the Tilt of the Table

My update to the support group this evening as read by Scott.

Hello everyone,

It is always so good to see everyone. This group and everyone associated with it are in my prayers.

Well, slowly but surly, I continue to make appointments and take test and meet yet more nice individuals in the health care industry. Last week I took something called a mid-evil rack of....oh wait a second; they told me that was a tilt-table test. If you have not had the pleasure of one of these, let me add the following words to your vocabulary..... RUN Away!

I jest. It is nowhere near the worst thing I have had to endure. However, it was not fun. Strapped to a table, hooked up the WA zoo, OK, my chest, taken up to 60 degrees and have a rather charming technician try not to snicker at the funny face I was probably making. Here, let’s give him some Nitro and really have a fun time. Trust me, passing out is never fun. Not to me anyway. While safer than normal as I was strapped into place on a table, everyone seems to forget that my neck mussels are severely lacking in ability to support my head when awake, much less when I am not conscious. That is my fault I suppose as I forgot as well and did not ask for a head restraint. After coming back to reality, took me almost an hour to recoup enough to drive home and hit bed for the remainder of the day. Note, side effect of taking Nitro is a server headache.

I see the doctor this Friday..... do any of you know if it is normal for the condemned soul ahhhh hummm patient, to pass out during a tilt table test?; because I sure did and from the reaction of the  inquisitor, ahhh health care technician; I was out for some time.

I have had now most every known test to medical science, not really but I have a pretty awesome resume. Most of my new doctors are always asking me if my medical history is real. I must admit that I get a kick out of breaking in new younger doctors much as was my experience at the Mayo Clinic, but when I have seasoned Doctors in near states of jaw dropping amazement, I confess my little smirk and my Love for all of you for getting me one step closer to the end of all this.

Maybe I am being dishonest, but I really hope there is yet something wrong with my heart and they can tell me to take this pill and you will be better, than not having an answer and in the back of my mind knowing it is probably that damn cancer yet again.
I am tired. I am hurting most of the time. I can’t do a lot of the things most people take for granted. But I come to this table every month, and I am blessed by the courage and strength and the sheer desire to live that each of you bring. I am so blessed by each of you and I really wish one meeting I could share with all of you that I was OK and not having my fingers crossed behind my back.

Hopefully, it is nothing. But hay, at least I will have yet another medical related bill to pay. I guess the alternative is a burial plot.

I love you all and I pray that God will bless each of you.

the great Super Storm of 2012

This is the newsletter I am sending out to my support group in a day or two.

--------------------------------------------------

Hello Everyone,

I truly hope everyone is safe and secure this day. For all of our friends on the East Coast and the northern Mid-West and New England, our thoughts and prayers are with you. Be safe and be well.

Seldom do I write these newsletter reminders ahead of time. They normally are written on the morning I intend to send them. This week is a little different, as my normal targeted delivery time to you is NOW, I find myself having a day full of testing on a ‘Tilt-Table’ and various personal appointments which promise to keep me busy all day, Yesterday; and I have to be with my mother (nothing serious) just that she has some appointments which I have to attend to early this morning. So, I find myself sitting at this very keyboard and providing you with a reminder of our upcoming meeting. That day, today which I peck at this very keyboard is Halloween.

I find these little bits of my thoughts to you, sometimes conflicted and outdated by virtue of an impending holiday or a seasonal theme which usually transpires at the end of the month in which we are meeting. Like this one. This meeting is much closer to Halloween than to Thanksgiving. So, knowing full well that decorum dictates that I should have some sort of tie in with Thanksgiving, I am going to break with normal tradition and share with you all an invitation to be in the spirit of things not so comforting and most confrontational. It is after all Halloween and we have all just witnessed a most unusual natural occurrence in the land falling of what is the first (in my memory and most everyone else’s memory) a ‘Super Storm’, named Sandy. I have watched and been amazed by weather most of my life; I am often in awe and always respectful in all of its aspects. My heart goes out to all who were affected and I have shared with this group before how I have been affected by nature’s sometime wrath.

Please bear with me and I promise this will come full circle.
Sitting here, today (on Halloween) I was reminded of the October 30, 1938 broadcast of War of the Worlds by Orson Wells. While now, this is considered an icon of both the radio arts and the power of a well told story, it did not deliver the exact message I wanted to pass along to each of you. Here we are just mere days after the horrible devastation of Super Storm Sandy. Now, with all due respect to ancient Mayan sky watchers, with a wink to all of you who see black helicopters and feel that H.A.A.R.P. and the shadow government are in control of us all and in amusing disregard to any and all of the current political persuasions. While I personally don’t buy a penny’s bit of it, I do beg pardon to the dying Polar Bears and all you tweed jacket, pipe smoking, higher education types; ‘global warming’, ‘climate change’ or ‘carbon challenged’ it may be politically correct to be inconvenienced by……. The weather is changing!

