It has been a long time for this update, but it has been a busy six months. I will call it the good, the bad, and the ugly. The one thing that Mary and I have learned is that a plan may be good for 72 hrs if your lucky,
The good. My cancer is in total remission. We know it likes to come back in a hurry, but we have been in remission for several months. The doctors are starting to reduce my immune suppression in hopes that my grafted Tcells can handle the infections.
The bad is that the side effects of the graft and the infections still keep coming.
My walking has been reduced to the old man shuffle with a cane if I am smart. I have a real chance of tipping over. My legs and feet totally numb.
I have been readmitted to the hospital several times for pneumonia , but I recently warded off readmission for the flu as I was able to fight that off with take home antibiotics.
Finally, I got GVHD in the mouth and throat. This caused the removal of all my teeth at the Stanford surgical unit. It has taken a while to get me squared away with some dentures so now I am learning to eat, drink, and talk (without a whistle).
So what could be Ugly? Well there were three of us that started this procedure about the same time, Bill, Kevin, and me. We are all about the same age which was pushing the acceptability for a transplant. All started in good shape for the fight. We all have had prolonged effects, and numerous stays in the hospital. I would classify all three of us as A types, Businessman, Lawyer and Marine, and capable of the roller coaster ride. Well Bill died the other day of pneumonia. Kevin is still in the fight, but is having some heavy rolls. I have nothing to bitch about other than I still cannot get in the grass to take a pitch. It is kind of like being a fire team leader that gets across the beach and starts counting noses.
All of the above said, the best was that the 11th Marines invited me to their St Barbra's Day celebration. Mary said she would drag me down there if I remained healthy. So, I stayed well and off we went. I really have to thank those Marines. They made my day. There were a bunch of us who had served together. The Captains were now Colonels and Regimental Commanders, Lts were Bn Commanders, Privates were now the senior enlisted of the Corps. They had their heads on straight and priorities in the right place. Told old war stories and answered those WHY questions they did not ask a long time ago. It is this brotherhood that can sustain you when you start counting noses.
Semper Fi
Ed
