I woke up this morning around 5:30 cuz my ribs were just killin' me. I've had broken ribs and that's what they feel like. All of the crud symptoms are gone except the nagging cough, and it is beyond it's "productive (hacking up "luggies") but it is still deep and it hurts ...waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.
But there was something else bugging me.
As I lay there flat on my back, the only position where there is no rib pain, and pondered, things started to fall into place in my fontal lobe...
What's better, "A bottle in front of me", or "a frontal loboltomy?"
Well, now it is two days after the waking up incident and I feel a little better...emphasis on "little".
I've talked to some friends about it and that has helped some, but it doesn't negate the fact that I've been dealing with the cancer and now the complications.
This is really gonna sound like whining, and it is, but I'm really tired and frustrated with not having a say in my life. I'm not talking about my caregivers and the people who have worked pretty damn hard to keep me alive.
I'm angry with the Multiple Myeloma, the Organized Pnuemonia, having a compromized immune system and all that goes with that.
Those are the things that prevent me from having a say in what's going on in my life. Since March 17 of last year I've been uprooted from my home and my job, spent more time in hospitals and now rehab that I have at either RE/MAX Advanced or in my own bed.
That's like over a year!
That's a long time.
My wishes for making all his an Adventure and not wanting it to go to waste are still there.
An adventure it has been and I'm not tooooo sre what not wanting it to go to waste means.
Just had my lunch and then went to brosh my teeth and I missed Aunt Bea explaining how she put a dent in the car she ain' bought yet...
Anywo, that's a long time.
Well. last night my Friend Griff stopped by. And what a surprise as he lives on the Olympic Pennisula in Washington.
He didn't stay long, but his words of wisdom, as usual, made not only a huge amount of sense but made me feel good as they do when I choose to ask and then listen.
The one point he drove home was that there is nothing I can do to change what has happened in the past and some...or many...of the things that are going to happen in the future. There are things that are entirely out of my control and there's one of two ways that I can react abut what has happened and what will happen. I can either be really pissed off and let the Dark Side rule how I think and act and caue me to become uncommunicable and depressed on both the inside and out. It'll also afect those who care for me and who want the best for me including geting well.
Or.......................
I can accept the fact that there is absolutely nothing I can do to change the past or many things, but not all, in the future. To remember that people who say, "I gusss it's just meant to be" or "Everything happens for a reason" are just using cliches to try and soften te unexplainable and that I should suggest to them they read, "When Bad Things Happen to Good People by Harold Kushnner."
He went on to tell me cliches are good for explaining physical laws, like gravity but have no bearing when it comes to the spiritual and that we are not human beings having spiritual experiences now and then but rather we are spiritual beings frequently enduring human experiences.
And in a brief minute or to he made me realize the obvious...that, yes it's been over a year but there is a light at the end of the tunnel where once there was none.
...and now it's 3 days since that wake up thing...
It's Sunday and I slept in and I have no clue how that happened. I don't remember them coming in at 6:00am to wake me up and give me meds and take my vitals. I don't remember them bringing my breakfast and setting it on my tray. But "worst" of all, I don't remember Bruce and Bonnie being here to take me to church...it's not their job to wake me up, I just don't remember them being here...and for not being ready I owe them a huge apology.
Soooooo, it's Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend, no scheduled therapy although I'll probably do some laps around the facility, but it's such a pain in the derriere to lug around the portable oxygen. I can hardly wait for the cough and crud to go away so my lungs will get back to normal and I won't have to tote the oxygen around and I can get back on track for gettin' outa here.
Matt's comin' up for "lupper".
If "brunch" is the term for a meal that is twixt the traditional times of breakfast and lunch, what is the apolitical correct term for a meal that happens twixt lunch and supper?
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
How come nobody will listen to me?
Today the Occupational Therapy department did a Safety evaluation of my house which is part of the discharge process. While there the gal that did it checked my oxygen saturation level and freaked because it was 81%.
For normal people, 90% is the benchmark, for people like me who have COPD, a.k.a. emphysema, we hang out in the mid 80%s.
Last Saturday I began to feel shitty and wound up staying in bed all day Sunday and developed a nagging cough.
Monday my Dr. said I was just coming down with the “crud” that’s going around and put me back on 1.5 liters (not much) of oxygen o help with my breathing.
