Feeling pretty mediocre lately. Not horrible, just eh.
I'm just going to assume its my medicine mixed with anxiety and move forward.
The good news is...we were finally able to take a family trip in Edith. I don't have the pictures with me, but will get some posted later today. Kris and I loaded the kiddos into the new car seats and we hit the road for about a half hour on Saturday night. The car seats took some searching since booster seats for kids Eli's size rely heavily on the shoulder belt...something that doesn't exist in most cars pre-1980. We finally found a nice seat that Maris can use after Eli out grows it (he's got another 20 lbs to go). Eli and Maris were donning their pajamas and sunglasses for the event and it was a nice way to wrap up Kristin's birthday.
Also this weekend, Eli and I set up camp in the basement for two fun filled nights of sleeping in the tent and roughing it. I managed to find a nature CD online so that we could fall asleep to the sounds of the forest. Admittedly - the owls were a little creepy, but it helped it feel more authentic than sleeping in our backyard where the only nature you hear is some vagrant pissing on my fence.
My mom & dad are officially transitioning to Indy tomorrow. Their house is now empty and the POD will be picked up this afternoon some time. I believe their closing is Tuesday around 11 and they will hit the road to Indy shortly thereafter. Our entire family is really looking forward to having them here not just in the near term but for years to come.
Better get off to work.
Showing posts with label impala. Show all posts
Showing posts with label impala. Show all posts
Monday, May 12, 2008
Friday, May 2, 2008
The Money Pit.
Not really, but why didn't someone tell me that owning a classic car is similar to burning $20 bills. Since purchasing the car, I have:
1. Had the entire suspension rebuilt - $1,600
2. New exhaust - $350
3. New floor pans - $400
4. Audio system - $500 (installed)
5. Random parts - $400
6. Parts yet to be purchased $500 (carpet, panels, etc)
7. Body work yet to be completed - $2,000 (my estimate for work and new paint)
8. RustCheck protectant $200.
It's a pretty exhaustive list, but at the end of the day - the car sure does make me happy. I hope to order a car seat for Eli this week so the entire family can cruise.
I got the exhaust done at Ralph's Muffler on W. 16th St. The work was done pretty well and for a decent price, but I would have paid more just because of their signage. Lookie here:
If you're wondering, his name is Mr. Bendo.
I am going to try and get some quality time with Edith this weekend to get the glove box put back in and wrap up a few loose ends on the interior. Admittedly, after purchasing one classic car - you kinda get an itch to have another. Maybe a 1940s pickup this time...
1. Had the entire suspension rebuilt - $1,600
2. New exhaust - $350
3. New floor pans - $400
4. Audio system - $500 (installed)
5. Random parts - $400
6. Parts yet to be purchased $500 (carpet, panels, etc)
7. Body work yet to be completed - $2,000 (my estimate for work and new paint)
8. RustCheck protectant $200.
It's a pretty exhaustive list, but at the end of the day - the car sure does make me happy. I hope to order a car seat for Eli this week so the entire family can cruise.
I got the exhaust done at Ralph's Muffler on W. 16th St. The work was done pretty well and for a decent price, but I would have paid more just because of their signage. Lookie here:
If you're wondering, his name is Mr. Bendo.
I am going to try and get some quality time with Edith this weekend to get the glove box put back in and wrap up a few loose ends on the interior. Admittedly, after purchasing one classic car - you kinda get an itch to have another. Maybe a 1940s pickup this time...
Monday, April 28, 2008
All clear.
Had my appointment with Dr. Dugan on Friday. It was nice because he only works a half-day and I was his last appointment. I got some good one on one time with him and he essentially told me...relax.
In so many words, I was told "you're great, you're responding well and anxiety is not going to help you heal any faster."
I, of course, agree with him and certainly in my own mind I think I'm handling everything really well. It sounds like I need to pay attention to my body, but don't obsess about little aches and pains. The good Doc also made it clear that most everything questionable I am feeling is related to the Gleevec and not the Leukemia.
Anyhoo. My parents found a house...which is great. I am really looking forward to having them here. Hard to believe that in just six weeks they'll be Indianapolis residents. They have lots of work to do, not to mention a wedding in France to attend so I'm sure they'll be spent by the time this all gets wrapped up.
