J.C. SIMON

• Sunday, April 18th, 2010 - Thing have been a bit hectic with not much time to make timely updates.
  First of all, I've been going thru Radiation Treatments for my Prostate. The good news is that it is Low Risk and I'm able to do it during my lunch break at work. I go Monday thru Friday. I've had 30 and there's 13 more to go.
  Also, I've found myself back on the air after a 4-year absence. I'm doing a live Sunday morning Country Oldies Request Show from 6am to 10am on 95.5 KWNR and I'm having a blast. You can listen live at kwnr.com
• Sunday, January 24th, 2010 - Haven't been able to update my websites for the past month. My computer was down, I had to replace my video card. The holidays have come & gone and I've noticed that everyone was glad to see 2009 behind us and hope for the best for 2010. My back is better, still taking painkillers but I'm now using a cane instead of the walker.
  Looking forward to watching some football today and will find out who will be playing in the Superbowl on February 7th.
• Saturday, November 28th, 2009 - Enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving at my stepson's place.  He made his first attempt at deep-frying a turkey and it came out pretty good. Also had my first experience with homemade cranberry sauce which I found to be way better than the canned stuff.
  I've been hobbling around for the past month. I've had some back & hip isssues that at first wouldn't allow me to stand up, walk or sleep on my back.  I had to borrow back Cathy's walker with wheels that I had given away.  I got an injection a couple weeks ago and it has helped, but I still need to use the walker.  I just need to lean on something when I stand up.
  Other than that I'm doing OK, spending way too much time on Facebook.
  Christmas season is here and already and just amazing how time is just speeding by.
• Monday, July 5th, 2009 - Took a quick road trip with my brother to California. Noticed that gas prices were about 50-cents higher than Las Vegas.  We spent a couple nights in Hollywood. Checked out the Comedy store and it seemed a bit slow with only about 30 people in the room.  Next day we visited Universal Studios and in the evening had dinner at Marouch, a Lebanese restaurant where I enjoyed their Kibbe Nyeah.  
  About 3am the morning of June 25th, we walked along the famous Hollywood Walkway of stars. We noticed that Michael Jackson's star was defaced with graffiti, kind of weird to find out he died later that day.  We went to Catalina Island and it seems the economy has caught up with them also. I noticed less tourists and they've cut back on the tours and the boat trips to the island. Had a nice quiet 4th of July Holiday and watched the fireworks.
• Sunday, June 7th, 2009 - I finally got the memorial cards made and mailed out.
  My brother's son Rob, visited us from Michigan last weekend, I hadn't seen him since he was a baby and now he's 32.  We spent some time at my place looking at family pictures and he helped me hook up my scanner.  I've always wanted to scan all the family photo albums and post them on the web and now I'll have to make time for that huge project. There are actually pictures from the 1930's that I hope to have scanned while there are still some people around that may be able to tell me who they are.
  My brother and I are planning a quick road trip this month to California. We plan on spending a day at Universal Studios and a day at Catalina.
  
  Go Red Wings!  I wore my Red Wings jersey last night downtown at the Fremont Street Experience and had all kinds of people come up to me to tell me they were from Detroit. ...a lot of East-Siders. That 5-0 shutout was sweet. I just wich they had rollover goals so they could use some for their next game
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• Sunday, April 26th, 2009 - Seems like there's never a dull moment. I've been staying busy which is probably a good thing.  I'm back at work and enjoying it.  I want to thank everyone for the emails, calls and cards.  Everyone's been so supportive.  I still haven't gotten around to opening the cards yet, but will be doing so soon.  I plan on making some type of prayer card for Cathy and will be sending them out.  I'm OK, and yes, I do miss her.  There are times when I walk into another room to tell her something and then remember she's not there.
  I started going to church not sure where I'm at on the Spiritual thing but I figure it's better to go than not to go.  In an effort to take better care of myself, I've joined a gym.  And I talked & met with my brother that I hadn't seen or talked to for 19 years.  We had a good visit and chatted for hours as we tried to catch up.  We will be keeping in touch.
