The Grim Reaper took another swipe at me !!

[Frenchie's Wife]

We arrived back in town this afternoon. We were out of cell service for a few days.

Our trip took us on a circle tour of the Rockies. Try as we might, we could not escape the horrendous heat wave of the past few weeks. Even at the highest elevations, the afternoon sun was relentless. Close to 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

With all the forest fires burning in the mountains, the bears and other wildlife have come down the slopes, closer to the townsites. They were a constant threat to hikers and backpackers. We were reluctant to venture far from camp. I could not venture far from camp anyways, walking a few hundred yards in that heat did me in for the day.

We did not take a lot of pictures. I kept leaving my phone in the motorhome since we did not have cell service most of the time. We would stumble upon something scenic and I would cuss myself for leaving it behind.

Mrs Frenchie did all the work setting up camp, cooking and cleaning up. All I did was drive the motorhome, the only thing I can still do well.

Mrs Frenchie starts a new job this week with better hours. She could not take time off whatsoever at her old job. We may get to go on future trips together this summer. Time will tell.

This trip has inspired me to continue living full time in my motorhome. I enjoy the solitude, just me and my dog. I will park it in town, close to the hospital and all the amenities that I need. It's also close to the casino, my major source of entertainment. Most of the places where I have my meals have a delivery service for a small fee. It's cheaper to eat out than to try and cook for one person.

My health continues to amaze me and my Pallative oncologist as well. Just when it seems that I will become bedridden, I seem to catch my second wind. All of the problems with my legs, except for my left knee, went away after I stopped taking Dex. The spasms in my hands have stopped as well. The diabetis is also gone. The Dex was definitely not the right drug for me, too many side effects.

I do have some lingering problems but given the extensive cancer that I have, I can't complain.
The growth in my nose is creeping down the back of my throat which is annoying but not painful. I continue to urinate blood. My left kidney acts up now and then. Now that I'm off blood thinners my extensive blood clots which could cause another pulmonary embolism have not moved, but the bleeding from my anus has stopped.
All in all, I think I am doing fairly well. Even my lungs that harbour a colony of mets in all shapes and sizes cause me no pain now that I have stopped smoking pot.

I have cancer in many of my organs now. It's still a mystery why I don't experience any major cancer pain.

Happiness : a good drink, a good meal and a good woman; or a bad woman, depending on how much happiness you can handle.

Is it fair to say that there would be less litter if blind people were given pointed sticks ?

I saw a wino eating grapes. I said to him " man, you have to wait "

I came home tipsy one night and my wife bellowed " what do you think your doing coming home half drunk ? " " Sorry honey " I replied, " I ran out of money "

[Lee]

What an amazing trip from your photos. So glad you and Mrs Frenchie were able to do it. Hope Mrs Frenchie likes her new job. You are an amazing individual. Thank you for sharing your journey with us.

Take care, my friend.

Lee

[Sharon Brent]

Greetings Frenchie,

Sorry I've been away for a while the girls have been keeping me busy the past week or so.

Your trip looks and sounds amazing and it's great to hear that stopping Dex has been the right move for for you.

You are thruely an inspiration to me and many others, when I have bad day or just don't know what to do and feel down or sad, I pop onto the forum and look for your thread and it lifts my spirits and gets me back on track, all my so called hard days just seem insignificant to what you and many others are going through.

Hearing what you are facing with such humour, courage and stubbornness, is a reality check for me.

I thank you for sharing your Journey with me and everyone.

I Love you and wish you all the best for what lies ahead.

Safe Travels My Friend

[Frenchie's Wife]

Good morning folks. My funny bone is acting up today, otherwise I feel great.

Many of you have been following this post for awhile now. I think 100 pages is a milestone of sorts.

I want you all to know that I greatly appreciate the support you've shown me these past few months. You have made my journey so much more tolerable with all your kind words, advice and encouragement.

Although we've never met, I feel a deep friendship with all of you. We are all one big family going through this nightmare of a journey together. I feel closer to you than some of my own family members who just don't " Get It "

I started this post to bring a little humour to an otherwise grim situation. Ironically, I feel that I have benefited the most.

I am blessed by the fact that although I am dying, God has spared me the pain and suffering that so many of you are experiencing on a daily basis.

My hope is that I can continue to add a little sunshine to your lives the only way I know how.

With my deepest regards, Frenchie.

I think my doctor really likes my choice of sensible footwear. I overheard him telling his colleague that I had ' serious healthy shoes '

The only thing the doctor found encouraging about my test results was that they weren't his.

Now they are saying that cigarettes can cause rectal cancer. I'll be OK though, I'm always very careful to put them in my mouth.

