Mick McKellar Update--Day +91
Today started at 5:00 AM as the intrepid walkers chanced the leaden skies of morning, armed with borrowed umbrellas. They remained unused, fortunately. Monday morning at Charleton Lab A is always an experience, and today was no exception. My testing was delayed about a half-hour because several of the blood draws were supposed to be for a couple of special research studies, in which I agreed to participate. They could not draw those samples, because I did not receive an ID card authorizing it. We will try again on Thursday.
Tests show my hemoglobin down again...to 8.5, which means I will receive a couple of units whole blood...probably on Wednesday. Other numbers are better. The rash is slowly improving, but they still want to bring in the dermatologists again, just to be certain.
My daily Prednisone dosage has been reduced to 10MG, but now I find out that another medication I take amplifies the effect of that dose many times, and can also reduce blood counts. The mystery of the dying red blood cells is, as yet, unsolved.
We managed two round trips to the hospital today, encompassing blood tests; consultations with pharmacy, transplant coordinator, and doctor; a pulmonary function test, and a couple of chest x-rays. It was a full day. By the time we hiked home to the transplant house, the sun was out for a brilliant afternoon and the temperatures warm. I put my jacket in my backpack (full of all my medications for the pharmacy visit), and enjoyed the balmy weather for the walk.
Tomorrow is my fourth or fifth bone marrow biopsy...I am beginning to lose count. Wednesday, I am scheduled to receive a couple of units of whole blood and then they will test the mineral density of my bones. Thursday, like Monday, will be blood tests again. These days test, more than any other, my one day at a time mindset. These tests will help determine when they send us home, and under what restrictions, and with what medications.
I pray to remember that the results will be what they will be. I cannot study for a blood test. My future is God’s to know and mine to live -- one day at a time.
Setting sun
Twilight approaches and the day has been long. Soothing evening sunlight is fading from pastels to deep colors and night will soon be here. It's a favorite time of day for me, time to let the imagination loose and see what what it drags home. Fun Park is about just that, letting my thoughts fly away, to return and fill my dreams with imagery and let my subconscious work on sorting things out.
As always, your communications have been brought bits of home to us, even when the news is sad. We thank you for your prayers and good thoughts.
God bless, and good night,
Mick
And now, Fun Park
When the evening shadows grow long, and the day has worked its frustrations and challenges out on my brain, I relax and let my mind drift a little on the evening breeze, a single seed from from a old maple tree -- spinning away -- a helicopter without purpose, drifting on the winds of twilight.
Ideas, dreams, visions, and images all spin away as quickly as they surface. Imperfect, partially formed, hazy, and indistinct, they dash away to play among the facts and realities of the world, until they come home to dance and relax, mix and mingle, in the 24/7 fun park of my subconscious mind. Sometimes, they come out and play, and a poem is born...
Mick
Fun Park
The westering sun left me in its wake,
Adrift in the cool blue ocean of sky,
An evening breeze then gave me a shake,
And let slip my thoughts to randomly fly;
Darting and dashing a firefly's track,
Among those creatures that live in the air,
So quickly, as though they're not coming back,
But they always come home, sometime, same where.
When the sky grows indigo, velvet dark,
And the air is pierced with diamond starlight,
My thoughts gather swiftly at the fun park,
To dance, and to sing, and cavort all night.
The park where my thoughts come home to unwind,
Is open all night: my subconscious mind.
Mick McKellar
May 2011