tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32946423672252825662024-02-07T15:54:24.180-08:00AML LogAcute Myeloid Leukemia Log
Now featuring my new bonus disease, chronic Graft Versus HostMike Callahanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10498617408017798673noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3294642367225282566.post-73201055749180461302010-09-13T13:43:00.000-07:002010-09-13T14:20:38.514-07:00Last Post to this Blog I Hope<div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg97mhv0XqFiNqVflFGWSIGmRnqae2KHUlqF_819UCOhbXGpwg_p9NbP13oNNGvMm2IfvVEBA28lyuTDMf1ejVmKtzam2IRSp2t8hG4YuXnxqxixuwDGJO2diog5kGOk9N0lsvtauSBJCO6/s1600/Mixer.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg97mhv0XqFiNqVflFGWSIGmRnqae2KHUlqF_819UCOhbXGpwg_p9NbP13oNNGvMm2IfvVEBA28lyuTDMf1ejVmKtzam2IRSp2t8hG4YuXnxqxixuwDGJO2diog5kGOk9N0lsvtauSBJCO6/s400/Mixer.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516509796147195426" /></a><div><div style="text-align: center;"><u><i>Now I have Billie mixing concrete for our new front porch at Hazelwood. Notice my new bench modeled after the ones my dad made. </i></u></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg97mhv0XqFiNqVflFGWSIGmRnqae2KHUlqF_819UCOhbXGpwg_p9NbP13oNNGvMm2IfvVEBA28lyuTDMf1ejVmKtzam2IRSp2t8hG4YuXnxqxixuwDGJO2diog5kGOk9N0lsvtauSBJCO6/s1600/Mixer.jpg"></a><br /> This blog is my diary about my experience with cancer. For now I think the cancer is behind me. I will surely revive the blog if and when the cancer comes back. As far as I can guess that is about a 50 50 chance in cases like mine at this stage. My odds get better in time. There are many who live long lives after a stem cell transplant and I hope I am one of those. I could keep posting here but I would have to change the title to the cGVHD log because that is what my issues are all about now as far as my health is concerned. Besides that, the cancer is kind of a macabre topic after a while and it brings on compassion fatigue for even my most enduring family and friends. If it wasn't me I would be sometimes reluctant to check out this blog for fear that I would be going dust to dust. <div> I have started a new blog <a href="http://random-yarns.blogspot.com/">here</a> that is more general and not so focused on my sickness. There I hope to keep you updated on my various projects. There should be more of the usual writing about cycling, mushrooms, dogs, making and wrecking stuff. I plan on posting a lot of updates about our fixer I'll call the "Hazelwood Project" with gratuitous photos. </div><div><br /></div><div> Time to live it up.</div><div><br /></div><div> Take Care.</div><div><br /></div><div> Mike</div></div>Mike Callahanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10498617408017798673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3294642367225282566.post-13491453507299850002010-08-19T18:02:00.000-07:002010-08-19T19:45:22.165-07:00Crepuscular living<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeTH-5-QEMa_p1pLNyN4gBF0aP5x-6Uyf01cSjBCMOzpNrVKsXMNANj8ZEJHsLrQc7IsMdqRMcCF9B0nYSLRz5C6X_ug5r6kz8cbKKSvd-W227vgCnSS1rZdR5yAT0W_DrQKd27LjxihDQ/s1600/DeBartelo.jpg"></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Zw6bMXplP4QEhuJ8xxOD5oEjJXJzVhjW-t_y-YK8JspFktSdct6rpoHoMHprH7gPWOOZsjxY_v7Suv3s5yjWyF5xaJ8lIrBwo_-AUd_PG8BwsjHd2AdBzpucq2XuMFNWF-U_E-2Tdi29/s1600/Roofer.jpg"></a><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Zw6bMXplP4QEhuJ8xxOD5oEjJXJzVhjW-t_y-YK8JspFktSdct6rpoHoMHprH7gPWOOZsjxY_v7Suv3s5yjWyF5xaJ8lIrBwo_-AUd_PG8BwsjHd2AdBzpucq2XuMFNWF-U_E-2Tdi29/s1600/Roofer.jpg"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Zw6bMXplP4QEhuJ8xxOD5oEjJXJzVhjW-t_y-YK8JspFktSdct6rpoHoMHprH7gPWOOZsjxY_v7Suv3s5yjWyF5xaJ8lIrBwo_-AUd_PG8BwsjHd2AdBzpucq2XuMFNWF-U_E-2Tdi29/s400/Roofer.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507309420138924210" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Billie is hard at work on the roof.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div>People ponder why Meriweather Lewis left a void in his journals during his expedition. Was he depressed? Perhaps he was just a little overwhelmed with his daily life at the time to set aside time for writing. I suspect it was the latter. You can be assured that I am not depressed. Keeping up with life has been using up all my time lately. <div> The usual struggle with Chronic GVH has been a little consuming. My nurse practitioner today said that most people on as much prednisone as I have been on for the last eight months would be in a wheelchair by now. I feel a little encouraged by that. Although I have been riding my bike 35 miles five times a week or more I have not gained much speed. According to my cyclemeter, my best ride for the 35 miles was on March 10th. After so much riding, one usually feels better and can easily drop down a cog comfortably and ride a little faster in a higher gear. My progress has kept me in the same cog for the last six months. Only recently I have been able to comfortably drop a cog a little more often. </div><div> The progress on my bike mirrors the progress my body is making. My blood counts are still low. My liver function numbers are hopping up and down but mostly up which is a little unsettling. Today the lab says my liver is a little better. </div><div> To counter act all this and help make my life a little more normal I have taken a lot of mitigating steps. For sore feet I bought some goofy shoes that rock at the soles to take pressure off my heel and toes. I can stay on my feet a lot longer now. To calm my dry mouth I constantly take sips of water and gulp about two quarts first thing in the morning just to hydrate up. For my dry eyes I have artificial tear drops handy about 30 times a day and vitamin D ointment with steroid drops to boot. I ride with only one eye open because my left eye smarts too much in the wind. For my cracked fingernails I just tape them and forget about it. For nausea I have THC. For dry skin I have moisturizer. For the pain that won't let me stand in bare feet at night I have Vicodin. For fatigue... I just ignore it. For sun I have lots of hats and cover clothes. I stay out of the sun mid day and am mostly active dawn and dusk. </div><div> The thing I like the most is riding my bike at daybreak. My rides take about 2:15 and I start about 06:15 AM. I am slow and wobbly on foot but on the bike I am steady and smooth while I spin 90 +- RPMs in a 47 / 17 ring/cog. Early morning I can stay out of the sun and it is nice and cool when I leave. I am getting acquainted with all the usual riders and runners on the American River Bike trail at that time of the morning. The wildlife is interesting too. There are the turkey flocks that gather in the same spots every day. I regularly see the same coyote loping along near Hagen Park. This coyote has a much shorter coat than the coyotes at Lake Tahoe. He's a beautiful animal. I also see lots of Deer, cottontails, Jackrabbits, Doves, Quail, and all the other crepuscular critters. </div><div> I have been meeting Billie in the evenings after work at our fixer to work. Lately Billie is still doing the roof tear off while I work below. I changed all the locksets and rehung all the exterior doors. The whole house is a 1947 time capsule. It needs lots of work. Billie is satiated from looking at real estate listings. I set up a drip system so I don't have to spend a lot of time watering all the fruit trees. We have an Asian Pear that is making lots of fruit right now. There is also a Mission Fig that is loaded with fruit. We have lots of table grapes too. All the fruit trees have been neglected for a long time and will take a lot of care if they are to come back. </div><div> My home garden is so overgrown that you can't see the frames anymore. We are eating lots of stuff out of it. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeTH-5-QEMa_p1pLNyN4gBF0aP5x-6Uyf01cSjBCMOzpNrVKsXMNANj8ZEJHsLrQc7IsMdqRMcCF9B0nYSLRz5C6X_ug5r6kz8cbKKSvd-W227vgCnSS1rZdR5yAT0W_DrQKd27LjxihDQ/s400/DeBartelo.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507309915443201282" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">DeBartelo tomatoes for sauces.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXxxaxI0EvUIGMINgc5ziuPntEHYZ2WvB9hMwS9ibq2LFRhyUQMmuO6qdpCTxIrI-FhPeh8vew_NFP_VZyTxiBXrq41sRB1vXEFmQ2XUZC2Qbx6qnzNK8heBs7_6TDtPpftIesDzCb21JD/s400/DSC_0036.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507309560651597074" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 317px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><i>These Little Yellow Pear tomatoes are really sweet.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6jrA7f5EtsqCm1C5oNXTRuTe2Pi_b1-Yx4WL_cTDDsQKJjYLtmzdiMFFr2AdwcLlxVoc3NFqkVLvJuFZA8rM_D2Fd17bi-HtRLPKHVT59KZYg6oMlI1SJ0fqaoSHD3nHRL7Zx9Hj3Hkho/s400/grill.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507309656676811058" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px; " /></span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">A little medley I roasted on the grill with a little butter.</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkf3OibDzHMNtax3toqRRhObOoCWz_jFMnT468Zaz38ct0-kXGYN_twxKsoDUJ_AIeKh5sRnjbUgAVmdhg_yqoO18EABc86_EzXeJTzga_DpNMJWsujZTGxQOYfhFJNUxeUU6-wXFJ39ck/s400/Phallus-impudicus.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507309791464231154" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px; " /></span></span></i></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Phallus impudicus on our front lawn</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The cap may look like a morel but it will make you gag if you eat it.</i></div>Mike Callahanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10498617408017798673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3294642367225282566.post-8055506993558706822010-05-26T10:15:00.000-07:002010-06-18T18:25:33.134-07:00Dog days of Sacramento<div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXZXXinpXXZ5a5-pIasDl6sWiR70Xri9Jj9uElErpiSR_rbSA3f2ch8cVyTkRTL08khnBWeeBtGAcFLIw7XkFFyyN9qa1eXRCseeEEX4Oh3_R3iwvMrT6TiLSrNNWxlB8z06xtGg88u9OB/s1600/Single-file-huskies.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-decoration: underline; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXZXXinpXXZ5a5-pIasDl6sWiR70Xri9Jj9uElErpiSR_rbSA3f2ch8cVyTkRTL08khnBWeeBtGAcFLIw7XkFFyyN9qa1eXRCseeEEX4Oh3_R3iwvMrT6TiLSrNNWxlB8z06xtGg88u9OB/s400/Single-file-huskies.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484229891588844594" border="0" /><div style="text-align: center; text-decoration: underline;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">This old Photo from circa 2000 is nice to look at when the temps are rising.</span></i></div></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">My three huskies are pulling me on skis while breaking a really nice trail.</span><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXZXXinpXXZ5a5-pIasDl6sWiR70Xri9Jj9uElErpiSR_rbSA3f2ch8cVyTkRTL08khnBWeeBtGAcFLIw7XkFFyyN9qa1eXRCseeEEX4Oh3_R3iwvMrT6TiLSrNNWxlB8z06xtGg88u9OB/s1600/Single-file-huskies.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"></a><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000ee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000ee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></span></div> It is summer now and a long time since I last posted. This past month has been very eventful to say the least. Since this blog is to document the course of this strange disease among other things I will start with that.<br />My chronic Graft Versus Hose Disease flared up a little a few months back. To quell the flare up, my doctors raised my level of prednisone back to square one which was 90 mg / day. The second round of prednisone therapy started to take a heavier toll on my body. I was having problems with my skin, liver, mouth, eyes, and gut. All of it was bearable and not too serious yet. The strategy is to prevent my new immune system from waking up and attacking me. The increased prednisone should dampen my new immune system and let it have more time getting used to it's new home. The new prednisone regimen seems to be working. I am down to 30 mg / day now. The tapering period is slower than the last round and so far my GVHD has not gotten worse. I might be even a little bit better .<br />I was getting a lot weaker from the side effects. The most unsettling is the body wasting. Even though I was managing to ride my bike a little and get up and out, I felt like I was circling the drain again. The last time I felt so weak was last summer when I was diagnosed with AML.<br />My blood counts are still on the high end of low which is OK enough. My hematocrit which is a measurement of the oxygen carrying capacity of my blood is hanging around 35. A month ago it was near 40. Now my prednisone level has dropped enough that I am back riding my road bike early mornings. I feel my strength rapidly coming back. <br />My eyes have stabilized and don't seem to be getting worse. I have had four visits to the eye doctor and each time they peeled another membrane from my cornea. The membrane is unusual enough that all the residents and the doctor are delighted and excited to look at it and get a chance to do their turn at peeling it off. I get the impression that the last time they did, if ever the procedure, it was on a cadaver in medical school. Imagine what it feels like to have sharp forceps tearing a tenacious membrane from your eye. The first few times I had it done, I couldn't help laughing because I was thinking about all the insults that this disease has thrown at me and here I was enduring one more insult. Ha Ha. From a scientific point of veiw, the progress of the disease and the remedy has been facinating. The fact that it is happening to me makes me ever more curious as to what is next around the corner. It is kind of an adventure for me.<br />I am slowly getting better and could possibly be off the medications and almost normal by next fall but you never know. I am on several online forums with other patients who have GVHD and everyone's case is different. This GVHD thing could go on for years but my doctors tell me that odds are better that my new immune system will adapt and my life could be normal again.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpgeXj8vkONPLChq4OjKd9gIPMVajp1uPbj4bGDlbv2oPdLvagEwb6KJx-GcKH9kpTzEFSCR9WEOLHTrDkx8ILuj12w6T_TiVSTK-Wx_SrTOuapd1q0ZqdNwsi2-jnpYh3rLcGUvirjPHS/s1600/meds.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 397px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpgeXj8vkONPLChq4OjKd9gIPMVajp1uPbj4bGDlbv2oPdLvagEwb6KJx-GcKH9kpTzEFSCR9WEOLHTrDkx8ILuj12w6T_TiVSTK-Wx_SrTOuapd1q0ZqdNwsi2-jnpYh3rLcGUvirjPHS/s400/meds.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484228197999977666" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Morning Meds<br />Prednisone, V-fend, Levaquin, Tacrolimus, Cellcept, Magnesium Oxide,<br />Sulfameth, Vitamin D3, and Valtrex.<br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><br /></div></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRDDWgA6DGAkyPtLkMrBfSo-a8WZbaVf1qpbERj0LdNiNzGisIBUVRCKL-qYiZRFsJk8DMnuXUq38GLzsHQFtmYOC23sMfdpYThfyONlB5NDVxrgar7K3sCR_E5S4Xxl8OnjWmcNHXGNqn/s1600/Unrestrained_1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 354px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRDDWgA6DGAkyPtLkMrBfSo-a8WZbaVf1qpbERj0LdNiNzGisIBUVRCKL-qYiZRFsJk8DMnuXUq38GLzsHQFtmYOC23sMfdpYThfyONlB5NDVxrgar7K3sCR_E5S4Xxl8OnjWmcNHXGNqn/s400/Unrestrained_1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484229666722495938" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Another gratuitious dog photo showing Mojo and Seamus leaving the chute. </span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"> Last month Kit came down from Anchorage and we took a road trip following the Amgen Tour of California for the first four stages.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpuMd6XPYKjmq8DvT5bLohJCzswxFct9XNGo4YLGWlPlu9xRDCxdUsiu3MyvZIyDLRieSULoYb_wEnMKjp1cQxsl82GDK0KriA_F1v6MQRiLGViLJ9Pfhox59o8ZU8tIs-s5dBN2qjire1/s1600/ToC_peloton10SR.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 193px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpuMd6XPYKjmq8DvT5bLohJCzswxFct9XNGo4YLGWlPlu9xRDCxdUsiu3MyvZIyDLRieSULoYb_wEnMKjp1cQxsl82GDK0KriA_F1v6MQRiLGViLJ9Pfhox59o8ZU8tIs-s5dBN2qjire1/s400/ToC_peloton10SR.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475632610208484274" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-style: italic;">This is a photo Kit took of the peloton cresting Sierra Road.<br /></span> <span style="font-style: italic;"> Lance Armstrong is at the far left</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAQoOGVhgtfhj1qj-igmlXPWi03qSrY4JzRxNF_NyVBxAN2e-Weaz-XEeuD65YOMxiHtNaQk-G7xugEeuJZx6oTx5IMZbMurwgbIsboIlYgl7JYBrtN-1MFA_j_iPprRla4maBcGjYLnQB/s1600/Low_Gear_ToC10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 301px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAQoOGVhgtfhj1qj-igmlXPWi03qSrY4JzRxNF_NyVBxAN2e-Weaz-XEeuD65YOMxiHtNaQk-G7xugEeuJZx6oTx5IMZbMurwgbIsboIlYgl7JYBrtN-1MFA_j_iPprRla4maBcGjYLnQB/s400/Low_Gear_ToC10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475629880832233250" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">This is me climbing up the back side of Sierra Road to watch the race. </span> <span style="font-style: italic;"> I don't usually ride mid day so that explains the dorky sun hat. </span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"> We had a chance to visit with Maura and her family before the Bonny Doon stage. Maura's house looks great and the kids and Paul all seem to be thriving.