Mesothelioma


This is what my father's diagnosis is: mesothelioma. It's a type of lung cancer caused very specifically from exposure to asbestos. This was from exposure during a job he had over 40 years ago - cutting ceiling tiles. Maybe it's been sitting, encapsulated, in his lungs for years. I've no idea what his prognosis is - whether they've caught it early or late, what the treatment options for him are or if there are any at this stage in his life. Of course, everyone in my family, including my brother, has known since Wednesday. I'm not surprised.


And this is all I know for now... until more information is rationed out to me.

Shorter day at work today. Everyone got out before 7p.m. and I went to the hospital to visit my father. Finally met Sonny tonight. He was visiting when I arrived. As soon as he left, my brother and sister in law came up. Said they say Sonny on the way in. Dad seems to be better tonight. Definitely in better spirits. Still has tubes and wires all over. Mom showed me a potted, blooming gardenia bush that someone had sent to the room. They don't expect him to come home until Monday or Tuesday. As far as I know, there is still no news on what's going on with his lungs. Now it's my mother's turn to start getting tired and irritable. Oh well. Generally, things look better today.

Frustrating week


My father went into the hospital on Wednesday for exploratory surgery. I found out he was scheduled for it on Sunday. Seems very extreme since I've been told they haven't found anything on x-rays or blood tests that was unusual but they still haven't figured out why he stays congested and why his lungs keep filling with fluid. So his doctor scheduled him for surgery this week.

I am still in the dark about what's going on and no one, including my mother, will say anything. But they've brought my brother into this. No one brings my brother into any family crisis, as his life is too busy for that. Great. Not a good sign at all for him to be there.


My brother doesn't talk to me either. Not about anything.


Anyway, Dad was supposed to go in Wednesday morning, maybe stay over night and be home the next day. Instead he has been in ICU for two days. My mother has been there by his side all day, going home at night to sleep. My brother has been there both days, as has my sister-in-law and my uncle and his wife, according to my mother.


Tonight, they were going to move him into a private room but there was no answer on the phone there. My mother phoned from home and said she'd turned off the phone in the room so he could sleep.


I ended up working tonight until just after 9 p.m. By the time I got home tonight, my mind was fried. I remembered Chaz's show at the Star Bar tonight around 11 ish p.m. and decided it was probably too late to attempt to make it out. I'm sorry I missed it - would have been a welcome change. My camera and I had been looking forward to it.


Also, I had a message that Aud's grandfather had passed away yesterday.
She and husband will be very busy this week with all that that involves.

Cross your fingers

Wednesday morning my father goes in to the hospital for even more tests to find out just what's going on in his lungs. My mother will be there with him all day. They can't seem to figure out why his otherwise healthy body is behaving as if he has pneumonia. I hope they can identify what's going on this time.


Meanwhile, I still have my own sorry, persistent cough which is nothing more than just annoying both to myself and co-workers. I keep thinking there's something environmental going on with so many people here have breathing problems.

Chaz Lounge Birthday Celebration


Chaz is playing at his old Stomping grounds this Thursday. This performance is part of the "Night With Duwayne" series that features some of the best singing and songwriting talents in the Southeast and occasionally performers like Chaz. Go figure.

Other performers on this Thursday's bill include Rick Richards (The Georgia
Satellites), Ben Friedman (Cigar Store Indians), and of course, Duwayne.

This show also kicks off the official Chaz Lounge Birthday Celebration. Should be fun

Life

I got a cell phone call from Mrs. Lounge a bit before 9pm. She and Mr. Lounge were on the way to his parents house as she spoke. I wonder why they are going there so late in the day and fear the worst. I am without any right words to say. This is real life in its purest form. I don't know details. Only that things are not good tonight. I could only encourage them to hang in there and past that, for a loss of anything better, I chatted about my daily life and little pleasant things like new restaurants that need future investigation. Like everything else is always waiting for you in mostly the same place you left it when you get home again. Maybe the perspective is different in varying degrees depending on how long you've been gone but it's there waiting for your return.

