Friday, August 31st 114/336

This stuff is so erratic! The truck came back and hit me again. A tough day in the neighborhood. At 5:00 I had a bunch of potato chips and 2 chocolate croissants. Big mistake, I feel stuffed and I never want to eat again. Hopefully tommorrow will be better. Bye for now.

NYC Subway, 1978

Thursday, August 30th 113/336 Shot #17

Moving right along. I went for my monthly check up and blood tests today and every thing is steady as she goes. I'm not anemic and I'm still undetectable for the virus.
Both good news. I like my newly shaved head as it's quite comfortable. When I told the nurse that my hair didn't fall out, it just withered and died, she simply said, "that's what happens". I went to Starbucks for a mocha frappachino and then to Sac State to get books and an advisor. 126 units and never an advisor! I've decided to take only 6 units for the fall so it's Art Criticism and Latin American Art and Modern Architecture takes it in the shorts. I looked at the text books for Architecture and they looked so boring and the teacher has terrible reviews. Yes there is a sight called "Rate my Professor.com" and it was recently purchased by MTV. It's really great. I took my shot at 1:30 and it's gotten to be like brushing my teeth. Today was a good day. Bye for now.

Billy the Dog, 2006

Wednesday, August 29th 112/336

I got hit by the truck today. I couldn't get to sleep last night until 2:30, that, after taking 2 sleeping pills. I only got 5 hours sleep as opposed to my usual 11. I stayed in bed most of the day really out of it. I got better around 5:00 and now I feel OK. This crap is so weird, just when you think you have it figured out it it throws a sick Wednesday at you. I've been doing great for a couple of weeks and then BAM! Tomorrow I take shot #17 and today represents 33% completion of treatment. I can't wait for 169/332 as that will be the start of the long road back down the hill.

I've been reading about posters having viral break throughs between weeks 12 and 18. When you have a break through, you can stop the tx as the virus has figured away to mutate so that it can be unaffected by the meds. It's very similar to AIDS in that it is always mutating and confusing the immune system. As soon as the immune system starts to hurt it it takes a different structure. I hope I can stay clear.

My ex wife is selling the condo she occupies with her boyfriend. I asked my step daughter why she was moving and she said that she wanted to be closer to the grand baby. Yeah right! she forgot to mention that she had moved out on her boyfriend as they were having issues. OK ladies, what's the story? Why would she lie to me when I'm going to find out through the rumor mill anyway? Bye for now.

Waiting, 1998

Tuesday, August 28th 111/336

Today the dog and I walked to the river and when we arrived he couldn't wait to get in the water. We walked up to the picnic area and I read the paper and did the crossword puzzle. I still get the SF paper because the Sacramento Bee is just too dumb for words. The squirrels were out in force because fall is coming and Billy(dog) spent an entire hour chasing them up into their trees. He's faster than they are but they change direction faster than him so they always get away. He gets within 6 inches of their bushy tail and then they zig and zag away from him. It's quite funny to watch. It was 100 degrees today and Billy and I barely made it back up the hill to the parking lot. We just kept looking at each other to see who could go the slowest. When I arrived home I had to take a 2 hour nap to recover.

The Interferon I inject has killed the remaining hair that I have on the top of my head. It hasn't fallen out, it has withered up and died. Last night I shaved my head to 1/8 of an inch and now I feel like I'm a light bulb. I'm trying to get some color in my scalp but the Ribaviren makes my scalp photo sensitive to the sun and I break out in a rash. I'm struggling to find a happy medium. Bye for now.

Magda made me salmon and rice for dinner. She is a great caregiver

Monday, August 27th 110/336

Up after the usual 11 hours of sleep and feeling good. Tx is easier without school but I need school to keep my memory intact. I start again in a week. Since I have returned I have taken 24 units in 8 classes and I have received 8 A's. My new GPA is 3.9

On my time off, I'm working on the trip we are going to take around the world after I complete my treatment. We're thinking Santiago, Patagonia, Rio, Johannesburg, Bombay, Delhi, Nepal, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Bejing, Shanghai and Bali. I'm going to get 2 first class plane tickets and really do it up right. Bye for now.

