LIVING WITH MCL

It's seems ironic that shortly after blogging about how green tea has shown some efficacy with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) my lymphocyte count would drop about 30%. After hovering around 70 to 90 thou/mcL for the past 2 years, my absolute lymphocyte count dropped to 46 thou/mcL today. Normally I would be delighted with those results, if it weren't for the fact my platelets also dropped to 128 thou/mcL (ref range 130-400) after ranging between 150 to 170 thou/mcL over the same time frame. I did experience a similar drop in platelet count last year, to 112 thou/mcL, after returning from the Aureole Wine Weekend in Vegas. It did rebound the following month, and since Edie and I attended a wine tasting of Howell Mountain [mostly] Cabernet Sauvignon's yesterday (which BTW were above average good), I'm going to assume that was the reason for the drop, and it will rebound next month. Not sure why the lymphocytes dropped. I have increased my green tea intake to between ...

I blogged on this topic about a year ago, but after watching the video below, and considering everything going on in the country now, I thought it was worth repeating. I even learned a few things I didn't know before. Admittedly it isn't much, but it is something, and 'you never know'. At the very least maybe it could help save the US Postal Service from additional cuts . Just doing my part!

The temperatures are trending lower, and daylight is in short supply. I was rudely reminded of that yesterday and today, when temperatures dropped below 50°F for the first time this fall. The lack of daylight is one thing, it's still dark at 7 AM, but couple that with the falling temperatures, and............. My only saving grace is I don't have to drive 80 miles in the dark to get to work any more, and the skies lately have been clear enough to allow the sun to shine through first thing in the morning (when it finally does come up), but that doesn't change the fact, I hate this time of year. The worst thing though, this is only the start of the season. There's at least another 4 (more likely 5) months to endure, before things start to turn around again. I just hope I have enough warm clothes and wine stocked up to make it through. BIG SIGH!

I know this topic may not sound that enticing, but bear with me. You might find it of some value. A couple of weeks ago, while sitting at the coffee shop, one of the old[er] timers, who we used to ride with, stopped by. We hadn't seen him in awhile, and were surprised to learn he was recovering from bypass surgery. He had a heart attack. WOW! A heart attack. That's not something I think about a lot, or at all for that matter. Why should I? I have Mantle Cell Lymphoma, and I've planned my life around that. Not having a heart attack. I was more interested to find out he didn't realize it at the time. It was only after he went to the doctor, because he wasn't feeling so good, and had a blood test, did he learn he had a heart attack. I've heard that before, but it never dawned on me it actually happens. The explanation he was given for the mildness of the heart attack was while he had [I think it was] 2 blocked arteries, because he was in such good physical conditio...

There used to be a time when I enjoyed going on vacation, but now not so much. I don't know if it's simply because of all the little things I hate about traveling, i.e. packing and unpacking, checking into and out of hotels, airport hassles etc. or simply the fact I don't need to travel anywhere. I already live in an area which has everything most people dream of in a vacation. I sure don't need to drive very far, or fly to all corners of the world, to get away (my justification for our latest trip to Solvang/Santa Inez). I can go to Disneyland for that, and still sleep in my own bed at the end of the day. Sure it's enlightening to experience new places, but I've seen most of the US, and I've been to France, Italy and England. I lived in Okinawa for 18 months, and vacationed in the Philippines, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Fiji (twice), Tahiti, Hawaii, and the Caribbean. I've even been to New Zealand. I don't need any more enlightening. Plus, I'm not into ...

Well, I managed to survive my colonography. I'm just not sure it's a preferred alternative to a standard colonoscopy. I still had to go through the cleansing process, and to my surprise they still had to stick this instrument (for lack of the correct term) up my butt, in order to fill my colon with air, before starting the scan. (For some reason, I didn't think I was going to have to endure all that.) The hardest part was trying to relax enough to keep from pushing the "instrument" back out, which seemed like it could easily be done. Plus, the scan had to be performed while on my stomach and back. This required me to turn over half way through the procedure, which was made more problematic by that "instrument" sticking out my backside. I can only imagine how comical this must have all been to those in attendance. All I will add is, if you don't have a good reason for a colonography, e.g. an enlarged spleen, go with a colonoscopy. I think it takes les...

No, that isn't a mistake in the title. Because of my enlarged spleen (which can get in the way of the scope), and the potential problems as a result of that, my doctor has obliged my request for a colonography in lieu of the standard colonoscopy. The only advantage to a colonography being, I won't have to endure the torture of having someone stick a 10 foot probe up my butt.  I still have to go through the standard cleansing process (the second most difficult part of this entire ordeal), plus if anything is discovered during the colonography, I may still have to go through the torture of a standard colonoscopy anyways. The other problem with the colonography is I will be exposed to radiation from the CT scanning machine, which is how a colonography is performed, and all the problems associated with that. At least I've not been exposed to much artificial radiation in the past 8 years, having had only one CT scan, and I think one X-ray, during that time frame. So as I sit her...

