My Life As I See It, Traveling Down My Road.

After The Oncologist, Lung Cancer, and Allys MRSA status

2011-09-28T21:07:00.002-04:00

What a day! We went to the oncologist today to get the results of the PET, blood work, and hear the plan for attacking my cancer, Dr Faria (the oncologist) said they found a 1.9CM tumor in my right lung and they can;t (or better yet) won't start the chemo till after they find out about the tumor. So. I;m going in the hospital tomorrow morning for a biopsy on the lung tumor and have the chemo port installed. Hopefully, I'll be able to come home in the afternoon. He should get the biopsi results the first of the week, and I'll start chemo on October 10th. They are going to determine what to do about the lung tumor. I will be on a fusion pump that I will need to carry around.. I guess I'l just wait and have to see how it goes as well as the biopsy/

Ally's infection is getting better. She is now home and has an open wound so it can breath and heal. They painted a "Smiley Face" on her abdoman and told her that if any of the redness or inffection spreads beond that line she will have to have immediate surgery. We're still praying for her!

Please check out our web store. We're selling out of Baby Stollers like mad. Check them out yourself at www.stuffnthingscorp.com

Bob

More to come after my bipopsy tommorow`1

Our Grandaughter's Emergenvy MRSA Treatment

2011-09-27T17:25:00.000-04:00

Seems like it is one thing after another around here. Our grandaughter was just taken to the ER and diagnosed with MRSA. She has a terrible infection that seems to have spread into her belly button. So far, all we know is that they are going to cut into it for treatment. I didn't even know what it is. It is a very sever type of Staph Infection. Here is information on it from WebMD.

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Understanding MRSA Infection -- the Basics

What Is MRSA?

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a bacterium that causes infections in different parts of the body. It's tougher to treat than most strains of staphylococcus aureus -- or staph -- because it's resistant to some commonly used antibiotics.

The symptoms of MRSA depend on where you're infected. Most often, it causes mild infections on the skin, causing sores or boils. But it can also cause more serious skin infections or infect surgical wounds, the bloodstream, the lungs, or the urinary tract.

Though most MRSA infections aren't serious, some can be life-threatening. Many public health experts are alarmed by the spread of tough strains of MRSA. Because it's hard to treat, MRSA is sometimes called a "super bug."

A Closer Look at MRSA

What Causes MRSA?

Garden-variety staph are common bacteria that can live on our bodies. Plenty of healthy people carry staph without being infected by it. In fact, 25%-30% of us have staph bacteria in our noses.
But staph can be a problem if it manages to get into the body, often through a cut. Once there, it can cause an infection. Staph is one of the most common causes of skin infections in the U.S. Usually, these are minor and don't need special treatment. Less often, staph can cause serious problems like infected wounds or pneumonia.
Staph can usually be treated with antibiotics. But over the decades, some strains of staph -- like MRSA -- have become resistant to antibiotics that once destroyed it. MRSA was first discovered in 1961. It's now resistant to methicillin, amoxicillin, penicillin, oxacillin, and many other antibiotics.
While some antibiotics still work, MRSA is constantly adapting. Researchers developing new antibiotics are having a tough time keeping up.

Who Gets MRSA?

MRSA is spread by contact. So you could get MRSA by touching another person who has it on the skin. Or you could get it by touching objects that have the bacteria on them. MRSA is carried, or "colonized," by about 1% of the population, although most of them aren't infected.
MRSA infections are common among people who have weak immune systems and are in hospitals, nursing homes, and other heath care centers. Infections can appear around surgical wounds or invasive devices, like catheters or implanted feeding tubes. Rates of infection in hospitals, especially intensive care units, are rising throughout the world. In U.S. hospitals, MRSA causes more than 60% of staph infections.

Community-Associated MRSA (CA-MRSA)

But MRSA is also showing up in healthy people who have not been living in the hospital. This type of MRSA is called community-associated MRSA, or CA-MRSA. The CDC reports that in 2007, 14% of people with MRSA infections had CA-MRSA.
Studies have shown that rates of CA-MRSA infection are growing fast. One study of children in south Texas found that cases of CA-MRSA had a 14-fold increase between 1999 and 2001.
CA-MRSA skin infections have been identified among certain populations that share close quarters or experience more skin-to-skin contact. Examples are team athletes, military recruits, and prison inmates. However, more and more CA-MRSA infections are being seen in the general community as well, especially in certain geographic regions.
It's also infecting much younger people. In a study of Minnesotans published in The Journal of the American Medical Association, the average age of people with MRSA in a hospital or health care facility was 68. But the average age of a person with CA-MRSA was only 23.

