34

Today is the 34th Wedding Anniversary of Missus ORPO and I.

Beer Bloggin..... Karl Strauss version.

I picked up a twelve pack of this today.
Pretty Tasty I Might Add!!!!!

I recommend it highly!

Tinnitus and Plane Pr0n

Tinnitus sucks........................
It robs me of sleep and no matter the environment, it's always there.....]
End Rant.....

Made a soda pop and craft beer run to Stater Bros. in Mojave a while ago.
Then I hit the Primo Burger for dinner for Missus ORPO and myself.
I figured a shot of the usual goings on at MHV would be of interest.

EVA Air Cargo 747 and Martinair Cargo MD 11 on the engine removal line at Mojave(MHV)
The 747 is a 400F and these are not exactly old but the new 777 and A330 twin engine wide body aircraft are more cost effective. Mojave and Southern California Logistics Airport(ex-George AFB) at Victorville are seeing more and more of the three and four engine legacy freighters these days.

EMG

I got the nerve induction done yesterday.
Sciatica.
I guess that could account for the fun stuff in the toes.
I might be able to get a TENS unit...
The other news of note was the blood work done on my visit to the neurologist April 13.
It seems that the 3 antibodies that could indicate the presence of cancer were almost negligible.

CT Scan

I got the scan done yesterday.
The veins in the hand were not cooperative.
It goes like that sometimes.
The radiology tech's name was Robyn........good looking!

The Rig

The data was sent to the neurologist at the Sepulveda VA ACC in North Hills.
Basically, the wait begins on step one in this little journey that I am on.

I'll say it, OK?
Cancer.
That is what we are looking for.
Yes, I am scared shitless..................

Thursday, the 11th, I have my EMG at Sepulveda. The neuropathy thing is still an issue itself.

Shit is getting real or not. Who the hell knows at this point.

I haven't even seen any lab results from about a month ago............That is beginning to piss me off a tad.

Anyway, it's a step by step process............

Yeah, I'm really looking forward to the electrical current going through me..............not.

Consult and other news...................

I had my consult for my upcoming colonoscopy yesterday. I was in the place for two hours...........
I will get a call from the place where it will take place to let me know the day and time.

Other news:
I had my CT Scan date changed to the 8th of this month under the Veteran's Choice Program. Beats the hell out of waiting until the 26th of June! I only have to go to Tehachapi Hospital Radiology. I am not looking forward to the contrast........................... But I guess it is on the order of a minor inconvenience considering what all this is for.

Doc Riggs called this evolution a tumor hunt......................

Thoughts update

Seems the folks at the Veterans Choice Program are on the ball. I got a call from them and they are going to accelerate the process concerning the CT Scan.
It will be at an outside facility within a 2 week period......
It doesn't give much relief but it does feel good that something actually works. When I get this appointment I can cancel the one on the 26th of June.
The mind is still going a million miles an hour....

Thoughts on the upcoming events.....................

I have my "consult" for my scope this Friday the 28th in Tehachapi. I will be handed a prescription for a product called GoLytely..............................which is anything but that. I will say no as I have before. I prefer magnesium citrate............
The actual scope will be scheduled then. I am so glad they now use general anesthesia...........
Enough of that, OK?




I got my CT Scan Appointment when they Sepulveda VA ACC called me yesterday afternoon waking me up.............22 June. The guy said that after I wait 7 days to call the Veteran's Choice Program and try to get something sooner. Works for me! I figure I should get that done ASAP.


My EMG(Nerve Conduction) is on the 11th of May still.




I did get the neurology folks at Sepulveda to agree to send me the lab results from the last two trips for the neuropathy that may end up ( I said May) at the oncology department. I hope that doesn't happen.................thoughts at a million miles an hour.....................


Am I scared? Quite frankly, yes........
It's the not knowing...................
Maddening at times you know.............


When the doc said that word....................cancer........................

About Last Thursday.............

On this past Thursday the 13th of April...................
I had an appointment with the neurologist at the Sepulveda Veteran's Ambulatory Care Clinic in North Hills, California in the San Fernando Valley. It is such a fun drive in because of the 14, 5 and 405 Freeways. This is a regularly scheduled thing for yours truly as I have had peripheral neuropathy for almost 2 years now.

I showed up on time even with the traffic. The neurologist I see is a young guy and I like him. I hope the Department of Veteran's Affairs tries to keep him. We did the usual talk about how things have been with my feet and lower legs have been concerning the new medication. That is new since this past winter. I take pregabalin 25mg capsules at the rate of 6 each, twice a day. I told him that sometimes it seems to work and sometimes it doesn't.

We then got into the lab work from the last visit about three months before....................yeah...........
A CT and EMG have been ordered. The CT is scheduled for 26 June...........I have a way to make that happen faster, I do believe. I am on the Veteran's Choice Program because I live over 40 miles away from the nearest VA facility. For me that was the Veteran's Community Based Outreach Clinic in Lancaster. The Choice Program lets us use the outside the same as the VA system. Perhaps I can get things sped up a bit..........................😏😏

It seems there were three antibodies in the blood work that are normally associated with...........cancer..............yeah...........three months? I think that I should have been notified just a bit sooner on this one, perhaps?

A CT Scan and an EMG(Nerve Conduction) were ordered by Doc and off to the lab I went.........8 vials of blood were drawn................yep.................shit like this is getting far too regular ya know......

