In Greece!
That's where we were a year ago. What a difference a year makes! But it's been a very good year for me as my disease was diagnosed and I am well on my way back to good health. For how long? Who knows? But that's not the important thing!
What's that you say? Why isn't it the important thing? Because the important thing is that I now have a different outlook at life - you look at each day for the miracle that it is and you have a better understanding as to how important people are! Without the support of so many wonderful people(too numerous to name), I would not be where I am today. All of this would have been denied to me had I not contracted leukemia. I am not wishing any of this on any of you mind you. But, there is always that silver lining in that cloud as they say. And, once again, I have personally experienced God's blessings first hand via my miraculous walk along this path. Certainly undeserving, but you can't put a price on that!
If this disease comes back sometime in the near future, I have not been cheated in any way. I'm now living on borrowed time as it is - so I have lost nothing! And that borrowed time has been a wonderful experience. Right now, everyday allows me to more than enjoy the beauty of God's world as gorgeous fall colors are here in abundance. To be sure, winter ain't so hot, but it has it's moments as well.
I still keep busy. I bought another hard drive for my computer and am merrily(!) reconfiguring my machine and, in fact, all of our machines to link them together and provide a much easier way to back them up. You know, after several disk crashes, machine failures, etc. over the years you finally wise up! It's such a pain in the neck to get everything reloaded and up and running again. I guess that I am either a slow learner or I just like to periodically torture myself!
Tomorrow it's back to the lake for the day - probably for the last time this season. I know that the fall colors up north will be magnificent to say the least. A very visible example of God's handiwork.
But it's Sunday, I wish I were back to church...
Bob
October 9, 2009 11:35 PM
A good day!
I've been working at resurrecting my computer and have started to bring it around. Of course, I've lost the original hard drive and I'll need to purchase another one. But, the machine is up and running again. Fortunately, having worked with computers for so many years, I can take the machine apart and replace and move things around.
We had company for dinner(our deacon and her husband). So, after dinner, we had communion as well. It was a nice evening. Unfortunately, our company for tomorrow has cancelled due to having colds. Kind of a bummer, but I appreciate the thoughtfulness that they don't wish to infect me with anything. We've been good so far it would be a shame to lose it now.
At this point in time, I'm beginning to think back to what was going on a year ago. And it was a pleasant moment as we were packing packing for our cruise from Greece to the islands and Turkey. To say the least, it was a last hurrah before everything set in - though we certainly did not know it at the time. This year certainly did not allow for such luxuries but it has been great in its own way.
2010 will be even better...
Bob
I've been working at resurrecting my computer and have started to bring it around. Of course, I've lost the original hard drive and I'll need to purchase another one. But, the machine is up and running again. Fortunately, having worked with computers for so many years, I can take the machine apart and replace and move things around.
We had company for dinner(our deacon and her husband). So, after dinner, we had communion as well. It was a nice evening. Unfortunately, our company for tomorrow has cancelled due to having colds. Kind of a bummer, but I appreciate the thoughtfulness that they don't wish to infect me with anything. We've been good so far it would be a shame to lose it now.
At this point in time, I'm beginning to think back to what was going on a year ago. And it was a pleasant moment as we were packing packing for our cruise from Greece to the islands and Turkey. To say the least, it was a last hurrah before everything set in - though we certainly did not know it at the time. This year certainly did not allow for such luxuries but it has been great in its own way.
2010 will be even better...
Bob
October 8, 2009 11:55 PM
Healthwise, a great day!
Somewhat frustrating as I am trying to get all the data off of my crippled hard disk. But I think that I have met with success. Because of storage issues on some of my machines, it's been a rather round about effort. But, frustrations aside, it seems to have been successful. Losing a computer is a major pain in the neck as you try to set everything aright again.
I did forget to mention one thing from my doctor's visit yesterday. I gained some more weight and am now only about 10 pounds less that when I started this whole ordeal. I suppose that that is a good thing for I know that the doctor watches such things as that. Continuing to lose weight is not a good idea.
I am really looking forward to the end of the month and further cutting my medications. Maybe, once I'm off the immuno-supressants, I'll actually be able to have a glass of wine(or something even stronger). It will be about nine months at that point. I guess that I'll be better able to relate to what pregnant women go through! Yeh, right! As if!
But, regardless, I'm still another day closer to where I want to be...
Bob
Somewhat frustrating as I am trying to get all the data off of my crippled hard disk. But I think that I have met with success. Because of storage issues on some of my machines, it's been a rather round about effort. But, frustrations aside, it seems to have been successful. Losing a computer is a major pain in the neck as you try to set everything aright again.
I did forget to mention one thing from my doctor's visit yesterday. I gained some more weight and am now only about 10 pounds less that when I started this whole ordeal. I suppose that that is a good thing for I know that the doctor watches such things as that. Continuing to lose weight is not a good idea.
