Well, it's been 16 weeks now since I started treatment. I was told of the possibility of hair loss but until now, I seem to have dodged that side effect. I would guess that I have lost about half of my hair since it started coming out in the shower about 8 weeks ago. I've always lost some hair from time to time when I showered, but it is getting down to serious business now. I have always had plenty hair. I mean it has always been thick. Now, my scalp is beginning to show through the hair. Looks like it may be another month, maybe two and I'll do what my son did. He shaved his head. He did it because he was going bald anyway and because of the style, but if I shave my head it will be because of the loss of hair.
My wife knows about hair loss. When she went through chemo-therapy for cancer she began to loose her hair after about one month of treatment. Then it was about 1 or 2 weeks when she had lost so much hair that we shaved her head. What a strong lady she was and is. Now, she has her hair back,...all she wants of it. I'm not complaining. Folks who don't know me would not realize that it's coming out. Right now I have enough to cover my head very well, but I'm afraid it will be gone tomorrow.
If I loose my hair, I will get it back...........won't I?
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Monday, July 23, 2007
Great Songs!
Here's a couple of songs that have really ministered to me lately:
These are also very good:
Saturday, July 21, 2007
The Danger Of Becoming Too Professional!
First let me tell you that I feel like Ms. Trew, the nurse practicioner that I see, and Misty, who usually tries to take my blood for the labs, are two of the wonderful people in my life these days. They show so much concern and compassion. However, I am a little confused.
When I talked to the nurse about my viral load, which was down from 7.2 million to under 200,000, I was disappointed that she didn't express great joy and excitement about the results. When she told me the reading, I had to pause and calculate the numbers in my mind, and then she said very matter-of-factly, something like, "What we have is a viral load of......." It sounded to me like, "Well, we didn't knock it all out in the first 13 weeks. You still have this much viral load." I'm listening and wondering and thinking, "Well, isn't that good? The reading was to be less than about 700,000 and it was less than 200,000. Am I missing something here?"
I called 'Be In Charge' and got some support for my thoughts, that the doctors and nurses just do not want to influence our decision as to wheather or not we continue the treatment. If they show too much excitement and I choose to go on with the medication, and then it fails....., well, they may feel that they have put themselves in jeopardy.
Is there anything wrong about wanting the doctors personal opinion. He is well educated in the field and I am a dummy. He is a specialist. I'm a 'jack-of-all-trades and master-of-none". Besides, I'm paying the doctor a ton of money. Yes, it's the insurance that's paying, but if I buy a new car, I want some sound advice about that car. I have bought and paid for insurance. It doesn't belong to the doctor. It belongs to me. The insurance company is my advocate with the doctors, hospitals, pharmacies, etc. Yeah, I know. Sometimes it is hard to get the insurance company to pay up for us, but when they do, we should get what we have bought. I got instruction on a lot of stuff and I got a prescription. I go to the doctor's office once a month to let the nurse see that I am still alive and to give more blood and then I pay my co-pay and the doctor bills the insurance company for the rest. I go to the druggest once a month for my refills and again pay the co-pay and the pharmacist bills the insurance company for the rest of the huge price of this medicine. I give myself the shots and I take the pills. I struggle with extreme fatigue, flu-like symptoms, emotional rollercoasters, itching, mental stupaficity (that's a new word I just now created), and my hair is getting thinner and thinner.
What I want is for that nurse and all the staff in the office to have a party and celebrate with me.
I guess that would not be very professional for them.
When I talked to the nurse about my viral load, which was down from 7.2 million to under 200,000, I was disappointed that she didn't express great joy and excitement about the results. When she told me the reading, I had to pause and calculate the numbers in my mind, and then she said very matter-of-factly, something like, "What we have is a viral load of......." It sounded to me like, "Well, we didn't knock it all out in the first 13 weeks. You still have this much viral load." I'm listening and wondering and thinking, "Well, isn't that good? The reading was to be less than about 700,000 and it was less than 200,000. Am I missing something here?"
I called 'Be In Charge' and got some support for my thoughts, that the doctors and nurses just do not want to influence our decision as to wheather or not we continue the treatment. If they show too much excitement and I choose to go on with the medication, and then it fails....., well, they may feel that they have put themselves in jeopardy.
