Update 1-27-10

Gene’s update: 1-27-10

Wait and watch: No major events to report, which is a good thing. Gene is in or near his lowest point “nadir” in terms of the job the chemo is supposed to do, and his energy levels seemed to match. He did grab an afternoon nap, you’d think the hospital would be all about napping, but I guess the good news is they are watching him very, very closely. He has had a temp since the lung procedure Sunday, last night it crossed into the range they consider a fever, I think 100.5, so they cultured his blood again. As Jim pointed out, it is interesting that even when you have no immune system, your body still tries fever to deflect the unwanted elements. No news on the potential fungus, still no results that are helpful to them, and pulmonary doc says, “we may never know”, but he is visiting every day as well.

His spirits continue to be strong, he is halfway through his first book on his Kindle, so reading more than when he had “books”, though he did get through two of those. It has been 14 days and he is looking forward to being able to go home in 14 more, though it continues to be a day-to-day situation. He is off the saline and chemo, so was actually able to shower and take one of his walks without his partner, the IV cart. A new definition of freedom.

I’ve shared with him all of your emails, and he says he wants to respond, but in the evenings when I visit it seems there is only time, and energy, to catch up on the day, go for a walk, and read a few…..but he wants to let each and every one of you how much he is buoyed by the support and the wishes. We’ll get to it….maybe on the weekend. The messages that have come through on his sdsu mail are taking a bit longer, as he had about 1000 messages backlogged and I’m trying to help him sort through those as well, without giving him anything to worry about, but the ones to my account we go through each day.

My second day back at work and donchaknow….I wasn’t in that first grade classroom for 10 minutes when I got completely sprayed by the spontaneous sneeze. It was actually kind of comical, I could literally see the spray in the air, I jumped backwards, the little girl saw me react, and then covered her mouth with her elbow! Timing IS everything! So my worst fears were realized right off the bat.

Our friend Susan (who is the owner of Breezy’s littermate/brother Cinnamon……guess that makes her a kittyaunt?) has made me commit to a twice a week therapy walk. We had our first one yesterday, and both conversationally and physically it was indeed therapeutic. Time is so valuable and short, so that is a gift, among the many we are receiving that is so deeply appreciated. But I am tired. As I said once before, there are no weekends in this process, where I get to either be lazy, or play, or just waste time, or sort and organize life. Maybe once Gene gets home…..

Tired though I may be, I would not be able to even go to work, and to carry on at the level that I am, were it not for all your support, and most especially that of Patty and Jim right now, who have swooped into my life and are holding me up on angel wings.

Jose Luis has set up a blogspot called Gene Central, and many of you have the URL. He gave me great step-by-step instructions on how to contribute to it myself (making me, I guess, an official blogger, who what have thought that part of this process). But I turn into a pumpkin at about 8 PM, so I haven’t been able to read the steps, so for right now, he is posting this for me. I’ll include the URL in my next update for those of you who don’t have it, and will continue in an email format for a bit while we change modes. Thank you Jose Luis for that…..I can only imagine how many emails you must sift through, so I’ll promise to get mine off your list by week’s end (that includes Saturday!).

We’re moving down the road to transplant, insurance has approved it, and Gene wants to be the “poster boy” for success and speedy recovery.

g
Gail Moriarty
gail.moriarty@me.com