<br />We spent a few nights at Dave Gerrys house in Walnut Creek. Dave took good care of us. We had to go see the puppies nearby that my sister Marianne was raising.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVW6GAXWopaWGsjgsINxbJau6Apv0tjd6EzGpxWrf6To6SE7II65xbDvTdT9t2SPIzXMib2JF1Dft_FHldYZN-GLKACFmLknf5zfJTKq76O4PJ5w1vvaUWYvTotqn3Jjh7wdax2PUc3lBW/s1600/Sabrina&puppy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVW6GAXWopaWGsjgsINxbJau6Apv0tjd6EzGpxWrf6To6SE7II65xbDvTdT9t2SPIzXMib2JF1Dft_FHldYZN-GLKACFmLknf5zfJTKq76O4PJ5w1vvaUWYvTotqn3Jjh7wdax2PUc3lBW/s400/Sabrina&puppy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475629875605557586" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">This is my neice Sabrina with one of the puppies.</span><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIoh-JR8ol3kni8beEFqLzb7FBqiALD4QzwWF6PgguQwLwj4OX9G5KPG590WS8kY-VBA_ALL9sw_XJEIx38KSoj2ALNYLNKzdKi84kUeAyYUWS1wzy5hxwsHAS76OuEgAVsI60HuGe1YVg/s1600/Puppies.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIoh-JR8ol3kni8beEFqLzb7FBqiALD4QzwWF6PgguQwLwj4OX9G5KPG590WS8kY-VBA_ALL9sw_XJEIx38KSoj2ALNYLNKzdKi84kUeAyYUWS1wzy5hxwsHAS76OuEgAVsI60HuGe1YVg/s400/Puppies.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475629865723942082" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">This is the nice puppy pen in Marianne's back porch. </span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"> My dad died on June 7th. He had been suffering for a very long time from dementia to the point that it had been several years since he was able to recognize me. <a href="http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/contracostatimes/obituary.aspx?n=eugene-callahan&pid=143432426">Here</a> us a link to his obit that my brother Gene wrote. I will really miss my dad. The time I spent with my family and friends before and at the funeral was a good thing to help remember him the way he was before he became sick.<br />I always knew the day would come when my brothers and I would fulfill his wish and make a coffin for him. I had been dreading it but when the time came it was actually kind of fun to spend that time with my brothers and my family.<br />After we waited for the mortician to show up and remove my dad's body, the mortician turned to my brothers and I and asked ,<br />"What kind of wood would you like?"<br />Gene said, "Oh, I brought some redwood."<br />The mortician looked a little befuddled with that answer and promptly got on the phone with the boss. He nodded and calmly to be accommadating he agreed. He mentioned in thirty years, only one other family had supplied their own casket and they were cabinetmakers.<br />The next day with some of our tools and a few borrowed from Dave's neighbor we assembled the coffin in Dave's driveway. We had a vision of what we wanted from the shape typical in cowboy movies like "Lonesome Dove". To measure, I laid on the slab of pine we bought and my brothers eyeballed the proportions. The redwood was milled from Gene's property in Fieldbrook on his portable mill. The slab base was fingerjointed pine from Home Depot. <div style="text-align: left;"> We brought the coffin to the funeral home that day. The mortician seemed pleased and asked if we had been working on it for quite a while.<br />Kit said, "Yeah. We started this morning with hangovers at eight oclock and we were done by two".<br /></div> <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWQO8-sK0fh35XlS6dq5lURmjBvVdwz7Z68KPNVFWDlWbQ-4H24BQ7FrODy_wRAvwtuDkeloo7ifrGvb7mx-jX6WrggjCTf_tYo0Bli1PvGs59m4sTGpctFJw15vffF3VAVWIrhfpSefsK/s1600/Dave.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 209px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWQO8-sK0fh35XlS6dq5lURmjBvVdwz7Z68KPNVFWDlWbQ-4H24BQ7FrODy_wRAvwtuDkeloo7ifrGvb7mx-jX6WrggjCTf_tYo0Bli1PvGs59m4sTGpctFJw15vffF3VAVWIrhfpSefsK/s400/Dave.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484266077118120994" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Dave holding up the slab made to cowboy specs.<br />Notice the gnarly calves that Dave is sporting these days.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHmwkF4DSZK-xJmkQBOn_dBavOCW6-btxZJJWG5VChlOAhUYWXcx1uS6Gzw9U7kbqf0CqkbLo_eh4DPtyQJrpe14MlAOyWXwft7H1JOSOpzbN0xtbax1F9uF6yZKnzQWshXLoNjdRKBT_u/s1600/Coffin_makers.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHmwkF4DSZK-xJmkQBOn_dBavOCW6-btxZJJWG5VChlOAhUYWXcx1uS6Gzw9U7kbqf0CqkbLo_eh4DPtyQJrpe14MlAOyWXwft7H1JOSOpzbN0xtbax1F9uF6yZKnzQWshXLoNjdRKBT_u/s400/Coffin_makers.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484269104955301586" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">My brothers installing the rope handles.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiwPMrJ7SwJwidK5W_ZZBO2h9l71PfJSWwsAi1JnXMdBEkwn_bqcjFOOadRoTcvUrmwNyhJ2NNMyUlHcghHLUCFLNYEsAghgtw4AnDPqV8xzUALpcTd18RJxkXVMKi2dfcnn_qRIhNnG_R/s1600/Sanding.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiwPMrJ7SwJwidK5W_ZZBO2h9l71PfJSWwsAi1JnXMdBEkwn_bqcjFOOadRoTcvUrmwNyhJ2NNMyUlHcghHLUCFLNYEsAghgtw4AnDPqV8xzUALpcTd18RJxkXVMKi2dfcnn_qRIhNnG_R/s400/Sanding.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484271321732747266" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-style: italic;">Deni helping with the sanding.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjOtknVVH19hdfaF5oKUVh70f-9GrEvx4H-fDBf7_RM1wz9GgxQwbohFvP7VJzIoqmfuDbqSPBLVQqJpL-Vfk68lyaCZaby15iwO-ga5qY9NATs2q5R-obDzBO4Jkxl-9LndsCnUpIq-FH/s1600/Redwood_Cowboy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjOtknVVH19hdfaF5oKUVh70f-9GrEvx4H-fDBf7_RM1wz9GgxQwbohFvP7VJzIoqmfuDbqSPBLVQqJpL-Vfk68lyaCZaby15iwO-ga5qY9NATs2q5R-obDzBO4Jkxl-9LndsCnUpIq-FH/s400/Redwood_Cowboy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484226895039895314" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">The finished coffin.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicaiVFuTdRfjaj3uQZYZV7c7ZEfZgw-W0SQ10OCI_Xpvxv0o4we0GFpEFUoZZx36a4uIgOGW6FoA5XiWrX6h1siJHQE_KFaBADInzv3jEoG5HqRSXL9_4XqgtFkWT7ZUPHvg_IMfdoKQDi/s1600/On_the_Car.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicaiVFuTdRfjaj3uQZYZV7c7ZEfZgw-W0SQ10OCI_Xpvxv0o4we0GFpEFUoZZx36a4uIgOGW6FoA5XiWrX6h1siJHQE_KFaBADInzv3jEoG5HqRSXL9_4XqgtFkWT7ZUPHvg_IMfdoKQDi/s400/On_the_Car.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484227247000339842" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Loading the coffin onto Genes Car.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8KqO83y_utaDwhl7ffi8BX41sJOTxu0KVpoQqjb9SzcWo6QK4yiSyIQ-i0MvlvgkhcsRsYxnpcbF4-Su63jKGT0Tbqxm9SIsK8kwIvoS3I2dP0zFAHwr3DlJA1mB1zQxhpEaZ1OnzzflK/s1600/Colorguard.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8KqO83y_utaDwhl7ffi8BX41sJOTxu0KVpoQqjb9SzcWo6QK4yiSyIQ-i0MvlvgkhcsRsYxnpcbF4-Su63jKGT0Tbqxm9SIsK8kwIvoS3I2dP0zFAHwr3DlJA1mB1zQxhpEaZ1OnzzflK/s400/Colorguard.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484273499844994322" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">We arranged a colorguard and a bugler to play taps for my dad who was a decorated veteran and survivor of the Battle of the Bulge during the Ardennes campaign in WWII.</span><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"> Our little garden is coming along fine. We are eating stuff from it and there is a lot more to come.<br /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizvDktptlHKgOienaNibQUtCFV9_fub4o9Vm2xyOJjIqDWognzgPpcgU6fsVlxIRd8OV1Hn2Q2qjPNc6yGFQARieoSkd-8FZk3vqYKTR0OfPDxqKlKG80wwTsdUiprsNKMb8V7_mcvISRq/s1600/Garden_10Jun.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizvDktptlHKgOienaNibQUtCFV9_fub4o9Vm2xyOJjIqDWognzgPpcgU6fsVlxIRd8OV1Hn2Q2qjPNc6yGFQARieoSkd-8FZk3vqYKTR0OfPDxqKlKG80wwTsdUiprsNKMb8V7_mcvISRq/s400/Garden_10Jun.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484229537898161122" border="0" /></a> <div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">This is a portion of the garden on June 10th</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-G6yZhDXnVU7XVhRse_NKGRWwq1Tt4EWZQJ_7xbkn5qy2YEweDaydBTKp4mg6uq0gSYTWBqTnD5htpBoeCwfSOegaMQGAtOwBmuDsaR3WY3y4ZKs65CrcPx5R7BCXx8DIqetsbWPk0NNC/s1600/Tahoe_garden_29May.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-G6yZhDXnVU7XVhRse_NKGRWwq1Tt4EWZQJ_7xbkn5qy2YEweDaydBTKp4mg6uq0gSYTWBqTnD5htpBoeCwfSOegaMQGAtOwBmuDsaR3WY3y4ZKs65CrcPx5R7BCXx8DIqetsbWPk0NNC/s400/Tahoe_garden_29May.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484278906252542114" border="0" /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">This is my little Tahoe raised bed with some things that overwintered and a few seedlings I planted a month before.</span></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;"> <br /> Today we put a deposit down on a property in Sacramento. We should be holding the title in about two weeks. It is an old ranch house made in 1947. There are million dollar homes in the same neighborhood. We bought it on a short sale for way less than it is worth but it will need a lot of work too. I have a job now. We plan to convert the River Park house into a rental and move into the new house when we make it livable. It is at 4521 Hazelwood Ave in Sacramento 95821. It is a fixer and will need a lot of work. It is on a half acre and we can have chickens. There are a lot of mature fruit trees too and a small vineyard out back. <br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXvTSc-cFalwcaw1fXVSDZiyDyCHuicrzVAaEgX4IDwnvjyAVD5Z79erOa0m9myekQecs2MZ3XrDx4SH8k0wNepfqkl2Mknhc9iEtKcWodCyv6F4u3NXT_LBITKno59N5ccECqeRpYkYue/s1600/2125_Hazelwood.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXvTSc-cFalwcaw1fXVSDZiyDyCHuicrzVAaEgX4IDwnvjyAVD5Z79erOa0m9myekQecs2MZ3XrDx4SH8k0wNepfqkl2Mknhc9iEtKcWodCyv6F4u3NXT_LBITKno59N5ccECqeRpYkYue/s400/2125_Hazelwood.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484227532471219346" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">This is our new property in the Arden Arcade neighborhood.</span><br /></div></div><br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQC1kXOI2YZIRk1xxdXYj11O7Fl7-PJqPA2On2eZU6U9FWOpKdZM-IdOqpXzMBA67tbRfYf3ev9Qp8TTLfEm5bInDCKUxppE40D0nrpmhm6K288fpeQCKrmAy2Zn7i1_OxBnHOh-iMVWNa/s1600/Ghost_bike.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQC1kXOI2YZIRk1xxdXYj11O7Fl7-PJqPA2On2eZU6U9FWOpKdZM-IdOqpXzMBA67tbRfYf3ev9Qp8TTLfEm5bInDCKUxppE40D0nrpmhm6K288fpeQCKrmAy2Zn7i1_OxBnHOh-iMVWNa/s400/Ghost_bike.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484227820158037442" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">This is a Ghost bike that is near our River Park house where a cyclist was killed last spring. The intersection is poorly designed and it is easy to see how someone could make a fatal mistake. </span><br /></div><br /></div>Mike Callahanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10498617408017798673noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3294642367225282566.post-6228807272721349162010-05-11T11:03:00.000-07:002010-05-12T10:52:04.452-07:00Springtime in Sacramento<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Nu_EJBldFSxjFpRGgVoRaMvQPFjJVNKZ0NhND6oB1dCoWFY9kIGIpOS_1niznJEdw-325yiYDJ5Q-bN-6Cp7eCTpGICIgNyV6-3seTGc_HA9WrtllGCHoHaIKL0UOoPS2YmtxQdLOzP6/s1600/1May10_morels.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Nu_EJBldFSxjFpRGgVoRaMvQPFjJVNKZ0NhND6oB1dCoWFY9kIGIpOS_1niznJEdw-325yiYDJ5Q-bN-6Cp7eCTpGICIgNyV6-3seTGc_HA9WrtllGCHoHaIKL0UOoPS2YmtxQdLOzP6/s400/1May10_morels.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470119766043621970" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 268px; height: 400px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Billie show off some of our bounty from our recent hunt.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div> We had a great day morel hunting. We picked at least ten pounds that dried into about about six quarts of dry mushrooms with a few left to eat fresh and give away fresh. It was a long day. We rose early in able to meet our guide from the Mycological Society of San Francisco. I know that if you go with Norm then he has done a lot of the research about where the "spots" are this spring. Morels fruit after forest fires the following spring. The rain and timing is critical because the window of opportunity is narrow. Early May is the best time to set aside time for the hunt. </div><div> We met Norm at 9:00 Am and caravanned through a maze of forest service roads to the spot. The picking was good. It should still be good for another two weeks depending on the rain and the elevation. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeaJwvyWCuDhF_sF6ApKq8RHGcuenaWRcr1FgyWL9vV8PnGRgGZwD-SIWmafgN_wTPhXEhpCmx_wFeaw_SIq7sDkBhaHmrHGeApb9dsewxY9h7guhYvLCcXIVUxb3oG3xuga6wan5PcqBh/s1600/Unpicked.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeaJwvyWCuDhF_sF6ApKq8RHGcuenaWRcr1FgyWL9vV8PnGRgGZwD-SIWmafgN_wTPhXEhpCmx_wFeaw_SIq7sDkBhaHmrHGeApb9dsewxY9h7guhYvLCcXIVUxb3oG3xuga6wan5PcqBh/s400/Unpicked.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470075678813248706" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Morels just before I picked. </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"> We picked into the afternoon an then hit the road again. I was driving because we needed four wheel drive and the higher clearance of my pickup. Billie has a phobia that terrifies her when driving near exposed places like cliffs and bridges. I do the mountain driving mostly. I am OK driving but my eyes need to constantly be wetted with drops to see clearly. My left eye is also a little blurry. I am perfectly alert and capable but my eyes could get worse. We drove about sixty miles of Highway 49 which was in full spring bloom. We stopped at a few historical spots along the way and had a nice tourist experience. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> When we arrived home my eyes must have had worked overtime searching for morels and driving because for the first time they started to hurt. It felt like I had been poked in the eyes. Later that night I finally took a Vicodin and a little later I took another. That helped a lot. My eyes recovered and I haven't had any pain since. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> This past Monday after clinic, I had an eye appointment with a doctor who is familiar with eye complications due to GVHD. I was worried that I was developing cataracts or some other serious eye disorder but it turns out that I have some scarring caused by GVHD. I may be able to wear glasses that will mostly correct the problem. I am using drops to put the kibosh on the scarring. I also had a little minor surgery on my left eye. The doctor peeled a square 3/8 inch patch of membrane that was attached to my cornea. I was impressed that he peeled it off in mostly one piece. My vision in my left eye has improved some and may improve a little more after I heal from the surgery. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> I am dealing with the side effects of high doses of Prednisone. My appetite is great but my motivation to get up is quashed. If I don't keep moving, my body starts to waste. I can feel my muscles, especially in my legs getting sore and cramping like I ran a mile hard after not running for years. It keeps me awake too. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> The only thing I find that helps the soreness is to get up and go. Gardening keeps me moving but for my legs I have been going on evening rides with Billie on our town bikes. I really enjoy those rides where we just tool around town looking at homes and gardens and occasionally stopping at a cafe or store. After we get back, my feet feel less sore and the soreness in my legs is gone. Last Sunday we toured around town including breakfast out and then a meandering ride through the neighborhoods. I follow Billie mostly and she sets a nice pace. Here is a link to a Google map of our ride that we did last <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><a href="http://share.abvio.com/c908/b3cc/4b86/c13b/Cyclemeter-Cycle-20100509-1353.kml">Sunday</a>. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">The evening bike rides are good for me to counteract the wasting. I am craving lots of protein too. </span></span></div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSD51BuNdY2Y17hEZP7E5nT2RGjgseaXk8qCHMzspYZaezkv19ZIq2xjjaqjNorXJFCCrun0dn2E4iUowP6GxHaKTjgt9CC_MaD5qeXa74L93aeYQ7rrLs-GFoLfpyglG6Hh_gXfi6MrK3/s1600/Sunday-Ride.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSD51BuNdY2Y17hEZP7E5nT2RGjgseaXk8qCHMzspYZaezkv19ZIq2xjjaqjNorXJFCCrun0dn2E4iUowP6GxHaKTjgt9CC_MaD5qeXa74L93aeYQ7rrLs-GFoLfpyglG6Hh_gXfi6MrK3/s400/Sunday-Ride.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470147695780205330" /><br /></a><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><i>Billie is checking out a nice little bungalow that we saw along the way last Sunday.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><i>Click for details.</i></span></span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><br /></span></span></span></div> The garden is coming along well. I planted a few more beds including some hops rhizomes in three varieties. Yesterday we received some Hayward variety kiwi plants that I plan to grow up the back side of the house near the hops. The kiwi and the hops should do a nice job of keeping a hot stucco wall cool. </div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0s4DOc8sGM1j2xyAi8QGi08Zp489vNqLVua9DUl4wNkrRFMBDPPJuby10jEyCaqURV8PaqDRIBzbYGb-dsSqPJTR5QQcBp4KI1Gfm0yv6bqNWGoqlY7ovYb2NR5o0ZuEIwUaL4Zu2aeXO/s1600/Mesclun_12May10.