day!

I'm feeling well and the second cycle is going well. Been napping a little more but that's OK. I have a scan scheduled for next Friday, the 4th and I guess we will get a sense of how things are going. I have mixed feelings about having the scan. If there can be a "good" scan then there can be a "bad" scan. But really, it's the last scan that's most important to me.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

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Deviled Eggs: Picnic fare. This is my grandmother's recipe and I've tried to add measurements. My daughter dislikes eggs but she loves these.

Welcome to My Yurt

2010-05-28T04:51:00.016-05:00

My nephew and a friend each sent me a link that I thought worth sharing. Cory published an article: Dink Shui: The Art of Uncomfortable Living in My Yurt on McSweeney’s, a humor website and publishing house created by David Eggers. I enjoyed it and there are other pieces that are well written and humorous too. Check it out – it’s fun.

Jonathan B. sent me a link to Steve Jobs' 2005 commencement address at Stanford. He sent it to me because of something I said about Ann’s graduation – I think the part about Ann being good about figuring things out and my living with ambiguity. Jobs’ message to the students touches on those themes too. He shares three stories from his own life in his speech. But it isn’t a speech. They are three stories he weaves together beautifully. One story is about connecting the dots, the second about love and loss, the last about death. It’s worth 15 minutes to listen and watch.

I think both Steve Jobs and Cory are welcoming you to their yurt. And with any luck you’ll also get a meal.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

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Fried Macaroni: A welcoming dish meant to be shared.

Pitching Woo!

2010-05-27T02:26:00.018-05:00

The Urban Dictionary defines pitching woo as: To flirt. To mac. To exhibit your game. To woo a hottie. That's pretty much what I meant except their definition makes it seems so contemporary and maybe even acceptable.

I had a steak in the freezer and decided to make it for dinner for me and Eunice. I had made Steak Diane for us many years ago and thought that would be a nice thing to do with a single steak that we could split with an added baked potato. I remembered that I used a recipe in the New York Times Cookbook. When I found the recipe for Steak Diane (page 91) I saw that there was a note: "Very Good. David made 12/83." It was beside the recipe for Steak Au Poivre not Steak Diane. 1983 precedes our marriage by about a year-and-a-half. I must have been pitching woo - and I'm thinking successfully.

Eunice is a remarkable person. Everyone is better off having been touched by her. We went to Paris a couple of years ago and as we were walking to join a boat ride on the Seine I heard the clink of metal on the ground. There is a scam where someone drops a "gold" ring and asks if it is yours, identifies some markings indicating it is "real gold," and tries to sell you the ring. Eunice immediately told the person she was sure someone going to the cruise had dropped the ring and she'd be happy to take it to the boat so it could be returned to its owner. The scam artist was speechless. All he could do was let her keep it. As we walked I told her I had read about this scam and was sure he would come back. He did and asked for 5 Euro. Eunice politely declined and returned the ring to him. The scam artist merely smiled and nodded his head acknowledging her goodness. That's Eunice and that's the kind of support I am lucky to have during my chemotherapy and so much more.

I'm not courageous and I don't think I am fighting a courageous battle against cancer as some people have suggested to me. There is the love and support of family and friends that makes chemo seem a part of you that just is. I think more times than not it is harder for them. I'm just doing my part for Eunice and the kids, trying to have some fun, and pitch a little more woo.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

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Steak Au Poivre: This recipe is a combination of Steak Au Poivre and Steak Diane. It’s for a single serving that you can expand as you see fit.

I Child-Proofed the House, But They Still Get In

2010-05-24T22:18:00.020-05:00

Eunice and Ann are on their way home from Chicago and from what I understand had a good trip. They did a lot of walking Saturday night and Sunday. Visited Millenium Park, the aquarium, ate lunch there, took a water taxi to Navy Pier, walked Michigan Avenue, did some shopping, and had dinner at Pizzaria Uno. Ann's interview went well and she likes the organization, Mercy Home for Boys and Girls and hopes to be accepted for an internship. She liked Chicago and likes the urban setting. Chicago is a great city and I love it there too.

Dallas was home for dinner every night. We had steaks with leftover grape tomato and white bean salad on Saturday , ribs and baked beans on Sunday, and Tuscan chicken with home fries tonight. He was very helpful while Eunice and Ann were gone.

I did paint the bathroom this weekend - a rich red called Salsa Dancing. I probably did a little more than I should have. Got tired and has some low blood sugars. It looks nice but needs a little touch up here and there. I had my Cytoxin treatment today and feel good. I did sleep through most of it recovering from the bathroom painting escapade. Booster shot tomorrow and then off for a couple of weeks. I'm planning a trip to Detroit for work June 7-9, looking forward to doing a little travel, and seeing the folks in Southfield. People like to see you to make sure you are OK. My mother-in-law said I was doing remarkably well and even cheerful. I wasn't taking Prednisone when she was here.

