Friends helping friends

Michael’s running bib, originally uploaded by sdpalmer.

My good friend, Michael, recently ran the Race for the Cure in memory of his mother, and in celebration of me – both noted on his running bib. Click the picture to see a larger version. (Also, check out Michael’s team mates!)

Also, please remember to support us for the [...]

The Only Thing Worse Than School Administration is Hospital Administration – or – The Drama of the Return … an epic tale in 11 1/2 parts

( For those who know, this is where we insert the < drama > slide into the presentation … )
Part The First: Remember last week when I needed to do a bone marrow biopsy in order to determine how much leukemia was left in my bones? We needed to do this in order to determine [...]

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 [...]

Lastest health update

Generally, I’m still feeling fine. My blood numbers, however, have drifted a little lower. There’s no cause for concern just yet. If the platelets continue to drift even lower and I require a transfusion of platelets, that will land me back in the hospital. But that was always a known. Leukemia blasts have been showing [...]

Email from Teddy in Australia

Seems like Teddy is having a good time with Steve in Australia. I received this ranting over night and I’m very excited for him and happy. I understand pictures are eminent.
Golly, that was one hell of a trip…If l had been asked, previous to taking this journey, how l would have liked traveling [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

In the past 52 days …

me-outside
Originally uploaded by sdpalmer.

I haven’t been outside or walked up and down steps. That changed today. First, the physical therapist (read terrorist) came by and we walked up and down a whole flight of stairs. Very weird. My leg muscles haven’t had to move like that in a long time. I was able to make [...]

On to round 3 …

The last round of chemo knocked the leukemia down from 80% to 60% – a good improvement, but not what we were hoping for. Also, my brother, Alan, is not a compatible bone marrow donor.
The way forward is clear now:

I will spend the next week to 10 days in hospital as some of my blood [...]

Russell has arrived

Russell has arrived
Originally uploaded by sdpalmer.

For a week now, my good friend in Australia, Steve, has been asking me if “Russell” arrived. I had no idea what he was talking about and he was keeping it awfully cryptic. Well – Russell arrived today – a plush Rhino that’s been on Steve’s bed for many years. [...]

My father has died – the other side of who shall live …

[NOTE: Please do not send condolence cards to the hospital - please only send get better cards to the hospital. All other correspondence can be sent to my home. If you need addresses, please let me know by email.]
My father was fortunate enough to have made it down to Philadelphia to see me last Friday [...]

Who shall live and who shall die?

Ever since this whole episode of my life started, my mind has zoomed in the Yom Kippur prayer that asks, in the new year, “Who shall live, and who shall die”, and then goes on to list all the various ways a person may die. The prayer concludes each section that prayer, attrition, and acts [...]

There’s going to be a round 2 of chemo

So my first round of chemo didn’t get the results we were hoping for and I need to have a second round of chemo to try to bring my counts down even lower. Until we get the results of this second round of chemo, we won’t know if I’ll need a bone marrow transplant, and [...]

Day 9 10 (ooops)

(Actually, I’ve been in hospital 13 days now; it’s day 9 10 since they started the chemo)
So I am officially off the chemo now for a few days. We wait and watch my blood counts to make sure the chemo does its job. Statistically, the prognosis is looking good. I know that’s a weird of [...]

I am craving Hollandaise sauce

I don’t know why, but I woke up after dreaming about making Hollandaise sauce. Little pats of butter being stirred into egg yolks. Lemon. Poached eggs. Smoked salmon. Lightly toasted engligh muffin. Hot, roasted, spiced potatoes. Breakfast of champions. Fresh squeezed orange juice mixed with fresh squeezed grapefruit juice. A hot coffee. I don’t know [...]

The emotional (and divine) side of what’s happening

Posts to-date have all been factual, and that’s what I really wanted this blog to be for my family and friends – I wanted to keep them all in the loop, and maybe a little distant from the emotions that swirl around this, because they’re everywhere and they are so intense they are difficult to [...]