[Important] North_Ranger's Wacky Tumor Thread

That sounds like no fun. I found that for long bouts of boredom the key seems to be switching your activities before they get tiring. Read for awhile, but change to games or movies before reading becomes a chore. Watch a movie, or a few episodes of a show, but switch to a game before it becomes tiring, etc. Staring at a computer or TV screen can be tiring as well, so see if you can get a single player board or card game, that should be easier on your eyes. Visit the other patients - they are likely as bored as you are. Start a D&D game in your ward.

Hopefully you have something like netflix with online movie/tv streaming for your computer. I don't know if amazon prime works where you are at, but it might be an option (I'm guessing it doesn't, though). I suppose the only other altenative is itunes for music, shows, and books, and amazon for the same - it just gets costly. Steam should work there for a number of games - and there are usually some pretty decent cheap games on there that are good for a few hours of fun. Don't forget the bazillions of flash games available on various sites - in fact if you want to pass the time, pick out a few dozen flash games, try them out, then review them for us on halforums.

Also, there are tons of people you can call and chat for a bit. If you get bored of your local friends, you can always do skype and/or google voice for free to people here in the forum. You never know what you're gonna get when you call a crazy person you only know on the intertubes - it may be a boring 10 minute conversation, or a 2 hour long laugh fest. Given the number of people here who'd love a random call from you, you'd probably be able to whittle away many hours relatively enjoyably. (insert "the odds are good, but the goods are odd" joke here) Just PM a few people you think you'd like to chat with and see if you get any responses. I'd certainly make myself available for that. If you have a free way to call into the US just use +01-734-418-8418 and BAM! Instant Adam. Alternately let me know you want to chat and I'll turn on skype and/or google voice and give you the info (I generally don't leave them on because, as you are well aware, I'm dead inside).

And, of course, if there's anything you need or want, big or small, don't hesitate to post. We may not always be able to help, but we can't do anything about stuff you don't tell us about - and you might be surprised at what we can do.
 
Big Fish Games is another good one for little time-wasty games, with some pretty decent puzzle and mini-strategy/RTS-ish games. They do free demos on most of their games or you can buy them for pretty cheap.
 
C

Chibibar

If you have steam, you could get Sega collection and play all the old games (good times) there are TONS of time waster there.
 

North_Ranger

Staff member
Thanks for all the tips, guys. But I think I'm okay. I've got three Order of the Stick books with me, some History magazines and a tube of Oreos - the first two to ward of boredom, the last to ward of starvation :p

Plus, with my computer in here, I've been playing a lot of different Pop Cap Games. Steam is a bit out for me because I don't know what my computer can handle. But there's always Sidereel and Doctor Who, yay!

Also, yes, still in the hospital - and getting blood and trombosyte transfusion to boost my waning values of hemoglobine and trombosytes. CRP is leveled and a little down since yesterday, but they still intend to keep me in here over the weekend. Also, due to a side effect of the antibiotics I am becoming rather good at running to the loo with the IV still attached to my chest. But let's not go there or someone will blow a fuse :p
 

North_Ranger

Staff member
fuckgoddamnmotherfuckercuntpicklelemonpartymeatspinqalbibnqalbvittusaatanaperkelejumalautaTimoSoiniperussuomalaisetjytkypötkälehijodeputacazzohelvetefittanMicheleBachmann!

I am... slightly in pain now. Every goddamn bone in my body feels like someone's boiling them to make gravy while feeding the leftover bits to their dog and skullfucking me in the eye.

Yet I can't help but feel elated. Part of the reason why they've kept me here in the hospital this long is my dismal white blood cell count. When I last got out of chemo, I was given a white blood cell booster, and today and yesterday I've been given additional booster shots. The side effect of those boosters is that once they kick in, they make the larger bones in my body hurt. And now my femurs, my tibias, the bones of my arms, pelvis, back and shoulder blades are all in fire.

Gonna... be... out of here... soon. Just... gotta... accept the pain.

Oh hey, they brought me painkillers...
 
T

toolazytosignin

The Northranger's pulled a boner contest:

"Hey baby, I can fee every bone in my body [fill in pickup line here]"

Winner (most likes) gets adulation! and likes! Wooo!
 

North_Ranger

Staff member
I don't even know how one could draw something like that... except maybe a caricature of yours truly surrounded by a tornado of expletives.

Which, admittedly, sounds kinda cool.

Anyway, got out of the hospital today, FINALLY! They say I probably had some kind of a viral infection, which is why the antibiotics didn't kick it out so fast. I'm still eating them, though, as per doctor's orders, and watching for any sign of vertigo - apparently some of my blood tests were still under the preferred levels, but they didn't think it could be helped by me staying in. Still gonna go for a check-up day after tomorrow.

Other than that... man, it's good to be home. And eat, definitely eat. Hospital food was horrible, so when I purchased a whole barbecued chicken today... well, that bird had a snowball's chance of hell of surviving more than twenty minutes once I got back. Feelin' pretty good.
 
C

Chibibar

Good to hear buddy. I can't imagine you actually feeling "my body is on fire" in the literal sense, but at least you tough it out. You are da MAN! Enjoy that chicken and get some rest.

Recently my wife and I watch a new series of anime call "Fairy Tail" it is actually pretty good. It is funny and good character development (fight scene could use some work) but still fun to watch. You can stream it from many sites. eps 1-43 is available on Hulu.com (not plus) but the rest (upto 105 now and still going) from other anime streaming sites.
 

North_Ranger

Staff member
Note to self: Next time you end up in the hospital for a longer period, take up walking sooner. I mean God, after that extra week in the hospital I've been hella week in the legs. Gotta get them back in working order, unless I want to keep waddling around like a penguin.

