Hi,
I was able to get out on my road bike yesterday for a quick ride around the gated community of Lake Wildwood. The speed limit is 25 mph so it makes for a good place for bicycle riding. There are a number of small hills. I was able to push my heart rate up to 180 beats per minute on one small hill. The recommended maximum heart rate for someone my age is 220 – 45 or 175 beats per minute. We will see if I cannot push my heart rate closer or over 190 bpm by the end of March.
I have been seeing many vultures lately and have been enjoying their seemingly effortless flight. Perhaps I will adopt a vulture as a totem animal? Perhaps vultures have chosen me? Here is a little blurb I picked up off the internet I thought you would enjoy. I visualize vultures and condors eating dead tumor cells and spiriting them away in my blood stream where the cells are eliminated through expiration, perspiration, and other forms of elimination. Vultures are powerful totem animals soaring to incredible heights using little or no energy.
I saw a gorgeous Tom turkey dressed up in his finest down the road from my parents’ house. His head was a gorgeous blue color and his feathers were all puffed up for the hens. Turkeys are a symbol for prosperity. They are beautiful animals. I did not see Tom drop any feathers.
I bought two pairs of cheap binoculars for bird watching and fly fishing this spring. I would like to buy a $1000 pair of quality optics but I think I will pay off medical bills this year. Next year I will build my home addition. In two or three years I may buy a new car if America or any country starts being a leader in building quality, alternative, fuel efficient automobiles.
I am doing well on Day 3 Cycle 2 of treatment. I did have some tinnitus in my left ear yesterday. I was able to manage the ringing by doing an arm balance and then a headstand. My Reiki friend reminds me now and then to “get into your body”. If I have a ringing in my ears again I will try my standard mantra first but standing on my head is a fun option and helps to build core strength, spine alignment, and the way I do head stands, shoulder and arm strength.
Peace and Love,
Jack Burton
"What won't come out anymore!"
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Last Friday, Dr. Goodknife’s gorgeous assistants Inga and Artemis II, I met Another Patient, Spring is Near.
Hi!
Last Friday I saw Dr. Goodknife for a follow up to my Anterior Cruciate Revision with Post Medial Corner Repair on my left knee. What that means is my surgeon performed some very, real, orthopedic surgeon magic on me. Dr Goodknife is a magician with cordless power tools, sharp objects, and hardware. I credit Dr. Goodknife with being very skillful, hard working, and incredibly lucky. After all, my knee operation on November 1 preceded my intense spinal headaches on November 2. Dr. Goodknife had me go back to see the anesthesiologist group on my follow up on November 13. My anesthesiologist, Dr. Morpheus administered the epidural blood patch the week before Thanksgiving which caused the right side of my body to seize like a 34 inch, hatchery, steelhead that had been clubbed on the back of the head. Two working days later I was whisked to the emergency room by an angel and two days after that I had a big chunk of tumor removed by Dr. Frankenstone in an emergency craniotomy procedure the day before Thanksgiving.
I do not know about you, but I fatigue reviewing ancient history. Friday I met Inga, Dr. Goodknife’s, gorgeous, physician assistant. It has been since my operation on November 1 that I had seen Inga. I have given Inga her name because she reminds me of the Teri Garr character in the 1974 movie, “Young Frankenstein”. Inga is funny, attractive, skillful, and has a great sense of humor. Inga is also in a relationship as are many good people. Inga is an asset to Dr. Goodknife's team. Lucky me, I have a follow up for my knee surgery in six weeks.
I am smiling thinking about visiting with Dr. Goodknife, Inga, and Dr. Goodknife's nurse, Artemis II. Artemis II makes me feel good inside like I am a good and meaningful part of this world. Artemis II has a delightful smile that reminds me the sun is shining and the song birds are playing and working in the longer days of the warm, Spring sunshine.
Saturday my mom and I drove to town and met another brain tumor patient and his wife. They are both wonderful people. It is nice sharing with people who are experiencing much the same types of things as my mother and I am. They started a blog as well, www.philography.blogspot.com. That is only partially true. There blog inspired me to start this blog. We all will be getting together again soon. I am looking forward to sharing the McKenzie Bridge area to all that are brave and sturdy enough to endure the wilds of the Oregon Cascade Mountain Range.
