To My very special family of friends at CVOHARLEY,
If this ends up a double post I'll take one done.
I am hoping all the best for you and yours
First, Thanks for all the great word of encouragement. They are so helpful. Sometimes I get in the dunps and start feeling sorry for my self. And I really don't like to feel that way. What I do is logon and read these posts and I'm ether LOL or a few tears are running down my check.
I had my first chemo treatment on Monday the 11th of Jan. I get 2 special chemo cocktails and then the regular cocktail is last. That set up and procedure takes about 5 hours. I also get the same 2 special cocktails on Tuesday and Wednesday. They take less time than the first go round. This will continiue for months every 3 weeks for a 3 day round of chemo treatments.
I spent the day (Wednesday) at Jamaica Plain Veterans Hospital. I had a c-t scan with a very high contrast and then I had a PET scan. I was able to grab a bite to eat and then I had to have a simulation to setup the areas to send in the radiation. I had to have tattoos so the technition will know where to shoot me. Now this is the closest thing to Rocket Science I've ever had a part in.
Today,(Thursday) I couldn't get out of bed. I'm just beat and this morning it felt like I was going to hurl. I'm glad I didn't. The ride to Boston is a long one, but time has a way of fliing whether you're having fun or not. Before you know it it will be March. Personally, I can't wait.
I will get the 3 day chemo treatment at Boston when it becomes due. When the radiation treatments are done I'll resume getting my chemo back at the Vermont VA Hospital. Now that's the only thing that really makes sence to me so far. I'll got a few leads on a place to stay, I hope they work out. The VA Huntington House and it's overflow house is booked solid until April. So, they're out of the picture.
I'm going to try to get a room in a one star motel that starts an Monday and ends on Thursday. I hope 4 nights for 8 weeks will be cheep. Maybe I'll rent a camper and just park it in a nice spot on the VA parking lot. we'll see LOL
I still can't get a square answer when I ask if the 8 weeks will add time for me or nor. I don't mind a tradeoff, if I end up ahead. This is a lot of stress for my wife, and as the treatments start to show more weekness, I'm not sure I'll be able to push her wheelchair. I is kind of funny, when I get up to the desk to check in, almost always the receptionist thinks it visit is for Sue. we get a laugh out of that ever time.
Tomorrow (Friday) I go to the chemo room to have some blood out to see if I can start taking my diabetets med (metformin). All the stuff that was put in me for the c-t scan and the PET scan has to be gone before I can start taking the metformin again. It seems that they don't play well together.
As I get lookinh closer to the snafu concerning the Dartmouth Hospital refussing treatment to me. Well, I looks like one piece of paper wasn't sent. As a resuly Dartmouth must have thought I wanted thousands of dollars worth of radiation treatments for free. Now, of course it's to late to just fix the screwup. But, I plan to ask them where the buck stops. Just so I can give them a chance to add a statement. That always gets them. It might end up in the State Paper, if so, I'll add a link. and let you know.
There are othe radiation facilities around the area, and as I read the law, if a medical ficility takes Medicare, they by law have to take VA as well. So, there is an outside chance, very outsidechane that I will end up getting treatment closer to home.
If ever there was a time for it, Now is the time to use the old tool; "You can get more bees with honey than you can with vinegar".
My Friends at Heritage Springer Owners Assoiation sent me a package today. It has a 2010 calendar that displays our dream bikes, a Pin, a Key Ring, a bracelet or necklace and a small and large stcker, all with our HSOA logo. I couldn't say thank you enough. Thank you seems to just bearly touch the surface when compared to the true graditude that is made alive with such a gift.
Thank You Chief & Blondee and everyone else that took part in making this day so much better than it was before the mail came.
God Bless you and yours
Sam Dad chappy friend