A Duck Walks Into A Pub

Duck walks into a pub and orders a pint of beer and a ham sandwich.
The 
barman looks at him and says, 

"Hang on! You're a duck."



"I see your eyes are working," replies the duck.



"And you can talk!" exclaims the barman.



"I see your ears are working, too," says the duck. 

"Now if you don't mind, can I have my beer and my sandwich please?"



"Certainly, sorry about that," 

says the barman as he pulls the duck's pint.

 "It's just we don't get many ducks in this pub. What are you doing round 
this way?"



"I'm working on the building site across the road," explains the duck.

"I'm a plasterer."

The flabbergasted barman cannot believe the duck and wants to learn more, but takes the hint when the duck pulls out a newspaper from his bag and proceeds to read it. So, the duck reads his paper, drinks his beer, eats
 his sandwich, bids the barman good day and leaves.  

The same thing happens for two weeks.

Then one day the circus comes to
town. The ringmaster comes into the pub for a pint and the barman says to 
him 

"You're with the circus, aren't you?  Well, I know this duck that could be 
just brilliant in your circus. He talks, drinks beer, eats sandwiches,
reads the newspaper and everything!"



"Sounds marvelous,” says the ringmaster, handing over his business card.
  "Get him to give me a call."

So the next day when the duck comes into the pub the barman says,

"Hey Mr. Duck, I reckon I can line you up with a top job, paying really
good money."



"I'm always looking for the next job,"  says the duck. "Where is it?"



"At the circus," says the barman.

"The circus?"  repeats the duck.

"That's right,"  replies the barman.



"The circus?"  the duck asks again. “With the big tent?"



"Yeah," the barman replies.



"With all the animals who live in cages, and performers who live in
caravans?" says the duck.



"Of course," the barman replies.



"And the tent has canvas sides and a big canvas roof with a hole in the
middle?" persists the duck.



"That's right!" says the barman.



The duck shakes his head in amazement, and says .. . .

"What the hell would they want with a plasterer??!"

(Editor note: I got this from Jim Taylor a few days ago.)

The Cancer Consults

On Friday, October 21^st Karin and I met with my urologist to discuss the options to get rid of the cancer from my prostate and ultimately from my body.  I gotta tell you it was a generally crappy 24 hours before our meeting at 4pm, with the stress of anticipation of even meeting with the doctor and again facing this thing head on.  Karin and I had come up with a list of ten or so questions to ask the doctor, ranging from my outcome goal of being able to see my grandchildren grow up to what will be the best results from which treatments that are available to me.

As the doctor began the consultation, our anxiety began to dissipate because he was very clear in his explanations and frank in his assessment of possible outcomes.  He used the illustration of a Predator drone attacking a hut filled with terrorists in the desert.  The drone launches a missile and destroys the hut and all the occupants in it.  Yay!  Well, the hut is equal to my prostate and the missile is equal to the surgery that removes it.  However, there is always the possibility that if there was one terrorist out in the outhouse relieving himself, he will survive the attack.  That one guy is equal to the small chance that all the cancer may not be removed with surgery.  But that is always a possibility no matter what treatment plan we use.  There is the chance that the cancer might come back after treatment.

We also met with a radiology oncologist on Thursday morning, October 20^th, to discuss the possibility of radiation therapy.  There are two types available: EBRT (external beam radiation therapy) and PSI (prostate seed implant).  The EBRT would require as many as 40 or so treatments (which equals 5 treatments a week for about 8 weeks); the PSI involves the implantation of radioactive seeds that release a high dose of radiation to be delivered to the prostate with limited damage to surrounding tissues into the prostate. The implants remain in place permanently, and become biologically inert (no longer useful) after a period of months. 

I’ve decided against radiation therapy for a couple of reasons.  One is that if it doesn’t work, radiation cannot be attempted again … that card has been used.  Surgery would be the only option, but that isn’t really a very good alternative either because the prostate wouldn’t be as good a candidate because its physiology would have been altered by the radiation.

The other reason, and the most important one in my mind, is that with seed implantation I would literally have to stay away from my grandchildren for the duration of the radioactive output of the seed.  This is simply that I would be radioactive, emitting radioactivity that could harm the kids.  We’re talking a year or maybe more.  What kind of a life would that be for them or me?  Not so great, to say the least!

