We're home!

After Lloyd and friends pulled me through the snow in my wheelchair and in through the front door, the warm room made me feel as if I had been reborn.

We'll post more later.

Some good news for a change

Our dear friends Kaye and Lloyd came for a visit and we had a rare day off from treatments. This was a good reason to visit the coast about 20 miles south. As you can see it was a picture perfect day.

Tonight (Tuesday) the doctor came in with good news: the scan done this morning showed that the main kidney tumor had shrunk from 4.8 x 4.4 cm to 4.3 x 2.8 cm. The treatments are working! Soon we will be back home and continuing the home care program there.

The healing continues...

Some interesting political posters

No recycling containers anywhere.

Rick, waiting his turn at the radiation clinic.

So I ended up having the endoscope, it went easier than I expected. The whole procedure took only 20 minutes. Joan now has images of my ulcer downloaded on the computer for all of posterity. My best guess is that I have had it for quite a while - possibly from the Celebrex my GP gave me for "muscle pain." (Warning, never take Celebrex!) Meanwhile they are still trying to raise my red blood cell count from 8 to 10. As I write this there is a pint of blood dripping into me. Curioser and curioser, I figure I am now part Mexican as well as Irish and Lebanonese. I still have some dizziness, but I am getting stonger everyday.

I know I've mentioned it already but we have a wonderful sunny courtyard here that I have been sitting out in everyday. Our friends Kaye and Lloyd will arrive tomorrow to celebrate their anniversary with us. They got married at our house many years ago. How wonderful is that? And as a bonus while they're here the temps are expected to be in the 80s.

Two sessions of radiation treatment remain, they end on Tues. and will be followed by a CAT scan to determine my progress. This will help to determine future events and I must admit being a little nervous.

I feel all your love and prayers. Our spirits are good. Some have asked if specific prayers are needed. I ask that you pray for Everyone with cancer, not just me. I feel an abundance and I would like to share.

Love to you all, Rick

...well I'm back on the blog...finally!

Graffiti is universal

Little taco stands EVERYWHERE

A merman

(Joan snapped these pics in the short time she gets out each day.)

It's been awhle since I've posted,but there's a reason.Lots going on.My body has gone through some very interesting changes (as my dear friend Bill Rolig will attest to...as he went through similar changes). All the different formulas that they've been putting in us - through us, on a daily basis has different effects on different people.In my case,I have gotten really weak,dizzy to the point of losing my balance,and as such,pretty much confined to movement in the wheelchair.My blood pressure went down to 90/50, so they started me on transfusion (packs of blood) to bring my levels up. They also thought I had an ulcer,which may be part of the problem.Today they wanted to scope me to be sure.I talked them into giving me one more day,which proved to be fruitful, as I got better, enabling me to cancel it altogether.So they are making other changes in application of some of the drips(part of our daily 6-8 bags we get.)Currently,my BP is 100/60 and rising,My norm is usualy 110/70.The dizziness persists,as it did with Bill until a coupleweeks after arriving back home. Things WILL return to normal. My leg that was causing me some very intense pain due to the radiation,has subsided to acceptable limits now,and I should be able to get back to some meaningful PT soon,as well. Don't know what the "popping" sound was, but my back was better in a few days. All-in-all,nothing that can't be dealt with.

As far as daily life here...not all that bad,especially since I have Joan here..without whom,my life would be majorly,significantly,terribly different.She is,as I've said many,many times,my true angel.We have a daily routine that keeps us quite busy,and still have time to sit out on the deck by the pool in the 70's,catching rays,chatting with folks from around the globe..lots of Amish...where do they come from??? Their WHOLE family comes with the one person for treatment.Oh well,not so bad if you think about it.

Thanks sooo much to all the folks sending reads and movies...and especially the organic chocolate for my woman.We'll be watching a flick whilst eating some of those goodies sent to us tonight,in fact. Oh,and we have our very own Christmas decorations in our room.The nurses love them,and comment every time they come in to our room. Some of the other daily occurances: Trains with very loud whistles blowing off between 4:00 and 6:00 every morning..EVERY morning;a cat crying 3-4 times loudly EVERY morning at about 3:30 a.m.;police,etc sirens...evenings;and guard dogs from the complex next door,barking late night,early morning. But,other than that,things down here in Tijuana Town are just about fine!love to all of you.Keep them prayers and love coming.We love you all....Rickster

One day up, one day down - by Joan

I love Mexican tiles.

The real thing.

Neon art on the wall of a mini-cafe

Needs no interpretation

Rick resting peacefully.

Well it seems to be "one day up and one day down" here at our home away from home. Today is a down one. While changing his shirt this morning Rick heard another "pop" sound from his back and he was in immediate pain. The nurses came running and gave him close-to-instant relief. It is now 2:30 in the afternoon and he has been sleeping pretty much all day...which means that I have been pretty much watching him sleep all day.

