Dance With Abandon

 

This is a short video I took of Hunters, a gay dance bar in Palm Springs, California during my visit February 16, 2019.

We were all dancing with abandon, not realizing our world was about to change with COVID just around the corner.

When I returned home, Bill, my husband of fifty-nine year, had two strokes. For the next three years I was his full-time caregiver until he died in February of 2024.

Last year I visited Palm Springs again with Pat but didn't go to Hunters because I had a lot on my mind. I considered my visit to Palm Springs the last time in this life. I've changed my mind though. Since I found out that my prostate cancer has not spread, I think I'll visit Palm Springs again this February. I'll have to check the finances to see if I can swing it. I'm getting to the end of this lifetime. I would like to have at least one more party. Too much is going on in the world now and I need some happy times. 

Philadelphia Skyline June 2026

 

Last week while Pat and I were visiting our longtime friend Don McK. in Philadelphia, I took this short video of Pat and Don on the roof of the building where he lives at 21st and Chestnut Streets in Center City Philadelphia. 

Checkout that skyline. I think Philly has the best skyline of any city in the United States.

I thought our visit to Don would be my last visit. He's eighty nine years old and I was under the assumption that my prostate cancer had spread and I would be long for this world. Now with the positive results of my PET-SCAN this week, I'm making plans to visit Don again. Pat will be down this fall and that's when we'll be up on Don's roof again with that fabulous view of Philadelphia's skyline. 

Good News!

GOOD NEWS! I just received the results of my PET-SCAN that I took today. Here is the specific wording: "No evidence of metastatic disease or adenopathy". Then the report goes into more detail but there is no evidence of prostate cancer. The only negative, which I expected, "The heart if enlarged. There are extensive atherosclerotic coronary artery calcifications" I knew I had this condition. But the really good news is that your prayers worked. 

I DON'T HAVE PROSTATE CANCER!

PET-SCAN Today

 

Me, Milton Delaware June 29, 2014. Shortly after I received my first treatment for my prostate cancer. This time I'm not seeking treatment. I'm ready to rejoin Bill in Heaven. No more medical procedures for this 84 year old.

Today at 1:15 PM I get my PET-SCAN.

My urologist suggested that I get this six months ago to see if and how far my returning prostate cancer has spread. 

It has been frustrating getting this appointment. The local hospital has changed my appointment three times. My original appointment was when Pat was here. Then they changed it to July 2nd. I called and complained that I didn't want to travel down tourist ladened Route One so close to the Fourth of July. In the past Route One has been a parking lot. Pat and I already experienced that parking lot traffic jam last week. I've had medical appointments in the summer tourist season before and been late for them. Each year the traffic gets worse. This year so far has already proved that. I'm nervous enough about getting another IV poked in my arm and being in a tube for an extended length of time then sitting around for about two hours. I don't need the added stress of being stuck in a typical summertime Rehoboth Beach Route One (Coastal Highway) parking lot.

I've already made the decision not to seek further treatment for my prostate cancer even though my doctor seems anxious to begin that process. I'm done with treatments, especially the side effects. 

I'm old enough now (84) to call it quits on this life. I've had a wonderful life and I certainly don't want to spend whatever time I have left like my brother John, friend Rich, friend Larry and many others struggling through each day dealing with the side effects of their treatments. And I certainly don't want to be dependent on anyone to take care of me. Be it Pat or some other person who I have to pay. I choose to spend my remaining days as I am now, independent and able to take care of myself. When that is no longer viable then I will take advantage of Delaware's right to die law, which became effective this year. 

That's it for now. 

Have a great day!

I Love Mexican Food!

 

While Pat was down here the last couple of weeks, we explore new restaurants in the area. We found a new favorite Mexican restaurant. It is called Sol Azeteca and it is located in Georgetown, Delaware.

Georgetown is the county seat of Sussex County Delaware. Pat and I were married in Georgetown last November. Bill and I were also married in Georgetown in July of 2013.

Georgetown is heavily Hispanic thus the profusion of Mexican restaurants. I do love me some Mexican food. Not too hot but just on the spicy side. I especially liked their frozen lime Margaritas. And even better, they only cost $8. Other restaurants charge $13 and they aren't even as big as the Margaritas I get at Sol Azeteca. 

Pat, the vegan that he is, ordered the grilled veggies. Oh they smelled so good. I may order them the next time. We ate at Sol Azeteca three times. All three times I ordered the same entree, Chile Rellenos.

A vegan dish which tastes vaguely reminiscent of Eggplant Parmesan. The main ingredient is a big Chile pepper (not hot). Has a stem which I don't eat. It's enough for two and occasionally three meals which I have done. 

Before Bill died, Pat and I used to get together four times a year for trips. Now that I can no longer travel and my household income is cut in half, our "holidays" are here at Casa Tipton-Kelly. I save on transportation and housing accommodations but we continue to eat out almost every night. I love it. 

Have a great day everyone!

Pat's Gone

 

Pat leaving for his home in Hamilton, Ontario Canada early this morning

Pat left very early this morning.

Really early.

He was planning on leaving at 3:30 AM but when he got up for a bathroom visit at 2:30 AM he couldn't get back to sleep. I also happened to get up at the same time. Oh, by the way, we do sleep in separate bedrooms. 

As in his past visits, our time together went by so fast. Too fast.

We did so much during his visit. One big accomplishment is that Pat replaced all my smoke detectors which were ten years over their expiration date. What a relief that is going to be not to hear those "chirping" sounds at random times during the day and night.

We did so much else during his visit. Two days in Philadelphia visiting our friend Don McK. 

Also, Pat took me to several of my doctors' appointments which was a big help for me. However, we did miss the Big One which was my PET-SCAN. That one has been rescheduled for next week (June 24th). 

During Pat's visit, we ate out almost every night. We didn't plan to do that but I'm finding we default to our past get togethers when we traveled to California, Canada and Philadelphia. I never eat out otherwise so this is a treat for me. Most of our dine outs were at local Mexican restaurants and a couple new ones. I'll write about all these in future posts.

Right now I'm feeling lonely again. I'll be so glad when Pat can move down here permanently and we can spend all of our time together. Of course we'll have to change our eating habits though. Can't afford to eat out every night!

More later.

Have a great day!

Philadelphia Visit

 

Pat, Don and me in Center City Philadelphia a couple days ago.

The last two days we visited our friend Don at his home in center city Philadelphia.

We had a wonderful visit.

The weather was perfect. Cool, sunny and breezy.

I had difficulty in walking around so this was definitely my last visit to Philadelphia. I just don't have the strength any more like I used to in my glory days when I was young, beautiful and charming. Those days are history. Now I'm just a bumbling old man struggling to walk and not fall.

Pat has been and continues to be a wonderful caregiver for me. 

He has accompanied me to all my doctors' visits for the past two weeks. Unfortunately my PET-SCAN has been rescheduled again (the third time) for next week. Pat leaves early this Saturday morning. I'll have to endure that stress solo. What a nightmare it's been preregistering but I don't bore you all with the details only to say, I wish the people you talk to on the phone had English as their first language.

Getting ready to go out to dinner tonight again. Perhaps non Mexican this time but I have been imbibing quite a bit on frozen Margaritas.