Another Saturday night.... at home!
As many of our friends can attest, my wife and I were never at home in the evening. There were times when we were busy every night for three weeks in a row! So sitting here now - night after night - is really going against the grain for us. Not only that, but TV does not offer a good diversion - there's nothing on to watch!
Maybe some day I will look back with great fondness at these days where there was nothing to do but stay home. But right now that seems like such a fairytale.
Anyway, I'm still feeling fine and that's what really counts.
It's also interesting to note that this was the day a year ago that I first went home from the hospital. Boy, did that feel great having been there for almost 4 weeks. At the time, I did not have any idea what was in store for me. It was a wait and see proposition.
So, I waited... I saw... and it exceeded all my expectations...
Bob
November 27, 2009 11:15 PM
A great ending to the day!
Yesterday that is. My grandson asked to spend the night with us and after watching the movie "Cars", the three of us put on "A Christmas Story" and watched that movie. It's always a good movie. But, more importantly, it was nice for the three of us to just sit back, relax, and laugh together. Certainly a blessing that I could not have necessarily foreseen a year ago.
Today we went to see my mother-in-law and went out to lunch. Most places were rather empty, or closed, because it was the day after Thanksgiving. We ended up at a Mexican restaurant as a change of pace - had my first margarita since at least January. How limes can taste so good!!!
For our evening's entertainment, we watch a couple of movies and that was the culmination of another quiet day.
I'm feeling great and for the next month, in particular, we'll do our best to keep it that way. Hopefully, by the turn of the year we will see a downturn with all this flu that's going around and I will be able to edge closer to a normal life.
I can hardly wait...
Bpb
Yesterday that is. My grandson asked to spend the night with us and after watching the movie "Cars", the three of us put on "A Christmas Story" and watched that movie. It's always a good movie. But, more importantly, it was nice for the three of us to just sit back, relax, and laugh together. Certainly a blessing that I could not have necessarily foreseen a year ago.
Today we went to see my mother-in-law and went out to lunch. Most places were rather empty, or closed, because it was the day after Thanksgiving. We ended up at a Mexican restaurant as a change of pace - had my first margarita since at least January. How limes can taste so good!!!
For our evening's entertainment, we watch a couple of movies and that was the culmination of another quiet day.
I'm feeling great and for the next month, in particular, we'll do our best to keep it that way. Hopefully, by the turn of the year we will see a downturn with all this flu that's going around and I will be able to edge closer to a normal life.
I can hardly wait...
Bpb
November 26, 2009 9:00 PM
A great day!
We went to my daughters house and had Thanksgiving dinner there with some relatives ferom both sides of the family. As usual, the spread was fantastic though I restrained myself and did not overeat which is the usual Thanksgiving malady that befalls each of us.
I kind of let it all hang out yesterday as to what this particular day means to me so I don't need to bore you with that all over again.
Now it's time to sit back and enjoy the rest of the weekend and gear up for the Christmas season which totally misses the point of the "Christmas Season". But, I know that I and many others are beating a dead horse in this regard.
Last year one of the doctors stated that I would probably be foregoing the holidays so that I could be ready for the holidays for years to come. Today is the first payback on that investment and, in retrospect, a very wise investment indeed. I haven't made many good ones in my life but it when it really counted - it paid off handsomely. Looking at my picture, you can see that I am being a little presumptuous about the "handsomely" part.
Anyway, mine was a great day and I hope that each of you had as good a day as I did.
Now let's all start making a new list of blessings that we can refer to next Thanksgiving's Day...
Bob
We went to my daughters house and had Thanksgiving dinner there with some relatives ferom both sides of the family. As usual, the spread was fantastic though I restrained myself and did not overeat which is the usual Thanksgiving malady that befalls each of us.
I kind of let it all hang out yesterday as to what this particular day means to me so I don't need to bore you with that all over again.
Now it's time to sit back and enjoy the rest of the weekend and gear up for the Christmas season which totally misses the point of the "Christmas Season". But, I know that I and many others are beating a dead horse in this regard.