I'm beginning to believe Eunice has warned both kids about the effect Prednisone has on my patience. They are complimenting the meals I make and thanking me for them. I'm a little suspicious. I may have to make a tragically bad meal to test my theory.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

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Grilled Tuscan Chicken with Rosemary and Lemon

Imagonnapaintdabathroom

2010-05-22T03:53:00.012-05:00

I'm feeling well during this cycle. My infusion Monday will be the last for this cycle and then the booster shot of Neulasta on Tuesday. The Prednisone is doing it’s work - I have good energy - and the additional NPH insulin does a great job controlling my blood sugars. They are running between 80 and 150 which is great.

I slept well last night for about 4 hours. Sometimes that’s all I need. I fill my time with a variety of things like this blog, cooking, work, needlepoint, gardening, watching Twins games, walking, and so on. Not too exciting. It’s funny how the port gets in the way of little things like driving a car. The seat belt goes right over the port. A golf bag strap would go over the port. Eunice had a bad day and buried her head in my chest where my port just happened to be. Not sure who it hurt more but once I got it out of my lung and we iced her head, things were cool.

Today, Imagonnapaintdabathroom – on Prednisone. I’m not very handy. Oddly enough the one thing I can do is electrical stuff. My knowledge of electricity goes back to my Junior High shop class. I had a “deck” of cards with a scantily clad woman on the front and when someone opened the cards they got an electric shock. My shop teacher found it in class and took a liking to me. The class formed a circle holding hands and he opened the deck and had two students in the circle put their finger on the cleverly disguised conductors that administered a shock that went around the circle. This was great entertainment for 7th graders and I got an “A” in electricity. 1968 wasn’t all bad. We did not cover painting but Imagonnapaintdabathroom. The first coat may be on by the time you read this.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

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Salmon with Coriander Rub and Lime: Adapted this recipe from Bon Appetit. It was simple to make but a little fussy.

Dilled White Bean and Grape Tomato Salad: Went well with the Salmon and very easy to make.

Home Alone

2010-05-21T17:43:00.009-05:00

Eunice and Ann are going to Chicago tomorrow so Ann can interview for an internship, do a little sightseeing, and visit my brother and sister-in-law on the way. They are leaving me home with Dallas which means they are leaving me home alone. I may be able to lure him in for a steak dinner and if that seems like a theme - it is. He'll do almost anything for meat.

I've been grilling a fair amount of food which fits well with a low-tyramine diet. I haven't been adding grilling recipes because it's not like you need help figuring out how to grill something. But maybe you do. I saw a newspaper article on grilled chicken 101 and thought I'd share my grilling preferences with you. As they said in the article, chicken abuse is a sure sign of summer and it's time to end the violence.

I put together some tips for grilling based on what I do and some things in the article. I'll post the tips in with the recipes under Main Dishes so you can read/print it if you want to.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

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Tips for Grilling

Chemo Brain

2010-05-20T05:40:00.015-05:00

I started my second cycle on Monday. The three infusions went fine and I'm feeling good. People ask me how I'm doing. I am fortunate that I have had very few side effects. The biggest one for me is one you can't see or feel. It's Chemo Brain. People have made fun of my memory but in the past I had a great memory. And my long-term memory is still very good. But...

I’ve heard of chemo brain before. Last time I had chemo I experienced a loss of memory or really not so much loss as the ability to remember things especially short term. It’s happening again.

Here are a few examples people call chemo brain I found on a website:
- forgetting things that they usually have no trouble recalling; memory lapses
- trouble concentrating; they can't focus on what they're doing
- trouble remembering details like names, dates, and sometimes larger events
- trouble multi-tasking, like answering the phone while cooking, without losing track of one of them; less ability to do more than one thing at a time
- taking longer to finish things; slower thinking and processing
- trouble remembering common words; can't finish a sentence because you can't find the right words

I have no trouble focusing. If anything I get over focused on what I am doing. I associate that with the Predisone. My favorite question is waking up and asking Eunice, "This is Thursday, right"? Then I know what day it is. It's a good start. I don't do it every day but more often than you might believe.

I've created a list to make sure I take my medications. I check them off so I know whether I have taken them or not. This includes my Lantis insulin which I have forgotten twice. Also the NPH I take with the Prednisone which I also forgot once. OK, I forgot my Coreg at night once too. So the list helps.

Chemo Brain. Google it and see what you find.

I can remember what I had for dinner last night, Fish Tacos. They were very good.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

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Fish Taocs: I was skeptical at first but no more. Everyone enjoyed them.

What I Like About the Chemo Room

2010-05-17T10:57:00.013-05:00

I like the chemo room. I'd prefer not to be here but it's not a bad place. The nurses are great. As a whole nurses are great but chemo nurses specialize in nice. Today I came in and Mary Sue hooked me up, started the Benadryl, brought me a warm blanket, filled my water bottle, and brought me a couple of crackers. And I'm pretty low maintenance.