Is there anything wrong about wanting the doctors personal opinion. He is well educated in the field and I am a dummy. He is a specialist. I'm a 'jack-of-all-trades and master-of-none". Besides, I'm paying the doctor a ton of money. Yes, it's the insurance that's paying, but if I buy a new car, I want some sound advice about that car. I have bought and paid for insurance. It doesn't belong to the doctor. It belongs to me. The insurance company is my advocate with the doctors, hospitals, pharmacies, etc. Yeah, I know. Sometimes it is hard to get the insurance company to pay up for us, but when they do, we should get what we have bought. I got instruction on a lot of stuff and I got a prescription. I go to the doctor's office once a month to let the nurse see that I am still alive and to give more blood and then I pay my co-pay and the doctor bills the insurance company for the rest. I go to the druggest once a month for my refills and again pay the co-pay and the pharmacist bills the insurance company for the rest of the huge price of this medicine. I give myself the shots and I take the pills. I struggle with extreme fatigue, flu-like symptoms, emotional rollercoasters, itching, mental stupaficity (that's a new word I just now created), and my hair is getting thinner and thinner.
What I want is for that nurse and all the staff in the office to have a party and celebrate with me.
I guess that would not be very professional for them.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
If This Is Too Risque.....
Speaking of Proofs of the existence of God, does this count? I just couldn't resist the temptation to post this. Oh my goodness! What's wrong with me, posting something like this on my blog? I do not drink anykind of alcoholic beaverages and do not encourage you to do so either. This may be too risque, but I'm going to blame it on the medecine that I am taking. You know it has all kinds of side effects.
Moving on....... Maybe this website is not quite as risque: http://www.johnettenapolitano.com/. I'm still trying to decide if her music is OK. What do you think?
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Good News! It's Good To Be Home
We have just returned from our 7 day trip to Louisiana. We had a good visit with family and friends and I did very well. I did have to leave the group once and find a place to rest for a while but overall I did great. That's just what I want them all to think and it is true - I did very good.
We stayed with my Mother-In-Law, so you know Janis was having a wonderful time. I tried to be good and do right, of course. :) Seriously, my Mother-in-law and I have a good relationship and we did have a good time, but, 'There's No Place Like Home.'
On our return trip, we stopped in Union, MS to visit with Ed and Stella Dickerson. She is Janis' cousin. Ed is the pastor of Hudson Chapel Church of God. We arrived at their house just about dinner time. She had a wonderful meal prepared and we enjoyed our visit. They are really wonderful people. I wish you could see the house that Ed built. Truly a blessing from God.
Here's some good news that I want to share with you: While in Louisiana, I called back to the doctor's office to find out the results of my last lab work and especially my viral load, or count. It needed to be 700,000 or less (a two log drop from the original 7.2 million), or else I would probably not continue the treatment. Well, the count was 194,000.....or was it 154,000? I know it's a shame that I do not remember exactly which of those numbers the nurse said, but it was under 200,000 and that is well within the acceptable range. That looks really good to me, so I will continue treatments. The dragon is about to fall by the wayside, but I will continue to strike at it with my sword (the redipen).
By the way! I told you that God was doing a healing in my body. He still is doing it. I wonder what that viral count might be right now? Possibly, so low that it would be undetectable! But for now, I believe that I am supposed to continue the treatments. Thanks for your prayers.
We stayed with my Mother-In-Law, so you know Janis was having a wonderful time. I tried to be good and do right, of course. :) Seriously, my Mother-in-law and I have a good relationship and we did have a good time, but, 'There's No Place Like Home.'
On our return trip, we stopped in Union, MS to visit with Ed and Stella Dickerson. She is Janis' cousin. Ed is the pastor of Hudson Chapel Church of God. We arrived at their house just about dinner time. She had a wonderful meal prepared and we enjoyed our visit. They are really wonderful people. I wish you could see the house that Ed built. Truly a blessing from God.
Here's some good news that I want to share with you: While in Louisiana, I called back to the doctor's office to find out the results of my last lab work and especially my viral load, or count. It needed to be 700,000 or less (a two log drop from the original 7.2 million), or else I would probably not continue the treatment. Well, the count was 194,000.....or was it 154,000? I know it's a shame that I do not remember exactly which of those numbers the nurse said, but it was under 200,000 and that is well within the acceptable range. That looks really good to me, so I will continue treatments. The dragon is about to fall by the wayside, but I will continue to strike at it with my sword (the redipen).
By the way! I told you that God was doing a healing in my body. He still is doing it. I wonder what that viral count might be right now? Possibly, so low that it would be undetectable! But for now, I believe that I am supposed to continue the treatments. Thanks for your prayers.
