Well, I was quite tired yesterday despite it being my birthday. My sister had a cake made featuring Avion printed on it, and I think it was really cute. We had pizza and I got some Tolkien books to read. It was good to have my family over for the party, and I ate plenty and had fun.
Today I also went to the clinic and found out that the surgeon, on the day of the surgery, had removed mostly dead tissue, with only a small trace of living cancer cells he had to find under a microscope. Removing dead tissue helped, of course, and about next week I will have my sutures and staples removed before starting again with chemotherapy. I'll be looking forward to that.
Meanwhile I have been busying myself watching videos about cleaning dirty rugs, restoring antiques, and reviews of Faber-Castell Albrecht Durer watercolor pencils. Why the last one, you may ask? Well, because I bought a set of 24 of them, and am anxious to be able to finally use my right hand again. Then again... I suppose I could use my left for a time being.
Current queue:
 Sun_Burnt_Wolf--1 animated icon commission (sketched, cleanup begun);
 DrebinGrey39--1 four-character commission (sketches begun);
 SilverDruid--1 single character commission;
 DanielMania123--1 3-character commission.

Well, it’s bee two weeks since my surgery and I still have not been able to regain my drawing ability in my right hand. I’ve tried to use the putty that I got from Encompass Health to help hold the pencil or pen, but my fingers are still numb. I’m somehow afraid to make an effort to improve and I also fear that I will never recover my ability to draw. Should I pray and hope for a miracle? Or should I just call it quits and move on? It certainly isn’t looking very promising to me.

But then again, I will be 44 tomorrow, so maybe that’s something to look forward to. Maybe I can forget my troubles for a while and celebrate my birthday instead.

Tomorrow morning I need to visit a doctor, so just a quick heads-up. Still not having any luck with my right hand, but maybe I can get an occupational therapist to help me with that.
Current queue:
 Sun_Burnt_Wolf--1 animated icon commission (sketched, cleanup begun);
 DrebinGrey39--1 four-character commission (sketches begun);
 SilverDruid--1 single character commission;
 DanielMania123--1 3-character commission.

I can't believe I spent Valentine's Day in a hospital! Not that it matters, though; I have no plans to get a special someone. I also won't be able to draw again until I get better, and by get better I mean work hard to bring down the swelling in my right hand and do the whole occupational therapy thing. So don't be too disappointed in the meantime.
But anyways, it's good to be home!

Hey guys, I just want to let you know that I will be going to the hospital to get my surgery tomorrow morning. I will not be able to keep in touch with you guys 'cause, guess what? Hospitals block fA! I may be spending several days at the hospital, but I will get in touch with you as soon as possible. See you when I can!

Well, apparently I will be going to the hospital tomorrow to get ready for surgery Monday. During the surgery I will get my bone flap put back in, along with some some special chemotherapy discs that will dissolve overtime. I will most likely have to remain in the hospital to recover, so I may have difficulty finishing my commissions queue; however, I will try to get as much of it done as soon as possible. I have all weekend to work on it. Thank you in advance for your patience.
Current queue:
 Sun_Burnt_Wolf--1 animated icon commission (sketched, cleanup begun);
 DrebinGrey39--1 four-character commission (sketches begun);
 Pichuboy--1 single character commission;
 SilverDruid--1 single character commission;
 DanielMania123--1 3-character commission.

It's been a year and a half since  Tato left this site, and I have been wondering: Are their beloved characters such as Mamoo, Noni the Bewear, Tinker the Toymaker, and their sona retired? I hope not, because I, for one, would love to see them drawn again.
Anyway, what do you guys think?

Today when I was eating a biscuit, I suddenly had a spasm in my mouth; I couldn't talk, and my mouth was twitching uncontrollably. It was about a minute or two before I finally regained my ability to talk. I was, needless to say, terrified; I had never had such an experience before, at least not nearly as bad. And the funny thing is, I've been taking my maintenance chemotherapy for the past four days, and will be taking them five days a week. I don't know if that has anything to do with my symptoms but I cannot help but worry about the MRI I am scheduled to get soon. I was hoping my cancer would get under control. I know I shouldn't worry about it, but please keep my in your thoughts and prayers.

