Day 1877

We passed another milestone today. Dash's oncologist told me that he won't need to see him again for another year. This is very good news. The lab work and x-rays that were done at the re-check painted a portrait of a very normal, healthy dog. For all effective purposes, Dot and Dash have both beat cancer.

In addition to putting the yearlong chemotherapy regime behind me, I think I managed to put yesterday's video woes behind me as well. I'm sure we're not really done yet, but at least I have a nice looking finished product to show my client tomorrow. Since this isn't a time sensitive project, there will almost certainly be further changes. Projects like these always expand to fill the time available. I'd be fine with this if budgets expanded in a similar fashion, but they never do.

I've always thought of myself as a prolific and productive person, but some of the people I met in California are putting me to shame. I'm already starting to see really well researched articles about the SMAP launch from other participants at the NASA event. Some have secured interviews on local radio and TV stations. Others have produced elaborate, full edited videos and posted them on YouTube. What have I done? Not much. I've mentioned a few things here, but these guys are running circles around me. It was a real honor to be included among the best and the brightest, but clearly I am neither the best, or the brightest. It appears that I am still just a guy who spends most of his time walking his dogs.

I noticed today that Dot wasn't interested in walking at all while Dash was at the cancer center. She is very competitive and seems determined to keep up with her younger companion. She kind of likes to boss Dash around too. I think this friendly rivalry is what keeps her going. Without Dash, she suddenly seems much older. There's a lesson in this. You really need someone to challenge you as you grow older. It's so easy to grow complacent and start making excuses. Dot had so much more energy on our evening walk after Dash had returned home. I need to take this to heart. I think I held my own pretty well with the young space enthusiasts in California. I should be able to do it here as well.

I hope my client approves the video tomorrow. I'm supposed to do at least five more of these things. If the first one goes well, doing more should be a piece of cake. If there are a lot of silly changes, I'm doomed. I don't deal well with silly changes. The thought of spending the entire Spring jumping thru hoops makes me want to crawl under a blanket and hide. Let's hope for the best though. The glass isn't always half empty.

Duke is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1602

When I went to pick up Dash at the cancer center this afternoon, the nurses had made him a special graduation scarf, which they all signed. It was a sweet gesture and at one point I found myself wiping away a tear from my eye. It's been a long journey and successfully completing radiation therapy was definitely a milestone. Before we left, I has a nice talk with the head oncologist, who explained what to expect next. Like all cancer patients, Dash will probably never be declared officially cured. If cancer treatment is successful, you just remain cancer-free for longer and longer. The radiation burn on Dash's neck should begin to show significant improvement within a week, although it might take up to six months before all the hair on his neck grows back. He will continue taking his chemotherapy pills for another three months, and go back to the cancer center every two or three weeks for follow-up blood tests. I think our boy has done very, very well.

Dash wasn't the only one who received a thumbs up from the doctor today. I got a call from the liver center saying that for the second time, a comprehensive blood panel showed no trace of the Hepatitis-C virus. There will be one more follow-up blood test three months from now, and then my doctors are officially done with me.

All in all, it was a very good day. I got my new website prototype finished and uploaded to the server so I can present it to the client tomorrow as promised. I wrote another article and submitted it, as well as completing all of today's normal website updates. I didn't really expect to get this much accomplished today, but I'll take it when I can get it. You never know. Tomorow, I may feel like doing nothing again.

Now that there aren't as many transportation issues, I need to start catching up on some other things. I need to take my car to the dealership for a scheduled service visit. I need to get a haircut. And I need to get an electrician to come over and fix the blinking light in the bathroom. I'm sure there are other overlooked things as well, but that's all I can think of at the moment.

Dot has her acupuncture and water therapy tomorrow. Janet wants me to ask if they'll give her a bath too while she's there. Why not? It's already kind of a spa day. Dash can't have a bath yet, which I'm sure is fine with him. His day will come though. The oncologist told me today that after a scab forms over his neck burn and starts to flake away, I should just take him outside every few days and gently spray away the dead skin and debris with a garden hose. Easy for him to say. The cancer center folks have seen a lot of Dash lately, but I don't think they've seen how he reacts to water. We'll wait a while before I try this ill-advised idea.

Sadie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day