Hello!
I had a good week last week. I had triumphs at work, triumphs, in my community, triumphs with friends, triumphs with family, triumphs with friends, triumphs with strangers.
At work I solved a problem in the way my boss, Stephen Albert Einstein Hawking, said was brilliant. I work with the most extraordinary, brilliant, clever people and sometimes I wonder why and how I am a part of the group. I do not wonder very often because I have my moments and I intend to make the extraordinary brilliant moments, common place for our group. We have a saying, “We can deliver the impossible by this Friday. A miracle may take a little bit longer.”
A friend of mine said a really nice lady in the neighborhood was having difficulty with her computer that no one including the computer vendor, her internet service provider (ISP) and other experts could not fix. I told her that I am a software programmer and I am not an expert in other parts of the computer. I often refer to my work’s computer experts when I have computer problems of my own.
I went over to the ladies home after work one evening and found that her computer was an Apple. I have not worked on an Apple this millennium but Apples are supposed to be more intuitive than PC’s I have been told. Her browser could not connect to the internet but her email could. After about an hour I found a section of the browser configuration that was “hard coded” and I decided to let Apple do the figuring out for itself. She was on the internet by the time I left and she showed me a short cut through my neighbors yard. I live out in the woods so our yards look mostly like forest because the forest is what are yards are.
I was feeling a little funky the other morning and called up a friend and was instantly de-funktified. I have not felt emotionally funky since being released from the hospital. I was only funked up for about 15 minutes so beware, if I feel funky, you may be called upon for cleansing defunktification. I triumphed by letting my friend feel good helping me. I probably could have defunked myself by standing on my head but I thought I would make a friend feel good that morning. A day without standing on your head is like a day without fresh squeezed, Florida Orange Juice, not from concentrate.
I had very nice conversations with my folks and finished a gorgeous puzzle this week we started together. The puzzle shows a Native American Spiritual Scene with Mother Earth looking into a crystal ball with a Great White Buffalo in the ball. Mom is going to frame and mat the puzzle when I go to Lake Wildwood and San Francisco in May.
I went to Sisters, Oregon this weekend and I had just finished purchasing some gasoline. A lady came charging into the Sisters General Store and Gas Station and told the owner that she had ripped off her muffler on one of the gasoline truck refuel manhole things. The distraught driver asked if the station had a mechanic. The owner of the General Store said no but the Shell Station about a quarter of a mile away did.
I looked the lady in the eye and said, “I am not an ASE Certified Mechanic but if you would like, I will look at your car.” She said, “I love you. Don’t tell my husband.” The lady had a way cool, newer, silver, Mustang with dual exhaust. One of the exhausts was dragging on the pavement. I asked her how long she had been driving and she had been driving for two hours. I knew the exhaust was going to be hot, hot, hot. I put on a pair of gloves Artemis had bought me on one of her trips to Alaska. I also found a piece of cardboard to prevent melting my gloves onto my baby bottom smooth, yet manly, strong, skillful, and powerful hands.
I crawled and maneuvered my body so I could get a look at the exhaust pipe. It was broken clean off just behind the catalytic converter. I told her I could not fix the broken exhaust but a mechanic might be able to. I told her she had a nice exhaust system and it would probably be more cost effective to fix the broken exhaust pipe that to replace the exhaust system. I told her I may be able to fix the broken exhaust with asbestos duct tape but I am clean out of asbestos duct tape.
I told her that if we had a length of wire, like a coat hanger, I could probably fix the exhaust so she could at least make it to a real mechanic. She was jiggy with the wire idea.
The driver and her daughter helped me find a length of wire, a 4X4, and some two by fours. The wood the ladies gave me helped me position and hold the heavy, hot, wriggly, exhaust system while I was trying to position and fasten the nearly too short length of wire. After about a half an hour, I got the exhaust system tied up and I followed the driver to the Shell station.
The driver asked me how much she owed me. I told her, “What you can do for me is to get to wherever you are going safely.”
I read something by Deepak Chopra that hit me as pretty cool. The universe is infinite in all directions, so no matter where you go, you are the center of the universe.
I am starting to do yoga at the Vida McKenzie Community Center on Tuesday Evenings. It is pretty cool doing yoga with my neighbors. They are newer practioners which is fun for me on many levels.
Be well, Peace and Love.