Benadryl is nice. I get the best nap as they administer the Benadryl. I probably shouldn't count Benadryl as part of the chemo room since it is one of the drugs but the nap definitely belongs. And a big part of the nap is the recliner that has both a massage and heat button. When the warmth of the blanket begins to wane, I hit the heat button to warm the chair. It's necessary to stay warm due to the fluids pumped into you and the lower temperature of the room.

I like the people too. This morning we were talking about names. Ingrid and Vicki go by their middle names. Both of them have the first name of Mary but no one, including their parents, ever called them that. Mary Joan jumps into the conversation. Mary Joan is the wife of another person receiving chemo. She introduced herself as a poet and teaches poetry and English. Her parents called her Mary Jo and wasn't until she started publishing her poetry that people began to call her Mary Joan as that is the name she uses to publish. She believes names are very important and that she almost has two personalities - one for Mary Jo and another for the poet Mary Joan. Vicki relates to this because she had a elementary school teacher who told her name was misspelled and told her to write her name VICKY. She did this until she got married. This is the first conversation of the morning.

The second group conversation involves chemo tips! Syl has replaced Mary Joan. Syl has lung cancer and never smoked. She is concerned that it is time to shave her head but Ingrid tells us a trick. You can use a lint roller to roll your head and pick off the loose hair. She has never shaved her head, only lint rolled it. I found this very entertaining. Hats came off at that point. How many sheets do you have to use? Ingrid uses 4 or 5. The women discussed the use of facial cream on their heads to keep it from drying out. Ingrid also uses neosporin on her head to get relief from the little bumps that form as hair grows back in. Vicki has a great wig and fake eyebrows that you can't tell aren't her own. Rolling your head with the lint roller is declared the Chemo Tip of the Day by acclamation.

Everybody makes an effort to share what they have. Ingrid was here when I had my first treatment a month ago. Her father was here too, visiting from Oregon. They were telling Eunice and I about their breakfast - a boiled egg and strawberry shortcake. They used scones that Ingrid had made for the shortcake pushing in the center of a scone and spooning in the strawberries. The scones absorb the juice without becoming soft and mushy. Her father left to walk the dog and get the recipe for us. LeAnn, another chemo nurse made copies for all of us. I'll share the recipe below.

Nobody leaves without saying good-bye. The scheduler came in and is talking to Vicki so you know her chemo is about done. As she leaves she is sure to tell us all good-bye and good luck. She gives Ingrid a hug. It's Vicki's last treatment; they may not see each other again.

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Buttermilk Scones: Try using these for strawberry shortcake.

The House Will be Full

2010-05-15T06:09:00.009-05:00

Ann is back from taking a class during the past week on outdoor first aid. And Dallas will be returning home from Ithaca this morning. They'll be home for most of the rest of my chemotherapy and that is nice for me. It's nice to have the house full even though I joke that it is disruptive. I start my second cycle on Monday.

Predictions are that Dallas will be home about 30 minutes before he calls his friend Matt and is off for the rest of the day. I think we can lure him back for dinner with the promise of steak. Matt will probably come for dinner too.

Last night we made risotto - one of Ann's favorite meals. We made the risotto and then took out a portion for me to add things I can have and Eunice and Ann added sausage, mushrooms, and Parmesan cheese to theirs.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

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Risotto: This is a basic recipe that you can be creative with and add virtually anything. I used shrimp and mushrooms.

That's Amore

2010-05-13T05:37:00.011-05:00

When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie
That's amore

I been reading articles on MAOI foods and diet and keep seeing that pizza from large commercial chains is OK. The problem is they never say which large commercial chains had been tested. Then I found this:

The forbidden foods on the MAOI diet used to read like a who’s who of all the things that our patients love to eat and drink: pizza, chocolate, brie, beer, fava beans with someone’s liver and a nice chianti (made famous by Anthony Hopkins in The Silence of the Lambs) and many others. But that list has been changing in recent years, largely due to the efforts of a group of researchers at the University of Toronto who have been measuring the tyramine content of foods commonly contraindicated. To the delight of many patients, they found, for example, that major food-chain pizzas had safe quantities of tyramine, including a Domino’s double-cheese, double-pepperoni pizza (J Clin Psychiatry 1999;60(3):191-193). The serving sizes analyzed were by no means stingy: a half of a medium pizza. Because most pizzas are made with fresh mozzarella, which contains little tyramine, it appears that patients taking MAOIs can indeed enjoy pizza dinners, at least when they are made fresh to order and when the only cheese they contain is mozzarella. Note that some gourmet pizzas may contain other, more flavorful (and thus more aged and higher in tyramine) cheeses and should be avoided (J Clin Psychiatry [letter] 2000;61(2):145).

Last night Eunice and I ordered a Domino's pizza. I didn't do the pepperoni thing but had a thin crust with onions, green peppers, and mushrooms. It was good, kind of a treat, and I didn't have any reaction to it at all. I didn't eat half the medium pizza but had five pieces (squares). I'm also 10 days past when I last took procarbazine so I felt safe doing this. Anyway, it worked for me and is something I can do occasionally especially when traveling.