The Dog Days of Summer

Sunday, August 26th 109/336

Moving right along...Woke up and was tired, So what else is new? Had a bagel some yogurt and 40mg's of Prozac and went back to sleep till 10:00. I have a routine now, I sleep 11 hours a day, usually 10:00PM to 7:00AM and then 8:00AM to 10:00AM. M went to Harbin Hot springs with 4 of her girlfriends for they day. They can run around naked all day and watch the men try to be cool when they move in for conversation. So many lines and such a game, it's funny. I took the dog on the 2 mile walk down to the river and back and it was fun. I love my dog, we're such good buddies.

Magda is riding her bike 120 miles a week and she is getting very good at it. She has the whole package, clothes, shoes, pedals etc. She likes to play a little game with the male racers. When some pass her, she lags behind for awile and then she cranks it up and leaves them in the dust. She likes this. Yesterday she was passed by a real racer(male). He was serious, shaved legs for wind resistance and all. She took him on up a 6 mile hill and he finally passed her at the top. As he passed he said, "you're killing me". I thought that was a compliment, but M said it was deragatory and sexist. What's a girl to do? She came home and made an appointment and got her hair all cut off so that it's 2" long. It looks very cute. I think the racer will lose next time they meet as she's very competitive about her biking. I now call her my butchy boy.

Saturday, August 25th 108/336

I think that my body and my my mind have finally acceted the fact that I am undergoing Chemo Therapy. When I wake up and I'm tired or feeling bad, it just doesn't matter any more because I can't remember how life used to be. Last night I was in SF and I was at my koft and I didn't feel too well. I thought, hell, I can feel this way at the movies just as well as I can here. I went and saw "No way out". It's a documentary about how screwed up Iraq is because of our actions. A very telling film.

I walked last night to Houston's and I had a veggie burger and an order of fries. It was so yummy. Back home to Sacto today. I had such a big day yesterday that I'm dragging my ass around today. Bye for now.

Alien Baby 1998

Friday, August 24th 107/336

\I went to bed last night at 10:00 and got up this morning at 10:00. I have found that if I take my shot at 1:30 in the afternoon the sides hit between 2-4 in the morning and I just sleeping pill through them. Today's a good day again. went to starbucks, did the crossword puzzle, went to Tiffany's to get my clock fixed, I'm at an internet cafe and then off to MOMA followed by a visit to my new baby grand daughter. Life is good. Bye for now.

Magda and Tony Saprano

Thursday, August 23rd 106/336 Shot #16

Woke up this morning feeling very groovy, what treatment? Off to SF, bye for now.

Yong Man 1996

Wednesday, August 22nd 105/336

Another good day, just tired. Finally, the last day of ethnic studies class. This is the only class I have to take outside of my Art Studio major. I'm going to take 2 courses in the fall Art 130 Art Criticism and Art 111 Latin American Art. I can't take any studio classes while on tx as they are too intense. They are 3 hours twice a week with at least 6 hours of homework. The tx has extinquished my creative abilities so I'm just going to coast until I finish my tx. I have a long way to go, but so far, so good! Bye for now.

Candy Apples, 2000

Tuesday, August 21st 104/336

Yet another good day, fatigue is my only side effect. I've been so tired for so long that my body and my mind are getting used to it. It's just the way it is.

Tragedy! The deer came last night and ate M's brand new Hibiscus plant, she was very upset and she went to the nursury to replace it. I went to the hardware store, the grocery store, the dry cleaners and the bank today. it was 98 degrees and I don't even notice it. I remember that when I first came here, the heat was oppressive, that's another "that's just the way it is" item.
Off to school, bye for now.

Brooklyn Bridge and Twin Towers, 1978

Monday, August 20th 103/336

I have felt good all week, fatigue being my only side effect. I think I'm getting used to being tired all the time and it doesn't seem strange to me anymore. It's just the way things are for now. I believe the prozac really helps as I'm never sad or depressed. I guess it's as they say, after awhile, your body gets used to the poison. Tonight it's off to school with only 3 more classes to go. Hooray! It's warm here, about 100, but that's another thing I've gotten used to. The ex wife is in a dither as she is getting audited. Bye for now.