I just read a list of 100 things to do before you die. I'm pretty surprised that ' yell for help ' wasn't one of them.

My doctor knows that I'm married. When I went for a checkup, he said " Have you had sex in the last seven days ? " I replied, " No, my birthday is in June. "

Instead of saying ' someone's ' life was saved, shouldn't it be someone's death was postponed?

On my tombstone I want it to say ' Failed to forward chain letter to five friends '

My doctor told me to start my excercise program very gradually. Today I drove past a sports shop.

I wasen't feeling well so I asked my wife to drive me to the hospital. She said " What is it ? "
I replied, " It's a big square building with lots of doctors in it, now get going "

Doing the moonwalk is the only way to look cool while wiping dog shit of your shoe.

I never knew true happiness until I got married. By then it was too late.

I gave a pint of blood yesterday. I hate mosquito season.

[Frenchie's Wife]

I'm feeling so good today that all this zany stuff comes to mind. You know I'm having a good day when I can't shut up.

Someone asked me " How come your so lucky at cards yet so unlucky at the horses ? "
I replied, " I don't get to shuffle the horses. "

I haven't lost all my superpowers. I can still leap off a tall building in a single bound, but only once.

If I had a dollar for every time someone called my first wife ugly ..... I would have stayed with her for the money.

Smoke detectors need to be tested from time to time. So sometimes I cook something.

Today I feel like a tampon; I'm in a good place at the wrong time.

If your birthday is in November, you know your parents really enjoyed Valentines Day.

The male penis is the lightest object on earth. Just a thought can lift it.

If it weren't for marriage, men would spend their lives thinking they had no faults at all.

Last night I was so drunk that when I walked accross the dance floor to get to the bar, I won the dance competition.

If woman ruled the world, a country would be bombed every twenty eight days.

I've been trying to teach my dog to dance, but it's kind of useless. He's got two left feet.

[bitchslapped]

Yep, Frenchie, we are kind of a strange fam damnly around here, aren't we?! Never have met, yet share a common denominator. It has been my pleasure to know you & if anything I have ever said, no matter how small, has put a smile on your face...well, that puts a smile on mine.
So you had a good trip (& Mrs. F) except for the heat wave. Well, had a heat wave here too & I was working outside all day every day last week playing catchup in the yard & planting flower pots. This week while it's cooler, I'm playing catchup inside. Go figure.

Had some excitement in the neighborhood last night around 9:00. One street behind me & about 5 houses up, the garage door blew off & a fire developed. Smoke to beat the band enveloped the entire neighborhood. There was some people there from 1/2 mile away standing around to see what was going on. Something like 11 fire & rescue trucks lined the street! After the smoke cleared for the most part, Little Miss Chloe & I took a walk around the block to investigate. Scuttlebutt from all the neighbors outside was this woman's grown son (30 something) may have had a meth lab going on. While I was feeling sorry for the mom, I hear she was recently sprung from the Big House after 3 years for embezzlement. Apparently he went to the hospital w/some flash burns, otherwise everyone ok. You could really smell sulfur. There was a guy from the gas company there as well.

About 6 months ago, there was a car chase (DH after DW in their 50's). He put a couple of bullets in her & a bullet to his head. She survived, he didn't. They were not from our neighborhood, but close enough. The neighbor lady behind me rescued the women, helped her get from the street to her garage, bleeding all the way. Now a couple of the new neighbors are wondering what kind of neighborhood they moved into!

I've got a couple for you:

I smoke for religious reasons. Each cigarette brings me five minutes closer to Jesus.
Now I'm just diagnosed with arm cancer. F******g nicotine patches.

Have a good day, Friend
Bithslapped

[WifeOfMike]

Frenchie »
Good morning folks. My funny bone is acting up today, otherwise I feel great.
Many of you have been following this post for awhile now. I think 100 pages is a milestone of sorts.
I want you all to know that I greatly appreciate the support you've shown me these past few months. You have made my journey so much more tolerable with all your kind words, advice and encouragement.
Although we've never met, I feel a deep friendship with all of you. We are all one big family going through this nightmare of a journey together. I feel closer to you than some of my own family members who just don't " Get It "
I started this post to bring a little humour to an otherwise grim situation. Ironically, I feel that I have benefited the most.
I am blessed by the fact that although I am dying, God has spared me the pain and suffering that so many of you are experiencing on a daily basis.
My hope is that I can continue to add a little sunshine to your lives the only way I know how.
With my deepest regards, Frenchie.