Sunday I rode my commuter bike 35 miles to the end of Cougar Reservoir, did a little work for my work, and worked around my yard a bit. I have to tell my physicians that I have not worked myself into enough oxygen debt riding to cause me to feel “panicky” riding. I wonder if it is I am backing off early, I am not training for a 100 mile mountain bike race, or if having the tumor removed from my skull is responsible for me being able to feel better riding. The snow is melting and the song birds are returning up here in McKenzie Bridge, Oregon. There is still some snow on Auferheide(Forest Road 19) along with rock slides and tree blow down. Spring is near.
Last Friday I saw Dr. Goodknife for a follow up to my Anterior Cruciate Revision with Post Medial Corner Repair on my left knee. What that means is my surgeon performed some very, real, orthopedic surgeon magic on me. Dr Goodknife is a magician with cordless power tools, sharp objects, and hardware. I credit Dr. Goodknife with being very skillful, hard working, and incredibly lucky. After all, my knee operation on November 1 preceded my intense spinal headaches on November 2. Dr. Goodknife had me go back to see the anesthesiologist group on my follow up on November 13. My anesthesiologist, Dr. Morpheus administered the epidural blood patch the week before Thanksgiving which caused the right side of my body to seize like a 34 inch, hatchery, steelhead that had been clubbed on the back of the head. Two working days later I was whisked to the emergency room by an angel and two days after that I had a big chunk of tumor removed by Dr. Frankenstone in an emergency craniotomy procedure the day before Thanksgiving.
I do not know about you, but I fatigue reviewing ancient history. Friday I met Inga, Dr. Goodknife’s, gorgeous, physician assistant. It has been since my operation on November 1 that I had seen Inga. I have given Inga her name because she reminds me of the Teri Garr character in the 1974 movie, “Young Frankenstein”. Inga is funny, attractive, skillful, and has a great sense of humor. Inga is also in a relationship as are many good people. Inga is an asset to Dr. Goodknife's team. Lucky me, I have a follow up for my knee surgery in six weeks.
I am smiling thinking about visiting with Dr. Goodknife, Inga, and Dr. Goodknife's nurse, Artemis II. Artemis II makes me feel good inside like I am a good and meaningful part of this world. Artemis II has a delightful smile that reminds me the sun is shining and the song birds are playing and working in the longer days of the warm, Spring sunshine.
Saturday my mom and I drove to town and met another brain tumor patient and his wife. They are both wonderful people. It is nice sharing with people who are experiencing much the same types of things as my mother and I am. They started a blog as well, www.philography.blogspot.com. That is only partially true. There blog inspired me to start this blog. We all will be getting together again soon. I am looking forward to sharing the McKenzie Bridge area to all that are brave and sturdy enough to endure the wilds of the Oregon Cascade Mountain Range.
Sunday I rode my commuter bike 35 miles to the end of Cougar Reservoir, did a little work for my work, and worked around my yard a bit. I have to tell my physicians that I have not worked myself into enough oxygen debt riding to cause me to feel “panicky” riding. I wonder if it is I am backing off early, I am not training for a 100 mile mountain bike race, or if having the tumor removed from my skull is responsible for me being able to feel better riding. The snow is melting and the song birds are returning up here in McKenzie Bridge, Oregon. There is still some snow on Auferheide(Forest Road 19) along with rock slides and tree blow down. Spring is near.
I have not been consistent with my feelings towards Spring in this post. I did see snow yesterday fall from the sky from my office window. I did sit in the rain yesterday evening in Cougar Hot Springs with my friend and licenced massage therapist, Isis Goodhands.
Peace and Love,
Jack Burton
“Like I tell my wife, I only drive as fast as I can see.”
Sunday, March 16, 2008
The Wizard of Oz, Do I Put Goddesses on a Pedestal, I Forget, Keep Sending the Energy, Iggy Pop, Frequency and Verbosity
Kahe,
Kahe is an Apsaaloke greeting.
Friday night I was honored to take my mother to an Upstart Crow production of “The Wizard of Oz.” at the Wildish Theater in Springfield, Oregon. My daughter, Taylor played the role of the Scarecrow delightfully. I was filled with love to hear Taylor sing the lyrics to “If I Only Had a Brain.” There is irony hearing this song sang from Taylor. Taylor is an honor student, planner, and problem solver extraordinaire. Taylor is a beautiful dancer and flopped around like “The Scarecrow” magically. I am filled with love remembering Taylor’s inspired performance.
