Finally some good news

Sunday proved to be a productive day.  After the train derailment on Saturday, my odnly chance to get up to UVa was to drive myself up and that trip, almost 150 miles, went rather well.  I left at around 6:10 and I was at the Emergency room entrance just after 9.  I checked in and was put right in an ER room and was tested some by the doctors and nurses for my nerve sensitivity.  My feet weren’t very sensitive but the rest of me was sensitive enough.  Later I was taken up to the MRI screening area and they screened every part of my spinal column and my brain, with and without contrast.  It took a couple of hours and with the help of the zanex they gave me, I was pretty comfortable even though my nose was less than an inch from the top of the MRI machine.  After that I went back to my ER room and at around 7 I was transferred to a room in the Neurology Department, and finally got dinner around 8:30 and it was pretty good, a chicken Caesar salad and curried chicken wrap.  Then it was more reading of Montana 1948, which I finished and very much enjoyed and watching some of the Warriors / Rockets non-game, with the Warriors running away with the game.

Monday went pretty well.  I had a lot of private time and I ended up getting another half hour of MRI and then the dreaded EMG (with the shocking and the needles).  I was most scared of the needles but they didn’t really hurt that much.  Very weird.  The doctor pushed them in and asked you to relax the muscle and the noise would slow down, then when you tensed your muscle, it would speed up.  She only did three of them.  I got to know Elisabeth better during Monday and I really liked her.  I watched the Cavs tie the series and read some of Madame Bovary.  Great book. 

Tuesday was full of blood work in the morning, then a neurologist came to see me and then said they were releasing me and that the cause of my leg weakness and shaking was that I had a toxic level of prograf and that they had taken me off it yesterday.  I almost hugged the doctor and he was pretty sure I would be in good shape in two weeks.  Elisabeth accompanied me down and bought me coffee and I am definitely going to get her a present.  I am also going to send something to the unit.   I left a little after 3 and then took a nap, then drove on through the rain to get to Bburg before dark and treat myself to a half rack of ribs dinner at Bull and Bones.  I contacted all my friends to give them the news.

Wednesday was okay but I was pretty tired (I may not have taken my prednisone).  I haven’t rescheduled my appointment with Dr. Trivedi yet but maybe next week.  I did do 20 minutes of biking and my knee exercises.   I also went to play golf and I was exhausted but I shot very well in the low 40s.  I am trying to set up the visit to my sister and that should be done tomorrow.  I watched some of the Cavs / Celtics game and the Celtics outplayed the Cavs.       

Even Weaker

Thursday was a tough day health wise but a good day for my finances.  I did my knee exercises, brought my bike inside, did some singing (I did get the songs from Beth) and then headed off for Radford.  I got my LTC documents out and it looked like I will have coverage for an assisted living place for 25K per year.   Even if it is taxed it would give me a total income of at least 78K, which would cover me at the three places I visited today and leave me at least 18K over, a figure that would allow me to help Cathy and still keep a vehicle.  I thought the place in Radford had the most green around it, although the guy at the one at the Crossing was quite friendly.  I was pretty weak all day and took several naps.  At the end of the day I drove out on Craig Creek Road in the rain and enjoyed the mountains in the distance.   Then I stopped off at Food Lion and headed home for 30 minutes of biking, some shoulder exercises and TV.  I am definitely getting weaker but I did feel okay at Food Lion.

Weaker and Napping

Monday has started well, although my shoulder is still hurting but perhaps a bit less.  I had a long talk with Judy last night and then Roberta called and we chatted for almost an hour.  Rob also checked in and he is going to try to get me in with the neurologist as soon as he can.  I did my knee exercises and  31 minutes of piano and singing.  Then I vacuumed the apartment.  Pretty good morning.  The rest of the day was okay.  I decide to go fishing out by Trail’s End, but the water was still a little fast, and even though I went to my new favorite spot I had no luck.  I passed the bridge turnoff but reconsidered and went back and caught two redeyes and then drove back through Fairlawn, then stopped at Walmart to pick up some supplies then headed home.  I watched the 7^th episode of Krypton. 

Tuesday was a really tough day.  I probably took 5 naps, but I did my knee exercises, played a little piano, did my shoulder exercises, had a long talk with will, then drove out to Red Lobster for a real lobster dinner, which was probably the best tasting lobster I have ever had at Red Lobster.   I felt that it might be my last dinner at Red Lobster.  I was much weaker today even than yesterday.  I stopped at Food Lion and they had Ben and Jerry’s on sale for 2 for $7 so I bought 2 to finish off my lobster dinner (I only ate a very little from one of the containers.   