Jack “The Vulture” Burton
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
The Traffic, Tuesday’s UC San Francisco Results, Comfort, Vultures and Deer Poop, Stress, Fear Is For Others, Work is Good
I had a very full day at the University of California, San Francisco Medical Center on Tuesday. A good friend put my mother and I up for the night in the East Bay, drove me to my MRI, and kept my mom company all day. My MRI took over two hours. We did not complete my doctors visits, blood tests, nurse interviews, and other exams until after 4 PM. I was at the MRI building at 10 AM. We left the East Bay at a quarter to 9 AM. The traffic in the San Francisco Bay Area is phenomenal. A colony of carpenter ants in the jungles of Panama have nothing on the traffic activity of the East Bay. Fortunately we had three people in our car and could take advantage of our car pool to get around the 40 minute backup at the Bay Bridge.
My friend did get me to the church on time. Offering us his home to stay for the evening and his expert driving. His kindness has been very comforting for me and my family.
I have a new Neuro Surgeon Fellow from Quebec, Canada. She read the MRI and my treatment has been effective in arresting the growth of the tumor. The tumor has not “miraculously disappeared” as I have been visualizing, but I am working on that.
I have been visualizing condors and vultures carrying away dead cells from my skull effortlessly soaring on the thermals of love available to me from my friends, family, and community. I may need to develop a more active visualization like my dog eating active tumor cells the way he eats deer poop I am getting skilled at visualizing positive changes in my skull.
I told my Drs. I was able to get my heart rate up to 185 beats per minute and I had no difficulty recovering my heart rate back to aerobic levels. My Drs. expressed some concern about my exercise intensity. They cautioned that me exercising above my lactic acid threshold rate increases the possibility of a seizure. My Drs. did not forbid me from exercising intensely and I do plan on continuing to find where my maximum heart rate is going to be. I also informed my Drs. how I manage tinnitus with using simple mantras or standing on my head. Sometimes I think my docs do not know what to think of me.
I had a bit of a shock on Tuesday when I tried to refill my drugs. My drug copay changed from about $40 a month to $582 a month. Wow! I think this error is going to be worked out between me, my employer, and my insurance company. This type of expense can be stressful but nothing scares me. No problem is so complex that it cannot be worked out in a mutually satisfying manner. I will be starting chemo this cycle two days later than planned but that should not be an issue in my overall health outcome.
Today I started work at 6 AM and stopped working a little after 5:30 PM. My brain is strong, flexible, and powerful. The space between my ears feels good. My ability to concentrate is back. Work is good.
I am going to enjoy the rest of the evening with my father.
Peace and Love,
Jack Burton
4/16/2008 8:12 PM Pacific Daylight Time
My friend did get me to the church on time. Offering us his home to stay for the evening and his expert driving. His kindness has been very comforting for me and my family.
I have a new Neuro Surgeon Fellow from Quebec, Canada. She read the MRI and my treatment has been effective in arresting the growth of the tumor. The tumor has not “miraculously disappeared” as I have been visualizing, but I am working on that.
I have been visualizing condors and vultures carrying away dead cells from my skull effortlessly soaring on the thermals of love available to me from my friends, family, and community. I may need to develop a more active visualization like my dog eating active tumor cells the way he eats deer poop I am getting skilled at visualizing positive changes in my skull.
I told my Drs. I was able to get my heart rate up to 185 beats per minute and I had no difficulty recovering my heart rate back to aerobic levels. My Drs. expressed some concern about my exercise intensity. They cautioned that me exercising above my lactic acid threshold rate increases the possibility of a seizure. My Drs. did not forbid me from exercising intensely and I do plan on continuing to find where my maximum heart rate is going to be. I also informed my Drs. how I manage tinnitus with using simple mantras or standing on my head. Sometimes I think my docs do not know what to think of me.
I had a bit of a shock on Tuesday when I tried to refill my drugs. My drug copay changed from about $40 a month to $582 a month. Wow! I think this error is going to be worked out between me, my employer, and my insurance company. This type of expense can be stressful but nothing scares me. No problem is so complex that it cannot be worked out in a mutually satisfying manner. I will be starting chemo this cycle two days later than planned but that should not be an issue in my overall health outcome.
Today I started work at 6 AM and stopped working a little after 5:30 PM. My brain is strong, flexible, and powerful. The space between my ears feels good. My ability to concentrate is back. Work is good.
I am going to enjoy the rest of the evening with my father.