Last year one of the doctors stated that I would probably be foregoing the holidays so that I could be ready for the holidays for years to come. Today is the first payback on that investment and, in retrospect, a very wise investment indeed. I haven't made many good ones in my life but it when it really counted - it paid off handsomely. Looking at my picture, you can see that I am being a little presumptuous about the "handsomely" part.
Anyway, mine was a great day and I hope that each of you had as good a day as I did.
Now let's all start making a new list of blessings that we can refer to next Thanksgiving's Day...
Bob
November 25, 2009 10:35 PM
Starting down the backstretch!
Another corner has been turned! Everything went perfectly at the doctor's office this morning. Most importantly, my counts are rising as they should. I did ask about the one count that was in the 500 range and was an indication as to how my immune system was doing. It turns out that the normal value is about 1000 but that my count was in the low normal range. Considering that most patients at this stage have that count value much less - I am doing extremely well.
This fact is a two-edged sword for me. Obviously, I want to do as well as I can from a physical standpoint. But, it does mean that within the next few months I will most likely have to stare directly into the eyes of that demon called "work". However, as we all know, the office that I left is no longer there anymore, so "work" takes on a whole new meaning for me. Where is it? What is it? Who is it?
Because my immune count is still low, the doctor said that I still must avoid continual exposure to crowds - especially this year with the H1N1 flu virus being so rampant. However, if it were possible for me to telecommute to work everyday, then that would be acceptable in his eyes. But, two things prevent that. My company completely cut off all access to any of it's internal web sites once I went on long term disability and, secondly, I did not have a job that would allow me to operate from home eight hours a day for weeks on end.
Lastly, he stated that, come February, I will start my vaccination cycle and he recommends that I get the flu shot as well at that point.
So, it's another great day giving me so much to be thankful for tomorrow.
I want to wish each of you a Thanksgiving that is the day that you want it to be - celebrated with the people with whom you most wish to share all your blessings. I know that it can be hard in these economic times to look at life's positives but for each of us there are many. Focus on those because they help to define, nurture, and give meaning to our lives.
Thanksgiving gives us pause to step back and to really look at ourselves and our lives and, hopefully, to put everything in proper perspective. Realizing our blessings helps to propel us into and through all our tomorrows because they show us why life is truly worth living.
Have a blessed Thanksgiving everyone...
Bob
Another corner has been turned! Everything went perfectly at the doctor's office this morning. Most importantly, my counts are rising as they should. I did ask about the one count that was in the 500 range and was an indication as to how my immune system was doing. It turns out that the normal value is about 1000 but that my count was in the low normal range. Considering that most patients at this stage have that count value much less - I am doing extremely well.
This fact is a two-edged sword for me. Obviously, I want to do as well as I can from a physical standpoint. But, it does mean that within the next few months I will most likely have to stare directly into the eyes of that demon called "work". However, as we all know, the office that I left is no longer there anymore, so "work" takes on a whole new meaning for me. Where is it? What is it? Who is it?
Because my immune count is still low, the doctor said that I still must avoid continual exposure to crowds - especially this year with the H1N1 flu virus being so rampant. However, if it were possible for me to telecommute to work everyday, then that would be acceptable in his eyes. But, two things prevent that. My company completely cut off all access to any of it's internal web sites once I went on long term disability and, secondly, I did not have a job that would allow me to operate from home eight hours a day for weeks on end.
Lastly, he stated that, come February, I will start my vaccination cycle and he recommends that I get the flu shot as well at that point.
So, it's another great day giving me so much to be thankful for tomorrow.
I want to wish each of you a Thanksgiving that is the day that you want it to be - celebrated with the people with whom you most wish to share all your blessings. I know that it can be hard in these economic times to look at life's positives but for each of us there are many. Focus on those because they help to define, nurture, and give meaning to our lives.
Thanksgiving gives us pause to step back and to really look at ourselves and our lives and, hopefully, to put everything in proper perspective. Realizing our blessings helps to propel us into and through all our tomorrows because they show us why life is truly worth living.
Have a blessed Thanksgiving everyone...
Bob
November 24, 2009 11:15 PM
Do it to me one more time!
