UPDATE ON STATE OF FAMILY AND HEALTH

The Houston trip has been here and gone for awhile now, and I'm am Super pleased to announce that after two and a half years the cancer appears to still be in remission and that is good. It would be better if I could say that it is permanently gone, but this is the next best thing. In fact, in my mind, it is permanently gone. The plastic surgeon said the repair job he did to the stomach lining is still holding up - which is good. The only negative here is that I, according to him and my wife, will still have to wear that awful wrap around my torso into the unforeseeable future. Again, this is better than any other alternative.

The Houston trips, twice a year since the surgery, are always about the same. Travel down on one day, go in for blood work and the CAT Scan the next day, see my cancer surgeon the following day and the plastic surgeon that afternoon or the next day. While I don't enjoy the CAT Scan, it is the one activity that legitimately uses a day. By the time you check in (no food before this process) and have a couple of the toxic like cocktails, get an IV injection and actually have the examination, you have used up the best part of the day. Any part you haven't used up is used up not feeling too good. The Doctor exams are short and sweet - if and when you finally get in to see the doctor. It is usually two to three hours after your scheduled time before you get in. This last time I was scheduled to see the plastic surgeon and 1:30 pm and got in at 5:30 pm. You do waste a lot of time doing nothing, but I learned a long time ago that it is something absolutely worth waiting for at MD Anderson.

I left Houston with the news that everything was looking good and with a schedule to return in another six months for another review. I understand that this routine will continue for a period of five years from the date of surgery. I am projecting that by the time I finish these visits I will be able to find my way from the airport to MD Anderson and other nearby locations without assistance. Most folks don't realize this, but Houston is one of those rare cities where the sun comes up in the North and sets someplace on the other side of town. With no mountains to relate to, it is impossible to know which way you are going. I saw a FedX truck driving down the street on this last trip and I swear I saw it driving down the street the first trip. That poor guy has been driving around for two and a half years and hasn't found the address yet. I know exactly how he feels.

The instructions I received from my Houston doctors were to come back home and check in with my local doctors for follow up exams in the areas of their expertise. I know I have praised the doctors I have had at MD Anderson, and for very good reason. I also have been blessed with some great doctors here at home. There is a monthly magazine published and the name of this magazine is; "ALBUQUERQUE" - some kind of a coincidence, I would guess. Anyway, in March they featured; The Top Docs of Albuquerque. Most of my Docs are listed and a couple who are not should be. One of my favorites is my heart doctor, Kathleen Allen. She is tough!! You want to mind your "P's and Q's" just so you won't have to answer to her, but she is good - very good. Prior to my cancer surgery the actual surgery was delayed several times because they discovered blood clots in both legs and an aneurism in one leg and one in my chest. I went in to see Dr. Allen when I got back and have had two doppler exams an EKG and a nuclear EKG over the past couple of weeks. I think the nuclear EKG, which I had yesterday, consists of liquified waste from some type of horrible weapons system, and if so it is appropriately named. Oh - I do hate that exam! They inject this toxic waste material into your system and all of a sudden you feel this intense heat throughout your body, it is hard to breathe, your heart starts pounding like it is going to come right through your chest and you feel like you are going to explode right there on the table. In a matter of a few minutes - which seems like a few hours - it is all over and all you have left as a souvenir is a headache and an upset stomach. I did take it upon myself to administer a little of my own first aid treatment as soon as I could excape, and did stop for a fantastic green chili cheesburger, fantastic fries and a glass - or was it two - of home brew.

Dr. Allen really is a great doctor for many reasons, but before the exams she scheduled an appointment for me to see her after the exams. At the last minute she cancelled my appointment with her and said; "There is no reason why you should have to pay another $40.00 co-pay to see me, I will just call you with the results. She did call first thing this morning and reported THERE ARE NO BLOOD CLOTS AND MY BLOOD IS FLOWING BEAUTIFULLY!!!

So all is looking great - except - I am having a problem with my oxygen level which in turn is causing me problems with fatigue and "running out of gas (energy) during the day. I am on oxygen again at night and am considering having a portable unit with me at work so I can take a swig or two when I run down. Just the mention of it at work has created kind of a circus atmosphere that I don't think I will be able to deal with so that may not happen.

ABOUT FAMILY:

Mary is leaving for a short trip back home to West Virginia tomorrow to visit her sister, brother and her cousin and nieces and nephews. This involves a stop in Indianapolis, Charleston, W.VA. and Pittsburgh. She will also visit the cemetary where her mother and father are buried in the Shinnston and Clarksburg areas. She will leave there and meet me in Dallas where we will attend the high school graduation of our granddaughter, Lesley Ann (Annie). Our son Andrew and his wife, Maria live in Satelite Beach, Florida and we are proud to consider Maria's daughter, Mary, our grandchild too. She is also graduating from Fiera High School in Florida, where her mother teaches and coaches. We would love to get to Florida for this graduation also, but right now it is about all we can do to get to Texas. Anyway, our congratulations to Mary - we are very proud of her too.

Another of our granddaughters, Sarah Kirbo, has just blessed us with our first Great Grandchild, a 10 poud baby girl named Serenity. The baby was born in Weatherford, Oklahoma and the day before her arrival we were glued to the weather station as it seemed the whole state of Oklahoma was being hit by tornados. We are grateful that none of these twisters hit Weatherford or thereabouts, and we are extremely grateful for Serenity and are looking forward to seeing her and her mom and dad as soon as possible.

Last but not least, my little brother John is recovering from a knee replacement. He had his otherl knee replaced a few years ago and enjoyed the surgery so much he decided to do it again. We are all victims of some wrong choices in our younger life which cause us problems as we get older. It is hard for me to think of anything I ever did wrong that would have contributed to my health problems, but it is fairly easy to see where John went wrong. For those who know the family, you will remember that while I was the shy and bashful type, little John was out there cutting the rug - as they used to say. It must have been the jitter-bug (anyone younger than 55 probably doesn't know what that is), but John was a good dancer in the day. Anyway - get well and follow the docs orders - as I have - and all will be okay!

God Bless to everyone

AL