Silence of the Lambs is one of my favorite movies but liver and chianti (no matter whose it is) are definitely off the list.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

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Polenta Pizza: I make pizza skins at home but with yeast restrictions can't do that. And while ordering pizza out may be a treat once in a while, making it at home is more fun. This is a simple twist on pizza; any polenta grade cornmeal will work. I found this recipe in our newspaper.

Great West Health Care - Now a Part of Cigna

2010-05-12T05:53:00.006-05:00

You've heard of Cadillac health care coverage? Well, we got the Yugo. You know a company is bad when they answer the phone and tell you they aren't who you think they are, they are someone else or least part of someone else. Cigna shouldn't be thrilled to have the taint of Great West on them.

Eventually every thing gets covered or 99% of it. And it takes hours of unnecessary time to make that happen. If I got hit by a bus tomorrow Great West would deny the ambulance because it was not pre-approved. Although they would be happy I'd been hit by the bus because as a company driven by expense control my death would save them money. Perhaps that's why they didn't cover my first cycle of chemotherapy.

They deny any claim first and then we and my physicians must start the paper work and phone calls. I didn't need CT scans because after 5 years they are unnecessary. The fact that I had and still have a living cancer inside of me is irrelevant. Fortunately I continued to have CT scans after contacting Great West (yes, every time) for pre-approval. Guess what they found? See my first post! And let's say you get the CT scan. The radiologist who works in the office that is covered by Great West may not be covered by Great West. So they deny the claim. More letters. Why would the radiologist not be covered? Because Great West is such a pain it costs more to be covered by them than see their patients. That's how I lost my previous endocrinologist of over 20 years. By the way, from what I can see radiology is the best part time job in America.

Great West Health Care - Now a Part of Cigna has no Moral Compass.

I feel better. This may be the best thing Great West has done for me.

Labs

2010-05-11T19:20:00.015-05:00

Had labs drawn yesterday and the week before as well. They are good. Yesterday's results had my white blood cell count at 9.0 (normal=3-8.9) and it's OK, even good to be a little high. Hemoglobin is 14.9 (normal=12.5-16.6). Platelets are 155 (normal=113-364). White blood cells fight infection, hemoglobin carries oxygen, and platelets are important for clotting and stopping bleeding. It's good to have all those things. Chemo tends to wipe them out. I had the booster shot to stimulate white cell production and apparently it worked. So I'm in good shape for the next cycle that starts next Monday.

This cycle has been great. I've felt really well, not much fatigue, and good appetite. The only thing that tastes a little funny is tap water. That happened to me the last time too so it could be in my head. I've been drinking a lot of water but also a fair amount of carbonated water (Pellegrino). John sent me an idea for dressing up the water a bit and it is a very nice change of pace. If anyone has an idea for food or beverages please send them to me.

I have been playing around with different types of snacks. Olive tapanade or bruschetta on crackers with cream cheese works. Also Eunice and I made some crackers that I really like. I'll include the recipes below.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

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Tapenade: Easy to make and tastes great with cream cheese on a cracker.

Bruschetta: Simple recipe and good on crackers as well as toasted bread.

Rosemary Cranberry Pecan Crisps: I love these crackers. A imitation of Raincoast Crisps and a cross between their Cranberry Hazelnut and Rosemary Raison Pecan crisps.

Hallmark Holidays

2010-05-09T06:14:00.028-05:00

Today is Mother's Day. We aren't big on "Hallmark" holidays. Eunice and I have a tradition for Valentine's Day and our anniversary of going to a card store, picking cards from the rack, giving the cards to each other, and then returning them to the rack. Ann is coming home tonight and Dallas will be home next Saturday so we've put off celebrating Mother's Day for Eunice until next weekend - she's their mother, not mine. And what a great mother she is.

Ann graduated yesterday. It was very nice. Every speaker said something about how the graduates would remember this day for their rest of their lives. I realized I have virtually no memory of my college graduation. Perhaps commencemnt speakers think too highly of themselves.

We went out to dinner and I realized it isn't as hard as I thought it might be. I had a plain hamburger and french fries. Ordering something to drink caught me by surprise. My concerns over eating out were always about the food not the drink. Diet drinks give me a headache, can't have a beer, caffeine is out, I rarely have soft drinks, so I had water.

Took a snooze in the car on the way home.

Graduation

2010-05-07T04:43:00.018-05:00

Ann graduates from the College of St. Benedict tomorrow. She majored in French and History. Last summer one of our neighbors was lamenting that her daughter was starting Junior High School - which is a big deal. Sarah asked why everyone kept asking her if she was ready. I told her they ask because they aren't. I think I'm ready for Ann's graduation but it's a big deal. She is good at figuring things out and I'm pretty good living with ambiguity and that seems to work for us. Eunice told me last night she was accepted for a summer internship with Wilderness Inquiry. Their mission is to make adventure travel accessible to everyone, regardless of age, background or ability. It sounds like a good fit for Ann and gives her a chance to try outdoor leadership on for a summer. She and Dallas have always made good choices and decisions. I am very proud of her.

