It has been a few rough days this week. The bone biopsy report has been returned to the doctor's office but I haven't been advised as to the content or prognosis yet. Today turned into a disaster when I went to Bay Pines to get my scripts filled. The cancer center made a small error by writing two scripts on one header and it started an avalanche. I got to the VA with these scripts and turned them in as usual. It takes the pharmacy about an hour or so to fill them and I sign for them and head home. Today it started at the bottom and went down from there.

I turned the scripts in and went to the cafeteria to have lunch while I waited for them to be filled. About noon I was called and told that there was a problem with two of the scripts and they couldn't be filled. It just happened to be two important ones that I was already out of and absolutely needed filled. I went back to the pharmacy and was told that there was an error in how the were written. Okay, so it was only a little after 12:30 so I said, "no problem, I will go back the 60 miles to the cancer center and get them re-written and return to the VA. I got them and took off. As I was approaching the entrance ramp to the interstate to cross the Skyway a cop car blocked the ramp and a truck dropped some traffic cones and the workers blocked the ramp. Okay, no problem, I just continued to the next entrance ramp. It was also blocked. I stopped and asked if there was an accident or something. They told me that the bridge and interstate were close until the approaching storm goes by. The weather guessers were saying that winds exceeding 50 knots are predicted to hit within a very short time. Standard procedure is to close the Skyway if winds exceed 40 knots. Okay, this is a fast moving storm and predicted to run past very quickly so I just shut down the truck under a bridge and said I would wait it out. The alternate route is over 100 miles out of my way and would add 2 1/2 hours to my trip each way, to get back with the new scripts. Okay, so I wait for the storm to go by. As it gets later and later I decided to go up the street and have some dinner at Bob Evans. After dinner I figured it was to late to make the trio today so I called the cancer center about the scripts. I asked if I could have someone stop by and pick them up and I would just pay out of pocket to fill them at Publix or someplace near home. They said it would be alright so I called home and had the wife and grand daughter go to the center and pick up the scripts and drop them at Publix. Meantime, I am sitting in St Pete waiting for the winds to die down.


Finally, around 4:30 or there about the bridge was opened and I headed home. I stopped at Publix and picked up the last two scripts, a ham for Sunday's dinner and went home. I cut a nice big chunk of strawberry cheesecake and called it a day. I called it a lot of other things too but we'll leave it at that for now. Meantime, I am recovering from getting three days behind my meds but I am starting to feel a little better. I think that as far as the affordable meds I am on, that I will just pay out of pocket from now on. At least with the affordable ones. I have some that I couldn't possibly afford to pay for on my own. Even if I get reimbursed it would take to long and I would have to pay some bills late. No, I'll use Publix for some of the lesser expensive ones and try to avoid running out again. It was last year at the cookout that I ran out of two pain meds and paid dearly at the cookout. I was in terrible pain that weekend but managed to get through it. Those awesome ribs really help quell the pain and also beat down the cancer. YUMMMMMM!

Okay, enough of this lost day crap. I need to get back to getting ready for next Sunday's cookout. I got to be ready for those awesome ribs and getting back with good friends and good times. It really hit me hard when I couldn't be there a couple of years ago. My wife was sick and I couldn't leaver her home alone but I won't have that problem this year. I will be there! I want to get there Friday so I can help set up and get things ready and stay over to help with the cleanup. I always try to stay a day or two after everyone has headed home.

Well, I have an early day tomorrow so I had best get off this thing. I will be up and running by 5 in the morning tomorrow. I get to sleep in on weekends.

Russ my doctor calls in my scripts to the pharmacy and they call me when it's ready.

The Cookout is on Saturday!

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Russ I believe Don Jose is right. Give it a try. You have nothing to lose.

Don Jose do you speak from experience, have you tried CBD?

No Salvor, I mentioned that I had been in the Borfer Patrol, I am unable to use it, I have been indoctrinated thoroughly, I am unable to use any so called recreational drugs, while at the same time I will acknoweledge the value of marijuana, curious how the human brain works.

Trying to get everything done and get to the cookout. I want to go over on Friday sometime. We'll see how that goes. Got to run, people are trying to keep me tied down but it ain't gonna happen. See Ya at the cookout , Friday and Saturday and Sunday and Monday if I can. We'll see how it goes. I am working on a motorhome! I wonder if I could get away with .... ....... Nah, never work!

CBD coffee now served at local shop hmmm?

I have to be very careful about using that term, B-L-O-W- U-P. I was a licensed Explosives Technician many years back but you can believe the powers that be are still keeping an eye, or even two eyes on me. Being a true blue Trump supporter alone puts me on the "Watch This Guy" list.

I am going to try to get over to the cookout in the morning. I slipped and twisted my right hip the day before yesterday. I am in serious pain and have been unable to walk without my cane. I am planning to drive over to the cookout in the morning. I hope to be there by the time the early birds start getting up. I wanted to stay 4 days like I normally do but I'm not sure that is possible this trip. I tried to call the hotel 4 or 5 times but only got the recording that their mailbox was full and could not receive messages. Anyhow, I am going to head up for the day, at least. I have a lot of problems here and can not afford to stay 4 or 5 days this year. But I will do everything in my power to be there Saturday.