I got Edith back on Friday after her first overhaul. Thank goodness we have the government rebate check coming because we're in about $1,500 already. I really shouldn't complain because for a 44 year old car, she received a pretty clean bill of health. Most of that bill was for an overhaul of the entire suspension (front and back). The bushings were old, cracked or non-existent so now we have a soft, supple ride. The owner of the shop called her a 'baby doll' of a car. I agree.
She is back in today to have the floor pans patched and next week we'll get the exhaust replaced. From there we'll redo the carpet and get the stereo installed. I guess all that's left after that is to enjoy the summer.
In so many words, I was told "you're great, you're responding well and anxiety is not going to help you heal any faster."
I, of course, agree with him and certainly in my own mind I think I'm handling everything really well. It sounds like I need to pay attention to my body, but don't obsess about little aches and pains. The good Doc also made it clear that most everything questionable I am feeling is related to the Gleevec and not the Leukemia.
Anyhoo. My parents found a house...which is great. I am really looking forward to having them here. Hard to believe that in just six weeks they'll be Indianapolis residents. They have lots of work to do, not to mention a wedding in France to attend so I'm sure they'll be spent by the time this all gets wrapped up.
I got Edith back on Friday after her first overhaul. Thank goodness we have the government rebate check coming because we're in about $1,500 already. I really shouldn't complain because for a 44 year old car, she received a pretty clean bill of health. Most of that bill was for an overhaul of the entire suspension (front and back). The bushings were old, cracked or non-existent so now we have a soft, supple ride. The owner of the shop called her a 'baby doll' of a car. I agree.
She is back in today to have the floor pans patched and next week we'll get the exhaust replaced. From there we'll redo the carpet and get the stereo installed. I guess all that's left after that is to enjoy the summer.
Saturday, April 12, 2008
The Eagle has landed.
Let's get the cancer stuff out of the way.
Feeling pregnant, or what I assume it would feel like. A little icky in the morning, hungry all day and putting on some extra pounds around the middle. In short, hanging in there and happy to be alive.
Now for the good news...the Eagle has landed.
I took possession of Edith at about 3:30pm on Friday. Edith is just a temporary name, so if you have a suggestion, let me know. The delivery driver was great and seemed delighted to help me realize this dream. He backed it down the ramp, collected my check and it was mine. I quickly grabbed my phone and had Kris come out for the maiden voyage. I will first say the Kristin was less then enthused with this purchase...until she saw it. Edith's soothing green sheen and quiet rumble could turn even the deepest frown to a smile. Kris slid onto the aged bench seat and we were off.
Certainly there are things that need attention...and the list grows daily, but that disappears when you put your foot into the gas. For our first trip we kept it close to the house because the 'attention list' includes a non-working fuel gauge and a few other things that dictate just how far we push her.
Here are a couple observations:
1. The car makes you want to cruise. I have no interest in driving this thing like a sports car.
2. When in bench seats, your right arm is called to rest on the back of the bench and your left has to be out the window.
3. People love the car and smile as you drive by...I can think of very few other cars that trigger this response.
4. Vent windows should be included on all modern day cars.
5. Kristin really likes green cars...and bench seats.
I better get going, have to pick up a couple vanilla Cokes before going to the drive-in.
Feeling pregnant, or what I assume it would feel like. A little icky in the morning, hungry all day and putting on some extra pounds around the middle. In short, hanging in there and happy to be alive.
Now for the good news...the Eagle has landed.
I took possession of Edith at about 3:30pm on Friday. Edith is just a temporary name, so if you have a suggestion, let me know. The delivery driver was great and seemed delighted to help me realize this dream. He backed it down the ramp, collected my check and it was mine. I quickly grabbed my phone and had Kris come out for the maiden voyage. I will first say the Kristin was less then enthused with this purchase...until she saw it. Edith's soothing green sheen and quiet rumble could turn even the deepest frown to a smile. Kris slid onto the aged bench seat and we were off.
Certainly there are things that need attention...and the list grows daily, but that disappears when you put your foot into the gas. For our first trip we kept it close to the house because the 'attention list' includes a non-working fuel gauge and a few other things that dictate just how far we push her.
Here are a couple observations:
1. The car makes you want to cruise. I have no interest in driving this thing like a sports car.
2. When in bench seats, your right arm is called to rest on the back of the bench and your left has to be out the window.