First of all, I hope you are all doing well and had a great New Year.
Yesterday I went to the clinic and got my bloodwork done. I also saw two doctors, the first one I told I was still having numbness in my right hand. He said those symptoms are not expected to improve, which is disappointing news, but not surprising. But I can still draw almost like before; it's just uncomfortable now. As long as it doesn't get any worse, I should be fine when it comes to art. I also am going to get some physical therapy here pretty soon, and starting next Thursday I will be taking maintenance chemotherapy five days a week every 28 days. Then I wi8ll get my bone flap pout back in, and maybe try out a special electronic helmet that can help treat the disease further. All in all, I have high hopes for the near future at least. I even plan to stream again sometime soon, provided I have the energy to do so.
Current queue:
 Sun_Burnt_Wolf--1 animated icon commission (sketched, cleanup begun);
 DrebinGrey39--1 four-character commission (sketches begun).

I got a lot of things to cover.
As you know, my family had to celebrate Christmas eight days late this year due to family medical emergencies. But when we finally did, I got some things I really wanted which included a 7x10 inch, 600-page leather-bound sketchbook/journal and a copy of Game Boy Tetris. I found out that the pages of the book warp pretty bad when painted with watercolor, but hey, at least I can do dry sketches on it. And it has these cool metal clasps that hold the cover closed, as well as a tree of life motif on the front cover. And I have been wanting a copy of Tetris for some time now, and found out how rusty I am at it. Oh well, I guess I'll improve. Barbara and Danny had a custom T-shirt made for me featuring some of my greeting card art of Avion and Avienne, and I love it! And the Christmas prime rib roast was a big hit!
Also, around Christmastime my older half-brother, Mark, contacted us via email and text. I have not seen him since he was 21, and I was 8 going on 9. That was in early 1988 when he parted ways with us and later joined the Navy. Now I hear he's living out of state, but it's good to hear from him, even if it is via email. Also, today is his 56th birthday, so I will probably do something for him.
Current queue:
 Sun_Burnt_Wolf--1 animated icon commission (sketched, cleanup begun);
 DrebinGrey39--1 four-character commission (sketches begun).

As mine will be delayed due to medical emergencies, I nonetheless hope you all have a better time, and that our own celebration, when it finally starts, will be as merry as possible.
Again, a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a Happy New Year to you all!

Well, yesterday I got my final radiation treatment, so that part of my battle is thankfully over. And I am also thankful that someone who worked for the rehab hospital where Dad gets his physical therapy heard about my situation and my desire to restore my old pickup was so touched she sent me a letter with $2,500 in cash towards the restoration, for which I am extremely grateful and I hope it will be enough to at least get new tires and wheels to replace the dangerous split-rim wheels it currently has and at least make it somewhat mobile. I plan to do this after Christmas.
Unfortunately, Dad has been having some issues with his left arm being swollen and red with infections, so today Mom took him to urgent care, where he is currently staying overnight getting IV treatments. I really worry for him but I know he's in good hands. Mom says we're gonna postpone Christmas until we can have everyone come over, which is fine with me considering I have done zero Christmas shopping and also have cards to make.
Current queue:
 Sun_Burnt_Wolf--1 animated icon commission (sketched, cleanup begun);
 DrebinGrey39--1 four-character commission (sketches begun);
 se6k8g--1 two-character art trade (inked and partially colored).

First of all, on Saturday I went to a late lunch at the Golden Corral with my parents. We enjoyed it, but on Monday I started feeling really sick, having a bloated stomach, lack of energy, and constipation; Mom suspects I got the flu, so we couldn't go to the clinic for my radiation treatment either Monday or Tuesday. We did, however, go to urgent care, and Dad got a shot for his own ailments. I also tested negative for Covid-19, so that's something to be positive about, as well as being prescribed Tamiflu. Today I felt so much better it was as if I never got sick, so I went to get my second-to-last radiation treatment. After that I shall be relieved for the month, and In will try to keep you updated with my progress, both medically and artistically. Thank you all for your kind support.

