My Week

Here is Bluey and her pal Arlene. Thanks to Arlene for this photo, she must have been cleaning way back in the corner of the closet!

First of all thanks for your patience this week. I got seriously slack and that may have worried some folks.... but no news is good news in this case.

Monday afternoon I saw the physio again and he worked my back a bit but basicaly I've done what I can, except to keep up with the stretches and excercise. So unless I get a relapse I won't be seeing him soon.

Tuesday we went to clinic and had my lumens flushed and blood work done then waited to see Schoozenbootz and we got a very good chunk of information this time. I will always have a high platelete count (higher then your normal) because of the missing spleen so the current rise in my platelettes is my normal.
And they do not want me to get GVHD (Graft Versus Host Disease) where my new cells recognize my real body as a foreigner and try to attack it. And they don't use that as a way to get rid of the last of the fibrosis (scaring) in my bone marrow. That's a treatment that they use for chornic luekemia not not worth the risk in my case as it will probably go away in the next two years without their help. They don't do a bone marrow biopsy until day 100 and they also do a DNA test on the new cells at that time to confirm they are the right ones....ie not my old ones regrowing. So it is okay to not have GVHD! and I really am doing very well.

We were pretty excited so we went to a morning movie and saw the Singer it was excellent. rest and walks later.

Wednesday we nested and stayed in our PJ's all day and just vegged. It was ANZAC Day where Australia and New Zealand celbrate the men and women that gave their lives in the various wars. It's much bigger then Rememberance day here as it falls on the anniversary of Galipoli. google it.

Thursday we saw two movies at Portside Cinemas. The curse of the Golden Flower very neat and a huge scale. Very bloody and tragic so we watched a second one. Scoop so we had a comedy to finish on. It was okay.

Friday started early in the clinic again this time for imuno globulin (every Friday). I felt good so we tried to find a chair and foot stool because the one we ordered has been back ordered....again. we went to a new area where thare are several furniture shops in two close building. It did end up exhausting me but we got them all covered without finding anything as good as the one we ordered! So i slept for a bit then Jo and Gene arrived for as short visit.

Friday night was casual and good as we got caught up but we were all in bed by 9:00pm! Next morning we went out for my first resturant meal! We had stopped at this outdoor place walking distance from here before I went into hospital, and the kitchen is open to see and it's sparkling. We stopped on Thursday and double checked that my meal could be fresh cooked from fridge to heat to table. They were great and on the morning he had put us in a nice table and reserved the one next to us so we would have a little 'breathing room' Very thoughtful!. Great meal, great visit then we all took a ferry ride to the other end of the route and back. We were on the top deck and it was fresh and very nice. i was a little tired when they left at noon but a nap revived me and Bluey made great ribs for dinner.

She is amused each time the nurse at the clinic asks me how I'm eating and I say I'm not eating as much as I used to. 'cause she rekons I am shoveling it in. I may be but it's not sticking all that good, nutrition wise, cause I'm still losing muscle bulk and weight I think. Anyway I'm getting some good advice from friends on that front and have upped my carbs and have felt a litte more energy is available. I really have been dong more activities so that's good. I just need to ramp it up so I build some bulk. Tommorrow we hit the mini gym in the building and I'll do three rows on the rowing machine, then rest and three rows then two rows then one row. Oh it's tiring just thinking about it! Who knows It may go way better than that. No matter what..... it will be extra excercise and that's good.

Today we are blogging, emailing and reading the Sunday paper.

I thinking about Gayla's new lenses in her eyes.... old ones slide out new ones dropped in. Amazing... and she can see right away!
Ginger is on a revialtized hip and praticising her dance moves for the big birthday party next week. Twin cousins Jim and John are significantly older.....then i am ;-) actually it's only a few years but they always were so big to me. Have fun guys. I can't pass up the opportunity to mention my second cousin(?) John's daughter Lauren who is completing her degree this week and has just announced that she is receipient of a Fulbright Grant. Congrats Lauren.

I'm also thinking about my sister Melissa and her fiancee Mark and Mark's up coming fight of his own.

I used to love Spring in the Pacific Northwest of the continent. So get out and enjoy it. Oh yeah the weather here, as we close in on autumn, is a cool 26 degrees C during the day and makes good sleeping at night as it goes down to 18. ;-)

Bluey is a rock. And despite losing weight ... I still have a roll.

more later
Chris

No news is.......

