I am retired. I like to write. I like to read. I live in Hood River, OR. I am married (47 years!) and have two grown sons, Noah and Isaac.
A slight blip on the radar screen as John was admitted to the hospital last night. Serves me right after I proclaimed yesterday that we were a little short on news. When a transplant patient is neutropenic and his temperature reaches a certain level (100.9), he is instructed to call the team nurse. Eager to … More To The Hospital
LISTLESS is the word of the day, and an apt description for John’s demeanor of the last few days. Suddenly the walk to the clinic is a challenge. With his white blood cells hovering around zero while his reds and platelets continue to drop, the question becomes, “What exactly IS circulating around my system?” While … More Bone Pain
The chemo knocked me back last weekend. I felt like a VW bug with two flat tires trying to climb a hill. I was underpowered, made a lot of noise, and went nowhere. No matter how I sat or lay, the discomfort knotted a different muscle. My cramping bladder tightened an already short leash. Both … More Neutropenia & Cravings
Yesterday, Marilyn and I walked the peaceful circuit of the Seattle Arboretum. In the balmy evening, we ventured into the northeast hills. We ate dinner at a Thai restaurant. Afterwards, we saw Tell No One, a taut, twisting French mystery playing at The Egyptian theater. Then, the night: It began as pressure in my hips. … More Dealing With The Chemo
Today is the fifth day since treatment. I’m done with the chemo and dex. Now, each morning, for several days, I meet with the team nurse. She gives me two injections of neupogen, or G-CSF. The acronym stands for granulocyte-colony stimulating factor hormone. It is a growth factor produced by a number of different tissues … More Hold On Tight
I’m sure that many of you reading this blog have experience with cancer as either a patient or family member, and the scenes we describe are old news. Let me just say that I have the greatest respect for all who travel this road. We see courage displayed on a daily basis at the Seattle … More First Chemo
I have been off all medications for three weeks. I feel good. My energy level has risen. I no longer need frequent naps. I walk everywhere and feel strong climbing hills. The numbers representing those changes are clear in my blood labs. My hematocrit, which measures the percentage of red blood cells, is normal. I … More 4th of July
Tuesday night I scrubbed my chest and neck and shoulders with a bacterial soap. I did the same thing Wednesday morning. This prepped me for a minor surgical procedure: the installation of a Hickman double lumen catheter. I now have a hockey puck sized dressing sitting on the right side of my chest. It has … More The Hickman Catheter
I miss my cats. During the extensive evaluation at the SCCA, I’d had an EKG that presented an irregularity. So, in order to follow up on every little health clue in preparation for the demanding transplant in my future, a visit to a cardiologist was arranged. Early Monday morning we caught a shuttle … More I Miss My Cats
It’s HOT in Seattle, as I guess it is everywhere else on the West Coast. Not much air conditioning in these parts, as the sweltering days are few and far between. After the winter and spring we’ve had, the warm weather feels great. On Friday & Saturday we attended a Patient & Family Seminar hosted … More Bring It On & The IMF
Good Blood, Bad Blood 