Yes, we also had snow in Glen Head. It appeared to be about 20 inches of the stuff but the strong winds and consequent drifting makes that hard to judge. The pictures show the chronology associated with my own participation in this snowfall. The view is from my open garage door at the modest expanse of winter white. My snow blower was in peak condition and eager to get to work and its enthusiasm was contagious as I started up the engine. On his last trip down here from his New Hampshire home, son Arthur checked out and tuned up this winter wonder. Last year it was let out only two times for there was little snow but this early storm may portend a more active season. The next picture shows the snow blower resting with the job only half done and wondering why I am doing this fun work in two sessions. As best I could I explained that I would be back soon after I had my hot chocolate and a toasted bagel. And we did conclude in decently clearing the drive as seen in the final shot. Of course, snowy scenes bring to my mind my boyhood in Buffalo where, donned in my corduroy knickers that would freeze stiff as a board, I had an almost daily task of clearing the ever-falling snow with an old fashioned shovel. After such tasks all the neighborhood boys would play hockey on the icy streets that were never plowed in those days, and we did this under streetlights as the dark came in the late afternoons. As a teenager there were the added chores of stoking the furnace in the basement by feeding it shovels full of anthracite coal from the nearby coal bin. After the coals burned down a crank was turned to drop the ashes below the firebox. The often still-smoldering ashes were collected in metal bushels to be carried to curbside for morning collection. How much easier life is now with our automaticity and faithful work companions like my snow blower.
One of Bernice’s doctor appointments was cancelled yesterday since the office closed due to the snow. The JCC was also closed so there was no water aerobics for me but my snow exercises may have compensated somewhat. Today we went to Bernice’s neurologist who is trying to determine if her leg and feet pains have a nerve origin.
Regular bloggers will know that I have recently been diagnosed with prostate cancer. There have been many emails and phone calls asking what is being done and how I am feeling. I am feeling fine and am distressed mainly over the time and distracting nature of my coming treatment from doing what I can for my dear Bernice. I am going to discuss what I now know of the course of intended treatment so if that is not of interest please skip to the end.
A few treatment options were considered but one had the strong recommendation of my urologist. The cancer, although confined to the prostate, is at an advanced stage so the wait-and-see option would be very risky. Surgery for my age and the cancer condition was deemed problematic by the top prostate surgeon at Sloan Kettering. I am going forward with a combined hormone-radiation therapy. The main purpose of the hormone (it is called Eligard) is to severely reduce my testosterone level. Testosterone evidently speeds or somehow encourages prostate cancer growth. Before the development of such drugs castration was often the treatment choice. I am pleased to skip that prospect. On December 23 I received my first hormone injection, which is a one-month dose. I am to be alert to any side effects like night sweats or hot flashes or anything untoward. The young woman PA who administered the shot said that the hot flashes were woman’s revenge. I protested that I had done nothing. So far, there are no symptoms at all. After three months of hormone treatment the prostate will be “debulked” or shrunk in size which will be an advantage in the radiation phase. Hormone treatment will be for about three years.
Radiation oncology has advanced considerably in the past two decades. In the past cancerous tumors were killed by intense doses of radiation but the downside was that nearby tissue was often damaged. This result has been significantly eliminated by very impressive technology. Each radiation dose will be of two minutes duration and the beam of radiation will attack the cancerous prostate from a different direction during each session. There will be 48 sessions, Monday to Friday, with the time at the facility (I am told) no more than 15 to 20 minutes. The different directionality of each dose will create a cumulative exposure at the cancer and minimize the collateral damage to surrounding tissue.
In order to achieve precise targeting of the prostate two small gold sticks will be embedded in each side of my prostate. There will be a setup session in which a scan will be made and the results fed into a computer system. Subsequently, these gold markers will provide highly accurate fiducial marks to guide the radiation beam to exactly the correct place. I am greatly fascinated by the hardware and software of this system and know that, in addition to being cured, will be greatly entertained as I learn first hand about the process. For those who want to learn even more, this is the place at which I will be treated and Dr. Zinberg is my doctor:
http://www.advancedradiationcenters.com/drzimberg
At this time there is no plan to have little radioactive pellets embedded in the prostate. It is unlikely (I am told) that there will be hair loss, nausea, or pain.
May good forces be with everyone in the coming year.
Love to all,
Merwin
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