Unutterably Silly So what are you doing RIGHT NOW?

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by Shades67

I guess success is all relative. The doctors and chemo nurses consider hubby miracle man as he is approaching 4 years. CT scan coming up the end of this month to find out if the chemo is working. So far the pancreas cancer has not come back in the surgical site. Well as of three months ago. So there is a bit of success almost three years out from the surgery. But it is in his lungs. We never know how long we have left. A lot hinges on that next CT scan and tumor markers. They will only give the chemo as long as it is working. We will know in two weeks. I knew nothing about pancreas cancer until hubby got it. It is a brutal cancer and has very little funding I guess the pancreas is not as exciting as boobies.It has taken so many from us. Thank you for the best wishes and prayers.

Cancer is a simple term describing a wide variety of illness.

There's a bit in the Watchmen graphic novel, where a minor character who is a former criminal has a run-in with Rorshack, a costumed crime fighter. Rorshack's idea of crime is very much "letter of the law", and the former criminal is breaking it because he has a proscribed substance - Laetrile, a non-approved cancer treatment. Asked why he has it, he says "You know the kind of cancer you get better from?" "Yes?" "I got the other kind."

Pancreatic cancer is very much "the other kind", with (thus far), a 100% mortality rate, and is a very nasty way to go. Were I diagnosed with it, I'd start looking at ways to check out on my own terms before it reached terminal stage.

A friend is currently under treatment for colon cancer. It's very much operable, but he needed chemo first because the cancerous mass was wrapped around a major blood vessel, and the oncologist didn't want to touch it till it had been shrunk by chemo. It was, and he had surgery. Now he is in the process of trying to regain his former health while being monitored to make sure he is indeed cancer free.

The ex-girlfriend I didn't get over had a double-whammy. She lost her husband of 17 years a while back to metastasized melanoma. He died in her arms at her family home. We didn't work out as a couple, but I never stopped loving her more than anything, and her late husband was a friend. He could be the mate she needed and make her happy, so I was glad he was there, and dismayed when he was taken from her.

More recently, she was diagnosed with colon cancer. Chemo and surgery occurred, leaving her with a right foot she can't feel because of nerve damage from the chemo, and has had further procedures since as part of an effort to make sure she's cancer free. On top of battling cancer, she was elder care for parents in their 90's, both of whom are now gone. The good part is she's part of a large family with an assortment of brothers and sisters who pitched in to lend a hand, so she's not coping by herself. I haven't heard from her in a bit, and say the odd prayer the news won't reach me that she's gone too. It will be the worst news I've ever gotten if it happens.

One of the things I've found myself doing in recent years is leading toasts to absent friends. I'm old enough that folks I've known for decades are going. Some have led long and fruitful lives, and the toast takes the form "We should all live that long and accomplish half that much." Others were taken by disease, and the toast is "F*ck cancer!" I've led way too many of the latter.

Funding is only part of the problem with pancreatic cancer. The nature of it makes it often inoperable, and we're still struggling to understand why it occurs and how to best stop it. Pancreatic cancer tends to be resistant to traditional chemotherapy and immunotherapy, and the tumors are highly aggressive. It's also hard to diagnose early, because it causes no symptoms in early stages. There is some promising research on combination therapy where drugs that break up the fibrous tissue in the tumor may clear the way for immunotherapy - the scar tissue that is part of the cancer may shield the cancer cells, and if you can get it out of the way you can fight the cancer. But we are a long way from anything you might call a cure.

If your hubby has lasted for four years so far, he's doing better than anyone else I've heard of. Prayers from here that he continues to do so, and you have more time together.
______
Dennis

[Wearever]

Originally Posted by DMcCunney

Cancer is a simple term describing a wide variety of illness.

There's a bit in the Watchmen graphic novel, where a minor character who is a former criminal has a run-in with Rorshack, a costumed crime fighter. Rorshack's idea of crime is very much "letter of the law", and the former criminal is breaking it because he has a proscribed substance - Laetrile, a non-approved cancer treatment. Asked why he has it, he says "You know the kind of cancer you get better from?" "Yes?" "I got the other kind."