Admittedly it's taken me 63+ years, but after reading  James Altucher's latest blog post , I've become enlightened. Everything we've ever been taught, or told, our entire belief system, has been designed with one thing in mind, and that is to control our every action. It used to be religion was the only control mechanism (at least so I thought), but now that isn't enough. It's gone way beyond that. From the idea of home ownership and raising a family, to the necessity of getting an education. Even the design of our health care system has all been designed for one purpose, and that is to change the way we think, and inevitably control our very being and every action. It was L Ron Hubbard who said, If you really want to enslave people, tell them you are going to give them total freedom Think about it. Why is so there so much emphasize placed on the notion of getting a job, buying a home [with a big mortgage], raising a family, and building roots in a ...

Catal Restaurant in Downtown Disney (Anaheim, CA) just called to cancel a beer dinner they were having tomorrow night, for Oktoberfest, that Edie and I had reservations for. I was told only one other couple had made reservations. Can you believe it? In a county of over 3 million people there weren't 26 other people willing to pop for 50 bucks for a 5 course meal, including all the German beer you can drink, at a top notch Orange county restaurant. And there's even free parking! What is the world coming to? That's never happened to me before. It just boggles my mind.

First, my attempt at joining another bowling league on Monday was met with disappointment, as they already had enough bowlers. I knew that was a possibility, but I was hoping. Next, I discovered I had an infection in my eye, which on top of me not being able to wear my contact lens in that eye, is requiring an antibiotic and steroid treatment. Fortunately [or unfortunately depending on your perspective] I have monovision (I only look out of one eye at a time), so I should be able to cope better than most with one eye. It just isn't very comfortable. I'll know more this AM when I go for a bike ride. Then this morning, I discovered my bank charged me a $12 returned check fee because of an error they made in copying the routing number from a check I deposited using the Chase Mobile App on my Android cell phone. Hopefully that error can easily be rectified, but that will be the last time I use that app. One good thing sorta, I did get my Cruz bike back this week, but it wasn't ...

For starters, I hate people who refuse to get a flu shot, or other vaccinations for that matter. Some people think they are a conspiracy to make us sick. Others just think they don't work. That's one reason I stopped working. Two people in the office didn't believe they worked. Despite all the evidence to the contrary, they think they can get the flu from a flu shot. And this is despite the fact they always got the flu (and still came to work). I get one ever year even though most medical experts don't believe they work on the immune compromised. Mostly I depend on others getting their flu shot to protect me. Fortunately I managed to avoid the flu this past season, and I'm hoping for the same again this flu season. So everyone PLEASE get your flu shot! If not for yourself, then for me. :) I also hate riding my bike in the rain. That happened yesterday, and I was not a happy camper. It wasn't raining when I started out, and I didn't think it was supposed to r...

I awoke this morning to a bright flash of light. At first I thought I was imagining it, or maybe I tore a retina, but then I heard a long rumble which I determined to be thunder. I was relieved to say the least, but also a little surprised. I wasn't expecting any rain. I can't even remember the last time it rained here, it's been that long. At least now I have an excuse for not going on a bike ride today. Monday is usually a day off, but since today is a holiday, I was considering it. I'll just go with my normal routine, and go to the gym instead. The only problem is, it's going to be difficult getting my allotment of vitamin D today. While the threat of rain is supposed to dissipate by early morning, the forecast is for partly cloudy conditions throughout the day, which could make it a little more problematic receiving enough UVB rays necessary for Vitamin D production. Oh well, such is life. Everyday can't be perfect, and yesterday was a beautiful day. Hopeful...

As it turns out, just about everything. It's just no one seems to want to tout its benefits, which there is an explanation for! For starters, it's free! So there's no incentive for the pharmaceutical or supplement industries to tout its benefits. [They can't sell you sunlight]. And the sunscreen industry doesn't want you to know [moderate] direct exposure to sunlight (you just don't want to burn) is actually beneficial , because that realization would mean lower sales of sunscreen products. Remember, they've built an entire industry based on the fact sunlight is bad for you. Well, it's time we stop believing everything we hear, and start questioning the motives of some. Remember what I said in a previous post Don’t be stupid. Everyone has an agenda, and it most likely isn’t to benefit you. As it turns out, it is estimated that 75% of teens and adults may be vitamin D deficient . So what are some of the benefits of Vitamin D ? It is crucial for the absorp...

