Debbie and I went out today even though it was cold and blustery. We got our white Christmas a day late (Christmas evening actually) and it has been pretty cold here since, just below freezing during the daytime. Today, however, was sunny, beautiful and about 35 degrees but with a strong wind. We did some shopping and got in some walking, got a leaking tire fixed on the car and got to talk to a number of friends we saw along the way. Judy Lee, who is in bi-weekly chemotherap
y for breast cancer, works at the tire shop and is the sister-in-law of one of my very best friends, Keith Lee. She is still working, though and looked very good. It was nice to talk with her and we encouraged each other.
I am beginning to have some pain during urination in the evening again - maybe 4 or 5 on a 10 scale. It is very manageable with my pain meds, so I'm taking them early in the cycle so that when I go to bed, the pain is gone. We continue to monitor my condition and watch. Dr. Strope was actually very supportive of my dropping my prescribed meds except for Uroxatral for my bladder spasms and urinary symptoms. He told me that this particular medication must be taken over time to maintain a certain level in the system so I'm taking it daily and it seems to be doing a good job. No spasms to date.
We are investigating getting a second opinion. Joe Julien suggested a urological oncologist from Austin who was trained at Vanderbilt (Nashville, TN). We keep hearing about Vanderbilt as a top-knotch urological center, so we may make a trip down there in the future. We are starting the process of obtaining our medical records which is NOT a quick process. Once we have those together, we'll pray for the right solution since we will have to pay a hefty portion of the fees ourselves.
It was so nice having Anna, Adam and Zach home for the holidays. Anna and Adam left for Evansville on Sunday to see their beloved Colts take a nose dive for the first time this season. Zach will be shipping out early on January 4th for UNLV in North Las Vegas. He hopefully has 3 more semesters before coming off the payroll.
I'm feeling a bit stronger and am going to do what I can to get some exercise without fighting cold and wet weather. Maybe I'll actually get some use out of that treadmill and exercise bike this year. We splurged a bit and bought the Wii and Fit platform. We have not yet tried out all the programs since Debbie is fighting a cold (it hasn't found my side of the bed yet, thank God). Tomorrow maybe. I'll give you my unbiased appraisal once we've worked up a sweat.
Thank you all for your continued prayers, support and suggestions. I love you all in Christ and feel so blessed and humbled by your love and support.
Yours in Christ, Jerry.
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