Cheese

Prayers continue to be answered! The first treatment went better than I could have hoped. Rituxin is made of part human and part mouse stuff. The greatest fear was for the initial start and possible reactions to fight off the mouse part. I did have a little swelling of the tongue and throat but they slowed down the process, waited, then sped it back up again and all went well. Took a little over 5 hours to complete including all the preliminary drugs they gave to head off the possible allergic reactions. It all went through a regular IV drip through a normal vein, not any special connections needed for larger access. This drug is mild enough it won't burn the veins in the arm like regular chemo. The only side effect I have noticed is an increased desire for cheese! Coincidence?

Dr. Stanton, my Physician, visited me last night and said he thinks he wants to go ahead and remove my right lung tube today which is great news. I continue to leak at a good rate, but he has to way infection against the advantages and thinks that we will just draw a line in the sand and close it up. Then I will have to get drained through my back. I asked for a faucet back there which I think would just make it easier. Actually it would just be an outpatient procedure as needed. Once this tube goes out I only have the two small IV's left holding me here. I am hoping I might even get out of here today, or after tomorrows treatment. Today would be nice, Friday the 13th, full moon, I'm in room 13, and I keep getting telephone calls from some guy named Jason who I don't know!

I want to thank everyone for their prayers and concerns. I am not used to attention but the emails, flowers, cards, calls and visits have been great! My voice is still hoarse, and I still have uneven air flow so I talk a little broken and quiet. Imagine that! Bev and I were starting to get a little concerned about this but am told not to worry, that it will heal over time.

The plan is to start treatments as an outpatient at Dr. Kanard's office, my Oncologist. Her office is located very close to our house which is nice. I will go MWF for about 5-6 hours each day. Since this drug does not make people ill, that means I should be able to start to work again on TR. As this upcoming week is Spring break on campus, and I was planning on being out of town anyway, my first day to work will hopefully be a week from this coming Tuesday. While I have always loved to work and keep busy, I have "enjoyed" the time to sit and reflect on all of this these past two weeks. Amazing, two weeks! I would have never imagined. Time still flys, even if you're in a hospital.

Bev has been amazing staying with me in the room, then getting up early to do the paper route, then coming back to spend the day. I am so blessed to have her by my side. My student managers have been doing an amazing job in holding all of their venues together and preparing for break, my peers have been visiting and everyone has been making me laugh. Life is short, laugh a lot.

I hope Bev takes a picture when I leave. I'll say cheese! American, Cheddar, Monterrey jack, Colby, Gouda. Sounds good doesn't it!