Wednesday, January 4

Wednesday, January 04, 2012

Our agenda for today is

·         a morning appointment with our Atlanta neurologist,

·         Mario goes to work and gets back his computer,

·         Sherry and Mr. FOG are running a couple of errands, and

·         The day ends with a nice evening with Dan, Anna, Tom, Banks and Charley. 

Wow! It sounds like a full day, and mostly it worked out that way.

THE DRIVE:  Lord, Butler and Nurse got on the road by about 8:00 for a 9:00 am appointment with our Atlanta neurologist.  A brief discussion on the choice of route, recriminations about traffic conditions, subsequent apologies, and intense sunlight; made an otherwise dull drive more memorable.  Regarding the choice of route and recriminations, the trio agreed that these discussions are not worthy of a Lord, Nurse and Butler.  We need to lighten up, especially on such petty matters, and save our energies for the more important issues.  We agreed that the driver would entertain counsel, but he or she, would be in select the route and passengers would remain silent and focus on other things, absent an emergency.  The sunlight issue was more interesting; twice during our route it took the three of us to discern when a traffic light turned green.  We found that if a traffic light is directly in front of a very bright sun, it is impossible to see the light’s color.  Only Mario’s super expensive sunglasses helped him to see a little.  Mr. FOG listened to him and observed for other signs that it was safe to proceed.  Perhaps Mr.FOG needs to buy a pair of these fancy sunglasses.

We tuned to Hot Lips Houlihan’s favorite morning radio station.  We learned that Jennifer Lopez was seen at a Miami McDonald’s with a much younger man.  Ms. Lopez is about 42 and the man is about 24.  Ms. Lopez was on the rebound from another failed relationship.  According to the commentator, the scene turned ugly when the McDonald’s server assumed Ms. Lopez was the man’s mother, and the diva left the establishment in a huff.  Mr. Fog thought that perhaps the most incredible part of the story was that Ms. Lopez would even set foot in a McDonalds.   Also, how often do McDonald’s servers ask “may I super-size your order and by the way, how is your mother”?  This farce is likely all made up paparazzi gossip.  Mr. FOG is not used to wasting his valuable radio time on such dribble, but was none the less intrigued by it, and may want to listen again.  They entertain and we listen.

THE APPOINTMENT:  Complaining after a long wait; the trio apparently forgot what they had learned on the drive.  Our appointment with the Atlanta neurosurgeon was not what we had expected.  Yes, the wound was healing nicely, but the second scan of the liver with contrast showed that the spots first detected in the Miami CT scan were in fact lesions and probably cancerous.  There are two spots (lesions) on the liver, one 0 .7 x 0.7 cm and another 2.4 x 1.7 cm.  No, Mario does not have liver cancer, but some cancer cells have decided to colonize the liver.    Disheartened by this news, the trio was glum.

On the positive side, further review of the report showed that this cancerous invasion was limited to the surface of the liver and was not hyper-vascular, i.e. drawing a lot of blood that a cancer needs to grow.  Also the leg MRI that was done yesterday showed no issues.  The Atlanta neurosurgeon ordered a scan of the left kidney to follow up on the Miami CT scan that found a small cyst on the left kidney.  Mario obtained a copy of the various diagnostic reports and to have them for the oncologist(s). The doctors are following up with more detailed tests on areas that appear suspicious; hence we found the liver lesions.  This is good.  We need to know all we can, good or bad, to decide how best to fight the cancer and win.

WORK, ERRANDS AND SHOPPING:  Mario made it to work around 11:00 am and hopefully his computer has been fixed.  Mr. FOG invited Sherry for a Starbucks coffee, free Wi-Fi access and her work email.  This Starbucks break was needed down time to process the health news.

Things were still going slow on the computer repair and Mr. FOG and Sherry decided to make best use of their time.  They went to Mr. FOG’s broker to pay a bill, next was a visit to Sherry’s gym to pick up a check, and lastly they searched Barnes and Noble, Target and Staples for a padded cover to protect the very popular Kindle Fire they received from Chaney and Ryan.  Although lured by a red cover that reminded her of the University of Georgia days, Hot Lips  settle on a neutral black cover.  Mr.  FOG thought the cover was expensive at $30 but that is what they are charging for these things.  We also looked for new shoes for Mario without luck.  Sherry treated Mr. FOG to a Pink Berry yogurt.  Mr. FOG picked the pomegranate flavor and Sherry went with peppermint.  Mr. FOG liked the Pink Berry treat.  Pink Berry looked like girl type of place.  He wondered if he and Hot Lips Houlihan decided to hang out together as friends perhaps pedicures would be next.

Finally at 2:30 pm Mario’s computer was ready and the trio headed home after an exhausting day.  Without lunch, Mario had leftovers from last night’s Cunningham family dinner and the trio took a much needed nap.

A NICE EVENING AT HOME:  Tom, Dan, Anna, Banks and Charley came over for dinner.  Again the Cunningham family dinner stepped up to the plate. The meal was almost like the miracle of loaves and fish.  The last of chicken kabobs were a snack for Anna, the salad was a Mr. Fog favorite.  Hot Lips Houlihan made a wonderful pasta and meat sauce.  The piece de resistance was the Trader Joes chicken meatballs.  A most excellent meal was had by all.  Mr. FOG still had a salad for tomorrow.

Dan, Tom and Anna brought over the hope chest.  Sherry will find a nice “man nook” for the chest.  Here is a picture of the group.

 MEDICAL:  On the medical front, Mario has an appointment with a referred oncologist for tomorrow Thursday at 3:00 pm and a prescription to fill for pain medicine, Oxycodone.  While filling a prescription sounds simple, Oxycodone has been very hard to find and Mario has to be there himself to have the prescription dispensed.  Friends of Sherry and Mr. FOG also provided names of possible oncologists.  The thinking of the trio is that they will talk to a couple more oncologist, discuss treatment options and then make decision on treatment fairly quickly.  Thanks go out to friends who have shared names of oncologists and advice. 

AS THE FOG LIFTS:  First of all Mario and Sherry are holding up well.  Mario is in a lot of pain, but treats everybody nice and does not complain. I am very proud the way he is managing this and not sure I could do as well.  Sherry is holding up and helping Mario through this, and Mario is helping her.  Perhaps better stated they are helping each other through what could be a very difficult time in their lives.  I know that the support of family and friends is a great source of strength for them.  Mr. FOG is having a hard time keeping his mouth shut.  Fortunately Nurse Sherry often says what Mr. FOG would have said had he spoken, so there is no need for Mr. FOG to say anything.