Officially Day Plus One. These are pics I took today while Greg was getting his stem cells. The top one was getting ready to go for a walk -- he's got to wear his mask & take his IV pole with him. Plus, he can't leave the floor, so we just do laps around the unit. But, it gets him out of the room, and since he's still getting Dex (the steroid), it helps with blood sugars, too. The other pics he's getting his cells. You can see the bag in the upper left corner of the picture. Its interesting because, if you've been following our saga from the beginning, you remember how much trouble he had collecting his cells. So, some bags have 0.1 units, some up to 0.3 or 0.4. We can actually tell which ones are which. The volume of each bag is the same, but the color is much deeper in the ones with more cells. Plus the ones with less cells infuse much more quickly.
Thanks for the great comments. Its great knowing we have all the prayers and support. Judy, I don't want to post the address of the duplex here, so could you please e-mail it to Francis? I don't have his e-mail address here. Kathy, margaritas sound great! I was reading Greg the comments while he was getting prepped for the transplant, & he asked the nurse (the one in the picture above) if he could get some Tequila IV. Turns out she's a real Tequila afficionado. She promised to check, as she likes hers straight.
So far Greg has had 8 of his 12 bags of cells. He's tolerating all the meds & the preservative really well. I'm even getting used to the smell. Its kind of like canned creamed corn, only a lot stronger. I can walk down the halls past the closed rooms & tell exactly who is getting their cells today, just by the smell. But, that's a good thing -- the smell is well worth it.
He's still mostly a-symptomatic, although a little lower-intestinal problem started late yesterday. So, we are on "C-Diff" precautions, mostly b/c he had it when he was here 4 years ago. So, whenever we leave the room to do anything (other than me leaving the floor to go home for the day), we must wear gowns & gloves -- even if I just want to go to the restroom. Its really a pain, but it helps protect everyone else. I'm on self-imposed fluid restrictions!
Greg's blood counts continue to go down, & he's officially neutropenic again, so no fresh fruits or veggies. His white count is 2.0 and his ANC is 182 (these are the infection-fighting white cells -- they're supposed to be over 1000). I'm hoping someone from dietary is going to come by & offer some advice sometime today, as he still has to watch blood sugar, too. I guess its another stick of butter for lunch!
Matthew seems to be having a great time with Grandma & Auntie Skibby -- he got new underwear! (I knew Grandma would come through!). He's very excited about it. Ah, to be 4 again......Eric hasn't been around too much, what with work, lacrosse and swimming, but the time he spends with Matthew has been really helpful in giving him some sense of normalcy. I'm excited to see both boys this weekend.
Thanks again to all of you for your love, prayers & support. As always, it means the world to us. Greg really enjoys the comments. It gets pretty boring up here.
Love,
Greg & Ann
8 comments:
My first thought upon seeing the first picture was, "I knew it! Greg's an alien! He's just been posing as a college professor in order to study our planet!"
Bummer that he can't get to go too far from his room, but hey, I know from past experience, sometimes just NOT being in your hospital room is enough.
He needs that t-shirt I saw on a guy the other day, "Just Another Sexy Bald Guy." I think he actually looks younger without the hair!
And what's this about "preservative?" Preservative? What are you guys doing up there, pickling him?
We are all so glad that he's doing well and we're all thinking about you guys alot. No, we haven't burned down the office yet, however, Joanie taught Daniel how to knit!
Lots of love and lots of prayers.
Kim got first post! That should really burn Ian & Judy. I'm glad to see Daniel is secure in his masculinity. Greg wants to know if he'll knit him a hat -- his head gets a little cold these days!
Hah! I still got Ian!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SHIRT LOOKS GOOD ON YOU by the way- you will have to take a picture of the back so he can show off his 'fans'!
Glad to hear day 2 is progressing fairly well. Does Greg take his butter melted, frozen or just soft. I guess if he gets bored with just butter 'sticks' he could start carving them into things. We all know he makes a mean butter lamb!
The girls are squealing with delight outside and are running through the sprinkler. Better to be loud outside than in I always say!
I'll email Francis
HUGS to you guys and we will see you saturday!
Us
(Ann, I'd slip Greg a sleeping pill and then draw stuff on the back of his head with a sharpie and see if he figures it out!!)
I didn't know ann was married to Lex Luthor?
Hey Greg, next time show a little more leg, I am going to screen print those gams on a t-shirt, make me a fortune.
Yeah, Yeah. I'm not first, but it is hard when ann isn't here warning me to comment before Judy.
It sounds like your doing well, keep it up, and get some rollerskates (it would make for good photos).
Hi Greg,
We've been watching your progress and just wanted to send a little note so that you didn't think we forgot about you.
Tom is looking forward to seeing you all and leaving Lake Skibinski behind. Thank goodness, I think we are finally getting dry.
Glad to hear that all is going well. We'll continue to pray for you and hope for a speedy recovery. We plan on coming in July (week ending 25th)to watch the kids if needed, but we'd much rather know that you are recovering well and visit you at home.
Ann, Tom or I will call the Altoonia's(sorry if I slaughtered your name) sometime next week to find out when and where the swap will take place when Tom and Sadie head back to Wisconsin. We'll be in touch with you as well.
Take care all - you're in our thoughts and prayers every day!
Ann and Greg,
Glad to hear you are doing so well. You are all in our thoughts and prayers.
Ann, you are needed at the office! Kim is cooking and Daniel is knitting?!?!
We are all enjoying this site - it is priceless!!
Take care, Carolyn
The card from a guy with a funny looking hat and a shepherd’s staff is on its way to St. Louis. Cindy said the card is amusing! It is kind of similar to the first picture of Greg except without a hat. A knitted Bishop hat would make Greg’s walk around the floor more interesting. Certainly will get the attention of the nurses from the mental health ward!
We have some heavy smoggy weather in the last several days. I guess it is not as nearly bad as the soggy Midwest. My brother’s lab in Univ. of Iowa was flooded and he is going to set up a temporary one for the coming academic year in a Menards store. Is it the same as setting up your office in a toy store?
Someone just told me this the other day: a farmer from a Midwest state (probably starts with letter W or M) visited his mother in the hospital and always brought her a bottle of milk spiked with a little brandy. His mom liked it so much she asked him not to sell that cow. Keep the smelly, creamy and “corny” stuff flowing.
Cindy and Francis
Greg, Glad to see you are not losing any weight. Food must be great. As far as the knitting goes, try a five gallon bucket instead. I am not knitting you shit.
Ian says you look like Lex Luther. I am thinking Butter Bean.
You look great. Keep up the good work.
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