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0s4DOc8sGM1j2xyAi8QGi08Zp489vNqLVua9DUl4wNkrRFMBDPPJuby10jEyCaqURV8PaqDRIBzbYGb-dsSqPJTR5QQcBp4KI1Gfm0yv6bqNWGoqlY7ovYb2NR5o0ZuEIwUaL4Zu2aeXO/s400/Mesclun_12May10.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470416021352438818" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>This is Mesclun Lettuce and string beans behind.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPzEmaOv5xxkTnENr-Mj_wqh2O9N_3DwAj_lcKgngHTElgDUR3n2Kcd6tuXLLTqjXH7gEJSsZeNF8PD-qERE8w4YsZtlR0Vy8cb8KEPQeMYP8W_2j8O7W15ghy7vSMhXqOSh1t4JzvkH07/s1600/Hop_12May10.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPzEmaOv5xxkTnENr-Mj_wqh2O9N_3DwAj_lcKgngHTElgDUR3n2Kcd6tuXLLTqjXH7gEJSsZeNF8PD-qERE8w4YsZtlR0Vy8cb8KEPQeMYP8W_2j8O7W15ghy7vSMhXqOSh1t4JzvkH07/s400/Hop_12May10.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470416026271125266" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px; " /></a></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><i>The hops rhizomes have sprouted.</i></span></div> <br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjAKGFoAWTddjHeXDMK2O5bbfGEnh1NF394yLhJaxfdbvbMeArrR1W_3roZ8p9s03N7kiOWhc1w0AKCRJLzYOSeczcW528grg2021kuRawhx5PgE3dozvQzO2KhvsHTTA02-1UpnsBkKqs/s1600/Dry_morels.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjAKGFoAWTddjHeXDMK2O5bbfGEnh1NF394yLhJaxfdbvbMeArrR1W_3roZ8p9s03N7kiOWhc1w0AKCRJLzYOSeczcW528grg2021kuRawhx5PgE3dozvQzO2KhvsHTTA02-1UpnsBkKqs/s400/Dry_morels.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470080741665920786" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Dry Morels</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>Mike Callahanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10498617408017798673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3294642367225282566.post-22917275577643454322010-04-24T10:46:00.001-07:002010-04-28T09:26:53.074-07:00It's Morel Season<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh20z53-u-BdbEMFsoMO6vBbflrZhYqYYiXNLz7ETrWB0iRgBa-w3ITQi81jfyEFm5T59LU0NoH0CULEZprt11GnurqtUFAIHNJfwM-N2gaNYE2Sk1-y8uTYu1FjvEgDyT4wTE4rZNBqBGE/s1600/Morels_16May09.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh20z53-u-BdbEMFsoMO6vBbflrZhYqYYiXNLz7ETrWB0iRgBa-w3ITQi81jfyEFm5T59LU0NoH0CULEZprt11GnurqtUFAIHNJfwM-N2gaNYE2Sk1-y8uTYu1FjvEgDyT4wTE4rZNBqBGE/s400/Morels_16May09.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465182517439913154" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><i><br /></i></span></a><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><i>We save the first weekends in May for morel hunting. This is Billie and some of our spoils last spring from a place near Emigrant Gap This coming weekend we will try some hunting on a day trip near Dobbins CA. </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><i style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; "><div style="text-decoration: underline;text-align: left; "> I am coming along well, adapting to my bone marrow transplant. It's been almost six months since Day 1. I have some Chronic GVHD. I thought my taste buds were failing again but it was my mouth getting dry. I have to drink water with every bite now. My eyes are also very dry. I have to use eye drops almost constantly especially while driving or my vision starts to get blurry. Some of my liver function numbers are also a little high. My skin is very sensitive to the sun. A burn could aggravate the GVHD and cause it to snowball into a full blown reaction. I have to live the life of a vampire and stay completely out of the sun. Billie is already kind of a vampire too being a melanoma survivor so I have a endless source of sun blocking guidance. </div><div style="text-decoration: underline;text-align: left; "> To fight GVHD I had to increase my dosage of Prednisone. I was tapering off it and down to 20mg every other day. Now I am back on 80 mg /day. The prednisone keeps me awake sometimes and increases appetite. It also causes wasting and innumerable other nasty side effects. It's easy to let go and atrophy. I have to make myself get up and move sometimes. Exercise whether it is cycling or gardening has really helped me to prevent wasting away. I am reminded of Marty McFly in "Back to the Future". He was looking at a photo of himself fading when his mom was dancing with someone else and when his dad cut in, he sprang to life. Boing! I sometimes feel like Marty when he was circling the drain and when I exercise, I spring up and come back to life. Boing. A fresh roasted espresso doppio can help it along a little too. </div><div style="text-decoration: underline;text-align: left; "> I am OK to go to restaurants and stores now. It was so long since I went out in public in a restaurant that I felt self conscious the first few times. I am still a little slow walking but a little faster than shuffling. My eyes are better but I looked a little demon red in the eyes for a while there. It felt good and kind of new to be mingling with people. </div><div style="text-decoration: underline;text-align: left; "><br /></div><div style="text-decoration: underline;text-align: center; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; "><div style="text-decoration: underline;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZnH6L99PGHtAA9StqE2cxaEBESveJk53pZHvRNoz6bt-dCSmJ9kO2sOE-QaPrTdWmwdX22JjiWqheHPselTcI-eJPzAvsA9Wpehos_sLW3cL_4gMIPxT8q5cXK7TUGLMOdnWDxz0a-ja7/s400/22Apr10-_Callahan.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463766495171116882" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div></span></div><div style=""><div style="text-decoration: underline;text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline; "><i>I took this photo with the camera on the laptop. I have to cover up completely. Doctors orders</i>.</span></div><div style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></div></div></div></span></i></span></div> Spring time in Sacramento is pretty nice. Most of my available energy has been used up gardening. Building raised beds requires quite a bit of work at first. I used old salvaged fencing to make 40 inch square beds. I have eight beds made so far and hope to have about 18 when I am done. Today I plan to make a couple beds for hop vines to grow against the house. In each frame I turn the soil and mix it with compost. I have to weed out a lot of bermuda grass rhizomes when I break up the soil. I have to swat the clumps with the back of the spade , then kneel down and shake off the soil from each clump. The frames are leveled and staked into place after I turn the soil underneath. Turning the soil and mixing in the compost is kind of aerobic especially when my hematocrit is still running on the low side at 38.1 . It feels good. </div><div> Seedlings are coming up and I planted a few pepper and tomatoes sets.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMI3EmSSb36o2KKqHNZj6MPzwdiAH9UDrrDX6tdpcK2iwCLZD0eoTCPPRRHYnvt3BUxXY24K-vcHluHdRG7x4W81wzfogRfJ9LL4CzMuI8VrskWqlDVd0oA_jQLE6-Hps1NvstDQ7P2iqh/s1600/25Apr-Tahoe.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 366px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMI3EmSSb36o2KKqHNZj6MPzwdiAH9UDrrDX6tdpcK2iwCLZD0eoTCPPRRHYnvt3BUxXY24K-vcHluHdRG7x4W81wzfogRfJ9LL4CzMuI8VrskWqlDVd0oA_jQLE6-Hps1NvstDQ7P2iqh/s400/25Apr-Tahoe.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465172777079631698" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>This is the little Tahoe garden I planted last summer. I planted the garlic last October and a few chives. parsley and carrots overwintered. The wire keeps the cottontail family out. </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i> </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYzjJonj7MVe8sHId4AXo73J7UNkBtDJeB7y2ifc8Hqeo6bojlr7OZU1d6dHqrS_2IynK_UYZnrTz7b_IAzSrUb7ZHInC6LAyr8UwrJvFEu2G1JdGm0C03P9cV1EEj6Sh0BTfIEA4yL7WU/s1600/Sifter.jpg"></a></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYzjJonj7MVe8sHId4AXo73J7UNkBtDJeB7y2ifc8Hqeo6bojlr7OZU1d6dHqrS_2IynK_UYZnrTz7b_IAzSrUb7ZHInC6LAyr8UwrJvFEu2G1JdGm0C03P9cV1EEj6Sh0BTfIEA4yL7WU/s1600/Sifter.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYzjJonj7MVe8sHId4AXo73J7UNkBtDJeB7y2ifc8Hqeo6bojlr7OZU1d6dHqrS_2IynK_UYZnrTz7b_IAzSrUb7ZHInC6LAyr8UwrJvFEu2G1JdGm0C03P9cV1EEj6Sh0BTfIEA4yL7WU/s400/Sifter.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463765826839644706" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 268px; height: 400px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center; "><i>This is the nifty sifter that just fits over the wheelbarrow for making seed bed out of sifted compost.</i></div><div style="text-align: center; "><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center; "><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtThrcanWr1yjKssqqoq07FzCGbHY1uaozMwZ1GzEkzVPOdj22G65c9VuihzASb4grNec07kd4aU3eojRagJIXHceHr79d4nXN7wzsWc96T-xoJy_jvzSY255vi9GJg7_GeG7lr21csQWx/s1600/22Apr10compost_seedbed.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtThrcanWr1yjKssqqoq07FzCGbHY1uaozMwZ1GzEkzVPOdj22G65c9VuihzASb4grNec07kd4aU3eojRagJIXHceHr79d4nXN7wzsWc96T-xoJy_jvzSY255vi9GJg7_GeG7lr21csQWx/s400/22Apr10compost_seedbed.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463762833869262738" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px; " /><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><br /></span></i></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline; "><i>This is the sifted seed bed that I screed across the soil compost mixture below.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; "><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeAH07vvQsSDgFBX-7XUccVmnkI377__Rp_DlUqbfLw0hB7Pk6enZY6F7HJAnuuA7Kj1xJzpsCzGTOO_w3PxGJgd2T7nfWrhjWLiwYr56SmcQKHlckHtsGnAXL1l-6F9E_7887wjmxilbb/s1600/Chicken+Coop+Fron+Elev.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeAH07vvQsSDgFBX-7XUccVmnkI377__Rp_DlUqbfLw0hB7Pk6enZY6F7HJAnuuA7Kj1xJzpsCzGTOO_w3PxGJgd2T7nfWrhjWLiwYr56SmcQKHlckHtsGnAXL1l-6F9E_7887wjmxilbb/s400/Chicken+Coop+Fron+Elev.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463790888674973170" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 309px; " /><br /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline; "><i>I couldn't sleep one night so I was brushing up on my drawing program and came up with this nice chicken coop that would keep four hens and just fit in my tiny backyard. It would feature a raised run completely enclosed with 1/2" welded wire mesh, a raised waterer with a perch, a food box with a hopper holding 2 weeks of food, nest boxes and a roost. A wood floor with 1/2 " spaces between for debris would sift out the bedding to be further sifted by the wire mesh below. I could rake out the droppings and use them for fertilizer. The whole thing could be made in panels to help move it easier. The whole coop is predator proof and self contained.. No chickens are allowed in Sacramento but people do have clandestine hens.</i></span></div></div></span></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><i><br /></i></span></div></div></span></i></div></div><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i> </i></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDUiyno49U3d4_IKMZOTC6GQz6R6hYjlmW6Mrxiu6YF5usDVmWR9FcOKwpaBtMsKfqmBZ_75l9IJ-9tiV3TxH9Xh7r6KAScWa7KjUmJtXLl9KgksmPBMVhbxyonyX8eCC-MR830fYW7n9J/s1600/Billies_Bike.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 273px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDUiyno49U3d4_IKMZOTC6GQz6R6hYjlmW6Mrxiu6YF5usDVmWR9FcOKwpaBtMsKfqmBZ_75l9IJ-9tiV3TxH9Xh7r6KAScWa7KjUmJtXLl9KgksmPBMVhbxyonyX8eCC-MR830fYW7n9J/s400/Billies_Bike.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465172327729456146" /><br /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"></span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>This is Billie's new bike. It is a Trek "Belleville". It is the totally ground up built town bike complete with dyno hub lights, fenders, chain guard, and cargo racks. We can really use it for errands and just cruising around town. Click the photo for details.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i> </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"> I had the new old Santana tandem at Steve Rex's shop here in Sacramento to lower the brake bosses to fit more modern wheels and brakes. He complemented the bike on the quality of the build. I have yet to re assemble it. In the meantime we bought this killer bike for Billie. It's a beauty. We love this bike. The name probably refers to "The Triplets Of Belleville" about an old lady, her dog, and her odd son who was a Tour de France cyclist. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> In case my eyes get so bad, I can't drive, I can shop using a bike. I wont wait until I can't see to use the bike for shopping. I ordered some nice shopping baskets that lift right off the bike with handles to take into the market. </div> Coming up in the cycling calendar is a visit from Kit and a few day trips to follow the Tour of California. There is a stage near where Maura lives. Kit and I just might be dropping by for a visit. Lance Armstrong and several of his Tour de France rivals will be there also. Here is a photo of Lance last summer at the Nevada City Classic.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></span></i></span></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_qRgogtCOQKCaeHEBmJ6hfvmrBfjBzwzccLIjwAIH0Oc4XgOIdQXx19_R6s42AUYacYeRXzhHU2l2puNbdU7evYUVk5m9MRuUQWPwyJsNJ0KP1IbBzJaEtH-Yv9j5ujY495aMYMs-dm9u/s1600/Ian-.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_qRgogtCOQKCaeHEBmJ6hfvmrBfjBzwzccLIjwAIH0Oc4XgOIdQXx19_R6s42AUYacYeRXzhHU2l2puNbdU7evYUVk5m9MRuUQWPwyJsNJ0KP1IbBzJaEtH-Yv9j5ujY495aMYMs-dm9u/s400/Ian-.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463794106249286434" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center; "><i>I took this photo last June at the Nevada City Classic. Ian Boswell is on the wheel of the Man at the top of the hill. Ian who is the son of my old friend Grant Boswell had a breakout day winning the junior race and then entering the senior pro race. He was lapped, but when Armstrong came around with his breakaway group, Ian jumped back on and stayed for at least another seven laps. Later in the race when Armstrong was alone at the front he passed Ian again and Ian hung on for another 3 laps. Amazing. His future team mate who was in the break was just as amazed and helped Ian get a premier sponsor on his new team, "Bissell Pro Cycling". Last I heard, Ian was in Europe racing espoirs, the under 23 pro racers. </i></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></span></div><br /></div></div>Mike Callahanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10498617408017798673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3294642367225282566.post-21139121236851937392010-03-26T15:30:00.001-07:002010-03-26T16:55:05.128-07:00Gardening<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA3vXw79i8FUnMZ5P7SQFLSRQ9ELdMVt9UkAZqQ-cWZU5mMVI11JUjV3zyihkrcIH4DDrpx6IkOFAfgl6Aegy2krIgRnjbg3iYftfs-T7nAJ8MNUrbzRfFduknaxzDoGV18BNsquf7rgle/s1600/Garden+Space_26Mar.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 263px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA3vXw79i8FUnMZ5P7SQFLSRQ9ELdMVt9UkAZqQ-cWZU5mMVI11JUjV3zyihkrcIH4DDrpx6IkOFAfgl6Aegy2krIgRnjbg3iYftfs-T7nAJ8MNUrbzRfFduknaxzDoGV18BNsquf7rgle/s400/Garden+Space_26Mar.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453080404873441986" /></a><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><i>This is the layout for our garden</i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><i><br /></i></span></div></div><div><div><div style="text-align: left;">I haven't posted for almost a month now. No need to worry. My condition seems to still be steadily improving. I am still on prednisone that seems to make me feel weak. I work for a few hours until I feel tired and then relax for a while before going back to work. By the end of the day my feet are so sore I can barely stand. My skin is very sensitive to the sun. I need to cover up and slather lots of sunscreen. I still get red where I get sun in spite of spf 100 sunscreen. I need to stay out of the sun at least for another two or three months so as not to aggravate my immune system and set off a GVH reaction. Small insults to my skin could snowball into a case of full blown GVH. I noticed recently from just a minor exposure on the back of my hands, my skin blistered in a few places. After meeting with my doctor today we decided to stay indoors from 10:00 AM until 04:00 PM. I have been given more freedom</div><div style="text-align: left;"> In spite of all that I have been doing a lot of bike rides and this past week I have been working on getting a garden in for the spring. I built a nice fence with a gate to keep the dogs out. The fence has chicken wire to let light through and to give climbing plants like cucumbers a place to grow. Old redwood fencing will be made into raised beds that will be laid out in a grid. I visited a stable and brought back a truckload of fresh manure to make a huge compost pile for my raised beds. That was a long day. I didn't want the subject for the next day at the clinic to be a debate about the safety of pitching manure so I steered Billie out of the backyard until after the clinic. When she did see the pile it didn't dawn on her right away that it was mostly manure. It just looked like a pile of straw the first day. