Monday April 4

I did not realize it has been a week since I added to the blog.

This past Tuesday Heidi and I met with Dr. Rodriguez the Oncologist at the Cleveland Clinic.  She basically came into exam room and said are you gonna do the treatment and I said "no".  I told her I could not tolerate the same treatment as last time and that I still had no recovered from it.  I asked her to change the treatment someway that I could tolerate.  She flat out refused.  She said either do it this way or nothing.  So, I said it would be nothing then.  She said "Any thing else I can do for you" and I said "no I guess we are done".  That concludes my treatment by her.  I called my first Oncologist, Dr. Fred Marquinez and I have appointment with him on April 11.  At this point, I will do whatever Chemotherapy I need with him and do my radiation at the Cleveland Clinic.  I do really like the Radiation Oncologist at the Cleveland Clinc, Dr. Greskovich.

Tuesday through Friday last week was not feeling too bad.  I was able to drive myself to Cleveland each day for treatment and ate small meals 3 times per day.  However, after my treatment Friday, I became very sick.  I started having the pain they described in my epigastric area was very nauseated with regular vomiting.  I was in bed most of this weekend with nausea and vomiting.  I could not eat much food at all this weekend.  I started the nausea medicine back up that I had not needed last week.  This morning I still feel this way but was able to eat small breakfast.  My focus will be on getting enough food done to keep up my strength because I do not care to get a feeding tube.

I did apply for a disability from the fire service back in January.  I have seen all the doctors the Pension Board arranged for me to see.  My hearing by the Pension Board to determine approval of my application is scheduled for April 27.  The Board has to decide work related or non-work related and also if I am disabled or not.  My agent believes they will approve me as disabled but not work related.  This would not be good since then you have to pay taxes on this money.  The highest award I could get with it being non-work related is 60%.  So then your pay is about 28-30% less than that with taxes taken out.  Not enough money to live on.  In addition, I would have to pay approx. $438 per month in health insurance just for myself through the Pension system and still purchase a plan for Heidi and Ryan from another supplier.  This is big hit on income.