This months surgery

2011-09-26T12:16:00.000-04:00

Well this is a bit late but wanted to share my experience. I was diagnosed with colon cancer after receiving a colonoscopy in late January. They scheduled a resection operation in February to remove the canerous area. I was still having terrible fluid retention problems, so I had to get clearance from a cardiologist and pulmanologist. They said I only had a 10% chance of making it through surgery if I didn't have open heart surgery first. My heart was only working at 15 to 20% of capacity so the surgery had to be done immediately. I had gained 70 pounds in the previous six weeks. All the doctors got together to see if they could actually do the surgery. The heart surgeon said he could fix the problems but didn't know if I could make it through the surgery. There was a great bit of discussion as to whether or not to go ahead or if my chances were so low that I wouldn't make it. After much debate and drama, they transferred me to NW Regional Medical Center where they have a heart center. They did a double bypass and repaired 2 valves. To make a long story short I obviously made it. However, I started having chest pains again about 3 weeks after surgery. They rushed me to the hospital for a catherazation and found that I have another bad artery. My heart is now operating at about 40 to 50%.

At six weeks they felt I was strong enough to have the bowel resection and did it September 2nd. The surgeon said he found about 5 inches of obvious cancer and removed about 18 inches of colon. He also removed 26 lymph nodes. The tissue went to pathology for analysis. The report came back showing the cancer had spread beyond the colon, and was found in 20 of the 26 samples, as well as the colon itself. They set the diagnoses as stage 3c cancer. Research says stage 3C has about a 40% chance of a five year survival. I went to an oncologist and he sent me for a PET scan and told me I had to have chemo. he said "not having chemo was just plain suicide". They are going to put in a "port" for the chemo. I will have to have at least six months of it. He got the results last Wednesday and I got a call from a hospital for pre-admittance the next day. I asked what for and they said it was for the port. then I got a call from a home nursing agency attempting to set up an appointment to come here to the house to start a 48 hour chemo pump. I didn't know anything about any of this. When I was at the oncologist, he said he would have a treatment plan ready for me, and we would discuss it when I came back in a week. I'm supposed to go see him this Wednesday (9/28) to discuss it. The PET scan showed the cancer spreading so he was going to start me with the 48 hour treatment before starting the regular chemo treatments. He didn't tell his scheduling department that I was taking coumadin (blood thinner) and they had to reschedule the port procedure. Now the doctors are arguing about who is going to do the procedure. Such drama!! My regular surgeon (Dr Paul Wizman) is absolutely wonderful, knows me well and really cares. He has done 3 operations on me and has been involved with all my medical issues for the last 3 years. I am a person to him, not just another patient!!! That is very hard to find down here in south Florida. So, at this point, I will be going to the oncologist Wednesday, have to port installed Thursday and the chemo home pump attached and started Friday.

As you can imagine, this is all very intense, scary and nerve racking!

I wake up feeling good but by around 3pm I get weak and tired. The chemo is just going to make that worse. I'm nervous and anxious to know what he is going to tell me on Wednesday. I'll let you know.

In the interim, I keep busy with our web store www.stuffnthingscorp.com . Riata CRM Support and Custom programming.

You Will Forget! Know this up front

2011-09-16T11:02:00.000-04:00

I found this article very inspiring. I am going to be posting about my cancer and successes and failures. I am going to the oncologist today to discuss my situation and treatment alternatives. I am attempting to be very positive and am reading a lot of different articles related to cancer types, stages, potential cures and such. I think this article is a good start and will help me keep a positive attitude.

