Thru The Lenz

In Flight at Bushkill Creek!

On Thursday during lunch a coworker and I went to Bushkill Creek near Easton to see if we could find some opportunities to shoot ducks since he found some on the creek the day before.  We drove next to the creek for several miles until we found a few Mallards to be our wildlife subjects.

Since the weather is getting warming we will be doing more photo walks to explore the surround area.  Looking forward to it!

On Sunday I went to the Park for a snowy walk. Pennypack is quite in the winter, a very peaceful place. I was surprised to find the parking areas and paths next to the creek plowed, made for a very enjoyable walk. Thanks FMPC!            Click on the photo for more pics of the walk.

Wow left late for work today because of the icy road reports. Got in the Office at 10:30 Dam burned 2-1/2 hours of vacation time. Not looking forward to more snow on Wednesday.

It’s been a long time since I used my Blog. One of my objectives for 2010 is to post once a week. So to start I have added Twitter to the side bar.

We went to Atlantic City, NJ on Sunday.  Must have walked 8 miles between Casinos on the boardwalk.  Some interesting sights, and I’ll leave it at that.  The sun was shining, very windy for May.  People were on the beach but no one in the water.

We went to the Hilton to collect a box of Sapranos wine and meet a few of the cast.  Very nice people.

All in all had a great time even though the bandits took my money.

Scheduled 1/2 day vacation on Friday afternoon to get a early start back to Philadelphia. Took a longer route to enjoy the early summer views on the Delaware river. Arrived at home at 2:30 in the afternoon. Collected my fishing gear and headed up to Station Ave. I had the line in the water by 4:30. Caught a small stripper about 14 inches, and a few white perch.

Went to the Festival on Saturday. I can sum the day up in one word, “FANTASTIC!” The food and live music was unsurpassed. I had a “Peroni” Italian beer and a Cannuli Brothers Hot Roast Pork Sandwich. Ya just can’t beat real Italian food!

Also captured a photo of the myth, the legend, the man..John DeBella from WMGK.

What do you think John was stirring in that extreme bowl?

Wow, I been very busy doing other things in my life. Can’t believe its May already! My first follow up this year on the Invader was unremarkable. Great news.

My son, Rob, graduated from Holy Family University this month with a 3.901gpa. More great news! I been working on my photo site www.ltmlphoto.com. The site is always a work in process. Updated by including “Photo Essays” using flash.

Keeping my blog updated is now on my todo list at least once a week.

Stay tuned!

Friday November 14^th was my 4^th quarter surveillance testing for the invader.  I woke up at 5 am to prepare myself for the days events.  One may ask how do you prepare?  After a shower I shave my chest over the infusion port on my right side.  Next I put a small amount of anesthetic cream on the port area then cover with a small piece of plastic wrap and band aide.  The port has been a part of me for two years now.  IS this stressful?  Hell yea!!  The stress level starts to climb at the beginning of the surveillance month. 

I left home for my 7 o’clock appointment.  Arrived at Foxchase at 6:45; signed in and now the wait until called for the blood work and port flush.  The infusion waiting room to me is full of hope and at the same time depression.   This early in the morning there were 15 people waiting for blood work or infusion or both. A little later the area would be filled and people would be waiting in the outside area.  This scene take place 5 days a week 52 weeks a year. Not only at Foxchase but every health care facility that treats cancer patience’s around the world.  This epidemic cuts across all ages, young middle and seniors it knows no barriers and comes in many different forms.

While I was waiting a lady came and sat down next to me while her husband signed in.  He came over to sit down and wait.  She said to him, “He’s drinking his smoothie too.”   She asked me “what flavor,” I replied, ”banana.”   She told me her husband had a berry one during their ride in.  So we were both prepping for the next test; CAT scan.   The couples daughter walked in a few minutes later.  The lady told her about my smoothie.  The daughter asked me what I was getting treated for.  Colon cancer surveillance was my response.  Her father was undergoing colon cancer treatment and the cancer metastases to his liver.  Somehow we got on the subject of ports.  Her father had one, and so did she.

The young woman told me the at 34 she was told she had breast cancer. 

The checkup on the Invader in April was unremarkable!

July was scope time again.  Went through the procedure with ease, great news, colon is clean!  Now for the stressful tests…CAT scan with contrast, blood test with CEA marker, and port flush.  The tests aren’t that bad to go through.  However the waiting for the results is extremely stressful, 7 days after the tests I seen my Doctor for the results.  He told me there were three enlarged lymph nodes by my liver that showed up on the CAT scan.  Freak out time is the Invader back!!!  However the nodes were not typical of cancer just enlarged.  To be cautious I was scheduled for a PET scan. 

This is the first and I pray the last time I have to go for a PET scan.  After the Scan I went back to see my Doctor to find out the results.  Great news the PET scan show no abnormal activity in my body and the area of interest was clear.

Next surveillance is in November.  Again I’ll be on edge.  I pray to my God and parents to keep me safe and out of the Invader’s reach.