Wednesday, August 3, through Wednesday August 17, 2016: A Busy Time:

Wednesday morning, we dropped off the dogs at Cinder Hills early and took off for Beaver, Utah, the first stop on our way to the Walters Family Reunion in Park City, Utah.  Just outside Kanab, Utah, about 2/3 the way to Beaver, the skies opened up and we were suddenly driving on flooded streets.  We stopped for a late "lunch" at a gas station and were treated to flash flood warnings and sincere advice to go no further.  We decided to listen to the locals---and spend the night at the Comfort Suites in Kanab instead of its sister hotel in Beaver. 

Our late lunch from the gas station turned out to be our early dinner.  It was just fine.

The next morning, Becky did her early walk around Kanab, finishing about three miles before breakfast, and we got on the road all the way to Park City.  We transitioned from Highway 89 to I-15 over the mountains on Highway 20 a few miles north of Panguich.  It constantly amazes us how beautiful Utah is---on both sides of the mountain range.  We arrived at the Goldener Hirsch Inn in Park City in mid-afternoon and checked in.  We had a lovely suite with this view of the area.

The Goldener Hirsch Inn, a 20-room boutique hotel owned by a branch of the Eccles, a prominent Utah family, was to be the center of the reunion and happens to be where our daughter Donna works.  She arranged the whole reunion and she got us all good deals on the rooms, to boot.

Dinner was a group affair at Vinto, an Italian restaurant in the center of Park City.  Very good. 

Followed by an Ice Cream Social at our hotel.  Donna is so organized. 

The members of the Walters family are related to my ex-wife, Shirley, who passed away nine years ago.  Why they thought it would be a good idea to have me there was beyond me, but Donna insisted the invitation was sincere.  I hadn't seen the bulk of them in more than 35 years.  They were all very gracious and it was fun spending time with them.

After the Continental breakfast at the Inn, Friday involved a number of  group hikes on the Silver Lakes Trail at Bald Mountain in which I didn't join because I don't hike,

but I did join the lunch involving Becky, Donna, her aunt Donna, and her first cousin (once-removed) Chrissie Fine, at the Deer Valley Grocery Cafe.  In the afternoon, Becky and I drove up to the Guardsman Pass, a beautiful view point that used to be the highest point on the only road for miners between Park City and Salt Lake City. 

Dinner Friday night was another group affair, this time at the Blue Iguana (Mexican) restaurant.

Saturday was game and picture day for everyone. It started out at the Olympic Park, where the hearties had fun doing Extreme Tubing

and having a picnic lunch. 

At Pinebrook Park, there was something called Bubble Soccer, which was hilarious,

followed by the formal reunion photo, with everyone wearing the official T-shirt.

Dinner was a German-based gastronomic delight at the Inn.

Sunday morning there were a bunch of goodbyes since some of us were leaving a day early.  Becky had her last hike with Art Fine (Chrissie's husband) who Becky had learned went to the same high school I did (North Hollywood) only two years behind me. 

We then jumped into the truck and headed back to the same room at the Comfort Inn in Kanab we had the previous Wednesday.  Becky picked up dinner at the local market and we crashed early.

Early Monday morning we left Kanab since we needed to pick up the dogs before one p.m. to avoid another day's fee, and we had an appointment to see Dr. Jordan Miller, the dermatologist who had replaced Dr. Cynthia Knutson, who had bolted for Seattle.  On the way, we stopped at Dairy Queen since I had a craving for a Blizzard. 

We got the dogs on time and dropped them off at home, then I went to Flagstaff for my doctor's appointment.  After  a lengthy discussion, Dr. Miller took a couple of skin samples to be biopsied and sent me on my way.  They turned out to be Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC), the second most common form of skin cancer.  Oh, oh.

I received a call in the afternoon out of the blue from Barbara Hedges, a dear friend of my brother, Bob, and his wife, Elise, and someone I had known slightly for many years.  She and her husband, John, were coming to Williams on Tuesday to visit the canyon on a package involving spending two nights at the Railway hotel and taking the train to the canyon on Wednesday.  She wanted to see us and discuss strategies for the most efficient use of time. We arranged to get together for drinks and dinner after they returned from the canyon on Wednesday.    

Tuesday we returned to our normal rhythm.  I had an appointment with Dr. Boettcher, who opined that the hole in my scalp was still closing but that it seems as if it would be several more months before it was finished.  We secured a prescription from him for my wig, which we were told by Classy Sisters Wigs would justify the refund of the sales tax we had paid.   It worked.

In the afternoon, Becky and the dogs hiked from Holden Lake to Cataract Lake. 

That night we watched more Ray Donovan.

Wednesday, Kelsey had a appointment with her vet for a periodic procedure she needs, I had a stress test at my cardiologist's office, and we had beverages with the Hedges at home and dinner with them at the Red Raven.  It was fun seeing them for the first time in many years.

Thursday I had a CT Scan, which involved such complicated instructions for eating and drinking I was exhausted when it was over.

Friday I had a pedicure, which made my feet beautiful of course, and we watched the first few episodes of Season 4 of House Of Cards from Netflix.  Nasty.

Saturday was a hiking day for Becky and the dogs on the trail from the Mustang gas station at the east end of town to the Mormon Church.  We then watched Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, an interesting redbox  movie starring Tina Fey. 

