Day + 32 At Home

I was able to get released from the hospital on Wed. The feeling at that time was that the issue that landed me back in was drug related. So, after some juggling doses etc. they sent me home.  Thanks to Bert and Jeanina  for the ride.

Back to visit the Dr. on Fri, with Jess.  Got a good report and I'm a bit ahead of where most are at 30 days out so I count that as great progress.  Keeping an eye on my BP and trying to make sure that I don't push too hard at this point.

Back at the Dr. on Thursday.

Day + 26 and a setback

Well I guess it was prophetic that I put this photo on the last blog post. As it turns out I am back. Yesterday, when going to a clinic appointment I just fainted in the parking lot. Eileen said I collapsed like an air filled doll with the air being let out.

I was then taken up to the clinic by someone who had me in a wheelchair. Once up there they found that my blood pressure was very low and I continued to be slightly dizzy. So the decision was made to readmit me to the hospital for a day or two to make sure of the cause. At this point they seem to be leaning toward drug interaction and I expect a significant modification in the drug regime.

This morning they did do a head CT scan to ensure that the basal stent of 2006 had no effect on this issue. I'm feeling fine today and ready to get out of here again.

I do have to say that I was quite disappointed at having to go back into the hospital. I've been told however that's not unusual for at least one return trip for the transplant patients.

One thing is the room they have me in certainly has far better views the one I occupied for three weeks. Would have enjoyed this room although it's considerably smaller than the one I was in previously.

I really have to thank Eileen for running home yesterday to get a supply of clean clothes and my computer for the stay here. Would have gone absolutely crazy last night without her help. Thanks again sweetheart.

So we'll be seeing the doctor again on Friday, it will be interesting to see what the next step is.

Day +25 at home

It seems odd to open this blog edition with a photo of the area at Rush where I spent almost 3 weeks of my life. I'm told this was fairly typical time period for a stem cell transplant patient, but in retrospect it does seem somewhat shorter than that.

One bit of news that several of you have asked about is the mustache. Thankfully it has survived in spite of the loss of other hair. So the mustache remains a trademark dating from January of 1966.

Anyway, I'm home now was greeted by the spring bees that Eileen's daughters Katie and Kellie sent.

I was a bit frightened of being back here at home without the protection of the hospital. Although I really have only been here alone for two days, Wednesday and Friday. But it is wonderful to be back home.

On Thursday we were back at Rush which really is indicative of the next phase of this process. Until day 60 I will continue to be semi-isolation with fairly close monitoring (twice a week) by the transplant staff.


One of the significant things of day 60 is when the medical staff will decide if we should do a second  transplant. I have to wonder even if they were to recommend one whether I would be willing to go through this again.

I do find that I am somewhat weaker than I would like. However considering what I've been through I guess I shouldn't be surprised. It's going to be at least day 100 before I get back to something close to
normal. It does get frustrating as there are some things I would like to do that I simply don't have the energy for, nor should I risk the exposure to germs from other customers at neighborhood stores.

I'll let you know how things progress next week. We do have another appointment at Rush on Monday. We'll see how well my blood numbers look relative to progress back to normal.

Thank you for all your thoughts and wishes through this process. It has helped me to know that indeed I have lots of friends out there.

Day + 19

GO HOME DAY,


But this is only the beginning of phase III of this journey.

Thanks for all your support
Al

Thought today was go home day, but no such luck,

Thought I was heading home today, but they aren't ready on this end.

+17 part II

since yesterday's post was very early and mearly covered the crack of dawn insertion of the IV, I thought I would follow through with a little more detail on yesterday.

It has several pleasant surprises one of which was Jess and  Eric stopping by with some food left over from Eric's birthday party. L'll that I was the only one on the floor with ribs and  cheesy potatoes for dinner last night. It was good to see them even though there stay was brief to do a show commitment, the MSI.

Also got another surprise when a friend former co-student at the U of I, Pete Nicholson stopped by to chat.  In the past few years our professional paths have somewhat separated. It was good catch up and it heightened the afternoon.

Eileen had her St. Patty's day dinner last night I did find myself on the phone once or twice pointing out where I had moved things in the house. Oh well, they all seem to have a good time.

Best news of all was the suggestion that if things continue to go as I have been the last couple of days they should be booting me out of here Monday morning. That be quite delightful and especially tired of looking at my wonderful little space here

I did get into watching a couple of movies last night, one of which was a three-part series called

Arch Angel starring Daniel Craig. I've never heard of this series before it was really good. I did try to download Skyfall via the YuLo system bI wouldn't recommend it.

So today is more or less spent killing time keeping fingers crossed that all goes well and watch a couple more movies waiting for  my release tomorrow. I should say that one of the very nice nurses went out of her way to get me off of room restrictions so I did get to paddle around the floor several times. I'm sure that the exercise was quite good for me. It certainly felt good. Report a bit more later in the day as things go

+17 early

Of course I couldn't be the only person in the hospital without an IV, so this mornings  7a wake up was an IV insertion!   GOOD MORNING!

Day +16

Well yesterday's post was early in the day so will begin with some of yesterday's activities before talking about today.

As I said I woke up to a "do not eat your breakfast" command because they wanted to do an ultrasound on my liver. Guess it just hasn't had enough exercise lately. So I sat around all morning waiting for the trip down to the ultrasound test area somewhat starving to death. Finally did get down there around noon and by the time tests were over it was back up here about 2 PM. Hungry as a horse at that point.

