When Will It End?

COVID Never Left

For 3 months, the US economy was, for all intents and purposes, was closed down and only essential services remained opened...  then, in June, many States around the USA reopened and allowed businesses and restaurants and beaches to serve its customers...  a small amount of Americans followed the rules maintaining social distancing and wearing face masks; however, a large amount of Americans did not obey the rules and these actions resulted in a rising of the number of people who were contracting this disease.  Consequently, many States have HALTED their reopening process over the July 4, 2020 holiday and there is no telling how long this new CLOSING DOWN will last...  there is a good possibility that it will last for the entire summer including the months of JULY and AUGUST...
         

Against the backdrop of the COVID 19 Pandemic, many cities as well as STATES have set about defunding their police departments thinking that less money will force them to be less violent especially towards blacks...  it is highly unlikely that less money will correct racism in American, but more important is this PANDEMIC and the number of people that are getting sick and dying...

Since I am 72 and with several health concerns, the least of which is a low immune system, it is important, at least for me, to remain at home as often as I can...  only leaving when it is important and not just to go out to dinner or visit the MALLS.

Snoopy Knows Best

Raise Your Hand if...

The Coronavirus or  COVID-19 has turned our country and the world upside down and while there is a tendency among many of us to blame CHINA and then President Trump, the reality of the situation is that we have nobody to blame but ourselves...

VERY FEW AMERICANS are willing to take responsibility for their own actions...  and this, quite frankly, is what I am tired of...

These kinds of actions and behaviors are not good for our MENTAL HEALTH...  and one day...  hopefully...  we will realize this and do something about it...  but until then we will continue to blame others and take no actions to change ourselves...

Vacation Autopsy

Ever since 1993 (or for 27 years), my wife and I have traveled to Myrtle Beach, SC once or twice sometimes thrice for a week to 10 days...  For the last 5 years, our trips to Myrtle Beach, SC have been modified from the standpoint that I either wear long UV pants and shirt or heavily rub the highest rated screen lotion all over parts of my exposed body:  face, arms, and legs...  and, seldom get out from under the umbrella except to go to the restroom or to spend about 30 minutes in the water which is not that enjoyable because my body is no longer as stable as it was before so I cannot body surf.

And...  while my wife and I went out to dinner every night like we always did, I remained in the car while she visited a few shops and stores but most of her shopping was curtailed because of the virus...  in essence, she had been forced to give up more on vacation than I was...  which is a same because that part of our vacation she really enjoys.

Living with cancer limits me in so many ways...  I kinda look forward to our annual vacations just so I can feel like I am a little normal and like everyone else who doesn't have cancer...  especially since my cancers (non Hodgkin's Lymphoma and Melanoma) could change over night and within weeks I am DEAD...  that is a threat that NORMAL people do not have to live with...  and few appreciate what they have.

Time to Read and THINK

Returning Home

One of the pitfalls, at least for me, of going to Myrtle Beach is that my ankles swell and what makes it worse is that a few years ago, I have 3 lymph nodes removed from my groin which caused lymphedema to settle into my left leg so when it swells, it does so more than it normally would...  this is bad because at some point-in-time, summer heat at Myrtle Beach could not just make my lymphedema worse but could result in my being put into a situation where I constantly have to keep my foot elevated.

If my wife did not like coming down to Myrtle Beach so desperately, I would not be here...  and, sending her down here with someone else defeats the whole point of being married...

Men's Sun Protective Apparel Clothing by COOLIBAR...

What you need to know about how we test our Sun Protective Apparel, SPF clothes and Sun Hats

All of our Men's Sun Protective Apparel is tested and labeled for sun protection effectiveness. In 2001, a published analysis of UV protection provided by mens SPF clothes concluded that more than 50% offered less protection than a SPF 30 sunscreen.

We independently test our sun protective clothing fabrics for UPF using current national test protocols. Australians pioneered use of a "Ultraviolet Protection Factor" more than a decade ago and now apply it to nearly 3 million sun protection garments a year, including mens SPF clothing, men's sun hats and sun protective swimwear. Using standards defined in this country by the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists, and the American Society for Testing and Materials, all of our sunblock clothing fabrics are rigorously examined.