Thursday was a crazy day both at home and at work that started with me not being able to find my bag. After even trying to phone my cell to try to locate it, I started retracing all my steps from yesterday after getting home and running errands. Sure enough, it was locked in my trunk where I'd put my booty from Home Depot. The rest of the day was no less hectic or less chaotic - not just my part of it but everyone else's as well.

Friday was a good but more sane but fantastically busy. Not that I mind busy - it's far preferable to empty handed quiet days that fill me with insecurity.

Saturday ended up being quite good. I phoned the CamJoy unit and was invited to join in on a going away lunch for the couple moving to New Zealand next week. This being the day after a bar crawl last night, everyone but myself was taking advantage of the Bloody Mary bar. After eats and drinks the group split up and most of the women went to see Whale Rider while most of the men went to see Once Upon A Time in Mexico. Usually, since I can never time these things well, I'm either the first to leave or the last one to go. Saturday was the later. I came back and hung out at the house for a while until joining Tommy and Chantel at The Shire for her vegetable soup and chat about the upcoming Halloween parade.

I spent most of the day running errands, spending plastic, and waiting for the nice boy to get off work around 6-ish. Got the call at 6pm to say he was looking at working until at least 9pm or later tonight. Oh well- I can't say I'm surprised. The only real surprise was him wanting to make plans tonight to begin with since he's been mostly buried under and unavaible and I did just see him two weeks ago at Drive-Invasion.

Sticker-Shock at the mall.

$100 for underwear and I still need a new bra.

Monster was much more gentle-looking than I expected. A quiet, well-groomed, nocturnal creature.

Yesterday was car-maintenance day. Got an oil change (finally) and two new tires and a good hosing down. The Camry is much happier now.

Since September is Health Month, I have told myself to that I must make it to the gym today.

Going to meet monster tonight. I am intrigued.



You are The Cabin Boy

You, me lad, are an activist! You will not only change the world, you will make a dyed-in-the-wool Pirate dream of you in a sheep costume. You are the embodiment of the love that dare not hoist its sail! Ahoy thar! You could make a two-patch Pirate turn his head - but then he would lose sleep over it and what good would that do anyone? An innovator, you are WAY ahead of your time - and everyone else's. You are sensitive and artsy-fartsy. You say things like, "artsy-fartsy" but there is always a slight giggle in your voice when you say it - like Paul Lynde on Hollywood Squares delivering a staggering punch line. Speaking of "punching" the only "punching" you would do is punching up that outfit with some accessories - say, a little bandana and some glass beads. You're not the Pirate we want in a fight, but we want you there for the crying game that follows! You go, girl.

What's Yer Inner Pirate?
brought to you by The Official Talk Like A Pirate Web Site. Arrrrr!

Aaarr. Be readin' this.

September 19 is International Talk Like A Pirate Day.

It's been a fun weekend.

Saturday morning I met Harris and Kim ever so briefly at DragonCon before they went off to breakfast at Thumbs Up. I stayed at Dragoncon an hour or more walking around looking at the conventioners and booths before I had to eat and dose myself with caffeine. The artwork didn't impress me this year as much as in year's past but the other products were incredible. Lots of fun games, costumes and other accoutrements. The people there are always the very best part and they were fabulous, as usual.

Sunday was spent at Drive-Invasion with The Women and men. Chaz had the cami-top and astroturf on the pickup. Grrrcth & Kurt brought the grill and lawn chairs and tiki torch. The nice boy and I brought lots of ice (you can never have too much while baking in the parking lot all day) and snacky bits in his GTO. We watched and listened to performances by Gravy Bowl and The Woggles and Clouseaux. The Woggles now have Jeff from Hillbilly Frankenstein on guitar. Clouseaux has Alice, another former Hillbilly Frankenstein member. It was a groovy evening.

Kim started nodding off during Rock & Roll highschool and husband put her in the car to snooze, which was fine until fireworks shell fell through the sunroof (no harm done, but the shells were warm and stinky- enough to wake her up). Perhaps they should try harder to shoot over the woods? The rockets were shot off intentionally at certain points in the cartoon and movie - the largest display being at the end when the school is blown up.