A Bicycle Built for Two

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.

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

The Friday Update: Just the Facts

Feeling Lucky

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.

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

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

Imagonnapaintdabathroom

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

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

Collection of Recipes

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.