Lights... Camera... Snip, snip, snip

As mentioned in my last post, I had a procedure last Friday to look for clues to my ongoing digestive problems and resultant withering. Some of you may want to know the results. The immediate results of the surveillance of my "dark side" are inconclusive; with no outward signs of any problems. I have a nice looking colon. Nothing appeared abnormal. Looks great—cecum to rectum. They took nine tissue samples for biopsy. We were told results would be known in 2-3 weeks. So, stay tuned for the "rest of the story".

This was the third time of my 66 years that the last section of my plumbing has seen light. Each time has had it's own issues. This procedure went well from the medical point of view. No complications. But I was very uncomfortable for about 48 hours - from "prep" the evening before until waking up the morning the day after (Saturday). Thankfully, Barb was with me through it all and was my driver.

Let it be known, I am very weary of writing about these unpleasantries. This blog has far too many posts around "bathroom/toilet" topics. My fear is that some of you readers may think that I delight in writing of these unseemly topics and get a kick out of it. I can't tell you how I wish I could write about something about other parts of me—body and/or mind, something with some dignity, but the reality is that these topics are what my life has been centered around recently and are at the forefront of my thoughts and the purpose of this blog is to share that with you. I am anxious to write of more gentlemanly topics.

My next doctor appointment is this week Wednesday with my oncologist, Dr. Yee, in Hershey. I plan to have an in-depth heart-to-heart with him about what is happening to me. I continue to lose muscle mass, am short of breath and getting weaker. I'm sure it's because I'm low on fuel and water. We have not been pleased with the lack of effort to get moving on this. It's time for action. I don't want to keep wasting away.

Thanks again for your concerns and thoughts whether communicated or not communicated.

-Ricky

An unexpected and pleasant surprise

Every now and then some little surprise event comes along that really lifts one's spirits, really makes one's day. That happened to me last week at a most unexpected place. 

Last Friday — Good Friday — I had the day off by chance as I was scheduled to work on Saturday (I work one Saturday every month). I suggested to Barb that we go to the Green Dragon Market to shop for some produce, nuts and dried fruit. Barb was off Good Friday as well. MCC employees appreciate having Good Friday as a paid holiday.

I checked online and — unlike many Lancaster County businesses that are closed — learned Green Dragon Farmers Market and Auction would be open Good Friday and Black Friday from 9 am - 9 pm. Barb and I agreed to go by 9:30 to avoid large crowds and have better selection. Wow! Surprise! Little did we realize this is one of the two busiest days at Green Dragon. The other being Black Friday. We soon discovered the slogan: "the dragon comes alive every Friday as the rooster crows early morn." is a true statement.

We started to sense there was going to be a crowd when as we got within about a mile of the market traffic began to stop and go. Residents near the market avail themselves to the heavy traffic with yard sales. And they do grab the drivers' attention.

It's difficult to describe Green Dragon Farmers Market and Auction in words. To learn more, click here. I have included portions of the brochure for you to browse. It is located 4 miles from our house. 20 acres of free parking and hundreds of vendors, indoors - in ramshackle buildings cobbled together and in various stages of deterioration and outdoors booths. There is large small animal auction every Friday with oodles of rabbits, fancy chickens, geese, goats, calves, tropical birds. etc, that is fascinating to take in.

There is a local saying, "if you can't buy it at the Green Dragon, it chust ain't fer sale!"

 I have likened it to the Turner County Fair only much more concentrated and packed together. The food fare is similar to a fair with tons of junk food - actually much junkier food than the TC Fair. And people love to eat at Green Dragon because they don't offer kale, quinoa, whole grain breads, broccoli, brussel sprouts or any other trendy, elitist foods — just good old greasy comfort food. Let me just say, this is a very "earthy" market. 

As usual when at a such a place and with my digestion situations, I need to know where the "necessary room" is. There is a shortage of rest room facilities at Green Dragon. One mens room with three urinals and three stalls for the public!! So when I decided I should visit the washroom, to my chagrin, there was a line of about 12 men lined up outside waiting to go in — more typically the scene at a women's washroom. 