Yup, it's up at 5 AM tomorrow and off to Boston. I'm expecting little traffic and a relatively quick time at the clinic as it's the day before Thanksgiving. Fat chance, right?
Obviously, tomorrow's blog will have some "real" information in it unlike the filler that I have to give you the rest of the time.
Today was a quiet day - just a friend for dinner. You know it's a real friend when you tell them ahead of time that it's going to be leftovers and they still come anyway.
With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I can't help but think of what I was doing this time last year - just marking time in the hospital until I got the AOK to go home. My counts were rising and I knew that the day would be arriving soon, but they never give you any definitive information until the moment actually arrives. So I was left to start each day by anticipating that it would be the one. I was hoping against hope that I would have been out of the hospital by Thansgiving day.
It was not meant to be...
Bob
Yup, it's up at 5 AM tomorrow and off to Boston. I'm expecting little traffic and a relatively quick time at the clinic as it's the day before Thanksgiving. Fat chance, right?
Obviously, tomorrow's blog will have some "real" information in it unlike the filler that I have to give you the rest of the time.
Today was a quiet day - just a friend for dinner. You know it's a real friend when you tell them ahead of time that it's going to be leftovers and they still come anyway.
With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I can't help but think of what I was doing this time last year - just marking time in the hospital until I got the AOK to go home. My counts were rising and I knew that the day would be arriving soon, but they never give you any definitive information until the moment actually arrives. So I was left to start each day by anticipating that it would be the one. I was hoping against hope that I would have been out of the hospital by Thansgiving day.
It was not meant to be...
Bob
November 23, 2009 10:55 PM
The entries keep on coming!
I'm closing in on 400 entries! It's hard to believe that this would last this long especially where I've reached the point in my recovery that not much of a newsworthy nature is happening. But, I'll keep on trucking for a while because I know that there is a contingent of you who keep on viewing this blog and I will try my best not to disappoint you.
Tonight, we went out to dinner with some friends and had a great time! Boy, how we tend to take these things for granted. But a wonderful night at a restaurant with family and/or friends is really a priceless gift. To be able to sit and talk and drink and eat and laugh and just be able to enjoy one another's company is really a blessing. It's especially so for me given my current circumstances and reflecting back on what I was doing a year ago and not having any idea whether or not I would even be among you today.
Of course, this feeling is further brought to bear because of the upcoming holiday.
I've got so much to thank God for...
Bob
I'm closing in on 400 entries! It's hard to believe that this would last this long especially where I've reached the point in my recovery that not much of a newsworthy nature is happening. But, I'll keep on trucking for a while because I know that there is a contingent of you who keep on viewing this blog and I will try my best not to disappoint you.
Tonight, we went out to dinner with some friends and had a great time! Boy, how we tend to take these things for granted. But a wonderful night at a restaurant with family and/or friends is really a priceless gift. To be able to sit and talk and drink and eat and laugh and just be able to enjoy one another's company is really a blessing. It's especially so for me given my current circumstances and reflecting back on what I was doing a year ago and not having any idea whether or not I would even be among you today.
Of course, this feeling is further brought to bear because of the upcoming holiday.
I've got so much to thank God for...
Bob
November 22, 2009 10:10 PM
A beautiful day!
So, out to breakfast and then the supermarket. For me those are major outings, so i can't knock it. The rest of the day was at home where I could curl up with the paper and watch some football - the all-American Sunday!
Nothing of any real importance of which I am extremely grateful. As, usual, every Sunday does get to me as I miss church once again. But I think that I can see the light at the end of the tunnel in that regard. Sometime after the holidays.
And this is the week that it all starts, so let the holidays begin once again.
God, please give us all the strength...
Bob
So, out to breakfast and then the supermarket. For me those are major outings, so i can't knock it. The rest of the day was at home where I could curl up with the paper and watch some football - the all-American Sunday!
Nothing of any real importance of which I am extremely grateful. As, usual, every Sunday does get to me as I miss church once again. But I think that I can see the light at the end of the tunnel in that regard. Sometime after the holidays.
And this is the week that it all starts, so let the holidays begin once again.
God, please give us all the strength...
Bob
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
