Well this recovery thing is going to be a bit harder than I thought. I was expecting a gentle sloping of ever decreasing side effects with each day a little better than the day before. That’s not exactly how it’s going to be I guess.
I have a runny nose.
I can hear it now. Turn off the lights and get Bill to the hospital – he has a runny nose. Call an ambulance! He will soon join the ranks of the living dead if we don’t get that runny nose under control!
Okay wise guys. I have discovered, over the past six months, that a runny nose usually means – at least for me – a drop in platelets. Don’t ask me why, but it does. Usually a drop in platelets goes hand-in-hand with a drop in hemoglobin. You know, the component of your blood that carries oxygen. So anyway, I am a bit anxious. I’ve become a crybaby and it’s probably a cold.
Maybe it’s no big deal. I have to go to the doc Monday and I’ll get updated blood numbers then. Who knows, maybe the bone marrow will get off its ass and kick in today and make some blood stuff over the weekend and all will be fine with the world. I sometimes wonder if my bone marrow doesn’t consist of a bunch of fat guys in stained wife beater tee shirts, eating sub sandwiches, and waiting for further guidance. I imagine a lot of recliners being used in my bone marrow.
Remember two weeks ago when I reported I couldn’t walk the dogs 500 meters to the park down the street from my house? Well we walked that same walk yesterday and made it back without sucking wind. I am very optimistic about that. The thing is though my legs weren’t/aren’t back to normal. It was more of a plodding than a smooth walking motion. Even so that’s pretty cool. I was reading this bio of a young woman who was a college cheerleader and after she got cancer, she lost all motor function in her legs. She had to learn to walk all over again. So maybe I’ve got a touch of neuropathy and might need to teach myself to run again. That’s no big deal – especially as the chemo poison dissipates.
On the bright side of the recovery ledger:
· I have to shave today. I haven’t had two days beard growth to worry about in six months. I am so excited.
· My taste buds are returning. Things are starting to taste good again. Yesterday I had a Root Beer and it tasted great. I even had some chocolate last night and it didn’t suck
· My fingers are getting a bit nimbler. I’ve been working on playing “Folsom Prison Blues” on the guitar for some time. It is an easy song, but my hands haven’t worked quite right. Yesterday was the first day my fingers were cooperating when changing chords. Though very simple, I even have the guitar solo down for the song. That’s kind of a big deal. Baby steps you know!!
My plan is to take it easy today. Kate reminded me last night that I’ve only been out of the hospital since Monday and if I push too hard too soon I’ll be right back in. She’s right of course. I’m still dealing with the blood infection that knocked me into the hospital the last time; all things in moderation at this point (except naps).
Talk to you later,
Love to all,
Billy Boy
No comments:
Post a Comment