You WILL Forget

When my wife, Chris, was in the middle of her chemo treatments, a woman came to our table in a restaurant and said that she, too, had gone through chemo and wanted to know how Chris was doing. Chris had been approached before, but there was something different about this woman’s demeanor. It soon became apparent what it was that was different.
“Look at my hair,” she said with enthusiasm; pointing to her long, thick, black locks. “It came back with a vengeance! It’s curly now and I just love it!”
Then came the pearl: “My treatments and chemo were hard, but now it’s over and I barely remember it. It’s amazing how quickly you forget the bad stuff.”
At the time, this was very comforting to hear because when you’re in the middle of it, it seems like it will never end. Here was reassurance from someone who had been there; she did not minimize the difficulty but rather acknowledged it, and then assured us that when it was over she would forget a lot of it.
She was right.
Even though Chris is nine years out, we certainly remember that she went through chemotherapy (twice, now, as it turned out) but the memories of the unpleasant part of it have indeed faded. We can recall the treatments, the nurses, what was said, what we did, the driving to and from treatments, etc., but the side effects and discomfort are both a distant memory.
Here’s the best part: We didn’t have to do any work or anything special for this to happen! I guess it’s just human nature, sort of like the pain of childbirth. I don’t have any personal experience with this, because neither Chris nor I have ever actually given birth, but we have it on good authority that it is a pain that is quickly forgotten.
Although the reasons for this are different than the reasons we forget about the unpleasantness of treatment, I’m going to stick with the analogy. With childbirth, it is the joy of the result that causes you to forget the pain. With treatments, it is the joy and sense of accomplishment when it is over.
What I’m saying here is to take heart that, although it is discouraging and difficult to go through your treatments, you WILL come out the other side and forget the bad stuff.
Our restaurant friend did. Chris did. You will, too.

Shameless plug: We have a lot of great Things on our website, and any sales will help us with upcoming medical expenses.

An Apple a Day Doesn't Always Keep the Dr Away!

2011-09-10T17:04:00.000-04:00

It's been a while since I've posted anything here. I've been busy with health issues, but am now healing and getting back to Normal, whatever that is ;) I am going to write about my adventure in the medical field this past week in another post later today or tomorrow.

I like reading the bizarre and unusual news and thought I'd repost this article I picked up. You need to be careful with those darn Swedish Apples. So, be careful what you eat!

A moose got stuck in a tree after eating fermented apples in Saro, Sweden, Wednesday night.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

"I saw something really big up in a tree," Per Johansson says, "and it was a moose"
A rescue team uses a winch to bring the moose down
Fermenting apples led to intoxication, a rescue official says

(CNN) -- It was a dark, windy and rainy night when Per Johansson returned from work to his home in Saro just south of Gothenburg, Sweden.

"It was raining really bad. In the wind I heard something screaming with a very dark voice," Johansson told CNN. "At first I wondered if it was the crazy neighbors, but then I heard it again and went and checked. I saw something really big up in a tree in my neighbors' yard and it was a moose. It must have been drunk after eating fermented apples and as it was reaching out for more fruit it must have slipped and fallen into the tree."

Johansson called the local fire and rescue department, which responded with a fire engine and a jeep with a winch.

"We got the alarm at 9.59 p.m. on September 6 that a moose was stuck in a tree," said Anders Gardhagen, spokesman at the Gothenburg Fire and Rescue Services.

"When we arrived we used the winch to bend down the apple tree so the moose could get himself out of the tree. Once free, the moose collapsed on the ground and fell asleep. So we let him sleep it off and went back home" Gardhagen told CNN.

"Moose are attracted by the apple trees, and in the autumn when the apples have fallen off the trees we normally have at least one of these cases of intoxication. These apples, which ferment in their bellies, aren't part of their natural food, so they can get quite angry from this drunkenness," Gardhagen said.

Johansson's son, Gustav, who is about to turn 11, made sure to take lots of pictures of the ordeal.

"He is saving up to buy a PlayStation so he thought he would take pictures that he could sell," Johansson said.

CNN purchased three of Gustav's pictures.

When dawn came the day after it was freed from the tree, the moose had not yet left.

"When I went out for the newspaper it was still laying there on the ground, sleeping. By the time I left for work it was walking around the neighbor's yard on very shaky legs." Johansson said.

"Today the moose came back and walked around the yard," he added. "I think it likes it here."

Check out or new listings of eReaders and Tablets at www.stuffnthingscorp.com

Getting ready for my procedures

2011-08-31T16:01:00.000-04:00

I can't believe it's Wednesday already. I am on clear liquids only starting at midnight last night. When you know you can't have something is when you want it the most. Right now, I'd love to have a hard boiled egg! I've talked to the hospital, and all 3 of the dr's offices. So I'm now pre-registered. I have to be at the hospital admitting office at 2pm tomorrow. The internal tatoo via the colonoscopy is scheduled for 4pm. Then they send me upstair and make sure I have a nurse Rachet, to keep me from putting anything in my mouth, including water. The actual operation is scheduled for 9am Friday morning. I imagine I'll be a hurting guy since they are going to do a full cut and look around in there. they don't really want to biopsy the growth on my pancrease and liver but we'll see. As long as they can everything fixed and I can get "back to normal" I'll be a happy camper.

