Another Step

After working a couple weeks of half days, my oncologist released me to work full time.  I’ve put in a few 8 hour days now, and I believe I really do prefer half days, but it was time to take another step towards normal.  

One of my co-workers asked, “Why don’t you just shave your head?  Your hair cries I survived Chernobyl!” I pointed out that anyone can shave their head, but only a select few can enjoy the, “faint hovering mist” look.

I’ve come to realize that chemo goes in you like a bullet, carefully aimed to mortally wound the cancer.  Piercing its target, it continues clanging and zinging back and forth through your body, messing with everything else until its energy is spent.  

I think my chemo bullet rattled all the way down to my feet before expiring, resulting in this stubborn neuropathy.

Last weekend, Diane and I celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary
at the Ohana Hawaiian Café in Portland

I thought I had lost two good friends to cancer this year – Mountain Dew and Darigold Old Fashioned Chocolate Milk.  I ran into them both recently, and they are as good as ever.

Inching My Way….

I’ve been out of the hospital about 4 weeks.  I saw my oncologist yesterday and she agreed to let me start back to work part time, so I was officially on the clock this morning for the first time in over 40 days.  

Half days are nice, they go fast.  It was good to be back on the job and to have a few moments of actually feeling useful and productive.  

My checklist of things to do while home bound remains unfinished.  Some things will just have to wait until inching my way becomes bigger strides. 

I’m dedicated to the Wispy hair look for now

Waiting for Normal

Wednesday I turned 61.  I celebrated my birthday in style…..  Well, in the style of some folks in their sixties.  First was an appointment with my oncologist.  They took blood and said the numbers were good. 

When I asked about returning to work, she said the transplant was a real big deal and I need more time to recover, she would not release me to work until after she sees me again in two more weeks. 

She said the bad taste, sores in my mouth, food not tasting good, stomach feeling weird, being easily out of breath, and my worsening vision were because of the strong chemo I received, and will eventually get better. 

I haven’t shaved in over a week, but no whiskers are growing.  She said that is also from the chemo.  She recommended multi-B complex vitamins to help repair the (painful) nerve damage in my feet. 

The achy pain in my legs may be due to the stuff going on in my bone marrow, and hopefully will subside soon. 

She prescribed something to help me sleep through the night (I’ve been waking around 3am every morning since returning from the hospital). 

Diane asked her if I would be able to go out dancing soon.  The doc was still considering it when Diane sighed, “Oh, well, he couldn’t dance before the transplant, so I doubt that has changed.” 

After the doctor visit, we went to see a movie, “Turbo” (in 3D). That’s one fast snail!  We grabbed a bite to eat at KFC and came home.  Our younger son and daughter-in-law called from Kenya that morning and we video chatted with our older son and daughter-in-law in Michigan in the evening.  

The support and encouragement from family and friends has been awesome.  Even reviewing my list of complaints here, I can only thank God for a life overflowing with blessings.

Resting at home, enjoying a visit from my nephew, Dwayne

Hey, I made it

Hi, everyone. I made it through the stem cell transplant process, and am resting at home.

I checked into the Portland Providence Cancer Center on Friday, June 28th.  Monday July 1st was my “Zero” day, the day they put my harvested stem cells back in me.  

By July 10th, I was being told my numbers were excellent, and I may be able to go home soon.  I got out on Friday, the 12th, after two weeks.  It wasn’t like doing, “Hard Time,” but two weeks confined to one room can really wear on you.

I certainly appreciated my visitors there; also those who phoned, emailed, and prayed.  A special thanks to you, Don MacDonald for rebuilding (during my hospital stay) the little ship my Grandpa Martin carved from wood, probably sixty years ago or more.  

Everyone I came into contact with in the hospital treated me with great kindness, still – I can’t express how good it is to be home.

I was confined to this room for two weeks
The wooden ship, renewed