Episode 53 - Harry Dogwater

Tom tells his story about siphoning dog blanket water from the broken washing machine, Tom’s implant woes, Ema gives an account of her chemotherapy experience thus far, and Nick and Juliana give a quick cameo and tell us about their weeks’ adverntures.

Download or listen here.

Thanks!

Breathe In, Breathe Out - A Cancer Recovery Journal - 16

Ema's first day of chemotherapy was this past Thursday. Note the chocolates next to her. She brought them as bribes to the nurses so they would be kind with their needles. Hey - attitude is everything, but a little kissing up doesn't hurt either!

Under her right shoulder blade there's a miraculous little, self-sealing silicone device - a medi-port (or porta-cath) that allows up to 1,000 needle punctures without the need to prod around for a good vein to use each time. We are so thankful for this type of technology. She'll be doing chemo through late June once per week - two weeks on, one week off.

Feel free to leave words of encouragement as comments on this blog, and I'll be sure she gets them.

Thanks!

Tom

Breathe In, Breathe Out - A Cancer Recovery Journal - 15

Hi folks - It's been over a month since the last Ema update, and something happened earlier this week that we wanted to share.

Ema visited her oncologist (one of her oncologists, actually - she has a team of them), and he told her he'd like for her to start chemotherapy next week.

This was unexpected since we were told back in November that we could wait to use chemo in the event of a relapse.

Well, the UCLA oncology board revisited her case and decided that, since the tumor was 5cm - the exact cutoff size for recommending chemo, and it was a very aggressive, rare type of tumor, that chemo would be a good thing at this point.

Ema's attitude is amazing. She's not looking forward to losing her hair, but beyond that, she's taking all of this really well.

In a sense, we both feel a little better about her situation because, until this news, it was up to us to make the decision regarding chemo at this time. She was borderline, and the doctors left the decision up to us. It's comforting, in a way, to have the doctors go ahead and recommend what they believe is best at this point. Chemo is pretty nasty stuff, but so is soft-tissue sarcomas. Better safe than sorry.

Ema had chemo before - some fifteen years ago when she had Hodgkin's disease. She lost her hair then, which was stick straight, and it grew back wavy. We're joking now that it will probably grow back in tight curls - ala Freida - the little curly-headed girl in Charlie Brown.

She starts chemo next week, and has to sit in the chair for about 5 hours once per week for her treatments which will last four months - maybe five.

I'm firing up this journal again to keep you folks up to date, and we'll give more details in the next podcast.

Thanks!

Tom

Episode 52 - Trashy Books

Ema confesses to reading trashy novels late at night, one of which she gave to me as a Christmas gift; Juliana presents her rather macabre list of things she likes; and we come close to apologizing for last episode’s knock-down, drag-out – we are fine foks – honest!

Download/Listen HERE

Subscribe in iTunes HERE

Fresh and Easy market

The Unreal OC Promo

Ema went on a rant during our latest podcast (#51), and it was classic enough to isolate and send out to the world. Enjoy. www.theunrealoc.com

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Episode 51 - Swingers!

Don’t even bother asking us if we are swingers, cause we aint. Also in this episode – new year resolutions, end of the year crime log, and Ema tears Tom a new one. . .again.

Download it HERE

Check out Nick's new stick figure animation website HERE.

Send us feedback HERE.

Thanks!

Ema and Tom

Barefoot in the Garage 8

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BFIG - Now Open Late!

New website now open for business: www.barefootinthegarage.com

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Barefoot in the Garage 7

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Barefoot in the Garage # 6

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Barefoot in the Garage # 5

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Barefoot in the Garage # 4

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Barefoot in the Garage # 3

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Episode 50 - Merry Christmas!

It’s The Unreal OC’s 50th episode, and our Christmas episode! So order up this tasty combo, and don’t forget to super-size it because this will be one comic feast you won’t regret.

Click HERE to download or listen online.

