Before the Storm

I wrote the following on July 21, 2021 before taking Amtrak to Chicago and Metra to Grayslake.  It was intended to be a bit of closure on recent happenings in my life, but you will soon find out, it was nothing more than light showers before a health hurricane became a part of our new lexicon which is the focus for Blog #21 (soon to come).   

July 21^st:  Not sure where I’m going these days.  My mind, what’s left of it, seems to be on three distinct paths these days:

• How does one deal with the ongoing complexities of Covid?
• How can I spend more time with my family without overdoing?
• Health issues in the fourth quarter?

Let’s start with, strangely, the easiest of these–Covid. Maybe it’s the Boomer Generation as we make our last stand for relevance in a changing world but most of us seem agreed on one tenet, “Get the damn shot. No muss, no fuss, no political intrigue, get the shot and maybe, as a nation we can move on to other issues facing the nation and the world.”  In 1954, I was a polio shot recipient and nothing could have made my parents happier. No more worrying every summer about the possibility of one or more of their sons ending up in an Iron Lung.  It was good news all around and like mumps, measles, and other diseases a major health concern had been eradicated. Of course, there is now the reality that some of these avoidable diseases are returning as anti-vaxxers decide, it is their constitutional right not inoculate their own children when fortunate for them, their parents had the wisdom to get them vaccinated.  One wise person wrote, “The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom.”  Let’s hope that a critical mass does get vaccinated in the days ahead so we can get everyone’s kids back to work and our grandchildren back in school.

Now let’s talk about family:  Diane and I have three kids–Jennifer and her crew in Corpus Christi, TX; Gordon III and his family in the Cleveland area, and Ryan and his in Grayslake, IL.  There are six grandchildren and, of course, like all grandparents we love them all and they are the apples of our eye. The challenge is how to get around to see everyone without spending all our time “on the road.”  Get out a map of the United States and you can see our dilemma as everyone is spread out in areas that take time to get to. Ryan–no problem as Grayslake is four hours away but Chagrin Falls, Ohio, is nine hours away and Corpus Christi a full day by plane. This may not seem like much of an issue to “young” people, but while the ultimate destination is always worth the travel, getting there is harder than it used to be and takes a lot out of these two old-timers.  My challenge is to realize it’s just not like driving to the other side of town; I envy those of you with that situation.  I need to wrap my arms around the fact that we just might have to settle for seeing the “distant” families once or hopefully twice a year as Father Time or Mother Time keep ticking.  Of course, they could all come see us but the amount of planning that entails for each of them with young kids is incredible.  I’ve seen that first hand. Put this on the list of “small problems.”

I’ve had some minor health issues lately.  In March 2010 I began a difficult journey with base of tongue cancer that involved 35 blasts of radiation over the course of five week and concurrently 4 chemo treatments with cisplatin (the Red Devil).  I have been fortunate to be NED—no evidence of disease for the past 11 years.  The Taylors are most grateful.  Now, don’t worry, I’m fine and this story has a happy ending so read on without me talking about my obituary. I continue to walk 4-5 miles most days and feel good most of the time.  I love chocolate, ice cream bars, and Diet Coke.  Sitting on our deck, Diane and I enjoy a glass of wine before dinner.  I am not the man I was at 30 or even 40 or 50 or 60 or good God 70, but I’m hanging in there.  It is apparent that Gordy Taylor is slowing down a bit and while not a real “nap taker,” I no longer fight lying down after working in the yard or returning from a walk.  Squamous skin cancer regularly appears as punishment for an unhealthy preoccupation with the sun but as long as I keep melanoma at bay, I pretty much live my life with impunity.  Both Diane and I had bouts with Covid but are fully vaccinated and moving on with our lives. Yet, age is now always out there, lurking around, playing games with my mind, and making me wonder:  Is this it? Is something happening to me? Should I be worried?

BOOM! Here goes: I just had my most serious health episode since 2010. It all started on Sunday, June 20th. I had a rash on my back and was looking for something to help me sleep that night and found something called Ativan in the “Taylor pill arsenal.” It said take 1-2 at bedtime for itching so I was good to go. Now, I’m a guy, so if one is good then two must clearly be even better.  I went sound to sleep and woke up the next morning with a mild pain in my neck which was probably caused by my “overdose” that resulted in sleeping incorrectly all night.  I didn’t think much about it and on the 21st Diane and I headed up to visit the Grayslake Taylors.  On the 22nd I took a Metra to Chicago and Diane stayed behind to bond with 2 ½ year old Dan.  I flew to Corpus Christi on the 23rd and hooked up with the Stevensons and Gordon III for a weekend of family stories, walking, dining, and good fun.  My neck continued to bother me so I had a couple of chiropractor visits but I was surviving, not happy about it, but getting by. 