The fabrics for our sun protective hats and clothing are electronically tested for both UVA and UVB, laundered 40 times, exposed to 100 units of simulated sunlight, then retested. Our men's swim shirts and swimwear fabrics are also exposed to chlorinated water before retesting. Garment ratings are the lower of the initial test and the retest. We only market uv clothing rated from UPF 30 to UPF 50+. Our Coolibar hangtags accurately inform you of each garment's sun protection rating.

Coolibar's sun protection for men includes sun protective clothing (also called sunblock clothing), sun hats, and swimwear. Choices include mens clothing such as our popular everyday button-down shirt and polos, mens sun hats in many styles, colors and materials, and SPF swimwear like rashguard shirts.

Opening the Sinuses

Two to three times a year, my wife and I visit Myrtle Beach, SC for 5-7 days at a time...  why 5 to 7 days you may be thinking...  well, Monday through Friday, the rates are cheaper at the motels and when we go to Myrtle, we always leave the day before and stay close to the beach that night so we can have a FULL DAY our first day even though we cannot get into our room until 3:00 or 4:00 that afternoon...  so, 5 full days in the sun is really enough for people at our age.  Plus, traffic is less when one travels on Sunday...

Staying more than 5 days, depends on the rate that we can arrange at the resort we like to stay at and we always get an ocean facing room, at least on the 3rd floor or higher...  and...  we typically pay $1200 for 6 days or $200/night and use that structure as a guide.

This time, my sinuses were congested when we got down here and after 2 days of playing in the ocean water at least once a day for about an hour, my sinuses have cleaned themselves out naturally and when that happens, at least to me, it is amazing how much better I feel.

It is more enjoyable to visit the beach and use the salt water of the ocean to clean one's sinuses rather than making up a salt solution at home to achieve the same results.

Coffee Lovers and Cancer

According to the AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY...  

Most Americans drink at least 1 cup of coffee a day, and many feel like they can’t face the morning without it. So wouldn’t it be great if our beloved beverage helped protect us from cancer? There is, in fact, some reason to believe it could. Coffee is brewed from beans that contain antioxidants, which are thought to have a protective effect against cancer.

Researchers have conducted more than 1,000 studies looking at this question, with mixed results. Some early studies seemed to show that coffee might increase risk of some cancer types. Since then, however, larger and better designed studies have weakened those conclusions. And many of the newer studies link coffee drinking to a lowered risk of some types of cancer, including prostate cancer, liver cancer, endometrial cancer, and some cancers of the mouth and throat.

But in some of these studies, the benefit was found in people who drank 4 to 6 cups of coffee a day, which is a lot. Too much caffeine can interfere with sleep, trigger migraines, and cause digestive problems. And if you take your coffee with cream and sugar, the added fat and calories can contribute to weight gain – which increases the risk for many types of cancer. According to Colleen Doyle, MS, RD, American Cancer Society managing director of nutrition and physical activity, the surest steps any of us can take to lower cancer risk are: don’t smoke, eat well, and be physically active.

And if you want to consume more antioxidants, consider adding more vegetables and fruits to your diet. Vegetables and fruits are rich sources of antioxidants, and studies show that people who eat more of them may be helping to lower their cancer risk.

Covid-19 at South Myrtle Beach

For the last 20 years, my wife and I have vacationed at South Myrtle Beach, SC at least twice each summer until this year when the WORLD was confronted with COVID-19 and economies were quickly SHUT DOWN.  Myrtle Beach and in particular South Myrtle Beach (where we are staying) is open but everywhere we have gone, EVERYONE is being careful and social distancing.  At the

Motel where we are staying  all the workers are wearing face masks.  On the beach, all visitors are keeping their distance.  When we go shopping or out to eat, people are wearing face masks and all workers, dealing with the public EVERYWHERE are wearing face masks...  However, there is no way of knowing, as far as I know, to monitor if people are washing their hands...  other than my wife and I.

My wife and I are in the group that really should be careful about COVID-19.

