Just got back from the oncologist where the results of my scan were told to me, no new news here, and I got my first shot of Octreotide, something that will help with the symptoms and retard the growth of the carcinoid tumors. No new growth or outbreaks other than the ones we already knew about and I looks like the meds will do the trick for now. Back in 4 weeks or so for another shot (I gotta remember, LEFT cheek next time), and some more blood work to make sure the liver is functioning properly, just like it is now.

I’ve got mixed feeling about all this. Yeah, it’s a cancer, or sorta… Carcinoid is the operative word here. But it’s rare enough that no one knows a lot about it. According to the Doc, many people live long lives with this stuff, even undiagnosed. But if it wanted to, this carcinoid stuff can be a real bitch. I’m not in any hurry to die, and with a treatment that works, I can live another 20 – 30 years. Considering I’m already pushing 50, I can deal. If I keep on top of it, and I can afford the meds, I should be fine.

People are trying to get me to put in for SSI disability. It seems to me that, since I don’t consider myself disabled, this would be a waste of time for everyone involved. The Doc seems to think this won’t affect me working, and the carcinoid ain’t so aggressive that it will give me any problems I won’t see a long way off.

Sure I’d like to have a job where I’m spending more time at home, but NOW is not the time to be trying for that. I can drive a truck, I can do it well, so that’s what I’ll be doing come 2012. I need to get back to work, I’ve been outta work since November 12th and “Momma needs new shoes!”

Thanks again to all the family and friends who have helped us out and thank you, he folks who have been reading this little blog. I intend to keep up with this thing more often for 2012 (Hmm, my first resolution?) so stand by…

testing

I’m getting scanned Monday, they’re gonna shoot me up with medicine tagged with a nuclear isotope and take pictures of my gamma rays over the next three days. If I don’t come out of this with a superpower, I’m gonna be mightily disappointed…

I added a PayPal donate button, I’m not sure why but what the hell.

I’ve been diagnosed with a neuroendocrine carcinoid tumor of the small intestine that has metastasized to the liver. Still being figured out but the multiple tumors in the liver are not operable because of the number and size. There are therapies to keep it from progressing, but so far it just looks like this is something I’m going to have to “live” with. More testing will be done and I’ll know better what’s going on.

I’ve been out of work and without income since November 12th and I’m not sure how Terry and I are going to make it right now. After having the tumor removed from the small intestine, I’m still on light duty till Jan 2nd. Light duty, of course, means nothing to me in this context being I’m a truck driver for a company in Illinois. There;s not a lot of work around here right now.

I’m not sure how I feel about all this now. I don’t know whether I’ve got 20 years to live or a number shorter than that. I can’t see the future. What hurts the most is the way its affecting my family, frankly. I don’t know what to do.I just want to live as long as I can and be something other than a lump…

Anyways, more later.

Back on the road after a nice 4 days home. Slow right now but work will pickup quickly. Anyone want to switch over to driving reefers? It ain’t that hard and you’ll get all the loads you can handle.

Another slow weekend out on the road enjoying the fine hometown ambiance of Rochelle, IL . My truck was “bleeding” coolant, a very apt metaphor because the coolant is red and gets all crusty when it dries. Because the need to head immediately to the shop, and not knowing the seriousness of the repair, the loads stacked on me were given to others and I had to settle for what’s left. But the previous week was a busy one, so it’s no great loss and the repair turned out to be minor. Not that you would have known it from the “carnage” under the hood.

So, now I’m sitting, waiting to pickup a load that doesn’t deliver till Monday morning. I got the IntarWebToobs to keep me occupied, and I could always nap. Unless you folks want to keep me busy by pestering me with phone calls and Facebook updates (hint, hint), I would stay awake for that.

I got tired of all the AT&T bloatware and decided to “root” my HTC Inspire. For those of you who don’t know, “root” is almost the same thing as “jailbreak” when it comes to iPhones. But its much more. A failed attempt to root your Android phone can, in rare cases, turn your phone into an expensive brick. There were a few bobbles with the process and at one point I thought the unthinkable had happened, but rereading the directions got me over it.

Now the phone is faster and more responsive than before and I’m not locked into whatever AT&T decides to throw at me. Previously, I had apps that would be running that I didn’t use and could not get rid of.

Its all better now!

What is it with the new Denny’s restaurants they’ve been putting in all the Pilot and Flying J truckstops? The food is cheap and good enough but the service has consistently sucked ass ever since they converted the the J’s Country Markets to Denny’s. Tonight was the worst service I’ve ever had.  But what can I really expect, it is, after all, a Denny’s. And now they’ve gained the dubious attribute of becoming a Truckstop Restaurant. Double damned, if you ask me.

The whole staff managed to funk up my dining experience.  he Manager got into the act by bringing me the wrong plate. The “cooks” undercooked the hash browns and the cheese and the weird tasting sausage in it were cold.  The server stopped by with the right plate, asked if I needed anything and then got lost.

Ten minutes later I’m in the process of chowing down and the server comes back and does that stupid thing that most servers do. She dropped the check and while my mouth was full of food, asked if everything was OK! I managed a thumbs up and them she VANISHED! No refills, no bussing of dirty dishes, not a sign of concern for my customer satisfaction! I HATE when they do that!

At meals end I head to the cash register to pay up and then stand there like a dork for five minutes in plain view of the Manager and the entire room until said Manager broke off the deep meaningful conversation she was having with another customer and waved over a different server to take my plastic and my John Hancock.

Thats my sad tale of woe. I’d hoped to sit there in the quarter-full restaurant sucking down ice teas and browsing the web on my Android, but I got disgusted and left. Will I ever go back? Probably. I shouldn’t let the crap bother me but when I only eat out once or twice a month…

Waahh, waahh, waahh… whatever.

Is this thing on?

The following are just a few of the search terms people have used to end up on this website in the past week. I’m sure quite a few of them went away disappointed.

• our very first sex tape – I’m still wating for full immersion 3d before I release mine… ugh…
• paris hilton nude – Hasn’t everyone seen this already? Puhleeze!
• james may’s dead cat – I’m not sure who James May is but I offer up my sympathy in this his time of grief.
• westboro baptist church assholes – Actually, this is a valid one. I second that emotion!
• flowers that open and close – ????

Used to be that this place I delivered to gave us up to one hour after the appointment time to still be on the schedule. I was 14 minutes late checking in because of a potty break. Now they’ve decided that they’ll “work me in when they can.” Been here 4 hours, load untouched.

Doesn’t pay to take a leak anymore. I gotta get me some of those Depends things now…