My parents in-law, Ken and Alice will be arriving for dinner. Paul's Jane and Ben too. We'll all go to Ann's graduation tomorrow. It will be fun to have them and we can also celebrate Mother's Day with them on Sunday. Tomorrow after Ann's graduation I will eat out for the first time. We are going to eat at a family run diner rather than a more traditional restaurant. The food is simple and fresh. I'm looking forward to it.

Last night I made Chicken Fried Chicken with White Gravy for dinner. Eunice went to St. Joseph to pick up some of Ann's things and have dinner with her.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

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Chicken Fried Chicken with White Gravy: I modified this recipe from one on the Migraine-Free Cooking blog by Heidi Gunderson.

4 Steps to Healthy Frying: That may sound like an oxymoron but I borrowed these tips from Cooking Light. They worked well and little oil was absorbed by the chicken.

Turdulence

2010-05-06T07:36:00.003-05:00

This is not a topic for a public forum according to my wife. I’ll try to keep it brief. When Ann and Dallas were little, we were reading The Watsons Go to Birmingham: 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis. The Watson’s car is nicknamed the “Brown Turd.” I kind of hesitated as I read that and the kids looked at me and asked, “What’s a turd?” I simply said, “It’s a poop.” They started giggling and laughing and it was one of those moments of truth gone well in parenting.

So what does this have to do with turdulence? And what is turdulence? It’s funny and a fact of life if you are having chemo. Almost every drug I take lists constipation and diarrhea as a side effect. C’mon, make up your mind! Constipation is a normal topic of conversation in the chemo room. Nurses ask about it and give advice depending on your situation. HIPPA would probably have a cow because these aren’t quiet, hush-hush conversations. I know the bowel habits of people I’ve never met before.

Drink plenty of water, use stool softeners if needed, and keep a sense of humor. The “transition” or “turdulence” happens Day 11 – 13. And please, don’t talk about it in public.

Biopsies and The Singing Anesthesiologists

2010-05-05T05:46:00.022-05:00

Someone asked me about the Singing Anesthesiologists link. My sister-in-law's sister sent that to me. It was just a coincidence that she sent it after my biopsy in April. Somewhere it indicated the anesthesiologists were from Minneapolis and I thought I recognized one of them so naturally I wanted to include them on my blog. Turns out I was wrong. None of them was involved in my biopsy and they are from St. Paul. And apparently they aren't anesthesiologists but rather nurse anesthetists. But I thought the clip was funny and they're not bad.

The biopsy was before I started the blog so I thought I'd backtrack a little. I was hoping (expected?) it would show the lymphoma was the same follicular lymphoma I'd had for years and my treatment would be more along the lines of Rituxan which is a pretty mild form of chemotherapy. But it morphed into a large B-Cell lymphoma and a different, more aggressive treatment plan was required.

I have had three biopsies. In 1996 a mass was found but the biopsy turned out to be benign (probably not a good diagnosis). They did a mediastinoscopy and made an incision below my neck. They take a probe and collect tissue in front of the lungs. Relatively simple and a 3" scar.

The second biopsy was in 1998 after an X-ray showed the mass had doubled in size since 1996. This time there were 3 incisions - one for a scope (camera), one to collect the tissue, and one for a chest tube to help re-inflate the lung. They went through my right side to collect the tissue and got a larger sample for analysis. My lung had to be deflated to get to the mass. A little more invasive and three 1" scars.

The third biopsy was in April - April Fools Day. Somehow that seemed appropriate. Apparently surgeons don't like to take the same route. This time they went through my chest. The idea was to make an incision, go through the ribs, wiggle around the lung, get the tissue, and retreat. Turned out they had to remove a little cartilage between the ribs, deflate the lung, get the tissue, and insert a chest tube. Two scars, one about 1" and one about 4". I was surprised when I saw the 4" scar. April Fools!

I want to say the surgeon was great and did both biopsies #2 and 3 and got good samples. About two weeks later he put in a port for infusion of my chemo drugs. We are pretty much on a first name basis now. Big bump and 1.5" scar from the port.

I don't think I'll be taking my shirt off in public much anymore. I look like I've been in a knife fight and didn't do too well. My scars almost form the "Mark of Zorro" and with a little pre-planning I think the surgeon could have made an artistic statement. Perhaps surgeons should consult with tattoo artists to really surprise and delight their patients.

My son has a tattoo. It's a roman numeral 13 (XIII) on his upper left chest just below the collarbone. It's where my port is. I hope his tattoo always remains undisturbed.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

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Omelet: The Lincoln Del in Minneapolis used to have a cream cheese and corned beef omelette. I can't have aged or preserved meats so I made mine with cream cheese, onions, green peppers, and a chopped up hot dog (uncured).