• We are both over 65 years of age
• My wife's cancer is in remission
• I am currently being treated for cancer
• I have heart disease
• My wife and I have low immune systems
• I have anemia

My Oncologist has told me several times that I should just go out and live my life while at the same time being mindful of my environment...  so, that is exactly what I am doing.

First Vacation in NINE months

On Saturday, June 20, 2020, my wife and I left for Myrtle Beach, SC stopping in Conway for the night about 20 miles from Myrtle and first course of action was to put on gloves and a mask and with a bottle of disinfectant sprayed and rubbed down all the surfaces, including door knobs and handles and everything that we thought we might be touching.  We put the TV remote in a zip lock baggy.  The next morning we completed our drive to Myrtle Beach and when we were allowed entry into our efficiency apartment, we repeated the process used in Conway.  Our first night out, we ate at Cracker Barrel and were seated, noticing that every other table was being used.

On the beach itself, everyone was maintaining social distancing and making sure that they respected each other's space...  face masks were worn outside of the beach every where we went especially at Walmart where we did our grocery shopping.  We are still concerned about "did we make the right decision to come here," but at least we see everyone practicing individual security measures.

CT versus PET Scans

   

CT (computed tomography) scans and PET (positron emission tomography) scans are two of the most common radiological imaging procedures in use today, but they are very different procedures. The following list explores the differences between CT scans and PET scans, providing the most important information you need to know about these procedures.

Differences in CT and PET Testing

• CT scans are completed in approximately 5 minutes; PET scans may last up to 35 minutes for the test itself, plus the time it takes to prepare.
• CT scans use X-rays, while PET’s use positrons, which are radioactive tracers
• CT results are two dimensional (2D), while PET results are three dimensional (3D).
• CTs are non-invasive, while PETs require the positrons to be injected.
• CT scans provide clear images of bones and can detect abnormalities in soft tissues; PET scans provide images of biological processes within the body. Think of it as CT scans show the structures, while PET scans show how the organs and tissues within the structures work.
• CT scans can cost anywhere from $1,200 – $3,200, while PET scans generally start at $3,000. Your insurance may cover your CT or PET scan completely, cover a portion of it, or leave you responsible for full payment.

CT and PET Scan Similarities and Uses

Both procedures are typically performed as outpatient procedures, meaning no hospital stay is required. Imaging from CT and PET scans are often used alongside other procedures like X-rays or MRI in order to maximize diagnostic and treatment potential.

CT scans are used to take pictures of internal organs, bones, soft tissue, and blood vessels. They may be ordered for acute injuries and conditions or for chronic vascular conditions. They are also an invaluable tool in determining the exact size and location of tumors and guiding procedures to treat tumors.

PERSONALLY:  My insurance only cover one of the scans every 6 months and since both my cancers are fairly aggressive, I get an alternating scan every 3 months.

Immunotherapy for BRAF Negative Advance Melanoma Patients

  

According to MDPAGETODAY. Com, For the approximately half of advanced melanoma patients who lack BRAF mutations in tumors, immunotherapy with checkpoint inhibitors has become the standard first-line systemic therapy. The cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 inhibitor ipilimumab was the first of the checkpoint inhibitors to be approved by the FDA. Now the PD-1 inhibitors nivolumab and pembrolizumab have also been approved, and data suggest that a combination of nivolumab plus ipilimumab may be a better choice for first-line therapy in these advanced melanoma patients.

Advanced or metastatic Melanoma is Melanoma that returns...  and, my melanoma has returned once maybe twice as it started in the foot, migrated to the groin and was later found again in the neck...  Also, in my case, radiation along with Opdivo, pretty much killed the Melanoma in the groin and for sure killed it in the neck as it was dead tissue when removed.  I am also BRAF negative according to recent tests which makes Opdive (nivolumab) the best choice for me.

Since I am also being treated for non-Hodgkin's B call Lymphoma there is always concern that the drugs for Lymphoma or Imbruvica with FIGHT AGAINST the Opdivo but that has not yet been the case...  and, since my Thyroid is being regulated with meds, my health has been extraordinarily good given the fact that not too long ago I was experiencing extreme fatigue and nausea.

