Sorry Posts are Sporadic

The news seems to be the same everyday, I feel fine.  I don't feel like I have cancer.  The chemo is not having much of an effect on me.

Friday I will have news of a substantial nature.  My Ct scan is on Feb. 1, this Wednesday.  Anxious to see what the traffic will be like, heard the Patriots are staying across the street from the hospital, OH Joy.  Since my appt. is for 12 Noon, I'm assuming they ( the team ) will be out practicing at the Colts complex, so any fans should be somewhere else.

Getting ready to go to the Social Security office to talk Medicare.  Another joyful event in my life.  Will let you know later.  Maybe to confused and frustrated after talking to those people.

Will not be taking firearms or weapons of any type...........hahahahahaha.  They are there to help me.  They are there to help me,,,,,,,, they are there to help me,,,,,,,,,,,,,, they are there to help me................

Thanks for the prayers, God Bless, Captain

PS 12 Noon

So I have done it.  Since I work and have great insurance, I just signed up for Medicare A which is the basic and doesn't cost anything.  Planning on working til I drop so I think I'm good.  I then stopped and ate greasy ol' biscuits and gravy, doesn't that sound like someone who is sick???  If I were to sign up for permanent disability (which I would qualify for with this type of cancer ) I would get an extra $ 52 per month on top of my social security.  You don't get both, disability and social security.  Well that won't work.  I would have to leave UPS and lose benefits, then pay extra for additional medicare benefits.  And if I could work part time for anyone, I could only make $ 1000 per month.

That's my story and I'm stickin to it.     Captain

Still Here

Nothing new to report, just waiting on the CT scan next week and results on Friday, 2/3.  Just in time for the Super Bowl.  Can't think of any connection but it is here in Indy. 

Weds. I will be close to all the activity, mb as close as I want to be.  Don't think I will be going to any activities, all they talk about on local stations is new streets will be closed, and expect traffic to be messed up.

Excited for our new Colt's Head football coach.  From what I read and see, he seems like the kind of coach we need to restructure our team.  I really like Manning but he needs to realize he is not in college any more, and keep his thoughts to himself.  He seems to think the new people don't have anything to do and should spend time seeking him out for his thoughts, relax, that time will come.  They have lots on their plates and he is a part of it, but not the first thing on the agenda.

I'm feeling fine, trying to figure out this Medicare thing, what a mess.  Still working, doing fine.

Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers, God Bless, Captain

Just passing Time

Feeling better and no side effects to speak of.  For some reason the itching has returned, this time mostly around my elbows.  I felt like it was dry skin and was lathering lotion on it, but no improvement, so I went back to benedryl liquid gels.  Working every day at UPS, and just waiting on the CT scan and results next week.

Part of me wants to go downtown and see some of the Super Bowl set ups, but my brain doesn't want to fight the street closings, the people, the weather, etc.   Oh well, I'll be down there next Weds. mb take a gander at that time.

Not much else, did some work around the house.  Weather is certainly good for this time of year, this week in the 40's, much better than 6 " of snow and 0 degrees.  Just dreary and cloudy a lot of the time.

Thanks for all the prayers, God Bless, Grover

PS.  Local people, don't forget the Bowling Fundraiser on April 14th.  For more info let me know.

Chemo went OK yesterday

Yes, just OK.  My blood work showed low numbers in immunity again, RBC, WBC and Neutrophils were all low.  Neutrophils were only 1.2 and barely allowed me to have chemo.  Platelets were down to 111.  We went ahead with it, but I felt sluggish the whole day. 

We didn't start until 1:30 and that was late in itself.  Drew the blood and then after the results it took forever for the actual chemo drugs to arrive.   They are kept under lock and key in another part of the building and must be requisitioned and then delivered.  Before they are given to any patient, 2 nurses bring to that patient and 1 nurse asked the patient their name and birth date.  Both confirm the information is correct.  Then one nurse reads the patient info and patient number aloud, to be confirmed by the other nurse.  I guess we don't want any wrong medicine being disbursed to the wrong patient.  Then the procedure can begin.

I get 1 Drip bag of Saline to start the procedure that takes about 1 hour.  Then Chemo 1 and after it Chemo 2.  Then another bag  of Saline.  The saline is to flush the body and primarily the kidneys as this chemo recipe is hard on the kidneys.  The whole thing takes about 4 hours, on Friday we didn't get out of the hospital til around 5:45.  I had been wrapped up in 2 blankets, and pulled my stocking hat down over my eyes and slept for about 1 hour.  For some reason I felt zapped.

