Currently...

In March of 2020, I decided for whatever reason, to start counting my daily intake of calories.  Doing something like this is not new to me because back in the 1990's, I decided to start counting my daily intake of FAT GRAMS and after collecting that data for over a year, I decided to plot that data on what was called an X bar R Chart to see if I could determine any trends and after calculating was was called statistical control limits, analyzed the data to see if my eating habits were IN CONTROL or OUT OF CONTROL.  I still have that data somewhere.

When I started calculating my calories, my weight was right around 250 pounds although it could increase to 252 and maybe 254 but never went below 248.  After 2 months of collecting calories and trying to convince myself mentally to reduce my caloric intake, my weight dropped down to 240 pounds.  

When I started I was eating over 2,500 calories a day.  Then I tried to reduce it to 2,000 calories a day and then a further reduction to 1,500 calories a day...

A staph infection put me in the hospital for 6 days and the only positive outcome besides being released from the hospital was the fact that my weight was now down to 230 pounds.

My calorie intake started to vary more than I had anticipated where one week, my intake would be between 1,200 and 1,500 and the next week, my intake would be between 1,500 and 1,800 but seldom ever got close to 2,000 and only over 2,000 if my wife and I went out to dinner or celebrated a birthday.

My weight was now below 230 a couple of pounds and for some reason, I lost my appetite just before having to prepare for a colonoscopy...   and, when all was said and done, the day of my colonoscopy, my weight was 213 pounds...  the lowest ever.

Within a couple of days after the procedure, my weight increased to 219, mainly because of fluids I suspect and a couple of days after that and because I got my appetite back, it increased to 221 pounds, but seems to be holding steady as my body reaches a new equilibrium..

My plan is to watch my calorie intake

Maintain 1,500+/- calories each day

Stabilize my weight around 220 pounds

After I am convinced that I have been able to achieve these goals, I will start a plan of action to take my weight down to 205 pounds...  which was actually my goal in March of 2020 when I started.

Healthcare in the USA

According to Gallop.com:

The U.S. healthcare system is in a state of emergency.

Gallup 2020 data show that only 19% of Americans are "very satisfied" with the quality of medical care in the U.S., a figure that has remained largely constant over the past two decades.

And compared with other developed nations, the U.S. ranks highest on chronic disease burden, lowest on access to care and lowest on health system quality -- despite annual national health spending of $3.6 trillion ($11,172 per person).

These problems make post-COVID recovery strategies even more critical. To recover financially, healthcare leaders must unite, collaborate with leaders from other industries and reevaluate traditional practices.

There is no doubt that healthcare leaders have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic heroically, with many using this painful opportunity to embrace new learning and prepare for the next inevitable crisis.

For example, COVID-19 has accelerated much-needed change, such as the digital and technological transformation that many healthcare organizations were trying to actualize before the crisis.

But healthcare leaders still find themselves in a precarious position due to considerable revenue loss. The American Hospital Association predicts that the financial strain on hospitals and health systems due to lower patient volumes "will continue through at least the end of 2020" -- a likely total loss of $323 billion in 2020.

Gallup has conducted research in the field of healthcare for decades, including just before and during the pandemic. A recent review of this research uncovered five forces that are paramount for any healthcare organization's survival -- through the current crisis and beyond.

FIVE FORCES THAT WILL INFLUENCE HEALTHCARE
1. Value based healthcare will change
2. Disruptions in healthcare will be ongoing
3. Healthcare will become more virtual
4. Healthcare organizations will merge
5. The healthcare ecosystem will expand beyond traditional vendors

Health Condition: Excellent

At the present time and with most of my tests behind me (waiting on biopsy results for Upper GI), I would have to say that the state of my health is EXCELLENT...  and, while I am experiencing some fatigue, night sweats, and intermittent nausea, it does not really undermine to any great extent the condition of my health.

