Rick’s Corner     

I haven’t written anything for a while because I haven’t had the strength, desire, coherent thoughts to write. The only reason I’m attempting this is to fill you in over the past few days.

I was released from the hospital on the 16th = a week early. I still, however, have daily trips to the hospital that last anywhere from one to five hours.

Thoughout much of this time I have been very nauseous and very weak – barely able to walk 20-30 feet. I should be exercising more, but but I’m unsteady- fearing that I will fall, I am usually filled with despair. And then there is that omni-present nauseau.

In spite of the above, I am making gradual improvement. But I am still filled with despair, This is so not who I am – a frail, hairless little man who walks like he’s 80 years old.

And now Rita. My brother is here with me (do I need to explain that Rita is a hurricane and not my brother’s name?), which is a very good thing. But we’re both novices at this hurricane stuff . My treatment at the hospital today precluded making a run for it. I’m now fairly convinced that a run attempt, no matter when attempted could have had serious health implications for me.

So now I quess we’ll see if we made a smart decision. We don’t have any flashlights, we’re very low on milk, but we do have half a dozen biscotti and countless whirley-bird toys to shoot into the 140MPH winds.

Thanks for everyone’s kind words and thoughts. I’m most appreciative of each of them. Beyond that, please pray for my brother and me. We’re in need of all the spiritual help we can get during the next three days.

Rick

On Thursday, August 25, Rick received his transplant. It was pretty anticlimactic as compared with the preparation. At around 6:45 p.m., the nurse announced they were going to start the pre-meds. At 7, they started infusing the new bone marrow and by 7:20 p.m. they were done! Twenty minutes! The nurses and doctor had several emergency measures – drugs, equipment, etc., standing by – but none were needed. (The marrow is infused through the CVC port which Rick has in his chest – somewhat like an IV – no surgery involved.) The doctor endorsed the procedure by declaring it, “boring!” We like boring – nothing out of the ordinary or unexpected.

I got this report primarily from Zachary who is doing a spectacular job of caring for Rick during this tough time. Rick is exhausted because, of course, he has very low blood counts. And they still keep him rather busy in the hospital – hourly breathing exercises (to prevent pneumonia), hourly gargling (did you know your mouth is a prime source of infection?) and as much walking or sitting up as he can do. The last few days it has been difficult for him. Zachary told me his white cell count today is 0.0. The nurses say it takes some time for all of the counts to go up – and they will go up and down for awhile. That’s why he has to stay in the hospital for another four weeks or so.

Rick’s donor (bless him, whoever he is) is 23 years old. So we have been teasing Rick about getting new 23-year-old blood. On Saturday, Zachary put together a gift basket for him – filled with things that 23-year-olds like to eat. (Don’t ask me – I haven’t a clue!) I think it involved Ho-Ho’s, Mountain Dew and Beef Jerkey. Very clever! Rick didn’t seem to crave it, though. I guess the new cells have to grow more.

Rick asked me to let you all know what’s going on and to say that he will post again as soon as he is able.

Oh yes – one more thing. The day after the transplant, Rick told me he had an odd dream. He dreamed that we were packing up the things in our apartment to move back to Omaha and he realized he was packing our Easter decorations. He thought to himself, “Why did we bring Easter things down here?” I just said, “Easter…hmmm.”

Tracy

Well, here we are. I go in the hospital tomorrow and all things seem to be going well. Beginning tomorrow, there will be no more fresh fruits and veggies for me. Also, no salads, no flowers or plants. My CVC line was put in without any problems. By this weekend, the nurses will begin using that line to deliver chemo.

The next couple of weeks could be a little rougher than I’ve said to a few of you. Although my radiation treatment showed that worst case scenario doesn’t always come to pass, I think I will have to be disciplined to get out of bed every day and walk around the hospital floor.

I had my last meeting with Dr. Donato today. Her parting advice to me was the biggest impact I can make on all of this is compliance – follow the rules. I’m asking all visitors and care givers to please avoid contact with me if you have so much as a scratchy throat. Something that minor could have the worst implications for me.

For those of you who are interested, I was given information about the transplant that is not consistent with the information that I had passed on to most of you. So, to clarify things . . .

My donor will have his marrow harvested in his home city next Thursday. He has no idea that I am a patient at MD Anderson. That same day (Thursday), the marrow will be shipped to Houston and delivered to me much the same way as a blood transfusion. I have been told by more than one person that the actual BMT will seem anti-climactic.

On to more practical matters: either Z or I will post my hospital phone line on this blog when we know it. I will be able to use my cell phone in the hospital at times, but no guarantees. My address here at the apartment will still be good.

That’s all for now.

Rick
8/16/05

If they ever remake ‘The Magnificent Seven’, I have debs on Yul Bryner’s role.

Today was a pretty emotional day and I’m having a hard time understanding why. I should know more tomorrow about my hospital stay beginning next week.

I haven’t mentioned it, but Zachary has been staying with me for a week now. Tracy went back to Omaha on Monday. Zachary is doing a great job getting me to my appointments on time and generally taking care of me. He has very large shoes to fill.

