The Prodigal Blogger

Hi again. Dixie Barnes checking again for the first time in about three years. I've had some major life issues since my last post.

Dennis is still with me, but he's been going through major health problems. His Agent Orange Poisoning has left him with cancers in his bladder and prostate. He's had several surgeries, chemo, and just finished radiation treatments (35). Now we are waiting for the side effects of the treatments to subside and to learn if all the wear and tear on his body and soul have been worth it. We don't know if the cancer is gone, or if we have to go through more treatments.

In the meantime, he's been suffering with major back issues, too. sciatica, spondylosis, degenerative discs, and more. He can only stand for a few minutes at a time, and says it feels like daggers sticking into his backside, where the sciatic nerve branches down into both legs. The hot flashes that have resulted from pre-radiation injections are very annoying to him, and his daughter and I, while sympathizing to an extent, still enjoy teasing him with a "Welcome to women's world" now and then.

He walks stooped over, a big change from just a few years ago, when he was tall and straight. His skin color is much paler than it's ever been. He always had a nice tan as a young man. He tends to repeat his stories over and over, and is obsessed with his health, understandably. I pray that our friends and family will forgive him for talking about his genital discomfort and hot flashes when we get together.

We spend a lot of time together at home watching his favorite tv shows. If it's something I don't like to watch, I have my phone or my laptop handy. I don't always go with him on his road trips to the doctor or the shopping trips he takes to Tractor Supply, etc. But I know he understands that I love him and support him. I wish we could go on one last trip together to the mountains, which we both dearly love seeing. But I'm afraid our traveling days are over.

I'm still doing the art thing. Once a month we have a little meeting lasting about 90 minutes or so, and we discuss our art and work on projects. We try to challenge ourselves to work in different mediums and techniques, and we still take turns displaying a painting in our local bank. That's always a hoot!

I still write, too. I usually journal or write essays and short stories. I need to work on my two novels in the works. I've decided to rejoin WVU to work on the basics of my writing. I want to do the MFA program in WVU. It is a challenge I hope I can finish.

That's enough for tonight. I tend to babble on. Sorry about that.

Keep on writing, reading and drawing/painting. Catch you later.