It's Only Been a Year!

As the saying goes, "No news is good news."  Clancy's crud remains in remission.  Sorry for the infrequent updates.  The editorial staff has been busy working on solutions to healthcare.gov registration, national political discord and performance enhancing drugs in professional sports.  Don't believe what you hear in the news. We are close to solutions to all three!

He does have some news.  Daughter Elizabeth and her husband Cody are expecting their first child in April 2014.  Grampa Clancy is expectedly excited and happy for the two of them.  Life just keeps getting better!

On the medical front, Clancy will return to the Huntsman Center for a periodic checkup in December.  This is a few months earlier than usual, but having met the insurance deductible for 2013, he wanted to get this visit in before the end of the year.  Each visit means several thousand dollars out-of-pocket.  He continues to submit blood markers quarterly and the lab work has looked great. 

As much as he'd like to consider himself exceptional, he's realizing he's quite average when it comes to dealing with chemo and stem cell transplants.  Neuropathy (numbness) in his feet and general fatigue are the chief complaints.  The medical staff were spot on when they told him to expect these side effects. The chemo cocktail he endured for nearly two years was a strain on his body as it tried to eliminate those poisons.  While annoying, they are a small price to pay for being alive.

Throughout this journey he has been keenly aware of his good fortune.  Someone once said, "I cried because I had no shoes until I saw the man with no feet."

Enjoy your day, enjoy the holidays and Go Griz!

Hot Springs Savages

Some friends come into your life later, some come in the middle and some come early.  The ones above got acquainted before age 10 and have stayed friends for over 40 years.  Today, they enjoyed watching their alma mater, Hot Springs, win a state championship in football.  Two of the crew even wore old memorabilia from "the day".  L-R, Ross Alan "Rosco" Woods, William Lester Glen "Chiz" Chisholm, Glenda Diane (nicknames omitted by publisher) Baxter-Woods, Clancy Earl (Bird) King and William Todd (Toad) Morigeau.  The crack staff couldn't locate Sheila Lynn Johnson in time for the photo.  It's believed she had a game of craps going by the incinerator. We're quite sure Glenda is holding the coveted holy water enjoyed by a select few throughout the day.

It was the biggest thing little Hot Springs has seen.  A huge crowd attended and it was all smiles with many tear producing laughs.  It was a treat to see; Sick or Silly.  She knows who she is.  Nancy Elaine Fronapel-Mullen's story about donning Deanna Buck's Mom's clothes, lip stick & curlers to buy beer at Pay-n-Save might have been the best we heard all day. Curtis (Ky) Raymond Carry (class of '80) playing lead in the bar band kicked butt. 

Clancy's 6-month checkup last week went well.  All looks great and he's planning remission to last 50 years.  Also, retirement is two weeks away!  Clancy has served over 25 years with the Montana Department of Justice, Highway Patrol Division, the past eight as a captain. He was stationed in Helean, Hardin, Columbia Falls, Libby, Kalispell, back to Helena, then back to Kalispell.  He's looking into some employment options, but is fortnate in that he can take his time.  Does anyone have a need for a professional BS'er?  Please contact him.  Several people have stated that is the area in which he's most qualified.  However, it's likely those folks are mistaken.

If laughter is the best medicine, we can toss the RX for a few months. Life is much better today.  I hope you were able enjoy it too.  If not, get the heck out there tomorrow and do it!  LAUGH.

Halfway There

Did you celebrate?  September 19 was the halfway point to St. Patrick's Day.  The Chicago Cubs gave away green hats to fans at Wrigley Field to commemorate the day.  Clancy was a little less extravagant and made Cocklety Pie.  It's a casserole of scallops, diced spuds, button mushrooms, onions & cream sauce topped with pasty. Of course, his had to have neatly placed shamrock pastry cutouts decorating the top.  It's a tasty meal, especially when accompanied with a not-too-cold Guinness.

Medically, he's cruising along in remission.  He's dropped the 20+ pounds chemo fat and is weighing in around 190.  The energy level is not what he wants but is a little above what the medical staff expected.  He hiked up the Danny On Trail twice this summer.  The trail is 3.8 miles up Big Mountain in Whitefish with a 2,000 foot elevation gain.    His time wasn't too much slower than his hikes prior to treatment.  However, he was very sick back then and didn't know it. He knew he'd had a broken rib for several months that wouldn't heal and he could not increase and maintain his stamina.  He's still quite proud of not missing one day of work over 8 months while coping with 5cm of broken/pulverized rib bone.

It's been a good summer.  Clancy got in some time on horseback helping Brother Mike move cattle.  He got back into umpiring baseball regularly in the spring and worked several tournaments in the summer. There've been rodeos (good & bad), fishing trips (good & better), a lightly attended school reunion, a heavily attended family reunion, an excellent evening of guitar music at the Crown of the Continent Festival in Bigfork, good huckleberry picking and even an entry in the NW Montana Fair huckleberry pie bake off.

Clancy's pie wasn't chosen as one of the six finalists (35+ entries), but he received high scores for taste of the filling and appearance of the pastry.  His lowest score was for the amount of filling.  He agonized putting so many berries in one pie and it was still too few.  The huckleberry rhubarb one he made earlier in the week was purple ribbon material!  Unfortunately, they don't allow other fruits in the bake off.