I'm taking my computer but doubt I'll be able to use it till at least Saturday evening at the earliest. That, I'll take one day at a time. Heal first, compute later ;)

There is another hurricane (Katia) coming about a week away. The Very Early forcast looks like she'll miss Florida and be similar to Irene. It's way too early to tell. I'm thinking, and praying, that is one thing I won't have to be concerned about! I wouldn't be able to put up the shutters and maintain the generator myself. So hopefully she'll miss us completely! In other weather news, there is a tropical disturbance in the western carribbean that is probably going to go to Texas. They Really need the rain and it should cool it down. It has the potential to develop, so it needs to be watched.

Please check out our store for new items. We're constantly updating it and reducing prices whenever we can. We've added a new feedback button so you can leave us a comment :)

I'll write more after the procedures and I'm not all drugged up,

Bob

Hurricane Irene & the Northeast - Get PREPARED!

2011-08-25T11:56:00.000-04:00

More on Irene. Look out New York and New England. Here's the latest discussion from the NWS.

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It has been difficult to determine whether the hurricane has gone

through an eyewall replacement. Although the radius of maximum wind

is larger today than yesterday...microwave and aircraft data have

not been very conclusive. Recent data do not show any evidence of a

secondary eyewall at this time. The eye is a little more evident in

the last few visible satellite images...but is not as clear as it

was yesterday morning. The Air Force aircraft has measured a peak

flight-level wind of 112 kt and SFMR winds of 90 kt...which roughly

support the 100-kt initial intensity.



Center fixes from the aircraft overnight and this morning indicate

that the expected north-northwestward turn has occurred. A

northward turn is expected tonight or early Friday as Irene moves

through a break in the subtropical ridge. A mid/upper-level trough

moving through the Great Lakes region is expected to then turn

Irene toward the north-northeast in a couple of days. This trough

is forecast to bypass Irene...leaving the hurricane in deep

southerly flow between a trough over the central United States and

a building ridge over the Atlantic. This pattern will likely keep

the hurricane very near the East Coast of the United States. The

guidance envelope has shifted a little westward on this cycle...and

the new official track has been nudged west as well. The new

forecast lies between the GFS and ECMWF...and is a little right of

the tvca consensus. Since Irene is such a large tropical

cyclone...significant impacts are likely along the United States

East Coast regardless of the exact track it takes.



The environment remains conducive for some additional strengthening

during the next day or two.  The main influencing factor during the

short term will likely be eyewall cycles which are difficult to

predict.  After 48 hours...southwesterly shear is forecast to

increase which will likely start weakening process.  However...

since Irene has such a large and intense circulation...it

will probably be rather slow to weaken.   



Forecast positions and Max winds



init  25/1500z 25.9n  76.8w  100 kt 115 mph

 12h  26/0000z 27.5n  77.5w  105 kt 120 mph

 24h  26/1200z 29.5n  77.8w  110 kt 125 mph

 36h  27/0000z 31.4n  77.5w  105 kt 120 mph

 48h  27/1200z 33.3n  77.1w  100 kt 115 mph

 72h  28/1200z 37.8n  75.3w   85 kt 100 mph

 96h  29/1200z 45.0n  71.5w   55 kt  65 mph...inland

120h  30/1200z 54.0n  64.5w   45 kt  50 mph...Post-trop/extratrop

Hurricane Irene & the Northeast

2011-08-24T19:17:00.000-04:00

Here is the 5pm discussion of Irene from the NWS. Everyone is depending on the subtropical ridge to move east and control Irene;s path. I hope they are right. She hasn't behaved as expected so far so we'll have to see. If you live anywhere from the Carolinas to New England you NEED to be prepared. After going over the carolinas, this Could be the first NYC hurricane in decades. As you can see by their statement below the cone is projected to move as much as 100 miles west. I hope not! Stay Tuned and Get Prepared

The satellite presentation of the hurricane has continued to improve
this afternoon. A large area of deep convection with very cold
cloud tops has expanded near the eyewall and now solidly surrounds
the eye. Before departing Irene...the Air Force Reserve hurricane
hunter aircraft measured a peak 700 mb flight-level wind of 116 kt
in the northeastern eyewall and a dropsonde measured a minimum
pressure of 954 mb. These data support an initial intensity of
105 kt.