Well, this afternoon everybody except me panicked at the 81% after I got back from the evaluation and said that I needed to go to the hospital and get checked out.
I cried, “Bullshit” and thought I had made my point.
In the meantime Bert stopped by for a visit when all of a sudden there are 3 paramedics and a gurney trying to load me up and take me to the hospital…which is one block away!
Well, a verbal war broke out. No way was I going to endorse a $3,000 1 block ride in an ambulance but I thought the whole thing a waste of time.
I wound up refusing the opportunity to go lights and siren for one block but agreed to go to the hospital to get checked out.
Bert drove me over, stayed for a bit…it’s about 4:00… and I wound up having a catscan, blood work and tests (for the third day in a row at the hospital) and with all the waiting involved it was pushing 9:00 before the med-brains at the hospital decided there was nothing the matter with me except the vestiges of the crud.
Sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, by the time the rehab got a wheelchair over to the hospital, better than an ambulance, because they wouldn’t let me walk it was 10:00ish before I got “home”.
Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesh.
For normal people, 90% is the benchmark, for people like me who have COPD, a.k.a. emphysema, we hang out in the mid 80%s.
Last Saturday I began to feel shitty and wound up staying in bed all day Sunday and developed a nagging cough.
Monday my Dr. said I was just coming down with the “crud” that’s going around and put me back on 1.5 liters (not much) of oxygen o help with my breathing.
Well, this afternoon everybody except me panicked at the 81% after I got back from the evaluation and said that I needed to go to the hospital and get checked out.
I cried, “Bullshit” and thought I had made my point.
In the meantime Bert stopped by for a visit when all of a sudden there are 3 paramedics and a gurney trying to load me up and take me to the hospital…which is one block away!
Well, a verbal war broke out. No way was I going to endorse a $3,000 1 block ride in an ambulance but I thought the whole thing a waste of time.
I wound up refusing the opportunity to go lights and siren for one block but agreed to go to the hospital to get checked out.
Bert drove me over, stayed for a bit…it’s about 4:00… and I wound up having a catscan, blood work and tests (for the third day in a row at the hospital) and with all the waiting involved it was pushing 9:00 before the med-brains at the hospital decided there was nothing the matter with me except the vestiges of the crud.
Sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, by the time the rehab got a wheelchair over to the hospital, better than an ambulance, because they wouldn’t let me walk it was 10:00ish before I got “home”.
Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesh.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Compromised immune system...
Last Friday I began to feel like maybe I was catching something and Saturday morning I knew I had.
Headache, low grade fever (100ish), achy joints ...not achy breaky heart..., nagging cough and no energy.
I had planned on walking both Saturday and Sunday for exercise, but all the exercise I got was gettin' up and goin' to the "powder room".
Today, Monday, came and I found myself being wheelchaired over to the hospital...like one block away. That terrified me because it seems like everytime I go there, be it for x-rays or whatever I get captured and wind up inpatient for a month or so.
Wellst, I had a chest x-ray and blood work...and then they wouldn't let me go until everything had been reviewed by some Doctors.
It was determined that I probably just had acquired the crud that's going around.
But I was sweatin' it waiting for those Docs to look over the x-rays and the blood work.
And speaking of blood work, implanted in my upper left chest is something that's been called a Hickman, but I refer to it as a Tri-fecta because it has three lines sticking out which have been variously usedd for chemo, blood draws, transfusions, and administration of a lot of other "stuff". Then implanted in my upper right chest is a Super Port which is used for much of the same things as the Tri-fecta but not nearly as often. I've had both of them for over a year, yet sometimes, like today, "they" decide "they" need to poke me with needles for blood draws.
Today they had to poke around both arms to draw blood and like a good trooper I just grinned and beared it.
They, different than "they", just came in and took my vitals...blood pressure 85/56 (Wow, for a guy with hugh blood pressure that's really low!), Oxygen saturation 91% (It's only been recently that I have cosistentl been over the 90% mark which is the benchmark, I've got COPD on top of everything else and for years my Oxygen saturation hung around the mid-80s, pulse 60 and respirations 16.
So, other than an upside down spike in BP, I'm doing ok vitals wise.