Current Reports Indicate

1. Melanoma is under control
2. Lymphoma is under control 
3. No Lymphedema swelling in left leg 
4. Tumor on lung is shrinking
5. No diagnosed arthritis
6. No diagnosed muscle fatigue
7. No blood circulation issues
8. Upper GI reveals nothing
9. Colonoscopy  --  on polyp removed
10. Heart functioning properly
11. Ejection Fraction in normal range
12. No problems breathing - including climbing a flight of stairs
13. Low blood pressure
14. Low bad cholesterol
15. Experiencing positive weight loss
16. Eyes/Teeth experiencing normal wear and tear
17. Quick to recover from operations
18. Positive tolerance to radiation/chemo/immunotherapies
1. Opdivo --  40 Infusions
2. Imbruvica  --  no major side effects
19. Thyroid under control
20. Minimal skin pre-cancers surfacing

At 73 years of age, I would say that my health is in excellent condition considering that I have 2 cancers inside my body...

Meditation

 

ZEN: An Inner Power

 

My New Weight

The morning of my COLONOSCOPY, I weighed a flat 213 pounds and one day after, I weighed 215 pound, mainly returning the fluids back to my body because I did not eat much yesterday on a completely empty stomach that was full of gas.  So, in 10 months, I have lost 35+ pounds since there were numerous times that my weight exceeded 250 pounds...  and, I sat on my chair, on my fat ass, calling others obese...  I was obese as well and those comments were no doubt aimed at myself.

I can again see the veins on the tops of my feet which has not been the case for many years...  not months.  The lymphedema in my left leg will also respond positively because of this loss of weight, especially if I ever fly in an airplane again.  In addition, my heart will function better now that it has to deal with less weight and I should sleep better and have more energy as well...

YES... weight is that important.

My goal still is to get down to 205 pound which means I need to loose another 10 pounds and while that should be relatively easy, my main concern is not allowing my weight to increase that much or rapidly because I think that it is ok to eat a little more because of the lost weight.   Interestingly, the loss of weight did not result from EXERCISE but from EATING LESS.

Weight loss can be good for cancer treatment as well...  although, one has to be careful because weight loss can also indicate that cancer is growing as well; but, for me it is good because my last PET scan showed no metabolic activity.

Getting Over It All

Yesterday was my colonoscopy/upper GI and while the doctor took some biopsies in the upper part of my body and removed a polyp from my colon, my overall results were excellent to outstanding...  so, I suppose that is cause for celebration.

The operation itself lasted only 50 minutes as opposed to the 120 minutes I was anticipating and the recovery time was only about 15 minutes and I had my clothes on waiting for the doctor to report.  There was nothing in my stomach or esophagus like a cancer or a tumor or anything that could have caused my loss of appetite and nausea after eating.  But, he will obviously know more about the biopsy results come back which will, like always, take a week or more.

It was odd, but instead of being pushed in a wheelchair to my wife's car to be taken home, I was was escorted by a nurse who asked several times was I doing ok.  My wife had to sign a document saying she had picked me up which she nor I ever had to do at the other places.  Of course, this was TENNOVA and I imagine for profits must need to make sure they are keeping their costs down.

Once home, I took a nap for 4 hours as I was weak and had not gotten much sleep the night before.  In the early afternoon, I had a meal of rice and vege sausage and a couple cinnamon swirl coffee buns and some lemon and peach jello...  all of which was a strange combination but the food was convenient and easily available....   but, only after I had taken a shower and gotten all that hospital smell off of me.

My body still feels a little weird as it fills back up with food and the growling and gurgling of my stomach can be easily heard by those nearby.  It will probably take me until tomorrow before I am somewhat back to normal.

It's A Good Day For A Colonoscopy

This morning I have to report to the local hospital at 6:30 am which is about a 5 minute drive from the house.  Ordinarily, I would not even go to our local hospital to replace a bandage, but my doctor is driving up from Knoxville for the procedure...  He is typically up her one day a week for some reason and I take advantage of his kindness.