I was fortunate to sit by Artemis’ mother for half of the show and Artemis’ daughter for half of the show. You may remember my ex-girlfriend Artemis from previous blog entries as the beautiful, goddess that drove up from Springfield, to McKenzie Bridge the night of intense headaches, seizures, and vomiting. The goddess loaded up my body in her SUV and drove me to the Emergency Room at Sacred Heart Medical Center in Eugene, Oregon over an hour away from my home. She pushed me through the zoo the ER was that evening and was influential in convincing me to have the emergency brain surgery Wednesday night. Remember, “There is nothing surgery nor drugs cannot make worse”, Jack Burton.
Fortunately I have very little memory of my pain from before surgery. I do remember Artemis’ selfless act of kindness that saved my life. “Our inability to forget is far more devastating than our inability to remember. When I was younger, I could remember everything whether it happened or not. Now, I only remember the things that never happened”, Mark Twain as I remember.
Iggy Pop Lyrics as re-arranged and modified by Jack Burton,
"I'm glad I am crazy, it keeps me trying
I am skeptical of the trendies, I know they're lying
If you keep sending me positive energy I will use it positively.
The birds will sing a sweet melody in a couple of green indifferent trees
The sun will shine and give us a hug
The world will sing like a happy bug
You are going to know how fine you are
I am going to write your name on a violet star
I will use all the energy available to me
to produce a good result for the world, us, and me."
Keep Sending the Energy to me and others. I feel the energy and I am using it as effectively as my abilities let me. I am awary of energy as prayers, thoughts, feelings, actions, and I feel a positive intention like love makes the energy very useable. I do want to give back to you all in a positive, measurable manner. I plan on more frequent and less verbose blog entries. I do have material I can develop quickly that should be a quick, entertaining, in-offensive, inspirational, read for you all. I may throw in a thought provoking dig every now and then but if you want some real slanted views of the world I recommend the Fox network or Comedy Central. I shall endeavor to make most posts briefer than this one so you can quickly see that your thoughts and prayers worked and I am posting. Topics in the near future will be Dr. Goodknife’s gorgeous assistant, I met Another Patient, Politics Religion and Sex, Spring is Near.
It is not about me. It is about life.
Peace and Love,
Jack Burton
“Like I tell my wife, I only drive as fast as I can see.”
Kahe is an Apsaaloke greeting.
Friday night I was honored to take my mother to an Upstart Crow production of “The Wizard of Oz.” at the Wildish Theater in Springfield, Oregon. My daughter, Taylor played the role of the Scarecrow delightfully. I was filled with love to hear Taylor sing the lyrics to “If I Only Had a Brain.” There is irony hearing this song sang from Taylor. Taylor is an honor student, planner, and problem solver extraordinaire. Taylor is a beautiful dancer and flopped around like “The Scarecrow” magically. I am filled with love remembering Taylor’s inspired performance.
I was fortunate to sit by Artemis’ mother for half of the show and Artemis’ daughter for half of the show. You may remember my ex-girlfriend Artemis from previous blog entries as the beautiful, goddess that drove up from Springfield, to McKenzie Bridge the night of intense headaches, seizures, and vomiting. The goddess loaded up my body in her SUV and drove me to the Emergency Room at Sacred Heart Medical Center in Eugene, Oregon over an hour away from my home. She pushed me through the zoo the ER was that evening and was influential in convincing me to have the emergency brain surgery Wednesday night. Remember, “There is nothing surgery nor drugs cannot make worse”, Jack Burton.
Fortunately I have very little memory of my pain from before surgery. I do remember Artemis’ selfless act of kindness that saved my life. “Our inability to forget is far more devastating than our inability to remember. When I was younger, I could remember everything whether it happened or not. Now, I only remember the things that never happened”, Mark Twain as I remember.
Iggy Pop Lyrics as re-arranged and modified by Jack Burton,
"I'm glad I am crazy, it keeps me trying
I am skeptical of the trendies, I know they're lying
If you keep sending me positive energy I will use it positively.
The birds will sing a sweet melody in a couple of green indifferent trees
The sun will shine and give us a hug
The world will sing like a happy bug
You are going to know how fine you are
I am going to write your name on a violet star
I will use all the energy available to me
to produce a good result for the world, us, and me."
Keep Sending the Energy to me and others. I feel the energy and I am using it as effectively as my abilities let me. I am awary of energy as prayers, thoughts, feelings, actions, and I feel a positive intention like love makes the energy very useable. I do want to give back to you all in a positive, measurable manner. I plan on more frequent and less verbose blog entries. I do have material I can develop quickly that should be a quick, entertaining, in-offensive, inspirational, read for you all. I may throw in a thought provoking dig every now and then but if you want some real slanted views of the world I recommend the Fox network or Comedy Central. I shall endeavor to make most posts briefer than this one so you can quickly see that your thoughts and prayers worked and I am posting. Topics in the near future will be Dr. Goodknife’s gorgeous assistant, I met Another Patient, Politics Religion and Sex, Spring is Near.