First of all, I am deeply sorry for upsetting anyone with my previous journal; I should have written the situation in more detail. I also feel I may have jumped the gun on how little time I have left. For all I know, it could be a few months, or a few years. Whatever it is, I have no way of knowing for sure how much time I have, but I do know this: My radiation treatment ends this Friday, and my chemotherapy this Sunday. The following week I will have follow-up appointments with my doctors and nurses. And come January, I will get MRI's and other appointments as well, to gauge the progress I have been making. Like I said, it may well turn out that I have a few years, or even a decade or two, which for me would be a miracle even if I have to continue to get treatments for that time. Believe me, the last thing I want to do, especially at this point, is upset anyone; in fact, I want you to have hope for my recovery, which is why your thoughts and prayers are appreciated more than you will ever know. You are truly great friends, greater than I deserve, in fact. Thank you all for your continued support.
Current queue:
 Sun_Burnt_Wolf--1 animated icon commission (sketched, cleanup begun);
 DrebinGrey39--1 four-character commission (sketches begun);
 se6k8g--1 two-character art trade.

I just got off the phone with a palliative care doctor, and he informed me about my cancer to make sure I knew what I was dealing with. For those who don't know, mine is a glioblastoma, which is particularly aggressive, and resistant to most treatments. There is therefore little chance of me recovering from this tumor, even with the treatment. I wish I could be more positive, but it feels like I'm not long for this world. The doctor and I did discuss my life goals, and he suggested trying to meet them, as many as I can. These include finishing some things I've left on the back burner for some time, like restoring my '55 Chevy truck and finishing my second issue of Avion and Friends Comics. I really hate to think that most of my life goals will remain unfinished, but I should at least try to make the most of what time I have left, especially since it will likely be so short. But, who knows? Maybe I will get a miracle. I sure hope so.
Current queue:
 Sun_Burnt_Wolf--1 animated icon commission (sketched, cleanup begun);
 DrebinGrey39--1 four-character commission (sketches begun);
 se6k8g--1 two-character art trade.

Well, since next Friday is going to be the last day of my radiation treatment, and I have nowhere to go on weekeds, I have decided to finish  DanielMania123's commission today, since all that remains to be done on it is shading and highlghts. I will be streaming it today at about 8:00 AM PST. If interested, please watch at: https://piczel.tv/watch/CoffeehoundJoe/
Also, the treatment I've been getting has left me somewhat fatigued and short of motivation, but do not worry, I'm sure these symptoms will go away soon. I have high hopes of beating this cancer soon.
Current queue:
 Sun_Burnt_Wolf--1 animated icon commission (sketched, cleanup begun);
 DrebinGrey39--1 four-character commission (sketches begun);
 se6k8g--1 two-character art trade.

Today marks the end of my fourth week of radiation therapy, and it went pretty well. I now have two more weeks of treatment, so I will finish it before Christmas. Lucky me!
Earlier this week the doctor became worried about the swelling in my left leg, and the pain in that shin pushed him to give me an ultrasound to see if I had a blood clot. Thankfully, the next day we found out they was no sign of a blood clot, so I won't have to be put on blood thinners or have my treatment delayed again. I hope this whole treatment continues to go we for me and my family. I also am still struggling to make and finish art because my hand is still not working quite like I would like it to, but yet I somehow manage to do sketches and drawings, so I will continue trying. Thank you all once again for your patience and understanding; your support means so much to me.
Current queue:
 Sun_Burnt_Wolf--1 animated icon commission (sketched, cleanup begun);
 DrebinGrey39--1 four-character commission (sketches begun);
 DanielMania123--1 five-character commission (characters inked and colored, background partially inked);
 se6k8g--1 two-character art trade.

