December 21, 2009 10:30 PM

What a difference a year makes!

Having come home from the hospital on the Monday before Christmas a year ago, I was waiting for my counts to begin to bottom out after my second round of chemo. This year we are continuing to watch them rise. Wednesday will provide the latest installment in that journey as we head to the clinic for my December appointment.

In the mean time, how do I presently keep myself occupied. For one, I am a relatively late riser - 9:00 to be precise. Many people are now aware of this luxury that I presently have and refrain from calling until at least that hour. At this point, I grab a little breakfast, put on some work clothes and proceed to leasurely work on a few projects that I have going on downstairs. Lunch commences at 12:30 so that we can watch how ignorant people are on the daytime syndicated version of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire". I'll continue working for an hour or two after lunch and then call it a day. There is no reason to feverishly work to complete the projects as there is always tomoroow. What a pleasure it is to be able to write that even though they say that tomorrow is promised to no one.

For me each day is a gift that is much appreciated when you realize that it was not that long ago to be diagnosed with leukemia was a death sentence - especially for people my age!

Back to the remainder of the day. Usually I then migrate to the computer and do some web surfing, e-mail checking, etc. A break for dinner is followed by TV until about 10:00 or so when I get back on the computer to do the blog for the day. I'll stick with the computer for a while after that and then go to bed.

Sounds exciting, doesn't it! But, when I'm basically restricted to home duties, there is not too much else that I can do. A meal out once in a while(off peak hours), a movie(on a midweek afternoon), see a grandchild's game occasionally, visit a friend, etc. Those are the main "activities" that get me out of the house.

Christmas Eve will be a biggy for me. The first time that I will have been to church in a year! I really feel like a kid at Christmas with regard to this as I can hardly wait.

It'll probably be February be fore I can go back for good...

Bob