Lymphoma Update

On Monday I trekked to The University of Colorado Hospital in Aurora for a CT Scan, blood tests, and a visit with my Oncologist, Dr. Kamdar - and the results? ALL GOOD!

While Dr. Kamdar would have preferred a PET Scan (Medicare would not approve it) the CT Scan showed a reduction in size of in one of my suspect lymph nodes and no growth in another one, and no enlarged lymph nodes in other spots. My spleen is down to normal size. These are results we were hoping for combined with excellent blood test results. Dr. Kamdar says I am doing exceptionally well for someone who had a bone marrow transplant six months ago. She went so far as to take me off my flying restrictions - I am free to travel based on my overall health and my white blood cell counts. I don’t have to see Dr. Kamdar for another three months, and I won’t have another scan for six months. All good and wonderful news.

The bone marrow transplant did what it was supposed to do and I’ve got another few years ahead of me and I can get on with living. Last year beginning about this time I was in pain, had no energy, was having a difficult time eating, and generally was going downhill. This year I feel really good, though I wish I had the energy I did a few years ago. I suppose part of it is being on the verge of hitting 70 years of age.

On other news... 

In November we had visitors from Michigan and then California. John and Carol - Sharon’s brother and sister-on-law took a train trip from Grand Rapids, to Chicago, to Omaha, then Denver and back. They were here for fours days. Unfortunately, Sharon was in Chesapeake Virginia that week! I showed John and Carol the sights of Longmont, Loveland, and Rocky Mountain National Park and we had a good visit.

For Thanksgiving the Reyes family and Jan Lobbes came for a visit. We had a delicious Thanksgiving dinner here with them and on Friday we went to Rocky Mountain National Park after the ladies enjoyed a tour of Celestial Seasonings. Rocky Mountain National Park was a hit with David because while we were there it started snowing - well more sleet than snow, but it was a new experience for him. Jan got to use her Senior National Parks Pass for the first time. It was a short trip up to the Park, but enjoyable. I am enjoying the ability to head up there anytime I want.

Weather wise this month has been interesting - from snow to record high temperatures and sunny skies. Sunrises and sunsets have been spectacular. 

I have made great progress on the basement. We had flooring put in the basement except in the area of my shop and I have finished a bead-board ceiling in the “booze room.” I am now working on the “TV Room” ceiling. We used the TV Room as a bedroom for David and it worked well. I’ve painted the walls and put up baseboard. With some caulking and touchup paint that part will soon be done. As I put up the bead-board ceilings I am replacing the shop lights with recessed LED lighting. Looking good!

 

   

 

 

T Day

The Reyes family is coming from Jamul, California. They are plain eaters and we will make them happy but I need a little zing, thus the tamal azteca.

Sharon is making corn pudding and green beans, and mashed potatoes, and baked sweet potatoes. I think we will also see chocolate pudding, lemon meringue pie, maybe another pie.

I am brining the turkey in a maple bourbon brine. But rather than smoking the turkey it will be conventionally cooked, though in our gas grill.

 

Tamal Azteca

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 1 1/2 hours

Yield: 8 servings+

Sauce:

1 can (28 ounces) plum tomatoes, undrained - I used two cans.

1 can (4 ounces) roasted green chilies, undrained, chopped - I added a can of chilis in adobo

1/2 tablespoon canola or corn oil

1 small white onion, finely chopped, 1 cup - two small onions

1 clove garlic, minced - whole head of garlic, toasted

1 cup defatted chicken stock - 1 1/2 cups

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro - omitted

Casserole:

8 corn tortillas

1 medium zucchini, diced

2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, thoroughly drained

8 ounces fat-reduced Monterey jack, grated, 2 cups

1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn kernels, thawed

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. For sauce, combine tomatoes and chilies in a blender and make a coarse puree. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until lightly browned. Increase heat to medium-high, add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add tomato and chili mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until reduced and thickened, about 8 minutes. Add stock, reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Stir in salt, remove from heat and stir in cilantro. Makes 4 cups.

2. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread tortillas out on 2 baking sheets sprayed with non-stick vegetable coating. Lightly spray tops of tortillas and place them in heated oven 10 minutes. Turn over and bake 3 minutes more. Remove from oven and set aside, leaving oven on.

3. Steam diced zucchini until just crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Remove from steamer and set aside.