Being Alone

OPDIVO Infusion Day Again

2007 -  diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's B cell Lymphoma
2008 -  began treatment for Lymphoma
2009 -  experienced heart attack
2009/2010 -  inserted 5 stints into heart arteries
2012 -  diagnosed with Melanoma and it was removed from left foot
2017 -  Melanoma returned aggressively in groin - could operate
         -  started IVIG due to low WBC and RBC
         -  changed from chemotherapy to immunotherapy (Imbruvica, Opdivo, Yervoy)
2018 -  radiation treatments
2019 -  stopped IVIG due to shortage
2020 -  diagnosed with hypothyroidism due to cancer treatments
         -  continue with daily Imbruvica and monthly infusions of Opdivo

So, today is my monthly Opdivo Infusion Day...   and my schedule is typically this:

6>30 am - leave home
7:30 - arrive at UTM Cancer Center
7:30-7:45 - have blood drawn
7:45-8:30 - see doctor (every other month actually)
8:30-10:30- have Opdivo infusion treatment
10:30 - leave UTM Cancer Center
11:30 - arrive home

Note:  when I do not see doctor, I am usually out by 9:30

I'm an INTJ

OPDIVO (Nivolumab) linked to Arthritis

        

Case reports on 13 cancer patients suggest that a small number of cancer patients taking the immunotherapy drugs ipilimumab and nivolumab may be at some higher-than-normal risk of developing autoimmune joint and tissue diseases, including inflammatory arthritis, according to a preliminary study by Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers.

“I don't think anyone is particularly surprised that rheumatologic disorders might be a complication of drugs that boost the immune system,” says study author Laura C. Cappelli, M.D., a rheumatologist at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. But the new study, however small in sample size, she says, is believed to be the largest published case series of a link between the drugs and the diseases.

The patients described in the new case report make up only about 1.3 percent of the total patients treated with drugs — singly or in combination — at The Johns Hopkins Hospital from 2012 to 2016, Cappelli says, but if further research confirms a cause-and-effect relationship, the rate is likely an underestimation of how common rheumatologic diseases are in patients taking so-called immune checkpoint inhibitors. She notes that patients with only mild joint pain, for instance, or those with already deteriorating health from their cancers may not have been referred to the rheumatology clinic for their symptoms.  READ ENTIRE ARTICLE...

MY CONCERNS:  As a cancer patient who has been and is currently being treated for Melanoma with monthly infusions of OPDIVO, I have been to a orthopedic doctor who tells me that my arthritis is not just getting worse but my X-rays show that my spine (because of the arthritis) should belong to a much older person...  as my lower back problems have worsen during the last year.

Vacation Concerns

This Saturday, my wife and I are leaving East TN for Myrtle Beach, SC for a week of vacation even though being retired we are always on vacation.  Our rental condo starts on Sunday so we will get a motel room Saturday in Conway, SC about 30 minutes from the beach so we can spend the full day under the umbrella even though we will not be able to get into our room until 4:00 pm.  We will sign in at the resort so we can have parking and use the restrooms.

We have already decided that our first order of business on Saturday when we get to our motel room is to wear disposal gloves and clean all surfaces that we think we will come into contact as well as put the TV remote in a zip lock baggy.  We will do the same for the condo on Sunday and request that we receive no daily cleaning but will request that towels be left outside our door.

CONCERN:  MB, SC has been recently increasing in its COVID-19 cases and while we are in a safe situation on the beach, we believe that our meals should all be TAKE OUT...  We are also concerned that if we were to visit any of the shopping tourist areas that we maintain social distancing and if we cannot do that, then we should leave.

NO DOUBT...  this will be a new norm even after they discover a vaccine...  but, we cannot let something like this ruin our chances of going on vacation... 

No Mask

Being Positive

COVID-19 Survivor's Hospital Bill

Coronavirus nearly killed Michael Flor.  After he got out of the hospital following a 62-day stay, the bill he received nearly killed him too.  “I opened it and said, ‘Holy (expletive)!,” the Washington state resident recalled, according to the Seattle Times.