Hello everyone, hope you all had a good Thanksgiving Day, with the parade and the turkey, and all that. I ended up celebrating Thanksgiving on Black Friday because we were pretty busy doing stuff like getting things ready. However, we did have a great dinner, and last night we had beef brisket, which we don't eat often enough. It was a big hit! And the pecan and pumpkin pies my brother-in-law made were excellent too.
Anyway, I am busy working on things like Thanksgiving cards for my relatives, as well as the commissions, but you'll be happy to know that I am actually making progress on these despite my right hand still being unsteady and dropping the pen or pencil all the time. (I'm finding ways to work around that).
On a final note, I have noticed that the swelling around my incision seems to be getting smaller, possibly indicating that the tumor is shrinking and the treatment is working. I hope that's the case; anyway we shall soon see for sure. So, wish me luck in my recovery, and as always, thank you for your support!
Current queue:
 Sun_Burnt_Wolf--1 animated icon commission (sketched, cleanup begun);
 DrebinGrey39--1 four-character commission (sketches begun);
 DanielMania123--1 five-character commission (characters inked and colored, background partially inked);
 se6k8g--1 two-character art trade.

Well, today I have finished the third week of my radiation treatment, and I will have four days off for the weekend. I'm looking forward to that, even though I have a truckload of stuff to do in that time, like finishing pending commissions. My right hand is getting stiffer than I have ever noticed it before, and it's causing me so much trouble and discomfort that I can now scarcely pick up a pen or pencil without dropping it, and believe me, I'm trying. So I don't know how I'll be able to finish the comms in a timely manner, to be honest. I also noticed today that the hair around my incision is falling out, likely due to the radiation and chemotherapy, and I'm not gonna lie, it is ugly.
I honestly wish I had more good news to report, but I will, at least, leave you with this message: I wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving Day tomorrow, and I thank you for all your thoughts and prayers!
Current queue:
 Sun_Burnt_Wolf--1 animated icon commission (sketched, cleanup begun);
 DrebinGrey39--1 four-character commission (sketches begun);
 DanielMania123--1 five-character commission;
 se6k8g--1 two-character art trade.

Today I finally started my radiation treatments. It was slow-going at first, but after adjusting my mask, the procedure went rather quickly. Now at last, I am fighting my real battle with cancer, and I don't expect it to be easy, but hopefully it will go well.
Also, not gonna lie, I had been feeling uncertain and somewhat depressed for a time, to the point where I was condsidering canceling my treatments altoghether. Not that the doctors would let me, seeing all the trouble they've gone through so far to help me, but I just gotta be honest with you, sometimes things seem so bleak I just wanna throw in the towel. Luckily I changed my mind, and decided to fight the cancer after all. Let's hope this works out great.
Current queue:
 Sun_Burnt_Wolf--1 animated icon commission (sketched, cleanup begun);
 DrebinGrey39--1 four-character commission (sketches begun);
 DanielMania123--1 five-character commission;
 se6k8g--1 two-character art trade.

I can hardly believe it's Halloween already! Since I don't have appointments or other plans for today, I do plan to do a stream for  DanielMania123's commission and  se6k8g's art trade today, but to be honest, I haven't been having such an easy time lately. My right hand is really doing poorly; so poorly, in fact, I don't know if I'll even be able to start the drawing today. Nonetheless I plan to start it sometime today, perhaps at 11:00 AM PDT, and you can watch me at http://piczel.tv/watch/CoffeehoundJoe/ if interested.
Current queue:
 Sun_Burnt_Wolf--1 animated icon commission (sketched, cleanup begun);
 DrebinGrey39--1 four-character commission (sketches begun);
 DanielMania123--1 five-character commission;
 se6k8g--1 two-character art trade.

Hey guys, sorry for not being very active here lately, I've had a lot of things on my mind (literally). So it's been four weeks to the day since I left Encompass Health Hospital for home, and I can say I was happy to be home again, for a while at least. But in the last few days, I have been feeling some more numbness in my right thumb, index, and middle fingers, but not so much my pinky. So yesterday Mom talked to the doctors about my symptoms, then they said I should go back to taking two of my steroid pills a day instead of one, so that might help. Today I also talked to the surgeon who did my surgery, and he said my incision was doing very well, it's practically closed all the way, and the infection is pretty much gone, so on Tuesday I will get my sutures all removed. Then sometime next week I can begin my radiation and chemotherapy. He said we must be aggressive, and not hesitate to begin the treatment soon. Also I found out today that, although my tumor has grown a bit and partially filled the void left by the bone flap that was removed, the infection is gone and I no longer need any further IVs, so I can begin the treatment next week, either on Tuesday when I get my sutures removed, or on Wednesday. I still have appointments tomorrow morning and afternoon for a CT scan and an MRI respectively, but at least I now have the weekend off. I'll let you know when I will be available, as I intend to be able to stream my art soon. Thank you once again for your kindness and patience as I recover.
Current queue:
 Sun_Burnt_Wolf--1 animated icon commission (sketched, cleanup begun);
 DrebinGrey39--1 four-character commission (sketches begun);
 DanielMania123--1 five-character commission;
 se6k8g--1 two-character art trade.