4. To assemble casserole, lightly spray an 11- by 7-inch baking dish with non-stick vegetable oil coating. Spread a thin layer of sauce evenly over bottom. Cover sauce with two of the toasted tortillas. Evenly spread the chopped spinach on top of the tortillas. Top with 1/4 of remaining sauce and 1/4 the cheese. Place two more tortillas on top and press down. Spread the corn on top, cover with 1/3 of remaining sauce and 1/3 of remaining cheese. Top with two more tortillas, again pressing down. Top with zucchini, 1/2 of remaining sauce and 1/2 the cheese. Top with the two remaining tortillas and press down. Spread remaining sauce evenly over the top and sprinkle on remaining cheese.

Colby’s Cranberry Sauce

2 12oz packages of fresh cranberries 

1 cup sugar 

2 cups orange juice

zest of one lemon

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

salt

In medium saucepan dissolve sugar in orange juice. Bring to boil, add lemon zest, allspice, ginger. Add rinsed cranberries, return to boil and simmer for 10 minutes or so. Taste. Add salt if desired. Pour into serving dish and let set.

 

Fall

 

Clouds Rolling In

Larry and Sharon at Sprague Lake

Wine Racks Are Finished

Exploring the Cache La Poudre River

 

Another Month!

A month has gone by since my last blog post, time to catch up. We have gone from summer to fall here in Longmont and I have had to give up shorts and sandals and switch to wearing jeans and socks and shoes. Bummer. I do enjoy summer! We are i8n a spell of cloudy weather with rain and fog and darn little sun. We usually seem to have sun every day and we have only had a couple of sunny days in the last week or so. I’ve had to put off plans for trips to Rocky Mountain National Park to fish and see fall colors and elk gatherings, and now there is snow on the ground there. On our last trip to RMNP Sharon and I left Longmont hoping to escape to smoke that had been swallowing us. We were feeling the effects of fires in Washington, Oregon, Montana, Utah, and Colorado. Turns out the smoke was not as thick above 9,000 feet bit it was still there.

During the past month I have been busy in the basement. I have the dust control system installed and working, I am arranging the workshop and have built three shelf cabinets. We moved two book shelves from Glen Ellyn that I had built. They are now on the wall in the basement and filled with an overflow of kitchen items. The new shelves match those in style and are storing shop related items. It is good to be making things down there and to be almost organized.

We finished the month with a visit from Lee and Peg. They had a wedding in Boulder and spent the weekend with us. We had a very nice visit, it was good to see them. Lee gave me some very good ideas for the basement and I now know how I am going to do the ceiling in the Booze Room. If that works out I will do the same in the TV room.

I have been feeling strong except for having two colds this past month. I have to be more careful when I am out in the world. No immune system means I can catch what is out there. I have to be especially careful with flu season coming on. Alcohol wipes, hand washing, face masks are all required.

Sunset enhanced by smoke

 

Smoke in the background

     

Gotta have a cat picture

 

Lee and Peg entertained by the kitties.      

Avery and Anika go back to school

 

Three Month Followup

 

This week I had a three month followup PET scan, blood tests, and Oncologist visit. That three months is three months since my Autologous Bone Marrow Transplant - Stem Cell Transplant.

The news is generally good but Dr. Kamdar did have issues with some lymph nodes in my abdomen showing too "bright" in the scan. The remainder of my problem lymph nodes were smaller and not as "bright" as they once were. My spleen has reduced in size to now be a normal size. I didn't know my spleen was enlarged. My blood work is all good. Dr. Kamdar says I am doing better and recovering quicker than her other transplant patients.

We have agreed to have another scan in three months and make decisions based on the results of that scan. It could show no change, reductions in lymph size or "brightness", or growth. We could do nothing or it could mean going on a long term maintenance Rituxan regime - meaning Rituxan every two months for two years. Or, it could mean further treatment which could be CAR T clinical trials - which Dr. Kamdar is running at CU.

Bottom line, I am feeling very well. My energy levels are increasing, I am eating (and tasting) everything. I am riding my bike, I am fishing, I am getting the shop back together in the basement. I am doing much better than I was back in December when this lymphoma started to really hit me. And, I am positive I can lick this.

The last photo on this page is the Leanin Tree Western Art Museum. This was a private museum in Boulder but is now history. It contained an exceptional private collection of western art, but it is being dismantled and sold by the owner. I went twice and Sharon was able to visit once. I took John and Averty and Anika when they were here. 

 

The Pond At One Year

 

We Have Little Shubunkins

 

Eclipse Party

 

Even The Kitties Eclipsed

 

Colby Eclipsing

 

The Big Thompson in Moraine Park

 

River Rocks

 

Longing To Go Out

 

Weekly Bath Time

 

A Last Look At Leanin Tree Museum