Not much to say!
Today was a day for working on the downstairs. As such, we didn't go anywhere or have any company. It was just a working day. No thoughts about anything. Just concentrating on what I have to do. Not that I dwell on my situation at all, but it's nice to set your mind to other things and get away from the everyday goings on.
Tomorrow, we go off to visit friends whom we haven't seen for a while.
Not much else to say, I still feel fine and will next visit the doctor on the 23rd.
Bob
December 12, 2009 12:25 PM
A late entry today!
Why? Because we had company tonight and played bridge until we brke off the game and just engeged in conversation for a while. As for the card game? I had fantastic cards all night and we won handily. As much fun as it was to get good cards all night, it takes away from the overall enjoyment of the game when the score becomes so one sided. But, we play for fun and that makes all of us winners - just like we tell our children today!
Other than that a good day. Our son stopped by for a while and then we all went out for pizza so that added to the enjoyment of the day as well.
Since I feel so good, I really forget what is happening to me and I try to engage in as many "normal" activities as I can without giving my condition a second thought. This great ride shows no signs of stopping and I am extremely thankful for it.
Not a long entry, but then not a lot to talk about either...
Bob
Why? Because we had company tonight and played bridge until we brke off the game and just engeged in conversation for a while. As for the card game? I had fantastic cards all night and we won handily. As much fun as it was to get good cards all night, it takes away from the overall enjoyment of the game when the score becomes so one sided. But, we play for fun and that makes all of us winners - just like we tell our children today!
Other than that a good day. Our son stopped by for a while and then we all went out for pizza so that added to the enjoyment of the day as well.
Since I feel so good, I really forget what is happening to me and I try to engage in as many "normal" activities as I can without giving my condition a second thought. This great ride shows no signs of stopping and I am extremely thankful for it.
Not a long entry, but then not a lot to talk about either...
Bob
December 10, 2009 11:50 PM
Another day at home!
But a working day as I did some electrical work and some painting. So each day tends to have its own accomplishments in a number of ways.
I guess that that's what's most important - try to put each day to good use. In what ever way you can - given what you have to deal with. For me, given that each day is a special gift - all accomplishments are truly special.
I have much to be thankful for and, I'll say it again, your prayers and support have been key to my whole recovery. Even today, a friend called an invited us out to play cards next week. So I know that I am still remembered in the eyes of some and that is much appreciated.
This is a wonderful season of joy and happiness(if we can put all the secular issues aside) and it gives each of us somewhat of an idea how life should really be. Admittedly, it's a tease in some way because that feeling always seems to disappear at the turn of the year. Why? Because we let it do that. We let the calendar dictate our lives. I know that I do.
Wouldn't it be great to give a gift to everyone and not just our family and friends! Maybe, if we try to hold onto that Christmas feeling beyond December 25th each of us could make a small difference. Enough small differences can equate to one big difference.
I'm going to try...
Bob
But a working day as I did some electrical work and some painting. So each day tends to have its own accomplishments in a number of ways.
I guess that that's what's most important - try to put each day to good use. In what ever way you can - given what you have to deal with. For me, given that each day is a special gift - all accomplishments are truly special.
I have much to be thankful for and, I'll say it again, your prayers and support have been key to my whole recovery. Even today, a friend called an invited us out to play cards next week. So I know that I am still remembered in the eyes of some and that is much appreciated.
This is a wonderful season of joy and happiness(if we can put all the secular issues aside) and it gives each of us somewhat of an idea how life should really be. Admittedly, it's a tease in some way because that feeling always seems to disappear at the turn of the year. Why? Because we let it do that. We let the calendar dictate our lives. I know that I do.
Wouldn't it be great to give a gift to everyone and not just our family and friends! Maybe, if we try to hold onto that Christmas feeling beyond December 25th each of us could make a small difference. Enough small differences can equate to one big difference.
I'm going to try...
Bob
December 9, 2009 11:50 PM
A small blessing!