That night I did my sleep apnea test in Flagstaff, arriving home at 6:00 am.  I think I passed, but I'll find out next week.  I hope I don't have to wear one of those dumb masks.

The highlight of Sunday was an unknown redbox Tom Hanks movie called A Hologram For The King. It was only so-so.

Monday was Becky's haircut day.  Her stylist, Shawna, was showing off pictures of her 7-week-old Boxer, Sampson.  Check how big he will probably when he grows into his feet.

In the afternoon, I had an appointment with Dr. Miller.  He took off some more bumps on my arms to be biopsied.  They turned out to be cancerous, also.  I'm starting to notice a pattern.

RV friends of ours, Rick and Linda Brockie, showed up as expected in their camper Monday afternoon.  They are "fully hooked up" to the RV facilities in our south driveway, and are staying for two days---sleeping in their rig, not in one of our guest rooms. 

We haven't seen them since we left the Palm Springs Thousand Trails preserve in April of 2015.  We spent quite some time catching up.  Monday night they ate dinner by themselves, as did we.  Tuesday, Becky took them to Bearizona while I slept.  Tuesday night the four of us had pork loin for dinner at our house.  Before heading for the opening of the season at the Palm Springs TT preserve, they left for a day or so at Trailer Village at the canyon Wednesday late in the morning,

Wednesday afternoon, I had an appointment with Dr. Mathern.  He dropped the bomb that my CT Scan had revealed that my cancer had spread to my lungs and liver, and that I had an intolerable amount of fluid in my left lung. 

This news explained why I have felt so rotten recently and called for immediate changes to my meds and recovery plan.  In a way, it was comforting to know there was a reason I was so weak for the past few weeks.  The changes will take effect next week.

Saturday, July 23, through Tuesday, August 2, 2016: A Pretty Typical Eleven Days:

Becky's big project on Saturday was  maintaining the hot tub, including cleaning the filters and testing a number of chemicals to try to get rid of a haze in the water.  On Sunday, she took the dogs for a long hike at Kaibab Lake. 

Then she went to the Petco in Flagstaff to get some dog food.  During the afternoon walk in the neighborhood, Ramsey ran out of gas and I had to go pick him up.  Monday's big walk was around the golf course perimeter.

We decided to order a wig to cover my surgery scars.  We'll pick it up on Friday in Phoenix.  I went to the local clinic on Monday to get my second pneumonia shot.  Also on Monday, we started watching Ray Donovan, a Netflix series starring Liev Schreiber and Jon Voight.  It's very tough, but very watchable.  I'm sure we'll get more of the discs.

Tuesday afternoon, Mike, a repairman with Appliance Repair Today in Flagstaff, showed up to fix the "in-the-door" functions on our refrigerator.  Ever since we've been here, the system would not deliver ice cubes---just water and crushed ice.  A couple of weeks ago, it stopped delivering anything.  I decided it was time to get it fixed.  It turned out to be just two broken wires at the bottom of the door.  Mike fixed everything---quickly and efficiently.

That evening, we watched Eddie The Eagle from the redbox, a British film about a first-time Olympic ski jumper.  Rather entertaining.

Wednesday, we went to Flagstaff for an appointment with Dr. Mathern.  I hadn't been feeling as well lately as I had immediately after my blood transfusion.  He checked my blood work and said the numbers relating to anemia had gone up, meaning he thought I had not suffered a relapse of that problem---and speculated that I was dehydrated.  Becky immediately started pumping water into me---a favorite thing of hers. I don't know if it will help, but it will give her pleasure.

The Thursday Netflix film was Three Days Of The Condor, an old Robert Redford vehicle.  I thought I had seen it, but nothing looked familiar.  It was pretty good.

Early Friday morning we dropped off the dogs at the Cinder Hills Kennel and headed for Classy Sisters Wigs in Phoenix to pick up my wig---we named it Charlie.  It was quite an odd experience having it fitted.  I look like Jimmy Johnson, the former Dallas Cowboys coach.

We spent Friday night at the Comfort Inn in Camp Verde.  We had quite some rain on the way.  Dinner was takeout from the Carl's Jr., next door.

We picked up the dogs Saturday morning and spent the rest of the day relaxing at home.  We watched more of The Americans that evening.  It's still amazing.

On Sunday Becky took the dogs to the Santa Fe Dam area outside Williams for their long walk of the day. 

She exhausted them. so they didn't interfere with our watching more of The Americans  in the afternoon and Clear And Present Danger in the evening.  Harrison Ford was terrific as Jack Ryan, as usual.

Monday we went to Flagstaff for an appointment with Dr. Cohen, my cardiologist. 

I told him about my various complaints involving what I thought was a potential relapse of my anemia.  He had his own ides and ordered a bunch of heart-related tests.  We'll see.

Becky's bruising not having completely healed yet, in the afternoon she dragged out her giant sunglasses to cover at least her eye.  The bruise on her jaw is still visible, but not too much.  Her big hat sort of covers it up.

Tuesday morning I had my regular massage with Natanya.  She noticed the rash I had had for about a week (that I had revealed to Becky earlier in the day) and suggested a stop at the clinic, with which Becky heartily agreed.  Becky dropped me off there, and they took me immediately---which surprised me.  The doctor wasn't sure what it was----perhaps an allergic reaction to something---and suggested making a future appointment for a date as soon after we returned from Park City, and taking Zrtec in the meantime to test her allergy theory.

The rest of the day was sent packing for the trip.