I just had an email exchange with an old friend. I thought a few things in the email might be relevant here. Here's the tally.
"To be honest, staying ahead of the cancer game is a task..... a duty if you will. I have my alarm set at 7am so I can start my first round of meds. Then I have another round at 9am. Sometime around there I need to start two infusions (1.25 liters of fluid piped directly into my bloodstream via a central venous catheter [Hickman]). Then I have more meds at 3, more at 6, another infusion of 250 ml, and my last round of drugs at 11pm.
Some of the drugs prevent me from eating dairy during a 3 hour period (3 times a day). Some should be taken on an empty stomach. Some should be taken with food. Some make me absolutely staggering drunk. Some raise my BP. Some lower my BP so the drugs that raise it don't kill me. Another is a topical steroid for my GI that I eat on a cookie 4 times a day.
I just counted. I take 38 individual pills, 4 cookies, 3 infusions, and two topical ointments a day. Every day. That number increases if I take anything for pain. Generally I don't, but sometimes a couple of Tylenol come in handy.
I really try not to complain. I feel pretty decent in general and my condition has improved since the most recent transplant. I'm getting things done and I'm taking care of a couple of those creative projects you know I enjoy. I'm also working on the 2WheelTiger.com site for the near future. If I haven't told you about 2WheelTiger, it's going to be a travel and adventure site based upon what's going on with yours truly. The objective is to get people to live before they die. It'll be a contribution/donation site. I have a developer working on it as we speak. So I guess what I'm saying is that I'm not giving up. I'm actually looking forward to the future and making plans.
Thanks for your concern. It means a lot to me."
Anyway, I thought I'd share.
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3 comments:
Andre: Randy Pausch gave an awesome lecture - you probably know about it - on just that subject - of living, really living. When I read about all that you are doing, demonstrating your incredible intention to LIVE each day, I am reminded that any minor complaints I might have look like a gnat's eyelash compared to your daily routine. Make sure I know about the site when completed so I can drum up some readers among my cycling friends. As always, continued prayers are being offered up for you and Ed.
Getting well is a full-time job! Your project sounds intriguing - we look forward to seeing what its all about!
Thanks for sharing this.
A friend gave me "Comfortable with Uncertainty," Buddhist teachings on cultivating fearlessness and compassion. Your friend embodies that book's message in these few paragraphs.
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