Author: bobnroberts

Sitting here listening to the rain hitting my metal roof I did some thinking.

This year we have had lots of rain. Some real and some just a rain on our parade.

I am not offering any thoughts on what is going on that affects our “parade” but I do have a few things to say about how we work around it.

Our homes have become our playgrounds, bars, BBQ spot, and all around world.

As playgrounds we watch TV, listen to music, read, and oft talk to each other. The latter can be fun, enlightening, or frustrating. TV can be boring due to reruns, funny, or just filling time. Music is relaxing or energizing. Reading can be all the above. Some books are easy others difficult. Bars? well you can do all these others at the same time.

Talking is the one that earns the most for us personally. We learn, laugh, and many times share. Yes, talking can get frustrating but if we all just remember how to listen, truly listen, then the frustration is reduced.

No matter what is going on in your life talk to people but listen more than you talk. Go out of your way to talk & listen to those around you. Seek out the neighbor that has no one to talk to but ask them open ended questions about themselves and then shut up and listen to them.

If you spend more time listening you will be doing two things. Learning and understanding.

Have a wonderful day.

Each and everyone of us has good days, bad days, and the changes that normally occur in everyday life. For those of us with Cancer that starts a deepened cycle of that roller coaster when we first hear the dreaded C word.

That begins the roller coaster of thoughts, emotions, and fears.

What I am commenting on is not that coaster but the ones we all are being pushed onto with covid and all that goes with it.

Shutdown, social distancing, loss of personal contact, lost ability to see smiles or frowns, and handshakes, are just a few ways to express the dynamic changes that are the down on the coaster we have been placed on.

Schools closed, sports canceled, High School Seniors having their last year having their slammed shut, college graduates having the same but add in no jobs to go to.

Families that cannot connect with their sick, elder, or dying loved ones. Those dying loose all the comfort of contact with loved ones, those in Nursing Homes feel it deeply when they don’t see and touch family.

All these are the down of the roller coaster and are dramatic. So what might be the up of this coaster?

Certainly faith. Belief that things will get better, relishing in the little things that we do have. Our spouses, family we share a roof with, friends we are close to are the Up.

But for many there is Faith. The difference is that Faith is in a higher power, a sense of purpose and of more that just ourselves. You can assign the term that fits you but Faith is stronger than faith.

I wish you all the Up on your roller coaster and strength to overcome the downs.

Will be short with this today. Covid has changes so much of what, how, and when we do things. Cancer treatments delayed or outright canceled, doctor visits delayed the not in person but via video, personal contact like handshakes or hugs vanished (maybe forever?), and the ability to see a smile, frown, or simply a pretty face.

We Cancer patients need to fight hard, much harder, for our care. The personal interaction I note above now only comes from some family or friends that are close and not fearful.

The reassurance we used to get from our medicals just isn’t the same. Much more like mechanical with the only benefit being tone of voice and inflection both muffled by the masks. Reminds me of the carnival game with the genie in a glass covered box telling your fortune through a small speaker.

But with all this we still have phones, family, friends, and God.

I wish everyone better health and better living.

Long story short – I had the biopsy, found the suspicious spot but no malignancy was found. I was then scheduled for radiation of that area, five sessions, and in fact just completed the fourth treatment.

Really no big deal, just show up lay on the table while being positioned, machine runs an xray to be sure in correct position, then the treatment begins. The head of the machine that sends the radiation rotates around in a circle. I know when the radiation is on because of the sound. The machine cycles clock wise then counter clockwise two or three times.

All takes about 30 minutes from entering the room until leaving. Only issue is the table is hard and the room is cool.

Today I met a gentleman that was starting his first of 27 treatments. I wished him the best and we talked when we met on the elevator down. I let him know of my 25 treatments four years ago. Will possibly see him at my last treatment and if so pass on more on me and see if he will open up on him.

Enjoy life, you will never regret it!

Well after one cancelation due to covid19 I finally had a biopsy done on three suspicious lymph nodes on my lower left side. Two listed by my oncologist as unlikely Prostate Cancer as it retely goes there. The other, larger, it does.

My radiation oncologist said, in a seperate exam, that it might just be an infection caused by my nail fungus. But if Cancer was found would be Metastic but very treatable with five doses of radiation.

More to follow when I know more.

All please Stay Safe and Stay Healthy.

Yep they both begin with C and yes they have an immense effect on life.

In my case covid has indefinitely cancled my scheduled biopsy.

I had an Axum PET Scan for my Prostate Cancer that lit up an area in my lower lymph system, a node, that needs to be checked with a needle biopsy.

Covid-19 has messed up our daily lives and now my potential long, or short, term life.

Crazy as it may sound, the less threatening health scare out shines the bigger health scare.

Damn.

Comments?

Been a while since I posted so here goes.

My psa went up so I went back on hormone therapy but this time oral medications.

Why oral you might ask? Well to be frank I ws having trouble getting the full scoop on cost for the shots. And the way to get them.

Took 2 months to get full coordination on having the shots delivered to my local pharacy for me to take to my primary care office to have it administered. Coordination took another month to figure out. All possible and having it sent to me reduced the cost, after the initial $400 deductible, $5 per month. However this was now four months into my oral meds so I choose to remain on them. Learned how to ask questions and have a plan for future treatments.

When dealing with my Medicare plan provider I learned that you need to ask questons about drug coverage very carefully. I do not blame the company reps. The need to just answer the question and should not interpret the question to answer. Took a while but I finally got the questioning the right way.

Turns out the shots wold have been cheaper than the oral meds after the $400 dollar deductible. Deductible included the shots would have been $300 more.

More to come over the next week on this stage.

This Christmas was a bit different from other years. When our kids were young there would be two celebrations, ours at home and at my wife’s parents.

Then for the six years our daughter and grandson lived with us we had the joy of watching him love Christmas. Joyous time for all.

Things have settled down to dinner and presents. Still a very joyous time.

My point is; family evolves. Grows. Changes. Celebrate and enjoy what you have. What you have created is a family that enjoys life and love and celebrate your efforts.

Hope that everyone has a great Christmas and a wonderful 2020!

Well, another turkey day has passed and no one other than the turkey itself was harmed.

We spent the day at a friends house. They invited us and of course we accepted. He is a great cook and they are like family. Watched football; both our teams won: first game close and second game a blowout. Wonderful day.

What comes to mind is simple, Family might not be friends but friends can often be family.