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWDUw-0Yb_l171NarYr2K5nWElThjiITdzYD0-17eJFiOf9JEMJGWkq4txmjxmGdsxWirBNvmusITrcdEJl8piay5Cp7leCgD5NSCoJmza4Uj8irGOa8TBTuX3DTPbIv8BM4LCwPSiJRmW/s1600/new_pile.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWDUw-0Yb_l171NarYr2K5nWElThjiITdzYD0-17eJFiOf9JEMJGWkq4txmjxmGdsxWirBNvmusITrcdEJl8piay5Cp7leCgD5NSCoJmza4Uj8irGOa8TBTuX3DTPbIv8BM4LCwPSiJRmW/s400/new_pile.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453074196039153410" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>This is the pile on the first day</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div></div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2YEUUD23Wy4OYIzD_M6ulSjgBhKsbsECPUp2qy2hlUI9Fl_cFl0Pygf77imIZ32Pu1YD5xQUBschT9MxJgXvhTg1rKylphwEZp258gg7wq6eWi9ptAOsnJqU6CEUlwyEYMjOLNTBRt6Xi/s1600/1_week.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2YEUUD23Wy4OYIzD_M6ulSjgBhKsbsECPUp2qy2hlUI9Fl_cFl0Pygf77imIZ32Pu1YD5xQUBschT9MxJgXvhTg1rKylphwEZp258gg7wq6eWi9ptAOsnJqU6CEUlwyEYMjOLNTBRt6Xi/s400/1_week.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453074490127021874" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>This is the pile after three turns and a week.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"> The squirrels were competing too well for the remainder of the oranges so I picked all the oranges and brought them inside. At the rate the squirrels were eating them they would have been gone in a couple days. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-PbR-jrrP78-Lk-Up7dYVicrmNjOQNCdIqqk6HtFSSPu2bdujg53zKnylzbJqYOy4IPJs66l-6aCgb4M0NQYBhOy0i0Kz3zTgUHaviPUQh6-09vAXz6siAN4-8w4mfVngzYL92rP9ddL7/s1600/Oranges16mar10.jpg" style="text-decoration: none; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-PbR-jrrP78-Lk-Up7dYVicrmNjOQNCdIqqk6HtFSSPu2bdujg53zKnylzbJqYOy4IPJs66l-6aCgb4M0NQYBhOy0i0Kz3zTgUHaviPUQh6-09vAXz6siAN4-8w4mfVngzYL92rP9ddL7/s400/Oranges16mar10.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453073863053564914" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The end of the oranges.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i> </i>The summer navel orange tree in the garden area had grown very fast and gotten away from us in the past few years. It was already a great producer in just six years. We cut it back severely to give it a longer trunk and to keep the oranges out of reach of the dogs. Before it made a nice shady canopy that Tempo liked to sleep under during the hot summer days. She likes to dig and make nests in the cool dirt. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKrwXL61COAJWUh7FqFADsoMYX3Okqk72t8uBTgLesTzan73J0CIr3HhlaofQl4O3WCuzd-Pr9lyYQW-rFdzk3e3935bd7Zbo16F2R-ATqyus9sorKSTVTkPYftKfHZaim2_UkJ8Rw0vjD/s1600/Dog_nests.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKrwXL61COAJWUh7FqFADsoMYX3Okqk72t8uBTgLesTzan73J0CIr3HhlaofQl4O3WCuzd-Pr9lyYQW-rFdzk3e3935bd7Zbo16F2R-ATqyus9sorKSTVTkPYftKfHZaim2_UkJ8Rw0vjD/s400/Dog_nests.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453092397703791154" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Tempo's nests under the orange tree.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Working in the garden has exposed me to a little too much sun in spite of covering up. I thought I was doing enough but I was wrong. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGtkvo4RR-vs3_Ya-VoM8wkv0cqoEKee3Jef8qYpy7U0F_xrMvc4A4tUV1fsV0RpKTQWBecwecf-UDdri1BO-7-GOw6NvcEooUIOpV1_ouym9XexTLIP7bynIxaM08Etc-OLadNwwRVhog/s1600/Sheik_.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGtkvo4RR-vs3_Ya-VoM8wkv0cqoEKee3Jef8qYpy7U0F_xrMvc4A4tUV1fsV0RpKTQWBecwecf-UDdri1BO-7-GOw6NvcEooUIOpV1_ouym9XexTLIP7bynIxaM08Etc-OLadNwwRVhog/s400/Sheik_.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453094446165450530" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px; " /></a></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>An old t shirt scrap covers my ears and neck but I still got too much sun.</i> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div>Mike Callahanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10498617408017798673noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3294642367225282566.post-60932191233200192252010-02-27T02:28:00.000-08:002010-02-27T03:56:52.968-08:00Back On the Bike<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEB1F_Xuq7JeWRIlzaYkBiE3XXo89t-jfLOG4J5b9b0lvMbWm56623vgKzkN2wnfXxMHml2CgcxT-b0pW3t3WGy6UpAACeW8TfWSCO8t5wEip0Q2lrI3fIRnES6OfWX13gxFy5e7RYxKZX/s1600-h/Colnago.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="text-decoration: underline;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEB1F_Xuq7JeWRIlzaYkBiE3XXo89t-jfLOG4J5b9b0lvMbWm56623vgKzkN2wnfXxMHml2CgcxT-b0pW3t3WGy6UpAACeW8TfWSCO8t5wEip0Q2lrI3fIRnES6OfWX13gxFy5e7RYxKZX/s400/Colnago.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442887742923560578" /><div style="text-align: center;text-decoration: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><i>My 1979 Colnago Super</i></span></div></a><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></span></div> Finally after over two weeks of setbacks like BK virus and an unfortunate encounter with Mojos' foot. I am finally back on my bike. The drugs I am taking cause wasting and I can see what happens when my activity level declines. I get weak. Just when I was getting over the nasty BK virus Mojo slammed me while he was dashing out the door. He used my toe for purchase to launch himself outside. It was early morning and I think I woke Billie up with a few bad words. Sorry Billie.<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7exOmSNegmMEht41eU49sEf408oP9dmfPpbAWfiPdGemrqH9CS8rOj8z387frvF74gaFygamc9aSOr0Mu099fnXQdEMcGxqSG7ZcCkKTvoHvMztxYmR3RSaJ6YxCaVZc_2Dd3KC0cfc1R/s1600-h/Sore-Foot.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7exOmSNegmMEht41eU49sEf408oP9dmfPpbAWfiPdGemrqH9CS8rOj8z387frvF74gaFygamc9aSOr0Mu099fnXQdEMcGxqSG7ZcCkKTvoHvMztxYmR3RSaJ6YxCaVZc_2Dd3KC0cfc1R/s400/Sore-Foot.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442870998286676162" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 275px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>My owie might not have looked this ugly if my platelets were not hanging at about 80. </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Consequently my foot swelled up and it was even more painful to walk. By this past Wednesday I had healed enough that I was able to don my riding shoes and take my old steel Colnago out for a spin. I was surprised once again how natural it felt to be on the bike. I felt much better riding than walking. For some reason my feet still get very sore from standing and walking. Riding does not seem to put as much pressure on my feet. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> Not knowing how far I should go in the state I'm in, I only went about ten miles the first day. The next day I felt fine going fifteen miles. I bought a cool app for my iPhone that is a bike computer. It maps my ride with the GPS, gives average speed, max speed, elevation gained and a bunch of other stuff for only $4.99. Thats how I know I went fifteen miles. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> Today was clinic day in San Francisco, so the whole day was spent traveling back and forth dawn till dusk. We went to our apartment on Merced Lake for the last time, picked up a few items, cleaned the place and checked out for the last time. From now on clinic days will go faster when we don't have to go to the apartment and move stuff out. By the time we left SF the traffic was snarled with flooding near highway 1 and Doyle Dr. Heavy rain made the trip slow all the way home. Billie and I arrived home both tired and testy. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> I neglected to bring my meds with me when we went to the clinic so I downed them all at once when I arrived home. Consequently I am now up at 3:15 AM writing this because I can't sleep. I usually take the prednisone in the afternoon so I can sleep at night. Oh well. It's not like I have to get up and go to work the next day. I have never been one to worry much about how much sleep I get. I seem to always get enough sleep somehow and have rarely felt sleep deprived. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> The weather has put the kibosh on our plans to go to Tahoe this weekend. Driving in a snowstorm on I-80 crowded with other weekenders does not seem very appealing right now. We haven't spent a night there in about four months now. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> Here is a nice youtube clip I found that pretty much describes my whole outlook on life starring some of my favorite heroes including Richard Feynman, Carl Sagan and Neal DeGrasse Tyson among others.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/9Cd36WJ79z4&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/9Cd36WJ79z4&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object></span></div></div>Mike Callahanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10498617408017798673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3294642367225282566.post-22507853922643219332010-02-20T07:46:00.000-08:002010-02-20T21:18:35.669-08:00Home Again<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2qUH_WmvnkukB38BEsalyR72b8CMwV8Dd09U1fXo4sfceglrUE5DeV3myCew8K_vadvThq0_0fTAj7IeMU11vXi6hbhz7t3iRnUFiiseUkGcZthNney5Kd8nYqxCMh_EB0HlwMEp99dpd/s1600-h/Santana-Tandem.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 186px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2qUH_WmvnkukB38BEsalyR72b8CMwV8Dd09U1fXo4sfceglrUE5DeV3myCew8K_vadvThq0_0fTAj7IeMU11vXi6hbhz7t3iRnUFiiseUkGcZthNney5Kd8nYqxCMh_EB0HlwMEp99dpd/s400/Santana-Tandem.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440561185605935250" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzc7A3qWK1hzwr84Lrq3m1lWr7-Nasgi4nqDp2APSn-Mn33sRLVRDtbSUsGKWrXoK2M9J9auBP4zxBSA49T6HGZ6_pzYCx7dBGg_CiEa6KmGE9DWB7bBf1FgnY6BaYBm7czaz1Bsrw2XLl/s1600-h/Tandem.jpg"></a><div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Our new tandem</i></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><div> Leukemia never ceases to come up with something unpredictable and bizarre. This past ten days I have been enduring some of the most painful symptoms yet. There is a virus called BK virus that is endemic in about 80% of the general population without any symptoms. For some reason peculiar to Bone Marrow Transplant patients taking immune suppressants like Tacrolimus, the BK virus often rears itself and inflicts Hemorrhagic cystitis. The symptoms include severe pain during urination and blood in the urine. There is no cure. I am told that after six weeks it should go away. The only relief is to ingest copious amounts of water. The problem is that when I urinate I can only squeeze out about 50cc when normally I can go about 700cc. That means a lot of getting up to go. At night when I don't drink as much, my urine becomes more concentrated which only aggravates the pain and increases the bleeding. </div><div> Now after a week of aggressive hydration I finally have it under control with little pain. It will come back unless I keep up the drinking. I am now able to urinate an average amount. The pain meant that I had to resort to going on Vicodin until yesterday. </div><div> I am told that it will still be about two months until I can go to a restaurant or go shopping. The prednisone I am on keeps me wired like I am on ten cups of coffee. Being so wired makes it hard to stay off my feet but my sore feet knocks me down late in the day. It is hard to sort out what is a side effect of the drugs and what is GVH. The GVH in my gut is still there causing little mouth blisters on my palate and a sore rectum. The skin GVH has calmed down from applying moisturizer every day to my entire body. My skin actually looks and feels good. At the weekly clinic they say I am doing as good as can be expected. We are still waiting for the final cytogenetic results from my bone marrow biopsy to determine if the FLT3 ITD gene is still present.</div><div> The result of having so much pain down there has delayed my getting back on the bike. Today I hope to go out for a spin for the first time in about three and a half months. </div><div> Billie and I also bought a used tandem off of Craigslist. I saw the tandem for sale last fall and I was shocked that the guy never sold it because it showed up on craigslist again recently. It is older and steel but still a very nice bike. I missed my old road tandem that I traded for some misguided reason for a Mt. bike tandem in the late 80s. The bike needs some minor brake upgrades but overall it is ready to go. That is one more bike in the garage. I purged a few bikes I wasn't using a while back, so now we are down to only nine bikes including Billies'.</div><div> I have been at home in Sacramento for two weeks now. Moving in has been quite a chore. Our neighbors who we paid $700 a month for over three months to clean the house and pick up after our dogs did less than the minimum. I am grateful to them that the dogs are here and still alive. The gratitude ends there though. We made a trip on the Tuesday before we moved back to check in on the dogs and pick up a few things we needed to help us move. The front door was hard to open because it had swollen from the heat in the house being off. The pilot light had gone out on the heater and the caretakers had not bothered to restart it. Consequently the humidity had risen in the house so much that the oak flooring had swollen and buckled in several places. The water table is high in the winter because we are so close to the river. The caretaker had been forcing the door which warped it. I spent a few hours again shaving back our new mahogany door to make it work again. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY2KnDlQAqzCOA15eqE9_YP9mORW58UMotCAxWCpdib42DKPSUQWcQAcdTBugAL826PeLdkjs4aQlbaK6f7ifju4A-OG0NWEYa07yNN09JbziFsyx4YfCzxZz7T4IQjvBMKDbAGYN-fpnR/s1600-h/Front-Door.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY2KnDlQAqzCOA15eqE9_YP9mORW58UMotCAxWCpdib42DKPSUQWcQAcdTBugAL826PeLdkjs4aQlbaK6f7ifju4A-OG0NWEYa07yNN09JbziFsyx4YfCzxZz7T4IQjvBMKDbAGYN-fpnR/s400/Front-Door.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440416000331308498" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 268px; height: 400px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Our new front door in Sacramento</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div> When we entered the house there were hundreds of grapefruits and oranges in varying states of decay all over the house that the dogs had brought in. Billie picked up all the rotten fruit and scraped the floor where the fruit had hardened after rotting with a wooden block while I mopped behind her. The rest of the time, Billie was in the back yard cleaning up months worth of poo from four dogs that was never picked up. They had picked up a little into an unlined garbage can that had no lid so rain water had saturated the whole mess. The heavy slurry of poo was dumped into the trash by Billie with the help of the gardener. Billie was mad to say the least.</div><div> I could go on. In hindsight I should have asked our next door neighbors who I know would have done better. The people across the street we hired seemed like nice enough people. The dad has been out of work for about two years. He is holding out for a job at a Christian radio station. Evidently they are not hiring the mentally challenged at Christian radio right now. The wife works at a near minimum wage job. Their house looked clean and they had a dog and a ten year old boy. They really needed the money. </div><div> Since I have been home, Billie has gone back to work. I have been playing the role of House Husband. I get Billie up early with a latte in bed to give her time to exercise on her rowing machine. I make her breakfast and pack her a lunch and send her off.. During the day I have been cleaning house and getting the office room together. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdi3YGy7QSRxrB-JfAOrr8XkqX4aF0SKXJnGwTLzjLcnCVhDuFzLkfSyAyAhlFMgS2RO4YrIgK2a70dYpo4A5eQPne8xMqTG6dFo_4e4Z2JBAsyfxgXCFf4pw3ezsIBb1mMBGLXCmE2gOe/s1600-h/New-Office.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdi3YGy7QSRxrB-JfAOrr8XkqX4aF0SKXJnGwTLzjLcnCVhDuFzLkfSyAyAhlFMgS2RO4YrIgK2a70dYpo4A5eQPne8xMqTG6dFo_4e4Z2JBAsyfxgXCFf4pw3ezsIBb1mMBGLXCmE2gOe/s400/New-Office.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440361765447025746" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 268px; height: 400px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Our office with my computers on one side of the desk and Billies' on the other side.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div> We took a day trip to the Tahoe house to pick up a few things including a recliner and my old computer that has my drafting program on it. I can now use it to design our remodel of this house while I recover from this disease. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNQW6cEz_OlbEOGoZ3-3GD9pPRZjL-J7FLEREp0lfpbrlcy26Eueu-RNmKBbS30tg_ImwtzyPU3CqLLBU1YCOLHNAMrsE9DLVumjfzgXnMcdvtC8MHc2plNbvOr7EKHxZuYNF7LPTtxaGF/s1600-h/TahoeHouse-.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNQW6cEz_OlbEOGoZ3-3GD9pPRZjL-J7FLEREp0lfpbrlcy26Eueu-RNmKBbS30tg_ImwtzyPU3CqLLBU1YCOLHNAMrsE9DLVumjfzgXnMcdvtC8MHc2plNbvOr7EKHxZuYNF7LPTtxaGF/s400/TahoeHouse-.