Peace and Love,
Jack Burton
4/16/2008 8:12 PM Pacific Daylight Time
Saturday, April 12, 2008
185 bpm at Barbie Camp, Sacred Heart Medical Center, California, Trailers, Barbie Camp, Turkeys, MRI on Tax Day
Last weekend I went camping and mountain biking near Sisters, Oregon at the Disciples of Dirt (DOD) semi annual Barbie Camp. It was fun. It also snowed on us. I saw Tim brand at least three people. On Sunday’s ride I got my heart rate up to 185 beats per minute. My lactic acid threshold rate is improving as well as my maximum heart rate.
Tuesday I had a blood test. I dropped by 6 Main South at Sacred Heart Medical Center. I was pleased I was able to say thank you and hug thee of my caregivers that took care of me before and after my brain surgery. They remembered me and my family too. Sacred Heart has very fine care givers. I saw the two furies and nurse thumb screws. They are very good people and excellent nurses.
I used some airline miles and flew back to California Tuesday night. It is nice to be back here in Lake Wildwood with my folks and my dogs.
Yesterday I got in some afternoon golf and I am going to make up the work time today after I finish my blog entry. I saw some beautiful, wild turkeys on the golf course. There feathers shine iridescently in the sun this time of year. Turkey are gorgeous animals and represent Mother Earth’s abundance among many other beautiful, wise, and wondrous things.
I am in the market for two trailers. A utility trailer to haul wood and rock from the national forest to my home. I am also in the market for a trailer for my bicycle. The bicycle trailer is mostly for hauling my golf clubs to the 3 miles to the golf range and back this summer. There is also some excellent camping I can do and I think Mojo and I will do some bicycle camping up on Horse Pasture Saddle Mountain this summer and star gaze if Mojo is fit enough. If Mojo is not fit enough to do the 20 mile ride we’ll camp at the trail head and do the three mile hike to the summit. 20 miles is a good jaunt for a 10 year old German Shepherd Dog and I do not want to hurt the good, old, boy.
Tuesday I have my follow up MRI at the University of California, San Francisco Medical Center. I am interested in the results of this MRI. I will report back to this site what the Drs. tell me even if they report something like, “Jack, miraculously, there is no evidence of a tumor ever being inside of your skull except for that big, sexy scar on the ride side of your noggin and the big giant medical bills, lost work, and transportation costs.
Peace and Love,
Jack Burton
Tuesday I had a blood test. I dropped by 6 Main South at Sacred Heart Medical Center. I was pleased I was able to say thank you and hug thee of my caregivers that took care of me before and after my brain surgery. They remembered me and my family too. Sacred Heart has very fine care givers. I saw the two furies and nurse thumb screws. They are very good people and excellent nurses.
I used some airline miles and flew back to California Tuesday night. It is nice to be back here in Lake Wildwood with my folks and my dogs.
Yesterday I got in some afternoon golf and I am going to make up the work time today after I finish my blog entry. I saw some beautiful, wild turkeys on the golf course. There feathers shine iridescently in the sun this time of year. Turkey are gorgeous animals and represent Mother Earth’s abundance among many other beautiful, wise, and wondrous things.
I am in the market for two trailers. A utility trailer to haul wood and rock from the national forest to my home. I am also in the market for a trailer for my bicycle. The bicycle trailer is mostly for hauling my golf clubs to the 3 miles to the golf range and back this summer. There is also some excellent camping I can do and I think Mojo and I will do some bicycle camping up on Horse Pasture Saddle Mountain this summer and star gaze if Mojo is fit enough. If Mojo is not fit enough to do the 20 mile ride we’ll camp at the trail head and do the three mile hike to the summit. 20 miles is a good jaunt for a 10 year old German Shepherd Dog and I do not want to hurt the good, old, boy.
Tuesday I have my follow up MRI at the University of California, San Francisco Medical Center. I am interested in the results of this MRI. I will report back to this site what the Drs. tell me even if they report something like, “Jack, miraculously, there is no evidence of a tumor ever being inside of your skull except for that big, sexy scar on the ride side of your noggin and the big giant medical bills, lost work, and transportation costs.
Peace and Love,
Jack Burton
Saturday, March 22, 2008
180 Beats per Minute, Turkey Power, Vulture Totem, Cheap Binoculars, Day 3 Cycle 2, Standing on My Head
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!"
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!"
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
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