Rick hopes to be blogging again soon.

Post Thanksgiving - by Joan

A mural we pass everyday on our way back from the radiation clinic.

The traffic is crazy, but there are lots of overpasses and underpasses so pedestrians never have to cross the road. Lots of pedestrians! Little shops are set up in the underpasses, and informal vendors find places to sell on the overpasses. Unfortunately most of their wares are the same -- and made in China.

A view of the road from the overpass. I'm glad I don't have to try to cross this at street level!

Rick in bed doing his "Rife." Google it if you want to know more.

Post Thanksgiving greetings to everyone. Although Thanksgiving is not celebrated in Mexico, in honor of the 4 American patients (out of 6 total) the staff made us a delicious dinner with all the usual dishes. We even had dessert for the first time ever! (Cancer patients should avoid sugar.)

Rick is eating well, sleeping well, and in good spirits......as long as he stays in bed. Unfortunately as soon as he tries to stand he gets intense pains all the way down his left leg. Because of this he really cannot walk at all right now.

On Wednesday Dr Rubio, Jr. came in to see him (as he does everyday) and said he wanted to do an X-ray on the surgery site, and an MRI on the spine to see what was going on. Within the hour they had a car and driver take us to a place where Rick was led immediately into an Xray room (no waiting) and then immediately into an MRI (no waiting). The films were taken by a radiologist -- not a technician -- and he read them right away. When we got back the doctor met with us again and said he was heading over to confer with the radiologist. The next day (Thanksgiving) Dr. Rubio came into our room with the films and showed them to us. The problem is that one of his spinal tumors is pressing on the sciatic nerve. The Dr. is addressing this with radiation. He thinks the pain will be reduced by next week. In the meantime we spend lots of time in bed, reading, talking, and watching movies.

"Hail Caesar"...full circle

...As many of my friends and relatives know,I have been making Caesar salads for over 30 years now.What started as a curiousity,has turned into a culinary passion.Everywhere we travel,it seems,and we go to a restaurant,and it has that salad on the menu,we have to try it to compare it to mine.Well,here we are in Tijuana,Mexico,where THAT VERY salad was invented/discovered serendipitously...whatever,by Caesar Cardini (there are many stories as to it's exact beginnings,and contents...too many to go into at the moment). No way was I going to miss out on this in spite of my condition. So,yesterday (Sunday...our only day off),5 of us reserved a Rubio Clinic vehicle w/driver (Lupe) an decided to get away from the clinic for a day,tour TJ and Rosarita Beach.First stop,the women..Joan,Julia,and Dawn..wanted to see the "old Cathedral in downtown TJ (yawn...john and I could hardly walk,much less into the church with hundreds of folks joustling about,uh,uh! We sat in the truck with Lupe and people watched...more fun!THEN we went in search of...dun,dun...Caesars. 3 blocks away.I could hardly contain myself.Joan went in to check things out (only 11:30 a.m...My fear was it wasn't open...NOOOO!) No problemo...this is Mexico.They would have raised the staff up to the occasion if need be...it was open.Lupe got the wheel chair out,led me through the double doors,right to an arranged for table for me to sidle right up to.Beautiful.Ordered a glass of Merlot for me,and Cab for my lady...oh,and a "salad for 4 please".YES,this was it.They brought out the table side fixings and thus began the moment.Watching intently,I described each moment to the now anticipating few (John stayed in the truck...doesn't like salad...what does he know?)and watched as they plated each and set them gently in front of us.I approached it with just the right amount of respect,cut in to it and put the first forkful tenderly in my mouth..........MEDIOCRE...at best.Too many years,too many touristas,too many changes!!! Somewhat of a let down,but still.I couldn't help but think...I've come full circle,and you know what???....mine's better.So take heart friends and relatives,loved ones all,I am sooo looking forward to fixing you all one of Ricksters best ever Caesar Salads when I get back home...complete with wines galore. After that,we went to Rosarita beach for some fresh air,relaxation,and a change of visuals.The whole experience was still as exciting as I had anticipated and won't let changes ruin my full circle experiences with "a day with Caesar Cardini"...love you all,the rickster.

Joan's view of Tijuana......

Joan says: "I love Mexico, and I have been visiting this country since the eighties, but I have always avoided Tijuana. In recent years as I read in the papers about the horrible battles between the drug cartels and the government it made me even more sure that I would NEVER GO TO TIJUANA. Well life is strange isn't it? How does it happen that the one doctor we really need is in TIJUANA?!?! So, OK, I told myself that I would go, but I would not leave the safe walls of the gated "compound."

