A new year is starting for me. But here is a short summary since my last update.

6 years ago Doctor Kim told me after 40 radiation treatments 6 chemos a few surgeries and unfortunately a few more to come and I'll bet a couple more if I decide to have them, that I was cancer free.

I asked him when we started this roller coaster ride if he could give me at least 5 years. I was stage 4 and surgery was not an option. I'm so glad as I've seen the damage that kind of surgery would have done. I got ugly enough from all that radiation to the face! But I just wanted to see my son graduate and then head out on a path in life. Still waiting on that as this town bleeds jobs and he doesn't have a chance at the military due to a small back problem. He worked hard to get into tech school which is better than nothing and then we'll see where he heads off to as most children will do.
I beat the odds for the first 5 years so now to beat odds they have not published as I am a new case to follow.

As I said it's been 6 years.
A magical number in the world of cancer or any are when adding up how long it's been!
I've lived a fistful of years so far so I guess the number has meaning that you hold a fistful of life and now time to fill up the other hand.

Problem with that is cancer, the gift that just keeps on giving, struck after just 1 year when the radiation that saved my life, caused a tumor to grow. Yeah, when they finally took it out it had grown to just over 1/2 inch in diameter in 6 months and man could I feel it! Oh yeah I could! But I guess it was in my freaking brain that it might not have much bearing on that matter as with a pimple on your face, you just feel it there or that bump on your body or that full feeling when you eat, I could feel it grow and aspirin didn't help and the blood clot it caused my body to make that was what made them look a little closer as I am not really a candidate for them, and find something that in Aug 09 was just a pin point on a CT scan and a "don't worry about it" from the doctors until my right leg swelled up and well the gift from hell hatches!

1/2 inch growth in my brain which is in an enclosed case with NO pressure relief valve and it was time to discuss surgery which you all have read about earlier and, it's almost 4 years since then.

Cancer was the start to this but I survived cancer! I was back to work and then a tumor caused by the radiation that saved my life is what has caused me to become disabled from the surgery to remove the thing I could feel growing in my head.

I so feel for Gabby Giffords. She had no choice in the matter the same as any head trauma patient. Having your brain violated by anything is horrific enough but the after effect from that surgery has been more than a little trying.

Then there is the surgery to remove an HPV from my sinuses and then the stretching of my throat so I can get food down which even with Botox injections they really weren't much help and the weirdest thing I've seen as my doctor is my tongue. It's deteriorating from inside, maybe an effect of radiation. Yep, the movies have it right, radiation does cause deformities! LOL! So far no replies to any of his requests from other doctors who have seen this. Guess I'm the only human alive with this! Yah, I have something no one else has! I'll gladly give it and the Ripleys claim to anyone who wants it!

Then what I didn't expect. My wife left me. That is after I get arrested for domestic battery for doing what I was told to do by the police! I was homeless for a week only to find out that the restraining order against me had been denied by the judge so I could have gone home that day, not sleep under trees and bushes, a homeless shelter and a pithole motel! She even stole my dads 1911 .45 that had a date stamp of August 1913! Dad had that gun since it was issued to him! Mom gave it to me when he passed because it was in the will and some moron SPD cop tells her it was "community property" as if he's a judge and she sells it to her ....boyfriend... for $300 which he never paid her but a gun 1 year younger than mine sold for $5000 on Ebay and it didn't have the .22 conversion kit! Yep, she got took and I got, well screwed! Jerry Reid you got it wrong son!! LOL

The year of 2013 sucked even worse as the water heater cracked and cost $600 or my whole tax return! Then the refrigerator died and all that food went and it was well stocked and to top it all I find out that because I have a fuse panel not a circuit breaker I can't find an insurance company to cover my home any more because mine dropped me because they actually supported this ACA and now one of the first questions asked is do you have a fuse panel! If yes, they won't take your money! And the Bank is not going to take mine if I can't find insurance! They won't even let me have just their dwelling insurance! I don't have the money to replace it which the total so far is over $3500 for everything the city requires!

Of course the water damage done when the water line in the boys bathroom busted and to the idiot who invented OSB I hope you are buried in a casket made of the crap!

My computer died and I had to replace it. I hate Windows 8 without a touch screen!

Now good news!

I start a new life today! Yeah!
I also have things coming back on line after so much radiation!
I am now having to shave my cheeks every other day! I haven't bought razor blades since 2008 for my razor! I had 1 blade left that I used for trim ups but it was past dull! Now I have a tray of 5 razor blades and use them every other day. I have a little hair returning under my jaw line but here's hoping that I can grow my grey beard back this winter!

I am also producing more slava! Radiation dried them all out and I lost the first stage of digestion and the lube to get food down my throat.