Environmental conditions are expected to remain favorable for some

additional strengthening during the next day or two. The uw-cimms

objective secondary eyewall formation technique continues to

predict a high chance of an eyewall replacement during the next day

or so. In fact...a recent trmm microwave pass showed some evidence

of a secondary eyewall. These eyewall cycles can produce hard to

predict fluctuations in intensity. For now...the new intensity

forecast call for some additional strengthening followed by a

leveling off of the intensity. In 3-4 days....increasing

southwesterly shear and cooler SSTs should induce gradual

weakening...although Irene is expected to remain a large and

powerful hurricane...or even grow in size...as it nears New

England. 



The hurricane has been moving northwestward or 310/10 kt. Irene is

expected to turn toward the north-northwest then north through a

break in the subtropical ridge over the western Atlantic during

the next couple of days.  After that time...the hurricane is

forecast to turn north-northeastward around the northwestern side

of the ridge.  Between 72 and 96 hours...there remains uncertainty

as to whether Irene turns back toward the north ahead of a

mid-latitude trough moving into the Great Lakes region at that

time.  The new ECMWF shows much more amplification of the trough...

which has resulted in its track shifting over 100 miles to the

west...and this skillful long-range model now defines the western

edge of the guidance envelope.  Overall...the guidance envelope has

shifted a little westward at days 4 and 5. The new track forecast

is close to the previous advisory and is between the GFS

and ECMWF models.  This is also close to the tvca and experimental

hurricane forecast improvement project...hfip...consensus tracks.



Forecast positions and Max winds



init  24/2100z 23.1n  74.7w  105 kt 120 mph

 12h  25/0600z 24.3n  75.8w  110 kt 125 mph

 24h  25/1800z 26.1n  76.8w  115 kt 135 mph

 36h  26/0600z 28.2n  77.3w  115 kt 135 mph

 48h  26/1800z 30.1n  77.3w  110 kt 125 mph

 72h  27/1800z 34.3n  75.8w  100 kt 115 mph

 96h  28/1800z 39.5n  73.0w   85 kt 100 mph

120h  29/1800z 47.0n  69.0w   55 kt  65 mph...Post-trop/extratrop

FINALLY, My surgery is scheduled

2011-08-24T15:50:00.000-04:00

My surgery has finally been scheduled. It will be Thursday September 1st and Friday September 2nd. details to follow. Have to go to the DR tomorrow morning for pre-op tests and blood test. More info to follow.

Keep a close eye on hurricane Irene! Make sure you are prepared. It may be too late to order off the internet but go to our hurricane page and download our preperation information and safety tips!

BE PREPARED!

http://stuffnthingscorp.com/Hurricane_and_Tropical_Weather-W1.aspx

Getting prescriptions filled and everyday stuff. Storm update.

2011-08-23T15:35:00.000-04:00

The pharmacy faxed my prescription renewals to the Dr last thursday and they still don't have the approval to refill them. I hate south Florida! They sent another fax to the Drs today. Hopefully they'll get approval. I'm out of 2 and am just fed up with the whole thing!

Pat went to the Dr today and her BP was 170 over 96. The stress is really getting to her too. He gave her new prescriptions and we did manage to get them filled. Now I just need to get her to take them as prescribed.

Check out the latest on Irene
The last few visible satellite images show a hint of an eye... while
recent microwave data show an eyewall that is open to the south.
The latest satellite intensity estimates from SAB and TAFB were 77
and 90 kt...respectively...and support maintaining an initial
intensity of 85 kt. The reconnaissance aircraft scheduled to
investigate Irene this morning had issues with the on-board radar.
This required a change in aircraft and the new plane just passed
through the center...reporting a minimum pressure of 980 mb...about
the same as during the previous mission.

A shear analysis from UW-CIMSS shows about 10-20 kt of southwesterly

shear over Irene....and the SHIPS guidance does not weaken this

shear during the next couple of days.  As a result...the SHIPS/lgem

models do not show much strengthening during that time.  On the

other hand...the GFDL/HWRF models are much more aggressive and make

Irene a major hurricane within 24 hours. The new intensity forecast

is higher than the statistical guidance...but not as aggressive as

the GFDL/HWRF. The updated forecast is slightly below the previous

advisory.