Never did hear anything about the liver test so I guess there really was no problem there. The heart folks continue to enjoy coming by wondering at my totally unpredictable heart rhythm. At this point they've said they're not go to worry about it until I'm out of here and we get some of these meds on my body.

Jessica did stop by on her way back from straightening out some tickets that she had for this weekend. I'll let her explain the issues to as I will probably get them screwed up.

One nice advantage here is a good strong Wi-Fi signal so I was able to tune in a couple of movies to kill the evening. Did watch MI3 which is of course a fairly good action movie also started watching the Swedish version of the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo which is a lot of work as you need to pay attention to the subtitles.

Had a fairly good night sleep although still had several emergency trips to the restroom. They do give me a fairly extensive cocktail of sleeping pills as they do want me to get as much rest as possible.

Woke up this morning able to attack breakfast as planned. One of the things that you might get a kick out of is the post breakfast cocktail of pills so here's a quick shot of the mouth full that I have to get down.

A bit disappointing is the news that if I can get this diarrhea issue under control I can get out of here. It seems that my body should be at this point handling it on its own without the need for antibiotics.

Sport for this afternoon was to try to get an IV into me. I haven't really had one for several days now and they would like to have one but several nurses tried and gave up.

Sorry I can't be with you at your party tonight Eric but you know I'm thinking about you and I hope you're having a good time.

So we'll see how tonight goes hopefully they'll be good news for tomorrow's report.

Day + 15

As I sit down to eat "breakfast" I'm told STOP! We want a belly ultrasound, no food. Caught me with seconds to spare

Day +14

Nothing too much new, or more of the same today.  Blood numbers getting strong enough that I may be able to get out of here early next week.  Just need to get this digestion thing under control.  Lack of progress there had me somewhat depressed today, but things seem to be getting better this PM.

Since the chemo my heart rhythms are all over the place. I have become a daily stop for the heart teaching team.

Last night the remote monitor said I was having an heart attack, and some nurses came rushing in only to find me in pleasant conversation with another nurse. Seems not all remote monitoring is of value. Starting to feel well enough that things are getting boring.

More tomorrow.

Day +13 changes

well I guess I really did lose track of what day it was when I was in here.

As it turns out it is day 13 not 11 as I thought just the other day. It's really quite surprising the extent to which you lose track of the calendar as well as losing track of what you do from day to day.

I have to say that I don't remember much about those first few days I guess I was a pretty sick puppy. 

I do recall thinking the beds were rescued from animal chutes at the stockyards. 

Most recent medical issues have surrounded a diarrhea infection that I have that really needs to be cleared up before we can move forward.

Unfortunately that infection has resulted in me being somewhat restricted to my room so as not to spread the infection to other parts of the floor as I must admit I did the other night.

Good news is that all my blood counts are responding favorably and if we can get the intestinal issue under control I'm probably getting out of here fairly shortly. I will have very low resistance and although very low so will the pretty much restricted to what I can do in and around the house but that has to be more pleasant than listening to Silver Line trains bounce over the Paulina connector junction. 

And with my restriction I'm unable to go down the hallway and observe traffic operations expressway.

 

The new look is arrived the hair loss aspect of the whole chemo slid in. Son Burt had the joy of buzzing me today. We buzzed the head and we buzzed the beard but left the mustache in place however. It will be interesting to see whether it will survive and live longer than the Blackhawks winning streak. I can only hope, it will be fun to see. 

 

I guess I should say that my spirits are picking up as you might guess from the tone of this blog entry.

I really wish there had been some way to capture in sort of cartoon version everything I saw and lived through during the transplant process. Some of the things I just don't know how to describe like selling little silver bits of costume that was somehow related to the morphine was taking, to suppress pain from the diarrhea. Also had a dream in one time that I was working on a television show that was selling surplus Navy merchandise sure why anybody would want any of that.

Anyway things are looking up. I hope you like the new look at least one person compared me to a Bob  Magnuson look like, anyway sorry Bob Hope you didn't take any offense will be all in joint fun. 

Goodnight

Day 10 oops day 11

Yes I Finally am resurfacing on the 10th day of this procedure. Have been feeling a bit better for the last four days early haven't had the concentration to put this blog together the primary activity right now is cleaning out my system Much of which seems to include almost constant diarrhea, Sorry for the realism, Late nights are spent tossing and turning with very little sleep Montovation.
So I'm still alive and feeling quite a bit better today hopefully I'll be able to have sufficient sufficient concentration to talk a bit more about crazy dreams crazy things that went on.

Time. Really flies when you're having fun Anyway miscounted a couple of days with perhaps a surprise for you or go into the city's marathon

Daily five and here I am

Well we have gotten through five days of this and I'm still here to tell about it. They tell me the waorst is not over but I can't Imagine it getting too much worse.Anyhow more do come! Did get up and take a Couple of Walks around the floor. Hopefully that give me some exercise and begin to get things moving The doctor say after all my business experience it's alwaysu  what's next and in this case there isn't always a what's next you have to go with the flow.

So hoping for the best, hopefully will be a good night sleep tonight don't want everybody To get snowed in.!

It is day four

And I'm still hanging in there more to come