My procedure, I have been told is at 7:30 am and I am the second one of the day...  so, I should be done about 8:30/9:30 am (give or take) and out by 10:00/10:30 am if all goes well...  and, there is no reason why all should not go well...   there has never been a problem before...  other than removing polyps.  I am also having an UPPER GI which should add about 30-40 minutes which is the 9:30 am end time...   and, if I feel like it, my wife and I might just drive to our local Perkins for an omelet and pancakes.

This morning, and because of the prep for my colonoscopy, my weight was below 220 pounds which is good...   nice and slow losing program...  and, about 15 more pounds to go in order to get to my 205 goal.  All things, even though they seem negative at the time, end up being positive.

Another COVID Test

Today, I am required because my colonoscopy procedure is set for tomorrow, to have a COVID test at the hospital where the procedure is to be performed.  I have had two previous COVID tests, my first test was when I was hospitalized with a Staph Infection, my second was the day before my prostate biopsy, and this third one will be right before this next procedure.

I have had a Q-tip stuck up my nose to the point that it feels it is at the top of my head (knowing it is not) and I have had to spit in a cup and get my urine tested...  So, it will be interesting to see what happens today.

I was hoping to get this done as early as possible so I can return home and take a little nap before I start drinking that mixture that will begin the evacuation of my colon...   I have put several rolls of TP beside the commode and removed all objects that might prevent easy access in the middle of the night...   lol

Pre Prep Prep

For the last couple of days, I have had to eat what the papers I was given refer to as a light diet...  no heavy foods like pizza and hamburger...  so, I am assuming that rice, fish, and eggs are ok for me to eat...   I also have to stay away from beans and corn and foods with lots of fiber as that clogs the scope.    And, if you have not guessed it by now, I am preparing for a colonoscopy...  I am getting one every two years because of my cancer history and because some pre-cancerous polyps were removed two years ago.  I will be having an Upper GI as well because of a "loss of appetite" issue that has presented a little concern.

While today is not that bad on the body, tomorrow will be the real test as I will be eliminating all waste from my colon while at the same time, I will be putting only liquid back into my system and according to the instructions, will be continuing with the prep at MIDNIGHT which means that in addition to little food, there will be little sleep as well...

I have also contacted the dentist with a tooth ache that has been persistent for the last several days that I cannot or should not do anything about until after the colonoscopy for fear that the procedure may have to be delayed...

It all comes at one time...  or appears to anyway...

Peace Be With You... and You With Peace

 

Our CORONA Pandemic

 

More Than Just A New Norm

My body, over the last 12 years, has been through on-going chemo and immunotherapies, radiation, surgeries, heart attack, heart surgery, Staph infection, hospitalization, afib, heart failure, kidney failure, all sorts of scans and blood tests along with eye issues, sinus issues, dental issues, anxiety or panic attacks, and the general uncertainties that come from having to wait around to have tests performed or wait around for the results of those tests.

Some people tolerate this lifestyle better than others which is normal and expected.    

And, when it first started I was 60 years old and tolerated it fine but I have since realized that the older I become the less toleration I have which is exactly the opposite of what I thought would happen to me.  I am more anxious, more concerned, less patient...  while I also understand that this is how I will be living my life for the rest of my life.

• Sensitivity Increases to Hot and Cold
• Increased intolerance of humidity
• Increased eating disorders
• Increased irritability
• Loss of appetite

My nausea comes and goes as does my fatigue and for a while and every now and then, I experience lethargy to the point where, unlike fatigue, I just do not want to do anything other than being too tired to want to do anything.  When that happens all I want to do is sleep as often as I can to offset my lack of motivation...  which always leads me into a series of different levels of depression...   some of which I know are still with me after several months but under a mental type of control not giving credence to their existence.

Out of the Blue

I have wondered once or twice where the "out of the blue" statement came from and someone probably shared its origins with me once upon a time, or I did a Google search and found the answer, or I suppose both could have happened...  but nowadays, I don't really give a shit where these clever phrases come from as long as I use them appropriately...  and, it would appear, at least to some of us who have been battling with cancer for over a decade with infusions of chemo pretty much taking place every month...  that, our bodies sometimes...  instead of feeling good...  feel pretty crappy...  then, we can go for weeks without feeling that bad at all...

