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Al Warren
Note to my Editor:
I
think I could do a note per week but by
all means let's leave Cathy out. After what I have
 been
through
with Jess’s computer these past two weeks she is now
sure the computer is truly the work of the devil.
She says God is a God of order not chaos! He
would not be part of something that causes such
stress,
etc.
Sincerely,
Al Warren
A Devotional thought by Al Warren
CLICK HERE
Alcatraz
photograph by Al Warren
(more
photography by Al forthcoming)
February 14, 2005
This
week
(that was to have been
a week of rest) OH
WELL.
I have to have another MRI of my back and my
shoulder. The epidural went into the wrong place
and the pain is still in my lower back from the
fall. The doctor felt that he needed another view
to make sure where to place the next try. While I
was there I mentioned that my shoulder was hurting
and after checking it he thought that I had torn my
rotator cup. You see that is why I am Krazy Al it
just never stops.
I have to go see the Doctor and find the results on Thursday.
I had my second Chemo last week and it is making me
tired but the counter-meds will not take effect
until the end of the week so still groggy.
Friends that
care is a major help to anyone going through
something like this. If you have friend with cancer
don’t hold back because they might feel bad but call
and go because this is what they need. I know, as
my Bible Study class sends e-mails, FUNNY cards and
phones often, this keeps my spirits up. I just
finished the next six lessons for my class and we
are going to study “The Church and What it Means In
My Life.”
February 2, 2005
I have been, using and old phase,
“feeling kinda low.”
I had developed a spot on my leg that kept
growing and decided to go to the Doctor to have
it checked out. He took on look and said, “Go
see a dermatologist.” Then he asks how I was
doing. Told him
“kinda low”
and he said that the Chemo was affecting my
body in so many ways that was the reason.
He said it would affect my sleep and my ability
to focus. He said there were many other side
effects such as sight and ability to reason. So
see
now I have a solution when I make dumb mistakes.
It’s not my fault but the Chemo’s fault. I have
been trying to find something I could blame my
mistakes on all my life. He did give me a
capsule to take each day to help overcome these
effects but
REMEMBER
it take two to three weeks to take effect. So
...don’t
blame any mistakes on me for at least three
weeks.
January 31, 2005
They gave me
my second Chemo shot
today. In two week
from now I have to go an have test make to make
sure the Chemo is containing the cancer. I hate
needles like a passion. The only place they can
normally find a vein is in the back of the
hand.
I
truly believe that my veins go on vacation when
they see a needle.
January 21, 2005
Today I found out that the Chemo meds I was given
were adding to the pain in my back. They cause pain
in the bones and also spinal cord compression.
I will have an epidural on Monday. The Urologist has spoken to my
spine doctor and he is supposed to add another med
to the procedure on Monday (which should counteract
these problems).
Just one thought that is a slang expression
from the late 50’s:
“OH PAIN.”
That was one of the slang expressions that we used
along with “COTTON
PICKER.”
When I was growing up we had slang words that we
used and they were never as vulgar as the language
our adults and young people speak today.
After my twelfth year I was always in Church. Most of the
kids that I associated with were from Church. Maybe
I just never heard language that I am hearing today
(even from Church kids). Oh, well I am a Senior.
Side note: After
our marriage, in Arizona, a group of us were sitting
around a table at Grand Canyon College, now Grand
Canyon University, and the term 'cotton picker' came up
in the conversation.
Cathy walked out into a field of cotton that
surrounded the college and picked a handful of
cotton. She exclaimed,
“Now
you can call me a Cotton Picker!”
We went back to visit the college several years ago and I drove by
the college. No cotton fields...only buildings.
When I went to school there, there was only five
hundred students now they have over six thousand.
See, I told you I was a Senior.
January 19, 2005
I read
Eva's journal
entry from 01.17.05 and was reminded of
my own childhood (when I was a loner).
I wrote a letter to this young
mother:
CLICK HERE
January
12, 2005 - "Help I've Fallen and I Can't Get Up"
I have a new-found respect for the law of
gravity. Especially after standing in a
chair to reach a light bulb and then for
some reason I gravity brought me back to the
floor flat on my back.
Something like this
Now I have a back ache AND a head ache. I
don’t understand what gravity has against
me.
The doctor says that gravity damaged my back
again and sooner or later I am going to have
to have it fixed. On the 24th I
will have an epidural. Cathy and I are
hoping for a little boy and the epidural
will hurry the process along.
Just kidding. My epidural is a steroid
injection that is administered in
non-surgical situations and will help to
relieve the painful blow that gravity dealt
me.
I'd write
more, but the lighting is really bad.