Anyone who knows me very well knows that I can't sit still and I love to explore. So it only took a few days before I ventured a short way beyond the walls. There I saw the 2 million residents of the city going about their daily business. If you are not a Mayor, a policeman, or a drug dealer (or a family member of one of these) then you have nothing to fear.

Tijuana is NOT an attractive city, but it does have a wonderful climate. I am being cautious, and I do not go out after dark, but my world here is no longer contained within the walls.

This is a good place for Rick and I to be. Especially when you consider our options: either home doing nothing; or in a stateside hospital where we could not sleep in the same bed, where we would be woken all hours of the night, where we would get no fresh air, and where the expectation for recovery is very low. We are thankful to be in the Rubio Clinic, in Tijuana."

The big day, my first vaccine...

..This is it,the actual "T" cell vaccine,customized especially for me,from my blood. It will,hopefully, start the kick-butt process of reducing all the tumors,along with the 10% daily radiation treatments I've been getting daily. Having a bit of inflamation problems around the surgery site,but Dr Rubio says it's normal and should be going down in a few more days...somewhat painful though,for now.

This is right outside our room,on the deck.Great place for sunning and getting some healthy,and much needed,vitamin D. These drips I'm on are a daily routine also and are a multitude of things,one of which is Laetrile(B-17),which has been proven to be a very successful immune builder and cancer inhibitor...and was outlawed in the US,even after it was proven effective. Sloan-Kettering put the kybosh on it because they couldn't patent it...grrrr!!

After every radiation treatment,we get a cabbage treatment.They cook up the leaves and put them directly on the rad sites to draw out,or detox the damage done by radiation. Looks weird,feels great,but I always have a craving for ham,or corned beef after...oh well,I feel like one sometimes!

This is on the deck,and the nurse person waving is the infamous "OLGA".She runs a section that has 5 components to it: Rife(it is a process that sends a mild electric shock at various electro-magnetic wave lengths). Then you move over to the magnet chair to sort of detox those effects. Then to another room for a foot bath that draws...or detoxes your liver/kidney through your feet. Then there's the "light box".You just look into this box of diferent colored lights that stimulate your brain...and gets you ready for the 5th,and final room...DUN-dun..the enema room.Nuff said about that.The other folks in the pic are John and Dawn.He has a brain tumor and his head is covered with...yep!...cabbage!

Things are going pretty well,all-in-all.The rooms cozy enough,the pool and deck is right outside our room,and all the folks are really nice and attentive. On the downside,the food hasn't improved all that much,but Joan goes to the local grocery for stuff to fill in for those days when the food is simply inedible. I've also popped another rib...which makes 3 now,and that sucks...but the good doctor assures me that'll improve as well,but meantime,I'm back on some of the old meds to deal with the pain. They take blood samples every Monday.Mine came back looking good,so that helped my disposition a lot.Dr Rubio visits every day and wants to know everything so he can make changes accordingly.He changes my intakes as needed,and it works out fine.I really have a lot of confidence in this whole protocol,and am truly grateful to have had Bill Rolig as my guide.He's doing really well also,I learned today,after his 2 day stint down here.

I am still getting lots and lots of Emails,skypes,and facebook prayers,love,and great info from so many people.I just can't even begin to tell you how wonderful this makes me feel.Whenever I feel the least bit down(and that's not often),I just open up my mail and..bingo..gone in a flash.I mean I truly feel the love surging through me and it is VERY healing.I'm listening to a lot of music on my iPod,music we all listened to together,and that makes me feel closer to all of you.Once again,thank you all...for my life.I love you all,Rickster

...on location,at the clinic in Tijuana

Mr Bill taking advantage of the sun

Me and Bill...who'd thunk it??

Bill and Rick,getting hooked up

Dan,Bill and Rick...(Rick's just dead tired,not just dead..honest)

Dan (forgot to mention he's my brother),and Bill talking on the patio,just outside our room