One of the great things about having Tracy here was that she so often seemed to read my mind when I wanted something. I guess 32 years of marriage will do that. Incredibly, I left that part out when I was writing about my blessings.

Anyway, onward and upward.

Rick

As far as I know, I am still on for my transplant this month. However, the date has been pushed back since the last time I addressed any of this here. As of now, I go in the hospital on Thursday, 8/18 and undergo transplant on 8/25. The delay is due to the donor not being able to come to Houston any sooner.

I have been the recepient of some bad news. My transplant doctor, Dr. Donato, is leaving MD Anderson to pursue another job opportunity. Her last official day will be Aug. 31. Her last real day is Aug. 15. As far as I am concerned, the timing could not be worse, however I am assured by both Dr. Donato and Dr. Duvic that the doctor taking over my case is excellent. That’s good, I guess. I mean, what am I going to say, ‘No thank you’? (And just as I had discovered that Dr. Donato has a great sense of humor).

Rick
8/11/05

I attended a seminar a number of years back in which the speaker was promoting the idea that each of us needs to make a list, one through ten, of the wonderful things that have happened to us during the day. For his purposes, this speaker was interested in workplace events, but the same principle applies to each of us in our private lives. We have only to look.

I thought of this last Friday, not because I believed that I didn’t have any wonderful things happen but because I had so many wonderful things happen I feared I might forget some before I tried to show my appreciation.

Interesting, no? The pauper who insists that there is nothing to say thanks for in his life is not so far removed from the king who takes his riches for granted and doesn’t think to show gratitude by saying thanks.

Okay, enough dime store philosophy. I’ll hop off the soap box and just say thank you, thank you, thank you. I am surrounded by so many riches – I’ll try not to forget to say thank you for them.

Last Friday was my birthday. Between birthday cards and get well cards, I hardly had time to do anything but open envelopes. The whole experience even brought out a comment from our letter carrier. How lucky am I?

I will do my best to say thank you to everyone, but there are a few things I want to mention here.

Our long time friends Keith Becker and Carolyn Nelson-Becker travelled from Galveston on Saturday to be here for my party.It wouldn’t have been the same without them.

I received countless home-made birthday cards from all the people who work at the sheltered work site where I office. I read every one.

The two daughters of one of my managers sent me some homemade birthday gifts. The older one, Bailey (8?) made a do not disturb sign for my hospital room so that “no one would ring the doorbell to my hospital room when I was asleep.”

To Jan and Andy Acker for their original ‘incredible Texas birthday incident’ card. That’s exactly how it happens. Be very, very careful.

And a big thank you to the unofficial president of my unofficial fan club, Andrea Barry. I had mentioned in passing how nice it would be to have the people at work send me a card in which they spelled out ‘Get well soon, Rick’ with their bodies.

I had forgotten that I had asked for such a thing. And then, on my birthday I opened a birthday card that had this get well message in it. There isn’t a lot that makes me laugh out loud, but this was one of those times (Andrea’s socks are another of those times).

By the way, a special shout out (me practicing to be 23) to Jacque Cahill at work who single handedly took on the center part of the ‘w’ in ‘well’. I’m thinking it must have been a bit of a stretch. I am most appreciative of the effort.

To everyone else who I failed to mention, thank you for thinking of me and for your kind wishes. I am blessed.

Rick
8/11/05

Moments before my mask caught fire. 55 and clueless.

Missing radiation pictures mysteriously return

As already mentioned, I had a Friday afternoon appointment with Dr. Donato, my transplant doctor. The results from my tests were all good and she was quite pleased with my appearance. She summed up everything by saying, “I couldn’t be happier.”

Specifics on the transplant are still somewhat up in the air. Michelle, my transplant coordinator was tied up in a meeting and so we couldn’t get specifics on when my donor will be coming to Houston.

Most probably I will go into the hospital on August 8 and begin chemo then. The actual transplant should begin August 15. By Monday, August 1, I should know all of this for sure.

As you might imagine, I was very pleased to hear Dr. Donato say she couldn’t be happier. Then I began thinking (it’s one of my new hobbies). I mean, I don’t really know Dr. Donato all that well. What if she is this sour person who is rarely happy? Saying she couldn’t be happier is not quite the same superlative as someone like Pollyanna saying it.

So in order to put my mind at ease, in order to find out my true condition, I have a plan. At next Friday’s appointment, I am going to tell Dr. Donato a joke. Now I understand that a sense of humor is not the same as being happy, but happy people are more inclined to laugh, are they not? I mean, I don’t know if this is verifiably true or not, but it’s my plan, my blog, my doctor’s appointment, so we’re going to act as if it is true.

Here’s my joke:

Knock-knock.

Who’s there?

Impatient cow.

Impatient cow wh . . .

Moo.

Now, if some of you feel as if this joke leaves something to be desired and will not give the good Dr. a chance to laugh, it’s time to step front and center and offer a better joke.

I will consider all submissions offered until Friday morning. Sadly, there is no prize for sending a joke I use, but there is the satisfaction of knowing you have helped doctor-patient communication.

For all who offer their help, I thank you in advance.

(Clearly, I have too much time on my hands.)

Rick
7/31/05