Thursday, May 14, 2009

Thanksgiving in May

Just a quick little note here...I started this blog after Thanksgiving, and with any luck, by this Thanksgiving the posts will be irregular. I won't necessarily have the opportunity to tie Thanksgiving, the holiday, to the feelings I have for those who follow this blog -- especially those who are kind enough to call, email, post, etc., some of whom have even tolerated my inability to call back right away, etc.

My point is: I'm thankful for each and every one of you. I truly feel like I'm not going through this alone, in large part because of the "virtual support network" I have here with you.

You all make a difference. Thanks!!!!

Rotten little kids...or "I'm an idiot."

So what's the one thing that could drop a turd in the ol' punchbowl, as they say, of my progress?

Getting sick. As in a plain old common cold.

I've been taking very fastidious care of myself. I've barely left the house, when I have I've barely touched anybody or anything, and I've made very, very liberal use of the alcoholic handwash that kills germs.

The one time I broke with this because I wasn't able to? My daughter's back-to-school night, where I was assaulted by 100 kids under 10, their parents, and every piece of paper, chair, pencil and art project any of them have touched for the past month. I tried to keep the germs at bay with the handwash, but last night, I got a tickle in my throat.

This morning, the tickle is an irritation in my chest. I'm taking Airborne. But barring a sudden dose of good fortune, I'm screwed.

Why does this matter? Well they (the good folks in Little Rock) won't even BEGIN a stem cell transplant process when I'm sick, for obvious reasons. If this cold runs two weeks before it's gone, then it's going to delay everything for two freakin' weeks.

I could not be more displeased. Well, I suppose I could if my cancer was getting worse...which now that I think about it, it might in the intervening time. Unless they put me on more bridging therapy, which means more of that awful thalidomide.

Damn it.