Irene has been moving west-northwestward or 295 degrees at 10 kt. A

mid/upper-level trough moving over the northeastern United States

is expected to weaken the western portion of the subtropical ridge

during the next day or so. This should allow Irene to turn

northwestward within the next 24-36 hours...and the track guidance

is in excellent agreement during the first 48 hours. Later in the

forecast period Irene is forecast to turn northward as it rounds

the western portion of the ridge. The spread in the guidance

increases by day three...ranging from the coastal mid-Atlantic

states to well offshore...with the UKMET along the left side and

the GFS/NOGAPS along the right side of the guidance envelope. The

updated track is closest to the ECMWF and is a little left of the

multi-model consensus. It is important to remind users not to focus

on the exact forecast track...especially at days 4 and 5...since

the most recent 5-year average errors at those forecast times are

200 and 250 miles...respectively.



Forecast positions and Max winds



init  23/1500z 20.5n  71.0w   85 kt 100 mph

 12h  24/0000z 21.3n  72.3w   90 kt 105 mph

 24h  24/1200z 22.3n  73.8w  100 kt 115 mph

 36h  25/0000z 23.6n  75.2w  105 kt 120 mph

 48h  25/1200z 25.3n  76.5w  110 kt 125 mph

 72h  26/1200z 29.2n  77.5w  110 kt 125 mph

 96h  27/1200z 33.0n  77.5w  100 kt 115 mph

120h  28/1200z 37.5n  76.0w   65 kt  75 mph...inland

http://www.wunderground.com/wundermap/?lat=30.1&lon=-64.6&zoom=4&type=hybrid&units=metric&rad=1&rad.opa=80&rad.stm=0&rad.type=N0R&sat=1&sat.opa=50&sat.gtt1=109&sat.type=IR4&hur=1&hur.wr=0&hur.cod=1&hur.fx=1&hur.obs=1&hur.hd=0&hur.mdl=0&hur.gpce=0&hur.opa=75&hur.opa2=75&hur.img=srg.

Hurricane Irene

2011-08-22T17:30:00.000-04:00

As a lot of you know, I'm a bit of a weather buff. As long as there is a threatening storm I will be posting updates. I will also attempt to post current evacuation routes as they become available. Here is my first "Discussion" post from the NWS in Miami. This is the general information that is used to compile the public advisory for the given time period. If you have any comments or questions, let me know.

Data from the last Air Force hurricane hunter aircraft around 1700
UTC indicate that the central pressure was steady and the winds
have not changed during the day. Since then...high resolution
satellite images reveal some convective bands wrapping around a
cluster of deep convection near the center...suggesting that Irene
could be slowly intensifying. However...Dvorak T-numbers are 4.0
and 4.5 which supports keeping the initial intensity at 70 knots.
Another plane will check the hurricane around 0000 UTC tonight.
With the exception of the disruption of the outer circulation by
the high terrain of Hispaniola...which probably will slow down the
intensification process during the next 12 to 24 hours...all of the
ingredients are conducive for Irene to intensify over the next few
days. The official forecast calls for Irene to become a strong
category 2 or category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane
wind scale as Irene moves across the central and northwestern
Bahamas. In fact...both the GFS and the ECMWF global models insist
on making Irene a large and strong hurricane with minimum pressures
around 945 mb and 952 mb...respectively.

Irene is moving toward the west-northwest or 295 degrees at 11

knots. Currently...the motion of the hurricane is being controlled

by a narrow subtropical ridge to its north. However...the future

track will depend on the development of a large mid- to upper-level

trough along the East Coast of the United States. This pattern will

induce a gradual northwestward and then northward track through the

forecast period with a slight decrease in forward speed. There is

more confidence in the forecast since most of the track models...

with the exception of the GFDL...have now followed the lead of the

ECMWF model. The guidance is now in better agreement in turning

Irene northward along 78 or 79 degrees longitude. Although it is

still too early to be certain...the guidance trend continues to

lessens the threat to South Florida but increases the threat to the

Carolinas. 



Do not to focus on the exact forecast track...especially at days 4

to 5...since the most recent 5-year average errors at those forecast

times are 200 and 250 miles...respectively.



Forecast positions and Max winds



init  22/2100z 19.5n  68.6w   70 kt  80 mph

 12h  23/0600z 20.1n  70.2w   80 kt  90 mph

 24h  23/1800z 20.8n  72.5w   85 kt 100 mph

 36h  24/0600z 21.5n  74.0w   90 kt 105 mph

 48h  24/1800z 23.0n  75.5w   95 kt 110 mph

 72h  25/1800z 26.0n  78.0w  100 kt 115 mph

 96h  26/1800z 29.5n  79.0w  100 kt 115 mph

120h  27/1800z 34.0n  79.0w   80 kt  90 mph...inland

My Life with the big C

2011-08-21T14:24:00.000-04:00

I can't believe it's been eight days since I posted anything here, so guess I should post an update.