This month, I want to take you to 5:12 PM on the evening of November 26, 1977. I want to take you to five separate television stations conveying the news that day on Southern ITV which covers London, the south and southeast of the British Isle.

Some of you may be aware of the importance of that evenings broadcast, but I venture to say most of us are not. That was the evening of the first ‘Hack’ if you will of the airwaves over southern England. I say hack but in 1977 the meaning was a little different. I am not speaking from some ‘pirate’ radio located on a WW2 era abandoned slab of metal in the middle of the water. On five separate stations at five different locations and all under the direction of station management and yes, under the ‘let us say control’ of the British Government an unthinkable, an unbelievable, all be it an impossible thing occurred. News broadcaster Ivor Mills was interrupted for five and one half minutes in an audio only hijacking by the voice of Gramaha of the Ashtar Galactic Command. Some dire warnings were delivered to mankind as to its future and some of the warnings concerned the weather.

Now, some of you are no dough saying to yourselves that I have lost my mind. I have read one too many comic books and I have been living precariously through one of my crazy graphic novels. Well, I challenge you call my bluff and look in up for yourselves. There are several members of our group who have connections to the ‘Mother’ nation. Ask them, they may know of or even heard the event. While I am not one to simply believe any or everything one may read on the internet, here are some search terms which may give you some interesting results:

Gramaha
Ashtar Galactic Command
1977 Southern Television broadcast interruption
Vrillon's Speech

That should get you started if you have a desire to find out more. I will give you the Reader’s Digest version now.

“We come to warn you of the destiny of your race and your world so that you may communicate to your fellow beings the course you must take to avoid the disasters which threaten your world, and the beings on our worlds around you.”

I am struck by both the crazy deviation which has once again been placed upon us but the force of nature and the Providence of the Lord. I do not know why nor do I pretend to know. It just is. What I do know, is now, in the year 2012, at the end of that year, I am seeing things with my 57 year old eyes, things I have never seen before. I do not know what is to come, but I do know that we need each other to meet the challenge.

Please remember our brothers and sisters, who are in the path of destiny, heed the words of those you trust and have faith in. No matter the words of Orson or even the interruption of the Ashtar Galactic Command; take a second to look around, hug your loved ones, give help in any way you find that you can to those around you less fortunate. The world and its weather are changing for whatever reason. The future is coming, if you’re prepared for it or not.

Don’t forget to mark your calendar for next Tuesday, for two things; please vote and please meet with us at 6:00 PM in the usual spot.

Be strong my friends because Cancer Sucks.

The Valley of Expectations | VICE

I have warned you all many times of the dangers of opening your existence to Warren Ellis (my favorite author, BTW). Remember, some things are neither meant to be seen nor read.

While I have no real agreement with Mr. Ellis' world view; he has always been a stimulus for my pondering and a respected source of thought, contemplation and dare I say it, entertainment.

The Valley of Expectations | VICE

Cory Doctorow’s craphound.com >> Blog Archive » XKCD with a very boingy punchline

This one just cracked me up this morning.


Cory Doctorow’s craphound.com >> Blog Archive » XKCD with a very boingy punchline

A catching up; of sorts:

Letter read last night at my Support Group by Chris.

Hello everyone,

Since the last time we met a lot has happened in the world. The earth has moved, water has rose, volcanoes have blown and the Queen (God love her) jumped out of a helicopter!

I will be honest with you all; I have not been feeling well for a few months now. I have been blacking out and I have fallen a few times. I have had several neck thingy bobs, which is technical jargon for Carotid Duplex Ultrasound and MRi. See, neck thingy bob is much more understandable. Blood work up the kazoo and I am in the process of meeting and breaking in several new to me Doctors and helping put their children through college or paying off their mortgages. I am sure they will get use to me soon but I always have fun with health care professionals.

They are always so nice and that’s OK, but after a few minutes going over my medical history they tend to become rather attentive. They quickly realize that the same- o same- o did not just walk in. I tend to have the upper hand in all areas except billing. No one wins that battle.

The long and short of it as of this evening is I don’t know. Tests are still being done and evaluations are still being drawn. May be next month I will have some real news to pass along. Until then, I will continue to uphold my part in the doctor/patient process. (And have a little fun with these guys.

My mom is still with us. It is a slow and rather agonizing process. My prayer every night is that I may outlive her. She is still a blessing to those she is around and I know that inside, she is at peace.

I am not sure about all of you, but I am rather tired of this heat. As we move into September I know the hard part is behind us for another year but this dry heat crap is getting old. I tell friends to turn their oven to 106 and stick their head in that. IT’S A DRY HEAT!