I have talked with a few guys who have had either type of therapy, and the outcomes have been good in most instances.  So I am confident that our decision is sound and Lord-directed.  That’s the clincher, that I have a chance at a reasonable quality of life, even though the recovery time may be longer, I can still have Jake, Maddy, Charlotte and Elise around me and not be worried if a dose of radiation from me will harm them. 

Jesus Christ has been involved in my life since high school, nearly fifty years ago now.  I am convinced that he is in the middle of this cancer situation too.  I am trusting him through this part of the adventure that I’ve been on for the last sixty-four years.  Stay tuned as this saga continues!

The Beaver Song

Every day on the way to work at Seattle Children's I pass by the Lake Washington terminal for Kenmore Air, which flies Beavers exclusively all around the Northwest and southeastern Britich Columbia.  I often think of the trust U-6 Beaver we had at Phu Hiep.  This, unfortunately, is the only picture I have of that ole workhorse.

Well, George Drago sent me this link to a fun, great video that I thought you'd all enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3w_v0k57KhE

Tha Adventure Continues ...

I’ve been thinking on how I wanted to write this next entry of my “Adventure”, since I told you last time that I was to go in to my urologist and have a biopsy to see if I had prostate cancer.  Well, on October 5^th the biopsy was taken … not as unpleasant an experience that I had imagined, but I wouldn’t recommend it just for something to do if you have a couple of days off!  That was Wednesday, and Thursday I had decided to take off in case I was in any pain or discomfort (I would recommend taking the day after off).  Friday evening the doctor called me to let me know that he had received the pathology report, and it showed that I have an adenocarcinoma of the prostate.

I told Karin that the doctor called and that I had some bad news and some great news.  The bad news, of course, was that the test had come back positive for cancer (there’s that “c” word again), but that the great news was that I was a good candidate for surgery or radiation treatment.  Now I’m just new at this cancer stuff, but as I understand it I fall somewhere in the mid-range of severity, and that it is treatable!  The other great news was that I knew that somehow God was in the middle of this whole thing.

So, the load of unknowing had been lifted somewhat off our shoulders, but I’ll let you know that it is still not all that easy, as I am sure many of you who have experienced a potentially life threatening disease or situation already know.  I have my “up” moments and my “down” moments to be sure. There is a new song by Laura Story called “Blessings” that has really helped me in the past month or so.  She is talking to God when she sings in the chorus:

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops


What if Your healing comes through tears


What if a thousand sleepless nights


Are what it takes to know You’re near


What if trials of this life are

Your mercies in disguise

Our raindrops have caused some tears and some sleepless nights, but, like I said in the previous article, Karin and I know that God through Jesus Christ (that big “C” word I spoke of) is near and involved in every circumstance in our lives, including that awful little “c” word!


I have also applied to the VA (through my Service Officer at the Disable American Veterans) for additional Special Monthly Compensation for prostate cancer as a presumed disease due to exposure to Agent Orange.  It's an easy process.  Take advantage of the VA if you haven't, you have earned it!

I’ll keep you posted as I begin treatment after we get back from the OV-1 Mohawk Association Reunion in Lost Wages, Nevada, next month.  The urologist said we would have to wait about 6 weeks after the biopsy to allow the wounds to completely heal before beginning treatment.  The adventure continues!

So, I encourage you, if you have not looked at a Bible in years, or even if you have, read the Gospel of St. John (it’s available online too!) to get to know Jesus.  He really is worth knowing, believe me! 

And Now for Something Completely Different...

I hope John Cleese will forgive me for stealing his famous line from Monty Python’s Flying Circus, but I thought you all would like to see this video in the first link from Jim Taylor and then hear the audio from Lutheran Airlines in the second link below…

Look at stills, and then watch the video on a full screen view.  (Tighten your seat belts)  The language you hear is the one spoken in the German-speaking part of Switzerland.  These glider pilots are unbelievable!  No power and flying like the Blue Angels!  Click below and view the stills followed by the video.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1265891/Hold-think-youre-going-Skydiver-grabs-gliders-tail-fin-fly-2-100-metres-100mph.html

We’ve all flown commercially and are familiar with the flight attendants’ instructions that are given as the aircraft taxis for takeoff.  Well, click below and listen to this wonderful speech (no pictures with this one) that was recorded on a recent Lutheran Airlines flight…  My friend Karen Wygant at Seattle Children’s Hospital sent this one to me.

http://dauckster.posterous.com/lutheran-airlines-fg-audio-only