Yes it’s been a while since I’ve been in touch, a little longer than I would like actually so I’ll try to stay in touch more frequently than that. However I would like you to know that my absence in your inbox is no cause for worry. Those of you who know me best know that I believe worry is wasted energy.
The past number of days have been a little up and down, I’ve been feeling well enough to stay out of hospital until today. I started a pain-killing patch yesterday morning to help me with my mouth sores and to be able to eat and that baby didn’t agree with me from the first steps taken. I was super tired and slept most all of the day yesterday, one side-affect, then one bite of super and that wasn’t meant to be, and from there I didn’t keep another thing down the whole night.
As I was throwing up I not-so-conveniently pulled a couple of muscles in my chest and back which have made swallowing an even bigger chore. Needless to say I didn’t get much sleep last night, so when I came into hospital this morning I was feeling less than rested. First thing we do is take my weight which is down a little (80.2 kg) and then my temp, which was up a lot ( 38.8 C) and that means I have an infection running somewhere. Any time I’m Neutropenic (= no white cells/immune-system) as I am now, a temp over 38.0 most always means admittance to hospital to start antibiotics. And that is exactly what it means for me today.
While I had a temp of 38.8, which has since dropped to 37.7 all on it own, I never did feel poorly other than my lack of sleep. So because of my generally welling feeling condition………………………. I GET TO GO SEE MARIO AND PENGUINS PLAY THE SENS TONIGHT!!!!!! (Said in a most enthusiastic voice) That’s right the whole clan up here, Mom, Dad, Irene (my Step-mom) and I will be taking in Mario and the Penguins tonight. I’m still a little beside myself at present, as this only became a distinct possibility a couple of days ago and then today as I heard that I was making the transition to In-Patient I thinking that the dream might be lost. But no sir, not up here in flexible, make sense, Ottawa – I am only talking about the hospital! My Doc’s are more than willing to give me my drugs before and after the game.
Now for many of you reading I’m sure you are saying – is that safe? And I questioned it myself at first, but the rationale for keeping me as an Out-Patient and for letting me go to the game is much the same. My greatest risk of infection comes from within my own body, sure there are lots of other bugs that can cause me trouble, some real trouble, but for the most part it’s my own body that is most dangerous. So it is for that reason, and a major commitment of resources and expertise, that the Ottawa General is one of 3 Transplant hospitals certified to do Transplants under this Out-Patient based program in North America.
So tonight, all things remaining stable, I’ll be back here in hospital for what will probably be a 7 day stay, but that is only a guess. I would like to say thank you to everyone who wrote and writes so consistently, and that I’m doing my best to keep on top of the mail. I do read everything, but do to the growth of our on-line community responding has become too large a task.
You will hear from me again soon. Go Pens Go.
Always…
Live Life. Love Life.
Geoff
