I Don't Know How it Happened

It all took place so quick...

Thu Oct 31, 2024
AML 3.0 UCSF stem-cell transplant - Day +70
Blogging tunes: SomaFM: Drone Zone

Happy Halloween everyone. 🎃

Seems like the low-energy, nausea-filled days are a thing of the past. Energy is definitely up in the last few weeks (despite counts being mostly flat). Appetite is solid. Taste buds getting closer to normal.

My body is physically still a mess though. In addition to the walking, I’ve started some simple PT — light exercises and stretches — but I need to do a lot more. Anything more than slow walking still tires me out, so I gotta step up the conditioning, slowly but with intention. I think a low-impact Peloton ride is calling.

I’ve also officially resumed working part time (~15hrs a week) and hoping to get up to half-time by the end of the month. I’m even planning on going into the office next Tuesday for part of an onsite. Getting enough rest and physical exertion is super important, so I need to really find the (literal) work/life balance.

Starting in November (next week), UCSF visits are down to once a week, so that’ll make working a bit easier and more consistent. BmBx scheduled for Nov 12. Hickman removal scheduled for Nov 8. Wooohooo!

As mentioned above, counts have been flat for a bit, but no one’s really concerned about that. Well, one of the practitioners is, but no one else is… so I’m trying to see that practitioner less… he’s such a downer. Not gonna name names.

Here are today’s numbers in data+chart form.

What are the normal ranges, you ask? See the image in my previous post.

Other milestones since last time:

• First jetty walk since I’ve been home… it was a gorgeous sunrise stroll.

  • Man, just looking for the Strava link to the sunrise walk, I see so many friends doing killer walks, hikes, and rides… it’s super inspirational… I gotta get back to that. For now, sunrise walks will have to do.

• Walking in general is (and steps are) up — shooting for 4000 steps a day (average).

• First real night out: SRHS football, not JRAD — JV and Var both won. Floyd got his first interception of the year! (He’s 27 in red). Heather joined me! It was almost like we were normal. :)

• No more seated showers at all — all standing… time to get rid of that dopey shower chair.

• Ate a huge sandwich for lunch with my buddy Ben — why is this a big deal? Appetite, baby!

  • Sorry, Michael’s Sourdough — even with double meat — it just doesn’t come close to a real hoagie. The bread was tasty, but there’s something about having a real (preferably Amaroso’s) roll so that you get the full taste experience with each bite. Also possible that I just didn’t know how to order there — e.g. the sandwich needed way more lettuce, more peppers (sweets and hots) and some oil (at minimum).

  • Gotta try the Mill Valley place next (and also get down to Deli Board to see Adam and get a real hoagie). See this Facebook thread for the back story and for a great vid of what Adam can do.

• Starting playing piano again. No Phish yet, just learning some new (and old) tunes for Thanksgiving. Any requests, Friendsgiving, peeps? (And Matty Nabib, I’ll see if I can record it.)

Sunrise walk pics:

Steps increasing pic:

Michaels’s Sourdough pic (half Italian, half Godfather):

Friday night lights pics:

That’s Floyd playing safety.

Oh, last thing. I’m not doing Light the Night this year. Honestly, I could probably do the walk, but going into the city and dealing with parking, crowds, etc., I’m probably a couple weeks away from that. BUT… if you want to donate to the LLS event, please contribute to Greg Costanzo’s Salesforce campaign.

And save some for January 2026, when Orion will be running for Student Visionary of the Year (like Floyd did earlier this year). Thanks again to those that contributed to Floyd’s campaign. It was amazing!

iwkiaaaa