Pancreatic cancer is very much "the other kind", with (thus far), a 100% mortality rate, and is a very nasty way to go. Were I diagnosed with it, I'd start looking at ways to check out on my own terms before it reached terminal stage.

A friend is currently under treatment for colon cancer. It's very much operable, but he needed chemo first because the cancerous mass was wrapped around a major blood vessel, and the oncologist didn't want to touch it till it had been shrunk by chemo. It was, and he had surgery. Now he is in the process of trying to regain his former health while being monitored to make sure he is indeed cancer free.

The ex-girlfriend I didn't get over had a double-whammy. She lost her husband of 17 years a while back to metastasized melanoma. He died in her arms at her family home. We didn't work out as a couple, but I never stopped loving her more than anything, and her late husband was a friend. He could be the mate she needed and make her happy, so I was glad he was there, and dismayed when he was taken from her.

More recently, she was diagnosed with colon cancer. Chemo and surgery occurred, leaving her with a right foot she can't feel because of nerve damage from the chemo, and has had further procedures since as part of an effort to make sure she's cancer free. On top of battling cancer, she was elder care for parents in their 90's, both of whom are now gone. The good part is she's part of a large family with an assortment of brothers and sisters who pitched in to lend a hand, so she's not coping by herself. I haven't heard from her in a bit, and say the odd prayer the news won't reach me that she's gone too. It will be the worst news I've ever gotten if it happens.

One of the things I've found myself doing in recent years is leading toasts to absent friends. I'm old enough that folks I've known for decades are going. Some have led long and fruitful lives, and the toast takes the form "We should all live that long and accomplish half that much." Others were taken by disease, and the toast is "F*ck cancer!" I've led way too many of the latter.

Funding is only part of the problem with pancreatic cancer. The nature of it makes it often inoperable, and we're still struggling to understand why it occurs and how to best stop it. Pancreatic cancer tends to be resistant to traditional chemotherapy and immunotherapy, and the tumors are highly aggressive. It's also hard to diagnose early, because it causes no symptoms in early stages. There is some promising research on combination therapy where drugs that break up the fibrous tissue in the tumor may clear the way for immunotherapy - the scar tissue that is part of the cancer may shield the cancer cells, and if you can get it out of the way you can fight the cancer. But we are a long way from anything you might call a cure.

If your hubby has lasted for four years so far, he's doing better than anyone else I've heard of. Prayers from here that he continues to do so, and you have more time together.
______
Dennis

Very true Dennis.

Also sadly very short lives as well. I live near Paul Newman's Hole in the Wall Camp, for terminally ill children. I've visited the camp a few times, as a volunteer. It's a wonderful western looking town set up on it's own private lake, it's for children that can't go to a normal summer camp. It accommodates for their wheel chairs and medical equipment ,so they can go up ramps to tree houses, and swim and do things other children do. To see them so happy and smiling even though their time is short, changed my perspective on life.

[Shades67]

Thanks every one for the support. Scary times ahead for sure.

So what am I doing right now? RESTING The freezer went bad. I defrosted it last night hoping it would solve the issue. NOT. Had to take a load of stuff to the dump. Meat was still frozen solid being in the center of freezer. So 42 miles to buy new freezer. Home to unload old new freezer delivered and set up and loaded back again. I know you are supposed to wait to load them but I had food thawing that had to get into it ASAP. Down sized from 21 to 17. I managed to get it all in. PHEW.

Before SHTF yesterday I was enjoying playing with the Calibre program. I think I am an organizer sorter at heart. I think I am working to condense tags to major ones mystery adventure and so on. I do not need 10 tags for each book. I do like being about to read about the book before opening it.

Heading to the pool to sit with friend while she watches granddaughter.

[Cinisajoy]

Have fun at the pool and condolences on the freezer.

[Shades67]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

Have fun at the pool and condolences on the freezer.