I'm still thinkin' I'll be outa here within the next couple of weeks, and the only thing that cocerns me is that de to the drugs and steroids I've been made a temporary diabetic and get my blood sugar level checked about 5 times a day followed by an insulin shot.
I haven't asked about that, i.e. what I'm gonna do about that when I leave here because that might be construed as my beginning to request leaving when I've committed to staying until I'm told by some powers who know more than I do what's best for me.
I titled this post "Compromised immune system" because that's what I have. Will I always be compromised?
Dunno.
Wonderin' though if I oughta by stock in "Wellbourne" and use one every time I go out and am around people.
Does that stuff work?
Headache, low grade fever (100ish), achy joints ...not achy breaky heart..., nagging cough and no energy.
I had planned on walking both Saturday and Sunday for exercise, but all the exercise I got was gettin' up and goin' to the "powder room".
Today, Monday, came and I found myself being wheelchaired over to the hospital...like one block away. That terrified me because it seems like everytime I go there, be it for x-rays or whatever I get captured and wind up inpatient for a month or so.
Wellst, I had a chest x-ray and blood work...and then they wouldn't let me go until everything had been reviewed by some Doctors.
It was determined that I probably just had acquired the crud that's going around.
But I was sweatin' it waiting for those Docs to look over the x-rays and the blood work.
And speaking of blood work, implanted in my upper left chest is something that's been called a Hickman, but I refer to it as a Tri-fecta because it has three lines sticking out which have been variously usedd for chemo, blood draws, transfusions, and administration of a lot of other "stuff". Then implanted in my upper right chest is a Super Port which is used for much of the same things as the Tri-fecta but not nearly as often. I've had both of them for over a year, yet sometimes, like today, "they" decide "they" need to poke me with needles for blood draws.
Today they had to poke around both arms to draw blood and like a good trooper I just grinned and beared it.
They, different than "they", just came in and took my vitals...blood pressure 85/56 (Wow, for a guy with hugh blood pressure that's really low!), Oxygen saturation 91% (It's only been recently that I have cosistentl been over the 90% mark which is the benchmark, I've got COPD on top of everything else and for years my Oxygen saturation hung around the mid-80s, pulse 60 and respirations 16.
So, other than an upside down spike in BP, I'm doing ok vitals wise.
I'm still thinkin' I'll be outa here within the next couple of weeks, and the only thing that cocerns me is that de to the drugs and steroids I've been made a temporary diabetic and get my blood sugar level checked about 5 times a day followed by an insulin shot.
I haven't asked about that, i.e. what I'm gonna do about that when I leave here because that might be construed as my beginning to request leaving when I've committed to staying until I'm told by some powers who know more than I do what's best for me.
I titled this post "Compromised immune system" because that's what I have. Will I always be compromised?
Dunno.
Wonderin' though if I oughta by stock in "Wellbourne" and use one every time I go out and am around people.
Does that stuff work?
Friday, May 20, 2011
Home Safety Evaluation...
Howdy,
I hate motorcycle, car and computer problems equally.
I've had computer issues for a few days that required I surrender my computer to my local computer guru Max for computer regeneration.
Last issue I had, my brother in Portland was able to access my computer remotely and he made te issue it was having all more better.
Anywho, that's why I've been cyber-MIA for a few days.
So, what's new you ask?
Well, a Home Safety Evaluation by the Rehab Occupatioal Therapy dept. has been sheduled for next Wednesday.
That's where they come over to the house and see how safe it is...
The last Rehab I was in did the same thing so I know what needs to be done, like a grab bar in the shower, a taller toilet and not so many scatter rugs.
nywho, the Home Safety Evaluation is being referred to as the first step in Discharge Planning.
I am not saying a word, but my hopes are I'm outa here in a week or 10 days.
I'm doing well in both Occupational and Physical Therapy and it has showed itelf in my strength and stamina.
There is an internal route within the facility that constitutes a 400 foot "lap". Initially, with my walker...after I was strong enough to stand and use it... I was able to do one lap.
Last Monday I was given permission to lean my walker up against the wall and walk on my own.
I had a goal of first walking 14 laps with the walker...which would be appx. a mile...and then 14 laps without the walker.