His bi-monthly blood work this week looked excellent.  Things are in the "normal" range or moving that direction at a promising rate.  The protein levels and markers are right where they should be.  His next visit to the Huntsman Center is November 5-7, 2012.  It's his six-month checkup.  They will do elaborate blood tests, 24-hour urine collection (no fun), bone marrow biopsy (less fun), MRI and a bone density scan.  The bone density scan has not been done since before Clancy started treatment.  Chemo and stem cell transplants can affect bone density negatively, so he's happy to see it's on the agenda.  The doctor who took the bone marrow from Clancy's hips in February and May commented on how strong his bones were.  Clancy takes a daily calcium supplement and a monthly "bone builder" IV, as advised in the treatment protocol.  The IV has now been moved to every other month.

Hope your summer has been as good as his.  Fall and footballs are in the air and insects are not.  The tourists have come, enjoyed, entertained, spent and left.  The days are especially beautiful.  Now is the best time of year! 

Thanks to the thousands of you who have taken time to pass along your words of encouragement either in person, by mail or electronically. Hugs and prayers are healers. Emotionally, this is not an easy path.  Thank you's seem to be an inadequate expression of my appreciation.  Please know the important place you hold in my heart.  Until we meet again, enjoy a not-too-cold Guinness.

More Good News!

Clancy's final quarterly tests and analysis in early May went very well.  While there, he took a moment to pose in front of the Huntsman Cancer Center in Salt Lake City.  The doors behind him are a reminder of the many times he entered the Center for treatment barely able to walk and battling extreme nausea. 

After four rounds of extensive intravenous treatment followed by a year of daily pills, he's finally off chemotherapy.  The multiple myeloma remains in remission.  The bone lesions which are a symptom of the cancer have stopped growing, shrunk or completely disappeared.  He couldn't be happier with the results.

He will take a steroid on 4 of every 21 days for the next year as part of an experimental treatment protocol intended to result in longer terms of remission.  It will negatively affect his sleep, but he hopes the insomnia will be endured in exchange for many cancer-free years.  He'll return to Huntsman in six months for his next checkup. Now it's time to get back in shape!

Has Theo Lost His Mind!?

SI.com - In a bold move, the Chicago Cubs have signed 50-year old utility man Clancy King to a one year contract.  He is due to report to Cincinnati this week to join the team for their 3-game series with the Reds.  According to Team President Theo Epstein, King has potential with the team.  "If the Nationals can call up a 19-year old phenom, why can't we sign someone thirty years older?  Have you seen Soriano try to play the outfield?  Have you seen third baseman Ian Stewart's batting average?  Have you seen closer Carlos Marmol try to throw strikes? If he gets one in his wheel house he can do some damage." Epstein added, "We liked what we saw.  He showed up with cookies and beer."

Supposedly, King possessed an average arm and above average speed in his younger days.  The question is, what's still left in the tank?  Manager Dale Sveum commented, "We took a look at him in spring training.  He found his seat, the restrooms and food without assistance.  He wore sun screeen which is important for someone on chemotherapy.  I understand he is close to being off the chemo and with the two stem cell transplants he may be the next Steve Austin."  The Austin reference is to the star of the 1970's television series The Six Million Dollar Man.

One thing all Cubfans are hoping is the team didn't put six million into this experiment.  Jamie Moyer may be winning games for Colorado at 49, but at least he's only been out of baseball for a short time. 

Payne Enthias is a regular contributor to this site.

A Beautiful Wedding

Todd, Clancy and Bill got together at the wedding of Todd's daughter on April 14.  Terez'a was a beautiful bride and Todd gave a great toast.  The Daddy/Daughter dance was YouTube-worthy and should appear there soon.  It's rumored Bill was still talking at 3 am, meanwhile Captain Chemo was home and asleep by 9:15pm.  Congratulations to Terez'a and Kevin.

The editorial staff would like to apologize for not updating this site more often.  Preparations for a Chicago Cubs World Series victory party have taken precedence.  Yes, it's never too early to plan for an event like that.

Clancy heads back to Salt Lake in early May for his final quarterly visit.  Lots of tests, bone marrow aspirate and MRI are scheduled.  If the news is good there should be better days on the horizon.  He describes his days as "feeling crummy all the time with 2-3 days of feeling really crummy every other week". It's similar to having the flu. This is caused by the chemo (Revlimid), steroid (Dexamethasone) and a bevvy of prophylaxis.  He will not miss the daily abdominal injections of blood thinner either. Our crack staff will be there and let you know how it goes.

Finally, blessed be the memory of Don Dulle of Whitefish.  Don passed away last week after battling pancreatic cancer for two years.  Before they started treatment, he told Clancy, "We're gonna beat this."  His words inspired Clancy through many miserable days.  The world lost a fine man last week.

Happy New Year from Whitefish, MT

Clancy's 2012 Motto: 
"Tomorrow will be the best day ever, but I'm not quite finished enjoying today."

Here's to happiness, good health and great friends for you in 2012 and beyond.  May you effortlessly smile and laugh your way through the days as great things unfold before you.