UP AND RUNNING - I THINK!

As some of you know, it has been awhile since I published a blog and the reason is an attack - or more appropriately - a continued attack of gross stupidity on my part.

My computer became lame and it reached a point where it was extremely slow and undependable - much like it's operator, and it was becoming difficult to get along with - again much like it's operator. My very wonderful son Scott, and his equally wonderful wife Sheri, either felt sorry for me or got tired of hearing me moan and groan as I called them repeatedly with a message like; "What's wrong with this *%#&*! computer! It doesn't work. I hit all the keys and punched all the buttons and it still doesn't work".

I created a huge sense of guilt for myself because of all my whining and fussing - they presented me with a brand new computer. It is beautiful! It is pink - if you can believe that. Or more unbelievable is the fact that I was receptive to having a pink computer. There are three good reasons for me graciously accepting a pink computer. First, it is pink because Dell made a contribution to breast cancer for every pink computer it sold. That in itself is reason enough. I would drive a pink car, live in a pink house and wear pink clothes if it would help the fight against breast cancer. The second good reason is that it was a gift from my wonderful son who has been a very giving and generous person his whole life and who has been with me every step of the way in my little battle with cancer and with other battles I have had. Third, I used to think I was too macho to do anything like use a pink computer. Now that I'm old I realize there is nothing macho about me - and there really never was - I just didn't realize it. So, "Thanks once again Scott and Sheri - you are very special people!"

Along with this new pink computer came a new keyboard and a whole new display on the screen and everything is in a different place and there are different symbols on the screen and the keyboard does things I am not used to and won't do the things I am used to. So, even with this new wonderful computer - we still have the old operator with all the old broken elements that don't compute with the computer. I am so old that I am actually afraid of the computer. I sit here and stare at it in disbelief and am afraid I am going to hit the wrong key or say the wrong thing and it will self destruct. In fact, because it is pink, I was afraid at first that my correspondence would have ruffles and lace around the borders. The long and the short of the whole thing is that I have a new computer but Scott still gets calls from me with; "How's it going?, How was your day?, How's the dog? Oh, by the way - how to you make this computer find the letter I typed yesterday?" In fact I try to casually get my wife to call Scott and then; "Oh by the way - while you are talking to Scott, why don't you ask him how to - - - - .

Okay a little update on health issues. Went in to Presbyterian today and had another doppler exam on my legs to check out my blood clots and aneurysms. Got a good report and it appears they are no worse and are probably a little better than they were last time. They were pleased, and if they are pleased I will accept that as something positive. In addition to this good news, I went to my own doctor and had a blood test last week and - according to him - I no longer have any indication of diabetes. I mentioned that I had been told that once you have diabetes you will always have diabetes. He said that my blood tests indicated that in the past I definitely had diabetes but the current blood tests show that I no longer have it. I guess that is probably because of the good clean living I engage in! Then my cardiologist told me that my cholesterol was perfect - this, after having had a problem with cholesterol for at least the past twenty years. I really think the main reason for the vast improvement in both areas is related to the weight loss I had after the cancer surgery. I lost one hundred pounds after surgery. That was not a bad thing as I was way over-weight before. I have gained about twenty five to thirty pounds back and need to keep it where it is from now on. The cancer surgery was tough but the only other option I had to get rid of a hundred pounds of ugly fat was to cut my head off and even the cancer surgery is a better option for me.

I still have a couple more exams and check-ups to go through in the upcoming days and months but I have gotten pretty well used to it. Any more I know what to expect, and even though I don't enjoy the routine it is something I can easily tolerate. If I had been more astute about regular check-ups and doing the things I should do in the past, I might have been able to avoid some of the problems I have had. But, back then I was Mr. Macho!

My Cardiologist pretty much set me straight on the "Macho" business. About fifty years ago, on a dare, I got a tattoo way up on my right arm. It is an eagle surrounded by a wreath of flame - The Flaming Eagle. It was nothing distasteful - it was a symbol of "Machoism" in my earlier years. My Cardiologist is a woman doctor, and a very good doctor whom I really appreciate. During my examination I was down to my underwear and she looked over and said; "Oh, do you have a fondness for humming birds?" At first I couldn't figure out what she was talking about, then I realized that she was calling my eagle a humming bird. You talk about deflation! I thought I was going to start crying - she called my eagle a humming bird! Of course, that eagle has been hanging around on my arm for around fifty years and I don't even think about it any more. I have given it about the same attention that I have given my own health. He automatically gets washed when I take a shower, but I never comb his hair or trim his feathers or spruce him up. And, I have lost a lot of weight and some of that has been in my arms, so I guess it makes sense. I'm just glad she didn't ask why I had a dead sparrow on my arm.

Anyhow, all is okay - in fact it is great. I am very lucky and very grateful for everything that has happened over the past couple of years. When I was in Houston last month, my cancer surgeon said they had recently discovered that if you survive pancreatic cancer for two years, the mortality rate drops way down. They don't know why, but their research proves this is true. My two years is up at the end of this month!!!

God Bless all of you - have a wonderful Thanksgiving and very Merry Christmas!!

AL