Pedro, Nayra, Heather and Rio stand by Flamingo Lake at our RV Park

Wow, what a rush this Christmas has been! Heather and Pedro and grandkids Nayra and Rio arrived Christmas Eve about 10 p.m. A fabulous Christmas Gift! It has been great having a concentrated time with them all, first catching up and talking that first night as well as opening some small gifts.

Christmas Day was beautiful and fun as we ate a lot--we had a spiral cut honey ham from Harold's Meat Market down the road (where you can also buy alligator meat, pig jowls, chicken feet [!?!?!] and collard greens). We got a lot of visiting done, and then played Apples to Apples for a couple of hours.

Friday we spent the day at Jacksonville beach, walking the beach, talking, watching the kids play in the sand and surf, and enjoying the 80+ degree weather. They built a sand castle, Nayra collected a bucket of shells and Rio was body surfing. The Iowans really shifted into the warm weather wholeheartedly and had a blast.

Saturday we drove to St. Augustine, and enjoyed the trolley ride through this historical old city. So much to do there, we managed to see Castillo de San Marcos, the 300+ year old fort guarding the city, and the Lujano's went to Ripley's Believe It Or Not Museum. A great day! We have a great time having company, and are very thankful the kids were able to make it down here. There are 5 more groups of family/friends that are planning to visit us during our stay here in Jacksonville! Cool!!!

I am on a four day weekend from my proton treatments, resuming Monday. I hope to get rid of the pounds I've gained during the holiday break, as I am supposed to stay within plus or minus two pounds from my starting weight. I might not be able to eat anything for the next two days!

Ho Ho Ho

It is just hard for me to understand that it is Christmas time. There is no snow! No Jack Frost nipping at my nose!

However the stores are amazingly crowded, so that may be an indication. We went up to the River City Mall north of I-295, and had trouble finding a parking spot. Well, with our F-450, it always isn't easy to find a 'big enough' parking spot, but I am getting better at finding my way in between the white lines. the lots were nearly full.

With all those shoppers, it is hard to figure the economy is bad, but the news and all sure do remind us we are in a recession. I am sure a lot of folks are not having a very happy time this Holiday Season. We are counting our blessings, fortunate enough to be where I can be treated effectively (6 treatments so far), safe and sound in a warm and cozy fifth wheel, food on the table, and lots of caring sent to us and phoned from so many wonderful friends and family.

It is the most wonderful time of the year.

Wednesday daughter Heather and Pedro and Nayra and Rio will arrive here in Jacksonville and will spend the holiday with us. Now that is a great gift! Merry Christmas to all!


thought for the day: It seems that the less time I have to work with, the more things I get done.

Proton Therapy

Me in my fancy gantry fashions

I thought I'd give you all an inside view of the proton therapy 'gantry' where I receive my treatments. I lay on this table with my head toward the viewer. When everything is lined up ( they use laser lines towards 'x' marks on my hips and the bed itself. The bed is then swiveled into the chamber so my feet are towards the viewer.


The blue thing by my feet is actually a form made from my legs, so that when I lay in it, everything is in the same place. The box on the left is an xray apparatus, which is used to 'track' my prostate, so that it doesn't move. The box on the right is what the proton beam passes through. In there somewhere is the lens made specifically for my prostate. Everything is adjustable in just about every direction to fine tune my prostate position in relation to the proton beam.My understanding is that if everything isn't lined up just right, the beam is stopped.

Below is a photo of three of the girls that have helped me in the gantry area this week. From the left is Kim, Ashley and Kristin. This whole thing is like something out of Star Wars... Except for the people, which make it really nice. Every employee here is exceptionally positive and caring, but more than that, they know they are part of something good, and they are always smiling and 'up'. A really healthy way to be in health care!!!

2 down, 37 to go

I have started my treatments at the Florida Proton Institute. My first was Monday afternoon, and I must say I was nervous and anxious. Before my treatment, I had consultations with my nurse Kristi, and then my oncologist Dr. Randal Henderson. That calmed me down considerably, as the doctor went over my MRI, scan and biopsy results, all of which confirmed the cancer is contained in the prostate, and it in the intermediate stage. That was a relief...