• Sunday, April 5th, 2009 - Cathy passed away peacefully at 6:25am at Nathan Adelson Hospice.  When I saw her on Friday night April 3rd, I told her I loved her and she told me she loved me.  I didn't know at the time that it would be the last thing we said to each other.  I've posted a video of Cathy talking about her battle with cancer on the home page.
  Per her request, there will be no services.  Cremation is being handled by the Neptune Society.  Donations can be sent to the Nathan Adelson Hospice.
• April 4th, 2009 - Cathy is back at Nathan Adelson Hospice.  I brought her home last Saturday and noticed she had gotten weaker and now has a catheter.  She was glad to be home and slept from 2:30 in the afternoon until 7 the next morning.  She hasn't been eating much as her appetite has been affected.   Then, Wednesday night, she had a rough time with her pain and moaning all night despite the extra doses of pain medication.  It was decided to put her back into the hospice on Thursday afternoon and will stay there until Monday when she's supposed to be tranferred to a group care home.  As her condition worsens, I am no longer able to provide her with the proper care that she needs.  Even though we have discussed this and knew this was coming, it still saddens me to realize she won't be returning home.
• March 27th, 2009 - Cathy spent this week at the Nathan Adelson Hospice as a respite for me.  I will be bringing her back home on Saturday.  I've been getting overwhelmed with this and now I must start making arrangements to have her put into some type of a group home or care facility.  Cathy & I have discussed this and she says she's in God's hands.
• March 10th, 2009 - We're hanging in there. Cathy now has an IV device that automatically dispenses her morphine.  We're hoping that will help ease her pain.  She has her moments but I'm afraid the mind is starting to go.  She's able to get around with her walker but I have to keep an eye on her because she seems to get lost and not realize what she's doing.  We have a volunteer that has been coming to the house to sit with Cathy so that I can have a break to get out of the house and run some errands.  The folks from Nathan Adelson Hospice have been very helpful and I don't know what I'd do without them.
• December 15th, 2008 - Christmas is Cathy's favorite time of the year, we've got the house decorated.  I've got the holiday music & videos out.  We're keeping our fingers crossed that she will have her new dentures by Christmas.  Some days are better than others. As the pain gets worse, she's taking even more pain medication. She tries to get around as much as she can in her walker and sometimes is afraid to go to sleep because of the unbearable pain she has to endure when she wakes up.  I feel so helpless watching her go thru all of that.  During the day I wheel her out onto the patio as she enjoys spending some time outside and talking with the neighbors.  Each day is a new adventure as we travel onward thru the fog.
• November 15th, 2008 - A few months ago, Cathy's bridgework fell out and she had been getting some dental work done for new upper dentures.  On October 30th, after getting a molar pulled, they gave her some medication and I guess the combination of benadryl and sudafed caused her to become lethargic.   She was completely out of it for about a week and spent a couple of days at the hospice for observation.  She's now home and has most of her faculties (and feisty wit) back, but she's very weak has has lost a lot of weight.  We now have a hospital bed set up in the living room and she has to have someone with her 24/7.  So that makes me the caregiver.  For the first time in over 23 years, I doing the laundry.  The hospice sends out a CNA 5 days a week to look after Cathy.
  I'm fortunate to be in a position that I can perform most of my job duties from home.  I feel like I'm under house arrest as I'm not allowed to go anywhere unless there is someone here with her.  Needless to say, these are very trying times for me.  Friends & neighbors have been very helpful.
• Spetember 14th, 2008 - Cathy has a bucket list and on Friday she rode a hores. I'm recuperating from my surgery. Had to get my device replace and had it moved over.  After losing 135 pounds, it had moved over to my armpit. It was outpaitent but my left arm is sore and I have to take it easy for a couple week and can't drive for a few days.
• Spetember 1st, 2008 - Cathy has recovered well from her fall in July. Everything is status quo. I was on vacation last week. I didn't go anywhere just had a nice quiet week to enjoy my birthday with some excellent cigars.
  We had been dining out on a weekly basis until Cathy's bridge work feel out. So she has to make her remaining teeth work harder until she gets her new dentures. At one point her left leg was almost 3 times larger than the right. They are both down to normal now.