Well, once they told ne I didn't need my walker I abandoned the 14 lap thing using the walker (I was up to 8 or 9 I think).
I told myself I'd start with one lap walkerless but I/it felt so good that I did three!
Yesterday I did 10 laps, with no break and today I did 14 laps, but with two breaks.
I'm doing my "marathon" lapping after I get up in the morning and before breakfast and therapy, which runs from 9:00-12:00.then I'll put in a few laps on my own in the afternoon.
And BTW, I'm off the oxygen since Friday (the 13th).
So it feels good to be returning to normal, whatever that is!
I'm still off chemo, primarily because my platelet level is still low. 140 (remember I don't understand the Medical communities numbering system) is normal and I'm hovering around 75-80...which is a damn site better than when I got down to 18 when I was in the hospital!
I went to see the the lung biopsy Doc a couple of days ago, and the mass that is in my right lung is still there, but the good news is that it is not malignant. They don't know what it is, or why its there, but it's part of the whole Organizing Pnuemonia gig. They don't seem terribly concerned about it, so neither am I.
I go to see my pulmonary Doc in a week or so and I'll learn more about it then.
My nose is running and I'm out of tissues, so we'll talk at you later.
I hate motorcycle, car and computer problems equally.
I've had computer issues for a few days that required I surrender my computer to my local computer guru Max for computer regeneration.
Last issue I had, my brother in Portland was able to access my computer remotely and he made te issue it was having all more better.
Anywho, that's why I've been cyber-MIA for a few days.
So, what's new you ask?
Well, a Home Safety Evaluation by the Rehab Occupatioal Therapy dept. has been sheduled for next Wednesday.
That's where they come over to the house and see how safe it is...
The last Rehab I was in did the same thing so I know what needs to be done, like a grab bar in the shower, a taller toilet and not so many scatter rugs.
nywho, the Home Safety Evaluation is being referred to as the first step in Discharge Planning.
I am not saying a word, but my hopes are I'm outa here in a week or 10 days.
I'm doing well in both Occupational and Physical Therapy and it has showed itelf in my strength and stamina.
There is an internal route within the facility that constitutes a 400 foot "lap". Initially, with my walker...after I was strong enough to stand and use it... I was able to do one lap.
Last Monday I was given permission to lean my walker up against the wall and walk on my own.
I had a goal of first walking 14 laps with the walker...which would be appx. a mile...and then 14 laps without the walker.
Well, once they told ne I didn't need my walker I abandoned the 14 lap thing using the walker (I was up to 8 or 9 I think).
I told myself I'd start with one lap walkerless but I/it felt so good that I did three!
Yesterday I did 10 laps, with no break and today I did 14 laps, but with two breaks.
I'm doing my "marathon" lapping after I get up in the morning and before breakfast and therapy, which runs from 9:00-12:00.then I'll put in a few laps on my own in the afternoon.
And BTW, I'm off the oxygen since Friday (the 13th).
So it feels good to be returning to normal, whatever that is!
I'm still off chemo, primarily because my platelet level is still low. 140 (remember I don't understand the Medical communities numbering system) is normal and I'm hovering around 75-80...which is a damn site better than when I got down to 18 when I was in the hospital!
I went to see the the lung biopsy Doc a couple of days ago, and the mass that is in my right lung is still there, but the good news is that it is not malignant. They don't know what it is, or why its there, but it's part of the whole Organizing Pnuemonia gig. They don't seem terribly concerned about it, so neither am I.
I go to see my pulmonary Doc in a week or so and I'll learn more about it then.
My nose is running and I'm out of tissues, so we'll talk at you later.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
A Quote,,,
“Even when the sky appears at its darkest, the sun shines
ever upon you, love surrounds you, and the pure Light
within you will guide your way home. So trust the process
of your life unfolding, and know with certainty, through
the peaks and valleys of your journey, that your soul
rests safe and secure in the arms of Spirit.”
~~Dan Millman
ever upon you, love surrounds you, and the pure Light
within you will guide your way home. So trust the process
of your life unfolding, and know with certainty, through
the peaks and valleys of your journey, that your soul
rests safe and secure in the arms of Spirit.”
~~Dan Millman
Friday, May 13, 2011
My most recent Dr.s appt...