See you all tomorrow!!!!!!

Russ I am here and I have an inflatable bed for you when you come.

That was an awesome cookout! I had a great time even with my mobility issues.

Thank you all so much. I had a great time seeing you all.

Here are a few random photos of the cookout.

Well, in spite of this hip injury I managed to get I.R.Baboon repaired and running. Today I want to start getting a trailer that I have, set up to haul Baboon. If I have a decent trailer that can haul Baboon I could get her from here to almost any dive site in a matter of hours instead of just driving there along the coast for days on end. Back up a few years and I loved the long trips along the coast. But, now, I think a trailered boat makes more sense.

It's time to get moving.......

congrats russ!!! great seeing you and talking to you again at the cookout!!

thanks to john , bill, Victoria, and everyone involved for a great cookout! felt weird that I did not have to do anything but relax and enjoy myself but I took full advantage of it this time!!

pete, nice talking to you, huge thanks again for helping me get that tailgate!

john and bill you guys looked pretty worn out more often than not so i kinda stayed away and let you do what you had to do.
was hoping to set down and drink a few with all of you after everything wrapped up,.......maybe next year.

I was happy to be able to get to the cookout but disappointed that I could not stay. I had a lot of problems at home and went against the family just to go to the cookout. I usually like to stay 4 days but had to settle for 4 hours this year, I had a 4 hour drive up, stayed for 4 hours and a 4 hour drive back here. I really wanted to sit and enjoy the day and many friends but was very happy to just have gotten there. I managed to get a serious dose of Bill's ribs. Hopefully that will hold me until I can get some more.

I have to get my photos out of my phone so I can post them on here. I'll be back! meantime, here are a few from 2 years ago.







Thank You to John and Bill for taking this awesome responsibility on. I hope to be in shape to help you next year. I aim to beat this cancer over the next year when I get this bone marrow transplant and stem cell treatment behind me.

Well Rus, you have ad 5 days to recover from the cook out ---REPORT !

Okay, sinility having set in and making itself known I have not recourse other than to plead the 5th. Rum should not come in big bottles. actually, I can not drink ANY alcohol but memory serves me well so I still get memory hangovers. At least I hope that is what these massive headaches are. I got involved in repairing an RV for the daughter and grandkids to move into. It has demanded almost every waking moment for the past two weeks. I am worn out to the point of going crazy.





Yesterday I went back on chemotherapy. This time the treatments are very rough. I have trouble staying awake during the treatments. The nurses watch me very closely and keep waking me up and ask questions. Yes, I know the date, Yes I know where I am, It is 1968 and I am waiting to take off on the flightline in Vietnam, now get off my guns. I love messing with the nurses heads. I think they half wonder if I am really as crazy as I act. They are a great bunch of women at the cancer center.



It is about 3:30 AM. I decided to take a day off from working on the camper and am going to take I.R. Baboon out fishing. My neighbor, Jerry is going with me. I haven't gone out since I had that breakdown several weeks ago. I hit something coming in and damaged the prop and shaft coupling. I replaced them both without taking the boat out of the water. I haven't been able to test run it so we are going out blind. We will have all day so if we have trouble I will have my tools and Towboat US. Just in case. I have been a Towboat member for many years. Last year I used it twice. Hopefully I won't need it. My friend, Jerry is as old as I am, almost, so I don't think either of us will be diving to work on anything in the water this trip. Besides, my dive gear is in storage again. I just need to get away from these womenfolk and rest for a day. I am tired to the bone. It is really hard to push myself the past few days.



3:55 AM. I had best get back to sleep.

aha Russ, I see that the radiation is affecting your hair.

Yup, it is affecting everything. Weight loss was over 100 pounds. I gained about 30 back but have recently gone on a downswing again. I have lost about 14 pounds over the past two or three weeks. I have also started another, more aggressive chemo regiment that is very rough. I don't care how rough it is as long as it hits the cancer harder than it is hitting me. I even had the energy to work on the RV for a while today. I did knock off earlier than usual but I am allowed to slack off once in a while.

Hey Russ I call3ed you this morning. I got that message that you have not set up your voice mail. You need to do that so people can leave you a message. It said to call back later. I did. Still no answer. How can I get a hold of you?

I was driving down to pick up John's pontoon boat. I want to get that dive ladder from John's old boat to put on the new one. If you can dig it out and put it near the door I will get it later this week.

Well I hitched up John's boat and started driving back. About 3 miles down the road the spindle breaks! The tire is hanging at a 45 degree angle. I turned around to limp back to John's storage yard. The tire was rubbing against the trailer frame. It caught on fire and blew up. That was one of the new tires I bought. I made it back to the yard and when I backed up the trailer the spindle snapped completely off. John needs to get both axles replaced and probably the springs too.





Well there goes another $200 out the window. I bought 2 new safety chains with hooks, $20 each, a new light kit for $40 and $120 in fuel round trip. Give me a call when you read this.