Almost Two Months Old

July 30 will be my two month "birthday", two months since my stem cell transplant. I am recovering and feeling a bit better and stronger each day. I am still nagged by nausea which is likely a result of one of my medications. Dr. Kamdar will be setting up an alternative lung therapy. I did visit Dr. Kamdar on Monday and also got multiple blood tests. All the blood work is looking good - except for one that indicates lowered liver function also due to the drug causing nausea. I am needing fewer and fewer naps, hair is slowly growing, energy is slowly coming back, I am cooking some, riding some, and going out more.

As you may figure out from the number of photos I am posting I am feeling well enough to have more of an interest in taking photos. I think it is a good indication. I am also eating out more as I am able to taste more. I feel my taste buds are at 90%. Tonight Sharon and I are going to Mateo. This is one of the restaurants Sharon discovered when she spent so much time in Boulder doing work for the Boulder Valley School District. She and I have only been here once or twice since we moved here. The food is mostly French, though I think they are more Mediterranean with some Italian, Spanish, and Greek influence. 

Shelby In The Loft

Baby Shubunkins

Front Range Rain

Sunset Colors

Sharon Checking On Babies

Our House From Greenbelt

Morning Ride

Hawk

 

Firsts

Last week I made tamales. This week I rode my bike a few miles. I have fuzz on my head and on my face. I washed the Camaro by myself. I ate a poached egg on a Benedict. I ate salad. I made it through a day without a nap. I added a few drip irrigation lines. Yep, a lot of firsts are happening. I am recovering from all the chemo and the bone marrow transplant. There is still a long way to go but I am seeing progress.

 

 

Independence Day and Beyond

Yep, Independence Day has come and gone. I am, as usual, perturbed by everyone celebrating July 4 and not mentioning the reason we celebrate on July 4. We have lost our way. Off my soap box.

 

Now on to me! I am getting better. My energy level is better but not great. The nausea is almost gone. My taste buds are slowly recovering. My neuropathy is not getting worse. A few hairs are growing on my head. So, everything is slowly moving in the right direction. This morning I read an article on our gut bacteria and how it changes quickly with diet. I went on and read some other resources and am convinced that oncologists need to communicate with gastroenterologists and realize that care of and restoration of  our micro-biome should be part of cancer treatment. And, extending that, they should consider the whole person and not just concentrate on killing cancer. Oops, I might be on another soap box!

 

Lots of fireworks in the neighborhood this week. The kitties were not pleased with the noise, but they both came out of hiding after the action subsided. We went next door to Tom and Lindsey's for an Independence Day picnic on their patio. Tom smoked some tasty brisket. I need to smoke some soon - also a pork butt. Today I am making some tamales using a recipe out of a tamale cookbook I picked up on close out at the Boulder Bookstore. If you visit here and enjoy books and bookstores, you must visit the Boulder Bookstore.

 

Healing

I feel that each day I get a little bit stronger and feel a little bit better. This week Sharon and I went to UCHealth for blood tests and a visit with our favorite nurse practitioner, Keri. My blood counts are doing very well and Keri says I am ahead of the curve. It has now been 30 days since my stem cell transplant. I still have daily nausea, but not as bad, my taste buds are recovering but not there yet, my neuropathy is still there with sensitivity in my hands and tingling in my feet. I do not have my strength back but it is coming.  I am walking faster but not yet to my normal speed. Sometimes a little wobbly but not too bad. One month down and only two to five to go. Yep, three to six month recovery.

Yesterday I had an outing all on my own. I drove to Rocky Mountain National Park to visit with Joan who was camping there. I managed an hour drive each way and about an hour visiting with Joan and took a short walk while there. Trekking poles come in handy when walking. Then in the evening we went to Comida and met Chris, Amanda, and Judy. I wasn't fully able to enjoy the food but it was nice to get out. Sharon especially needed a night out away from home and socializing with someone other than me.

Today while trying to figure out why out solar shades would not come down I discovered that the GFI in he basement that controls one basement outlet and our outdoor outlets had tripped. The freezer was plugged into this in the basement. Oops. Everything was done for and at room temperature. The biggest loss was the gravy that Larry made when he was here last. I think we will put him to work when he visits this weekend. I have switched the freezer power to another outlet. Hopefully we will not see this happen again.

How is it that a restaurant advertises "tapas" when there is little to nothing on their menu that would or should be considered tapas? Why do so many people fall for it? I've been to Spain, I know tapas, and what is generally advertised here is NOT tapas. Rant over.

Still No Hair!

 

A Week At Home

Biggest news this week is that the tri-fusion line is out! On Thursday morning the line was removed so that I no longer have a Christmas ornament dangling from my chest. Wednesday's blood tests were all good with my white blood cell count at 3.1, red blood cell count at 3.37, hemoglobin at 9.9, platelets at 240 and neutrophils at .07. I did need a neupogen injection to bring up the neutrophils but all the other numbers are looking good. 

I have been eating more but I still have no appetite. I've had bouts of nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Yuck but they are getting better. I sleep a lot during the day, but do get out for short walks. Sharon continues to put up with me, she is tougher than I am. Today she booked flights for John, Kristie, Avery, and Anika to come here at the end of July. Larry and Dave are coming next weekend, Peg and Suzanne will be here sometime in July and maybe we'll even see Katie this summer. Lots of visitors!

Bird Watching

101°

Guarding the Stairs

 

Yuck

I woke this morning to dry heaves. I am wondering how long these will continue. Nausea, no appetite, listless, no energy, neuropathy, and no taste. I feel I am still feeling the effect of melphalan and to tomorrow makes three weeks since they gave it to me. Sharon is doing her best to feed me but it is hard with no appetite and few working taste buds. 

Home!

Ah but it is nice to be home. I slept well last night and woke up feeling more energy than I have in a while. It is good to sleep in my own bed, shower in my own shower, cook chicken on my grill! I have had not problems walking up and down stairs which means I am getting stronger and more exercise than I got in the hotel or the hospital. I am laying low today and taking it easy. I've had two naps already and it is just now noon! My exercise has been going up and down stairs and walking around the house. Yep, taking it easy.

We spent all afternoon at UCHealth getting IV antibiotics (the last round) and blood tests and an interview with the Nurse Practitioner. My numbers are all good and rising. I was happy to get out of there and head home.