After headin' down to the University of Colorado Hospital only to find out that Dr. Lee is on a "clinical leave of absence" and may or may not return and I came away with only seeing Denise, my favorite PA down there and got, as best I could, a good "report."
I'll know more when I go back down early next month and meet with Dr. Myint. Tis he who has assumed my case and as he was Dr. Lee's boss I feel I'm in capable hands. I still feel good about Dr. McFarland and Front Range Cancer Specialists up here and that I'm getting the best damn care and treatments possible!
Anywho, I went to see Dr. Cranor, my GP up here and after a phone consultation with Dr. McFarland my "forced remission" of the Multiple Myeloma was confirmed, it was determined that the C-diff was adios and my daytime oxygen was DC (med talk for discontinued). They also were quick to tell me that I was doing way better in all facets of my recoveries (the cancer, the oganizing pneumonia, the c-diff and my physical strength and stamina) than they had expected.
What I'm most pleased with is that when I "checked in" here to the rehab not quite 3 weeks ago, I couldn't even stand up on my own!
I've gone from bedridden, to wheelchair, to walker, to short walks without the walker!
There is, however an issue, albeit minor (?!?) of congestive heart failure, but as scary as that might sound I'm not to worry (like Alfred E. Newman? ... anybody know/remember him?). I'm going down to a Dr. in Loveland next week to consult on congestive heart failure stuff.
This has been, and continues to be quite a journey...an adventure if you, or me, will... and I go 24/7 humbled by the love and support of yous guys and soooo many others.
During the time I've been dealing with my "stuff", someone also in my office lost a battle with brain cancer. I soooooo wish she wouldn't of done what she did, which was isolate...from the time of her diagnosis no one was allowed, her choice, to see or visit her.
She had her path and I have mine and I can call mine a path because so many people have walked with me and I have needed you/them and am convinced, although there was/is the presence of the Great Creator/Physician since the very begining, I've needed human presence and touch and without that I'm not sure I would have survived.
Thank you...
I'll know more when I go back down early next month and meet with Dr. Myint. Tis he who has assumed my case and as he was Dr. Lee's boss I feel I'm in capable hands. I still feel good about Dr. McFarland and Front Range Cancer Specialists up here and that I'm getting the best damn care and treatments possible!
Anywho, I went to see Dr. Cranor, my GP up here and after a phone consultation with Dr. McFarland my "forced remission" of the Multiple Myeloma was confirmed, it was determined that the C-diff was adios and my daytime oxygen was DC (med talk for discontinued). They also were quick to tell me that I was doing way better in all facets of my recoveries (the cancer, the oganizing pneumonia, the c-diff and my physical strength and stamina) than they had expected.
What I'm most pleased with is that when I "checked in" here to the rehab not quite 3 weeks ago, I couldn't even stand up on my own!
I've gone from bedridden, to wheelchair, to walker, to short walks without the walker!
There is, however an issue, albeit minor (?!?) of congestive heart failure, but as scary as that might sound I'm not to worry (like Alfred E. Newman? ... anybody know/remember him?). I'm going down to a Dr. in Loveland next week to consult on congestive heart failure stuff.
This has been, and continues to be quite a journey...an adventure if you, or me, will... and I go 24/7 humbled by the love and support of yous guys and soooo many others.
During the time I've been dealing with my "stuff", someone also in my office lost a battle with brain cancer. I soooooo wish she wouldn't of done what she did, which was isolate...from the time of her diagnosis no one was allowed, her choice, to see or visit her.
She had her path and I have mine and I can call mine a path because so many people have walked with me and I have needed you/them and am convinced, although there was/is the presence of the Great Creator/Physician since the very begining, I've needed human presence and touch and without that I'm not sure I would have survived.
Thank you...
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Bowlathon...
Every year for the past 20 years the Fort Collins Board of Realtors has annually held what is know as the Bowlathon, a fundraiser for a member of the Board who is in "medical dire straits", and this year I was the recipient.
It was/is an extremely apprciative and humbling event during this Adventure I've been on for over a year now.
As much as I appreciate the funds raised, I am awed by the care, love and generosity of my fellow Realtors.
Wow.
It was/is an extremely apprciative and humbling event during this Adventure I've been on for over a year now.