To the Pain

2010-05-03T17:49:00.018-05:00

There is a scene in the Princess Bride where Wesley threatens to fight the Prince "to the pain." The aches and pains did come from the booster shot. Started in my arms, moved to my knees, and then my pelvis and base of my spine. It's more of a big bone body discomfort. It's not really pain but it was a catchy title for this post.

Last time I had chemo Adriamycin was part of the treatment. It's not good for your heart and I had some problems a few years ago. They put me on Coreg which is a beta-blocker. My heart functioning returned to near normal but I still take the Coreg. Beta-blockers block that rush of adrenalin you get when the person sitting next to you in the car screams, "red light!" That doesn't really bother me anymore. For a diabetic the downside is that beta-blockers mask the synmptoms of having low blood sugar. Growing up I could always feel my insulin reactions and was pretty well in tune with how my body felt. I could almost predict my blood sugars based on the taste in my mouth and other things. Coreg took that away about 4 years ago. The Neulasta and its discomfort have brought some of that back for me in the sense of feeling something about how my body is working. Kind of like an old friend. To the pain!

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

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Spaghetti Sauce: We had spaghetti for dinner last night. Eunice makes a great sauce that we've used since before we were married.

Reflections and Recipes

2010-05-02T05:03:00.022-05:00

I feel like I've completed my first cycle although there are still a couple of weeks until I start the second one. I had a little soreness in my left shoulder and arm from the Neulasta (white blood cell booster shot) but nothing dramatic. Knees are a little sore (weak?) too. I finished my ten days of prednisone and procarbazine last night and am looking forward to seeing how that effects me the next two weeks. Feeling a little tired, I took a nap yesterday afternoon. I realized I was a little low on sugar and that may have contributed to my fatigue. I'm doing well and will start my second cycle on Monday, May 17. The key thing there is Monday. Being able to move the start of the cycle from Wednesday to Monday is important to me so that I can travel more easily for work. Only the first week of the cycle requires me to be home. Mondays give me more flexibility.

Yesterday we planted two trees. Our community has a program where you can purchase trees relatively inexpensively for planting in your yard. We planted a flowering crab and white oak. We also did a little cleanup around the yard and in the shed and started planning some enhancements to our gardens. We want to incorporate more species native to Minnesota in one area in particular.

We also prepared some great meals. We had ribs, cole slaw, and Bush's Vegetarian Baked Beans (yes, out of a can but the ingredients were OK) on Friday. Saturday we made Bison Burgers with home fries.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

Click below for the collection of recipes or for an easy to print copy of a single recipe.

Collection of Recipes

Baby Back Ribs A friend of ours makes great ribs and we have used it for years. It's not so much a recipe as a prepartation guide. The real recipe is the sauce which I tried to model after Gates BBQ in Kansas City.

BBQ Sauce Sauce ingredients can be a problem for me so I've started to make more of them and other condiments. This sauce is very good and easy to make.

Cole Slaw What are ribs without cole slaw? I didn't want to buy it without knowing the ingredients. This is a great recipe for cole slaw. The spices really make it. The major ingredient is mayonaise so I made my own.

Mayonnaise A little fussy but it wasn't that hard to make. It turned out thin which was fine for the cole slaw. I have since found that I can get mayo with approved ingredients at Whole Foods and will do that in the future. But since I made the mayo - thought I'd include the recipe too.

Bison Burgers Simple and delicious. I really haven't prepared bison often but decided to try it. It's better than beef for burgers - tender, juicy, and so simple to make.

Home Fries Years ago I found hints to this recipe in a mystery I was reading. They are very good and our kids have loved them for years. And yeah, they're great with ribs and burgers.

A New Taste Sensation?

2010-04-30T07:42:00.021-05:00

I had another infusion of Cytoxin on Wednesday and my booster shot of Neulasta yesterday. The Neulasta is to "jump start" the bone marrow to produce more white blood cells. I may experience a little soreness in my big bones but so far have not. I've been fortunate so far avoiding a lot of the the discomfort that others may experience. In case you're thinking the same thing I did, I read somewhere that the degree of side effects is unrelated to the effectiveness of the treatment. I'm anticipating a very good outcome.

My meals have been pretty good and we are getting a little more adventuresome. Meat seems to stay with me and that may have something to do with the prednizone. Chopped steak is my friend. It's good with an egg and toast for breakfast, makes a quick lunch, and have had it for dinner as well. It's easy to get into a rut so we went for a new taste sensation last night: Enchiladas - and remember cheese is not a good idea. I'd recommend this recipe for people who need a low Tyramine diet but I will also include instructions for those who don't. The full recipe is a friends recipe from over 30 years ago and it is great. I modified the "filling" from a recipe I found on a migraine free cooking blog by Heidi Gunderson. Obviously I'm concerned about a Low Tyramine diet and not migraine free cooking so some of my ingredients (spices?) may not be appropriate for people with migraines. I've included a link to her blog below and in the sidebar.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

Click below for the collection of recipes or for an easy to print copy of a single recipe.

