Catching up again

Obviously, I began to feel better because the postings to this blog dropped off. I returned to work on Dec. 1. Got some news. My boss would be retiring at the end of the month. Nothing else to say on that matter. I would go to work and by 2pm would be totally exhausted. I would get home around 4:30 and crash for an hour or two before Peg got home. It pretty much became routine for December. The good thing about working in education is that we get a nice break for the holidays. I was off from Dec. 23 until Jan 5. Being Pittsburgh in the winter, it isnt too exciting. I started teaching a managerial accounting class in January on Monday evenings. This proved to be a difficult task with the end of the day fatigue and needing to go til later evening to teach. The next day was really hell. I have decided for several reasons not to teach anymore. Mainly, its the students. This class is one of the worst I have ever taught. Mostly 18 to 20 something pups who think that homework is an option and that all tests can be adjusted to accomodate poor study habits. I received student phone calls on a Saturday evening while having dinner at McCormick and Schmicks in town at 9pm. I received phone calls while on vacation in New Orleans. I received a call at 10:15 pm on the night before the final from a student wanting to know what was on the exam since he lost his notes. I figured if he waited that long to study, it would not help knowing anyway. Like I said, I am finished teaching.

My hip began to bother me last fall and contiuned into the spring. An x ray showed nothing but an MRI of my spine showed degenerative spinal arthritis, a herniated disc and a bulging disc. Celebrex helps alot, but now, another med for life. Peggy and I are having a race to see who is first in a wheel chair.

Not much has happened over the winter, but all my check ups with my cancer doc have come back clean. So, all in all, whatever I went through, the cancer is gone. If you cannot control your bladder, you are called incontinent. Since February, I have been off the pads and in control. Does this make me contintent? It does make me content. I go more frequently, but like I told the doc, " I can even reach the back of the bowl". Small victory, great satisfaction. I go in for another checkup in September. One thing I do now is wear a hat when I golf. Since I know I can generate cancer cells, I am just trying to be safer.

All in all, things are going well. I have a colleague whose husband just had a radical prostetectomy and I shared this blog with them. I hope it helped them avoid a few surprises and mostly to know that they arent alone in this battle. Thousands of guys and their families go through this and knowing that is a help during those dark times.