Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Passing Away

In God we trust. It is what it is. Everything happens for a reason.

Believe what you will. There is only one certainty in this life and that certainty is death. This morning Nov. 17th, 2010 at 5:17am, the grim reaper came and took my Uncle Harvey. His 2-year courageous battle with renal cancer came to quiet end.

He struggled through experimental treatments, surgeries, weight loss and gain, taste changes, loss of feeling and movement in his arms, and finally the inability to speak. It is horrible to say such words, but I know his passing is a blessing, so he and his family need not suffer anymore.

Rest in Peace my uncle, brother, and my friend.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Gobble, Gobble

With my favorite holiday only a week away, I enter into this joyous, family, and friendly oriented time of year with a heavy heart and mind. Besides, my son’s 4th birthday in just 6 days, I am laden with questions, concerns, and deep thought.

I believe in the rule of 3. Things happen in 3’s. If you do on to someone, it will come back to threefold. Already this month, the son of my mom’s friend passed away from cancer. Just yesterday, she found out a member of her book club passed away from cancer. And my uncle is currently dying of renal cancer. Hospice comes in daily to clean him, move him, medicate him, and whatever else is necessary at the time. He can’t move on his own and has all but lost the ability to speak. Three losses…one month…all cancer.

I ventured into the world of Reiki and found energy within me I didn’t know existed. However without warning, my Reiki Master was released from her position on Friday afternoon. I will remain her student and patient outside of the office walls, but am bothered by this decision as the office nor her patients were notified or could have predicted this coming.

Friday morning I close one chapter and attempt to move on with my live. At 8:30am at Salem Probate court, I will walk into a divorce hearing to take the final steps into a year and half long separation. As we say in my religion, this is a mitzvah (blessing). There is no denying divorce is the best option for my eventual ex-wife and myself, but I know we both made mistakes and it never had to come to this. I hope only for Gabriel‘s benefit, that our relationship stay amicable so his best interests are never compromised.

Seeing this is a blog about my health, I might as well throw in something. I joined a gym. Yay!!! The more amazing aspect is, I’ve used it. 3 visits in 2 weeks. My knee feels worse if not better and my weight is going up not down. (this could be due to the reduction in Lasix, which is causing more adema to swell in my arms and legs.) I’ll know more about the increasing kidney functions, the removal and replacement of my IV port-a-cath, and eventual total knee replacement in the following months to come.

I’d like to wish my friend, Sarah, a Happy Birthday. Her mother, like I, is a Mantle Cell Lymphoma stem cell transplant survivor. I also want to wish my son, Gabriel, my motivation in life a happy 4th birthday. Chuck e’ Cheese will never be the same, nor will my house. I purchased him a starter drum kit. I know, I know….what was I thinking. Gabriel, Daddy loves you.

And in closing, I want to congratulate my brother. He is being honored Thursday morning at Barnes-Jewish hospital in St. Louis. He is 1 of 10 recipients for an award, which is only given to employees who are nominated by their peers. Barnes employs over 9000 workers. Do math. It is quite the honor and I couldn’t be more proud. I only regret my inability to share the moment with him in person.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Be safe!

~Cheers