The 181-page bill came with a total charge of $1.1 million, the report said.  Fortunately, because the 70-year-old man is covered by insurance, including Medicare, he will likely have to pay only a small portion of the tab.  In fact, because he suffered from the coronavirus, he might not have to pay anything at all, the Times reported.

Among the charges, according to the newspaper:

• $408,912 – for 42 days in an intensive care unit (ICU) room that was special equipped as an isolation chamber because of the contagious nature of the virus.
• $100,000 – for treatment as his heart, kidney and lungs all nearly failed during his stay.
• $82,215 – for 29 days of ventilator use.

The prices, however, are typically far higher in the U.S. than in other wealthy countries, the Los Angeles Times noted last September.  “I feel guilty about surviving,” Flor told the Seattle paper. “There’s a sense of ‘Why me? Why did I deserve all this?’ Looking at the incredible cost of it all definitely adds to that survivor’s guilt.”  SOURCE:  FOX NEWS

Talk About Incompetence...

YESTERDAY...  I had an appointment for an allergy test which was recommended for me to take because of all my sinus infections...  I had to stop talking 3 different kinds of medications for a week in order to prepare for this test which changed the chemistry of my body a little and wasn't that much of a problem but still had to be dealt with... 

SO...  I drive to my appointment, early as always and when I check in, I find that I have been given the wrong address...  the lady behind the counter was very polite, gave me the new address for my GPS and said she would call and tell them I was on my way... 

SO...  off I go to this second address only to discover once I get there, that I have again been sent to a wrong address...  this time, I am past my appointment time and decide to simply cancel and reschedule for next week...

On the drive home, I think about the incompetence and what it cost me in time and gasoline and decide on Monday that I will call and cancel the appointment and either go somewhere else or not get the allergy test done at all.

This is not the first time I have experienced incompetence and it will not be the last...  and, I wonder how many other people experience what I did on a regular basis and imagine how in the hell does America's economy continue to grow with this kind of crap going on?

I cannot be the only one that has these kinds of experiences...

RELAXING

Do You Have ALLERGIES?

Throughout 2019 and during the winter months of 2020, I was going to the clinic ever 8-10 weeks because I had a sinus infection and was given shots and in some cases follow-up pills.  Finally, the Nurse Practitioner suggested that I be sent to an allergist and tested to see if there was an allergy that was the root cause of all these sinus infections.  Today, is the day that I go to the allergist.  The test itself will take about 2-3 hours I've been told and I am not sure if I will get my results today or have to return.

I had one of these tests about 20 years ago and discovered that I was allergic to outside grasses and pollens which most people are allergic too and experience problems every spring...  especially here in East TN.

Question:  Did my cancer treatments cause a potential allergy problem?

Physical Therapy

In just a few minutes I will be leaving the house to drive to one of our local fitness centers to have my first physical therapy session for my lower back.  My back has been giving me problems since 1990, about 30 years, and all I have to do is bend over and raise back up wrong and my entire lower back reels in pain when I try to stand back up which is not totally possibly and I have to walk with my back bend over about 30 degrees.  In order to remedy this, I am forced to lay on my back several hours a day for 3-4 days before the pain is eliminated.

I have been to lower back/spinal specialists 4 or 5 times since 1990 and they have given me back braces or sent me to therapy in an attempt to fix the situation.  MY PROBLEM is that after attending those therapy sessions, I failed to continue with the exercises...  and if I had continued, there is a good possibility my lower back problems may have never returned.\

So today, I have another opportunity to follow through...  perhaps I am going to listen this time...

What Is Metastatic Melanoma

             
Metastatic melanoma is an advanced form of melanoma, the most dangerous type of skin cancer.

Melanoma begins in skin cells called melanocytes. Melanocytes make a pigment called melanin, which protects skin from the sun. They also produce moles, which are usually harmless but occasionally can become cancerous.

A melanoma can look like a mole. It is usually brown or black but can also be skin-colored, purple, blue, red, pink, or white.