Collection of Recipes

Migraine Free Cooking

Enchiladas We made the enchiladas last night and they were very good. I was skeptical about the cream cheese but enjoyed it very much. Since I should avoid leftover food, I had an enchilada with a fried egg (over easy) for breakfast the next morning.

Frustration is a Self-Inflicted Injury

2010-04-28T17:57:00.009-05:00

It's not my line. Brendan Harris, a Minnesota Twins third baseman was quoted saying this during spring training. He attributed it to Sage Rosenfels, a Viking backup quarterback. Last night Denard Span got tossed from the Twins game for showing some frustration with an umpire's called third strike. He injured his character and the team's chances of winning. To his credit, he said so in the paper. It is interesting that elite atheletes have to work hard to keep their emotions in check. It's a lesson we can all learn from - especially me.

Frustration and prednisone are a bad combination. The prednisone gives me tunnel vision and today I felt confused by my treatment plan and experience in the doctor's office. They actually came through and cleared everything up including calling me at home later with more details I had asked for and explaining why some of the things that happened had happened. Today was a good reminder that I don't need any self-inflicted injuries. I'll focus on what I have control over including my diet, my attitude, and asking good questions.

Speaking of taking control, my endocronologist asked for me to fax in a food/exercise log each week. I use mainly to record my blood glucose levels. In the spirit of things I posted a link for a simple Food Diary to track what you eat and activity. There is space for other stuff you might want to include too. There was a little conceren that I had lost weight the past week - about 8-10 pounds. But if you start out a little chubby, eat simpler healthier foods, cut out snacks, have no cheese, quit drinking alchohol, and are a little more diligent about getting some exercise (walking) you lose weight. Hard to believe.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

Forgot a key ingredient for an enchilada recipe. Didn't get frustrated - making progress in little ways. Maybe tomorrow.

Eating Out: Fast Food, Restaurants, and Friends

2010-04-26T05:31:00.025-05:00

Some friends offered to bring us lunch this weekend from a great sandwich shop in the warehouse district. It got me thinking about eating out and what my options may be. I guess the short answer is they are not real good. There really isn't any tyramine-free fast food. I've included some links below to websites for fast food places. Be sure to not only look at the nutritional information and/or components but the actual ingredients as well. For instance, a Big Mac has 7 "components" but the bun itself has at least 33 ingredients much of which is heavy on soy and other stuff you don't want. In fact, here are the top 10 most common fast food ingredients:

10. Citric Acid: The Most Common Preservative
9. High-fructose Corn Syrup: The Most Common Sweetener
8. Caramel Color: The Most Common Color Additive
7. Salt: The Most Common Flavor or Spice
6. Monosodium Glutamate: The Most Common Flavor Enhancer
5. Niacin: The Most Common Nutrient
4. Soybean Oil: The Most Common Oil or Fat
3. Mono- and Diglycerides: The Most Common Emulsifiers
2. Xanthan Gum: The Most Common Stabilizer or Thickener
1. Chicken: The Most Common Meat Product

And the websites for ingredient information (just click on the name):

McDonald’s

Burger King

Taco Bell

Arby’s & Wendy’s

Chipotle

Noodles and Company

I included Chipotle and Noodles and Company at my wife's suggestion. And while they may be better than the rest they still don't look like a real good choice to me. But in a pinch you could probably find something there. I'd rather go to a store and buy a fresh apple, cucumber, and roll.

I won't eat fast food for sure, and restaurants aren't much better. Sauces, gravies, soups and salads are not prepared from scratch. They use extracts and other ingredients that you don't want in a low-tyramine diet. I travel for work and will be "forced" to eat in restaurants occasionally. It's not going to be easy to tell what is in my food, so I'll ask questions and go simple.

So what about my friends who offered to bring lunch? Friends are great - you can just tell them what's up and they are very receptive. But it's the same thing really. It's all about asking good questions about the food and preparation, making good choices, and when push comes to shove asking yourself, "Is this worth having a serious event over?"

Eunice and I like to cook and it's going to be better for me to cook at home and invite friends over. It's fun, safe, and not as difficult or time consuming as you may think. It is also less expensive and creates less waste.

The best option is for me to make my own food. That's what we did last night with some friends. We had a great Lemon Roast Chicken.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

Click below for the collection of recipes or for an easy to print copy of a single recipe.

Collection of Recipes

Lemon Roasted Chicken
We buy our chickens with the help of a good friend from a local farmer who delivers them frozen. They are very fresh. We also happened to purchase half chickens which reduces leftovers.

Did You Know?

