Well, we should have continued to stay away from the hospital on Wednesday, but noooo, we went in, flushed with glory and hopes to start the process of the Stem Cell Transplant. But God has other plans for us, apparently, because Jim's weight gain which was the source of so much optimism, disappeared in 2 weeks, along with an additional five pounds, bringing him down to 130 pounds. DRAT! He is experiencing some dizziness, which makes his walking unsteady, thus thwarting any attempt at walking for exercise. Oh, also the red cell blood count is down, so he needs another couple of blood transfusions to go with the ones last month, and the ones the week before that. Um.....REALLY???!!
Oh, and the SCT? Isn't happening until he gains back the weight or the burden of recovery could kill him!!! I knew we shouldn't get our hopes up!!
We keep trying to get food into him, but after 2 bites, he feels sickeningly over-full. Shouldn't have sweets; although they are rich in calories, they are bad for diabetics. How about a PBnJ sandwich, or a bowl of spaghetti? Nope, they contain gluten. It's like an evil puzzle, trying to figure this all out, made grave by the knowledge that if the weight loss continues, irrespective of the cancer, Jim could be in dire trouble.
He remains very calm... drugs will do that for you. Of course he doesn't have much choice given his energy levels. I must say that there has been more kindness and common sense in BI Boston than anywhere I have been in the last 10 years. Consistently, people just seem to take care of one another, patients, staff, medical personnel, other care-givers. Virtually no one has been less than exceptional.
The icing on the cake came this evening, Nut-job, our resident squirrel has apparently spoken so warmly of our hospitality last winter that even this early in the fall, there is the sound of many, many paws in the second floor walls. Sounds like Park Street Underground. Creeps me out entirely. Used to be just in the ceilings, but this winter is shaping up to be the landlocked version of Noah's Ark.
I AM GOING TO
LOSE
MY
MIND !!!!!!!!!!
Psst. If I'm not back by Monday, toss some Dove Dark Chocolate bars down the cellar stairs. I will be the one in a fetal position, mould overtaking me, hugging my dusty, empty ceramic Aunt Jemima cookie jar someone gave me back in 1979.
P.S. Don't tell.
7 comments:
I'm so sorry.....This is so not fair.
Perhaps you could fill the A'nt Jemima Cookie Jar full of Nuts and then booby-trap it for Nutjob?
WANT MY CAT???? ;o)
I also realize that just because "FAIR" and "LIFE" share 50% of their letters doesn't mean they have anything in common...
I went to the doctor last week for my annual physical. I have a physical every year because my mom says I should. When we were kids my mom made us get one every year right before the new school year. We did not have money for a car or cable, but my mom found money for us to get physical every year. I would have preferred he to have a car so I did not have to walk to the doctors office to get a physical. Staying true to my up brining I went and had my physical. I had blood drawn, and EKG done, and all the trimmings. What I found odd was the doctor allows his patients to weigh themselves and report their weight to the nurse. Really you expect me to pay an office visit so I can weigh myself. I did but I took five pounds off for my clothes. I report my weight like a good patient, of course minus the five pounds. After the nurse came in and took my blood pressure (112/80) which is very good for me. Last year my blood pressure was 180/140, the nurse freaked out. She did the EKG my heart was fine. The doctor comes in we have a chat about my diet, my activities, my over well being. I tell the doctor I started MEDIFAST, you know the competor to NutriSystem. He looks at me and says you don’t need that you look fine you are not fat. So I was a felling very good about myself. We finished our chat, and he said, “come in next week for your test results.” I replied, “Will do, doc.”
A week goes by, and I go back to see the doc for my test results. I go into the office and take a seat. I am always nervous seeing a doctor. I think it is because they can really ruin your day like no body else. After my last visit everything seemed good. I figured this apt is just a formality to milk another co-pay out of me before the nation goes to national healthcare. The doctor comes into the office and sits down. He performs the usual pleasantries “Hello” “how you feeling” etc…. He then looks at me and says “You are officially obese.” I reply , “Can I get that on a bumper sticker?” At this point I am thinking, is this the same doc who told me I did not need MEDIFAST, because I looked fine. Did he not look at my chart last week? I came back to pay him to call me OBESE.
He continued and said “You have high cholesterol. It is 259.” He proceeds to tell me I need to lose thirty pounds and he would like to start me on Lipitor. I replied, “How about I come back and see you in six months, I will lose the thirty pounds, and we look at my cholesterol again and then decide about what course to take in six months.” He agreed.
Before he leaves the room he looks at me and said, “Remember there were no fat people at Auschwitz.” and walks out of the room.
I do not know where I am going with this…. But I am OBESE… I just wanted you to know.
Thinking of you, Life may not be fair…. But what a fantastic ride.
Love
Your token obese Jew
Michael
Why hasn't there been an update since this post??? Where have you been?? ...Missing you!
and Micheal... "Wii Fit" said the same thing about me. :o\ !@#$&$%! So, I hear ya pal! But my G-damn Wii isn't covered by insurance! My mothers living room window isn't either, but boy did it feel GREAT to shatter it by tossing that lying P.O.S!! Phew!!
Signed,
You're friend,
- Fatty
a
Pssst... Laura.... down here.... under the stairs. Throw a pal a chocolate bar, huh? No updates because I can't reach the computer from here. No news is good news. And no, I'm not in Kansas any more.
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