I had a scare a few months ago when I went to brush my mouth and while inspecting the thing I call my tongue I noticed a white "growth" and waited for my appt with my Ear, Nose and Throat guy and he asked me if I was tasting tomato and spices better and I had to admit that yes I had a taste explosion a few week ago and was actually eating PIZZA! No kidding I can beat pizza down enough with my gums and tongue that the pain of swallowing is well worth the beautiful taste! Papa Johns was the first whole pizza piece I have had since maybe Sept 2008! Yes I cried!

Oh. The "growth" on my tongue was a taste bud! Regrouping! One for tomato and acids!

I also finally with the VA after 39 years. I didn't ever apply because we are always at war and those kids needed the VA more than I did at the time until I broke down and got in line for those VA benefits I heard I might still have because I now need them! I went in for a full physical and lab workup and they pretty much liked what they saw even after what I've been through but didn't like the readings my Thyroid was giving so they put me on this tiny little pill smaller than a chewable aspirin to take once a day which because of a restriction on eating calcium four hours before or after taking it I got up at 4 am to take the only pill I “had” to take! I'm done with the pills but they sneak in and work then disappear.

Now, I will admit I have been battling trying to gain weight. The good news is I have hit 130 pounds! That's my high school weight and my Army graduation weight after basic Training! I have held 129 pounds for 3 days!
Y E S ! My weight gain is slow and strange. I weigh at bed time and show say at 130 and in the morning I weigh 2-3 pounds less! I eat just before I go to bed so where is that sleep gain?

Arm pumps and Snoopy Dances of Joy! I hope I have seen the last of 109 pounds! If it takes a pill then I'll take a pill to keep this weight back on! I won't have to buy new smaller clothes but I will have to buy a few new regular me sized to replace worn out clothes for winter time! Hey Santa! I kept you going for years how about a drop off this year! 30” Wrangler boot cut jeans, med snap up flannel any design shirts and matching base color long sleeved T Shirts will be just fine!! LOL! Or the winning lottery number!

Lets add this up.
Taste is coming back.
Beard is growing back.
Slava production coming back.
Still a PITA to eat real food even though I still cook real food for the son on occasion and because I want to “taste” something! I do miss eating food. A nibble is like going to a nude club. Pay to look but don't touch? Yeah try cooking and not eating what you cook! Forcing food down the throat is not fun either but have to do that once a day for the fiber and to fill up the hole nutrient drinks can't.

Slowly but surely I am coming back to life. So good in fact, my oncologist has put me on a YEARLY CHECKUP! No more quarterly or bi yearly it's now just once a year! YEAH! That's like graduating from Junior High School to High School!

I call the above improvements.

Something new;

I have taken up a little fun sport. It has helped me in exercising in ways no gym or hospital therapy even came close to helping with vertigo, balance and post surgery pain in the brain, tiredness, sleeplessness, grouchy old man syndrome and a few other problems.

Yeah, it's what is called an extreme sport but paragliding or flying has always been a favorite of mine and after the past 2 years of watching videos on YT and Vimeo I bought an old wing on Ebay, an Ozone Buzz (that old, no letter for the model number) a new Ozo harness, broke the old motorcycle helmet and good riding gloves out of the garage and a good pair of boots and hit the soccer field and am plowing the field and getting short flatland glides but the art of learning how to handle the wing on the ground is fun, scary, hard and exhilarating but sweaty (something I seldom saw after cancer treatments) and unless a 20+ MPH gust takes me for a slide, I get more freedom of movement because as it is a natural wind exercise, there are NO set moves as in a gym. You go with the wind!
The wind moves and I must move with it to keep the glider inflated and over my head. I can't wait to fly! Speed flying? Yeah but it's a year or two away!

My cane?
I am now carrying it just to prop my tired ass up with, NOT walk with as much unless I am actually tired as in after my everyday 1 mile forced military cadence march. I also have started the old dirty dozen from my Army days and muscle mass is starting to show and if you are counting my ribs you'll need an old picture to see how many are NOT showing! I also know where these said muscles are as they complain as in the days of old after a day on the field....SORE but I know I still have a few! No pain NO GAIN and I'm GAINING!

Yes, I still have issues with sudden sideways movement and bending down and coming up but it seems that is slowly fading away. Yes, a few of my military friends have an issue of me flying but they have ALL jumped from perfectly good aircraft so their worries are mute! They went Ranger, Seal and AF Rescue but hey I did just as crazy when I was in and never forgot!

As I have said and will keep on saying “I worked to hard and went through hell to live” and LIVE I will do, just not watching grass grow or paint dry even though a can of paint, a brush and a brick wall can sound exciting to some, it's NOT in my ever after forever future! I didn't fight to sit and wither so stop helping me across the street guys! LOL!
I ain't dying till I say it's time and that ain't nowhere in any immediate future of any dimension in any time or space!

All the gods above and below will have a very hard time “calling me home!”

It won't be long when pictures and video will show up so be surprised!

Blue Skies!

George

Any pilots? Comment PLEASE if you paraglide!