I made it!

For a while there while going through the scary cancer diagnosis and initial treatment I wasn't sure I was going to make my 60th birthday, and then for a while I was sick enough I was scared I would.  I am feeling good now (60 does beat the alternative) and am working on stamina and energy which are still lagging.

I failed completely on my twin quests or goals, to see 800 ABA species before I hit 60, and to see 800 species in Mexico.  The ABA area is basically the USA and Canada.  I came close on both, but the twin problems of being sick and not feeling up to travel, and more recently issues with COVID 19 restricting travel kept me from making those personal goals.  Maybe I'll just re-up them for 65, we'll see.  I have made it without chasing ABA birds for several years and I want to travel elsewhere in the world, so many places to go, so many birds to see.

I even missed a potential first US record located about 40 minutes away this week.  I would have been crushed, but now I’m disappointed and no more.  I must be getting older.

I had a good day on my birthday, dipping on the Blue-and-white Swallow in the morning but visiting with good friends.  Lunch at home was followed by a lavish birthday dinner.  Food is important and my appetite is a little too good.

Hurricane Hanna came in and brought more rain and wind than forecast.  I had some damage to an non-native columnar cactus, now to get rid of it completely.  It's a good week for county listers, with coastal birds moved inland with the storm.

No news is no news (neither good nor bad)

June was busy with a tree rubbing my electric line causing me to be without power overnight.  After far too heavy pruning of trees in June and AEP splicing the line all is good for now.  Still issues with my car and my phone, and I need to schedule my AC guy who wants to check for leaks (and keep me cool).  Anything requiring action is stressful to me.  I can't explain why I'm so anxious about this crap, I just am.

Another month to the next CT to see what's going on with the nodules in my lungs as well as the tumors.  I still feel pretty good though I got seriously overheated walking in the sun yesterday.  I did get the lawn mowed without stopping today, haven't done that in a while.  Usually I take a lawn chair and sit part way through, but I made it all the way for my tiny front lawn.

Almost time for another grocery run.  Overdue for another stab at car issue diagnosis.  And I really should get a new battery in the phone after another day without it charging.  But it's easier to do nothing.  So that's what I do.

Stay tuned, no news is just no news.  COVID is taking off in the LRGV, and I'm not, I'm staying home and wearing my mask.  I get out to nearby nature sites and I should get out to the horses (but it's so hot)…

Shrinkage....

Well, I like this telephone appointment thing except when I'm having trouble understanding the doctor (Doctor #9).  He has a heavy accent, and we both have background noises to contend with.  But we got it done.  I'm happy to not be in the waiting room for hours!

The CT shows mixed results.  Both tumors are less dense according to the radiologist, with the abdominal tumor (the one that doesn't matter) shrinking in size (a very little) as well.  Less dense is a good thing.  The peritoneal nodules seem to be reduced or smaller.  But some nodules have grown.

Blood work was not nearly normal, it was freaking normal including the cancer marker.

So overall I'm happy.  We'll retest sooner and see what's up with the nodules that grew, are they still at it or not.  

Other than that it's all about the same.  It's hot.  I melt.  The birds here are pretty stock model, Arizona is racking up the rarities though!  I love having a Clay-colored Thrush singing in the yard every day, and some other resident or summer birds drift through as well.

Bird on.

And finally some migration birding!

Thanks to LP at Estero for taking me out in a tram on two days.  I saw more warblers than in the previous weeks at home.  Neither day was gangbusters, but had some nice birds.  My winter Texan friends have all migrated now, though some are still melting in place as new year-round Texans.  

Events including the Simonis reunion and the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival are cancelled in 2020.  This is the new normal, cancel everything.  I would rather have an event cancelled than have to be too close to someone not wearing a mask.  When did that become scarier than someone wearing a mask?  A lot of the people on construction crews are wearing full masks with total neck coverage, like an overgrown buff.  

As part of my feeling more chipper I went out to see the horses last week.  It's been months.  They haven't forgotten that I'm the keeper of the carrots.  They also haven't finished shedding out, poor girls!  

Not much new or different.  Thanks for keeping tabs on me.  

Meanwhile, back on the ranch....

As I said in my last post I'm feeling better, more chipper and at least theoretically energetic.  The blood work shows a vast improvement, with most levels at or at least closer to normal.  That includes the cancer marker test, which is the lowest I've ever had.   Excellent!  We're going to keep on with the current pills (no IVs) and see how we are doing COVID and blood work wise at the end of next month.  And I'm sure there will be a CT scan in my future.  

I got to go to a private ranch again today, and though the birds were slow to come in initially (rain and lightning before sunrise) they were entertaining as always.  Bird of the Day though was a beautiful snake, two came into the blind making almost no disturbance (where were you Green Jays?).  Things really heated up later in our stay, with a quail and turkey invasion among the flocks and flocks of Northern Cardinal and Green Jays.  It's so peaceful to just go sit in a blind and see what comes in - of course my host was great at keeping food in front of the birds, if artfully hidden for her pics!  

Another couple or three weeks in isolation.

So I’m definitely feeling ok but still having allergy issues.  I’m back on drug A after two weeks on Drug B with no issues.  I have blood work and a doctor visit (or call) week, but I’m expecting we will let it all ride another month as we hope to get back to the next normal.

I normally work a few hours on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, with no human interaction beyond one paperwork handoff.  I was invited to see a new private ranch (new to me, the ranch has been there a long time).  This photo ranch is closed for the month.  One of the guides invited me to visit, and it was a glorious day.  Nice cool weather  helped, but peacefully sitting and watching birds come to the photo pond was very relaxing.

Unfortunately I found that my car was vandalized the night before.  It must have happened at home in my driveway which doesn’t make me comfortable.  They took a hammer to my wheel well and a punch of some sort to my license plate.  Last week I found my front plate sticking way out as though someone tried to pull it off, and the same plate had several holes punches in it.  Kids I suspect but I am not happy about it and feel violated.

That's about it for now.  I slept throught he night the last two nights, for the first time in months.  I feel pretty good but wilt in the humidity.  I am still having trouble mentally with starting projects.  Once started I can complete them but starting is hard, procrastinating wins.   Getting harder to blame the chemo drugs for that.

If it wasn't cancelled the Weslaco Spring Chirp Birding Festival would be this week.  We made the right decision.

Life in CoVid Times

My Doctors appointment with Dr 8f/9 was changed from an office visit to a phone call, or to be accurate, three phone calls.  There was the phone call for billing and registration, the call with the Doctor, and the call to schedule the next appointment.   Still all in all it was worth not driving to Edinburg.  And of course it was a lot easier to maintain social distancing!   I’m feeling better still though my blood work is a mixed bag but generally a little better.   We’re going to maintain the course for a month and recheck.

I got a good load of groceries from Walmart pickup again.   Still no TP, can’t even pretend to put it in the virtual cart, but almost everything else turned up or was acceptably substituted.  3.5 rolls to go before I get worried.  The black grapes from Peru that were substituted are delicious, but very oddly shaped, like long skinny grapes.  They're very sweet and it's a joy to have fruit again.

The hot weather is keeping me down, it’s been nearly 100 most days.  One project has been cancelled (and rightly so) and another is on slowdown, right after I get started on it.  Oh well!   No one has a crystal ball for post-CoVid.  I’m still doing some construction work which involves birding but not human contact.

I'm always looking for streaming options, send suggestions to me at my email or FB messenger.  I'm staying home and looking for distractions, as are most people!