My New Friends

Last week while going for a walk, I noticed a couple of deer resting down below the elevated roadway near the point, that sticks out into the bay.
I stood there and watched them for a bit and let them get used to seeing me around. We stood watching each other for several minutes trying to see if we could get the other to blink first.
Of course the deer won.
Today on my walk I noticed 2 deer in the same basic area resting from the afternoon sun.
From where I was standing, the wind was blowing my scent away from them. They just sat there checking me out. I quietly left the area, only to return a few minutes later with Veronica's camera.
I was able to get a couple of photos of them before they got bored of me and decided to find something of more interest to keep them occupied.

And then there are these feathered friends. They hang out around the boat ramp, near the channel that leads out into the bay.

 Here are a few of the crabbers shacks that line the channel that leads out into the bay. Traffic at the boat ramp has already started to pick up as the crabbing season has started around here.

Hopefully A Step In The Right Direction

Veronica and I left early this morning to head to Norfolk, VA for an important Oncology appointment with my original Oncology doctor. He is the doctor that performed the tests that showed that I had Mast Cell Disease in the first place.
Before going to the doctors office, we stopped off at a Super Walmart that they have in that area.
We have a local Walmart where we live but it is a lot more expensive than the ones in Virginia. We can usually save at least 10% by shopping at the Virginia Walmarts.
My doctors appointment was at 11:45. It was really great to see him again. I feel that I get excellent medical care from him and feel extremely comfortable discussing issues with him.
I caught him up on my medical history since it had been a little over a year since I had last seen him.
After a discussion and brief physical exam, we came up with a direction and game plan for me.
Although he did not have any definitive answers as far as what was going on in me, it was decided that this next upcoming Thursday, I will be returning to Virginia and have 2 different test performed.
The first will be an Ultra Sound exam on my Prostate and that general area. About 1/2 hour after that test/exam, I will be having a CT Scan taken of my entire abdominal area.
For that test I was given 2 plastic bottles full of a contrast medium type of chalky liquid. I have to drink one bottle 3 hours before the CT Scan and the 2nd bottle 45 minutes before the start of the CT Scan.
The next day I will call my Oncologist and let him know that the tests were completed and he will contact the reading radiologist and discuss the test findings with him.
I will then return to see my Oncologist on 5/5. We will discuss the findings at that time.
My Oncologist also mentioned that the only real way to know whether or not that the Mast Cell has effected my Prostate or that I have Prostate Cancer, would be to do a Prostate Biopsy.
This most likely will be the next step in getting to the bottom of this issue. I will take the advice of my Oncologist as far as which Urologist he would recommend for this procedure.
I am supposed to continue taking the rest of my Cipro, which I have about 2 1/2 weeks worth left.
As of now, I still have no new knowledge of what is going on inside of me but I still feel better knowing that we have a plan and that I have a doctor that I really feel good about and trust. That alone is a big part of the battle.

Big Day Ahead Of Us Tomorrow

Tomorrow is a big day for Veronica and I. We will get up early and head to our local WalMart for some early morning shopping.
If that isn't enough to get your heart a thumpin then nothing will.
Naw...that's not the exciting part but had you wondering if I had finally lost that last marble I had pigeon holed away up in the old noggin.
Actually...after going to Walmart we will head to Norfolk, VA so that I can get back with my old Oncologist.
It is an important day because I finally feel like I am getting one step closer to some sort of bona fide diagnosis as to what is ailing me.
I realize that there is a good chance that I will need a prostate biopsy but you know what....I am actually looking forward to that too.
Now there goes that last marble!!!
The only reason I am looking forward to it is because if I have a more serious problem down South, the sooner I address the issue, the sooner I get better. So believe it or not, a Prostate Biopsy might be the best thing that could happen to me right now.
Sounds like shear craziness I know but hey, if you have been a constant reader of my blog, you would expect nothing less from me.
I will let everyone know how it goes tomorrow.
I want to Thank Jo for the Jimmy Buffett link on her blog. She had read that Veronica and I were going on May 26th and she had recently been to one of his concerts.
To visit Jo's blog just click here...  Life After Retirement  Thanks again Jo!