South Tower, Golden Gate Bridge, Sunset, 2002

Sunday, August 19th 102/336

Woke up in SF this morning feeling really good. Week 15 is lining up to be the best week in awhile. The loft looks Fabu, the stagers did a great job. The same unit is for sale @ 1,000,000 so I'm looking good @ 899,000. M and I took all of the excess junk to Sacramento this afternoon. I did the moving and drove all of the way home. I over did it a little bit but a 2 hour nap fized everything up. Treatment is very doable this week. Bye for now.

3 brothers and 2 brothers and 5 cousins, 1978
I wonder what happened to them?

Saturday, August 18th 101/336

Woke up this morning feeling groovy. A bagel, some yogurt, 2 prozacs, and back to sleep till 10:30. Today, I don't have the usual nasty Saturday sx's. Strange brew!

The stagers came in to my loft and made it looked loved. $2400.00 to have it look like pottery barn, I can complain, but my years in the biz tells me works. The price is $899,000 and we hope to see it go over asking. I feel OK selling as it's been 5 years and it's time to move on. The other good thing is that it will realize a big profit, tax free as it was my principal residence for 4 years.

Off to SF and bye for now.


This painting was how I learned to paint. I copied a painting that I liked by Chris Brown and when I was done it all had come together.

Friday, August 17th 100/336

I'm so happy to be in the triple digits. I don't know why, but it seems to be a milestone. I finished my last paper today. It's ironic that I participated in the student strike at SF State in 1969 which brought ethnic studies to the colleges. 38 years later, I'm taking a mandated ethnic studies course as the result of my past actions,

Walked to the river with the dog. M is of to the Gay club with her girlfriends. She goes there so men don't harass her. Bye for now.

My daughter Jenna, 30 years ago

Thursday, August 16th 99/336 Shot #15

Another groovy day! 3 in a row. Stayed home today and finished my final essay. These summer school courses are both good and bad. Good in that they are over in 6 weeks, bad, in that you have to fit 4 months learning into such a short time. I love my teacher, she is so funny. She is native American, big girl with cute, long pigtails. She looks just like you think an Indian should look. I took shot 15 today at 1:30 and went to sleep at 3:00 for an hour and a half. Last few weeks have seen Saturday and Sunday as my bad days. Stay tuned and bye for now.

Golden Gate Park, 2002

Wednesday, August 15th 98/336

Woke up this morning feeling extra groovy. Yogurt, bagel and 2 prozac and off we go. This is the best day I've had in a month. I am reminded what it is like to feel normal again. No sx's, no chemo brain, no fatigue, and no taste of bleach. Tommorrow is shot 15 so we will start the roller coaster once again, hit by a truck on Saturday and Sunday, weird on Monday and then slowly I come out of it.

Walked the dog the couple of miles to the river and back and we had a great time. He went swimming for awhile. Went back home and worked on my final 7 page paper. This one is about Asians, the Model Minority. The book is so boring, I told the teacher last night that I thought reading it was like watching paint dry on the wall..So boring. I don't think she appreciated it.

What I did learn from one of the Asians in the class is that if you switch your font to courier, 5.5 pages becomes 7 pages without anyone knowing the better of it. Now that is what I call valuable information. Bye for now

Duck Hunting, 1972

Tuesday, August 14th, 97/336

What a great day! No problems. Peg and Riba took the day off. They are so unpredictable. The only thing I know for sure is that they really like to screw with me on Saturdays. My daughter and my grandsons finally left. They ate us out of house and home but they had a lot of fun. M is getting a small legal settlement in November and she's already on line searching expensive designer purses. Women are so cute!

Today I walked to the river and back with my dog and it was fun. I actually felt normal today. I didn't feel like a drank a cup of bleach laced with amonia and rat poison. Happy day. Bye for now.

The Big Bang, 2004

Monday, August 13th 96/336

My daughter and grandsons spent all day yesterday and most of today visiting with me. The boys must have been in the water 14 hours a day. They also ran the dog ragged. This morning we went to the river and they swam for an hour, it was great fun. My treatment seems to get a little tougher each week with this week being no exception. I'm almost at "the cure is worse than the disease" stage as the interferon is really starting to kick my ass. I cleared the virus in 7 or 8 weeks so my chances for a permanent cure are better than most. What doesn't kill me makes me stronger, I guess.
Off to school to turn in my second term paper and to learn about Native Americans. My daughter let it be known that she was trying to get my grandsons initiated into an Indain tribe in North Dakota. She's adopted from Puerto Rican and Polish parents. I asked, what makes you an Indian and she said that the Puerto Ricans were Indians. I said whatever! Bye for now.

