ho hum, another shitty day in paradise

Well one cannot complain much. The weather for our stay in AZ has been pretty good. We have had a number of 70+ degree days that have offered the chance to increase the body's uptake of Vitamin D. Yes, I do mean sitting by the pool with my body exposed to El Sol. What could happen? More cancer? Too bad. In the larger scheme of things it will be just a few minutes, and I am given to understand that skin cancer, all other things equal, is more likely to owe to the several or more sunburns one gets as a child (and I got 'em) than anything that happens at this age. In any case it is only for a strictly controlled 15 minutes a shot. 


We have had a great chance to visit with relatives who live here (and we with them temporarily), and with friends who are passing through from Utah or are in permanent or temporary residence here themselves. Next week that will end and we will head home for Jan to conduct a meeting and me to get my port flushed and to see my regular doc who, I am sure, will have something to say about pending atherosclerosis, hernia, and osteopenia  all of which turned up in the CT scans. See why worry about a little skin cancer at the age of 73 when one of these other conditions is likely to get you first?


My condition: I think I am getting stronger. Less fatigue, fewer afternoon naps, lower frequency of whizzing during the night. Alimentary canal excellent. Pretty good sleeping during the non-whiz times. Some exercise walking; some stretching,; some lifting of light weights.  On the con side: the damn neuropathy seems to have plateaued. I still have deep aches in my fingers and pins and needles in my foot soles and toes. Walking is difficult if I am on my feet for some time. My knee and hip joints don't want to hold me. The edema has receded but has not gone completely. So, on that score I am sort of in limbo. Trumpet playing time is slowly increasing. Time will tell whether I am left with some residuals. 


But compared to chemotherapy, I feel fantastic. Wait, I think I hear the dinner bell...