Knowing the difference between a normal mole and a cancerous one, doing regular skin self-exams, and visiting a dermatologist for skin checks on a regular schedule can all be lifesaving. 

How Does Metastatic Melanoma Differ From Melanoma?Melanoma is any cancer that originates in the melanocytes, while metastatic melanoma is melanoma that spreads from the skin to other parts of the body, such as the lymph nodes, liver, lungs, bones, and brain.

Most people who develop melanoma — around 4 in 5 — get their diagnosis at an early stage, while the cancer is still localized.

Treatment at this point is straightforward (a doctor may simply cut the tumor out) and extremely effective, with a five-year survival rate of over 98 percent.

Metastatic melanoma is much harder to treat and more life-threatening, killing an estimated 9,300 people in the United States each year. 

What Is Lymphoma?

The lymph system is a series of lymph nodes and vessels that move lymph fluid through the body. Lymph fluids contain infection-fighting white blood cells. Lymph nodes act as filters, capturing and destroying bacteria and viruses to prevent infection from spreading.

While the lymph system typically protects your body, lymph cells called lymphocytes can become cancerous. The names for cancers that occur in the lymph system are lymphomas.

Doctors classify more than 70 cancer types as lymphomas. Lymphomas can affect any portion of the lymphatic system, including:

• bone marrow
• thymus
• spleen
• tonsils
• lymph nodes

Doctors typically divide lymphomas into two categories: Hodgkin’s lymphoma and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL).

Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is the most common type of lymphoma. While it can occur at any age, most people who develop the illness are older adults.  There many types of NHL, all of which are divided into two major groups: B cell lymphoma and T cell lymphoma.

Types of B cell lymphoma

B cell lymphoma is much more common. It accounts for about 80 percent of all NHL cases. It includes:

• diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
• primary mediastinal B cell lymphoma
• follicular lymphoma
• small lymphocytic lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia
• marginal zone lymphoma
• mantle cell lymphoma
• Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia
• Burkitt lymphoma

Types of T cell lymphoma
T cell lymphoma accounts for approximately 15 percent of all cases of NHL in the United States. The most common types of T cell lymphoma include:

• peripheral T cell lymphoma not otherwise specified
• anaplastic large cell lymphoma
• angioimmunoblastic lymphoma
• cutaneous T cell lymphoma

9

Lymphoma Experiences

Each person's journey with cancer is different for several reasons:

• the type of cancer one has
• the type of treatment one receive
• how one's body reacts to treatment
• the medical beliefs of the Oncologist

Breast Cancer is treated differently than Lymphoma and to make matters worse there are 70 different varieties of Lymphoma...

My Oncologist in Knoxville, TN treated me with different chemo drugs than my Oncologist in Florence, KY because they interpreted the research differently.  And, there is a high degree of probability that the chemo I was administered by my KY Oncologist made my body more susceptible to Melanoma which is what I contracted only a few years later.

Each body reacts differently to chemo so the side effects that the doctors and nurses share with you will not pertain to each person in total.  For example, one of the side effects of Rituxan is a loss of hair but I never lost my hair.  And, one of the side effects is Cytoxin is nausea and vomiting both of which I experienced to an extreme but I still did not lose my hair which is also a side effect of Cytoxin.

One has to learn and accept the fact that one MUST MANAGE one's treatment process and do as much research as you can think of before any decision is made...   Had I done my research in KY rather than rely on my Oncologist to make the decisions, I would have refused his treatment...  All I had to do was call my Oncologist in TN and ask his advice...  but, I did not think that far ahead.

NOW, I am fighting Lymphoma as well as Melanoma...

Social Distancing

When I was visiting with my Orthopedic Doctor, we had a discussion about wearing/not wearing a face mask since everyone but him was wearing a face mask and what prompted the discussion was the fact that I asked him why he was not wearing one.  He explained that all the SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE points to the fact that face masks do not protect individuals from catching anything unless they are made with .5 micron fabric like the N95 masks. 

If an individual is SICK then wearing a face mask keeps from spreading the sickness to OTHERS but does nothing, if anything, to protect yourself.  It may make the individual feel better but it giving that person a false sense of security.

