Glenn’s Health Update

Glenn’s heath update.  Recovery from cancer surgery continues.  Had a removal of the rectum and a flap procedure for radiation recovery.  More chemo of various types will probably be required.  Resting at home with home nurse care but ran out of all pain medication because I forgot to request more.  Suddenly realized everything still hurts significantly so I guess I need to take some type of action if I want to get out of bed without pain.  Doesn’t hurt too much if I lay down and don’t move around.

Not supposed to sit down or elevate my back over 30 degrees for the next six weeks.  I can stand and walk around.  Basically talking about a minimum of a six week vacation on my back with intermittent exercise in the house.  Trying out Sony Play Station Vue app instead of using spectrum/charter app for TV because there is not much else to do.  Spectrum app was of constantly lower quality here in Hartford when I compared it to Play Station Vue app.  Play Station Vue also has access to many more movies, a good cloud DVR and works well with Roku TV.

Hooked up an older Amazon Fire TV brick to my Roku TV HDMI port and updated its software  just for fun.    Many software improvements to the Fire TV software to enjoy.  Amazon added a Silk browser app that allows you to easily play Facebook videos such as our Church service videos.  This capability was not there in the old software and is an excellent improvement.  Amazon Alexa app is also fun to goof around with and doesn’t take much effort.  Messing around with the TV is just about all I can do at this time even if it drives Judy nuts when I mess with the controls on her smart TV..

 

 

 

 

I won a contest!

Home depot gift card 

I won a home depot gift card in the 2019 Gallon Giveaway from BEHR.  I call it a gift from God.  Used the card to get a set of locking pliers and an ammo box.

I have a hobby of systematically entering contests so its nice to get a little payback for my time once in awhile.  Still waiting to win a major prize but I only put in a maximum of ten minutes entering contests per day.

 

Health update for Glenn

Well, I still have cancer and crohns disease but things could be a lot worse.  Second operation is scheduled for early December but I developed some type of problem with my teeth on Friday that is causing me a lot of pain.  I will try to get these teeth taken care of by a dentist before the surgeons begin slicing up my belly and rear end.

The basic surgical procedure will be to remove my tumor, colon and anus.  The surgeons will create a “sling” to hold my upper guts in place so that they don’t just plop down into the new empty space.  They will cut me open on the same scar that all surgeons love to cut so much on my belly to avoid the ostomy bag.  Unfortunately I may need to have another procedure at the same time that is referred to as the “flap” surgery on the side opposite my ostomy.

There will be a second specialty surgeon on standby during the basic surgery who will do the flap surgery if it appears it is required when they cut me open.  The radiation treatments have damaged the tissue on my rear and it is possible that additional muscle tissue will be needed to make that area heal properly.  The flap procedure involves slicing a strip of muscle from the inside of my right belly leaving the lower end of this flap of muscle attached.  The upper end of the flap is then folded over and down internally to meet the radiation damaged tissue on my rear to help it heal better.

It is possible that the Doctors will not allow me to sit down for about 6 weeks if the flap surgery proves necessary.  I would only be able to lay down, stand or transition between these two positions.  Car rides would need to be minimized and I would need to recline in the car as much as possible.  I would not be able to drive a car in this position.

All of which I should be able to turn into an eBook on Amazon called “Glenn’s Cancer Survival Guide:  My life after Cancer.” .   This will be available to buy at my Amazon authors page at a future date .  Check it out for new books as they become available.

My first book “Glenn’s Crohn’s Disease Survival Guide” was read by at least a few people so far.  It is free on kindle unlimited and also available in hard copy.  Some company in Japan actually bought a hard copy and is reselling a used copy for about $17 which I think is cool beans.  The hard copy in the USA only costs a few dollars.  I am not sure why anyone in Japan would pay $17 for a hard copy instead of reading the kindle version but God Bless them in any case.

Captive audience listening to me.

Glenn’s Health Update

Judy inspecting my container garden at our former apartment

Still have cancer but things could be worse.  There is always someone who has more problems than you do.  Went to see the best surgeon available at St Luke’s in Milwaukee.  He suggested that I also have a plastic surgeon available during the operation if it should prove necessary to do the “flap” procedure during surgery.  The “flap” procedure involves taking a piece of your belly muscles and relocating that tissue to my rear end to allow that area to heal.  There is a difference of opinion among my doctors as to whether the flap procedure will be needed during surgery.  The flap surgery has a few potential issues so I hope it is not needed.

I will need to see the plastic surgeon before my cancer surgery can be scheduled because the plastic surgeon will need to be available during surgery in case his services are required.  Surgery will be scheduled soon.  I will be in the hospital about a week and be incapacitated at home for about a week.  Doesn’t sound like a fun date to me but my options are limited.  My tumor continues to shrink from the completed radiation/chemo at this time so there is not any rush by the doctors to get the surgery done quickly.  I just want to get it out of the way as soon as possible.

Plan to write a book tentatively titled “Glenn’s Cancer Survival Guide” based on my cancer experience provided God allows me to live long enough.  You never know, an errant beer truck could always run me over when I get out of the hospital and prevent me from completing the book.  Check out all my current and future books on my Amazon authors page at amazon.com/author/glennsellnow .

 

 

Kindle Unlimited Payment

Amazon Kindle Fire Tablet on Holder in My Car

Yea!  I received a payment from Amazon because someone read my book.  Inconsequential amount of money but it is nice to know someone downloaded it.

See my latest books at Amazon !

Emerald Ash Borer is NOT Pretty!

My father and grandfather harvesting a forest.

Approximately $6000 estimated by one private contractor to cut down two trees in Hartford, WI..  Definitely a bummer.  City of Hartford gave me 30 days to cut those puppies down or the City will cut them down and add an unspecified amount of money to my taxes.  This wouldn’t be any problem at all except I don’t have $6000 dollars.  I can barely keep up with my car payments at this time in my life.

It’s about $4000 for the dead ash tree and $2000 for the dying maple.  The letter from the City did not mention the maple and did not specify if I needed to grind the stumps.  I am going to put an ad on Craigslist to see if anyone wants to haul away the firewood after a safe professional cuts down these monsters.  I might be able to delay the maple for about five years according to someone I talked to at the City but it is inevitable that it will need to be cut down to protect the public.  Any cost I can reduce or delay may keep me out of bankruptcy that much longer.

Some of the other trees on the property are not near the street but they seem a little ominous and occasionally poke a hole in my house shingles from a dropping branch. At least the branches haven’t hit anyone in the head yet. I dislike all of these big hulking trees and wish they could just be safely knocked to the ground by an act of God.  A selective tornado strike would be ideal.

Hopefully I can get some type of financing from the USDA or the HCDA to handle the problem within the next 30 days.  Regular financial institutions won’t touch the situation with a ten foot pole due to my precarious financial situation.  I might be able to pay the cost over time but a $6000 bill in one year would be unfortunate and cause me some real problems.

Things could be much worse because I believe God is with me and he will make a way to deal with this problem.  I can trust God to deal with a few trees.

 

Glenn’s Trees

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

There is a right time and a right place for giant dead trees but not in my Hartford yard.  I like trees and I have planted quite a few in my lifetime on the farm and other places that I have lived.  The big existing trees at our current house are really in severe need of being made into firewood before they fall on someone mowing the lawn.  I made a short video that shows the tree situation and our underground wasp nest discovery.

Link to youTube video about my trees:  Trees everywhere except where they should be.

Glenn’s Test Video

I got some free video equipment so I made a short test video.  I love Craigslist.

Glenn’s Test Video