I can remember when I was a little kid, and my most pressing concern was not being able to touch the floor with my feet when I was sitting in a chair. I can also remember being in elementary school, and all I could think about was going to high school, then going to college. Then when I finally got to college, my only thoughts were about getting my first job, and then changing jobs, after which I couldn't wait till I was able to retire. Well, been there, done all that! My only question now is, what's next? Now that I've reached the penultimate goal of retirement, what's left to do? Sure I could travel some (and we are planning a 2 week barge cruise through Europe this coming May), but that's only two weeks. What am I going to do the other 50 weeks? Plus traveling is hard, i.e. there's the preparation, the getting through airport security, arranging for a house sitter to take care of the cats, even for just a weekend. (They wouldn't do good in a kennel.)  It...

While advances in the treatment of cancer are continuously being made, I have always had an overriding belief that "the cure is worse than the disease". I have just never been able to adequately articulate why I believe that to be so, that is until now. [note]I only wish I had seen this great analogy, on how cancer treatments work, when I was first diagnosed with MCL, and friends and acquaintances would ask why I wasn't starting treatment right away.[/note] While this person was responding to a promising new technology, CART (Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell) therapy, it's still represents an accurate assessment of the current state of all cancer treatment. I live in the wilderness with many species of wild and domestic animals like Coyotes, Fisher Cats, Fox, Bobcats, Dogs, Cats and yes Bears. Many of these animals help keep a balance of nature and rarely bother humans but sometimes bears can become dangerous, culminating in the rare attack on humans. Let's say a ...

Our trip to the annual Aureole Wine Weekend in Vegas has ended, and we're back home recovering. It's hard to believe a weekend of [over] eating and [over] indulging in wine, could be so tiring, but by the time Sunday afternoon rolled around, I was pretty much exhausted. I even cancelled reservations we had at LeCirque for Sunday evening, opting instead for hamburgers at Hubert Keller's Burger Bar. They are very good burgers! I have to admit, I didn't think it was possible for Kevin (Aureole GM) and William (Master Sommelier) to top last years event , but they did. This was even despite my initial reservations because of the theme, white burgundy's and Spanish wines, but I have now come away with a new appreciation for both, especially the Spanish wines. Of course these were not your usual Spanish wines, primarily focusing on the wines from the Priorat region of spain, i.e. Carinena (Carignan), Garnacha (Grenache), Syrah, Cabernet Savignon, and Merlot, with of course...

Remember the advice about drinking 8 - 8 oz glasses of water a day? Well, studies have now shown that may not be such good advice , and could actually be harmful. The study also concluded drinking caffeinated beverages has no deleterious effects on hydration either. I had read about caffeinated beverages not causing dehydration before ( from a study commissioned by the Tea Advisory Panel in the UK ), so that isn't surprising, but the debunking of the myth about drinking 8 - 8 oz glasses of water is new news to me [despite it being old news to many others]. Under some circumstances, significant fluid intake — at least eight 8-ounce glasses — is advisable: for the treatment or prevention of kidney stones, for example, as well as under special circumstances, such as performing strenuous physical activity or enduring hot weather. In those cases I'm guessing you may need to drink even more [and it doesn't even have to be water], but the best advice now appears to be Drink when y...

This morning I discovered I had been de-friended by one of my friends on Facebook. It appears a comment I made on a recent post of his did not go over as intended. I only meant it in jest, but obviously he didn't see it that way. This isn't the first time I've pissed off a friend with something I've said, but it is the first time the action was met with such finality. I even feel bad about it. I just hope I can avoid dwelling on it beyond this post. Still, I can't help but think his actions are related to the polarization that has overcome this country, creating an environment where we are intolerant of anyone who doesn't share our views, while pitting everyone in the country against each other, and creating an environment of divisiveness and distrust. Oh well, as the French say, c'est la vie!

Sometimes I amaze myself at the things I am able to accomplish when I want [need] to, but that pales in comparison to what Cadel Evans was able to do in this years Tour de France. Twice I thought the Tour had slipped out of his reach, but twice Evans managed to crawl his way back. The first time was on stage 18, when Andy Schleck attacked 60 km from the finish, and built up a 4 minute lead over Evans. Undaunted, after exhausting his entire team, and without the help of any of the other teams, Evans still managed to fight his way back, and cut the lead to just 2 minutes and 15 seconds, keeping himself within a reachable 1:12 (57 seconds from Andy Schleck) out of the Yellow Jersey. Then, on Stage 19, Alberto Contador attacked only 16 km into the stage. Evans was able to go with him (along with Andy Schleck and Thomas Voekler) initially, but within a very short time encountered bike problems, and was forced to change bikes, putting him behind Contador and Schleck by over a minute and a ha...

You know, if I weren't one of the unluckiest people in the world, I'd probably be one of the luckiest people in the world. The only thing is, I wouldn't be the latter, if I weren't the former. I guess there really is some truth to that old adage "you have to take the bad with the good".