It is not about me. It is about life.
Peace and Love,
Jack Burton
“Like I tell my wife, I only drive as fast as I can see.”
Thursday, March 13, 2008
My Powerful Car, California Sunrises, Back In The UCSFMC, Thank You For The Energy, Daily Yoga, Everything Is Good, An Army May Be Likened To Water
Aloha,
I drove back from San Francisco last night. I love my powerful, black, fine, German automobile with the Bose Stereo and heated leather seats.
I stayed this week in Lake Wildwood, California. I was fortunate to see a few beautiful California sunrises over the rolling Sierra Nevada foothills.
I took two blood tests yesterday at the University of California, San Francisco Medical Center (UCSFMC). One was a pre-taking my clinical trial drug blood test. I then took my drugs after the RN validated with a pharmacist that the drugs I was taking were really the drugs in the clinical trial. Four other blood tests were for some genetic research and “normal” blood labs. I then took some written tests and met with my oncologist Dr. Chang and her nurse, Anne.
I felt a little apologetic for a moment. My father, his friend, and Dr. Chang all agreed that I take too long, and I am more descriptive than necessary when explaining how things work and why I do things. I was explaining why I put my Weekly Pill Case with Daily Doors in a zip lock baggy. I do this because even if a daily pill door opens unintentionally, the pills remain in the bag and not scattered in a parking lot or in carpet fibers. You see their point? The baggy was my Mom’s idea.
OK, Dr. Chang was listening to me breathe as I was laughing and trying to defend my verbosity. I felt so bad knowing that I unintentionally blasted Dr. Chang’s ears with a burst of laughter. Hopefully Dr. Chang will not try to get me back by prescribing me something that will make me vote in November. Dr. Chang and I are very grateful for the positive energy you all have been channeling to me in the form of prayers, well wishes, kind thoughts, and kind deeds. Thank you for the energy and I am enjoying the benefits.
I was doing my daily yoga and thought of you all and thought I would share. My daily yoga can be, and is generally quite simple. It involves me engaging the bandhas when I walk to get a Florida Orange Juice not from concentrate from the refrigerator. I practice my breathing and actually seem to become lighter with good breathing practice. I became very good at breathing when I busted up my back and ribs last June. I also practice my mantra when my head is cluttered with "noise" and I want to concentrate.
Everything is good. Clinically, I have no symptoms of active tumor growth. I have no neurological symptomatic adverse reactions to the surgery, radiation or to the chemo therapy. None of my other body systems seem to be adversely effected by this experience.
I am healthy other than the hair loss, peripheral nerve damage on the right side of my forehead, and some lymph swelling due to poor drainage lateral to my right eye.. These symptoms should be temporary according to my doctors. One of my oncologists has shared that some adverse effects can show up later but my tolerance of the initial therapy is a good prognosis for future effects of treatment. I like and trust my docs.
Weaknesses and Strengths #27, "Sun Tzu The Art of War".
"Now an army may be likened to water, for just as flowing water avoids the heights and hastens to the lowlands, so an army avoids strength and strikes weakness."
Peace and Love,
Jack Burton
"When I was younger, I could remember everything whether it happened or not. Lately, I can only remember things that never happened." Mark Twain
I drove back from San Francisco last night. I love my powerful, black, fine, German automobile with the Bose Stereo and heated leather seats.
I stayed this week in Lake Wildwood, California. I was fortunate to see a few beautiful California sunrises over the rolling Sierra Nevada foothills.
I took two blood tests yesterday at the University of California, San Francisco Medical Center (UCSFMC). One was a pre-taking my clinical trial drug blood test. I then took my drugs after the RN validated with a pharmacist that the drugs I was taking were really the drugs in the clinical trial. Four other blood tests were for some genetic research and “normal” blood labs. I then took some written tests and met with my oncologist Dr. Chang and her nurse, Anne.
I felt a little apologetic for a moment. My father, his friend, and Dr. Chang all agreed that I take too long, and I am more descriptive than necessary when explaining how things work and why I do things. I was explaining why I put my Weekly Pill Case with Daily Doors in a zip lock baggy. I do this because even if a daily pill door opens unintentionally, the pills remain in the bag and not scattered in a parking lot or in carpet fibers. You see their point? The baggy was my Mom’s idea.