Of course by this time, the mind is going about a million miles an hour just like it did on September 4, 2009 when I got the "good news, bad news" speech from my doctor in Wichita. That was when the left kidney went bye-bye 17 days later.

I now sit waiting.....
When I got home, I tried to sleep as the graveyard shift awaited..............allegory there, I think? What say you Chris Goodrich? Oh, where were we? Sleep...........yeah. I wound up being up for around 24 hours. I got home Friday morning and after what I hope was the last cigar, the lights went out. I did manage to catch my Beloved Montreal Canadiens win game two over the New York Rangers in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Oh yeah, waiting.....................
I called the records folks and did the dance and my records from the time I got in the Greater Los Angeles Veteran's Healthcare System. There is a mouthful!!!!!
I also have to fill out the release to satisfy the legal stuff.
I need the records for my regular Doc in Tehachapi in that he may have reservations about how things work at the Federal Government level.

Oh, did I mention that the neurologist said that the antibodies were indicative of the possibility of cancer? 😔😔😔😔😔

Missus ORPO and her sister had a long phone conversation yesterday about me...........the Sis-in-Law thinks that I crashed so hard as a reaction to getting the "C" word news.............It can have an effect I suppose.

I guess I will be blogging more again as this will be the journal of that little trip.............
We will see how it goes........................................

Three years. Already?

Father Time has been in Zone 5 Afterburner it seems.
Three years ago today was that awesome day aboard USS Ronald Reagan with my friends Chris Goodrich aka OldAFSarge and The WSO, Erika Cho......

Sandy Eggo

OldAFSarge, LUSH and Yours Truly

Selfie Time

Cat Shot!

LUSH, Bubbles and Mrs. Bubbles. LUSH is holding the ATAC coin in Memory of Carroll Lefon.

Launch Bar parallel to the deck!

Point Loma. This is a familiar sight to me.

Chris acting like the Squadron Duty Officer!

Yes, it was a most splendid day. It will remain special in my heart for the rest of my life.

Sunday Funny

Slow week, what can I say............................

China Lake Air Show

It may have been small but it was good. There was a good crowd as well. I was lucky in that I have disabled person plates on the vehicles..............I was very close to the ADA/VIP entry control point.
I spend more time wandering and looking at the static displays. I did have one disappointment as the RAF Eurofighter Typhoon was moved away from everything......................I really wanted to get a few shots of it but Her Majesty's MoD said no..........................
I wound up using my phone to take pictures because I left the battery for my Nikon in the charger at the house.....Senior Moment!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So without further ado, here are the few pics I got that are worth posting................

Sunday Plane Pr0n: Photos of F-18 Hornets Taking off Aircraft Carrier VFA-27 on theChive

Take up Tension!!!!!!!!!!!!!!





I remember when The Royal Maces were an A-7 outfit. I guess that makes me old, eh!



OK, I was trying to dig up something for a blog post.....this was at theChive. I had to, ya know!

There is a plethora of great shots at the link. Hit it and enjoy!





Photos of F-18 Hornets Taking off Aircraft Carrier VFA-27 on theChive : theCHIVE

Restless................Gordon Lightfoot.

The lyrics only..............................
It describes the feelings that The Old Retired Petty Officer has these days.......................

Gordon Lightfoot...............................

There's a kind of a restless feeling and it pulls me from within
It sets my senses reeling and my wheels begin to spin
In the quietude of winter you can hear the wild geese cry
And I will always love that sound until the day I die
There's a plain and a simple answer to each and every quest
From every quiet dance who might be a special guest
In a movie made for TV or a late night interview
You might even find them on the Young and the Restless too

Do ya get that restless feelin' when you hear a whistle blast
Like an echo from the past
Of an old engine flyin' down a road that's ironcast

The lake is blue, the sky is gray, the leaves have turned to gold
The wild goose will be on her way, the weather's much too cold
When the muskie and the old trout too have all gone down to rest
We will be returning to the things that we love best

Do ya get that restless yearning when you think about your dad
And the scrimshaw that he had
Of an old schooner rovin' 'neath a sky that's ironclad

There's a kind of a restless feeling and it catches you off guard
As we gaze off at the distance through the trees in my back yard
I can feel that restless yearning of those geese as off they roam
Then trade that for a warm bed and a place I can call home

Will ya get that restless yearning when you hear the wicked blast
Of a spectre from the past
Of a cold diesel rollin' down a road that's built to last

Still I get that restless feelin' when I hear a whistle blast
See an image from the past
Of an old schooner flyin' down a sky that's overcast

Obscure Stuff on the Net: Not Many People Realize This Incredible Palace is Hiding in Georgia

A Facebook friend of mine had this up. I clicked the link and wow!



One of the most beautiful buildings in the entire state of Georgia is the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Atlanta.



People travel from all over to marvel over each beautifully sculpted piece of the 36,000 limestone, Italian marble, and sandstone which make up this temple.

There are more amazing pictures at the link. So hit it and enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not Many People Realize This Incredible Palace is Hiding in Georgia

A Rainy Friday in The Mojave Desert

I finally remembered to take the trusty Nikon along with me last night.
This was this morning on the way home from work.
I stopped at my usual place at the Cal City Boulevard turn off from the 58.

All I did was aim and shoot!