We bought umbrellas. We enjoyed the rain. Mist glazed our cheeks. She wore gloves. I didn’t. We walked. There’s purpose to my wife’s gait; the caregiver. I mosey without focus; the patient. I strive to keep pace. I do, barely. Her will pulls me forward. Along the Willamette, on Waterfront Park, we marvel at the … More How I Spent My Winter Vacation
I just want to let everyone know that John is home from the hospital and feeling better. We are doing an IV antibiotic at home to try and get rid of the pesky pneumonia. John is composing an update that will give his version of the events of the past week in detail. Thank you … More Back At The PGH
Things are better tonight after an active day at the hospital. John started the day with a shower and scrubbed so hard his hair fell out (or maybe that was the chemo doing the scrubbing). We decided that one big mess was preferable to several days of small ones, and went for the shaver. Since … More Transfusions & Pneumonia
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
Good Blood, Bad Blood 