They reduced my Coumadin level a little. I've applied for a home testing kit so I don't have to go the the lab every week for blood tests. That gets to be a nuisance. Hopefully I'll get approved and can do the testing at home.

We sold 2 32 Bottle Dual Zone Wine Chillers and an Antique Globe standing wine rack this week. That helped relieve some stress.

I'm still having some chest pains and seriously doubt that they are going to do the surgery. Maybe it's just me being pessimistic. I haven't heard from any of the three doctors involved. The surgeon refuses to do it unless the cardiologit is completely comfortable that my heart can take the trauma of surgery. The surgeon said he will have to open me up instead of using the non-invasive technique to help elieviate stress on the heart. My motto for years has been "Never Give Up" but I feel like I am (giving up). Since it's something I don't have control over, I don't know what else to do. They told me to stay out of the sun and heat so I can't even go to the beach or dog park during the day. I'm feeling trapped in the house. Tensions here are terrible and I'm pretty miserable :( On the other hand, I think of all the things others have endured and am determined to do what I can. I just wish I had a "normal" life. All I do is sit in fron of this damn computer all day working on our store and practically no one buys anything.

My consulting and tech support business has picked up this month but cash flow from it prettty much stinks. I only do a few hundred $ a month but it all adds up.

I put on about 5 to10 pounds. I'm staying between 185 and 190 pounds. I beginning to retain fluid again so I don't know what to do about that. It's another reason I don't think surgery is realistic. My sugar level and blood pressure are low to normal. That feels weird for a guy who has had diabetes and hypertension for over 30 years. My BP run around 100 over 55 to 60, which is too low for me, and makes me dizzy. My sugar stays around 85 to 95, even right after I eat.

As you may have guessed, depression is a bitch and difficult to control. I try Very Hard to not let everything get to me. Some days, it is Really Tough!!

All of this is very hard on Pat as well and she is starting to crack under the pressure. She keeps busy with the store and sits in front of her computer all day as well. Getting out means going to Sam's, Sheesh!

She and Christine go to the casino and gamble. They say it makes them feel better, but it makes me VERY unhappy and frustrated! More tension! I haven't gone once. I despise those places!!

I need to go out and see if I can jump start our generator. I should take my own advice and keep it maintained better. I need to change the oil, filter and perhaps the battery this afternoon. I also need to make sure I have all the fittings for the hurricane panels in case we need them later this week, or anytime this season..

Please check out our stores. Who knows, you might just find something you've been looking for at a great price :)

Stuff Things and Goodies

Extreme Weather & my Operation

2011-08-21T13:19:00.000-04:00

Need to check out the gernerator today and make sure it will be ready for next weekend.

I think I'll need to buy it a new battery. Going to jump start it from the car today and see if the battery holds. Also need to go thru our online hurricane checklist. We may not get it as a hurricane but almost for sure as a tropical storm. If she stays just north of the islands, it will most surely be a hurricane. The high mountaines of Dominica and Cuba are a detriment to her growth. At the very least I expect we'll have a very wet end of the week

Check it out at http://stuffnthingscorp.com/Hurricane_Preparedness_Guide_-W15.aspx

We also have a wide selection of Hurricane and Storm related items to help with your safety and survival. You can see them Here
http://stuffnthingscorp.com/Hurricane-Storm-Safety-C257756.aspx?sid=275

Look at my next post for an update on my personal situation.

Coumadin results

2011-08-10T14:02:00.000-04:00

The Dr called and said my coumadin level is still a bit high so I have to reduce it by 1mg / day. That's the second reduction in 2 weeks.

On the weather fron, it's still hot and very humid. The water out back has come way up in the last 3 weeks. We're now at 22 inches for the year. That's still below normal but it now rains every day, so we're seeing more and more green each day.

There are 4 areas of disturbed weather in the Atlantic and the second one west of Africa has been named an Invest. You can check it out by clicking on the the link underneath the image below.

STG's Hurricane Page

My granddaughter's contractor friends came and fixed the ceiling yesterday. It's nice to not have a hole in the ceiling any more. They used a complete 4 X 8 sheet of drywall to fill in the hole. They are suppose to come back some time today to finish sanding it. Then we need to re-popcorn it so it blends in with the rest of the ceiling.