2010-04-25T06:22:00.018-05:00

I'm going to add a link that I found helpful. It is on Low Tyramine Diets. It's by folks at Northwestern Memorial Hospital dated November, 2008. Apparently the study of Tyramine content in food is evolving and this article is a good summary of more recent studies about what you can and can't eat - short and sweet.

I wondered if caffeine-free diet drinks would be OK. I tried a diet cola (6oz) yesterday and it didn't really agree with me. I read later that Aspertame is something you might want to avoid.

Frito's have 3 ingredients: whole corn, corn oil, salt. You remember those "walking tacos" you ate at Pee Wee hockey tournaments where you put chili, lettuce, and cheese in the bag and ate it with a spoon? Well, they weren't all that bad for you in terms of tyramine. Forget the cheese.

Had hamburgers for dinner last night and we made Tomato Jam to put on them.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

Click below for the collection of recipes or for an easy to print copy of a single recipe.

Collection of Recipes

Tomato Jam
This is a tastier, chunkier replacement for ketchup. Great on burgers or anything else on which you might use ketchup.

A New Beginning

2010-04-24T06:37:00.032-05:00

Two of the most common side effects of chemotherapy are fatigue and insomnia. Doesn't seem fair but that's the way it is. I've been sleeping well but do have more time on my hands. I thought I'd start a blog as a journal to look back on. You are welcome to join me.

Over 11 years ago I was diagnosed with cancer; a mixed-cell follicular lymphoma - a slow growing lymphoma. I went through a CHOPS chemotherapy routine and later Rituxan. Things went well until last month when a CT Scan showed growth and a biopsy revealed an additional, more aggressive, Large B-cell Lymphoma. That's the lymphoma part.

As I told my family about my cancer and prepared for chemotherapy I did some good and not so good things. My wife, Eunice, was fully involved but my daughter, Ann, pointed out that we don't communicate well as a family out loud in conversation especially about my cancer. Frankly there hasn't been a lot to talk about for a while but there is now. And she and my son were 10 and 8 when I was first diagnosed so I was remiss in not saying more over the years. So this blog is for them too and maybe it will start many a conversation. Welcome to my family.

As far as my treatment, think of it in Days with Day 1 (D1) being the start of treatment. The link for Chemocare in the sidebar is a good source of information about the drugs, side effects, precautions, etc.

D1: Rituxan, Cytoxan, and Etoposide (VP-16), (7 hour day). Start taking Prednisone (two 50mg tabs per day) and Procarbazine, or Mutulane (three 50mg tabs per day). Put them all together and you get R-CEPP which is the name of my treatment. It's fairly aggessive. More later on the Procarbazine and its food implications.

D2: Etoposide (2 hour day)

D3: Etoposide (2 hour day)

D8: Cytoxan (2 hour day)

D9: Neulasta (booster shot for white blood cells in and out)

Day 28: Start the cycle again for six times or Q4W x 6.

I started my first cycle April 21.

Prednisone is a tough drug for diabetics. It increases your blood sugar dramatically and 100mgs/day is a massive dose. I normally take Lantus insulin for a baseline 24 hour coverage and use a sliding scale of novolog for meals and corrections. My endocronologist suggested taking 25 units of NPH with each dose or half the #mgs of Prednisone for each dose. This is working well. My thanks to her. That's the biggest part for diabetes.

Now for food. Procarbazine has many dietary or food restrictions. Alcohol and cheese are the key ones but the list goes on and on. Without going into a lot of detail Procarbazine interferes with the inactivation of Tyramine in various foods so that "serious events" can happen. They put cardiac failure at the end of the list which I suppose is appropriate. So we are focusing on fresh, natural, and packaged foods with less than 5 ingredients.

I should mention that I am also lactose intolerant but almost all the drugs I am taking cause constipation. I am reintroducing dairy products, including eggs, into my diet and so far so good. There's always a silver lining.

So what am I eating? Good stuff actually. I was worried at first but we've (my wife and I) have gotten into the search for food that will avoid a "serious event."

Breakfasts:

Egg burritos made with onions, other fresh vegetables, scrambled eggs, a little salsa (less than 5 ingredients), no cheese, rolled in a tortilla.

Lunch:

We found uncured hot dogs with 3 ingredients. I had one on a bun with a little mustard and it was great. I'm not a big lunch eater but enjoyed it.

Dinner:

Rice with chopped panned fried skinless chicken breasts, a little salsa, baby peas, with a fried egg (over easy) on top. The leftovers shouldn't be kept more than 2 days so it makes a great breakfast too. I "harvested" this idea from my brother-in-law. But if you are having guests and want to prepare something for all sorts of different tastes and/or preferences you can place all the ingredients (meat, salsa, vegetables, seafood, eggs, etc.) in separate bowls and people can use what they prefer. Use rice, tortilla chips or something else for a base. He calls it "Pile On" and it is good - be creative.

Beverages:

I have an 8oz cup of coffee in the morning and drink a lot of water everyday (2 qts)

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth!

I'm just getting started, I like to cook, and the food will get more interesting!