LIVING WITH MCL

Contact the Governor to express your support for this very important piece of legislation (SB 840). The Governor can be contacted byby telephone at (916-445-2841) and follow the automated commands, by fax at (916)-445-4633 or by email It is time that California took the lead in this very important issue. It is time that the burden for providing health care to the citizens of California, be removed solely from the backs of the business community. Businesses can no longer absorb the double digit increases in health insurance premiums every year, and stay competitive in a global economy. Health care is not a commodity that should be distributed based on the ability to pay, but rather it needs to be treated as a social service distributed according to medical need? And our health care system should not be in the hands of investor owned firms that compete not by increasing quality or lowering costs, but by avoiding unprofitable patients, denying care when needed, and then shifting cost...

It may be difficult for some of you to believe that a 58 year old man would enjoy Supernova, but I can't help myself. It is entertaining, especially when you typically disagree with the bands critiques. I'll start off with Delana . I just don't understand what the band sees in her, but they do seem to love her. Her voice is sort of hypnotic, but it comes across as monotonous to me. Maybe it's the body art, which I think she has gone overboard with. Then there is Ryan who I believe has the most raw talent of the final six, but I have to agree with Jason Newsted, he just may not be right for Supernova. Storm , is one who IMO had her best performance of the show last night, but I still don't like her, and Gilby and Tommy Lee agreed. I think she'll be gone tonight. Then there is Magni , Toby and of course Lukas . I enjoy Magni and Toby, and they both had great performances last night, but I give the nod to Toby for the encore tonight, although I expect th...

No, I'm not cured. That would be earth shattering news! But what did happen is, I sold two text link ads for my website. Do you see those two small ads at the bottom of the second column to the right? One is for " Air Purifiers ", and the other is for " Home Caregiver Products ", those are them. Now I don't vouch for the reputability of these firms, but the fact that someone was willing to spend money for these ads is an indication that a few more people are actually reading my blog than I expected. Not only that, but I made a total of $6.64 for the month of August. Now if I can just sell 1000 more ads, I can retire early! :)

That's what it took me to climb the backside of Turnbull Canyon (a 1.5 mile 550 foot climb) on my bicycle yesterday. It might not seem like much, but it is, and it was my best time this year. What amazes me so, this time, is three years ago, I managed to do that ride in 8 minutes and 15 seconds. That's 59 seconds (11%) better than my best time this year. Of course I was 3 years younger, weighed about 7 pounds less, and had been training considerably harder. Still l am amazed that I could have ever done that ride in that length of time, although I do have friends that can do it in under 8 minutes. I've got my worked cut out for me.

As you know, my first oncologist at Kaiser, decided to move to Corpus Christi, TX, to be close to his family. I was devastated. I had spent the better part of 3 years training him about mantle cell lymphoma, and developing a great rapport with him. He was even willing to authorize the initial treatment that I wanted, which was Rituxan alone. I was very comfortable and content. Unfortunately life is never fair, and last March I was forced to choose another oncologist. I chose one against the advice of one the nurses I respected a lot at Kaiser, and now I am wondering why I did that. Just last week I had my usual blood test, and as normal, his [my new oncologist] nurse called relatively promptly with the results. This time was a little different because I forgot to ask what my platelet count was. (The platelets along with my hemoglobin, are two things I watch even more closely than my lymphocyte count, as I have been told that a reduction in platelets is the first sign of bone mar...

Life is so simple when you can get someone else to do your work. David Arenson , a fellow blogger with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), does just that in what I consider a brilliant post , on the choices and trade offs encountered when trying to decide how and when to treat cancer. While David has CLL, that doesn't mean his thoughts are only pertinent to those with CLL. The same choices, problems and trade offs are encountered by everyone facing a life threatening disease. Just the names [of the drugs] have been changed to protect the innocent. Read the full article .

Most Saturdays I choose to ride with one of the local cycling clubs in the area. The ride consists of an approximate 20 mile warm up, followed by 1, 2 or 3 loops (depending on the group you choose to ride with, typically based on ability) around an 8 mile circuit. The ride around the 8 mile loop, is called the " Hammer Zone ", because that is pretty much what you do, HAMMER, or in more simplystic terms, ride as hard as you can for as many loops as you can. Speeds in the 1st group will average 30 mph with sprints to 35 mph or above. The 2nd group, the one I choose to ride with, averages about 27 mph with sprints getting above 30 mph at times. This past Saturday's ride was the 2nd time for Naomi and Rene, two members from " the Old Gang ", who, after much cajoling, I managed to convince to try the ride. The first week, Naomi was a little hesitant, and only did one lap. She is capable of doing two laps, but likes to play the out of shape, not very strong ride...

Well the other day I wrote about an MCL'r in Italy , who after 38 months in remission, had relapsed. It certainly got me thinking about my situation. Then yesterday, I got the results of my monthly blood work. My lymphocytes had increased another 10K after increasing 10K the last month, and my hemoglobin was at its lowest level ever. I still feel fine, physically that is. I also know you treat the patient and not the counts, and as my counts get higher they will likely increase more rapidly, so there is no need to worry excessively at this time. Still all this happening at one time is very unsettling. (Remember I am very superstitious ). Now I have to wait another month, for my next blood test. That sure seems like an eternity. You know, somebody out there could Meebo Me, and try and lift my spirits!!

I just got an email from an MCL buddy in Italy, who I was hoping to meet up with during our trip there next month. I had written him about a month ago, informing him of our trip to Italy, but I had not heard from him since then. I was a little concerned, but felt he was probably just on vacation, and was having too good a time to respond. So the other day I wrote again, and he quickly responded. As it turns out I was right to be concerned, after 38 months in remission, the MCL (we call it the beast) came back, and he wasn't doing well. He was having trouble breating because of a mass of lymphnodes pressing against his lungs, the largest one being about 7 cm, and he was experiencing pain in his heart. So the reason he couldn't write, is he had to go to Torino (apparently a very nice place, as it is home to many of the top hematologists) for treatment, and didn't have his computer available until just the other day. Unfortunately Torino is also a little out of the way for...

Ok this is cool! Now you can contact me via my website, provided I'm online of course. Meebo me is an Instant Messaging system that you don't need to download to your computer. It simply works from any website where it is installed. Just type in a message, and if I'm online, I will respond. I can hardly wait! :)

Well, normal for me that is! I made it through my companies AS9100 audit, without too much trouble. There were a few minor problems, which I should be able to address relatively easily. I do have to plan for the next re-certification audit, which will be conducted sometime around mid January, and which I have been warned will be a little more difficult and comprehensive. Of course by then I may be retired, and not have to worry about it at all. (Just kidding Becky ! :) ) So at least for the next 3 or 4 months I can get back to leading a somewhat less stressful life of golf and bicycle riding, and I might even find time for some additional blogging.