I queued to use the facilities and the line moved fairly quickly. As I neared the doorway I heard a voice inside clearly announcing to those in line, "stall", "urinal", when they became available. To my amazement a washroom attendant was helping move people through. What a nice service!! When "stall?" was called I was able to go ahead about five others and upon entering the little washroom heard music coming from a small portable stereo on a little table and candle burning to help neutralize the atmosphere. The attendant was busy dispensing paper towels and handing them to those washing up, keeping an eye on the stalls and urinals and thanking everyone for cooperation and tips (he had a tray placed between the two lavatories). He also made sure the stalls were clean before entering. He was really good at the job - pleasant, and was not in the way which is a trick in that little washroom. 

I suspect he asked the market officials for permission to do this. Regardless, it was something out of the ordinary for such a low-rent place. I can't recall the last time I was in a washroom with an attendant. I was a delight for me. And, yes, I left a tip. As did others. I think he came out okay.

This Friday I'm scheduled to have a colonoscopy in Hershey which was ordered by my oncologist to "see" what may be contributing to my ongoing severe diarrhea. I appreciate your prayers for conclusion so we know how to proceed. I feel good most of the time, but not great. And I am weakened significantly by the lack of nutrition. - Ricky

Managing the meds

As a young boy growing up on a farm in East Freeman, I spent countless hours in front of the family's Magnavox hi-fi in the living room. Note to younger readers: "hi-fi" is short for "high fidelity" and was a name given by audiophiles to the machines that reproduced sounds by converting the grooves on black vinyl discs into sound waves. Later "hi-fi" was partially hijacked by computerphiles when they started using the term "wi-fi" to define an area that has wireless internet — also known as a "hotspot" — a term that had a completely different meaning to guys in the 1960s and 70s!!!! Anyway the "fi" of wi-fi doesn't actually have any relevance but was used as a play on the word "hi-fi". The "wi" means "wireless". Wi-Fi is a Wireless Local Area Network, or WLAN, which doesn't roll off the tongue like Wi-Fi.

Anyway ... back to me in my pre-teens in the farmhouse with the Magnavox. It was great entertainment for me. I didn't realize how fortunate we were to have such a nice record player until Sunday company would comment on what a beautiful machine we had. Only then did I realize that it gave us a little status in the community to have such a high quality record player. It had a beautiful red mahogany cabinet and a 10 or 12-inch full range speaker. But only one speaker. Only one channel. This machine was monaural and the records I listened to were mono - not stereo, but the sound was great and enthralling. Oh, and it was a tube amplifier, which meant you had to wait after turning it on for the tubes to warm up before you could listen. That wouldn't go over very well today with everyone's need for quick functions and responses.

My older brother, Reed, and I were supposed to be using the Magnavox to improve our less-than-stellar reading skills by listening to special phonics records our parents spent good money on to help their young slow readers (sadly, reading wasn't the only thing Reed and I were slow at). Hammering phonics was the big push in the 1950s and was thought to solve reading and speech problems.

I don't think the phonics records helped me much — mostly because I spent most of my listening time on the plush wool carpet floor directly in front of the console with my ears near the speaker  listening to symphony and band music!!! ... not the phonics records.

Mom and dad had a wonderful collection of classical music. One set had a wide variety of classical "hits" — everything from Albèniz to Wagner. It believe they bought it along with the Book of Knowledge encyclopedia set or something like that. They also bought for us Prokofiev's "Peter and the Wolf" with Saint Saën's "The Carnival of the Animals" on Side B. We also had a set of Beethoven's complete symphonies conducted by Arturo Toscanini. I wore the grooves off those records and the phonograph needle as well. I also was given a band record titled "Here Comes the Band" and it was a double thrill for me — great band music AND a beautiful majorette wearing a short silky satiny skirt marching on the cover. I was excited — aurally and visually stimulated.

Truth be known, when no one was watching, I often stood up and pretended to be conducting the orchestra. It was exhilarating. It gave me such a sense of power and authority, along with artistic expression. It gave me energy and I gave it back to the imaginary orchestra. I knew I wasn't leading the orchestra. Eugene Ormandy or Arturo Toscanini were conducting, but I imagined myself in front of the orchestra as the leader, setting tempos, directing dynamics, cueing in sections, adding interpretation. It was great fun.

I think I may have had a lifelong hidden desire to conduct an orchestra. In recent weeks I discovered that dream may have come true as I "direct" the consumption of my medications:

• Not to be taken less than one hour before or three hours after other meds
• To be taken with food
• May cause drowsiness
• Will cause drowsiness - don't drive
• Do not use alcohol with this drug
• Four times a day, two pills three times a day, as needed

 .... you get the picture.

This is my little orchestra that I am currently conducting. We have a name: Ricky and the Pharmaceuticals.

