It has been a long week, but a lot occurred.
There have been at least 10 calls or meetings with my doctors and learned several issues. It isn't that doctors withhold information, but sometimes trials and treatments are described certain ways to push for particular outcomes. In my particular situation, there are, literally, very few of great benefit. As a result, one we had originally signed up for early, we quickly dropped out of taking part as a member. We learned a lot about no outcomes at all for my particular issue. We also learned about significant reduced health as part of it and a switch in my chemo drugs - which have significantly lower results. So we dropped out and switched to the original chemo for sllightly better near term results. We shall see.
I also had to attend a speech therapist from the oncologists themselves. I took several tests and ran several case studies for an hour and a half. I found my math, history and speaking skills were better than my graduate studies. I also found my ability to remember music, movies and certain names of known actors or singers to be sufficiently less - but also that was common among people my age. Another test, which required my naming several word categories within a minute to be well done - except for one. Words starting with the letter "M" and no names, did well for 40 seconds and stalled as one word dropped out of my head and I was dragging behind to spell it out and remember it. This identified a very high area to help improve my mentality where I have stalled. That said, she asked many business and corporate questions which were not stalled or slow at all. She was rather shocked by this in media as I exposed several concerns with journalists I'd had issues with - and they were backed up in her data, as well as my ability to describe a lawsuit I had closed with a previous employer, as well as my description of several previous depositions which I'd taken part of and my ability to not only remember them (though dates I doubt I could provide) I did know what was covered.
This was, overall, a very busy week I had little time to be online and write. I had time to exercise, always by walking. I covered several over 6 miles. That said, there were several days I chose to not exercise due to excessive tire. Like today. That will increase with chemo, but I will not likely feel that for 3 or 4 weeks. However, back to the gym by tomorrow.
One thing I was very concerned about was an old friend. I was hoping to let her know about my issues. However, we had stopped speaking 6 years ago. There was some confusion by several people which led to us no longer speaking long ago. We were old friends. Her issues personally became highly problematic for herself recently. Several co-friends of hers have refused to share my situation with her, until she completed some of her own personal issues. I felt bad about this. The real issue was that a roommate of mine, and a mutual friend of ours from living in London, had died 3 years ago. Despite our issues, I'd tried to let her know of that and she was angry that I had sent her any note at all, despite asking her to inform her of his personal health falling off, and his likelihood ( about 12 months later) of his death. She was more offset by me probably due to everyone's confusions and blames for suspected falsehoods. I hope to resolve this soon.
I took a call with the board of the non-profit helping students which I recently was pausing from to help my father monthly. My issue occurred literally a month after asking for that delay - and leading to me leaving the board personally but offering work of other kinds and speaking. I joined the bureau on Friday to say thank you - and it was an excellent call which made me feel better. I wished them all well and named my replacement which made me very happy. She is a co-worker and a wonderful person. I also added several students to take part in our conference and our mentorship (another group I had to drop out of running due to my issues). So there will be growth and I know I am continuing to help younger people.
I will begin to do more aside from my own personal updates. Sadly, the one issue I have lost interest in significantly is economics. As I no longer need, nor care about, money anymore I've become less interested. I have studied it in college (enough as a minor), then in Masters. Oddly, my wife was complaining about a stock she'd purchased. I lacked interest but read an article about it even though it had declined substantially. I told her to wait 2 days until earnings were announced, then she'd see her stock price rise significantly more than she imagined. She felt I was too disinterested or able to read. I was correct - the price rose by almost 10% over its height. It will rise another 100% from here, I told her to wait. I may not have interest. But I'm not stupid, regardless of troll thinking otherwise from time to time.
Overall, it's been a very busy week, but new things are taking place and I will finally be going to the city and to the hospital on my own. I have now driven on my own twice - which I hope will continue in the near term. As I write more, I will hopefully find a few topics which are interesting more than my personal updates.
I will add one last comment about my own situation. I will be speaking to several others sharing what I have. Either previous people's family (one person I know let us know her brother-in-law had a similar diagnosis 8 weeks earlier than mine, though whether his is non-methylated like mine was not mentioned. Non-methylated is, well, rather distressing and very rare. Several treatments for methylated versions have some improvements available. Hopefully his is methylated. And he is back at work in his old company. For me? I hope to be back in 6 weeks - though I doubt I will work for much longer at all. One physician simply said "Focus on enjoying life and doing the most for yourself, and your family for happiness." That is my #1 goal.
