Leroy's Art Blog

Time out from my usual postings to say that I am disturbed to find the Philadelphia Inquirer picking up a professional politician with whom I violently disagree to become a regular contributer to the paper. Whatever happened to fairness and objectivity?

So I sent the following letter to the editor. Wonder if it might see print:

To the editor:

I am amazed to find myself writing to cancel my subscription to the Inquirer because of your choice of a columnist. However, Rick Santorum is no thoughtful commentator. He is a failed professional politician and a neoconservative ideologue whose views are bigoted, extreme and intolerant. One need not read his future writings to know what circumscribed doctrines he will propound. I cannot abide your providing him a regular platform from which to advance his odious screed.

The thing I've been dealing with front and center these past few days is to recover the household goods that I still have in storage in Guatemala. After considering several shippers, FedEx and DHL and Matthew's results scouring the internet, it is pretty clear that the best way turns out to be going there with a friend and bringing stuff back as excess baggage. That way I calculate the cost for all 730 lbs or so as roughly $1000 plus two round trip air fares, some supplies and transit expenses, and living for a couple of days. Not so bad. So today I put a notice on Craigslist to find a partner. I'll also talk to people at the Temple U. Retiree's Program, the Univ. of Penna. International House, and at my church. I feel sure something will show up. Bill was very interested, but is just facing a hernia operation, and I would like some physical help too, so that is out. Too bad, it would have been fun traveling with him.

I've got to go re-pack all this stuff - there isn't THAT much of it, really - into the standard 50 lb 62" length+width+height containers. Or bigger ones, paying extra for bags #3, 4, and 5, plus more for additional weight, and still more for larger size. All charges are cumulative Still, it is all a good deal and I will just be glad to have this handled.

Guess I can also mention that I decided to UNSUBSCRIBE from the Waldenstroms Macroglobulinia listserv. That was the mailing list for people with Waldenstroms to talk to each other. That feels like an Event, because the listserv was very important to me during the past three months. All those questions and discussions about every possible problem, treatment, side effect as well as summaries of professional and anecdotal presentations. I learned a great deal from all that, including identifying who I wanted to see for a second opinion.

But by now I've talked to the experts I wanted to talk to, and read more than enough from other patients and colleagues. I've done my homework, and gotten my treatment underway. Enough already. So now I can gladly stop reading those 10-20 emails about WM every morning and put my cancer in perspective instead of having it looming there front and center, and move on with my life. Got myself a two new swimming goggles and some Speedos today. It does feel good to be swimming again.

October 4th. I've been in Philadelphia for a little over a month now. I don't feel settled in yet, really, but it is getting there. From that first arrival in late August, sleeping on Phyllis & Bill's sofa bed, I've moved into my little apartment and installed enough basic furniture to begin living relatively comfortably. The location is great - excellent mass transit, free to an old guy like me, a grocery store, laundry, deli and liquor store around the corner, with all of center city easily accessible.

I am living on a wonderfully leafy street in the old historic district. My house is on the left in the picture, there may be a little yellow RENT sign in front of it. On the other side of the street is the old home of James and Dolly Madison, which is always pointed out by the drivers of the horse-drawn carriages that ply my street.

Socially, my life is slowly coming together too. I've been welcomed back by old friends at the Unitarian Church, and am attending a selection of meetings at a Temple University program. Found the Philadelphia Sketch Club that provides live models 3 or 4X per week, and that will be fun, too. Today I've rented a car, and will drive the 100 miles or so to Lancaster to visit my sister Arlene. I also want very much to get to the New Jersey shore while the ocean is still warm.

As noted in an earlier post, I met with my oncologist here and am pleased with his care. And after that I went to Boston for a second opinion on the course of treatment, and so am now very comfortable with what has been planned out. Treatment began last Friday, with a 6-hr chemotherapy session by IV. As expected, the effects have been quite mild, and it appears that I can expect similar results throughout the therapy lasting over the next six months or so. I guess that if one has to have cancer, I have been quite fortunate in the type I am dealing with.

What this leaves me with is a rather unsettled feeling about what I want to be doing with myself. I have far too much energy to just sit and twiddle my thumbs, but haven't yet found where to dig in to something meaningful. I had been thinking about working in Hispanic issues, which would also help me retain whatever Spanish I have learned. But I am not finding that this resonates with needs here, and so am afraid that this is not a useful path. Rationally, I guess after just one month I don't need to beat myself up over this too much just yet.

Matt has flown in from China to be with me for a month. Nice to have his help and companionship, but gosh it really is a very small apartment. To some extent, it feels like a lot of things are on hold while he is here. I think he expected to find me much more debilitated and was expecting to provide convalescent care. I'm so glad it isn't needed.