And Life Goes On (and on and on ...)

OK, so it's been a long time since I updated my info. Most folks have enough on their plates without putting up with the whining of an old fart and I kept putting this off in hopes of some actual resolution to some of my issues, but that, apparently, is not to be.

First, the better news. Our daughter is speaking to us again and she is on some drugs that appear to help her out and aren't as dangerous as the ones she was on before. She actually came and visited us two weeks ago and we had a very pleasant visit. She and the wife ended up going shopping at Ikea on her second day with us. Whenever the two of them can get along that well, it is a pleasant surprise. Unfortunately she is moving out of her home on August 15th, leaving her husband with the four remaining kids (the oldest is out on his own). The good part of that is that the kids will finally go to school since she has relinquished the demand that they be 'home schooled'.

It is going to be rough on the kids, since they have never had to be in a controlled environment like school. Plus although their education is excellent is some ways, it is downright shitty in others. We will be going up to stay with them the first week that they will be in school to help them over some of the culture shock!

Meanwhile, on the medical front, when I finally got in to see the Dr., she said that without a CT scan to actually pinpoint where the cancer is, she can't take them out. So she ordered a PET scan (Positron Emission Tomography) which uses radioactive sugar. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to work for me or my kind of cancer so it was a waste of time.

It now looks like I either wait another 6 months or so and have another CT scan or go ahead with the recommendation of my endocrinologist and have a 200 millicurie, radiactive iodine ablation. I have already had 3 of these over the years (29, 150, and 200 millicuries) and this will bring me up close to the max that is normally considered 'safe' for a lifetime exposure. But ya' gotta do, whatcha gotta do! If I go through with another one of these, it will probably be done in October after we get back from our annual vacation to California.

One reason for this is that according to some literature from our hospital, I could set off radiation detectors in the airports for up to 3 months after receiving that dosage!!! Even though all I would need is a letter from the doctor, I don't need the hassle.

Well, enough rambling for now and if you made it this far, thanks for listening (reading?) and remember to do the good things in your life today. You don't know what tomorrow may bring.