I am GLAD to hear nothing is keeping your humor down. I am just as glad a lot of your health issues subsided, once the DEX was eliminated. Nasty stuff- meant for short time usage, with a lot of added side effects from HELL to boot. Your 100th second wind, has been simply miraculous, and it could not have happened to a nicer man, who simply loves to spread joy & laughter, on some of your hardest days. For that, I thank YOU.

I am just as thrilled that we have accompanied you on your journey, and that it has brought you much joy. THAT means a lot to ME, my dear friend.
YOU are one of a kind, and I am both humbled & blessed by your friendship. YOU have brought many smiles to my face, in some of my darkest hours.

One of your BIGGEST fans,
Vicki

[bitchslapped]

Your 100th second wind, has been simply miraculous, and it could not have happened to a nicer man, who simply loves to spread joy & laughter, on some of your hardest days. For that, I thank YOU.

I will second that, especially in light of the many symptoms you are fielding each day.
Thanks Frenchie, for allowing us to share in your triumphs & your tribulations.
Now back to that Red Light District you recently visited...oh, that was a former brothel & most likely your first time. OK, never mind...

BS

[Sharon Brent]

Greetings Frenchie,
OMG you are too funny, I love you so much
It's a pleasure to be able to join you on your journey and I have gained more than money could ever buy with knowing you.
Hope your days continue to be good my friend

[Frenchie's Wife]

Here is something that may surprise some of you. I still have my port !
A year and a half after my last chemo, the port is finally coming out.

I told the doctor back then that I was a gambler. I was gambling that a new drug or procedure would come along and I'd need my port. Those were long odds.

A trip to the cancer centre once a month to get my port flushed is all that it cost me.
It gave me a chance to reminisce with the nurses. Some of whom I've known for years.
I've been going to the same cancer centre ever since I was diagnosed almost 6 years ago.

It recently became defective or I would have kept it in. It wasen't bothering me in any way.
Then, there was always that chance I would come out a winner .........

Deciding weather my quality of life was more important to me than my longevity was a much harder decision to make.

I could have continued on chemo for God knows how long. My body was responding well to the chemo treatments. The mets in my lungs were getting bigger but the chemo was keeping new ones from forming.

The ONLY side effect I had was extreme fatigue. I spent 16, 18 hours, sometimes all day in bed. That was basically my only complaint. I was not in any pain.

I had no nausea of any kind while on chemo. I did smoke a lot of pot which the doctor suggested was keeping the nausea at bay.

Most of you have experienced chemo. You know what I'm talking about when I say my quality of life was " The Shits " . It wasn't a decision I made lightly. I gave it a lot of thought.

In the end I decided that there was still a lot of life left in old Frenchie. I wasen't going to spend it with poison running through my vains, sucking the life out of me day after day after day.

Sure, it would have extended my life for who knows how long, but at what cost ??

I have been extremely active these past 17 months. I did many things I could not have done while on chemo.

I went back to almost feeling like my old self again. I even forgot I had cancer now and then. That still happens to me.

Now I am nearing the end of my journey but I have no regrets. I have enjoyed a very good QOL sinse then. I have lived life to the fullest and will continue to do so till they nail the coffen shut !!

[midlifemom]

Thanks for your ongoing posts and pics Frenchie.
You have entertained and educated us through your journey. You've given us much to think about and a reminder of how life can still be enjoyed. Thanks for all you have given us.

[Danieljt]

Thank you Frenchie for all you do for us on this forum. It kinda keeps some normalcy to our lives. Kinda.
Jackie

[Nik Colon]

You always make me laugh and smile

Love you dear Frenchie ♡
Nik

[ktwmn]

Frenchie, You rock!!! Keep bringin' it!!

[Frenchie's Wife]

I have been smoking pot for 50 years now. I enjoy the buzz, but most importantly, it puts me in a different frame of mind. I become much more creative for one thing.

I have had my most successful venture ideas stoned on pot. I also designed all our different module trailers high as a kite. Most of my successful financial deals were done under the influence. You get the idea I smoke a lot of pot ?? It's an old hippy thing.

Now, my lungs are failing. Not because of the pot, it's because of the cancer. I have a lot of mets in there.

I thought this through and I don't want cancer taking away something that gives me pleasure.
I will not give cancer that satisfaction. I haven't smoked a joint in over 2 months until today.
I decided that I like being in that frame of mind and I will continue to smoke until I die.

I will do so in moderation. I have tried vaporizers and other methods of smoking it. Although it is easier on the lungs, it just doesn't feel the same as a good drag. I prefer smoking mine.

Once again, this decision could shorten my lifespan.

I will continue to be the poster boy for what " NOT " to do when you develop cancer.