48 Lounge Chairs, 2006

Sunday, August 12th 95/336

The gods are smiling and I woke up feeling groovy. My daughter and my grand children came today and they are spending the night.i felt good enough to entertain them all day with only one half an hour nap. My daughter is doing great, as are the boys. This treatment goes on forever and I've only just begun. I wondering if the mortgage mess is going to affect my condo sale. Time will tell. Bye for now.

New Zealand, 1994

Saturday, August 11th 94/336

Another Saturday and I've been hit by another truck. Seems to be a pattern. Saturday morning is a blur and it starts to get better as the day moves on. M and I went for a 2 mile walk down to the river and back. It was fun and the dog never stopeed running. Tommorroe my daughter and my grandsons are coming to spend the day and the night. It will surely challenge my stanima, stay tuned, Bye for now.

The Middle of Nowhere, Interstate 80, Nevada 2001

Friday, August 10th 93/336

What a nice "post shot" day. Little sides is all. i stayed home and finished the second term paper of three total. I'm getting pretty good at doing the paper without reading the book.

I'm moving forward with the sale of my loft in SF. We're going to ask $899,000 and crossing our fingers that the mortgage mess doesn't bite me in the ass. Bye for now.


Ox Bow Bend, Snake River, Wyoming 2001

Thursday, August 9th 92/336 Shot #14

Woke up early and had a yogurt, a bagel, 3 Rebatol, and 2 Prozac and then I went back to sleep until 10:00. Work would make tx a real problem, I'm so glad I'm retired. I took my dog to the park and we walked for 2.5 miles, a good time was had by all. I took my shot today at 2:30 to see what happens tomorrow. Today was a good day, Every day and every week is different as Peg and Riba work in strange ways. I've taken to the "one day at a time" tactic. Bye for now

Sailboats, 2003

Wednesday, August 8th 91/336

Things went well today as tomorrow is shot day. I haven't been able to ride my bike this week because I've just been too fatigued. Week 13 has been a challenge to say the least. Today is day 91 and that's about how old I feel. Thankfully, mysides are mostly limited to fatigue.

Good news, I got my paper back and to my delight, I got a 98%, brain fog and all. M is turning into quite the stud, she is biking 130 miles a week and then at night she goes swimming. She is down to 138 at 5'10" and I must say that she is looking very toned and fit. Tomorrow is shot day, Oh goody! Bye for now.

My niece and nephew, Andrew & Hanna

Tuesday, August 7th 90/336

Tuesdays are usually good for me. I get a little fatigued but that's about it. The further away I get from the shot, the better I feel. Yesterday, i took a Guarrana pill so I could do well on my test. It really worked well. I got energy for a couple of hours and I think I did OK on the test, hopefully an A or B. Going to school while taking all of this crap is a challenge. So far, I'm able to do it. I have this thing where I have to get A's, if I don't, I feel as though I have failed. I really need to stop this as the A's are coming harder these days.

I am going to sell my loft in SF and I'm listing it with my step-daughter September 1st. I only use it once a month and I have become accustomed to living in Carmichael. With the proceeds, I can pay of my house. It's time in my life to be debt free. The building I own in Oklahoma is free and clear so mortgages ain't us.

The weather here is gorgeous, 88 degrees, very unusual for this time of the year. We usually feel like we live 10 miles form hell. Off to school tonight, only 8 more classes to go.

Charlie Johnson Beach, maui, 1999

Monday, August 6th 89/336

Today I felt much better, not great, but much better. The brain fog has lifted and the only sx is fatigue. As the medicines build up in one's body they tend to saturate the body and then beat one down. Every week, the Hg count drops a little which contributes to the fatigue. Off to school for my midterm. Taking tests in college with Swiss cheeese brain is definetly a challenge. I'm wondering if I should continue in the fall as it is getting harder and harder to concentrate and memorize. Stay tuned and, Bye for now.