I am really looking forward to the end of the month and further cutting my medications. Maybe, once I'm off the immuno-supressants, I'll actually be able to have a glass of wine(or something even stronger). It will be about nine months at that point. I guess that I'll be better able to relate to what pregnant women go through! Yeh, right! As if!
But, regardless, I'm still another day closer to where I want to be...
Bob
October 7, 2009 11:15 PM
Perfect!
That's the doctor's word to describe my counts. So I am right on schedule. Because of that, the dosage of my one remaining immuno-suppresant was halved and will be discontinued at the end of the month. Since the drug is also the cause of the elevation in my cholesterol, the Lipitor that I have been taking will be terminated as well. That will cut my medications down to three simple pills and remove $100 a month in prescriptions from my regimen. Allelulia!
But even though things are going so well, the doctor warned that graft vs host disease can still crop up in the months to come. However, the real major hurdle occurs from year 1 to year 2. That's the time that the disease can rear it's ugly head again. Admittedly, every day that goes by without any problems is a good day and gets me closer to the overall goal, but I've still got a long way to go.
What does it translate into in the here and now? Well, not much. The doctor says that limiting crowds, etc. is still my lot in life - especially with flu season on the horizon and my being unable to benefit from any flu shots. It looks like February is still the next goal. Rats!
I think that I mentioned that I wrote a second letter to my donor - but I have yet to hear from him. I'm guessing that he chooses to remain forever anonymous - which is his right!
I do want to mention that we particularly follow my hemoglobin count. The reason being that it was the flag that started this whole process going. At that time, a year ago, it was 6 and change. Since the transplant, it has been slowly creeping up and today it was 11.6 - still not quite normal, but the highest it's ever been in the past year. The depressed value was the sole cause of my breathing issues. Obviously, those issues do not exist today. In truth, though, whose to say when the last time was that my hemoglobin was this high. A year and a half ago? Two years ago? I don't know. But I can truthfully say that I'm feeling better than I have in a long time!
As was stated at the doctor's office, a bone marrow transplant is not the ideal way to partake of the fountain of youth - but it's worked for me!
So, it's been a good day and it gives every indication of leading to many more...
Bob
That's the doctor's word to describe my counts. So I am right on schedule. Because of that, the dosage of my one remaining immuno-suppresant was halved and will be discontinued at the end of the month. Since the drug is also the cause of the elevation in my cholesterol, the Lipitor that I have been taking will be terminated as well. That will cut my medications down to three simple pills and remove $100 a month in prescriptions from my regimen. Allelulia!
But even though things are going so well, the doctor warned that graft vs host disease can still crop up in the months to come. However, the real major hurdle occurs from year 1 to year 2. That's the time that the disease can rear it's ugly head again. Admittedly, every day that goes by without any problems is a good day and gets me closer to the overall goal, but I've still got a long way to go.
What does it translate into in the here and now? Well, not much. The doctor says that limiting crowds, etc. is still my lot in life - especially with flu season on the horizon and my being unable to benefit from any flu shots. It looks like February is still the next goal. Rats!
I think that I mentioned that I wrote a second letter to my donor - but I have yet to hear from him. I'm guessing that he chooses to remain forever anonymous - which is his right!
I do want to mention that we particularly follow my hemoglobin count. The reason being that it was the flag that started this whole process going. At that time, a year ago, it was 6 and change. Since the transplant, it has been slowly creeping up and today it was 11.6 - still not quite normal, but the highest it's ever been in the past year. The depressed value was the sole cause of my breathing issues. Obviously, those issues do not exist today. In truth, though, whose to say when the last time was that my hemoglobin was this high. A year and a half ago? Two years ago? I don't know. But I can truthfully say that I'm feeling better than I have in a long time!
As was stated at the doctor's office, a bone marrow transplant is not the ideal way to partake of the fountain of youth - but it's worked for me!
So, it's been a good day and it gives every indication of leading to many more...
Bob
October 6, 2009 11:05 PM
Off to the movies...
but, more importantly, off to the doctors. Rise time is 5 AM tomorrow as our 6 week hiatus from Dana Farber comes to an end and we make our way to Boston. I don't expect any problems as I am feeling super at this point. However, as the doctors say, the numbers speak for themselves. So, we'll see what they say. Well, actually, I guess that they "say" nothing - we'll just have to read them.
But, for sure, it was back to the Wilton Town Hall Theater to watch a movie with all of 8 other people. Here, for sure, it is no problem avoiding crowds and you can't avoid the popcorn either - that real butter gets you every time.
Another day of progress on my basement. It's great to be able to actually get something done around the house.
I'll end here. But, tomorrow's entry will certainly have some meat in it whether it be good, bad, or ugly. So I recommend that, if you are interested, you make an effort to read where I stand after almost 8 months have elapsed since my bone marrow transplant.
See you then...