Click HERE to subscribe.

Thanks, and Merry Christmas to all!!!

Breathe In, Breathe Out - A Cancer Recovery Journal - 14

It's been a few weeks since I posted an Ema update, so here's what's happening. Ema is undergoing her 4th week of radiation therapy on the tumor site (leg). She is doing very well with only minor fatigue and very little blistering.

Her attitude is amazing. I told her yesterday that I'm stunned at how positive she is being through all of this.

We can thank her radiologist and his team for their kindness and expertise during each one of Ema's 5-day-per-week visits to their clinic.

She will be finished with her treatments before Christmas, so we'll have even more reason to celebrate!

Ema and I are planning our Christmas Podcast episode, which will also be our 50th episode - stay tuned for that within the next week or so.

All the best to you, our loyal listeners.

Cheers,

Tom

36 Podcasting Hot Tips - Free Ebook Download!

For a limited time, for you - our respected listeners, I'll be offering (sound like a real infomercial, don't it?) my newest Ebook, 36 Podcasting Hot Tips - FREE!

Just click HERE to download and enjoy!

Give it away as a gift for that special someone for the holidays. Of course, a free ebook may not shoot you to the top of their 'A' list, but it's the thought that counts - right?

Thanks for your support!

Tom

Make Some Sunday Morning Donut Money!

Become an affiliate for Podcasting Quick Start, and make 50% commission on each and every sale of my new podcasting ebook!

As warned, my ebook took a price hike from $4.99 to $14.99 but it now includes a companion audio book with sound examples and extra material not found in the ebook.

So, bad news if you want to buy one, but great news if you have a Web site or blog and want to promote this ebook and make some extra holiday scratch! Here's the 411:

Start selling as an affiliate: https://paydotcom.com/a.page.php?id=29774&u=EbookHookup

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Thanks folks, and have a great Thanksgiving or whatever you may be celebrating in your part of the world.

- Tom

Episode 49 - We Are Back

See, I knew if I just quit talking about it and actually DO IT, we'd get another show to you fine folks. In this episode Ema and I attempt to fill you in on the past couple of CRAZY months.

Enjoy.

Download HERE.

The Definition of Spontaneity

We've all seen them. The headphone-wearing people dancing on the corner, with their signs advertising everything from new home sales to pizza by the slice.

I've made the argument that this may be one of the few occupations where job performance may actually improve with the introduction of moderate amounts of THC. Time would fly by, the music would sound fantastic, your inhibitions would dissolve. Or so I imagine. . .

This poor gent however, has neither rhythm nor enthusiasm. But that's not why I took this picture.

No, I took this picture because I could not, for the life of me, conceive of a situation where a person would be driving along and, upon seeing this fellow, be spontaneously persuaded to to get a tattoo.

I can see touring a new home, buying a pizza, maybe even getting an advance on my paycheck, but getting a tattoo, seems to me, is one of the few things in life that requires some planning and forethought.

Am I right here, or have I simply gotten old. Have I forgot what it's like to be young, full of piss and vinegar, cruising the boulevard with nothing better to do that scoff convention? Don't answer that. Or better yet, go ahead and give me your opinion. I'm sure Ema will agree with you as long as your opinion contradicts mine.

Breathe In, Breathe Out - A Cancer Recovery Journal - 13

Great News! We received the PET/CT results yesterday and they show no signs of abnormal cell activity!

Ema started radiation treatment yesterday. That's going to be five days per week for 6 1/2 weeks. We are prepared for anything, but so glad that all we have to do for now is radiate the leg, start physical therapy and keep our eyes focused on the future.

We just made reservations for next summer's vacation at the Santa Barbara Family Vacation Center. Same as this past year. So, yes, we are literally 'banking' on Ema being well.

Thanks for all your prayers and kind thoughts. The next few entries will contain excerpts from Ema's personal cancer journal.

Today's word of the day: Persevere

- Tom