Robin Williams' Reality What A Concept

When I was a kid -- 300 to 400 years ago --, I first heard Robin Williams' album "Reality ... What a Concept" and it was uproariously funny (subversively bawdy might be a good term). I believe it was my cousin Mike who first played this album for me. I never forgot it, though my vinyl collection had long since vanished while I was off at college. I always wanted it on CD though it's never been able to be released. Once, I saw a copy on e-bay for like $90. Yeah, as if.

Anyway, I was perusing the web with Google. Google's an amazing thing. On a lark, I typed it in and boom. There it was. Laugh.com sells it for a reasonable price. I ordered it and it came yesterday. I listened to it today and it's as funny as ever. What scares me, is that I still remember almost every bit as crystal clear as when I used to listen to it over and over and over again.

"Rented lips" and "Sammy Davis Junior Junior" come to mind. As well as the New York Echo. I laughed hard listening to it again. I also got some bits that I didn't get when I first heard this album in 1979. Innocence I suppose. I would encourage everyone to locate and purchase this album. It's 41 minutes of bliss. It's classic OLD Williams -- unfocused, random, pointless, and guaranteed to cause paroxysms of laughter.

My eyes won't stop watering but I don't think I'm actually sick. This is day two of mostly runny eyes and occasional sneeze attacks. It feels like a bad allergy onset, though god knows to what.

It's Passover and I was off to see Mom and Grandma for dinner. On the way over, there was some sort of horrific accident. It must have just happened because I was only about ten cars back. Finally a cop comes flying through. Moments later traffic begins to slowly creep by on the median, directed by someone who had stopped. Ambulances and other police hadn't arrived. I got to the front and it was pretty horrific. There was a guy laying in the center lane, a big, bald biker dude who wasn't wearing a helmet. He was clawing at the ground in obvious pain and there was an enormous puddle of blood. It was everywhere. I drove on since a cop was already on scene and others had stopped to help -- what could I do? Some minutes later I passed an ambulance head that way. I'm sure it was far too late. I didn't relate this story over dinner.

I got to Grandma's, gave her the present from Sophia (Feng Fang Fu) and took a photo which is posted over at Flickr. Then we had dinner at Outback. The service was good, the food was average -- I am not an Outback fan as they've gone downhill. I had a nice time.

Today's Medical Reports

Lots of health news today. I'll be self-centred and go first.

I am relieved as all hell to report that I do not currently have Barrett's esophagus which I was afraid I might have. Barrett's esophagus is a relatively uncommon side effect of Acid Reflux (see multiple previous blog entries) that often leads to esophageal cancer, which is generally fatal. Anyway, I don't have it so enough of that. However, my Acid Reflux is acting up strongly again because a new granuloma has recurred (if you remember, I had a previous pair) and is also located on my vocal cords. As such, I'm going on a new regimen of drugs and dtronger dosages and frequencies thereof and expect more arguments from my shit-ass insurance company. I am confident in Dr. Arin H. Newman, the doctor in question, so we'll see what happens. I go back in six months unless I feel my granuloma is getting worse in which case I go back immediately. Those of you who have talked to me recently know how bad my voice has sounded.

My dad is not-cancer free, but he's almost cancer free and it has retreated to negligible levels. There's no such thing as "almost" or "negligible" in the cancer world, but he is no longer in any immediate danger of dying from his lung cancer (second hand smoke is bad which is what caused it). All good news has some bad news with it, and this is no exception. His bronchial passageways, which were already a mess because of his chronic and severe asthma, are in very, very bad shape due to damage caused by the cancer treatment, so he is going to a pulmonary specialist soon to see what, if anything, can be done.

And, for those concerned, Scooter has stopped gaining weight but she is at a relatively healthy weight for her advanced (20+) years -- having recovered from the 5-1/2 or so pounds she sunk to at the bottom of her illness. She's happy. She's not so playful any more -- probably because of the ligament that's torn which they can't operate on due to her age -- but she's happy to be petted. She's even jumping small distances again, though getting down still challenges her. Her hearing is definitely shot for good (cry) and she has dental issues which they also can't fix due to her age.