...I'll try to pick up where we left off. We were supposed to go to NIH clinic on Tuesday,for analysis on tests done there to determine eligibility for the protocol they'd come up with for my type of cancer.We were going to a hotel near the clinic,as we thought that the most prudent thing to do,and we were set to leave Monday around 2:00. Around 10:00 Monday morning,we got a call telling us that the protocol and appointment had been cancelled because the company that produced the chemicals had gone bankrupt and out of business...WHAT? Actually,that was a relief as we had made our decision to go to Mexico earlier,and we were just wanting to hear their plan as a sortof backup...oh well! So instead,we left the next day for my brothers in Pasadena,MD,only 20 minutes from the airport,picked him up and drove to the Sheraton Hotel,where he had made reservations for us,took our car back to his place to park,met us the next morning for an 8:30 departure,met Bill there,and we were escorted to the front,sat all together (nice,eh?) and spent the next 5 hrs and 20 min reading,listening to great sounds on ipod,and arrived to have our man-with-the-van waiting for us.1st stop,met Dr Rubio senior,gave us a breakdown of things to come,and off to Rubio clinic in Mexico,a mere 40 minutes over the border.Got here,got our room,got hooked up,and we were on our way to some positive treatment.They've drawn my blood and are making my vaccine...which will star next Tuesday;started radiation treatment(they drew all the spots to radiate on my skin and the radiologist sets his machine to those specific spots..I look like a Rand/McNally Atlas);started all my IV's,about 6-8 a day,all different;started a "series with Olga"..she's in charge of a number of detox applications:A footbath designed to draw the toxins from your kidney/liver;a magnetic vibrating chair,again to detoxify..not sure,but it feels good;a lightbox with a color wheel that you turn designed to stimulate your brain;a rife machine that stimulates you by shocking you at different vibrations(I think I learned about this machine in a social/psych course I took..oh well,it too feels pretty good);and then last,but certainly not least..."Olga's Enemas"...which changes daily...coffe,shark powder,and some kind of coloidal mix.All these designed to detoxify,all on a daily basis,except Sundays.

Our room is quite nice..a double bed with magnets under the mattress,and a single hospital bed..which we now use to store some of our stuff.The bathroom has a tub/shower and is fairly large.Bill and Dan left today...and we miss them being here a lot.They were a great way to help us enter this program.The help and staff here are wonderful as well as the people here for treatment.Dan was very impressed with the whole concept and is looking forward to coming back with me for my first 2 day return treatment. Dr Rubio is ever present and makes us feel very confident with the treatment process.The food is only marginal at best.We need a Kaye and Lloyd fix.

Joan has been my biggest blessing.She is always right on top of things and is just an amazing person to be with under any circumstances. I love all the comments,and Emails we've been getting.Sorry I haven't answered each personally,but it would take a very long time.Just know that they are all deeply felt and I can assure you that they all help

Well,I've tried to let you in on what's going on and how thing work here.I may have left something out,but we'll be here for 4 weeks.We'll be trying out our skpe soon also.Much love to all from both of us.WE WILL BEAT THE BULL,I promise.Rickster

...this is it,we're off...

...hey to all.Today is Tuesday and we're getting ready here at the homestead for the big roadtrip to Mexico.We'll be spending the night at the Sheraton BWI and in the sky by 8:30 tomorrow a.m....but I wanted to get this pic up before we left.This is the "sisters gathering and healing group".They came for a weekend that Joan had arranged before I was diagnosed,and it turned into an incredible lobster dinner,fun,spiritual,healing session that will forever be in my memory.Part of the gathering was a "laying of hands" that simply lifted me up and felt as though I was floating.I felt ready for whatever came my way...so I wanted to share that and thank them each personally for allowing me to part of their gathering and for the gift of love and prayers they gave to me.Thank you Lynn,Debbie,Kat,Joan,Lizzie,and Jean.I love you all...

We'll have our laptop in Mexico so we'll be able to keep in touch with everyone,and we've also set up a SKYPE account for anyone that has that as well.I'll be posting on my blog too. Soooo,we're off....rickster

Still home....and lovin it.

The awesome,Brother Lowdown Band...Chris,,Grayson,Paul,Greg,and Joe

Nancy M,Rick(just home from hospital day before),and Helene

Daughter Alyssa (L),with BF Alison

...got back Friday in time to watch all the prep going on around me,for the best blast of the year...this year being the 25th annual Maloof Halloween party on Saturday night.Outside of all the prayers,love,visits,healing hands,cards,etc...this had to be right up there for the "healing of the day" award.I hadn't felt that good (even though I don't look that great...but I hung in) in over a month.I'd guess 75-100 folks had as good a time also.The band stopped around 2:00 a.m. and I stopped about 2:03 a.m....and slept quite well,thank you. Lots of folks stayed over so there were goings on most of the day.Around 5:00,we took a deep breath,smiled,and took a much earned nap. The pics above are only a few of the many that will show up later.We've been keeping an album since the outset and it's fun to see the tiny ones in the early albums,are now thirty-something,...and still coming.

The cards,Emails,telephone calls,visits are still coming in.I am hearing from tons of old friends,relatives,etc.I love it. My old high school group...still best friends with each other after all these years..."Go Mustangs"...love you all;friends I had (true story)in a carriage (I have the pic),when I was less than a year old;friends I used to play kick-the-can with until it was too dark,and our mothers would scream at us to come in,and me ,hoping they would ask me to come up for spaghetti and meat ball dinner;all my old and new friends...I love you all.Thank you for the love and prayers.I feel healed already.You are ALL in my thoughts,and MY prayers as well,Rickster