Other than that crap, life is very good and I have so much to be thankful for. Why just last week my daughter in law texted that she wasn’t sure how it happened but I was going to be a grand-father yet again. For those counting; this will be number EIGHT. Damn I’m old!

Issue number 12 of the Justice League with a cover price of $3.99 is selling on e-bay for $25.00. Ha, I got mine. For details, consult Chris!!

I continue to LIVE my friends; I truly hope you don’t mind. I love you all and I wish and pray for you all - happiness and good health.

Be strong for each other because both Cancer really sucks.

and yet again

U.S. Doppler Radar

Special effects creator Carlo Rambaldi dies

 

Many special moments in this career.

http://sfscope.com/2012/08/special-effects-creator-carlo.html

oh my….. a new fav place

Bringing my love of N.C. Wyeth to the Hovel.

 

As most who follow my FB postings know, I have a big love of N.C. Wyeth’s art. There is just something about his work which speaks to my youth when I read may works which were graced with his talent. The library was a wonderful and magical place for me.

I hope you will become a fan of the website ‘Golden Age Comic Book Stories’.

See Complete Posting Here.

Psalm 19:1–2

 

1 The heavens are telling of the glory of God;

And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.

2 Day to day pours forth speech,

And night to night reveals knowledge.

 

http://io9.com/5927869/the-international-space-station-set-to-the-soundtrack-of-sunshine

just because

Happy 4th of July

Twenty minutes well spent

 

If you have 20 minutes to simply stop and listen to this amazingly far reaching address by Neil Gaiman to the University of the Arts Class of 2012; please press the play button after the ‘jump’ below. I believe it will inspire you to “MAKE GOOD ART.”

To my grandchildren and anyone else who happens upon my little hovel on the interweb; know that you are the only you. It is important that you believe and be respectful of yourself.

I hope you enjoy:

 

 

http://vimeo.com/uartsphilly/neil-gaiman-addresses-the-university-of-the-arts-class-of-2012

Per G.G., Chief of Ordnance

This is the newsletter I sent to my support group this evening and servers as an update on my current condition.

Hello Everyone, Time again; for that monthly e-mail nudging you to attend another regular meeting of the Support Group. That’s OK, trust me when I suggest there are many worst things one could be bugged about. This month, we are talking May already, will be an open meeting and a time to catch up with each other and enjoy one another’s company. This month we meet on the first day of May at 6:00PM. As per our normal course of events, this gathering will be at the Pima County Medical Building which is located at 5199 E. Farness Drive. I hope everyone who attended the show last week had a wonderful time. It is always a raucous event and I for one really enjoy the opportunity to see us all beaming with laughter. The figures are currently being double checked and there should be an accounting of how we did with the ticket sales by Tuesday if not before. I will distribute that information to everyone once I receive the final tally. This year I sat upstairs and had a wonderful time and got that milkshake I promised I would have. I will admit that I was unable to finish it all, but I sure tried too as I enjoyed the show. I hope and trust you all had an enjoyable evening as I personally feel that humor, as well as a positive ‘spiritual’ attitude are important to OUR continued health. As is my usual writing demeanor; here comes that jaunt into the past which I hope in some way puts you in a mood to remember to attend this coming Tuesday. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was published in 1884 in England and 1885 in the United States. At the very beginning, prior to chapter one, the author of the literary work, Mark Twain pens the following warning: Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR Per G.G., Chief of Ordnance Now, with all due respect to Mr. Clemens; I wish to proctor just those very ideals in order to entertain, conjoin and exhilarate each of you to continue to take another step, to accept a new day and enjoy yet one more moment as a living human being. A few weeks ago, it became that time once again to become prostrate myself before my insurance provider and humbly plea for the preferred medical procedure which MY medical professional of choice would like to have performed. YUP; time again had come for a PET scan. HA, DENIED! So, in a time when doctors are forced into doing more, accepting less and still keeping a semblance of a bed side manor; my doctor appealed and got the blessing for a Chest CT. (Which of course the over burdening co-pay still falls upon me.) Trust me; I do not in any way look for a hand out when it comes to my medical coverage.  I have no desire to sip from the cup of society. Damn it, I have had, have maintained and will continue to ascertain insurance coverage. Once again I will turn to a quote from the character Eugene Kittridge in the first Mission Impossible movie: ‘Dying slowly in America after all, can be a very expensive proposition.’ `OK, enough of that. Well, during this time I decided to take a day trip and come to peace with the fact that all this stuff is for the pondering of those of a much higher pay grade. There is little I can do about any of this so along with a good friend and his wife, off to St. Anthony’s Greek Orthodox Monastery I went. Having already learned to live a somewhat ‘monastic’ lifestyle, I decided I would go and observe the ones that live it correctly for some inspiration and calmness. I am a great believer in prayer and there just isn’t anywhere as good for me as St. Anthony’s to walk in silence and come to grip with my Lord. I hope you enjoy these few pictures and if you have not experienced a trip to the Monastery, please try and fit a trip into your schedule if you can. I find it most refreshing as to my Faith and fortifying for my Soul. There are some truly spiritual places there at which to pause and pray for help in becoming whole. The point of all this, the results of the Chest CT were sent to Dr. Manning and of course Jan took time out of her busy day to e-mail me and very happily let me know that my CT was clear and my chest was in great shape with no signs of cancer. I think the exact message from her was – “YAY!!!!  Your scan is supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! “See, even the Lord understands supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. Well, that’s it for this newsletter and I hope to see everyone this Tuesday evening and I long to hear everyone being in high spirits and good health.  Be strong everyone because Cancer does suck.