3. People love the car and smile as you drive by...I can think of very few other cars that trigger this response.
4. Vent windows should be included on all modern day cars.
5. Kristin really likes green cars...and bench seats.
I better get going, have to pick up a couple vanilla Cokes before going to the drive-in.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
I feel no love.
Apparently Dr. Dugan (my oncologist) doesn't like me anymore. I had my appointment this morning and he said, I'll see you in 3 months. 3 months! How can that be - I need, at the very least, a monthly dose of the good doc. Someone to tell me that I'm great, never looked better. To make matter's worse, he told me he's going to cut my blood visits to monthly (from every other week). Monthly! I crave the data. I need to know that my Lymphocytes are still making up 39% of of my white blood cells.
I told him that its my money and if I want to pay him $100 to talk about how sick I am for 15 minutes, that's my prerogative. It's a sad day, I guess I'm getting healthier which means no more sympathy.
I do go back in about 10 weeks for my first molecular test. I hope to get some mileage out of that, though it's done through a peripheral blood draw so nothing exciting about that. It takes a good 10 days to get results on it so I'll get it done a couple weeks before my next appointment in July. July!
I did get blood work yesterday just to make sure he had what he needed before my appointment today. Here's the data:
Whities - 3,300
ANC - 1,800
Platelets - 124,000
Hematocrit - 40.2 (for those keeping track, normal levels for a man)
Hemaglobin - 13.8 (right on the lower edge of normal)
Red Blood Count - 4.47 (just shy of normal)
In short, blood looks good and my numbers may not stray much from this as long as the Gleevec continues to work. After the molecular test which is called an RT-PCR (you can read about it here), we'll get a baseline of how the progression of the disease has been going. The goal is to get the resulting number to go down on each subsequent test (the test will probably occur every 3 - 6 months).
Aside from all this medical stuff...my impala will be delivered this Friday if the weather stays dry. I am totally amped and hope to be out driving next weekend assuming we can get insurance, plates, title all squared away.
Holla!
I told him that its my money and if I want to pay him $100 to talk about how sick I am for 15 minutes, that's my prerogative. It's a sad day, I guess I'm getting healthier which means no more sympathy.
I do go back in about 10 weeks for my first molecular test. I hope to get some mileage out of that, though it's done through a peripheral blood draw so nothing exciting about that. It takes a good 10 days to get results on it so I'll get it done a couple weeks before my next appointment in July. July!
I did get blood work yesterday just to make sure he had what he needed before my appointment today. Here's the data:
Whities - 3,300
ANC - 1,800
Platelets - 124,000
Hematocrit - 40.2 (for those keeping track, normal levels for a man)
Hemaglobin - 13.8 (right on the lower edge of normal)
Red Blood Count - 4.47 (just shy of normal)
In short, blood looks good and my numbers may not stray much from this as long as the Gleevec continues to work. After the molecular test which is called an RT-PCR (you can read about it here), we'll get a baseline of how the progression of the disease has been going. The goal is to get the resulting number to go down on each subsequent test (the test will probably occur every 3 - 6 months).
Aside from all this medical stuff...my impala will be delivered this Friday if the weather stays dry. I am totally amped and hope to be out driving next weekend assuming we can get insurance, plates, title all squared away.
Holla!
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Six Fo.
It finally happened...
I think I mentioned that after my diagnosis of Leukemia, I was going to accelerate a few things on my life To-Do list. I got one step closer today when I put down a deposit on the 1964 Impala shown in the attached video.
Eli, myself and uncle Matt took a road trip to Kokomo this morning to test drive it and take a closer look. Sadly for my bank account, it was even better than I had hoped. I'm not going to get too excited until it arrives in my garage, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little bit giddy inside. Hopefully I'll have more pictures next week.
I think I mentioned that after my diagnosis of Leukemia, I was going to accelerate a few things on my life To-Do list. I got one step closer today when I put down a deposit on the 1964 Impala shown in the attached video.
Eli, myself and uncle Matt took a road trip to Kokomo this morning to test drive it and take a closer look. Sadly for my bank account, it was even better than I had hoped. I'm not going to get too excited until it arrives in my garage, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little bit giddy inside. Hopefully I'll have more pictures next week.
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