Bud Baker
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Posts posted by Bud Baker
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Good morning, Judy! Good morning, everyone!
It's 30 degrees here, with a forecast high of 49. Looks like it's going to remain chilly all next week.
Most of the ice and snow melted off the roads by yesterday afternoon, so I got out and did a short ride on my bike to try out the new wheels I built.
I'm thinking I'll go fishing today, but I'm going to wait until it warms up a bit before I do. It's supposed to get down to 24 degrees tonight, so I'm not sure if I'll brave that to commute on my bike tomorrow or not.
Have a great day, all!
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Ok, I want some of the eggnog that Judy was drinking...
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Merry Christmas, Lily!
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We had a rare white Christmas here in North Texas. With the lights flickering on and off at our planned Grand Prairie gathering site, we made a last minute change in plans and drove to Arlington to Rose's sister's house for our Christmas Eve gathering this year.
With steady, hard snow falling, and winds gusting near 40 mph, we spent a little less time than usual on dinner and gift opening, to get on the road headed back home before things got too dicey outside. We took back roads home to avoid the worst traffic, and made it home ok.
In the middle of dinner, my realtor called. The buyers' inspection of the house I'm selling had been done the day before, and the realtor was calling to inform me that the buyers had agreed to the repairs I offered. The buyers' last chance to back out was Christmas Eve, so that call meant Merry Christmas to us.
I spent a good bit of today learning the joys of bicycle wheel building, watching tv, and generally vegging out at home.
Merry Christmas to all my wonderful and inspirational friends here!
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Good morning, everyone!
I commuted by bike again yesterday, but with a 60 percent chance of storms forecast for today, I decided that would be the last shot this year's Christmas shopper drivers would have at me on the bike. I drove the truck to work today, and I'm off tomorrow.
After the storms, it's supposed to turn colder and be pretty chilly on Christmas Day. Our only gathering will be on Christmas Eve, so I'll likely stop in here every day.
Merry Christmas, everyone!
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Welcome, Kim. I don't really have anything to add. I just wanted to welcome you and encourage you to keep us updated. Best wishes for your father.
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Good morning, everyone! It was 42 degrees as I got ready to head to work this morning, with a high in the 60's forecast.
I never got around to putting a backup tail light on my commuting bike, just using the one on the back of my helmet. Like many plastic snap-together bike tail lights, it turns out that mine was prone to falling apart once you have it apart for any reason then snap it back together. I replaced the batteries in it last week, and didn't put a spot of glue on it when I reassembled it like I should have.
Somewhere on the long ride Saturday, it must have fallen apart. I discovered this as I was ready to leave for work this morning. I looked around my garage for another tail light that could be quickly clipped onto the bike, but there was nothing to be found that would be a fast enough install to help me this morning.
Faced with the choice of riding without a tail light or just driving to work, I did the unthinkable, getting on my bike and heading for work. I didn't even make it out of Crowley before a police car passed me on Crowley Road, pulled over on the shoulder, stopped, and turned his lights on. By the time I pulled up to a stop behind him, he was standing behind the vehicle. He said, "Do you realize you don't have a light on the back at all?" I replied that it had broken, and I would fix it when I got home this afternoon. He said, "Well, I see you here every day, and you always have great lights, and I just wanted to make sure you knew that your tail lights weren't working today."
I thanked him, and we both went on our way. You don't suppose I'll lose points with Santa for riding without a taillight today, do you?
Have a great day, all!
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Oh no, I am so sorry to read this. Condolences to you and your family.
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Barbara,
Wow, it just never gets easier, does it? I hope Bill is home from the hospital soon.
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Two years ago today, I was at the Dallas VA Medical Center, having the upper lobe of my left lung removed. The scan that found my cancer was in November, but my doctor was so certain that it was lung cancer and I was such a good candidate for surgery, that no biopsy was done until surgery, making that my official diagnosis day, and making me a two year survivor today. I am still cancer free, with my next scan coming up next month.
It's funny the things you remember from surgery. Both morphine and the anti-nausea drugs they were giving me made me sick, so just one day after surgery, I talked them into switching me to hydrochodone. They seemed leery about making that change so quickly, but I was fine on hydrochodone.
I remember the surgeon handing me a spirometer and telling me I would have to do 1500 or more on it before they would let me out of the hospital. I took it and did 2000 that first try. He said, "Who needs two lungs?" When Rose handed me her spirometer last month and told me to see what I could do, I pegged it out at 4000.
They had said I would be kept in the Thoracic Intensive Care Unit for my entire stay, at least five days, but in spite of how empty the hospital was at holiday time, the TICU became crowded and I was doing well, so two days after surgery, they transferred me to a regular room. It was a semi-private room, but the other bed was kept empty while I was there.
I remember walking up and down the hospital halls, pushing a wheelchair with the boxes that my chest tubes were connected to in it. Getting out of bed to do anything wasn't much fun, but I did like getting up and moving about.
They released me the afternoon of Christmas day. We normally have our family gathering and open gifts on Christmas Eve, but everything was kept waiting until I got home that year. It's hard to imagine a family Christmas gathering that I will enjoy and appreciate more than that one.
