Monday, January 28, 2013

Mid Winter, I think!


   Winter is most certainly upon the landscape and cabin fever is a small but ever present thing to deal with! That being said, when you come out of the valley and rise above the inversion the view is breathtaking! Or maybe thats a result of the hiking to get up to the beautiful views! Either way it is nice to get some vitamin D from above this time of year.Its been seven weeks since going off chemo and I had my blood work done today to see if all was good. And everything blood wise was great! Everything that was low because of chemo was back to good levels! Three and a half weeks until surgery. I won't be going to Arizona or to Death Valley for a photo shoot with Marshall before surgery, due to a lack of funds and it just not working out this time. Marshall is a great teacher in the photography field! I have been on a few shoots with him and have learned so much! This picture was taken close to the top of Blewett Pass, up an access road to a cell tower. Have a great and wonderful day!

Thursday, January 17, 2013

2013 its here !

                                            GOLDEN FUMED VORTEX 2012


2013 is here and with it all the anticipation of an upcoming surgery and possible disability from the RRB"Railroad retirement board". I have applied for disability bennies from Social Security SSI and also the railroad and the waiting game has begun. I am fairly certain that I have filled out and sent in all that is required of me and am waiting for any response from either entity. In the mean time I am getting a lot of Starbucks time and even making a few pendants for jewelry stock for the upcoming summer.
The picture is of the next to the last pendant of 2012, a golden vortex, of which I am getting better at making.
 I did get to talk to my surgeon Doc about the upcoming whipple procedure that I am getting. It turns out that my pancreas is connected to the lower part of my stomach and shares a blood supply! So when they take out the lower part of my stomach they will be taking the blood supply for the one end of my pancreas, so they have to remove that part of it too! That will leave me a diabetic for a year or so while my pancreas  recovers from its partial removal. It is all very unnerving to think about so I am not dwelling on it too much! I am just very thankful to have a plan for the removal of the cancer and a future after the process is done. I hesitate to make any plans until I recover from the surgery.
I might go to Death Valley with my friend Marshall of a week of photography or possibly fly down to Arizona to visit Doug and Barb before the surgery gets here but money and time will tell. Thank you all my friends for the prayers and well wishes! Until later............