Some good news, too: the results from the bone marrow punction came back; I've got no cancer in my bone marrow. Here's hoping the CT scans don't come back with bad news...
 

North_Ranger

Staff member
Thanks, Seej. Unfortunately, I'm going in again the day after tomorrow. 'nother round of chemo.

Le sigh.

This wouldn't be so bad except that the tumor's in my bladder - which means that even when I'm out I have to stay within a dashing distance of the toilet. It makes Christmas shopping quite difficult...
 
B

Biannoshufu

Internet shop! Here in the states that's the least most destructive way. Plus you can buy everyone gift cards, and holiday cards saying: hey I'd get you some real Xmas presents except I'm busy waging a cellular civil war with myself and hey I'm sorry:

And I'd bet you all the foreign tribal currency of Fantasyland that no one who cared about you at all would be upset with such a gift.
 

Cajungal

Staff member
Thanks, Seej. Unfortunately, I'm going in again the day after tomorrow. 'nother round of chemo.

Le sigh.

This wouldn't be so bad except that the tumor's in my bladder - which means that even when I'm out I have to stay within a dashing distance of the toilet. It makes Christmas shopping quite difficult...
I know I've posted this video before, but in this case it bears repeating... sorry if this isn't funny...thought you might get a giggle...


Anyway, North, you are in my thoughts. Your attitude is still so admirable to me. I know it's been tough, but people are pulling for you! *HUG!*
 

North_Ranger

Staff member
Okay, I'm at the hospital... and now Mathias will be pissed :p Yeah, it's a rant because of that. Apparently there's some pre-requisites for being dosed with the chemo medication; one of them being the pH value in my urine - something which I have diddly-squat control over. So because my whizz had too low a pH - 6, when they need it to be 7 - they couldn't start the chemo until around 5pm, when they should've started it at noon.

This wouldn't be so bad if this wasn't one of these 24-hour IVs; meaning I will be tethered by my infusion gate all day and night long, with saline solution and medication constantly dropping. Which in turn means that every time they say my urine pH is too low and have to cut in with some other medication, it also means that I have to stay in the ward a little bit longer. Vittu.
 

North_Ranger

Staff member
Pee, whizz, urine, warm apple juice, the tinkling fountain, Manneken Pis... is that all? Did we get all out of your system, Cheesy?
 

North_Ranger

Staff member
Okay, got out of the hospital the day before yesterday. Today's the first day I'm starting to feel relatively normal. Still tired as hell and still have some urinary issues, but I'm getting better.

On the bright side, my longbow is finally finished, yay! Now I just have to get back on my feet again and get some shooting done. So far I've been too tired... because of what happened during the chemo. People, if you ever have a loved one who ends up with a tumor in their bladder, bear with them. They'll be tired, they'll be cranky, they'll be easily pissed off. Trust me, you would be the same way if every time you hit the john you had to guess what comes out of you. Are you going to pee okay? Is there going to be blood in it? Or perhaps some caked blood that looks like a chocolate someone sat on and feels like you're squeezing a pea through a straw when peeing? Or simply if you can't sleep because you have to hit the porcelain throne every 15, 30 or 45 minutes 24/7. And I do mean 24/7, especially during chemo when they pump up to five gallons of medicines and after-fluids into you for three or four days. The drugs they use in chemo are harmful to the kidneys if they don't get washed out, hence the need for such heavy liquidation.

Okay, I seem to be in the rambling mood again. The point is that when a simple bodily function like relieving yourself becomes a part-Russian roulette, part constant annoyance, you really start to get messed up. Be understanding of us with these issues, and thank God you can write your name in the snow without cursing like a one-eyed carpenter.
 
Here's to hoping that you can get back on your feet, get your energy level back up, and get out shooting soon, NR.
 

North_Ranger

Staff member
Thanks, folks... I really appreciate the well-wishes and all. Now I'm just trying to get back on my feet, even though it seems to be getting harder after each round of chemo. You get more tired, you lose apetite, every little thing that annoyed you can now get you hoppin' mad... I'm just glad I have my folks here to help me out with some of the household chores - and yes, I do remember to thank them as often as possible :)

I'm just a little worried about Christmas... I'm likely going to be in no condition to travel, and I know my mom would prefer to spend the holidays here in Turku. It's a bit of a twisted situation someways; remember when I told about the apartment I got and where I was supposed to move in this fall? We never got the moving done before the diagnosis came through, so now I'm living in my old place and my parents - who were thinking of moving here at some point in the future - are staying in the new apartment. I think mom actually prefers it this way; she was always a city girl at heart, while my dad - born and bred in the countryside - didn't mind living in the sticks. The current plan is to spend Christmas here in the city, in any case. It'll be a big change after more than three decades of family Christmases spent in the countryside.
 

Dave

Staff member
Just take care of yourself. Christmas here or there is okay, but there will be more holidays after you get better.
 

North_Ranger

Staff member
They told me it would get rougher... and it most certainly has. Had to go back to the hospital on Monday because of dismal white blood cell counts and a minor infection. Now I'm back home, but I'm still aching like hell in the plumbing and also eating antibiotics that make my stomach feel like the Battle of the Somme, the Battle of the Bulge and the steak thread got together to throw a headbangers' ball.

Not to mention I get to go back next week for another round of chemo. Wheee... This honestly sucks; I haven't been able to go out and shoot some arrows even :(
 

Dave

Staff member
Screw the arrows, just worry about getting better. Do something to take your mind off of things. Buy Skyrim. If you don't have it I'll pitch in a few bucks and I'm sure we can all get it for you.
 
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