Update on Dad II

A number of you have written asking for the latest update on dad. On the plus side, he's definitely doing better. There is no question of that. He is also definitely not cured. I'd love to tell you he's in remission, but he isn't.

However the news he got was good news. Only one mass is left and it's shrunk from 6cm to 4cm. He is no longer undergoing any treatment, and hasn't for about a month. In about four weeks he will have another series of PET and CAT scans to determine how much of the tumor is actually still alive, and what the next course of treatment is. It might be more radiation, or chemotherapy. It might be arthroscopic surgery, if possible. We just don't know.

I have no further available news at this time. Thank you for your continued support and concern.

Update on Dad.

Hi All:

There is an update on Dad. I want to thank those of you who have sent your support. He has gotten two opinions from two different doctors at two different hospitals and they concur on the diagnosis.

The cancer is stage 3. It has not responded to initial chemotherapy treatments. It has not shrunk. It is currently inoperable (a combination of the size of the cancer, his age, and his health). Starting next week he will begin much stronger chemo sessions and begin radiation treatment. This will be from four to eight weeks after which further tests will be performed and a further plan of action decided.

None of us are taking it very well.

Lung Cancer in the Family

Dad had his last full and complete physical in May 2006. This November, when I went to the Fastener show, Dad wasn’t feeling well and wasn’t sure if he would even go. He was having a little trouble breathing and we all gave him a bit of a hard time, telling him old age wasn’t curable. However it was getting worse, and we ended up thinking he might have pneumonia. Before we left, he got an x-ray and it wasn’t pneumonia and he was cleared to go by the doctor. When we came back, they said there was a small spot on the x-ray, and it was probably nothing but to come back in. He went in, and they did a second set of x-rays and numerous other tests.

As it turns out, it was something. Dad has stage IIIA lung cancer (Non-small cell lung cancer – NSCLC -- is the most common type of lung cancer. It usually grows and spreads more slowly than small cell lung cancer.) He’s never smoked, but before I came to work at Interstate, the office was full of smokers and he spent over 35 years around many chain-smokers in the same room as he was. That’s second-hand smoke, and the most likely cause – though we’ll probably never know for sure.

Yes, that’s bad news. It came real hard to the family, but obviously not nearly as bad as he took it. I can’t say that I blame him, either. He swore me to secrecy and only me, my step-mother, and he knew. He told my sister when she came home from college, as he didn’t want to ruin her first semester’s finals with the news, and I agree. He also didn’t want to tell the employees at Interstate until after the holidays.

The good news is they’ve caught it very early, and there’s over a 90% chance he’ll get better. He had his first chemotherapy session two weeks ago, and it went relatively well. His next one is after the first of the year. He’ll be missing a lot more work now, though the doctors have encouraged him to keep up some semblance of a routine, so he’s planning to work a few hours most days of the week. After the cancer shrinks a bit, he will be having two surgeries to remove the rest, so he’ll probably miss a few weeks then.

And for those of you who wondered why I’ve been non-committal and refusing to make travel plans or select specific dates to do things, now you know. I am needed at home and the office, and I will not be travelling anywhere unless it’s a very short weekend jaunt. Your forbearance for the next four moths will be appreciated.

Lastly, it’s very important he not get sick: quite simply it’s a matter of life and death. If he gets sick, that’s the worst thing that can happen to someone who has been weakened from chemotherapy – it can cause systemic infection and that’s 100% fatal. So, if you’re sick I am asking you to stay away from both him and me until you’re healthy. I’m one of the people who’s always around him, so I can’t get sick lest I pass it along to him. Austri has given me lots of good advice, because she went through this with her father, so special thanks to her for all of her support so far.

INFO FROM NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007194.htm