Last year, we had a party to celebrate me being a one year survivor. It was probably the biggest gathering of family and friends that we've ever had at our house. My son drove 350 miles to surprise me and join us. This year, with Rose recovering from breast cancer surgery, and getting ready for more chemo, there will be no party. I'll settle for a small celebration here and at home. Yesterday, I did a 131 mile bike ride, as my own way of celebrating (I made sure to wear my "Cancer Sucks" cycling socks for the ride).
I'm rambling, but I expect most here will forgive me. Thanks to everyone for your support. A special thanks to the long term survivors here who keep coming back. When I first found the place, it was they who did a great job of reminding me that there are long term survivors around. And a special thanks to Katie, who's energy for advocacy seems boundless. Merry Christmas, everyone!
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Good morning, Judy! Good morning, everyone!
I got up yesterday morning and did a 131 mile ride. The second half of it was directly against a howling north wind, and I was seriously wiped out when I finished. I dropped all my ambitions for today and decided to vigorously pursue doing nothing all day.
Have a great Sunday, all!
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Big congrats on another NED, Mike!
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Wow, you joined 7 days after my surgery and official diagnosis, Judy. It was a while later before I found my way here. Anyway, thanks and congrats!
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Wow, a tough decision, alright. As long as I was tolerating the Tarceva well, I'm thinking I would stay with it. There's no guarantee that anything else will be better, and slow progression is, well, at least slow.
I remember reading a post by Dr West over on GRACE saying that there would be nothing wrong with changing chemo, then coming back to one that had slow progression, either, if it later became the best looking option. So, I guess you could make an good argument for going to the Taxotere, too.
Good luck with whatever you decide, and keep us updated.
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Good luck for a great scan, Mike!
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Hi Christie, and welcome!
I was also stage II. I had an upper left lobectomy and chemo, and have been cancer free for almost two years.
Good luck and keep us updated!
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Good morning, everyone!
It was 29 degrees yesterday morning, still cold enough to discourage me from riding 12 and a half miles against the wind. But this morning, it was 39 degrees with light winds, so I rode to work.
Just one more day of work after today this week, then it's two short work weeks in a row. What a concept!
Have a great day, all!
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Dang, sorry you had to go through all this. We've been wondering where you were. Welcome back, and here's hoping you continue to recover and improve.
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Good morning, everyone!
It was 30 degrees this morning, with a howling north wind, so I drove to work. I need to make a couple of shopping stops on the way home, anyway.
Rose is always off work on Sundays and Mondays, but she'll be back at work today. She seemed to hold up well at work on Saturday, in spite of how busy she was. She said that as she was giving haircuts, she was keeping her clients entertained by singing. She was singing, "All I want for Christmas is my two front nipples." You have to keep a sense of humor through it all, I guess...
Have a great day, all!
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That's great news, Barb! Let's hope the inflammation never comes back.
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Sorry to read this, Anne. I'm sending positive thoughts your way for very successful treatments.
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Good morning, Judy and Michelle! Good morning, everyone! It was 49 degrees with a stiff south wind this morning, with a high forecast of 71, so I rode my bike to work. They're calling for a front to move in this afternoon, with the wind changing to the north. I ride almost straight north to work, then back south to get home. So, today has a chance of being one of those rare tailwind-both-ways days. I'm on tired legs after yesterday's 100 mile ride, so that would be welcome.
I hope you're feeling better today, Judy. Have a great day, all!
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Hi all. I had a busy weekend, like always. I bailed out of the 200k ride I had planned for Saturday. It was 38 degrees and drizzling, too miserable outside for a long ride, so I went fishing........LOL.
That sounds funny, but when it's cold and damp outside, I have a lot easier time staying warm in the boat than on the bike. Fishing was slow, but I did gather a couple of bags of pecans afterward.
Today, a friend and I did a 100 mile ride. It was 42 with a thick fog when we started this morning, and I was pretty chilly the first miles, but it ended up sunny and 71 degrees this afternoon, a great day for a bike ride.
I didn't get my grocery shopping duties done this weekend. That will have to wait until tomorrow.
Judy and Paulette, when I was growing up, April was birthday month. My mother and father's birthdays were both on the 3rd, mine on the 5th, and my sister's on the 22nd.
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"Ann"]How is Rose after her surgery??????
She's doing well, going to work tomorrow. Her sister is going in with her to help, so she doesn't overdo it tomorrow.
Real Monday's Air
in JUST FOR FUN
Posted
Good morning, everyone!
It was 27 degrees as I set out for work on my bike this morning. I'm not sure what my minimum commuting temperature should be, but I think it's something above that. I couldn't seem to keep my fingers warm. It's supposed to get up to 49 degrees this afternoon, with fairly light north winds.
If it was caveman times, I would have been called a good hunter/gatherer yesterday. I brought home crappie and white bass for dinner, plus two bags of pecans that I gathered after fishing.
It's back to the salt mine, today. Looks like I'll get off work a bit early Thursday, and be off Friday, but it's regular work the rest of the week.
Have a great Monday, all!