Twins :)

Ultrasound of my heart from yesterday.

Day 50

As I’ve been learning through most of this illness, whatever complication can be simply described is usually not quite as simple as it would seem. Same thing for side-effects. Come to think of it, describing these outcomes in only the most simplest of ways is common-place and probably easiest to do because the manifestations of [...]

Working out and waiting

It’s been a while since my last update – lots has been going on.
Basically, physical therapy is my next stop. There is a facility right here in the hospital and that’s where I’ll be going. In the mean time, I’ve been working with a therapist up here on my floor nearly every day. We walk, [...]

Good Morning

It’s been several long weeks, but I am finally “back on the air” so to speak with the blog. Many many thanks to mom and the rest of the family for keeping everyone updated on what was happening. And many thanks to all of you who kept up, sent comments, etc..
In a strange way, all [...]

50% solution

Visiting the oncologist today was unlike any other visit: it was actually not just busy, but crowded! And it seemed like quite a social gathering. After a couple of false starts to get my bloods drawn and get in to the the doctor (with my chart missing, nonetheless), we finally heard that the bone marrow [...]

Bone Marrow Biopsy no. 4

Friday I had my fourth bone marrow biopsy. We were testing to find out how much leukemia is still in my bones. Above a certain threshhold, and I’ll need to go back for another round of chemo before the transplant. This will improve my chances with the transplant. Of course, such a circumstance may also [...]

Kisses for Daddy – Another joyous Voodoo visit

Kisses for Daddy – the best version
Originally uploaded by sdpalmer.

Lenna and Brian came to visit on Saturday with Voodoo. This time, there was no mistaking the daddy! Lots of kisses. I took Voodoo for a walk just the two of the us up the Skuykill River and we were both panting from the heat. A [...]

Healthier today …

than I was when I was admitted in to the hospital. Take a at my blook numbers from the day I went to emergency room on February 9th, with those from this past Thursday.

Date
Day
WBC
ANC
Hgb
PLT
Transfusions

10 Feb
Day -3
4.9
147
10.8
25
–

31 May
Today
1.1
264
11.2
68
 

Admittedly, I had a few more white blood cells back then, but remember that nearly every blood cell was [...]

Sportin’ a baldy

Sportin’ a baldy today

Originally uploaded by sdpalmer.

My hair was growing in too unevenly so I had it cut today … all the way back. Looks great. Feels cold!
I had it done mid-morning today and was a little self-conscious afterwards at work, so I still wore my surgical scrub hat, but I’m getting more [...]

Sticky situation

Wow – it’s been a while since I posted a health update. Everything’s still fine: my blood numbers are still in the same general area and I’ve had no problems or complications so I’m still out of the hospital. I’ve been getting stronger every day and have started working a lot more over the past [...]

So where did it go?

What? Where did what go? So on Wednesday and on Thursday they drew my bloods, as usual, to do the regular analysis and guess what? While my white blood count, ANC’s hemoglobin and platelets are all floating around the same numbers (I’ll update the blood chart here tonight), the lab reported no Leukemia blasts in [...]

Still “free”

At least in the outside world!
Saw the oncologist yesterday. I’m doing OK but the Leukemia has started to reappear in my blood – the 3% of anomalous cells the machine caught on Monday were, in fact, Leukemia blasts. However, I’m still well enough to be out of the hospital and we’re going to [...]

Going to the oncologist

This is a visit I generally dread. Not that I don’t like my oncologist – I definitely do. But I always feel like I have to wade through a bunch of other sickly people and the smell just reminds me that I too am very very ill. Which I’m starting to resent more and more.
So [...]

Going back to the hospital … for transplant!

I am tentatively scheduled to go back to the hospital on July 8th to begin my transplant procedure. They have found several potential donors for me and right now, it’s looking good that I will undergo the procedure mid-July, with prep starting on the 8th. This is still tentative and needs to be confirmed, but [...]

Chemo brain

I find it interesting – there is a marked cognitive loss … difficult to explain. Sometimes it’s vague, sometimes it’s just short-term memory, sometimes it’s longer-term memory, sometimes it’s just vocalization. It’s a weird impact that has lessoned as I’ve emerged from the Chemo twilight (as I like to call it). And there was a [...]

My dearest Teddy …

I take it by your conspicuous absence that you have made it safely to Australia, and Steve is taking good care of you in Cairns. As your exchange student in America, I thought it only fair that I give you the latest on your dad from the past week.
His numbers have rebounded and he’s feeling [...]

Where the numbers at?

So after a couple of days of my numbers trending low for white blood cells, ANC’s and platelets, they are starting to rebound nicely. I met with the oncologist yesterday and she said that if the ANC’s keep trending down I may go back to the hospital very soon just to get on stronger anti-biotics [...]

Voodoo visit

Finally … kisses!

Originally uploaded by sdpalmer.

Yesterday, I had a great visit with Voodoo. Check out the photos. I miss her. (Thanks, Lenna. Thanks, Allison. Thanks, Mom. — the 3 women who have taken care of Voodoo while I’ve been unable.)

Coming along

My ANC’s are declining, as are my platelets, but my other numbers are looking good and there are still no leukemia blasts in my blood. I’m still at home and feeling a little stronger every day. I’ve been doing more work for my job and accomplishing more things at home. But lately, I’ve been feeling [...]

Good news

On Wednesday, I met with my oncologist who had some great news. There’s so much of it, I’m going to have to just bullet it out:

I’ve gained about 5-7 pounds since I left the hospital 4 days earlier – eating my own food on my own terms on my own schedule is doing good for [...]