This is a lot to manage and keep track of. I have to tell these meds when to come in and join the music. It's easy to forget to cue one in on time.  If one misses an entry it can throw everyone else off. This can be very demanding and is hard work - coordinating this ensemble of players.

In related news we celebrated my 66th birthday yesterday with a trip to Philly to dine out and then go to hear a concert by the Philadelphia Orchestra in Verizon Hall in the Kimmel Center. As I alluded earlier, I grew up listening to this orchestra's recordings on Columbia records when in its heyday in the 1950s and 60s. It was a nice warm evening and a wonderful outing. We ate at the Devon Seafood Grille.

The guest conductor was exciting and fun to watch. All three works were great. We sat near the back of the hall and the sound was unbelievable. It is the range of dynamics that just gave me goose bumps. Sorry, it can not be reproduced on an iPod or iPhone.

A composition by a lesser known Italian composer named Casella (written 1928) was with full orchestra and was most enjoyable. The Prokofiev Violin Concert No. 2 was flawless. We are curious if the young violinist with name "Ehnes" from Manitoba could have Mennonite roots?? Saint Saëns "Organ Symphony" was a huge hit and the sound in that hall is unbelievable. The audience went nuts. Barb said at one point she thought she heard the subway which the hall was designed to isolate. She soon realized the organist had his foot on a pedal to the far left of the organ pedalboard. I don't know the organ specs so I don't know if it was a 32 or 64-foot pipe. Either way it was more "felt" than "heard.

Even though I am not fully free of my digestive problems we decided to start two simultaneous chemo treatments on Wednesday, April 9. Abraxane by infusion and Xeloda orally. This means even more pills to try to remember to take! I've had these before and think I know what to expect. Hand-foot syndrome is the worst part. We are doing this to keep the blood tumor marker down - suppressing any wild ideas cancer cells may have about finding new landing areas. These treatments are two weeks on followed by one week of rest. Then repeat.

Thanks for your support and understanding. Thanks also for your happy birthday wishes on Facebook and other ways. As always I appreciate your comments and kind words. 

-Ricky

Alles schmeckt gut!!!

Directional signs are placed throughout the metropolis to guide visitors to the festival.

This way to Schmeckfest!!

I was very happy to visit family and many friends in South Dakota during Freeman's Schmeckfest celebration March 28 & 29.

Everything about the long weekend "tasted good". I had a great time seeing many old friends and visiting my 92-year old mother who is doing very well.

The flight to Sioux Falls Thursday, March 27, was delayed by eight hours by "impending weather" which was not in my plans but I made it safe and the flight home Monday, March 31, went very smoothly.

My dad, Orlando, seated, guiding the sausage into the casings circa '60s or 70s.
His recipe for smoked pork sausage is still used today. He died in 1987.
My aunt Linda is mixing the sausage and uncle Jake is cranking the sausage press.

Freeman has held its volunteer-powered celebration bringing together the people and cultures of three ethnic groups living around the little town for 56 consecutive years. Many citizens without a connection to the three groups —Low German, Hutterite and Schweitzer — also volunteer to present the meal, demonstrations, musical, lectures, and various activities.


Schmeckfest is a huge class and family reunion. It is a fund-raiser for Freeman Academy, a grade 1-12 private school in Freeman. I recommend it to everyone to go. Click here for tickets. You have to get tickets in advance to be assured a place at the table and in the auditorium for the musical.

I am taking a 2-week break from chemo to hopefully recover from the trots. So far not much progress. I keep thinking this will have to end soon. Thanks everyone for telling me you read about my journey, even though I had no clue you were following it! That makes it rather humbling and scary and questioning my writing. But you are kind and don't criticize my poor taste and use of syntax.

My older brother, Reed, seated, keeps the family tradition of making Schmeckfest sausage alive
as he guides the mixture into the casing at the 2014 Schmeckfest. Notice how we Schrags like the jobs that require us be sitting - not standing or running around!
11,280 lbs. of sausage were made this year. All but 30 lbs. sold. Most of it was smoked. and that's no baloney. This is truly the best of the "wurst". Secret to success: volunteers and garlic.

Mag Kuchen (poppyseed roll) is a favorite.
I believe combining the tincture of opium I was prescribed and taking
 to help slow down my digestive tract and then eating
poppyseed roll, I may have overdosed!!
It is true that this stuff will show up in a drug test.