Visiting with friend at the pool was fun. A nice get away. New freezer was down to 5 degrees before I went to bed last night.

Today s list is short. Laundry , clean air conditioner filters, trim three trees I did one last night already, water in yard as needed, cut off and sew another pair of jeans and clean up sewing room. Biggest issue is I have a 4 + foot tall plant I want to get out side for the summer. I am not sure I can carry it any more. I can move it from one position in the house to another but if I set it down on the patio I do not think I can pick it back up. OH WAIT I have an office chair on wheels. I can lift it down to the seat roll it out the front door and put it on the porch , on a table, instead of patio in back down on ground. Brilliant.

Have a good one every one. I am off to get this day rolling.

[Cinisajoy]

Glad you came up with a solution.
I myself am doing laundry, dishes are into soak and thinking about turning on the laptop and making sure all my cookbooks are cataloged.

[Shades67]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

Glad you came up with a solution.
I myself am doing laundry, dishes are into soak and thinking about turning on the laptop and making sure all my cookbooks are cataloged.

Well the chair did not work as well as hoped so I committed to the dolly and the plant will live forever on the patio in summer and floor in my studio in the winter. All is good I will just have to relocate cat food/water bowls.

Day went so well I finished all chores and even managed to sit out on my happy little patio while letting water run in the flower beds surrounding it and read my book for an hour. Perfect breezy day and a glass of iced tea to keep the heat at a comfortable level. Hubby was fed and sleeping. I was not missed.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/50185661@N03/27019751652/

[Cinisajoy]

Good place for the plant.
Well now I am off to bed. Good night and sweet dreams.

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by Shades67

Before SHTF yesterday I was enjoying playing with the Calibre program. I think I am an organizer sorter at heart. I think I am working to condense tags to major ones mystery adventure and so on. I do not need 10 tags for each book. I do like being about to read about the book before opening it.

How many tags you need depends on the size of your library and the nature of the book.

I have a broad range of interests, and thousands of eBooks in my Calibre library. Top level classifications, like Art, History, or Science are simply too broad. Finer distinctions are needed.

If I want to refer to a volume that talks about someone like Renoir as a painter, the tags that will identify a volume that might contain that will be Art, Art History, France, and Impressionism. Simply putting Art in a Calibre search box will yield many books with no connection to the topic.

After you have added eBooks to the Calibre library, Edit Metadata on a volume will tell Calibre to search Google and Amazon for metadata till fill in the blanks, and get publisher supplied tags and descriptions to apply to the book. (Plugins available for Calibre will expand the sources of metadata it will search beyond those vendors.)

I occasionally get books that don't have publisher supplied tags, and often add finer descriptors on some that do, but in most cases, the work has been done for you. It's a side effect of the increasing shift of bookselling to online. Book discovery comes from a search query, not a look at the shelves in a store.
______
Dennis

[Shades67]

Originally Posted by DMcCunney

How many tags you need depends on the size of your library and the nature of the book.

I have a broad range of interests, and thousands of eBooks in my Calibre library. Top level classifications, like Art, History, or Science are simply too broad. Finer distinctions are needed.

If I want to refer to a volume that talks about someone like Renoir as a painter, the tags that will identify a volume that might contain that will be Art, Art History, France, and Impressionism. Simply putting Art in a Calibre search box will yield many books with no connection to the topic.

After you have added eBooks to the Calibre library, Edit Metadata on a volume will tell Calibre to search Google and Amazon for metadata till fill in the blanks, and get publisher supplied tags and descriptions to apply to the book. (Plugins available for Calibre will expand the sources of metadata it will search beyond those vendors.)