As much as I appreciate the funds raised, I am awed by the care, love and generosity of my fellow Realtors.
Wow.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Hi y’all
Wellst I made the trek to the University Hospital
The bad news: Dr. Lee, my main Oncologist dude, is not at the hospital “at present”. He is on a “Clinical Leave of Absence” and that was all he information I was given with a hint that he may or may not return. I was not given a definition of “clinical leave of absence” so I’m sort of out there in not understanding land.
Dr. Myint is taking over Dr. Lees case load, although I did not see him today.
Just prior to finding this out I was telling Jessica who drove me to and fro how it seemed as if, similar to when I got sober in a way, that God just picked me up by the collar and set me down in the midst of the right people that carried me to sobriety and He did it again with my cancer, and that bunch certainly included Dr. Lee, one of the worlds foremost clinicians on Multiple Myeloma.
Dr. Lee and his expertise and guidance to my other Drs., including Dr. McFarland, my local Oncologist, (and I’m not taking anything away from him or what he has done for me) has gotten me to the place where I am, for now, in that state of forced remission which was and is the best possible scenario.
And as I know that I am in Gods hands, grace and protection, I am a little nervous/scared not having Dr. Lee physically in my corner.
I’m gonna be ok even without him, right?
The good news: I didn’t see Dr. Myint today, but my appointment and reports therein were handled by Denise, who just so happened to be my favorite Physician Assistant during the moths I spent inpatient at the University Hospital
BTW, she says, “Hi”, Doug.
What she told me that I am making progress, that my worrisome levels, Platelet, White Blood Cells, etc. were all looking good and showing good progress and confirmed the forced remission of my cancer.
I’m gonna be ok, you know!
Sunday, May 8, 2011
The State of My Health as of Today...
Well, this has truly been an "Adventure" as I promised myself it would be shortly after my diagnosis of Multiple Myeloma back on March 17, 2010...now, if you click on the Multiple Myeloma link you're gonna read about a "5 year life expectancy".
Well that's bull pucky, at least for me.
For just like when I got sober and God picked me up and set me down in the midst of a gaggle of recovered alcoholics who guided me to permanent sobriety, with the Multiple Myeloma He picked me up and set me down in the midst of a passel of Drs., one of which is one of the worlds most foremost authorities on Multiple Myeloma who , in a nutshell provided me with the following...at first he, they, told me that with chemo and a bone marrow transplant they could "give me" up to that 5 years, but then shortly after that they declared me a good candidate for a stem cell (my own stem cells!) transplant and then they could "give me" up to 10 years.
I had the transplant on August 25 of last year.
I look at it like this...10 years ago if one had Multiple Myeloma, they just said, "Go home, put your feet up, take some aspirin and when the time comes we'll call in Hospice." So, if in the last 10 years my Drs. can "give" me 10 years, up from nothing 10 years ago, what are they going to come up with in the next ten years?
Sooooooo, where am I today with the Multiple Myeloma?
I don't understand Dr. talk because they've gone to talking in #s, but "they" say that for Multiple Myeloma to be a real issue the Myeloma # has to be 10 or above...right now mine is 1 (one)!
So in spite of the collateral issues I've been having for a while, the cancer is "under control" and if we/they can figure out the collateral issues they can get me back on the chemo, which they had to stop because the chemo was contributing to he collateral issues.
Collateral issues?
Yeah.
One of the things that I was told when diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma was that there would likely be complications and that people most often died from the complications of Multiple Myeloma rather than Multiple Myeloma itself...so that means I'll be dealing with complications, a.k.a. collateral issues for a long time...so just deal with them, right?
So, here's the deal(s).
One of the complications that I deal with is pneumonia. I actually had pneumonia way before I had the Multiple Myeloma.
Now, the pneumonia that I deal with today is a french-kissin' cousin to the pneumonia that I had 5 or 6 years ago and was viral and bacterial induced. It's known as Organizing Pneumonia , and if'n you can make heads or tails of what that link sez, lemme know.
What I do know is that it's not viral or bacterial in origin...the Drs. tell me that it's "caused" by all the antibiotics that I take to keep my immune system in good shape and also to try and adios something known as C. diff .
And guess what, C. diff is caused by antibiotics!!!