But a very important one. We got 8/9 inches of snow today and I didn't have to worry at all about going out in it. And I don't have to worry about going to work tomorrow in the aftermath of it because you know that it will be a horrendous commute.
So, it was a great day to just hunker down and do some work around the house - which I did. It's also nice that I can pace myself because I don't currently have to contend with a 40 hour work week - if I ever will again! So, I work until I feel like stopping.
Obviously, with the snowstorm there was no outside activities today - no snowmen, snow forts, or snowball fights either! More importantly - no need to clean up either - it's all done for us. At least there is some salvation here.
Florida looks better and better every day...
Bob
But a very important one. We got 8/9 inches of snow today and I didn't have to worry at all about going out in it. And I don't have to worry about going to work tomorrow in the aftermath of it because you know that it will be a horrendous commute.
So, it was a great day to just hunker down and do some work around the house - which I did. It's also nice that I can pace myself because I don't currently have to contend with a 40 hour work week - if I ever will again! So, I work until I feel like stopping.
Obviously, with the snowstorm there was no outside activities today - no snowmen, snow forts, or snowball fights either! More importantly - no need to clean up either - it's all done for us. At least there is some salvation here.
Florida looks better and better every day...
Bob
December 8, 2009 11:35 PM
Not fitting the mold!
Looking for something to read, I came acroos the huge notebook that Dana farber had given me prior to the bone marrow transplant in order to allow me to familiarize myself with the process and the extraneous side effects that can occur - physically, emotionally, and psychologically. I just don't fit the profile at all!
The average time to find a donor is 4 months. Mine was a lot less and when they state that it can take up to 5 years to find one you really get an appreciation as to how much of a miracle it was!
All the side effects - especially suffering from severe fatigue just never materialized. Graft versus host disease was basically not existent. Forget about the nausea. In fact they stated that it was not uncommon to be resubmitted to the hospital after the transplant. Boy, am I glad that I dodged that bullet!
Then they go through and list all of the resources that are offered as part of the many counseling programs that they offer in order to help you deal with the disease and the aftermath of the treatment. They say that it's quite normal to dwell on the fact that it could come back. I refuse to get caught up in that trap. To compromise your every day by living in constant fear of how many more days you may have is no way to live! I suppose that because of my own experience I can choose to forget all of that. Counseling, for me, just appears to be a waste of time. I admit that I would like to go to some of the sessions that are offered in order to help others. But, from others that have done so, I have heard that it is just a pity party and you leave more depressed than ever. I certainly don't need that!
About the only true revelation for me was that the vaccination shots that I will start getting in February will take a year to complete. No real surprise as I knew that I would be monitored on a less frequent basis during the 12-24 month timeframe after the transplant.
I simply take every day as a blessing and today was a great day. I worked downstairs for a while and we went to a movie this afternoon when no one was at the theater.
Everywhere I turn, I realize that I have been exceedingly blessed.
Thank you God...
Bob
Looking for something to read, I came acroos the huge notebook that Dana farber had given me prior to the bone marrow transplant in order to allow me to familiarize myself with the process and the extraneous side effects that can occur - physically, emotionally, and psychologically. I just don't fit the profile at all!
The average time to find a donor is 4 months. Mine was a lot less and when they state that it can take up to 5 years to find one you really get an appreciation as to how much of a miracle it was!
All the side effects - especially suffering from severe fatigue just never materialized. Graft versus host disease was basically not existent. Forget about the nausea. In fact they stated that it was not uncommon to be resubmitted to the hospital after the transplant. Boy, am I glad that I dodged that bullet!
Then they go through and list all of the resources that are offered as part of the many counseling programs that they offer in order to help you deal with the disease and the aftermath of the treatment. They say that it's quite normal to dwell on the fact that it could come back. I refuse to get caught up in that trap. To compromise your every day by living in constant fear of how many more days you may have is no way to live! I suppose that because of my own experience I can choose to forget all of that. Counseling, for me, just appears to be a waste of time. I admit that I would like to go to some of the sessions that are offered in order to help others. But, from others that have done so, I have heard that it is just a pity party and you leave more depressed than ever. I certainly don't need that!
