Notes From Smallville ... From Fun to Frivolous to Factual

So, we purchased the riding mower, AKA tractor with a mower attachment according to Sears, and we were so ready to use it. Then it rained. And rained. Then it cleared up for one morning and then rained again. Then it rained.

Two weeks of rain nearly every day and so the mower, er, tractor, er, mower, sat in the shed, unused. I ran into our neighbors downtown and, well, let me say they are rather odd; I'll leave it at that. But, they are both retired and have one of those perfectly manicured, perfectly trimmed, perfectly plotted yards. Ours is more of the natural woodsy yard and, to be honest, with some rather tall grass in the backyard. The Lady neighbor said to me, "Yard work time is here!"

And I thought, Is she trying to tell me to mow my yard? Bitch.

I said, however, "I know! We just bought a riding mower and have been waiting for the rains to stop and the yard to dry out so we can use it."

We chatted some more, though I cannot remember what was said because, as I told you a moment ago, they're odd. Then as they left, the Lady Neighbor turned to me and said, "Happy mowing."

Needless to say, Saturday morning we were up at the crack of dawn, firing up the tractor, er, mower, and riding it up and down the fence-line between our yards hoping it stirred them from their sleep. Sadly, our houses aren’t that close together so maybe we didn't annoy them as much as I'd hoped.

Sidenote: we played nicely, and took turns on the mower which, considering how juvenile Carlos and I are known to be, is a feat unto itself. Of course, it didn't hurt that the new mower has cut our backyard mowing time from over ninety-minutes to under forty minutes; plus, the whole sit down while you do it and drink from the cup of whatever in the cupholder aspect.

I have said before that Tuxedo is the Most Handsome Cat ever, and, well, to brag some more he is also incredibly smart. And understands English.

See, when it’s dinner time, no matter where he is in the house, I can shout, ‘Tucky, are you hungry?’ And he races into the kitchen for his meal.

Sure, you say, but he’s a cat and he’s hungry.

But then, explain this: when I am ready to go to bed, I say, ‘Tucky, are you ready for sleeps?’ and her runs down the hallway to the bedroom.

I know.

And then this: our cats do not go outside. We have no way to contain them in our yard because we have an on-the-short-side split rail fence that they can jump. Plus, there are all kinds of other animals and diseases that they could catch being outside. So, inside they stay. But, Tuxedo, being the King Cat of the house, is allowed to go outside with supervision, meaning I carry him around the yard and he sniffs the trees and the flowers and bird watches.

So, Sunday afternoon, after working in the yard, I came inside, and yelled, ‘Tucky? Wanna go outside?’ and he came meowing down the hallway and ran right to the sliding doors of the sunroom, ready to tour the yard.

Smartest Cat ever; and, of course, the most handsome, too.

And now, a more serious topic:

My sister has cancer.

Try as I might, I keep hearing her voice in my head from the day I answered the phone and she said that to me. But, and it's a big but, she has a positively stubborn outlook on the whole shebang.

Which she will need, because after her last round of tests, she learned that she has Stage Four cancer and that it has metastasized to her lymph nodes.

She has an appointment with her oncologist tomorrow, and has the most amazing outlook, which I think is a great great thing.

While we were out of the house Saturday morning, she called and left a message, talking about how she was home from the hospital, and all four of her girls had come for a visit. And, again, she reminded me not to cry about this--which is hard--and ended by saying, "This old lady is not ready to stop dancing."

That's my sister's attitude and just one of the many reasons why I love her and why she's my new hero.

And, as I learned from my posts about my sister, a lot of readers are dealing with the same issues themselves, or with a family member.

My father, who went through cancer treatments with my mother found all kinds of links about lung cancer treatments and questions to ask your doctor, so I thought I’d share them, with anyone who needs them:

Questions to Ask My Doctor About Lung Cancer

Being told you have lung cancer can be scary and stressful. You probably have a lot of questions and concerns. Learning about the disease, how it’s treated, and how this information might apply to you is a lot to do on your own. You might need some help. Your American Cancer Society can give you general information about this disease and its treatment, but your doctor is the best source of information about your situation.

It’s important for you to be able to talk frankly and openly with your cancer care team. They want to answer all of your questions, no matter how minor they might seem to you. But it helps if you know what to ask. Here are some questions that you can use to help you better understand lung cancer and your options. Don’t be afraid to take notes and tell the doctors or nurses when you don’t understand what they’re saying.

The questions are grouped by where you are in the process of cancer treatment. Not all of these questions will apply to you, but they should help get you started.

For information on lung cancer please contact your American Cancer Society toll free at 1-800-227-2345 or online at www.cancer.org.

Questions to Ask My Doctor About Lung Cancer: When you’re told you have lung cancer

1. Exactly what type of lung cancer do I have?

2. How do I get a copy of my pathology report?

3. Where is the cancer located?

4. Has the cancer spread beyond where it started?

5. What’s the cancer’s stage? What does that mean?

6. How does this affect my treatment options and long-term outcome (prognosis)?

7. What are my chances of survival, based on my cancer as you see it?

8. How much experience do you have treating this type of cancer?

9. Will I need other tests before we can decide on a treatment?

10. What are my treatment choices?

11. What treatment do you recommend and why?

12. If I need to have surgery, how will I manage if I’m missing a lung, or part of one?

13. What’s the goal of my treatment?

14. Should I get a second opinion? How do I do that?

15. Should I think about taking part in a clinical trial?

Questions to Ask My Doctor About Lung Cancer: When deciding on a treatment plan

1. What are the chances my cancer will come back after this treatment?

2. What would we do if the treatment doesn’t work or if the cancer comes back?

3. Will I be able to have children after treatment?

4. How much will I have to pay for treatment? Will my insurance cover any of it?

5. How long will treatment last? What will it involve?

6. Where will treatment be done?

7. What risks and side effects should I expect?

8. What can I do to reduce the side effects of the treatment?

9. How will treatment affect my daily activities?

10. Will I be able to work during treatment?

11. Will I lose my hair? If so, what can I do about it?

12. Will the treatment hurt? Will I have any scars?

Questions to Ask My Doctor About Lung Cancer: Before treatment

1. What should I do to get ready for treatment?

2. Will I need blood transfusions?

3. Should I change what I eat or make other lifestyle changes?

4. Where can I get help to quit smoking?

Here are some websites my father also sent along that answer questions, offer treatments, etc. I can tell you I felt less fearful and unsure of what lies ahead for my sister after reading some of these sites.

Stages of Cancer, National Cancer Institute

Cancer Fighting Strategies

Tarceva tablets

Xalkori, non-small cell lung cancer treatment

Web site for clinical trials that are recruiting