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
What Does Tomorrow Hold?
If I knew the answer to that question, I suppose I might would be a prophet. Since I don't know, I will just try to be prepared for it and whatever it holds.
Today is July 4th., so Happy July 4th. to everyone! Tomorrow will be the visit to the doctor's office that will mark a milestone in my hep-c journey. This is the time when the lab work will be done that will determine if I continue the tx or not. I guess it may take a few days for the lab work to be done and then for me to be informed of the results, but when I know the outcome, I will share it with you. I plan to leave for Louisiana Saturday and return the following Friday, so it may be a week or so before I can get to my computer again to let you know.
On my last entry I was feeling pretty good, then not so good, then better and now OK, but I don't know what tomorrow has in store for me. Tonight, I have already taken my 14th. shot. That may change my feelings by tomorrow. Who knows. Sometimes it is not predictable what the outcome will be, so I will just trust God. I am being healed right now, and in the name of Jesus, the viral count is going down and is probably already gone. Amen! and Amen!
Here's the words to a song I have sung a few times:
I don't know about tomorrow, I just live from day to day. I don't borrow from it's sunshine, For it's skies may turn to gray. I don't worry o'er the future, For I know what Jesus said, And today I'll walk beside Him, For He knows what is ahead.
I don't know about tomorrow, It may bring me poverty; But the One Who feeds the sparrow, Is the One Who stands by me. And the path that be my portion, May be through the flame or flood, But His presence goes before me, And I'm covered with His blood.
Refrain: Many things about tomorrow, I don't seem to understand; But I know Who holds tomorrow, And I know Who holds my hand.
Here's wondering what tomorrow holds!
May God's grace be with you all.
Today is July 4th., so Happy July 4th. to everyone! Tomorrow will be the visit to the doctor's office that will mark a milestone in my hep-c journey. This is the time when the lab work will be done that will determine if I continue the tx or not. I guess it may take a few days for the lab work to be done and then for me to be informed of the results, but when I know the outcome, I will share it with you. I plan to leave for Louisiana Saturday and return the following Friday, so it may be a week or so before I can get to my computer again to let you know.
On my last entry I was feeling pretty good, then not so good, then better and now OK, but I don't know what tomorrow has in store for me. Tonight, I have already taken my 14th. shot. That may change my feelings by tomorrow. Who knows. Sometimes it is not predictable what the outcome will be, so I will just trust God. I am being healed right now, and in the name of Jesus, the viral count is going down and is probably already gone. Amen! and Amen!
Here's the words to a song I have sung a few times:
I don't know about tomorrow, I just live from day to day. I don't borrow from it's sunshine, For it's skies may turn to gray. I don't worry o'er the future, For I know what Jesus said, And today I'll walk beside Him, For He knows what is ahead.
I don't know about tomorrow, It may bring me poverty; But the One Who feeds the sparrow, Is the One Who stands by me. And the path that be my portion, May be through the flame or flood, But His presence goes before me, And I'm covered with His blood.
Refrain: Many things about tomorrow, I don't seem to understand; But I know Who holds tomorrow, And I know Who holds my hand.
Here's wondering what tomorrow holds!
May God's grace be with you all.
Sunday, July 1, 2007
It's About Time
I guess somebody may be wondering when I am going to post again. How about right now? I really haven't felt too much like posting lately, but right now I feel like I am ready. Wow! If these fatigued feelings keep getting worse and worse, I may have to let Janis be my hard working assistant, my chauffeur, my nurse, my thinker and anything else you can think of. It's about time she began to earn her living, wouldn't you say? (lol) You know I'm kidding! But, truthfully, it's really not a good feeling to feel so fatigued.
By the way. My title to this post is not referring to that statement - "It's about time she began to earn her living....". Honestly, when I titled this post, I was thinking, "It's about time for me to begin to feel better and have a few good days," but that just worked out so well it makes you wonder if God might be in this blog trying to tell somebody something! (lol, lol) Really I feel better today than I have since my last shot Wednesday night. Thursday was not good at all, Friday was better and Saturday started out OK, but as the day wore on, I wore out. Now, today is Sunday and comparatively speaking, I feel great.