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440367946352649698" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 342px; height: 400px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Billie at our house last week.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div> I went on a shopping spree online now that we are on a secure internet connection. I ordered a few kitchen gadgets and some camera accessories among other things. I have a new citrus juicer that I used for the first time this morning. There are still a ton of super sweet oranges on our trees that I plan to eat. In the summer we have unlimited grapefruits. The juicer was less than $25 and was rated best by Cooks Illustrated. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Lj0epPyKXZ0viOJQ1m6Q8XrR1Dr4OrILOhc2-fVDWgReQbWp26ysDRRwHhTxv-F_Jq_KzuuESR13lLHdkZk-bQ-UlPu3yjehMuFS07egi7g9N9Symy-4spUfdh4PCSEzELBWBU77nzJY/s1600-h/Juicer.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Lj0epPyKXZ0viOJQ1m6Q8XrR1Dr4OrILOhc2-fVDWgReQbWp26ysDRRwHhTxv-F_Jq_KzuuESR13lLHdkZk-bQ-UlPu3yjehMuFS07egi7g9N9Symy-4spUfdh4PCSEzELBWBU77nzJY/s400/Juicer.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440369020679813938" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 268px; height: 400px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>My new Black and Decker Citrus Juicer.</i></div><div> </div></div>Mike Callahanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10498617408017798673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3294642367225282566.post-59708453134584859172010-02-05T19:00:00.000-08:002010-02-05T21:02:55.571-08:00Milestone Day<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></span></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLwhi4O0Do-RfGtCPRV0gQNuh1nNCSshWRGdj0Jbz0qaJ7wyIdcF_iqhHcEGMenTdfBZHx9E5SOfmSP__7QirXLbYf0gsHcgX0jJQbBf7OVZ6LQm_H_tPnuoNw90gjJSjKFPrjLLGG50gA/s1600-h/Maura.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLwhi4O0Do-RfGtCPRV0gQNuh1nNCSshWRGdj0Jbz0qaJ7wyIdcF_iqhHcEGMenTdfBZHx9E5SOfmSP__7QirXLbYf0gsHcgX0jJQbBf7OVZ6LQm_H_tPnuoNw90gjJSjKFPrjLLGG50gA/s400/Maura.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434960778111180050" /><br /></a><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">Maura , </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">My sister and stem cell donor</span> </span></span></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwt66TXWLYD6jC-m_ElOc87F-zyNk_crZq4rwPH6PuWKzbGlRJfEoC1eFqgEKhwaEXZny4cmGuSAxv3CQzxLCPea1uhVI2cf3cwnH7SITTzavU-zTd9d6_2M5eLlIEyTiyucArtwTTldWT/s1600-h/Brothers_Sisters.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 370px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwt66TXWLYD6jC-m_ElOc87F-zyNk_crZq4rwPH6PuWKzbGlRJfEoC1eFqgEKhwaEXZny4cmGuSAxv3CQzxLCPea1uhVI2cf3cwnH7SITTzavU-zTd9d6_2M5eLlIEyTiyucArtwTTldWT/s400/Brothers_Sisters.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434960531329537074" /><br /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">Left to Right, Brothers and Sisters</span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"> Myself, Gene, Kit, Nancy, Marti, Marianne</span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><i>Mauras' daughter was sick today so Maura couldn't make it</i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></i></span></span></span> Today is day 92 since my stem cell transplant. It is kind of a milestone day and the news is as good as it can possibly get. I had my fifth bone marrow biopsy in six months today and the preliminary results are the highest number they are willing to give it at this time. More specific results will come in about two weeks. Celebration time. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> My thirty day chimerism test finally came back after sixty two days and it showed more than 95% of my blood cells were already Mauras'. Those results were very good also. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> The line into my vein that has been an external fixture on my body for the last six months was removed today. The nurse asked me to hum while she pulled out the foot long line that was inserted into my arm and went directly into my vena cava. Whoo Hoo! I am so glad that's gone now</div><div style="text-align: left;"> I appears that the tests are verifying just what I'm feeling. I still have a long way to go. I will be managing the GVH symptoms and it will be a minimum of three more months that I will be on immune suppressants. After that I heard I may be drug free. Amazing. That would be the best scenario. If the GVH flares up then the drugs may have to be extended. Unlike other recipients of donor organs, stem cell recipients can eventually be weaned completely off immunosuppressant drugs that combat graft rejection. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBBjGoJIANhCVaycUebNwDB3TExT3-L94aseeHUIWo1GZvGI9oxxr18pA1HzmF3GKQdoWk8S6QTB2dEeOwmStkeXY0kpbMjzkqlp9LW7kT1kxoVjFWZdutY3E0Hleo5LwAF6j_mT4vjRy5/s1600-h/Family.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBBjGoJIANhCVaycUebNwDB3TExT3-L94aseeHUIWo1GZvGI9oxxr18pA1HzmF3GKQdoWk8S6QTB2dEeOwmStkeXY0kpbMjzkqlp9LW7kT1kxoVjFWZdutY3E0Hleo5LwAF6j_mT4vjRy5/s400/Family.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434961120228061634" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 245px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Family Reunion</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i> </i>This weekend is the annual sisters weekend for my sisters, our wives, nieces and children.<i> </i> We met in Golden Gate Park today for a walk on the beach and a photo op. Billie will be with the sisters and Kit is my temporary caretaker. Tomorrow with the help of my brothers, I will move back to Sacramento. While the sisters go to the wine country, the brothers will be hanging out and watching the Super Bowl together on Sunday. My old friend Paul will be joining the Super Bowl party too. </div><div style="text-align: center;"> While Kit and I are together we went to visit the site of the Broderick / Terry duel nearby.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC0MuBQq9baNKwhLFvM0gGoJFkaK4vsadCD6Kxt7PPsDQAjdcNNhqmgr4caQTkUIdCyn_yspxfa52Bzx2vE_e1_4O8dT1w99IxhTibHRDdiJ9j363z2QKB64Q2HOy9CCPdLNe9bxQhrCM9/s1600-h/Kit-as-Terry.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC0MuBQq9baNKwhLFvM0gGoJFkaK4vsadCD6Kxt7PPsDQAjdcNNhqmgr4caQTkUIdCyn_yspxfa52Bzx2vE_e1_4O8dT1w99IxhTibHRDdiJ9j363z2QKB64Q2HOy9CCPdLNe9bxQhrCM9/s400/Kit-as-Terry.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434963060297422770" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 268px; height: 400px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Kit at the site where Terry killed Broderick, the State senator in 1858.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"> We then then took a hike into Ft Funston. Midday Ft Funston is crowded with professional dog walkers. You can often see single persons with ten to fifteen dogs running loosely around them. </div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi_Z2ypQL7Dw31oueGiCJJs0zJCLOkVRpm0wtUm529OqxRO4ZF46sahr9X90sZxd4HVp8-5AYn_4PrnKHQlzH52krFmv583QuRfCW8CwiCboFaOvfx7ErOUfwjSCh2oyX9H_eyIIOS7Cka/s1600-h/Pro-Dog_Walker.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi_Z2ypQL7Dw31oueGiCJJs0zJCLOkVRpm0wtUm529OqxRO4ZF46sahr9X90sZxd4HVp8-5AYn_4PrnKHQlzH52krFmv583QuRfCW8CwiCboFaOvfx7ErOUfwjSCh2oyX9H_eyIIOS7Cka/s400/Pro-Dog_Walker.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434961537384906882" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 355px; height: 400px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>This pro dog walker has been walking the dog with the mask and muzzle for five years. "This dog has issues." he said.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i> </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"> These three bungalows are near south Buena Vista Park known to the locals in the Haight as "Acid Rock." "My mom would never let me go near there", one baby boomer age lady told me.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ouhsSlb1o0gR2_mAjExbyhiffzdXu94WibBwTUY7-OzqJ5Muc2Nqwt065ZRDt2XU74xXPNCtuxkzxC8mNRmJb0Pw0lSvqD0vEY2YcsNabscTDaFBJZwFvnDnlcU5J7-4Mj9Ab1SXdeZc/s1600-h/Bungalows.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ouhsSlb1o0gR2_mAjExbyhiffzdXu94WibBwTUY7-OzqJ5Muc2Nqwt065ZRDt2XU74xXPNCtuxkzxC8mNRmJb0Pw0lSvqD0vEY2YcsNabscTDaFBJZwFvnDnlcU5J7-4Mj9Ab1SXdeZc/s400/Bungalows.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434964948819548834" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 336px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Click for a higher resolution photo.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; "> </span></div>Mike Callahanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10498617408017798673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3294642367225282566.post-86284274281662546562010-02-01T14:47:00.000-08:002010-02-01T19:32:04.561-08:00I Have My Camera With Me Now<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl5-ua3Ei22N1kNEx6pyCIHqiVCmCTw0m6i7iKqzfcAc1oJ74Uk7mnuTzhzHjbjIKRpzGYxpoGxQ7Rqh1liezu2vPT9LDhOcd5Exsp4D2bXPl2Th4wAL7NHNCxpMZ9q4pCPAsWS0KeM2Mh/s1600-h/Donut-King.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl5-ua3Ei22N1kNEx6pyCIHqiVCmCTw0m6i7iKqzfcAc1oJ74Uk7mnuTzhzHjbjIKRpzGYxpoGxQ7Rqh1liezu2vPT9LDhOcd5Exsp4D2bXPl2Th4wAL7NHNCxpMZ9q4pCPAsWS0KeM2Mh/s400/Donut-King.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433437891883211234" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>I liked this donut sign on Chestnut and Steiner.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">This morning I was supposed to have a bone marrow biopsy. Someone dropped the ball and didn't correctly schedule an appointment for me. All I had was a note scribbled by an assistant doctor on one of the doctors' cards. That wasn't good enough this morning. The nurse practitioner was very apologetic and we were rescheduled to have the biopsy done this coming Friday. Oh well. I am optimistic but waiting for results are a little unsettling. The biopsy will be the best way to find out if there is still Leukemia in my marrow. I should know preliminary results that afternoon and cytogenetic results in about three weeks. The cytogenetics should tell me if the scary FLT3/ITD gene is still active. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> There is a lot of reason to be optimistic. The drugs I am taking seem to be controlling my GVH symptoms. I am getting used to the side effects like sore tingling feet, fatigue and an unsettled stomach. There is no detectable Leukemia in my blood. I feel good in spite of it all and I can detect steady improvement. My taste and smell seems to be almost back to normal and I don't have the chronic nausea that I had. The test results will help determine my routine for at least the next three months. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> Wednesday will be day 90 since my transplant. It is kind of a milestone for many patients because if all goes well I could be sent home. Kit and Gene will be here over the weekend to help Billie and I move out of San Francisco. Kit will be my substitute caretaker while Billie enjoys a break and the company of my sisters for the annual sisters weekend. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> We did our weekend tourist excursions, this time to Twin Peaks and Cow Hollow where we got out and walked about.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgemZa8fFSUVgeQgc9F-hGnql1RTKJoP9TcZnstc59TEMS1sb7jd9a6vxVOuULcABMvH1uYvwshQouGbbArXuj3-UseCQCP-2a9aZ8qc2rEua4mUMgEKVZN5YH6pvM_JfqzYwB3INaBy4Cz/s1600-h/Twin-Peaks_billie.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgemZa8fFSUVgeQgc9F-hGnql1RTKJoP9TcZnstc59TEMS1sb7jd9a6vxVOuULcABMvH1uYvwshQouGbbArXuj3-UseCQCP-2a9aZ8qc2rEua4mUMgEKVZN5YH6pvM_JfqzYwB3INaBy4Cz/s400/Twin-Peaks_billie.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433442687079952322" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px; " /></a></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Billie poses on Twin Peaks</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSU9RTFyP0RqWpuCRCXRIRAWEMS3Bw5PG1_sX-P5YIiWlDYwGl0yGyc2dzmLXbIrPWMD2GZPZhHqMBPKZybLEZdhU_rYMndiahpQ6cl1ZKFKuz8L5gw16X79B9xz4yQzL8wLw5ecEZyuLx/s1600-h/Sunflower.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSU9RTFyP0RqWpuCRCXRIRAWEMS3Bw5PG1_sX-P5YIiWlDYwGl0yGyc2dzmLXbIrPWMD2GZPZhHqMBPKZybLEZdhU_rYMndiahpQ6cl1ZKFKuz8L5gw16X79B9xz4yQzL8wLw5ecEZyuLx/s400/Sunflower.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433442000741912722" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 288px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>A little sunflower on Twin Peaks</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"> In Buena Vista Park today I found an interesting mushroom. It was an edible Amanita calyptroderma. It can be recognized by the thick veil remnants on the cap and striations on the cap margin. It is also known as the <a href="http://www.mykoweb.com/CAF/species/Amanita_lanei.html">Cocorra</a>. I haven't tried to eat it yet but I see it often enough to recognize it right away. These specimens today were perfect for the table.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMSu6dF80H6F-nCulqr_QMVpIDfhl2d8WcAxvQWJgw8w4o4q_D_jEjcQaqi8rnWxWSkaK4tH-oqFz0krcOcekRf-fTCFF_lY99roM9vymVw4MyZMUQBSPRy_9aWhpgTZxAHJqkC2J-M5lt/s1600-h/Coccora.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMSu6dF80H6F-nCulqr_QMVpIDfhl2d8WcAxvQWJgw8w4o4q_D_jEjcQaqi8rnWxWSkaK4tH-oqFz0krcOcekRf-fTCFF_lY99roM9vymVw4MyZMUQBSPRy_9aWhpgTZxAHJqkC2J-M5lt/s400/Coccora.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433469638048407202" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.mykoweb.com/CAF/species/Amanita_lanei.html">The Cocorra</a></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> This is a house a block off of Buena Vista Park. We saw the owner walking his two King Charles Cavalier Spaniels in the park. Later we saw him again coming back from his walk when we were admiring his house. We found out that it was built in 1916. The architect was most likely<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julia_Morgan"> Julia Morgan</a>. The dormers on the side are clad in slate. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVUZerno_Vng0XpFz8jkW9lm9vVLl8pvHlc5xoeLF63KWw3l6foV32V-i_BdzAsDV5mW8Ygn3uRc-jgycIe1X4djoR2Dwyfw8Vc1Zh5rxRfIFyDCuaZtlE-PGbRKY00OgGdc01leAljpMp/s1600-h/Brickhouse.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVUZerno_Vng0XpFz8jkW9lm9vVLl8pvHlc5xoeLF63KWw3l6foV32V-i_BdzAsDV5mW8Ygn3uRc-jgycIe1X4djoR2Dwyfw8Vc1Zh5rxRfIFyDCuaZtlE-PGbRKY00OgGdc01leAljpMp/s400/Brickhouse.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433443955833673090" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>This house is on Masonic and Upper Terrace.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_sEeP71YM2i3thQJwN4HtFEzEhe3TUp2px6SFM3nhkzBtC3GovsMVXmnVS3yBrxd_qpIYhMBMk4-j4WWCKDVsL2o5jY1qYBeKYtSz7e49L2lfAb-0TOYT9ko20_y9PPo0cfODpG9jAvSt/s1600-h/Brickhouse-Dormers.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_sEeP71YM2i3thQJwN4HtFEzEhe3TUp2px6SFM3nhkzBtC3GovsMVXmnVS3yBrxd_qpIYhMBMk4-j4WWCKDVsL2o5jY1qYBeKYtSz7e49L2lfAb-0TOYT9ko20_y9PPo0cfODpG9jAvSt/s400/Brickhouse-Dormers.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433475678542438370" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 280px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>This view show the slate on the dormers.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Click on any photo to see more details. </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i> To zoom, use the enlarge text function on the browser</i></div>Mike Callahanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10498617408017798673noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3294642367225282566.post-59191393422441354982010-01-27T10:39:00.000-08:002010-01-27T14:03:51.505-08:00<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisMLLXaO5iN1avHT-rq7dFPGAM_M488c7IbabEykZipeKHmK35C0WRfKSMaZ3vwxeTQub8QbYJBsrg0ETns3DZTlOqr9x4Iq73ItCjYeUnPBk5hm2hf0yar5Q8m6HKDBux0vGSCPyoeTV2/s1600-h/Doghouse_Billie.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisMLLXaO5iN1avHT-rq7dFPGAM_M488c7IbabEykZipeKHmK35C0WRfKSMaZ3vwxeTQub8QbYJBsrg0ETns3DZTlOqr9x4Iq73ItCjYeUnPBk5hm2hf0yar5Q8m6HKDBux0vGSCPyoeTV2/s400/Doghouse_Billie.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431492270187618434" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Billie emerges from the Doghouse Bar on El Camino Real.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>It is so convenient that it's open at 0600 AM.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Daily life in the apartment complex is almost a routine now. I am familiar with the limited broadcast options for daytime TV. About the only thing I like all day is Perry Mason at noon followed by Americas' Test Kitchen on PBS. I like the cars and outfits on the Perry Mason show. The series is classic film noir style with lots of drinking and cigarettes. Billie works most of the day on her laptop and I try to keep quiet. While I write now I am catching up on The Colbert Report online with earphones on. In the background there are the reports of a lot of shooters at the rifle range. The sun is out now that the fog has dissipated. It's a nice day to be outside shooting. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> We have clinic twice a week where we go and have blood drawn for several tests. We then wait for a meeting with a nurse practitioner and sometimes the doctor. At the clinic we go over the test results and adjust the levels of certain medications. I answer a series of questions about how I feel and I undergo a minor examination checking for signs of Graft Versus Host Disease among other things. Clinic visits last anywhere between four to six hours. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> The drugs I am taking cause a lot of side effects that mostly effect my stomach. I am also taking steroids that can cause wasting after long periods. I am told that I will be on the steroids for at least four more months. I can see how easy it would be to just sit around and waste away losing weight, not eating and not exercising. The inclination to vegetate is pretty strong. I feel like I am coasting on the strength I built up last fall. Any strength I gain is from our daily two mile walks to Ft Funston.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYWnxqtOuxiZDfOvV9IB2a1XH7NJi6OJjnl5mT-h9Zyz93no6yvNcyu4pxFKAGWiCZ3-WwqZY2UOEA1qnt0i9EwAp6NZvjbxuoZ-WNDj-4spzSJNqK-wQcVxaxWDnCh0vEZ-cYGmWhAiAv/s1600-h/Ft-Funston-South.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYWnxqtOuxiZDfOvV9IB2a1XH7NJi6OJjnl5mT-h9Zyz93no6yvNcyu4pxFKAGWiCZ3-WwqZY2UOEA1qnt0i9EwAp6NZvjbxuoZ-WNDj-4spzSJNqK-wQcVxaxWDnCh0vEZ-cYGmWhAiAv/s400/Ft-Funston-South.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431492278423643026" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>This is the view from a deck near the hanglider launching area at Ft Funston.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"> I am walking pretty slow these days. Billie has to check her pace. We often sit on the park benches and watch the dogs romping and the ocean. Feeling so weak all the time is one of the most difficult things for me to accept. I am very aware how I must look when I slowly shuffle along. I did manage to pass one guy on the trail last week who had a broken leg. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> Over the weekend we did more exploring the vicinity. We checked our mushroom spots but didn't find much except for a few nice Amanita muscarias.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyRyHiXVTnTP-JVYwgWVRSRssAu3amiOEFmnEnby3vwpvk3Ult-8ZXn6pTt8QD-ziy2yu8MCjamw6bGTkDRHVeyMtz9pa6lGdFoY-NfpHyIsBiPqTzjcbMf_Nx4zqHEBs_e030UbUZhBp_/s1600-h/A_muscaria.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyRyHiXVTnTP-JVYwgWVRSRssAu3amiOEFmnEnby3vwpvk3Ult-8ZXn6pTt8QD-ziy2yu8MCjamw6bGTkDRHVeyMtz9pa6lGdFoY-NfpHyIsBiPqTzjcbMf_Nx4zqHEBs_e030UbUZhBp_/s400/A_muscaria.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431504427540466802" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <i>The Fly Agaric</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Billie and I are still astounded by all of the homes in San Francisco and the vicinity. Billies loves to drive block by block and find nice jewel houses in the neighborhoods. It is obvious that certain builders developed a lot of the neighborhoods. You can tell by the style of each builder where he was in the neighborhood. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3HfkguqAvnEKRPY6CO0bpJer1LY3G7wYcU2DydPbLi5nO7pVpk8fQzvH3Rf2M-1UcM-k5rSuqZcfU9EeB2oKRiiVR8aXhK4aU9R8Age3ji9UdleQKBk3_iwCvF75YBIbXAjB86l5OIXOT/s1600-h/42nd-ST_2.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3HfkguqAvnEKRPY6CO0bpJer1LY3G7wYcU2DydPbLi5nO7pVpk8fQzvH3Rf2M-1UcM-k5rSuqZcfU9EeB2oKRiiVR8aXhK4aU9R8Age3ji9UdleQKBk3_iwCvF75YBIbXAjB86l5OIXOT/s400/42nd-ST_2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431505816323149922" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 268px; height: 400px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>This is another Home on 42nd near the one I posted last week. It was probably by the same builder. Click on the Photo to see details.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div>Mike Callahanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10498617408017798673noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3294642367225282566.post-85914125425549268202010-01-22T16:52:00.001-08:002010-01-22T18:27:53.183-08:00No News on Day 76<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></span></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBZx_VaXke1j6yA5lhamN_IDWa1G5nmtPUXBIuf-JI4KLH0sUoR4VcWOEvrVaWpSsQP26woIj6OcdHCyAU955nSm7VwhubU11q3DgF7dXFkdt8etH1gLtl46jwyfrh4OJoM2cQfaiKeGiU/s1600-h/Craigslist+Corporate+HQ.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBZx_VaXke1j6yA5lhamN_IDWa1G5nmtPUXBIuf-JI4KLH0sUoR4VcWOEvrVaWpSsQP26woIj6OcdHCyAU955nSm7VwhubU11q3DgF7dXFkdt8etH1gLtl46jwyfrh4OJoM2cQfaiKeGiU/s400/Craigslist+Corporate+HQ.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429732290056078530" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Craigslist Corporate Headquarters</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>9th Ave between Irving and Judah.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"> This is day 76 out from my bone marrow transplant. At the clinic today my blood counts were in the normal range for the first time in months. My platelets are still a little low and I have no t cells but the rest of the blood is coming along fine. Everything is where it is supposed to be at this time. In two weeks I will be due for my first bone marrow biopsy since October. If the cancer is coming back then the biopsy will tell. Even if there is a little cancer we hope the graft from Maura will eat it up. The strategy is to give Mauras' cells a longer leash by reducing the immune suppressant drugs. It will be graft versus leukemia or GVL as they say. The best outcome would be no detectable cancer in the biopsy. We will know in about 3 weeks. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> I have symptoms of GVH in my skin and gut. I am not sure what is making me feel weird. Is it the drug side effects, the GVH or a combination? </div><div style="text-align: left;"> My appetite is still behaving peculiar. Certain foods still have no appeal that used to sound good. I do like fruit. I am eating lots of frozen tropical fruit from Trader Joe's and frozen strawberries. I still can eat beans in soup and chili. Pizza and pasta are unappetizing for some reason. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWSefVA0AX2bDgWdqLyHPf__YTxuc4dp6iIDHhU_i13wh76GlOrwRzjDSPus3oGt20uoewgPigXO_TxthN_diQi8Xi-WaWTbgT_bWzvxLyUH-DDtAds7t0rGKNjyOBt01eoCWV4wDQwV-6/s1600-h/Baker+Beach.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWSefVA0AX2bDgWdqLyHPf__YTxuc4dp6iIDHhU_i13wh76GlOrwRzjDSPus3oGt20uoewgPigXO_TxthN_diQi8Xi-WaWTbgT_bWzvxLyUH-DDtAds7t0rGKNjyOBt01eoCWV4wDQwV-6/s400/Baker+Beach.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429736677923642786" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Billie at Baker Beach</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i> </i>After we visit the clinic we often meander about town looking at the local sights. Today we visited Baker Beach and toured the Richmond District. Billie bought a few take out meat pies from a bakery on Irving St. That is as close as we can get to eating out. We save lots of money not eating out these days. We like to eat at restaurants but that will have to wait. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> I love all the rain we have been getting. Tomorrow we will check our Bolete spot to see if there are any more coming up. I have my camera with me now so I will be able to post more photos. I wish I had my camera when we found the boletes the first time. They are so beautiful. It is also the best time to find Blewits which are another one of my favorite edibles. Mushrooms make good photo subjects because they stand still and don't blow in the wind. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlVP9xmNMtoOQ3-cI47W3S_WseY2t2TYAuRe8ca7VPi44cvLYFSmVR6dOhkWVTZHn6s-oMzKXfH6TL8B4JFqp-IpKtCd0BPbOjD_hhicifz46P6g-Y65wzcjaV7kXW-pCS32IZvPLgAHzY/s1600-h/42nd+St.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlVP9xmNMtoOQ3-cI47W3S_WseY2t2TYAuRe8ca7VPi44cvLYFSmVR6dOhkWVTZHn6s-oMzKXfH6TL8B4JFqp-IpKtCd0BPbOjD_hhicifz46P6g-Y65wzcjaV7kXW-pCS32IZvPLgAHzY/s400/42nd+St.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429754778327396514" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 268px; height: 400px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>This is a little bungalow</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i> between Irving and Lincoln on 42nd Ave</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i> Click on photos for a larger view </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div>Mike Callahanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10498617408017798673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3294642367225282566.post-49368659399797821512010-01-14T11:02:00.000-08:002010-01-14T15:59:57.539-08:00The Naked GuyIt's still kind of quiet on the AML front. My blood counts are in the low range and are very slowly rising. I am told this is normal and all is good so far. I am still on immune suppressants that keep my T cells in my blood near bottom. Because my T cells are so low I am at a high risk for infection. I am still not able to mix with the greater population. Much of my time is spent in isolation with Billie. It may not be until May at the earliest that I will be able to go to a movie or mingle with my family. Kids are especially dangerous. My nurse practitioner equated kids to little cesspools of inoculum. <div> Just this week I experienced the first real manifestation of Graft Versus Host Disease. My skin has a light rash. I have been given hydrocortisone cream to apply to my whole body. Since the rash broke out I have been having some trouble sleeping. I can't pinpoint what is making me uncomfortable. I can't lie long in the same spot without discomfort. I turn over all night as if I'm on a rotisserie. </div><div> Having a little GVHD is a good thing because we know that Mauras' blood is there and reacting to her host. The theory is that with the help from a little GVHD the transplanted donor will attack any cancer that is left in my blood. We don't want the chimeric blood to all just get along.</div><div> If all goes well, we will be allowed to move back to Sacramento on day 90. That would be about February 4th. At that time my brother Kit will be here to take over care taking while Deni whisks Billie off for some well deserved rest. The annual Callahan sisters weekend will be at the same time. I may be able to visit with my sisters and the kids if everyone is outside. The doctor will have to advise us at that time. That same time my brothers Kit and Gene will help move us out of this apartment complex. </div><div> I can update on the efficacy of Marinol. I sometimes wonder what it would be like if I went off it. I got the answer recently. It had been about 24 hours since the last dose by the time I noticed I was getting nauseous. I neglected to remind myself to take the morning dose. I had a hard time keeping lunch down until the medication began to work again. </div><div> Besides our almost daily strolls into Fort Funston we like to take walking tours in San Francisco. Of course we cruised the Castro. We visited Mission Bay with ATT Park towering over. We walked all over Sausalito where we talked for a long time with a boat maker in his shop. Fort Baker was nice. Sometimes we just pick a different neighborhood and go for a stroll. </div><div> Last week we were taking a walking tour of the neighborhoods near Alamo Square. While strolling by a corner cafe I noticed someone without a shirt on. He was seated among other patrons that were there for a nice place to hang with your coffee. It was a little peculiar seeing someone without a shirt being that it was winter. It was a sunny warm exposure though. As I walked closer I noticed that he also did not have any pants on. The little table he was seated at concealed part of him so I thought for a moment that he must be wearing shorts. As I passed him I had to side glance and verify the shorts theory. I was wrong about the shorts. There IT was working on IT's tan. The few glances I got from the other patrons seemed to say something like, "Oh brother, There's a naked guy sitting there." </div><div> Billie was just ahead of me and when we were about fifty feet down the sidewalk she stopped and whispered to me, "Did you notice that guy?" He did have some nice shoes. When we came around the block again we saw the naked guy on a different corner surrounded by about five SF cops. </div><div> Only about 20 days left here in San Francisco. I will have to come to the clinic every two weeks for at least the next six months. When I am off immune suppressants in May then I will be off of most of the other drugs I am taking too. That day can't come soon enough. </div><div><br /></div><div>Take Care</div><div><br /></div><div> Mike</div><div> </div>Mike Callahanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10498617408017798673noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3294642367225282566.post-41570872336741801932010-01-01T22:56:00.000-08:002010-01-01T23:56:29.580-08:00Happy New YearWell.... No news is good news when dealing with this disease. I say that because it has been a while since I last posted here. <div> I was a little over optimistic about the Marinol. It is not as good as I was hoping for putting down the chronic nausea. The stoned feeling subsided and the nausea still comes back in unpredictable waves. Counterintuitively I think I can control the nausea by eating a little when I feel nausea. Part of the problem is I need an empty stomach for 3 hours twice a day when I take some of my meds. It is when my stomach is empty that the nausea comes on the most. One thing is that I have not vomited since I have been taking Marinol. It might be that the nausea is fading as my chemo wears off. </div><div> There is no sign yet that my hair is coming back. I still have a few wispy wizardly hairs clinging to my eyebrows. They are not those bushy eyebrows that used to remind my mom of uncle Frank anymore. </div><div> I still have to take immune suppressants. I have to wear a mask in the halls of our apartment complex and I am not allowed to mingle with the public. </div><div> I feel so grateful for having Billie with me. I feel like I owe her so much because she is so good. I don't touch door handles or anything out in public. She opens doors for me and pumps the gas in the car. So far so good because I am free from infections when I am extremely susceptible. </div><div> Billie and I are still taking daily walks. The mushroom hunting hit the glory hole last weekend. We found five beautiful King Bolete buttons that must have weighed five pounds total. I sliced and browned one in a little butter and fed it to Billie and she really lighted up. That was one very tasty mushroom. You should have seen the fervor she was hunting with the next time we went out. Seeing her poking around in the duff is one of the small things that really make life enjoyable right now. She has bolete fever really bad. </div><div> We still go on regular walks in Fort Funston. I like to talk with some of the dog owners about their dogs. A few weeks ago I asked a couple who had Portuguese Water Dogs if they had them pre Bo or post Bo. The guy was very quick to answer, "Pre Bo". Another couple had a pair of Vizlas with e-collars on. They look a lot like my pointers. I told them that I would be doing the same thing using e-collars just to make sure they stay nearby. </div><div> Last week we saw a show on PBS called "History Detectives". The topic was about two dueling pistols and if they were used in the Terry/ Broderick duel in 1858. It turns out that the site of the duel is within walking distance of our apartment complex. I did a lot of history reading on the internet and then we walked over to the site. The site was a little hard to find with all of the building that has gone on since the duel. It is still there with granite markers where each man stood. Broderick died after his weapon discharged in the ground in front of him. His piece had a stuck hair trigger that was very sensitive. Terry had a free shot and he killed Broderick. Terry's matching weapon still had the hair trigger adjustable. Terry was a southern sympathizer and Broderick wanted California to be a free state. Terry was the chief justice of the California supreme court. Broderick was a state senator. </div>Mike Callahanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10498617408017798673noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3294642367225282566.post-14775311193494849192009-12-20T13:55:00.000-08:002009-12-20T19:40:30.227-08:00Fort Funston and NauseaBillie and I have been walking daily to Fort Funston that is just a short walk from our apartment complex. Fort Funston during WWII had 20" cannons to defend the coast. From photos, the cannons looked to be about 50 feet long. There was also a Nike missile base there. Today the site is a giant dog park with several trails for walking and beach access. The concrete pad that was the missile site is now the parking lot. Billie and I enjoy watching all the dogs running free. Often you see pro dog walkers with 10 to 15 dogs romping all around them. Surprisingly the site is relatively poop free because the owners seem to be pretty well trained. Fort Funston has always been one of the most popular spots in the state for hangliders. It still is. I have seen some interesting mushrooms along the way. Three were choice edibles. Those being Chlorophylum <i>rachodes</i>, Agaricus <i>campestris</i>, and Flammulina <i>velutipes</i>. The walking at Fort Funston helps to make our stay here much more enjoyable. Great ocean views.