Monday, July 20th

Today was radiation treatment #17 of 34, so I'm halfway through them. It seems to me the combination of radiation and chemotherapy are helping because I feel like I am able to walk, stand up, and bend over better then I could before I went to the hospital. I'm still very impressed with everyone I deal with at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. From parking attendants to receptionists to technicians to the nurses and doctors, they are all professional, caring people that I trust completely. It's so nice not to have to stress about that.
Carole and I had a good weekend. We made it through my side of the closet, sorting through what I still wear and use, but I was able to convince her we didn't need to go through all my drawers of stuff yet. It was just a temporary victory, but a victory just the same. On Saturday evening we went to see Angels and Demons. I enjoyed it. The ending is pretty far-fetched, but I knew that in advance from the book. I really liked seeing many of the places we were able to see when we visited Rome and year and a half ago. It made the whole experience more personal. After church on Sunday, we did some shopping - no shoes this time, just groceries. Then later Sunday afternoon, we took a walk around the block. It think it was good for both of us. I grilled some chicken for dinner, then the nightly round of pills started.
I tried a milkshake from Kool Moo in Cedar Rapids on Sunday afternoon. When they served it with a skinny straw, I was skeptical with good reason. It was very tasty, but just not as thick and rich as DQ or many of the others I've tried. We stopped at DQ today on the way home from Iowa City. The milkshake really hit the spot. My calorie intake is up (a bunch), but I think you can tell I've decided not to worry about that right now.