WHAT WORKS:
1.  Social Distancing - keeping 6 feet between you and someone else
2.  Washing Hands - thoroughly and often
3.  Cleaning Touched Surfaces

I have no problem social distancing from others but I fear that OTHERS don't share the same safe guards and since I have anemia and a very low immune system due to a low white blood cell count, I have to be particularly vigilant in the way that I move around in public, making sure that I keep my distance and do not rely on others to do it for me.

Not Sleepy

For the last several days, after working outside all afternoon building a platform to get in and out of the hot tub, and then relaxing on the couch for a couple of hours watching detective series on BBC, I have had difficulties falling asleep when retiring to bed around 11:00 p,m.   On some of these days, there has been afternoon naps for about 90 minutes but on other days there has been no afternoon naps, yet the sleeplessness persists...  I am tired but once I lay down there is no sleepiness that arrives until after 2 hours or so.  In the mornings, when I awake and get out of the bed around 8:30, I am tired like I have not slept enough which quickly fades after being up for about 30 minutes whether I drink coffee or not.

Could this be my THYROID MEDS?

Perhaps...  regulating the Thyroid, as I understand it, is a tricky business...  and, while my diagnosis is relatively new, I suppose there is still enough time for me to have been "thrown out of balance," and will need my dosage changed.

Being in my 70's, I know that my age puts me into a category where normal body functions fluctuate, putting the overall body into a physical condition that does not necessarily follow the norms of a younger body when it comes to physical strength, endurance, stamina, eating and sleeping habits.  I am certainly no exception here...  but, as my THYROID MEDS has removed my fatigue, I find myself becoming more and more active...  and, it could be that change in behavior that has caused this sleep disorder to appear.

Physical Therapy

I will have to wait another week before I see my Oncologist and ask him if my lower back problems while mainly caused by old age could have also been made worse by my cancer treatments...  since it was my cancer treatments that caused by hypothyroidism...  however and in the meantime, I will be seeing a Physical Therapist this Thursday and twice a week for 12 sessions to give me lessons (more or less) or exercises I can do to strengthen the muscles around my lower back to minimize my back pain even though old age is mainly to blame.

I've been to two of these damn therapists before but failed to follow through at home after the sessions ended but realize that my lack of follow through must stop if I am to attempt to live a quality life in my old age.

What is even more outrageous is the fact that my Medicare Supplemental Insurance Plan provided by Humana gives me a FREE GYM MEMBERSHIP (called Silver Sneakers) at the same frigging place that I will be going for my physical therapy which is about 1.5 to 2 miles from the house.

HOW STUPID DO YOU THINK I AM???

Another Day

During the cold months, I do not have to worry about the sun as much as I do during the spring and summer months where the sun's rays are the most intense and where my body is the most vulnerable due to my Melanoma and because of my body's sensitivity due to all the cancer treatments and radiation I have had.  However, I still enjoy the sun and still go outside but I do so in a different way than I did 10 years ago.

Not only do I wear long pants, long sleeved shirts, a bandana scarf around my neck, a hat, sunglasses, and when not wearing work gloves, I put sunscreen on all the other exposed parts.  YES...  in some circumstances, I am hotter...  but, I do not have to remain inside...  which is important to me...  And yes...  I still go to the beach.

In a couple of weeks my wife and I are driving to Myrtle Beach, SC for a week where we will rent an umbrella and two chairs under which we will spend the entire week when outside during the day.  I will wear shorts and a T-shirt along with SUNSCREEN and will remain, for the most part, under the umbrella and out of the direct rays of the sun.

BASICALLY, NOTHING WILL CHANGE FOR ME...

Yesterday and the Day Before

For the last couple of days, I have taken afternoon naps for 1-2 hours (leaning more to 2 hrs plus than less), even though there has been no feeling of fatigue in my body when I awake or after I have been up for several hours... Plus, there has been no afternoon naps taken for the last two weeks either once this thyroid medication got into my system... So, have I relapsed? Or, is this just an anomaly and should be ignored?  I felt sleepy but was not tired when I sent to the bedroom to lay down...  and, it was more trying to ease my back tension more than anything else.