  I will have to get my device replaced. They're supposed to last 5-8 years but with mine it's only been 3 years. I'm schedule for the procedure on September 11th. Since I lost 135 pounds last year, it move over almost to my armpit, so when they replace it they will move it over where it should be. It's supposed to be outpatient but I may have to spend the night. This is something I'm not really looking forward to.
• July 25th, 2008 - Cathy is hanging in there keeping buys with her latch hook. Last week she fell and had to get 3 staples in the back of her head and 13 stitches on her little finger. I think her medication caused her to pass out while she was using her walker. Thank God I was home when it happened and was able to help her. She had to call the hospice and then they told us to go to the hospital emergency room.
• May 12th, 2008 - Cathy has been doing much better. She's taking steroids and it's helped her energy level and appetite. She had gotten down to 114 pounds and is now up to 126. She really loves her Tuna Fish Salad and eats it several times a day.
  I've been busy with work and doing internet cigar videos with my friend Justin. We have fun and it's very politically incorrect. You can find the episodes on LasVegashTV.com.
  Last month I attened the Arizona Detroiters Dinner in Phoenix, Arizona, put on by Detroit Memories.com It was a great dinner and the featured guest speakers were Robin Seymour and Tom Shannon, a couple of legendary Detroit radio personalities. It was the first time I drove from Las Vegas to Phoenix and a lot smoother than the drive to the LA area.
• March 22nd, 2008 - Cathy has been getting around a lot better now using a cane.  Her pain medication keep getting increased and she's been sleeping a lot. We try to go out to dinner once a week usually at Terrible's Casino right around the corner from us. The staff knows us and gives us good service.
  I'm looking forward to Easter Sunday tomorrow. I gave up alcohol for Lent. Just before I gave it up, I had a strange dream that I could downoad a glass of wine on the internet and for the first couple of minutes after I woke up, I really believed it and was trying to remember if it was a PDF or some other kind of format.
  I think someone is trying to tell me something!  The key as with everything else, is Moderation.
• February 4th, 2008 - Cathy has been using a wheelchair for the past 4 weeks.   The tumor caused her leg to fracture and she had to get hip replacement surgery last week. She spent 4 days in the hospital and the surgery was successful.   Plans are for her to undergo radiation treatment on the tumor so this doesn't happen again.   Doctor expects her to be walking again after about 8 weeks.
• January 13th, 2008 - Cathy is in good spirits for the most part. The people from the hospice has been coming by to help.  Her medications have increased to kill the pain. The cancer has spread.  She now has to use a walker to get around.hanging in there. We enjoyed our time together over the holidays.
  I'm playing softball twice a week with the Las Vegas Senior Softball Association.  It's a year-round league and some of the players actually use bat warmers for their expensive bats.
  For HALLOWEEN both of us dressed up as Stewie from Family Guy.
• September 1, 2007 - Cathy is hanging in there. We just came back from vacation. We drove to Reno where we spent 1 night and then to San Francisco where we stayed 2 nights and had a great time. We did a bus tour of the city and then a bus tour of winery country in Sanoma. We enjoyed a great meal at Fishermans Wharf. We then drove down to Monterey and stayed the night is Pismo Beach. Our hotel The Cliffs was right on the ocean ...very nice.
  The weight loss has slowed down but the inches are coming off. 130 since last November and 102 since my surgery. It's hard to believe that last year I wore XXXL size shirts and now I'm wearing Large.
• August 4, 2007 - The people from the hospice have been coming over to assist Cathy. She has her moments and tires easily. The pain killers are helping.
  My weight loss is now at 98 pounds since my surgery 7 months ago and 126 pounds lost since last November. In an effort to be more active, I've joined a senior softball league that plays Tuesday & Thursday mornings every week. Seems that nobody uses wooden bats anymore. It had been about 15 years since I've used my baseball glove so it's going to take a while for me to get up to speed, but I'm really enjoying it.
• May 21, 2007 - After suffering a lot of pain and having to get blood transfusions, Cathy has decided to cease her chemo treatments.
  My weight loss is now at 80 pounds since my surgery 5 months ago and 108 pounds lost since the beginning of November.