Bob
but, more importantly, off to the doctors. Rise time is 5 AM tomorrow as our 6 week hiatus from Dana Farber comes to an end and we make our way to Boston. I don't expect any problems as I am feeling super at this point. However, as the doctors say, the numbers speak for themselves. So, we'll see what they say. Well, actually, I guess that they "say" nothing - we'll just have to read them.
But, for sure, it was back to the Wilton Town Hall Theater to watch a movie with all of 8 other people. Here, for sure, it is no problem avoiding crowds and you can't avoid the popcorn either - that real butter gets you every time.
Another day of progress on my basement. It's great to be able to actually get something done around the house.
I'll end here. But, tomorrow's entry will certainly have some meat in it whether it be good, bad, or ugly. So I recommend that, if you are interested, you make an effort to read where I stand after almost 8 months have elapsed since my bone marrow transplant.
See you then...
Bob
October 5, 2009 11:10 PM
Another good day!
Weatherwise, healthwise, I'm still trucking along. Did some work in the basement as I planned to do.
Nothing of any great import to divulge. As I said yesterday, Wednesday will be another big day in a long line of big days as I finally get to the doctor's office. It's hard to believe that it's been 6 weeks since my last visit and over 7 and 1/2 months since my transplant. I'll certainly be curious as to what the doctor thinks I should be able to do at this point in time.
In order to prepare for this, I have gone out on the web to get a better idea of what should happen to someone who undergoes a bone marrow transplant. It's a whale of a lot easier to do this now since I have progressed so well.
Here's one sites take on what happens...
"Bone marrow transplants are accompanied by a risk of infection, transplant rejection by the recipient's immune system, and othe complications. The procedure has a lower success rate the greater the recipient's age. Complications are more likely in people whose health is already impaired. Even in the absence of complications, the transplant and associated treatments are hard on the recipient."
The good news from this site is that it says that "Barring complications, the recipient can return to normal activities about 6-8 months after the transplant." However, it does say that the recipient's progress must be monitored for a full year after the transplant.
Another site says that "most adults over the age of 55 develop graft vs host disease". Also it is stated that "liver complications afflict as many as 50% or more of patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation, possibly causing fatal liver and kidney failure."
How fortunate have I been? If I had known all of this up front, I don't know how I would have reacted to facing a such formidable future.
This has truly been a miracle...
Bob
Weatherwise, healthwise, I'm still trucking along. Did some work in the basement as I planned to do.
Nothing of any great import to divulge. As I said yesterday, Wednesday will be another big day in a long line of big days as I finally get to the doctor's office. It's hard to believe that it's been 6 weeks since my last visit and over 7 and 1/2 months since my transplant. I'll certainly be curious as to what the doctor thinks I should be able to do at this point in time.
In order to prepare for this, I have gone out on the web to get a better idea of what should happen to someone who undergoes a bone marrow transplant. It's a whale of a lot easier to do this now since I have progressed so well.
Here's one sites take on what happens...
"Bone marrow transplants are accompanied by a risk of infection, transplant rejection by the recipient's immune system, and othe complications. The procedure has a lower success rate the greater the recipient's age. Complications are more likely in people whose health is already impaired. Even in the absence of complications, the transplant and associated treatments are hard on the recipient."
The good news from this site is that it says that "Barring complications, the recipient can return to normal activities about 6-8 months after the transplant." However, it does say that the recipient's progress must be monitored for a full year after the transplant.
Another site says that "most adults over the age of 55 develop graft vs host disease". Also it is stated that "liver complications afflict as many as 50% or more of patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation, possibly causing fatal liver and kidney failure."
How fortunate have I been? If I had known all of this up front, I don't know how I would have reacted to facing a such formidable future.
This has truly been a miracle...
Bob
October 4, 2009 10:30 PM
A beautiful fall day!
My son and his daughters came over today and it was nice to see the kids. After they left, we went for a walk because it was so gorgeous outside.
Other than that, it was NFL Sunday so my son and I watched the Patriots game interrupted by dinner which was pasta that was made by the kids(with the able assistance of my wife).
Not much else to discuss other than the usual fact that on Sunday I do miss going to church. But that cannot be changed in the near future so we will let it go for now and await the doctor's official go ahead(whenever that will be).
Kind of eagerly awaiting Wednesday's doctor's visit...
Bob
My son and his daughters came over today and it was nice to see the kids. After they left, we went for a walk because it was so gorgeous outside.
Other than that, it was NFL Sunday so my son and I watched the Patriots game interrupted by dinner which was pasta that was made by the kids(with the able assistance of my wife).
Not much else to discuss other than the usual fact that on Sunday I do miss going to church. But that cannot be changed in the near future so we will let it go for now and await the doctor's official go ahead(whenever that will be).
Kind of eagerly awaiting Wednesday's doctor's visit...
Bob
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