These little spells happen...  "out of the blue"...  with no rhyme or reason and no justification...  they just happen.  One can eat normally or too much or hardly at all and they could arrive that morning, afternoon, or early evening.  Sometimes, Prilosec helps but most of the time, it does not.  And, believe it or not, sometimes GAS X helps even though it was never intended for this purpose.

The human body is a great gift and can survive damn near anything as long as it is well cared for...  which in my situation was the case, at least until the age of 60...  And, perhaps that caring is why I have lasted as long as I have...  but, it is still very strange that "out of the blue,"  I just feel like there is nothing that I can do to make myself feel better and that whatever is going on, I just need to ride it out.

Adding Procedures

Last week when I met with my Oncologist and reported some symptoms to him, his response was that I should contact a gastrointestinal doctor to which I replied that I was having a colonoscopy in a couple of weeks...  his response was again to contact him as soon as possible and perhaps they could add a procedure if warranted and I would only have to prep once.

I reached my gastrointestinal doctor and shared the symptoms and an UPPER GI was added to the already scheduled procedure which meant that he had a particularly light day that day and adding would not alter his schedule too bad...

My additional symptoms were:

• loss of appetite
• loss of taste
• loss of 8-10 pounds in a month
• feeling of nausea after I eat
• discomfort in abdomen when getting out of bed as if a muscle has been pulled 

An Upper GI looks for:

• tumors
• ulcers
• hernias
• diverticula
• strictures

When one does a little research without really knowing what to research that can be a problem because all sorts of things could be identified as being a problem...  But, it is more likely that my Melanoma Cancer Treatments have caused or could cause an intestinal toxicity more so that my Lymphoma Cancer Treatments...  Assuming that there are no other kinds of cancers in my intestinal areas....   But again, I am getting ahead of myself.

Full Body Scan

Every 3 months which has been reduced by me from every 6 months, I receive a full body scan from a dermatologist and a full body scan is conducted with the patient being fully nude or partially nude and willing to remove remaining clothes when requested.

Treatment for Lymphoma has caused my Melanoma and treatment for Melanoma causes other skin cancers to appear that are not totally threatening at first but if left alone they can turn very aggressive and deadly.  I have had several of these carcinomas surgically removed, called squamous.  There was a large one removed from the top of my head and have a dozen smaller ones from my arms.

Since I am now prone to CANCERS, I want to get checked as often as possible or as often as the INSURANCE COMPANIES will permit...   which is the biggest irony of all, letting the insurance companies decide healthcare policies and procedures...

Today, is the day that I drive to Knoxville for that scan.  And, while the office is relatively easy to get to, and the wait is no longer than 5-10 minutes, and the scan only lasts about 5 minutes, and the fact that it is absolutely necessary, does not alter the fact that it is still a pain in the ass to have to put one's self through this indignity...  but, after doing this for a good 5 years, I don't really give a shit about that either anymore.

Infusion Addiction

Ever since my recent Opdivo Infusion, my body (relatively speaking) has felt pretty good and this got me to thinking....  could a body build up a need for Opdivo like an addiction.  My Oncologist does not think so, and perhaps it is just all mental, but I swear that my body does feel better after an infusion and the same thing happens when I have an infusion of IVIG.... which is exactly what is supposed to happen with this one, but not necessarily the other one.

Still...  something is going on...   and, there are stories based upon fact that receiving Opdivo over time can cause ADVERSE effects/affects on some bodies and it seems that after #40, I am tolerating ok...  which got me to thinking that maybe Opdivo is having a different kind of effect/affect on my body that heretofore has not really been studied.

My side effect symptoms could be coming from several sources, not just immunotherapy drugs and infusions but gastrointestinal problems, cardiac problems, not being active for a while, and/or minor infections like sinuses or respiratory.

Bob Ross -- Several Years Ago

 

Bob Ross -- Season 1 - Episode 2

 

New Years Day