I occasionally get books that don't have publisher supplied tags, and often add finer descriptors on some that do, but in most cases, the work has been done for you. It's a side effect of the increasing shift of bookselling to online. Book discovery comes from a search query, not a look at the shelves in a store.
______
Dennis

Thank you. Very valid points Dennis. I remember seeing the magical number of 1250 books in my Library so not as many as most here. Guess I should leave more tags. What was frustrating me was later finding them in so many different tag places. I know this is the whole point. I read mostly simple stupid to calm my brain right now. I have interests in herbal treatments and art, self help for coping. Decor, mystery, adventure. I am not a very deep reader and with so many free books if it does not grab me in the first two chapters it is gone. Too many really good books out there. I am listening to A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and reading a mystery/action right now well not this minute. One in my studio listening and one reading in bed to go to sleep.

Today it is pouring down rain. Woo Hoo. So happy for the rain and also I spent a couple hours after dinner working in the yard instead of putting it off for today. I am hoping to get more meta data for my books in Calibre. I did manage to get all my books there. On my laptop. Need to figure how to save this externally just in case my computer goes for the big crash. I saw some thing about importing/exporting Need to explore more on this. I have the Calibre forum marked. I just need time to play more with it. A few must do projects then play time for me.

Chris

[Rumpelteazer]

I'm in between tv series at the moment. Last week I finished the first season of The Magicians. I tried a couple of episodes of American Gothic, before deciding it wasn't for me. Now I'm torn between trying another new series or starting a season of a series I know.

[Shades67]

Originally Posted by Rumpelteazer

I'm in between tv series at the moment. Last week I finished the first season of The Magicians. I tried a couple of episodes of American Gothic, before deciding it wasn't for me. Now I'm torn between trying another new series or starting a season of a series I know.

Rumpelteaser I think it would be great to watch a TV series all the way through instead of having to wait a week between each episode.

I am working on crocheting a rug today. I started it over a month ago. A bit hard on my hands. I can only do so much at one time. Also listening to my book with headphones while hubby watches TV. Walked to town for the mail earlier and about to do lunch for hubby. We had record breaking rains yesterday from way back to early 1900's. I was surprised to see so much rain and not surprised it was record breaking for this time in July. I did have to get out and cut back another tree over my patio because the rains were about to break down the branches.I managed with a good soaking.It was not cold. The sky is getting darker by the moment and I suspect more rains are coming. Fine by me.

[Cinisajoy]

I am trying to recover from taking out the trash. Walk went 5 feet very hot, 10 feet little less hot, 20 feet very very hot, 10 feet less hot, 10 feet hot.
It is so hot here that very cold water on the steps evaporated in less than 10 minutes.
We had chilled our watermelon in an ice chest and hubby drained the water.
Took 30 pounds of ice and about 16 hours for it to get cold.
Half the time was in an Igloo, the remaining half in a Pelican. It was a 1/2 inch too round to originally fit in the Pelican.
So we learned that watermelons shrink a bit when they start cooling off.
It was about 100 degrees when we bought it. And yes, it had been in the direct soon.

[Shades67]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

I am trying to recover from taking out the trash. Walk went 5 feet very hot, 10 feet little less hot, 20 feet very very hot, 10 feet less hot, 10 feet hot.
It is so hot here that very cold water on the steps evaporated in less than 10 minutes.
We had chilled our watermelon in an ice chest and hubby drained the water.
Took 30 pounds of ice and about 16 hours for it to get cold.
Half the time was in an Igloo, the remaining half in a Pelican. It was a 1/2 inch too round to originally fit in the Pelican.
So we learned that watermelons shrink a bit when they start cooling off.
It was about 100 degrees when we bought it. And yes, it had been in the direct soon.

Cinisasjoy I feel for you. I do not like the heat at all. Why most of my yard work is done in the evenings as things are cooling off.

Very interesting on the watermelon shrinking as it cools.

Years ago neighbor had a watermelon vine that grew through our dividing fence and produced a lovely melon on our side. I would go out and admire that melon often when I knew neighbor was out in his yard. Tease him a bit about when he thought it might be ready. Well when the day came I picked it and gave it to him. I think he thought I was going to take his melon for me. I did get a few slices from it generously handed to me nicely cooled down.

[Cinisajoy]

It is 104 right now.