According to the Mayo Clinic:

What is the best way to take a nap?

To get the most out of a nap, follow these tips:
1.  Keep naps short. Aim to nap for only 10 to 20 minutes. The longer you nap, the more likely you are to feel groggy afterward. However, young adults might be able to tolerate longer naps.
2.  Take naps in the early afternoon. Napping after 3 p.m. can interfere with nighttime sleep. Individual factors, such as your need for sleep, your sleeping schedule, your age and your medication use, also can play a role in determining the best time of day to nap.
3. Create a restful environment. Nap in a quiet, dark place with a comfortable room temperature and few distractions.
4.  After napping, give yourself time to wake up before resuming activities — particularly those that require a quick or sharp response.

ARE THE CHINESE TO BLAME?

What if the Chinese in WUHAN screwed up?

A former head of the British intelligence agency MI6 told The Telegraph's Planet Normal podcast that he believes the COVID-19 outbreak was engineered in a lab and spread through coincidence.

"I do think that this started as an accident," Sir Richard Dearlove told he Telegraph, citing a peer-reviewed paper by Professor Angus Dalgleish of St George's Hospital at the University of London, and the Norwegian virologist Birger Sorensen.

The authors said the virus had been doctored to bind to humans: "We are aware that these findings could have political significance and raise troubling questions."

Dearlove added: "[A]s this debate about the virus develops, I think all this material is going to be in print and is going to embarrass a number of people, I think. Let's suggest that the Chinese maybe have too much say in their journals, in what appears and what doesn't."

He added: "Look, the Chinese understand us extremely well. They have made a study of us over the last decade or longer, particularly through attending our universities. We understand the Chinese very poorly. It's an imbalanced relationship in that respect."  TO READ ENTIRE ARTICLE CLICK HERE

Is this British source reliable or is this just an opinion because the individual does not trust China?  For instance, I could say that not only did the Chinese engineer this virus but they released it on the world intentionally hoping to destroy economies believing that they were in a better position to come out on top in the end than the US...

Of course, my thoughts and beliefs are not valid but I am no one of importance...  but, what if I had been stationed in China for the CIA for 20 years as an American teacher...

Would my credentials and beliefs be considered more substantial?

Just Another Phase

It Is What It Is...

Cancer and Lower Back Pain

Lower Back Pain

While I still don't know if my lower back back is totally caused by old age and not a little by cancer treatments yet, a curious thing happened to me last night and this morning.  I have had a consistent pain across my lower back for the last several weeks.  It first started on the left side and my first thoughts was that I might have a kidney infection... then it moved to the middle of my lower back and I assumed it was caused by my bending over a saw horse several days cutting wood for my deck; then, it moved to my right side and I again thought I had a kidney infection, then it moved down into my right hip and the pain was so bad that they only way I cut reduce the pain enough so I could sleep last night was to lay on my right side, exactly on top of that part of the body from which the pain was emanating....   and that's the curiously odd part...  usually one would lay on the opposite side from which the pain had originated, not exactly where the pain was originating but that seemed to work for me.

My Visit To The Knoxville Orthopedic Clinic

I have chronic lower back pain that is typically associated with age which then in turn causes arthritis.  Cancer treatments can exacerbate this condition like it did with my thyroid; however, I have been experiencing lower back pain since 1990 or 30 years so it is highly unlikely that my cancer treatments impacted my current situation at all, or if it did, very little...  and, this will be one of the questions I ask when I meet with the doctor in 3 weeks.

And, while I did not ask him any direction causal questions, I am fairly confident that my problems are driven by old age and arthritis which is what a previous back doctor told me when my back hurt so back from bending over, I needed to go see a specialist who gave me a back brace.  About 10 years later, another bending over incident landed me in a specialist's office once again, who said, after looking at my X-rays that I had been rode hard and hung up wet.  It was this doctor who pointed to arthritis and said that I had huge bone spurs up and down my spinal column.  This doctor sent me to a physical therapist.