Everything seems to be falling apart

Sunday was a decent day.  While doing my knee exercises I looked into the Crossings, an assisted living place near Blacksburg.  It had a few deficits, including a starting price of 3100 (which includes food), two story buildings, and pet friendly rules.  I could afford it if I get rid of my truck (and they do offer occasional transportation) but if I keep a vehicle I would only last there till I was about 75.  I drove over to St. Mary’s and to my surprise a number of singers were there and Beth said I could sing and I did, not my best performance but decent.  I then drove out to Newport and found a couple of places to fish but I had no hits.  I used my my chair twice (once at park near Newport and once by the bridge around 5 miles from Newport).  Fishing has become a non-contact sport for me.  I then drove home and ate a late lunch and watched some of the Celtics Cavaliers game and that was basically over after the first quarter, the Celts playing very well.  Then I played forty minutes of piano and singing before watching a little more of the Players, with Tiger tied for third, fourteen under.  I am going to watch more now and do 30 minutes of biking.  The last time I played golf, three days ago, I hurt my shoulder some so I am going to have to work on it for a few days before I play again.   

Things are getting a lot worse

Thursday was a pretty awful day after a really bad Wednesday.  Wednesday started well with breakfast at Panera with Mary Gorton, then lunch with Claire at Greens, the a short walk to the Library and back.  I could only get that far.  Then Rob called me for a walk and we were just heading back from the end of the Tom’s creek trail (.7 each way) and I began to get really shaky.  Rob had to hold me from behind and after a few hundred yards I had to lay down beside the trail.  Rob got me up and we struggled to within 200 yards of the trail’s end when I couldn’t walk anymore and had to lay down again.  Rob called Becky and she and Rob got me into Becky’s car and she drove me home and Rob drove my truck over there.  Rob said I shouldn’t drive down to NC and that I shouldn’t go down to Florida, and I agreed.  I called me sister and Amtrak (I had to contact Amtrak and UNC Medical Center tomorrow).  Awful and embarrassing day.

    Thursday was a continuation of Wednesday.  I did some of my knee exercises, some of my shoulder exercise, then I drove to Walmart to get my prednisone and some supplies.  I got stuff but I was very glad to get back in the truck and at home I rode my stationary bike for 30 minutes, then for 15 minutes later.  Rob called but couldn’t get a quick appointment but he said he was going to get me in somewhere.  I napped quite a bit and talked with both Lou and Cathy.  Cathy is going to work another year at least. 

Anxious

Monday has started out poorly.  My bloodshot eye is still very red and I think that influenced my sleeping (I was up at 3:30) and didn’t really get back to sleep.  I had an appointment to see Dr. Farhi but she decided I didn’t need to come in but to wait till Wednesday to check in, just before I head down to North Carolina on Thursday.  Yesterday I did my knee exercises, went to play golf and shot a 51, tried to go fishing but Walker was way up, then headed back to take a nap and then head over to Tech to ride my bike for 40 minutes.  After I awoke at 3:30 I had to refigure my finances, but the AXA figure came out the same as I had figured, 141K, and that calmed me down a little.  I will be covered till 83 so that is pretty good, since I will be very surprised if I last that long.  I measured the window and will see if I can improvise something as a screen.  

Potential Serious Problems

Sunday will be another catch up.  Last week had its ups and downs.  On Thursday I finished my semester and that felt very good.  Then Rob called and gave me the bad news that he thinks what is causing my wobbliness and the shaking is from the cytoxin I took during chemotherapy.  He thinks it can cause a lot of problems (which of course I knew) but it really depressed me.  I thought of being in a wheelchair soon and how that might change my plans to work 5 more semesters.  That didn’t seem possible now and there were might be the need to change apartments (although all the rooms have an available 32 inch wide opening (except the bathroom, which is 30).  I was pretty down until this morning when I figured out that with using my sick leave and teaching till early May of next year I could end up with 151K in my AXA account, which would get me to 85.  I played golf twice so far and neither time really hurt my shoulder.  I did take a 500 mg Tylenol each time.  I have been doing my knee exercises each day and my shoulder exercises, which haven’t helped that much, as far as I can tell.  I am leaving on the 10^th for my appointment with Dr. Jain and that evening I head down to see Roberta for 5 days.  I need to pack some but that isn’t really necessary until Wednesday.  I am calmer right now and I hope I will have a better picture of what’s going to happen after I see Dr. Jain