About the only true revelation for me was that the vaccination shots that I will start getting in February will take a year to complete. No real surprise as I knew that I would be monitored on a less frequent basis during the 12-24 month timeframe after the transplant.
I simply take every day as a blessing and today was a great day. I worked downstairs for a while and we went to a movie this afternoon when no one was at the theater.
Everywhere I turn, I realize that I have been exceedingly blessed.
Thank you God...
Bob
Decembar 7, 2009 10:35 PM
It was a moving day today!
Not physically - but emotionally. My brother-in-law's uncle passed away last Thursday and today was the funeral and burial. He was a man that we had come in contact with a number of times at family gatherings. At 94, he was also a WWII veteran. As such, there was a military presence at the cemetary with the burial service concluding with the playing of taps, the flag folding ceremony, and the presentation of the flag to his widow. I had never before attended a burial where taps had been played. It was truly very moving and the entire military ritual offered a final thank you to a man for a debt owed to him that none of us can truly repay. Even when my father passed away, there was no playing of taps.
Ironically, today is Pearl Harbor Day and it provides the opportunity for our hearts and minds to extend back to that horrible day and the ensuing consequences that so many of the generation that went before me had to endure. As those veterans continue to leave us, those of us who never served can never fully understand and/or appreciate the sacrifices that were made in order for us to have what we have today. This service brought all of that to the surface and made it alive once more. I will never forget it.
Ironically, for me, my wife and I had vacillated over the past few days as to whether or not I should attend. But, when we realistically decided that there would not be a large crowd of people in attendence we decided that I should go.
We were right on the button with our assessment and I am so glad that I did...
Bob
Not physically - but emotionally. My brother-in-law's uncle passed away last Thursday and today was the funeral and burial. He was a man that we had come in contact with a number of times at family gatherings. At 94, he was also a WWII veteran. As such, there was a military presence at the cemetary with the burial service concluding with the playing of taps, the flag folding ceremony, and the presentation of the flag to his widow. I had never before attended a burial where taps had been played. It was truly very moving and the entire military ritual offered a final thank you to a man for a debt owed to him that none of us can truly repay. Even when my father passed away, there was no playing of taps.
Ironically, today is Pearl Harbor Day and it provides the opportunity for our hearts and minds to extend back to that horrible day and the ensuing consequences that so many of the generation that went before me had to endure. As those veterans continue to leave us, those of us who never served can never fully understand and/or appreciate the sacrifices that were made in order for us to have what we have today. This service brought all of that to the surface and made it alive once more. I will never forget it.
Ironically, for me, my wife and I had vacillated over the past few days as to whether or not I should attend. But, when we realistically decided that there would not be a large crowd of people in attendence we decided that I should go.
We were right on the button with our assessment and I am so glad that I did...
Bob
December 6, 2009 11:55 PM
A quiet Sunday!
Nothing much to comment about today. The snow amounted to a few inches which we didn't have to clean up as we live in a condo(such a blessing on days like this).
We did, however, put up some Christmas decorations. I guess no matter old you get you still like to have signs of the season around you. No big tree this year(we do have a small tree, however, and that will suffice for this year). Maybe next year we'll get out the big one. No better tree than an artificial one I always say!
But, it's nice to change the motif once in a while. Of course, what you take out - you have to put away. But that's for another day.
It's Sunday, I still miss going to church...
Bob
Nothing much to comment about today. The snow amounted to a few inches which we didn't have to clean up as we live in a condo(such a blessing on days like this).
We did, however, put up some Christmas decorations. I guess no matter old you get you still like to have signs of the season around you. No big tree this year(we do have a small tree, however, and that will suffice for this year). Maybe next year we'll get out the big one. No better tree than an artificial one I always say!
But, it's nice to change the motif once in a while. Of course, what you take out - you have to put away. But that's for another day.
It's Sunday, I still miss going to church...
Bob
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