<div> Today we walked around downtown Burlingame for a few laps. I put my mask on and entered a pet boutique. I think Mojo would look good wearing a pair of those dog antlers that seem all the rage this Christmas. Remember the Grinchs' dog who had to pull the overloaded sled wearing fake antlers? We found some nice antlers but the string that ties them looked like it would last a second on Mojo. We checked out downtown San Bruno via El Camino Real. El Camino Real is the oldest road in California. It was the road that linked all the 21 Missions. It was entertaining looking for remnants of the olden days. The iconic bell on the shepherds crook marking post is still there in places. I wish I had my camera to take a photo of the old and decrepit "Dog House" bar and liquor store from the art deco period.<br /><div> I continue to get better every day. Long walks don't make my feet sore. A few weeks ago a mile walk would make my feet feel like I just spent 14 hours hiking up Mt. Shasta. </div><div> I still have chronic nausea that has been sometimes difficult to control. A few days ago I had Billie pull over while I opened the passenger door and puked all over the curb and gutter somewhere on 17th Street. We were on our way to fill a prescription for another medicine that the nurse practitioner suggested for nausea. The Zofran and the Ativan were not working very well so she suggested we try Marinol. </div><div> I was skeptical that the marinol would work because I had not heard great things. Surprisingly it worked very well. I was sitting in the lounge chair watching the XC skiing on Universal Sports about an hour after I took a pill and I noticed something.... Besides having no detectable nausea, I felt like I was stoned. It wasn't mind blowing but it was definitely that familiar feeling from my younger days. I became much more talkative. On walks I felt like I had a little more spring in my step. I knew the nausea was still there but it was further in the background. With the Zofran I was still slightly nauseous.</div><div> I went to the wiki entry for Marinol and it took me straight to THC. It turns out that marinol is pure pharmaceutical THC. Duh..... No wonder I feel stoned. Don't worry. I can't OD. I would have to eat 3/4 of a ton of marinol in 14 minutes to achieve a 50% chance of morbidity . Another benefit side effect from the THC is an increase in my appetite. My appetite has not been this good in several weeks. In other words..... I got the munchies. Billie can vouch for that. Getting some of my appetite back will really help me to eat and prevent wasting. I see so clear now how nausea could dangerously effect weight. When just the sight of food makes you retch then it is too easy to lose weight. </div><div> I was worried that Billie would not like being around me because I have been talking a lot more. She assures me that so far it seems that the new effect of the THC is favorable. </div><div> I am hoping the chronic nausea is not a long term GVHD effect. Heaven forbid me having to have a prescription for THC for the rest of my life. </div><div> Strange that at the wiki page there was no mention about operating a vehicle on THC. I will have to ask the doctor because I will be needing to drive sometimes. </div><div> I am jonesin to get back on my bike. I don't know where to ride yet but it will be fun finding out. When we are allowed to take a road trip to Sacramento I will be sure to bring back a bike. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div> Take Care</div></div>Mike Callahanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10498617408017798673noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3294642367225282566.post-31367410247272513522009-12-12T15:21:00.000-08:002009-12-12T16:18:28.866-08:00I'm Taking Drugs<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjow3iy-PesnfYYw5oIXhDx-ZLMEoVKCt5wLsBhdqYGJ5kTxATUK1ErJITZF25VcOtHew0Eoh0cUu7F0zwzdMwPJuUWiAp4bI-5gnWZoEV_ObeFJHg2eu0mDGzHCGJA6_V_6E8nX-Y5eBlm/s1600-h/DSC_0003.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjow3iy-PesnfYYw5oIXhDx-ZLMEoVKCt5wLsBhdqYGJ5kTxATUK1ErJITZF25VcOtHew0Eoh0cUu7F0zwzdMwPJuUWiAp4bI-5gnWZoEV_ObeFJHg2eu0mDGzHCGJA6_V_6E8nX-Y5eBlm/s400/DSC_0003.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414494154079441874" /></a> <div><br /></div><div> This past Sunday I had a low fever and chills. The fever was just above the threshold that was designated to be the line where we called the doctor. We were told to go to the emergency room. After a long night with Billie sleeping on the floor, I was admitted to a room after 0500 AM. It turns out that I had an infection in my blood that appeared to be the same infection that I had earlier. The infection was persistent because it was appearing to come from the Hickman Catheter that was in my chest and a direct line to my vena cava. After five days as an inpatient I was discharged Friday after dark. I have a few more drugs added to my list that I take at home. Before all this started I had rarely taken any drugs. Occasionally I would take some aspirin after minor dental surgery. I had a bottle of aspirin that I bought in the 70s for road rash that was still full in 2004 when I started using it to medicate one of my old dogs. When I was discharged from the hospital the pharmacist asked where was my regular Pharmacy. She was surprised that someone my age had no regular pharmacy like some others are surprised that I have no regular lawyer. By my age I should have been taking sleeping pills, blood pressure medicine, cholesterol lowering medicine, ED medicine and all the other meds that people normally take. What's wrong with me?</div><div> Well all that has changed now. We are frequent fliers at the pharmacy. They love me so much that they call frequently before I need refills and they give us schwag like tote bags, pill cutters and med organizers. It helps that single pills for anti viral and anti fungal cost fifty dollars apiece. </div><div> Eventually I should be weaned off of all the meds if all goes well. Unlike other organ transplants a body can adapt to a bone marrow transplant so that graft rejection drugs can be discontinued after a year or so. In the meantime I am still severely immune compromised from the drugs that will ease Maura into my system. Many of the drugs have nausea as a side effect. I tried to wean off the anti nausea drugs a little early. That was a mistake. </div><div> Without all the drugs I wouldn't have a chance. Ten years ago the protocol for my type of AML would have invited a relapse. A nurse was telling me that "back in the day" they used to carry the vomit out of the oncology ward in drums. Because my nausea is under control I am better equipped to maintain a reasonable weight. With out those drugs it would be very hard to eat because everything would taste bad. </div><div> As I write this I feel as normal as can be with the help of modern scientific medicine. I am eating well and maintaining weight. We go on walks almost every day. It is pouring rain today so I will miss the daily walk. I feel strong and healthy. This is day 36 since my transplant. I will be able to go back to a more normal life in Sacramento after day 100. With some luck, all this will be behind me in a year or so.</div><div> </div>Mike Callahanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10498617408017798673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3294642367225282566.post-53583879208733935092009-12-02T17:58:00.000-08:002009-12-02T20:21:49.611-08:00Good Days. Bad DaysIt is now Day 26 since I received my bone marrow transplant. This is the time when Graft Versus Host disease should be starting to manifest itself. So far the symptoms I am experiencing are probably residual effects of the chemotherapy. I have nausea of and on that makes most foods that I usually love to seem repulsive. I have been trying to eat something most days if it is only ice cream. My taste buds are shot again. Acidic food often has a bitter and metallic aftertaste. It will be more than a month before my taste buds heal and I will be able to taste food again. On Sunday I had some really bizarre symptoms. Both my palms on the thumb side felt like they were dipped in boiling water. I had no pain meds at the time. I found out that if I held my hands in cold water then I could find relief. I toughed it out all night clutching frozen water bottles with both hands and tried to sleep. The next day we went to the clinic and were prescribed Vicodin and Lidocaine cream. The cream worked for a few hours at a time but the heat started to spread to between my fingers and my knuckles. I felt like I was putting out spot fires on my hands while the burning spread. I was trying to avoid using the Vicodin because of all the side effects that came with it. By bedtime I gave up and popped a Vicodin. In about an hour the pain started to subside and by the next morning it was completely gone. It has yet to flare up again. Only one Vicodin did the trick. The doctor said it was probably a nerve inflammation. <div> In the daytime if we are not going to the clinic we are exploring San Francisco and the vicinity. We drove down the coast as far as Pacifica and took a walk on the beach. The Pier is popular there because people are catching crabs. The surf last weekend was the highest I have ever seen. Waves were crashing over the seawall in Pacifica. They looked nearly 20 feet high. We continued down the coast but Billie stopped at Devils Slide. Huge drop offs and exposure like that terrify her. We have also been taking walks outside our apartment on the paths around Merced Lake. We took a few walks at Lands End near the Cliff House. I miss the old Playland at the Beach where we always used to go. Now there are just ugly apartments there. I was curious about Lands End because I have heard it is a great place to find Bolete mushrooms. There are pure stands of Cyprus trees that are good bolete habitat. It is too dry now to find anything now. </div><div> I am spending a lot of time at home too. My energy levels are pretty low for my usual self. I have good days and bad days with no predictable sequence. Hopefully the good days will begin to outnumber the bad.</div><div><br /></div><div> Mike</div>Mike Callahanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10498617408017798673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3294642367225282566.post-67954379400403535212009-11-25T10:45:00.000-08:002009-11-25T13:46:44.250-08:00House Arrest<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9j1YtJSnZ43214HLS9L3u8SL8wX979KeXwMOL981dXoiJTv7IOls89ywkfLh-Kk0bycSoBlJegbqxTvI2ZkKMKOa3UhqaSriUaml-G1vOpN7nWMmXrafGOhB8AsrVJkCYo9QXYIee8kyl/s1600/Tempo@RelayPK.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 308px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9j1YtJSnZ43214HLS9L3u8SL8wX979KeXwMOL981dXoiJTv7IOls89ywkfLh-Kk0bycSoBlJegbqxTvI2ZkKMKOa3UhqaSriUaml-G1vOpN7nWMmXrafGOhB8AsrVJkCYo9QXYIee8kyl/s400/Tempo@RelayPK.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408158933452698706" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; ">Tempo</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "> Right now I am sitting on a recliner in our small clean apartment near Merced Lake. There is a view of the lake with a rifle range in the foreground. Good thing Tempo doesn't live here with us because she wouldn't like the sounds coming from the rifle range. The rowing team from SF State uses the lake. There are many other rowers during the day but the big boats come out at dawn and just before dark. There is also a bike path busy with bikes and runners. In the background are the hills of San Francisco and the Sutro Tower. </div><div style="text-align: left; "> Billie and I are still getting settled. We are stocking up on food and housekeeping supplies. Billie moved some of our furniture from Sacramento. We bought a new bed that we can eventually move to Sacramento to replace our worn out bed there. The new bed is such a luxury after spending a month on the plastic hospital bed. </div>According to plan I was discharged on Monday afternoon. To be eligible for discharge I needed to be off the pain meds. I was having trouble swallowing due to the methotrexate. I went from Norco to Morphine and finally Dilaudid last week for about five days. My last dose of methotrexate was on day 11 and as soon as my throat began to heal I went cold turkey. I have to say it was the worst hangover of my life. <div> My engraftment seems to be going well. I am on immunosuppressants for the foreseeable future. I will slowly be weaned off of immunosuppressants to help control Graft Versus Host Disease. So far I have no detectable GVHD. It is still a little early for the GVHD to manifest itself. </div><div> According to the doctors I am the star of the transplant ward. Because my counts were above a certain threshold and climbing I was discharged as early as possible. </div><div> I was a little optimistic about the freedom I would be allowed. For now I am not allowed to go riding my bike alone. I can go on walks but only on paved paths. I will not be able to go into restaurants or any other businesses. When indoors at the hospital or in the halls of our apartment complex I must wear a mask. Billie is dedicated to enforcing all these restrictions. She is doing a fine job. </div><div> Tomorrow we will be having a mini Thanksgiving feast. We are cooking some turkey breast in a crockpot. It will just be the two of us. We will miss Thanksgiving in Chico this year and the Hericium mushroom picking ritual. I hope Scott and Meghan will send me a photo of the mushroom if it comes out this year. I first found the Hericium about ten years ago on a maple tree. It was about grapefruit size then. It is larger than a bowling ball now and always delicious. The dense sweet flesh resembles crab meat when cooked. </div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjngmqsafoHZeCB0a3vCUVyB2_o-Vcl4zazxOZ2VGMVnVaj-cj96q-jRJ5I8NZgNV9q9bHimQae8PQvD-_jRecfGG_wUG7EqMkfKm31mF85J9tpzvjMxa7w3_JNxRBXmnjyhROAM4JMZG_q/s1600/DSCN0377.JPG"><br /></a></div></div>Mike Callahanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10498617408017798673noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3294642367225282566.post-36541844508920574022009-11-18T17:35:00.000-08:002009-11-18T18:57:46.562-08:00Breakout!!If all goes well over the weekend, I am going to be discharged next Monday the 23rd, just 17 days after my bone marrow transplant. I was completely surprised that it would be this soon. We had anticipated this just in case and we will be able to move into our little apartment near Merced Lake. Billie will come to the Hospital tomorrow and learn what it will take to be my caretaker. Mostly that will be flushing my IV line that is poking out of my chest. She will also have to dispense a few meds. <div> My blood counts are rising fast. All my doctors are surprised that the graft is taking this well this soon. Riding daily on the spin bike and walking the halls has kept my strength up. I will enjoy riding the streets of the city while I recover. Don't worry. I will be very careful and not let myself get hit by a car or crash. Billie and I can ride together or take short road trips in the car. I might not miss the whole mushroom season after all. By mid February it will be 100 days and I might be able to move back to Sacramento. There my next project will be to remodel the Sacramento house. The Tahoe house is going to be our vacation home. I might not be able to do real work until next summer if all goes well. During that time Billie and I hope to come up with some nice ideas for the remodel.</div><div> This tour of UCSF has gone very well so far. The doctor today said that I'm the rock star on this wing. He was saying that another patient wanted to know what it was going to be like to get a transplant here. The doctor said he should send that patient over to talk to me. "Oh yeah. Cake walk". I had only one very minor infection that a little vancomycin was able to beat back. Another drug had a few nasty side effects causing a sore throat and drying out my skin. Nothing that a few narcotics couldn't handle. I had a low fever one night but that didn't last. </div><div> I was so worried after my last hospital stay that I would exit here emaciated. That didn't happen. I somehow managed to gain weight. </div>Mike Callahanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10498617408017798673noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3294642367225282566.post-21100810408378875832009-11-11T16:49:00.001-08:002009-11-11T19:18:49.987-08:00Lucky So Far<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIZjhnL2r1jv-NX0BrzGF5GznnZAPrVN0RTlQ5BfR113_4VMrOnpct4QPuI1cwjxplPJOWvxo9DRxQ-WGRq1lq1KQnAu6ymTbh3BccycM6jFsXWjfYt4kwTPD4IaDHnwVEthTyb8TL-FYC/s1600-h/Morels_16May09.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIZjhnL2r1jv-NX0BrzGF5GznnZAPrVN0RTlQ5BfR113_4VMrOnpct4QPuI1cwjxplPJOWvxo9DRxQ-WGRq1lq1KQnAu6ymTbh3BccycM6jFsXWjfYt4kwTPD4IaDHnwVEthTyb8TL-FYC/s400/Morels_16May09.