• April 9, 2007 - Doing fine.  I've now lost 64 pounds since my surgery and 92 pounds since November. Still fitting into clothes I haven't been able to wear for years. I took a trip last week as I drove down to San Diego and spent one night in Rosarito, Mexico. I had a great time hanging out there with the locals. It was spring break down there and enjoyed watching all the young people go wild.
  Cathy has started another round of chemo. The cancer is in her stomach and lungs.
• March 1, 2007 - Doing fine.  I've now lost 48 pounds since my surgery. Starting to fit into clothes I haven't been able to wear for years. I'm enjoying my cigars again in moderation.
  Cathy's doing well. Her upper & lower GI colonoscopy went well Doctor is concerned about her weight loss and wants her to drink Boost or Ensure. She has a catscan scheduled for later this month.
• January 29, 2007 - Things are going well.  I've lost 30 pounds since my surgery. I'll be eating pureed foods thru the end of March.  I'm trying to be a little more active. I enjoy going out for walks, but with our cold weather here it's been a challenge. This has been the coldest winter I've ever seen in Las Vegas and I've been here for over 27 years.
  Cathy's doing well. She has an upper GI & colonoscopy scheduled for February 16th.
• January 4, 2007 - Had a quiet New Years.  Making a nice recovery from the surgery.  The drainage tube was removed last week and I was informed that my gallbladder will be removed in 3 months. I started driving again this week. My diet has changed from clear liquids to full liquids.  And starting on the 6th I begin a Pureed diet for the next 3 months.  Portions have increased slightly from 3 tablespoons to 1/4 cup.  The weight is starting to come off. I've lost 10 pounds since the surgery and I can feel my clothes getting looser.  I go back to work on the 8th.
• December 25, 2006 - Had a nice Christmas at home with family and exchanged gifts.  At least this Christmas I don't have to worry about overeating.  My first week after surgery has me limited to 3 meals a day of clear liquids.  They consist of 3 tablespoons of Broth, 3 Tablespoons of sugar-free non carbonated juice and 3 Tablespoons of sugar-free Jell-O.  And I don't seem to feel hungry at all.  I go in on the 28th to get a checkup and hopefully have my drainage tube removed.
• December 23, 2006 - My surgery on the 21st was a success.
  I had to spend the first night in Intensive Care and I was released on the 23rd. I will have to stay away from cigars for a few weeks to help the healing process.  So at least I get to spend the holidays at home with family.
• December 3, 2006 - Sure was nice to see the Tigers in the World Series.  Looks like winter has come early to Las Vegas overnight temperature is about 35 degrees, but it feels like 30.
  Cathy had to quit her job and is going on disability. She's had trouble with her legs & feet swelling and had to wear slippers instead of shoes during the last 2 weeks of her employment.  I have surgery scheduled for the 21st of this month.  I should be out of there in time to spend Christmas at home.  Other than that, same ole stuff with me.
  Last month voters passed a ban on smoking in most public places except for casino. It bans smoking anywhere food is served. The law is supposed to go into effect on December 8th but there still hasn't been any explanation on the details of the law or how it will be enforced.  Something is wrong with our society when Smoking scenes get deleted from the new James Bond movie but yet they leave the violence & murder scenes in the movie.
• September 30, 2006 - Cathy is going thru chemo again (4th time).  This time it's in her lungs.  She's still working and trying to cope with things.  Her energy level is pretty good in the morning but she becomes very tired by late afternoon and early evening. She's taking pain medication.  Everything is about the same in my world.
  Summer seemed to go by quickly and it turned out to be not as hot as the last couple of years.  My couisn Michelle and her husband Terry and son Jacob were in town in June and we had a nice visit.  Michelle was working the UAW convention here in Las Vegas.  Michelle's brother Joe and his girlfriend Lorrie were in town for the Postal Service convention in August and we hooked up and visited the new Red Rock Casino.  We had dinner at a Barbecue restaurant called Salt Lick.
• June 2, 2006 - Cathy was released from the hospital!
  She's now at home recuperating.
• May 31, 2006 - Cathy's surgery was a success!
  Her right kidney was removed.
  
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