December
31, 2004
It has been a bittersweet week for me. Jerry Orbach,
the famous New York actor who starred in “Law and
Order” was diagnosed with prostate cancer (a week
after I was).
He died on Wednesday. If you want to read
his story go to
www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6765565.
As I read the article, I felt like: “It could be ME.” It really put me in a down mood and not
hearing from the doctor brought the thoughts "Why the
wait?"
Then Rose called from
the Urologist and told me to come in and get my first
shot. It is a shot that lowers the testosterone
levels which causes the prostate to shrink. The
material given says it is indicated for the
treatment of advanced carcinoma of the prostate.
Isn’t that a mouthful? It is given eight weeks
prior to radiation and eight weeks during radiation.
The medication is
mixed in Sacramento and brought by messenger to
Stockton and has to be given within four hours of
preparation. I have my appointments for the next
shot on January 30th. It is a very big
and long needle and it is given in the belly area.
The nurse made a comment that she was giving this
one in the western area and the next would be in the
east. Do you think that she was referring to my
size, Nah! After reading the material the nurse gave
me it seems like I am in for some problems that many
women have gone through, hot flashes, sweating at
night, and back aches. Oh well, it has to be done.
I feel that if I had
not continued my PSA test and had a good doctor I
could have been where Jerry Orbach was. I urge all
men over 50 to insist that their doctors give them
the PSA test. Over 6 years my doctor had followed
my test and each year they had gone up. This is what
led to the diagnosis.
December 27,
2004
Here I sit two days after Christmas and I'm still
waiting for the doctor to call. Cathy will tell you
I don’t wait very well.
I
did not hear last Monday so I called the doctor on
Tuesday. He called on Tuesday night at 8:30 and
told me that the nurse would call me the next day.
Guess what no call on Wednesday and Thursday so I
decided to call on Friday. Message on the phone was
closed for Christmas Holidays. Called at 9:30 this
morning and was told the nurse would return my call
as soon as she was through with a patient. It is
now 12:30pm and still no call.
Oh
well, it is a mess outside and I am enjoying the
warm house!
Pastor Al
40 Days of Radiation
December 20, 2004
Here I sit waiting by the phone for the doctor
to call, Well, the heck with it, he can leave
a message.
On this Monday morning I am going to
the gym. I have to get my strength up for
Christmas dinner.
More when I check my messages.
December 19, 2004 (Beginning Week
One)
I met with the onacoligist,
the
onicolagist, the onnocolegist
the
doctor, expecting to start radiation. I was
very unsure of what was in store and so I prepared
myself for the worst. Dr. Hart was
understanding and even seemed to enjoy my krazy
sense of humor. After her exam (there
are many surprises in this ordeal), she informed me
that the area was too large for the type of
radiation planned. She wants to use an
anti-hormone series of shots for the next two months
and then during the first four weeks of radiation.
She will not do this part of the
procedure. I will be seen by my urologist (I
think he has a Pee-H-Dee) in his office until March.
In March I will start radiation every
day except Saturday and Sunday. The doctors
informed me that cancers do not grow on the
week-ends! Remember where you read that first.
I will receive radiation at four
points for five weeks. Following that, the
doses will increase and be administered at six
points for the next three weeks.
 Interesting
to note that with the new Liner Acceleration
Particle Beam Generator they will be using,
(I'm half-expecting to see Captain Kirk suddenly
appear when they start the thing up), I will not
lose my hair. Yea, like that was a problem!
Thinking ahead (at the possibility of
adding some hair) I asked about the
Rogaine Particle Accelerator machine and learned
it's still in development.
December 14, 2004
I have learned that my treatment will consist of
a series of shots for two months and then 40 days of
radiation.
In my particular case, they found
that the prostate was too large to radiate properly
so they are using anti-testosterone drugs before
they start the radiation.
I asked the doctor if the cancer
could spread during these two months and was assured
that the drugs would not only shrink the prostate
but contain the cancer as well.
I am planning to try out for the
tenor section in our choir right as soon as the
treatments are completed!
December 12, 2004
God is so good that they (the doctors) caught my
prostate cancer
when they did and that there is treatment.
Praise His Name.
December 10, 2004
I met with the doctor this afternoon and got the
news that my prostate cancer has advanced to the
point that he wants me to start 8 weeks of radiation
starting December 16.
One nice thing is that apparently
cancer doesn't grow on Saturday and Sunday.
Evidently I have the "week-day only" variety.
As a pastor of many years, I realize
that how we live teaches more than what we preach.
I have begun a new journey, one that I know God will
use to help and encourage others.
I recently learned that I have
cancer. It is treatable and it is my desire to
journal this experience... |