This is just a place holder to let You all know that I am well, Bluey is well and things are progressing. What things you may egearly ask?... well I'll tell you .........later today.
more later Chris

A weekend of firsts

Here's chilli visiting with the Marbardis for Sunday brunch. Its the first time I've seen her since I went into hospital 6 weeks ago. I had to be careful to just pet her then wash right away but it was still nice. She didn't seem to act strangly to my new self. So maybe its not as big a change I've been thinking. Greg and Anne along with Callum joined us for breakfast and we had a good visit. we got caught up and had a good bunch of laughs. Greg and Callum are constantly making word jokes at every turn it was fun to hear that banter again.

Saturday night we went to Bevs for dinner.. First dinner out and first giant flight of stairs! We buzzed in the lower door and told Bev to sit back I would be up in less than a half hour, but it was surprisingly easy. I do better going up then down I guess. We had an absolute cracker of a meal. Really tender Roo done in a bush lime, myrtle, wild aussie mint and toasted cocunut sauce. Yum! it was so good, I cleaned my plate. Roo is good for me too! High in nutrients but lean and low in chrolestrol.

Met my first stranger since being out , Kathryn a collegue of Bev's from one of the the older services joined us for dinner... very nice lady. She was awaiting news about her fourth grandchild due that night but being a bit reluctant.

Joyce brought her new Sky Scout http://www.celestron.com/skyscout/new/index.php along and we got to give it its first go. it was great. Even with clouds we got a views of Alpha Centuri, Canopus and a bunch of others... big fun.

Earlier in the day on Saturday I got my first two bags of blood outside of the hospital. My red cell and hemo is nice and high and I definitely feel better.

Monday bodes well with a couple of walks planned and a visit to the physio this afternoon.

more later
Chris

Mysteries of life

Okay there are several mysteries to ponder today. Why does the washing machine leak like a sieve except when the repair guy arrived this morning? Why have my feet 'flared up' again? Why do I not have 'puff' when I am eating not badly? Why didn't the podiatrist just fix my feet? Why don't people dressup to go into town any more?

On Tuesday my feet started hurting again without any procation on my part! but I thought... great, as I'm going to the podiatrist on Wednesday and this will give me the full deal to talk about. On Wednesday I thought I would walk and ferry to town to try and stretch the feet out. It was unfortunately lunch hour and the streets were crowded but we got there in plenty of time and my feet weren't worst nor better when I started. The podiatrist checked me out and said I had no pathology showing, that they were nicely formed and that my shoes were a good choice and the insert I'm using is a good choice. The only thing she offered was that I try lympathtic drainage massage because all the bad chemistry is dropping to my legs and feet. So we hobbled back home and I selpt for two hours. My feet feel tired today and a little stiff but not as painful I think. It's a mystery.

Thanks to Jim the runner for more advice on energy storage and to Mary-ellen. I'm trying to eat more Low GI carbs and see if that increases energy. I don't think I'll be doing any weight lifting soon though.

No kidding it was classic. The washing machine has been leaking for a week and we mop it up regularily. The building handi man had a look and said it's not the hoses call the appliance repair guy. He came this morning. He moped up used new dry towels to try and spot the leak and NO LEAK! no hint of a leak. He tryed every part of the cycle...nothing. He left it pushed out with a towel down and Bluey is doing a few loads but part way through load 2 and there is no sign of a leak. It's a mystery!

Mary-Ellen stayed the night as her husband Wal was in the hospital getting some tests. They were negative for artery blockages so they are back to the drawing board by the way. Anyway we got to talking about how we used to get dressed up to go to town for appointments or even to go shopping but many folks don't do that anymore. There was an article in the paper here, that folks going before magistrates don't even get out of t shirts and jeans and often go to court in bare feet! What's that about. You would think that self preservation would get you to clean up to show respect for the court, but apparently that doesn't matter. It's a mystery.

more later
Chris

Aerobic Anaerobic I'm just an out breath-nic

Okay I've been pondering on something for a few days. I can walk for great (by my current standards) distances like a kilometer without really getting out of puff just sore feet and a back. I however have a problem in the shower when I wash or help do house work I get tired and feel out of sorts and need to 'catch my breath'. Bluey pretty much thought it had to do with my putting my hands over my head and working my heart and sees that there is a difference in the types of activities.

I went to see the Physio yesterday about my back and my feet and as he worked me over I asked about my 'puffedness'

He said oh yeah there are two kinds of energy using mechanisms in the body and they line up with what you are saying and then he used these words that I hadn't heard since high school Gym. So I looked up on the web and pulled these definitions off.