Then we ran into icy roads on the way home.  Crawled into bed and stayed there until this morning.  Of course I had to visit the john every now and then during that period.  My wife brought me a homemade milkshake at 10 PM, which tasted very good, but then I was freezing again.  I had asked for the shake, my wife didn't cause the problem.  [ I have to explain everything so I don't get any feedback  :-)  ]

Any ways, I'm up now and going to try and do something today.  Let my body heal itself once again.

She's up now, so we will have breakfast and then I will start deicing the sidewalk and the car.

Thanks for all the prayers and positive thoughts, God Bless you all, Captain

In Trouble and hiding out

After the last 2 posts I thought I would lay low for awhile.  Think I will stay away from family speak for the time being.........lol

I have my chemo tomorrow, it's a late one @ 1:30.  Then off til CT scan on Feb 1st.

Getting excited about the fishing trip.  I have the plane tickets, the fishing license has arrived from  FL, I'm starting a packing list.

Thanks for all your prayers and thoughts, they are working.

God Bless, Captain

Balloons - Day 2, Where was the wife?????

So you want to know where my wife was while I seemed to be out running with the women under the guise of a balloon business.  It's all innocent and what needed to be done to make a business successful.

When we started the business in out garage in Lebanon we were both working full time jobs.  This was in 1982, and in September of 1983 I decided I wanted to work with a million people in Indpls, instead of 14,000 in Lebanon.  So I quit my job and went full time as Captain Balloon.  We marketed it as " call the Captain " for your balloon needs.  Kind of following the marketing of " Call the Culligan Man ".  That was how I became Captain, most people in Indy didn't know my name and it was a lot of fun playing that mystery game with them.

My wife kept her full time job and had the medical insurance, you can't live without that.  Also our children were in middle school and then high school.  They were very active in the marching bands, and especially in the fall there were marching contests every week end.  So guess who went with the kids, you're right, my wife.

As the business grew, there were a lot of events on the week ends and I obviously needed help to get the work done.  So now you know more about why these women, young women at the time, were helping me.  Also since I was  doing the hiring, it didn't take much to think of who I would rather work with, man or woman?????  Kind of a no brainier.  It worked out great for all concerned.

I'm still married after 43 years going on 44, if she doesn't get on my nerves by June 1.  As the kids got older they both helped in the business when needed.  It was just fun, it was different.  Not the boring life of working in retail or fast food.

My wife just called not liking this post so much.  She wanted to remind me that she also helped in the business, and she did.  I reminded her about the wedding anniversary coming and the getting on my nerves thingy.      Added after a phone call, and under duress.  She threatened to pull my fingernails.

So now you know the rest of the story.

Thanks for all you do, God Bless, Captain

We Haven't Talked Balloons

in awhile.

I wanted to give a shout out to TJ and what a help she was to me for many years. I first met TJ at a local bar ( we were much younger then ). She had a full time job at an Indpls Ins CO. That next time I met TJ she was falling for me in the Indpls St. Patrick's Day parade. Seriously, she was on roller skates helping to promote the company she worked at and right in front of me she fell on her behind.

She seemed to like the idea of play working ( we enjoyed ourselves while working ) with the balloon business part time working around her job, and when I needed extra help on week-ends, or when ever. She was known to meet me and others at the then Radisson Hotel at 3 in the morning to release 5,000 balloons for there Grand Opening at the Fashion Mall area. Then she went to work. She also went to Kansas City, KS at least twice to help with jobs out there. One of the times I drove a van with equipment and workers out there, and then picked her up at the airport the next day because of her scheduling vacation days from her other job.

She went to Louisville, KY on more than one occasion helping with events surrounding the Kentucky Derby. I remember once she drove the van back to Indy as I was "under the weather". But, she was always there, ready and willing to help.

She was from NW Ohio, and had no family here, and the business helped her spend some extra time, and make money at the same time. It meant a lot to me when I finally met her Dad at her wedding. He said to me, " Captain, I'm so glad to finally meet you, as I always felt TJ had another father here in INDY ".

When we released balloons for the Opening of the Hoosier Lottery, TJ and a friend went to Ft. Wayne, IN. and met people there who helped her to release 10,000 balloons. She was the boss, because I was in Indy releasing 30,000 balloons. That is another story.

Because of people like TJ and MO my business grew larger than anyone could have imagined. We ran it for 20 years, successfully I might add, and then sold it.
If you visit my web site Captain Balloon most of the larger event pictures are still of my work. That balloon canopy over the dance floor, TJ was there helping me.

You might be saying where was your wife all this time, that you are out running with women.

I'll tell you tomorrow.

Thanks for all your prayers, things are happening for the better. God Bless, Captain

It's been forever

since I blogged. Sorry about that, I'm fine, heading to chemo in about 45 minutes. Will talk from there.