Soooooo, I'm sorta caught in a no win situation as "they" try'n figure out how to effect treatments for my Multiple Myeloma complications/collateral issues.
They treat the Organizing Pneumonia with antibiotics that foster the C. diff that when treated with antibiotics cheer-leads the Organizing Pneumonia.
So, here I am at the rehab, getting better in my opinion...two weeks ago when I got here I couldn't even stand on my own...and trust that the Great Physician is working through my secular physicians to figure this all out.
Anywho, Matt is almost here with dinner, so I think I'll spell-check & post!
Well that's bull pucky, at least for me.
For just like when I got sober and God picked me up and set me down in the midst of a gaggle of recovered alcoholics who guided me to permanent sobriety, with the Multiple Myeloma He picked me up and set me down in the midst of a passel of Drs., one of which is one of the worlds most foremost authorities on Multiple Myeloma who , in a nutshell provided me with the following...at first he, they, told me that with chemo and a bone marrow transplant they could "give me" up to that 5 years, but then shortly after that they declared me a good candidate for a stem cell (my own stem cells!) transplant and then they could "give me" up to 10 years.
I had the transplant on August 25 of last year.
I look at it like this...10 years ago if one had Multiple Myeloma, they just said, "Go home, put your feet up, take some aspirin and when the time comes we'll call in Hospice." So, if in the last 10 years my Drs. can "give" me 10 years, up from nothing 10 years ago, what are they going to come up with in the next ten years?
Sooooooo, where am I today with the Multiple Myeloma?
I don't understand Dr. talk because they've gone to talking in #s, but "they" say that for Multiple Myeloma to be a real issue the Myeloma # has to be 10 or above...right now mine is 1 (one)!
So in spite of the collateral issues I've been having for a while, the cancer is "under control" and if we/they can figure out the collateral issues they can get me back on the chemo, which they had to stop because the chemo was contributing to he collateral issues.
Collateral issues?
Yeah.
One of the things that I was told when diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma was that there would likely be complications and that people most often died from the complications of Multiple Myeloma rather than Multiple Myeloma itself...so that means I'll be dealing with complications, a.k.a. collateral issues for a long time...so just deal with them, right?
So, here's the deal(s).
One of the complications that I deal with is pneumonia. I actually had pneumonia way before I had the Multiple Myeloma.
Now, the pneumonia that I deal with today is a french-kissin' cousin to the pneumonia that I had 5 or 6 years ago and was viral and bacterial induced. It's known as Organizing Pneumonia , and if'n you can make heads or tails of what that link sez, lemme know.
What I do know is that it's not viral or bacterial in origin...the Drs. tell me that it's "caused" by all the antibiotics that I take to keep my immune system in good shape and also to try and adios something known as C. diff .
And guess what, C. diff is caused by antibiotics!!!
Soooooo, I'm sorta caught in a no win situation as "they" try'n figure out how to effect treatments for my Multiple Myeloma complications/collateral issues.
They treat the Organizing Pneumonia with antibiotics that foster the C. diff that when treated with antibiotics cheer-leads the Organizing Pneumonia.
So, here I am at the rehab, getting better in my opinion...two weeks ago when I got here I couldn't even stand on my own...and trust that the Great Physician is working through my secular physicians to figure this all out.
Anywho, Matt is almost here with dinner, so I think I'll spell-check & post!
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Before I get "re"started...
To those of you who have e-mailed me, called me, or in person asked me why I stopped blogging...here I go and I commit to keep going until I have another writers block episode, either pharmaceutically or wrong spiritually induced or just plain extended sloth.
I'm not sure why I did stop, other than maybe I've spent a lot of time in the hospital since Christmas and for some of that time I had neither Internet nor cell phone access and I just got out of the habit.
And I commit not necessarily to you, but to me as this also serves as my journal for as long as I blog here. Oh, I may make some comments in my journal, but this does serve as my "main" journaling narrative vehicle for the time being.
And...I know that I am woefully delinquent in answering a number of e-mails, some of them going back 3 months or so :~( , but I will answer them but I'm not sure in what order...just know, please, that I will but it may take me some {but not a lot of} time to do so.
Anywho, fracturedly I'm back in blogging mode...