Coumadin Day

2011-08-09T20:15:00.000-04:00

This is going to be very short. Today was my day to go get my coumadin level checked. I'll hear from the doc tomorrow or Thursday. I had never taken it before my open heart surgery. I was told they give it to everyone who has heart valve work done. I have to keep my blood thin enough to flow freely but not so thin that I bleed too much. Other than that not much new. We added about 150 billiard related products to the website. You can check them out at www.stuffnthingscorp.com. I'm still too weak and tired to function normally..........

Tomorrow is another day :)

Still waiting

2011-08-08T13:21:00.000-04:00

Waiting, it's Monday and I'm still waiting for the surgeon and the gastro doc to co-ordinate and schedule my surgery. The surgeon's wife is due to have her baby this week and he doesn't want to do any surgery that isn't an emergency. It presents a problem as they have to work together. The gastro doc has to do a colonoscopy and tatoo the area that needs cut out. Then I have to stay off food and water for another day. that way, I'll be totally cleaned out and "dry" so they can operate. I'm nervous about it as I'm still having chest pains and know that I have a clogged artery that can't be fixed.

Again, the danger isn't about the colon problem or cancer, but about whether my heart can take the stress of another operation.

I'm going to call the surgeon's office this afternoon to find out what is happening. We'll see how the week plays out.

Bob

Hurricane and Tropical Weather - Stuff Things and Goodies

2011-08-08T13:02:00.000-04:00

Hurricane and Tropical Weather - Stuff Things and Goodies

My First blog post - Getting Started

2011-08-07T17:11:00.000-04:00

My quandary is what I should do in my first post. I'm going to use this blog to share personal information about my life. That being said I think I'll start it off with a combination of my business, personal and medical history. So here goes:

National Product Administrator for Bausch and Lomb Fiber Optics Division
Helped develop fiber optics for multiple uses including government, AT&T Communications, Automotive uses for General Motors. Had 35 manufactures representatives and B&L's outside sales force.

I worked in the electronic component distribution business prior to starting my own at the age of 27, which I grew to Six Million dollars in just three years.

I got in the fluid sealing industry where I learned to contain fluid from leaking in many different industries and environments. These include Oil and Nuclear power plants, municipal infrastructure, submarine and surface ships, above and below ground exterior walls. I worked with WED Engineering (Disney) on state of the art fluid sealing systems at Epcot and The Magic Kingdom. It was during this period where I began working with personal computers. I created the first complete PC based database program for tracking all valve, pumps and their sealing information at a nuclear power plant. I also integrated the first municipal PC based meter reading system with a city’s mainframe.

This led to running my own software / systems integration business for 25 years dealing mainly with distribution and manufacturing companies. After selling my business and retiring, I went back to work as CIO for a friend and helped take the company from 8 to 20 Million/year in only 3 years. This extensive background has enabled me to become proficient with computers, the knowledge to be able to intelligently buy and sell product, understand and deal with the financial necessities of a business and know how to deal with both vendors and customers. I have dealt with very small businesses of less than 5 people to some of the largest multi-national companies in the world.

Currently, my wife Pat and I own 3 websites, 2 of which are stores. http://www.stuffnthingscorp.com is our main store. http://www.pattysthings.com is a wholesale and bulk site. Our main site at http://www.stuffthingsandgoodies.com is an "Umbrella" site with links to our other sites, blogs, weather and more.

My serious medical issues started in 2003. Before that I had the usual growing up issues. I had plugs in my ears, an appendectomy, 2 hernias, and was diagnosed with high blood pressure in 1978. I also had a benign tumor on my left knee when I was 16. I had a minor MI in 1989. It was then that I quit smoking :) Since then I have had Diabetes, Prostate Cancer, Thyroid and Colon cancers. Surgeries: Hydroseal, Belly Button Hernia, Angioplasty, Thyroidectomy, Bariatric, Gallbladder, 4 Lung Taps, 2 Major Lung Surgeries, Open Heart (Double Bypass 2 Valve Repairs, and am getting ready for a colon cancer re-section. There is a lot to talk and interact about. Please feel free to jump in and share your thoughts and experiences.

I will attempt to add as many appropriate images and sound to upcoming posts so you don't think I'm trying to bore you :) Please let me know what you think and constructive criticism is always welcome :)

Chicago Bears NFL 6-Pack Can Shaft MHP-MH-6101 - Stuff Things and Goodies

2011-08-07T11:28:00.000-04:00

Check out this Chicago Bears NFL 6-Pack Can Shaft MHP-MH-6101 at Stuff Things and Goodies