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403041529564122450" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Billie with a good days catch of morels</i></div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: left; "><i> I have to say </i>that I must be one of the lucky ones in spite of this ugly disease. For one I have such a great family and support from friends. I have a 100 percent match for a donor too. My time at UCSF has been more like staying at a hotel than a hospital. I have no fevers or infections that are normal for the condition I am in. There is just one thing. I can't go anywhere. I really miss being outside and spending time with Billie. If only I could just walk outside with my IV pole for a little while. Maybe have a shot of whiskey at the corner bar. Jameson please.</div><div style="text-align: left; ">One of the things I am missing now is all the good mushroom hunting. I hear the chanterelles are good this year all over.</div></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLh7xgigP1LOOrCvb-w92cH_33s9nYTtPfAjB48Ex-mH-Klye86Wmk7rh3KWhso2h215LtLn5qk6asCaD9lvt__i3vn3YPK_1Tw-fjmhKLvXqtwlb2aDRalBPHlz_r-5blJmFrhgavqwEL/s1600-h/Leaders.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLh7xgigP1LOOrCvb-w92cH_33s9nYTtPfAjB48Ex-mH-Klye86Wmk7rh3KWhso2h215LtLn5qk6asCaD9lvt__i3vn3YPK_1Tw-fjmhKLvXqtwlb2aDRalBPHlz_r-5blJmFrhgavqwEL/s400/Leaders.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403012978411463826" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>My lead dogs Mojo and Otto</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i> </i></div><div style="text-align: left;">This time of year I also miss running my dogs. They are usually very fit and fast by now. They must be wondering where the heck I am. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> Billie found a place for us to stay while I recover in San Francisco. We will be near Lake Merced. We looked at a lot of places. We wanted to be closer in town but parking was always a problem. If I wasn't in this condition we could probably get away without a car. I need to be close to the hospital and I am not allowed to use public transportation to prevent being exposed to infection. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> The routine at the hospital is repetitive. I get checked by the nurses every four hours and more frequent if I am getting blood products. I ride the spin bike after breakfast and walk the halls after lunch. I read the paper and surf the web the rest of the time. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> I am optimistic about my recovery and even possibly a cure. I will have to wait to see if this transplant takes and hope that there is minimum rejection. We should know a lot more about that in the coming weeks. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Take Care</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div>Mike Callahanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10498617408017798673noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3294642367225282566.post-8995510410927810832009-11-05T14:20:00.000-08:002009-11-05T15:31:24.951-08:00Today is Day ZeroI just received the stem cells from Maura. Thank you Maura. They came in a small bag similar to a transfusion bag. In less than a half hour they were infused into me. Mauras' cells are now making their way through my bloodstream towards my bone marrow where they will generate new blood and a new immune system. I can't say I feel anything yet. I will be on immunosuppressants for a while until they am sure this transplant takes. I am told that Maura is a 100% match. There is still a good chance that I will have some kind of Graft Versus Host Disease but I will most likely be mild in the form of a skin rash. <div> This is what they call day zero. My remaining life will be counted from this day on. It is kind of like a new birthday. </div><div> So far my stay here at UCSF has been uneventful. The staff has been very professional and knowledgeable. I have met a few of the other patients while walking the halls here. It is apparent that cancer does not have any preference for age, sex or race. I have experienced very little side effects from my recent round of chemo. The worst is a slight loss of appetite and a small bit of nausea.</div><div> I have been riding a stationary bike every day and walking the halls. Other than that there is not much action here. Volunteers deliver the SF Chronicle to me in the morning. The Chronicle barely resembles the Chronicle I grew up with. Leah Garchik tries to be Herb Caen but not quite. </div><div> Billie and I are still looking for a place to stay close by. We have a few likely prospects. Depending on how my transplant behaves I may be discharged in about three weeks. They will first have to observe my blood counts going up at least to a level where I am not neutropenic. My blood counts will continue to drop another week before they are expected to start rising. During that time I will be extremely susceptible to opportunistic infections. I won't be allowed visitors except Billie for a little while. I will let you know when my counts are up enough to have visitors.</div><div><br /></div><div>Take Care</div>Mike Callahanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10498617408017798673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3294642367225282566.post-58981541320466956812009-10-30T08:53:00.000-07:002009-10-30T14:45:43.073-07:00In My RoomI am in my new hospital room at UCSF. I have a window facing south with a view of a hillside with eucalyptus trees and a peek of the top of the Sutro Tower. Outside the room down the hall there is a solarium with comfortable chairs, a TV and a nice view of the city looking north. The door stays closed all the time. A technician was in here earlier to check the air flow in here. He told me there is positive pressure and a HEPA filter that circulates the air at least eight times per hour. <div> I'm overjoyed that the food is profoundly better than Sutter. The bread is not always white and there is a good selection of fresh fruit. The meat is not overcooked and the sauces have subtle flavors that suggest a real chef is at work. I have only been here for a day and a half now so I haven't seen the whole rotating menu but so far it is very good. I asked about how the menu will change after I am neutropenic. The nurse assured me that there will still be fresh fruit and salads. Recently a nurse did a study here and found that there is little or no difference in the cleanliness of fresh fruit over canned fruit as long as the hospital does the selection and cleaning. </div><div> This morning a spinning bike was brought here. I will have to share it with another patient down the hall. I spent about 50 minutes on it already. The seat is a little too cushy like most spin bikes. I prefer the more bone like saddle that I am used to. The bars don't adjust forward enough to mimic my road bike but you can't have everything. I have my cleats with me and the pedals are compatible which is nice. </div><div> I have started my first round of chemotherapy with the drugs Fludarabine and Busulfan. So far my platelets have dropped along with my white cell count but it seems that my red cells are holding steady for now. The regimen is for five days. They will give my body two days of rest and then introduce Mauras' stem cells next Thursday. </div><div> Maura stopped in today to say hi after she picked up her Neupogen. She will have to inject herself for the next five days to stimulate her bone marrow to dump a whole lot of stem cells into her blood stream. She will be back here next Wednesday just down the hall strapped to a table while they harvest all those fresh stem cells. I will have to go over there and visit for a while. </div><div> Overall I still feel good. The staff keeps asking me if I am nauseous or if I have any pain. So far so good</div><div><br /></div><div> Take Care</div>Mike Callahanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10498617408017798673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3294642367225282566.post-33013261940501652872009-10-27T05:28:00.000-07:002009-10-27T07:24:22.880-07:00This is My Last Day at Home<div> I had to postpone my trip to Washington for the dog races. Last week my doctor in Sacramento put the kibosh on my plans to go to one last race. "There will be other dog races", she said. If I was hurt and break something then it would be a huge setback. I crash enough just training my team. Racing increases my chances of crashing about a thousand percent. The factors of running new unfamiliar trails and passing alligator dog teams are just a few of the hazards typically encountered in a race.</div> Tomorrow I go to UCSF to prepare for my bone marrow transplant. I may be in the hospital for four to six weeks depending on how eventful my experience will be. I am hoping for a very uneventful time. <div> First there will be some more chemotherapy to wipe out my bone marrow. This should be the most intense chemo I have yet to experience. So far the chemo I have gone through hasn't been that bad. Chemo plays tricks with my sense of taste. I couldn't taste food or it tasted bad. I could swear that the fresh pineapple that they were giving me was prepared on the same cutting board that the kitchen had used to fillet raw fish on. Raw fish juice and fruit is not a good combination. Its enough to make anyone nauseous. In spite of that I had very little nausea during my first two rounds of chemo. I remember that during family road trips I was always the last one to get carsick. By that time my Dad so was tired of stopping all the time for all six kids that he just said, "Open the window and go. I don't want to stop now". Maybe that was why I was always the one to scrub the dried vomit off the station wagon after we got home. Since then a few years ago I saw another car with the tell tale splatter. I don't know why we didn't think of using a barf bag back then. With our family, a barf bucket would have been better. </div><div> I have been doing all that I can during my stay at home. I have gained my weight back and then some. I have been riding my bike regularly in spite of low red cell counts. I actually improved my speed some so that no more recumbents have passed me since those early days at home. </div><div> When I return to the real world I won't be the same person. I will have to protect myself from the sun because of all the carcinogens I have been exposed to. Billie can help me with that. Her episode with melanoma has made her avoid the sun like a vampire. If I ever get back on my bike again it will be long sleeves and tights all year long. </div><div> The one unknown variable will be Graft Versus Host Disease. I should get some GVHD but not too much. The doctors will have to try to balance it with anti rejection drugs. I need Maura's blood to take over the immune system in my body and attack any residual cancer cells that my own blood still harbors. Hopefully after a few months I can be weaned off the anti rejection drugs and go on with life. Commonly the GVHD attacks the skin and most can live with that. The worst scenario is GVHD attacking the liver. </div><div> The first few months after I am discharged from the hospital will be the most critical. I will be weak at first from low blood counts and susceptible to the million or so opportunistic afflictions. I can't see anyone except for my immediate caretakers and the doctors. I can get out but I won't be able to shop or go to restaurants. I will need to be revaccinated for everything I have ever been vaccinated for. I could easily be another victim of Jenny McCarthy and her scientifically illiterate horde of anti vaccination crackpots. All I need is to get whooping cough or measles because the population has lost it's herd immunity. </div><div> Overall I am feeling pretty stoic about this whole episode in my life. I can't say I am angry or afraid. I just accept that we have to do all that is possible and throw the best science we know at this beast. I am more worried about Billie and the rest of my family and friends and how they are going to deal with all this. The constant anxiety of this disease rearing it's ugly head again weighs heavily on us all. </div><div><br /></div><div>Take Care.</div><div><br /></div><div> Mike</div>Mike Callahanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10498617408017798673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3294642367225282566.post-15985579483169941202009-10-16T17:18:00.000-07:002009-10-16T18:00:02.790-07:00It's MauraToday I heard from my social worker that the HLA testing has found a match. I was told that the match was so good in the first test that the odds are 99% that the further testing will verify the match. If I was to choose who would be the donor for my bone marrow transplant then I would probably choose Maura, my youngest sister. She probably has the longest telomeres because she is the youngest of all my siblings. She also lives closer than most of my other siblings which will make it logistically less complicated. <div> It so happens that out of all my brothers and sisters that Maura is the only match. I am so lucky to have so many siblings. I was told that the chance of a match was one in four. The way my luck has been going, I was not optimistic. I am so grateful for Catholic church and their rhythm method. I never thought I would be as happy as I am now for that surprise baby sister. </div><div> I remember feeding Maura with a bottle and changing her diapers when I was 11 years old. I am sorry Maura that I waited for mom to come home that one time so she could change your diaper instead of me. I remember you looking at me and crying and I knew what you wanted me to do. I always felt guilty about that because mom was a little late. You probably don't remember.</div><div> My platelet counts are dropping these past few weeks. I had another bone marrow biopsy done yesterday to see if the cancer is coming back. Preliminary results show that it is not as bad as I thought it might be. Still it is more urgent than before that I be admitted soon to start my next treatment to prepare for my bone marrow transplant. Tentatively I will be admitted the week of October 26th. That gives me just enough time to go to Washington to do one last dog race. The race will be over by 0830 AM Sunday so we should be able to get back to SF in time. </div><div><br /></div><div> Wish me luck</div><div><br /></div><div> Mike</div>Mike Callahanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10498617408017798673noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3294642367225282566.post-81019140532398735122009-10-09T11:37:00.000-07:002009-10-09T14:53:05.830-07:00Puttin the Muffin Top Back OnI have been at home here for a month now in Sacramento. That is a lot longer than I thought I would be here. Getting ready for the bone marrow transplant has taken longer than I thought. The most likely donors are my siblings who have been doing everything they can to expedite the process. Their blood is being tested now and there should be results by next Friday. That will narrow it down some and there will have to be further testing after that. The doctors have been pretty vague about my future schedule. When I said before that I was going to go right back into the hospital at UCSF it was because the plan then was to go into my first round of consolidation chemotherapy. Now the doctors have decided to forego the chemotherapy and go directly to the bone marrow transplant. The urgency has something to do with my rare form of AML with the mutant FLT3/ITD gene. I have been to SF twice now with Billie for testing and preparation. I will go back Monday for a few more tests. Last time we took BART into SF and it was pretty easy to transfer to MUNI on the N line directly to the hospital. It was slower but much easier than driving the whole way. <div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre; font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: normal; font-family:Georgia, fantasy;font-size:16px;">Meanwhile at home.... I have started running my dogs again with my scooter. I started out with short runs along the neighborhood sidewalks. Now I am taking them down the street to the local park where we can run along the river for longer distances. I am seriously considering going to Washington state for the Pacific Northwest Dryland Championships. I was second there last year. I doubt I can win because my dogs have lost so much training time. It would be nice to go and just be part of that scene again. The dates are Oct 24th and 25th. The location is Roslyn Washington. Roslyn is slightly famous because they filmed the TV show "Northern Exposure" there. The way things are going I think I might still be waiting for my transplant. It might be my last opportunity for a long time to race my dogs.</span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre; font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Vx-jP0GcIfk&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Vx-jP0GcIfk&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></span></div><div> I forgot to ask my doctor if getting off my ass was right for me. I went ahead anyway and started riding my bike again. At first I thought I would get out of breath and fall off but that didn't happen. My red cell count is still low but not much below normal. I can't go real fast but I have been riding up to thirty miles almost every day now. I have gained about two thirds of the weight I lost and my legs look a little more normal now. Only two recumbents (the shame) have passed me and that was a few weeks ago. </div></div>Mike Callahanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10498617408017798673noreply@blogger.com2