Skip to main content

Time to complain a little

I've never complained much, at least not about my station in life. Of course, I have been luckier than most. I've always managed to come out ahead of the game, even when obstacles have been put in my way. Managing to survive a rather aggressive form of lymphoma, for more than 10 years, without experiencing many of the ill effects most other experience, could definitely be considered one of those obstacles.

Now whether that's just been pure dumb luck, or some innate ability of mine to make well informed decisions, is debatable, but as an avid believer in fate, my vote would tend to go to the former. Something that has become even more evident as of late, as it seems my luck is starting to run out.

First is was the basal cell carcinoma, then bibasilar atelectsis, and now most recently, angina, all of which are starting to take their toll on me.

It's something I just wasn't expecting. Sure I've always known I was going to die [eventually]. Everybody does. I even resigned myself to the fact I would die sooner than I would have hoped. I just thought it would be for a different reason.

But it appears not even good living, can overcome a family history of heart disease. You still need a lot of luck!

Comments

Kim said…
I don't recall reading anything about bibasilar atelectsis. Has that been resolved? How long ago was that?

But as for the basal cell carcinoma, I have 85 year old friends who have been having those removed for the last ten years on a regular basis and I have a 63 year old friend who has had the procedure twice and I took him to the hospital and I believe that is a pretty normal condition after 60, and not fatal.

I think angina is almost as common and not fatal.

I believe you have smart luck, combined with the ability to make well informed decisions and the intelligence to make good lifestyle choices all combined into one awesome uncle! Don't talk about dying. It's scary and premature.

Now I'm coming down next weekend. Got any plans? If not, get ready to play some dorky board game, OR we'll go bowling, OR we'll watch a movie. Pick a day. Love you both!

Popular posts from this blog

The results are in

And I am iron deficient, big time. [Which would account for my low hemoglobin] Test Result Ref Range IRON 30 59-158 mcg/dL TOTAL IRON BINDING CAPACITY 231 250-420 mcg/dL IRON SAT 13 20-50 % My Ferritin levels were good, but that could be because Ferritin is also an "acute phase reactant", that is sometimes increased with acute or chronic disease. Folate and B12 levels were also within the normal range. The only problem now is determining what is causing the iron deficiency, which in the case of men, is [very] rare. My oncologist has given me a Globin Fecal test to perform, and has scheduled me for a consultation with a colorectal surgeon to discuss performing a colonoscopy, which could be problematic because of my large spleen. In the mean time, I've decided to start taking an iron supplement, it's only the quantity that is causing me some consternation. I've been told by a very knowledgeable person that to overcome an iron deficiency, I need to be taking 300 mg o...

This is just one of those days

It's one of those days you just want to sit around the house and do absolutely nothing, or watch some movies you have recorded. It might even be a good day to read a book, if you were so inclined, which I am not. As you should be able to see from the view out my bedroom window, it is raining outside. The rain started last night, and hasn't let up since. I can't complain too much though, as this is the rainy season, and we do need the rain. Plus Monday's are typically my day off from exercise, so I will surprise everyone, and not complain. I just feel sorry for anyone who might be visiting from, say Argentina, like a friend of mine (fellow MCLer), who happens to be in Cambria today. He might be a little disappointed. Fortunately the rest of the week, when he will be in LA, will be nice, and the real intent of his trip was to visit his son in Tahoe, who works at one of the ski resorts, and ski, so I know he's not complaining too much either. This weather will actually...

When is enough, enough?

Today I learned, Lance Armstrong, the most drug tested athlete in the history of sport, is being accused of doping, again . This time by the US Anti Doping Agency (USADA), who claim they have collected blood samples from him in 2009 and 2010 that were “fully consistent with blood manipulation including EPO use and/or blood transfusions.” Really! What took them so long? The French have been trying to make allegations of drug doping stick for years, ever since he won his first Tour d'France, but to no avail. And now the USADA claims to have evidence to support that claim, and they've waited almost 3 years before releasing this evidence. Needless to say, I am skeptical. Then there's this from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO): Increasing the federal excise tax on cigarettes by 50 cents per pack eventually would increase Medicare and Social Security spending, slightly. Eventually? What is the CBO suggesting here? That we should encourage smoking, because if we don't, in...