OK, Dr. Chang was listening to me breathe as I was laughing and trying to defend my verbosity. I felt so bad knowing that I unintentionally blasted Dr. Chang’s ears with a burst of laughter. Hopefully Dr. Chang will not try to get me back by prescribing me something that will make me vote in November. Dr. Chang and I are very grateful for the positive energy you all have been channeling to me in the form of prayers, well wishes, kind thoughts, and kind deeds. Thank you for the energy and I am enjoying the benefits.
I was doing my daily yoga and thought of you all and thought I would share. My daily yoga can be, and is generally quite simple. It involves me engaging the bandhas when I walk to get a Florida Orange Juice not from concentrate from the refrigerator. I practice my breathing and actually seem to become lighter with good breathing practice. I became very good at breathing when I busted up my back and ribs last June. I also practice my mantra when my head is cluttered with "noise" and I want to concentrate.
Everything is good. Clinically, I have no symptoms of active tumor growth. I have no neurological symptomatic adverse reactions to the surgery, radiation or to the chemo therapy. None of my other body systems seem to be adversely effected by this experience.
I am healthy other than the hair loss, peripheral nerve damage on the right side of my forehead, and some lymph swelling due to poor drainage lateral to my right eye.. These symptoms should be temporary according to my doctors. One of my oncologists has shared that some adverse effects can show up later but my tolerance of the initial therapy is a good prognosis for future effects of treatment. I like and trust my docs.
Weaknesses and Strengths #27, "Sun Tzu The Art of War".
"Now an army may be likened to water, for just as flowing water avoids the heights and hastens to the lowlands, so an army avoids strength and strikes weakness."
Peace and Love,
Jack Burton
"When I was younger, I could remember everything whether it happened or not. Lately, I can only remember things that never happened." Mark Twain
Friday, March 7, 2008
March 7, 2008 I feel good, Belknap Bridge, Spring is in the Air, Investing in the Future
Aloha!
It has been awhile since I last posted but I feel good. Mom and Dad are visiting me. Well, they have been doing more than visiting. I'll tell you, senior labor is even better than child labor or illegal imigrant labor.
Next week I have some special blood work in San Francisco.
I saw a female mallard duck and what looked like a pin tail duck swimming in the McKenzie River above Belknap Bridge yesterday in the afternoon sun. Belknap Bridge is the pretty, wooden, white covered bridge near the King Castle Trail Head. I was riding quickly and practicing using reference points as I rode. I did not see obvious trout signs like bug hatches, fish feeding, osprey soaring, or Great Blue Heron hunting.
Spring is in the air. I believe the bugs and the rainbow trout will soon be hatching and feeding in the warmth of the new season. I will be fly fishing soon. It is time for me to buy a fishing license and wade in the cool, waters, of the McKenzie River.
I may invest in some guide quality, gore-tex, fishing waders this season. I feel good investing in those I love including myself. I have learned very much in the last 45 years. I am anticipating another wonderful, 45 years of growth. No one knows what tomorrow will bring. I am living today, remembering the goodness of the past, and planning a beautiful future. I feel very strong.
Peace and Love,
It has been awhile since I last posted but I feel good. Mom and Dad are visiting me. Well, they have been doing more than visiting. I'll tell you, senior labor is even better than child labor or illegal imigrant labor.
Next week I have some special blood work in San Francisco.
I saw a female mallard duck and what looked like a pin tail duck swimming in the McKenzie River above Belknap Bridge yesterday in the afternoon sun. Belknap Bridge is the pretty, wooden, white covered bridge near the King Castle Trail Head. I was riding quickly and practicing using reference points as I rode. I did not see obvious trout signs like bug hatches, fish feeding, osprey soaring, or Great Blue Heron hunting.
Spring is in the air. I believe the bugs and the rainbow trout will soon be hatching and feeding in the warmth of the new season. I will be fly fishing soon. It is time for me to buy a fishing license and wade in the cool, waters, of the McKenzie River.
I may invest in some guide quality, gore-tex, fishing waders this season. I feel good investing in those I love including myself. I have learned very much in the last 45 years. I am anticipating another wonderful, 45 years of growth. No one knows what tomorrow will bring. I am living today, remembering the goodness of the past, and planning a beautiful future. I feel very strong.
Peace and Love,
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