Each treatment is the same...void a half hour before, drink 15 oz. of water, then when called back to the 'gantry', get a certain amount of saline solution pumped into my rectum. I then lay down into my premade leg forms on the table, get 'lined up' and positioned so I am in the same position and my prostate is in the same place every time...this is done with lasers aimed at markers on my hips and the 4 gold markers inserted in my prostate. When laying correctly, I hold a spongy ring with both hands across my chest to reduce the chance of movement. The whole key to this process is to have all variables the same every day, and have me in the same position every day. The table is then swiveled into the gantry area (a 10-12 foot diameter cylindrical space, and maybe 12 feet deep), and I hear some clanking and whirring, and sometime while I am lying there motionless the proton beam is released at the target from either the left or right side...the side is alternated each day. That's it. From start to finish it is about 45 minutes. I feel nothing and I don't hear the beam.

When friends and relatives call, they express concern about how I am feeling. Truthfully, I feel the same as any other regular day...Sometime down the road I may experience some issues--burning when voiding, increased urgency and frequency are some of the more common. Each guy is different, so I will just have to wait and see. But I really do appreciate people's concerns!

Ellen has been awesome through this whole thing. She is so positive, upbeat and supportive. I cannot imagine going through this on my own...Self pity is what you might call my strong suit. Ellen doesn't let that happen.

It is nice to be in our own home--most patients are renting a motel or condo. And t is awesome to be in Florida after hearing how Iowa and Minnesota got hammered with bone chilling cold.

2 down and 37 to go....

Still sittin' still

It is hard to believe we have been sitting in the same RV park for over six weeks! This is definitely our longest stay anywhere anytime since becoming full time RVers. This is an indescribably strange feeling. Previous long term stay was at Val Vista Park in Casa Grande, Arizona, last Feb.-March.

And we have another 8 weeks to go!

We were joined here at Flamingo Lake RV Resort today by Bob and Bonnie Herman from Dade City, FL. The Hermans rolled up in their vintage 1964 Airstream Globetrotter, and were able to set up right next to us. Bob is also going to start Proton treatment tomorrow.

We connected with the Hermans as we were in the waiting room at the Institute the very first day, when Bonnie recognized Dale Chihuly's signature on my t-shirt. Wow, not many people have any idea who Chihuly is...Ellen got me the shirt when she and friend Laurie Feldman saw the blown glass installation at the St. Louis Botanical Gardens. We look forward to our shared experience with Bob and Bonnie, great folks.

Tomorrow is my blast off day...here's hoping all will be well, as I have my first of 39 treatments.

67 years ago...

This day lives on in infamy...In 1941 (Four and a half years before I was born) Pearl Harbor occurred. So many lost so much in that surprise attack. I am not a military guy, but things like this choke me up. It is unbelievable that so many so often resort to aggression and war for so many stupid reasons. We are in two wars now...it is hard to understand the complete why and wherefore, but here we are.

And fearing more and more as time goes on.....

Being here in Jacksonville, there is a lot of military here, and they are trying to get this area as home port for a new nuclear aircraft carrier...and one of the strategies is to avoid the 'Pearl Harbor" possibility, as the rest of the nuke carriers are in Norfolk...so as to not put all the eggs in one basket kind of thing.

Interestingly, the U.S. aircraft carriers were out to seas rather than in Pearl Harbor when the attack occured in 1941, and those warships became such an important force in WWII for the allies in the War in the Pacific.

Time with Fort Dodgers

Last night we had a really nice time meeting up with John and Cindy Dahl, former Fort Dodgers. Ellen taught at Phillips Middle School with John, who was a computer teacher. Cindy worked at Iowa Illinois Gas and Electric, later to be Mid-American. I had occasions to visit with John on Friday afternoons at the Stadium. I also had their sons Jason and Chris as students years ago at Cooper Elementary School in FD.
The Dahls retired 4 years ago and moved to the south side of Jacksonville, close to their son Chris and his family. We met at Boston Classic Pizza on the north side of JAX, and had a great time talking and catching up about comon friends and fellow educators. It was good food and excellent conversation! We are planning another get together, at their house, December 19. We look forward to that.
We have been busy little elves. We finally got all the Christmas gifts mailed to our kids and Grandkids. We have done it in spurts, so we are getting to know the postal clerks at the northside Jacksonville post office, and have endured some long lines.