Staying Home

Things continue to change, rapidly.

Schools are closed.  People are working from home.

Colorado’s governor declared a “state of emergency”, and the entire state of California is on lock down.  Hardest hit are small businesses and restaurants.

My parents live in a patio home in a retirement community and essentially the virus has restricted them to their home. They cannot have any visitors, and meals are brought to their door.  They are considered high risk.  My dad is 90, and my mom is 87

My siblings and I purchased  a device for them called a “portal”, so that we can video chat with them and most importantly see them.

Oh My ... the Coronavirus has Arrived!

In the past week things have GONE CRAZY!  The coronavirus is now not just a topic of conversation, but THE topic of conversation among all the talking heads, government officials, etc.  Every hour there are new restrictions and new closures.  Grocery store shelves are bare.

A new phrase, “Social Distancing”, has entered our vocabulary.  Fist bumps are the new hand shake. The mandated size of group gatherings has gone from 250 people to 10.

For me, my oncologist has ordered monthly infusions of IVIG (intravenous immune globulin) and  vitamin B12 shots since my lab results were below normal levels.

So here it goes again.  This will be my “new normal”.

Bone Marrow Transplant Reunion

On August 20, 2017, Jim and I attended my Bone Marrow Transplant Reunion in Denver.  As you can see from the photo there were so many patients, care givers, family members, nurses and doctors  in attendance. (I'm peeking over the shoulder of the large man in the orange shirt at right center.)The patients were wearing large buttons that stated how long they had been a survivor.  It has been 8 years for me.  I saw a few people who have been a survivor for 10 or 11 years, but for most patients, their survivabilty was measured in months.

STILL ALIVE AT 8 YEARS POST TRANSPLANT!!

I had my 8th post transplant anniversary this week!  University of Colorado Hospital 's transplant department had a reunion for all transplant patients and their families. Also all the nurses and doctors were there.  It was pretty awesome.  I wasn't the the longest living patient.  I did see a couple of patients who had lived 11 years, but most were recent patients whose survival was only listed in months.

Still alive

It's been six plus years since my stem cell transplant.  I was doing OK until I fell and broke by left humerus (upper left arm) and got a very bad wound on my left shin which needed a skin graft.  All of this was from reaching for news paper on the front porch. (This was Gracie's chore, but she flew to heaven in August after a bad illness.  She was 14 when she died.)

Almost 3 years post transplant

I apologize for not keeping my blog up to date. For the last 6 months I've been undergoing physical therapy, cognitive therapy and occupational therapy. The occupational therapist helped me to learn to drive again. Jim is retired now and is my full time caregiver and can drive me anywhere, but it is nice to know that I can drive if I need to, even if it is just to the grocery store. I enjoyed cognitive therapy the most because it was challenging. My cancer degraded my thinking skills, which of all my new disabilities, was the most disappointing to me. I was considered "gifted' when I was in elementary school and became a Mensa member when I was in college.

New Hips!

Had my second hip replaced in February (the right; the left was replaced in August). So I am a new woman! I'm looking forward to being able to run , do yoga, etc.