Keep me in your prayers concerning my next doctor visit on July 5th. They will do the lab work that will determine if this treatment is doing what they want it to do. I may have to wait a few days after the lab work to find out the results but I'll let you know as soon as I can after I find out myself. It actually may be a week or so later before I can get back to this computer and tell you the results because Janis and I are planning to go to Hebert, LA. on the 6th. and we may not return until the 13th. Unfortunately, that probably means that I won't know the results while I am in LA, unless, I call the doctor's office and get that info from them. We'll see.
I haven't really been trying so hard to loose weight lately, but this morning when I weighed, I was between 203 and 204 lbs. For the past three or four weeks I've been hanging around 205 and 206 so, I guess I could say that I've lost maybe 2 lbs. Again, In January, I was about 250 lbs. You know that I feel better in my body in a lot of ways. My clothes fit..., err..., well..., they are now too big. I still feel better because of the weight loss. I'm still planning on finishing up with this medication and start getting my strength back. I will be like a new man. Somebody say, "AMEN!" I said something about that to Janis this morning on the way to church and she said, "You're gonna be like Mr. Skinny," and I said, "No. I'm gonna be like Mr. Atlas." (How many "lol's" should I put for that?) Some of you younger folks may think that what I meant was 'I would be a world traveler using the atlas to get everwhere' but those of you who are more near my age will know I meant 'Charles Atlas'. Let the young folks figure that out. They have their computer.
You can see that I am feeling more back to myself today. 'More back!' What does that mean? It sounds perfectly good to me. In south Louisiana it sounds alright. I think it's kinda like 'more better'. That's a common use of terms in south Louisiana. You know. "Dat guy, he look sharp. I believe he could do a moe betta job dan dat udder won." That's right. I feel 'more better' today than I did yesterday. So now you understand, I feel 'more back' to myself today. Well, I'll try to post again before I leave for LA, but if something gets in my way, I'll be back here when I get back.
P.S. God is doing a healing in my body right now. In the name of Jesus, the viral count is going down and is probably already gone! Thanks be unto God!
By the way. My title to this post is not referring to that statement - "It's about time she began to earn her living....". Honestly, when I titled this post, I was thinking, "It's about time for me to begin to feel better and have a few good days," but that just worked out so well it makes you wonder if God might be in this blog trying to tell somebody something! (lol, lol) Really I feel better today than I have since my last shot Wednesday night. Thursday was not good at all, Friday was better and Saturday started out OK, but as the day wore on, I wore out. Now, today is Sunday and comparatively speaking, I feel great.
Keep me in your prayers concerning my next doctor visit on July 5th. They will do the lab work that will determine if this treatment is doing what they want it to do. I may have to wait a few days after the lab work to find out the results but I'll let you know as soon as I can after I find out myself. It actually may be a week or so later before I can get back to this computer and tell you the results because Janis and I are planning to go to Hebert, LA. on the 6th. and we may not return until the 13th. Unfortunately, that probably means that I won't know the results while I am in LA, unless, I call the doctor's office and get that info from them. We'll see.
I haven't really been trying so hard to loose weight lately, but this morning when I weighed, I was between 203 and 204 lbs. For the past three or four weeks I've been hanging around 205 and 206 so, I guess I could say that I've lost maybe 2 lbs. Again, In January, I was about 250 lbs. You know that I feel better in my body in a lot of ways. My clothes fit..., err..., well..., they are now too big. I still feel better because of the weight loss. I'm still planning on finishing up with this medication and start getting my strength back. I will be like a new man. Somebody say, "AMEN!" I said something about that to Janis this morning on the way to church and she said, "You're gonna be like Mr. Skinny," and I said, "No. I'm gonna be like Mr. Atlas." (How many "lol's" should I put for that?) Some of you younger folks may think that what I meant was 'I would be a world traveler using the atlas to get everwhere' but those of you who are more near my age will know I meant 'Charles Atlas'. Let the young folks figure that out. They have their computer.
You can see that I am feeling more back to myself today. 'More back!' What does that mean? It sounds perfectly good to me. In south Louisiana it sounds alright. I think it's kinda like 'more better'. That's a common use of terms in south Louisiana. You know. "Dat guy, he look sharp. I believe he could do a moe betta job dan dat udder won." That's right. I feel 'more better' today than I did yesterday. So now you understand, I feel 'more back' to myself today. Well, I'll try to post again before I leave for LA, but if something gets in my way, I'll be back here when I get back.
P.S. God is doing a healing in my body right now. In the name of Jesus, the viral count is going down and is probably already gone! Thanks be unto God!
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