Big Sky, Montana 2001

Sunday, August 5th 88/336

Today I felt a little better than yesterday, but not much. Week 13 has, so far, been the worst for the sx's. The neausea is new and it has come out of nowhere. My short term memory is getting worse. For my racism and Ethnicity class, I can remember court cases but I can't remember simple definitions such as racism, stereotype or prejudice, i guess I should have been a lawyer. Hopefully, tommorrow will be better and I'll be able to remember things before my test at 6:30. Off to try it again, Bye for now

Swan Valley, Idaho 2001

Saturday, August 4th 87/336

Today I feel as though I've been hit by a truck. Hot, really fatigued, sick to my stomach and I feel like I've drank a cup of bleach! Every once in awhile I really get knocked back and today is one of those days. On the couch, watching TIVO most of the day. Bye for now.

Southern Idaho, 2001

Friday, August 3rd 86/336

I had my 13th shot last night and took it 3 hours earlier, at 5:30. This seemed to work well as I slept through the sx's. Next week, I'm going to do it at 3:30 and that should help. My sx's seem to hit for 2 hours, 12-14 hours post injection. Today i'm having the best post shot day in weeks. Took one nap is all. I jumped in my pool around 3:00, I need to remember how refreshing that can be. Did my study guide for Monday's Race and Ethnicity test. M made me a great pizza tonight and I took my 4 Rebatols right in the middle. I'm fortunate that the Ribas don't make me sick, just tired as they lower one's hemoglobin count which makes one borderline anemic. Maybe a bike ride tomorrow, I never know what Peg and Riba are up too. Bye for now.

Imaginary Valley in my Head, 2002

Thursday, August 2nd 85/336 Shot #13

Got up today feeling groovy, OMG two good days in a row! Went to see the doctor for my 12 week checkup. Every thing looked good and I'm still undectectable. Had my new bloods drawn and then came home. I don't go back to the doctor for another month. Frappachino was excellent. Did some studying and then took my shot #13. I did it at 5:30, 3 hours earlier than usual. I'm experimenting to see if doing it earlier cuts down on my sides tomorrow morning. Sounds ironic, but I'm hoping that I sleep through the fatigue in the early AM. Bye for now.

The Marco Polo, New Zealand, 1996

Wednesday, August 1st 84/336

Woke up today feeling very groovy, it's almost as though I am not on the maximum dose of chemo therapy. I feel like I felt prior to tx and it's nice to remember the feeling as I've been on tx for so long, I think that I forgot what's it's like to feel normal. M has a class at 8:00 at Sac State and she brounght me home a frappachino from Peet's with 2 shots of expresso in it......Zoom!

Today is August 1st, I've always liked that day. I'm not sure why, I just know I always have. Today is the 84th day of my tx and that means I'm a quarter of the way home. I am so envious of those who only have to do 24 weeks of tx, it seems like such a snap when compared to 48 weeks. If I were a 24 weeker, I'd be headed down the home stretch. Now, instead, I'm still pushing up the hill. I've got so far to go that I don't even feel comfortable whining yet.

OMG, I felt so good I forgot to take God's pick-me-up aka Prozac. If you are contemplating treatment, get your antidepressant tolerance straightened out prior to starting tx. So many of my online tx buddies are having a hard time mentally so it's important for you to get side effects identified prior so you don't have to experiment while you're undergoing treatment.

SSRI's are just what some need to redress the chemical imbalance (Seratonin) caused by the Interferon in the brain.SSRI's are as important to some patients as the rescue drugs for low Hb and Wbc's are, they help you stay on treatment and to make treatment far more bearable. Councilling and long walks in the sunshine with not help to re-balance brain chemistry, only an SSRI will do this and usually without any other side effects either.

Treatment is doable for me as my sx's are moderate. I only get fatique, brain fog and a little neausea. I, so far, have skipped the headaches, joint aches, chills, fever, depression, and rage that so many of my pals are dealing with.

I decided that today would be a good day to take peg and Riba for a bike ride. Just do it! so I just did it. 15 miles over hill and dale. I got dizzy and sick to my stomach at the 10 mile mark and I had to rest under a shade tree. The last 5 miles were tough and I was afraid I wouldn't make it as my legs felt like rubber. It was 100 degrees out, I wonder if that had anything to do with it.......Ya think? I may be getting closer to being anemic as I got pretty winded toward the end of the ride. Bye for now.

NYSE, Acrylic on Paper, 2006