yet more awesome spaces

 

I just love http://awesomespaces.tumblr.com/ . I hope you find the time to get lost there. I do almost daily. Here is yet just one more reason why.

To the unknown taker and owner of this image….thank you.

some catching up

and I will finish posting the pictures from my Feb. visit to my daughters soon.

But first…Xandier has a birthday party:

Yup, that’s him

His uncle Will on the right and a grandpa

son #1, #2 aka dad and an uncle.

another grandpa, this one is crazy and has a crown.

the birthday boy and cousin Hayden having fun

I was just in the mood this morning.

Thought I would go on a Voyage.

Field Notes Envy!

March is here

(Delivered to my support group, read by Scott)

Hello Everyone,

I truly hope everyone is doing wonderfully.

I really did have a great time with my daughter and her family. I smiled for days.

However, back to the real world I came. Mom has had another series of seizures and I have been dealing with that. These things take such a toll on her physical well being and of course confuse the heck out of her and we all are back to step one.

Time for me to start gearing up for poking and prodding. Dr. Haung's office called and he says it's time for him to have a look see. I am sure Dr. Manning and Dr. Stratigoulras are not that far behind. We are coming up on the year out Pet Scan ordeal. This has historically been the scan that has disclosed further cancer activity. I ask for all of the prayers and good thoughts that you can send my way. Just once; I really would like this (one year) scan to be clear.

I have been working really hard on eating. After feasting on formula, chocolate candy, fruit smoothies and frequent stops at Dairy Queen; I know, a lot of you would trade for my problem, I am happy to tell everyone I now weigh 143.5 pounds. That is the most I have weighted since 2006.

I continue to be as active as I can be and I try each day to leave this world a bit better off than I have found it. Some days, it is just by a smile, but that's one more smile that wasn't on the earth yesterday. There are so many things that bother me, both here and around the world. I spend a great deal of time in prayer; I can only hope that it helps just a little.

It is so good to see everyone and I just hope you all the best. Life is very good for me even though it has many worries for me to deal with. I love you all as I continue to mark off each and every day till December 21st. I am not sure that any winter solstice has been so anticipated as this one. I do so intend to sit on my patio in my chair and just smile. Smile because on that day I will have smitten the Mayan demons and I shall be rewarded with yet one more morning to know each and every one of you wonderful people. Pole shift ha. I have stared the black maw of cancer in the face and because of my faith in God, I shall fear no evil.

Be good and kind to the world everyone, and be strong, because cancer sucks.

and on into Minneapolis

 

Packing into the soccer mom’s transport is always a challenge.

could you give me some room?

Ha ha, I have my own seat.

Dad, we need gas!

Bad daughter, bad daughter:

into St. Paul and a wonderful Cathedral

 

Where it is beautiful.

 

A monument to the lord on the hill.

the girls do nickelodeon Universe

 

First up was a quick trip through Lego land and I have to say; some of the displays were staggering.

 

Yes, all made from Lego’s.

 

I was rather taken by how big and charming this theme park in a mall was. You can find further info if desired at  http://www.nickelodeonuniverse.com/ .

The girls getting excited.

l-caydence c-bailey r-aurora

 

Sarah and a select few internet friends understand: (You will see more when we get to the zoo in a few days.)

Someone is excited to ride the bumper cars.

 

I’m too little to ride. (Darwin)

We have to ride with her; just do it and make Grandpa happy!

Peek!

More exciting tales tomorrow.

for my birthday to the Mall…of America!

I wanted to spend some time with the girls and this seemed a fun way to do it.
Travel involved.

OK, calm down.


Peace seems to be the ‘sign’ of the times.

One reason to go is to see the Microsoft store across from the Apple store:

My son in law can not decide which to enter.


for William and Aaron:


OK, more mall excitement tomorrow.