IT"S BEEN TWO YEARS

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My best friend, my wife Norma left me two years ago today. The photo  was taken during a fishing trip to Canada, in a pouring rain and she had just caught the fish we were going to have for lunch.

The reason I love this picture is because of the great look on her face, even in a heavy downpour.

During the past two years I've had to retire from my sales job at Hendrick Toyota because of my inability to walk or stand for long periods. I had help in getting cars but it was harder to do my job. I couldn't work the hours necessary to do the job. 

My Doctor suggested that I stop driving and since my lease was almost over, I turned in my great Avalon with only 20,000 miles, I loved that car.

I moved in to a new apartment at Mission Chateau that has everything necessary to keep me happy and fit. However, due to a change in Chemo I became so weak, I could not walk unassisted.

I spent 3 days in the hospital and now I'm in a rehab facility, Stratford Commons for another week or until they feel I can go back to living by myself, but I'm getting stronger every day.

Not having to go to work everyday is very hard to get used to after working steadily my entire life.

Not to bore you with my problems I'll finish this blog with a promise of many more in the future months.

I'VE GOT WHAT??

I'll try and start the story as it happened. About 12:30 am one morning  I woke up with a heavy pressure on my chest, it felt like a 500 pound boulder. I tried to take a few deep breathes but I couldn't.

I laid there, not sure what to do. I had a 9am appointment with my cardiologist that morning and hoped that I could wait out the night. I know that it was my imagination but I heard my deceased wife Norma screaming at me, "What are you waiting for, you live right across the street from the Emergency room at St. Luke's South, get your ass across the street."

"OK, OK stop being such a nudge." (nag)

I got in my car and drove to the Emergency room and attempted to check in but they saw I was in distress and took me right in. "Who brought you here, the nurse asked, I drove myself," I answered, and all she could do was shake her head.  

They did all kinds of tests and scans and told me that I wasn't having a heart attack, my vitals were fine But, and here it comes, "You have spots on your liver and we don't know if it's Cancer or something else," from the ER doctor. He made an appointment for me the following day at the main hospital to meet with a Liver specialist for further exams.

After a series of tests, my Herpetologist and the Cancer committee determined that I had Liver Cancer, I have two large spots and three smaller markers. As you read this, please do not feel sorry for me, I'm in no pain and I'm in the care of a wonderful Liver Cancer specialist. I ask you to not give me hugs (doctors' orders to avoid hugs and contagious with colds) when you see me  or start a conversation concerning my condition-- that is not the reason for this blog.

You must know I appreciate your concern, but sympathy is not what I'm seeking in this essay. How about, " Hi, Ron how are you doing? or "Good to see you."

I'm taking Chemo orally, handling it well and still going to work every day. My daughter and son are making sure that I'm doing all the right things, in fact, my daughter put an app on my phone that goes off every thirty minutes reminding me to drink water, 64oz. a day and she accompanies me to all my appointments.

My bone scan is good and I see my EGD Doctor for treatments once a month where he's been inserting rubber bands in my esophagas, something about stopping blood flow to someplace. All in all I'm doing very well, I have wonderful support from family and friends and my Rabbi has been terrific.

I am not a candidate for a transplant so all they are doing is trying to keep the Cancer from growing and spreading, so far so good.

Best of all, my boss' at Hendrick Toyota have been very supportive and allow me to come and go whenever necessary.

So please, keep smiling and say a prayer whenever you think of me but remember this, I'm going to be around for a long time, after all, I have to go to work tomorrow.