Aerobic Exercise—Aerobic exercise refers sustained exercise that uses large muscle groups and places demands on the cardiovascular system.
Anaerobic Exercise—Short-term, highly intense activities in which muscle fibers derive energy for contraction from stored internal energy sources without the use of oxygen from the blood; stored energy sources include ATP, CP, and glycogen; Examples, short burst, intense efforts, such as in sprinting or weightlifting.

My walking is Aerobic and I can get enough oxygen to do it okay. The Anarobic stored energy is a problem for me right now.

Heres' the challenge to my supporters out there. How do I increase the amount of ATP, CP and glycogen in my tissues! and what are ATP (not Alberta Theatre Projects), CP (not Canadian Pacific railway) and Glycogen (not what we put into radiators in Canada to keep them from frezzing solid in winter)

I bet my sister Melissa can have a go, along with the reaserach demon that is Merillee, Syd Mitchell is always full of interesting tidbits of information, but I'll take any thing that helps me build my stamina because its really weird to have to sit after the shower to get my breath.

We are just hanging loose today, we went into HOCA (the outpatient clinic) and had my blood tests, Cyclosorin levels, and flush my three lumens done. My red cells and Hemaglobin have dropped and that is part of the above I know. The rest was good. Didn't see Shoozenbootz but he is back and I feel good and didn't need to see him. If he has a concern about the tests he will call me and get me back in I guess.

Had a good nap after getting home from the clinic and now the blogg. Joyce is just a phone central this morning having talked to Jaq, Angela and Shinny. Yeah! we get to see her tonight!

Anyway I'm having an early lunch cause we had early start today.

More later
Chris

A busy weekend

Everything is fine. There are no problems, I just got busy with visitors. pictured from left to right Karim, Jacquline, Lisa, Alicia, Gene, Jo, Joyce, Me with Bev being kind and taking the pic thanks Bev.

Friday saw the arrival of Gene, Jo and two young neighbors Lisa and Alicia. We had a big dinner on Friday night and Bev came over. Which was good 'cause i had not seen her since I got out of hospital. Gene played guitar , Lisa sang and Alicia played her flute. We got up a bit late Saturday and had breakfast then Mary Ellen, Caitlin and their pal fom Japan Mio dropped by with another cake and we stuffed ourselves some more. Gene stayed with me and the Charlwood folk went to town while Bluey, Jo and the girls went shopping with an eye to looking at prom dresses for Alicia.

Gene and I crashed for the afternoon and later Jaq and Karim came over along with Bev and the girls rolled in at 6pm! we had another big dinner and jaq and Karim bought two cakes and the girls stopped and got a tart.

My sweet tooth came back a little!

Still we kept trying to send cake home with people. a really fun time was had by all. We sat on the verandah and sang and then Gene would play a song, Lisa sang, Alicia played flute, and then Jaq (an opera singer) let go after we pleaded with her, with the final song from Madame Butterfly. It was electrifiying sitting 4 feet away. She also did Summer Time and Over the Rainbow and by this time was getting calls from neighbours on balconys for "more More" it was fun.

I stayed up way too late all the way to 11:00pm! but it was worth it.

Got up a little later this morning and invited Lisa and Alicia's sister, Megan, and her boyfriend Josh, for breakfast. Poor Josh had to eat cake and more cake and take a bunch home. Gene and the girls left about noon for Hervey Bay. Jo is staying over for a meeting Monday then is going back with one of her staff that is coming down for the meeting as well.

Big time this weekend, I hope I have not pushed myself to far. Just had an hour and half nap and have plans for a walk a little later as the sun intensity drops. Bluey and Jo are reading papers and youtube.

For my pal Merillee who has a job teaching Oxbridge librarians new tricks. She has so far learned that trying to train in and 800 year old institution has its draw backs. Anyway Mer....Joyce has red hair now. In Australia they name anything that is not nailed down with some sort of nickname and the common one for someone with red hair is blue or bluey. (its a contradiction thing) Virgin Air Lines launched and brand new airline here a few years ago called Virigin Blue! Come to think of it it may have to do with a dog breed here. Australian cattle dogs (Blue heelers) come in two colors Red and Blue.

Still ticking along.

more later
Chris

Our dog

Our goal in life is to be as good of a human being as our dog already thinks we are.
Thanks Mumbles