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I'm not sure why I did stop, other than maybe I've spent a lot of time in the hospital since Christmas and for some of that time I had neither Internet nor cell phone access and I just got out of the habit.
And I commit not necessarily to you, but to me as this also serves as my journal for as long as I blog here. Oh, I may make some comments in my journal, but this does serve as my "main" journaling narrative vehicle for the time being.
And...I know that I am woefully delinquent in answering a number of e-mails, some of them going back 3 months or so :~( , but I will answer them but I'm not sure in what order...just know, please, that I will but it may take me some {but not a lot of} time to do so.
Anywho, fracturedly I'm back in blogging mode...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Been a while, huh?
Well, yeah it has.
My fault.
I sorta became my own "yesterdays news".
It's kinda like the Japan thing...pretty dang serious and captures a lot of attention, but a short time later it's not on TV 24/7. Oh, there are references to "it", but normal life gets in the way and although Japan has become a conversation starter, it's not as interesting or enthralling as it was just a few days ago...yesterdays news.
Then came Lybia and that sorta took over the "front page". Oh, Japans stuff was still there and very important but it didn't take up the whole front page anymore and sometimes you had do get into the hear of the paper to find any Japan news.
Then came Elizabeth Taylor's passing and then sadly the news of Geraldine Ferraros passing.
Geraldine Ferraros passing came as a shock to me...not that I knew her or had an immense amount of respect for her, although I did respect her even if her 1984 Vice Presidential candidacy had slipped my mind {became yesteryear's news}...as she died of complications of Multiple Myeloma, the cancer that I have.
Tomorrow I doubt if any of those "items" will be on the front page, but lingering news of the floodings and bin Laden (although that "story" is becoming ad nauseum) and of course "the wedding" will be somewhere but not dominating the front page.
I just got used to going to the hospital, leaving the hospital, getting a fever and going back to the hospital, leaving the hospital and going to rehab, getting out of rehab an winding up back in he hospital, leaving he hospital for a different rehab, winding up back in he hospital and thenst winding up here in the rehab I 'm presently inhabiting.
Sooooooo, what's that got to do with my lack of e-mail communication and blogging?
Cuz I made myself yesterdays news cuz what was going on with me had become "normal", and for me uneventful even though I was getting shuttled to and fro a lot.
Does that make any sense?
But I've pretty much come out of that, am in a rehab that I can tolerate for the month or more that I'm destined to be here for...
And what am I here for?
Hey, that gives me a reason to be in communique after church tomorrow!
My fault.
I sorta became my own "yesterdays news".
It's kinda like the Japan thing...pretty dang serious and captures a lot of attention, but a short time later it's not on TV 24/7. Oh, there are references to "it", but normal life gets in the way and although Japan has become a conversation starter, it's not as interesting or enthralling as it was just a few days ago...yesterdays news.
Then came Lybia and that sorta took over the "front page". Oh, Japans stuff was still there and very important but it didn't take up the whole front page anymore and sometimes you had do get into the hear of the paper to find any Japan news.
Then came Elizabeth Taylor's passing and then sadly the news of Geraldine Ferraros passing.
Geraldine Ferraros passing came as a shock to me...not that I knew her or had an immense amount of respect for her, although I did respect her even if her 1984 Vice Presidential candidacy had slipped my mind {became yesteryear's news}...as she died of complications of Multiple Myeloma, the cancer that I have.
Tomorrow I doubt if any of those "items" will be on the front page, but lingering news of the floodings and bin Laden (although that "story" is becoming ad nauseum) and of course "the wedding" will be somewhere but not dominating the front page.
I just got used to going to the hospital, leaving the hospital, getting a fever and going back to the hospital, leaving the hospital and going to rehab, getting out of rehab an winding up back in he hospital, leaving he hospital for a different rehab, winding up back in he hospital and thenst winding up here in the rehab I 'm presently inhabiting.
Sooooooo, what's that got to do with my lack of e-mail communication and blogging?
Cuz I made myself yesterdays news cuz what was going on with me had become "normal", and for me uneventful even though I was getting shuttled to and fro a lot.
Does that make any sense?
But I've pretty much come out of that, am in a rehab that I can tolerate for the month or more that I'm destined to be here for...
And what am I here for?
Hey, that gives me a reason to be in communique after church tomorrow!
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