So, for those of you not aware, I've had a pretty bad couple of days. First, the surgeon who removed my tumor wanted me to go on an antibiotic regimen, although why I wasn't given one from the get-go defies all logic. I mean, my head incision still hasn't healed, and now looks infected. So he sent me to another clinic clear across town to get the antibiotics, only for me to basically be told that they were booked for that day and could do nothing until they had all the information they needed, records and such. Seriously, what is the matter with these people?

Then yesterday I finally met my primary care doctor, who took a culture of my head wound, and prescribed a couple of antibiotic pills. This morning I got a CT scan, and later met with another doctor, who said that before I can begin my radiation and chemotherapy, I needed to get IV antibiotics to treat the infection. I had to get the IV treatment today, which took an hour, and I will be getting the IV treatment everyday, at 8:30 AM on weekends, and on weekday afternoons, for four weeks. Ugh, I am not looking forward to that. But at least the clinic isn't far from my house. I can't do any chemotherapy or radiation until the infection is taken care of, so I guess I'll have to pray it goes well and doesn't turn for the worse.

Well folks, it's been a while since my last update, so I feel like giving you another one. I have much to talk about, so please bear with me. Today I went to the radiologist's office, and we started to work out a schedule for radiation treatment. Keep in mind that I only got this brain tumor removed back on September 17, so it will be a couple of weeks before the actual radiation treatment begins, but once it does, I will be getting it five days a week for six to seven weeks. I will also be taking chemo at home, and I am looking forward to beating this cancer for good.
The thing is, though, what I have been diagnosed with is glioblastoma, a particularly aggressive brain cancer, so I and my doctors will have to be particularly aggressive in fighting it. I sincerely hope that I get it fully under control and that it doesn't recur, but with this disease there is no certainty of that. But at least tomorrow I will have my sutures removed, so I'm certainly looking forward to that. I also look forward to being able to drive again and go places on my own, but I'm living life one day at a time, and taking it easy for now.
On another note, I have another announcement: Soon I will be doing a very special YCH fundraiser, proceeds of which will go towards funding brain cancer research. Slots will be $20 each, and there will be a total of 20 slots. Further details will be announced later as I think of ideas for this YCH.
One more thing: I am opening left-handed commissions, both for traditional and digital media; upon request, I can draw a left-handed pic to see if it is to your liking. Please note: my left hand will produce noticeable differences in quality/style, so please try not to be disappointed when I finish the left-handed commissions. I am confident that my left hand will improve significantly enough to match my right hand with time, but it may take a bit longer than expected. My right hand is still not fully recovered, as there is still some lingering numbness in my fingertips, but it seems to be getting better very slowly. I have a feeling that my hand will eventually go back to normal. At least, I hope it will.
On a final note, thank you to all those of you who sent me your thoughts and prayers, and showed me so much love and support in my time of need. You guys are really the best friends an artist could ever ask for, and I thank you all from the bottom of my heart. You guys make it all worthwhile and wonderful to be here, and to just be alive!
Current queue:
 Sun_Burnt_Wolf--1 animated icon commission (sketched, cleanup begun);
 DrebinGrey39--1 four-character commission (sketch begun).

I'm sure you have been as worried as I was about my health, but it seems like the worst is finally over. My headaches have been gone since this morning, though I still have occasional dizzy spells. I guess it had something to do with the fact that the air conditioner is working perfectly now, so it'll probably go well with me for a while.
Tonight I'm cooking beef back ribs in the smoker for dinner, and it promises to be a tasty dinner indeed.
I hope you all have a Happy Labor Day, and I'll bring you updates as they come.