Physically fine, been bummed mentally with "stuff", nothing serious, just the world ahead is moving forward ever so slowly it seems. Maybe it is just the January blues, and the cold that we finally got. And snow on the ground that we finally got.

See you in a few, about noonish if you're coming back.

God Bless, Captain

Chemo is dripping, blood work is fine, all is fine. Next CT scan is 2/1, then I can share the news with you.

Thanks for the prayers, I can tell you they are working. Captain

my Wife, The Real Story

You guys are just trying to get me into trouble here.   Saturday morning my wife said  " I'm still waiting on the real story? "  I looked at her with a quizzical look on my face........  " The real story? "  Oh, I thought, you mean in the blog, when I said " One day I will tell you the real story of my wife. "

It's innocent enough, so  here it is.  When we were first married and of course it pretty much carried throughout our married life,  when ever I talked of she and I doing something, I would just refer to her as "My wife"  that's all.  Instead of telling a story of  " Joan and I went to Chicago over the week end "  and somebody would ask  " Who?  Joan ? "  And having to stop the story and tell them who Joan was, and then remind them every time I mentioned Joan's name as to who she was.  I just started saying, my wife and I did this, or my wife and I went to Tennessee,  my wife and I went to the Zoo.  That's all it was.

Now you know the rest of the story, to me it was just a simple thing that everybody knew who I was talking about, I didn't have to remind them of my wife's name.  It just made life simple for me.  That's all, sorry about any confusion.  At least it wasn't the ol woman.

Now back to the real life, I didn't hit the lottery last night, got 3 of the 6 numbers on 1 ticket, maybe worth $5.  Can't buy that 50 ft fishing boat..........hahahahaha.

But life is still good, back to the Oncologist on Friday and chemo for the next 2 weeks.  All is going good, I seem to be eating a lot of food lately, can't get enough.  My weight is up about 10-12 pounds since I got cancer.  Go figure.

Thanks for all the thoughts, God Bless, Captain

Warm in Indiana

Let's talk about the weather.  Today hi of 45 tomorrow in the 50's.  I'll take it any day of this winter.  So far, it may have hit a low of 19, but mostly above average.  Luv it.  Key West in the 70's for the next week.  Better get my sunscreen ready.

Most of our Christmas decor is down, and the house is back to normal, but it looks so empty now.  Guess I'll have to go antiquing to fill the space up...........lol. 

Just finished reading the Steve Jobs book, he was something else as he made Apple Corp. into what it is today.  The cancer section that ended his life was pretty emotional but I can identify with some of his thoughts.  Now reading "Locked On" the new Tom Clancy novel.  It's a normal Clancy book, GOOD.

Got to run some errands today, pick up prescriptions, the normal stuff.

Thanks for all the support, God Bless, Captain

It's a New Year

All of the past is behind us, let it go the best you can.  My health, your health, the situations are all new and maybe we should look at them in that way.  There are new health breakthroughs every day, but now we can open our eyes and maybe see them in a different light.  Let the sun shine on them with a new perspective.  Boy, that just wore me out, thinking like that, but maybe it is true and we should embrace change and not be afraid of it.

With my Operation Fish Attach planned for mid Feb, I know I am psyched for something new.  I'm not packing things yet, but I am thinking about things to take.  I talked to the planner over the week end and once the plane lands in Fl we won't be letting any grass grow under our feet.  We will be picked up in Ft. Myers and the SUV is leaving for Key West right then and there.  Hopefully, there will be time for a quick potty break and a sandwich.  Night will find us in the " Fishing Room " at the hotel.  Our friend the "Boyscout" is taking 30 fishing poles.  I don't know how many "Sidewinder" is taking, I hope I don't have to see a fishing lure bobbing in front of my face for the 3 hour drive to Key West.

I have heard tales of a 50 ft fishing boat waiting on us at the dock.  I mean, that's longer than my house.  We'll have to have walkie-talkies to communicate "  ON THE BOAT ".  I'll have to learn to new hand signals to flash at my comrades, like " turn the boat around "  like " fish me out of the ocean, I had a monster on the hook "  like " What the heck were you thinkin' " like " this bait is bigger than any fish I ever caught "   like  "  I'm not touching that  "......  LOL

Anyways, today is back to work, get the mail, set the garbage out, etc.  But let's try to get excited about life cause it is always changing, and it's not all for the worse.  Embrace the new as exciting and adventurous.  Even fighting cancer is new everyday. 

Luv you guys, Thanks for all the prayers, God Bless and Happy, Healthy New Year to all, Captain