I was scheduled to leave Corpus on the 28th as I was interviewing Dr. Huang, our new president at Western Illinois University on the 30th on my local access tv show.  Southwest texted that my flight was cancelled but they could get me “out” on the 29th which, while extremely difficult, could be done in time to get to Macomb for that 10:30 a.m. interview on the 30th.  Are you still with me?

Here we go–planes, shuttles, and cars. I arrived at the Corpus airport in plenty of time for the 4:35 flight to Houston with a very tight connection to Midway.  I looked up on the board, and there was that word DELAYED. My heart sank; I’ll never make it.  However, miraculously I did. I got off the plane in Houston and the gate to Midway was 10 minutes away and my flight was leaving in 6.  Hooray, all my walking paid off and I was on the plane with a mere 30 seconds to spare.  I arrived at Midway and met Diane who had driven down from Grayslake and got us a hotel reservation.  We were asleep at 11 p.m. and headed to Macomb at 4:45 a.m. We arrived at 35 Indian Trail at 8 a.m. and, and I met President Huang at 10:30 a.m. and 90 minutes later, the interview was “a wrap.” OK, why didn’t I reschedule the interview? I had already done so once and I felt the need to get “his story” out to alumni and friends of Western in a timely manner. Bad judgement on my part? I suppose, but sometimes you just do what you have to do.

Now what about that NECK? All the travel did me no favors and on the evening of the 30th Diane said, “I hate to mention this but the left side of your neck looks swollen. Is it?”  I also had noticed it as well and the next day, after some Diane Taylor phone magic we were on our way to West Burlington, Iowa, to meet with my ear, nose, throat (ENT) specialist.  We were both in a state of shock.  After 11 years, had “it” returned? Was this the beginning of a downward spiral?  We were both very and I mean very worried! 

The doctor felt my lymph nodes, put the tube down my nose to look at the back of my tongue, gave me ultrasound and then said, “I think you need to get a CT-scan, just in case.”  We inquired, what does “just in case” mean, and he explained that while he was optimistic, we needed to check things out. If the CT-scan showed something, then it would be necessary for a needle biopsy into the node he had found and we would go from there.  Radiation?  No, that was a one-shot deal in 2010.  Other options would have to be explored. Holy smokes, July 2-9 was a very long week as we waited for the CT-scan which was scheduled late the afternoon of the 9th. And the NECK. It was getting worse each day. I now could not move it to the left or right and the pain was extreme.  What was happening to Gordy Taylor?  That weekend seemed like it would never end. On Monday, “Dr.” Diane was on the phone and got the news–NO CANCER and the happy dance began. More checkups would be necessary but for now good news. They said to come back in three months. Hell no, I need relief for my neck now, the pain is unbearable.  Soon a prescription for prednisone and a regimen of physical therapy were in the pipeline.

On Wednesday afternoon, July 14th, I entered Advanced Rehab in Macomb. Diane had to drive me there because the neck trauma was that acute. I told the therapist “Please help me, I can’t go on this way.”  He took some readings and the search was on for what had mysteriously caused all this difficulty. It appears that fateful evening of June 20th, I had somehow gotten some muscles wedged between a couple of vertebrae.  Really, yes really. Improvement has been very gradual but it is happening and my range of motion is improving and the pain relenting. 

And that’s my latest 4th Quarter story.  I am coming to terms with the reality that someday everything might not work out in my favor, but this time at least, it pretty much seems I’m back on track.  I wonder how would I have navigated these perilous waters of the past month without Diane and the answer is pretty obvious to me–not well.  Sometimes the stress of health issues test relationships.  I’m grateful that after almost 53 years we are still managing to travel this tapestry of our lives together and with optimism and hope for the future. Take each day as it comes and enjoy them as well.  Maybe the old woman I ran into on the beach in Florida decades ago said it best. “Young man, everyday above ground is a great day.” I need to remember that.