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Friday, April 18, 2008

Day +100 Milestone, Sucked Gas, Once a Week

Today I reached the 100 day milestone, had to suck up a nasty tasting antibiotic gas, and converted to a once-a-week outpatient. And, oh yeah, my doctor smiled. Gad, the life of a post-transplant, never a dull day. Mmmm, what else. I also wrote my donor a thank you for his card from a couple weeks ago, and I got doctor approval to drink a beer or a glass of wine twice a week. Things are happening so fast!

The long story on 100 days.
100 days marks the beginning of phase 3 of the transplant recovery process. Most of the dangers from a stem cell transplant occur in the first 100 days. Most of the remaining danger occurs between day 100 and day 365, so called phase 3. So reaching day 100 is a great milestone. I feel very, very fortunate to still be with you, my friends and family. In the next 265 days I plan on doing everything the doctors tell me to remain healthy. Your support and inspiration continue to mean everything to me.

The long story on the doctor's smile.
My doctor has been a very serious kind of guy since I started the transplant process January 2. He is part of a 3 doctor transplant team at Scripps. When I was incarcerated in January the doctor on call for that week would make rounds every morning, visiting every occupied room. Here's the thing with the smile. These doctors go room to room on their morning rounds, and they usually see the complicated cases first. I surmised early on that by the time the doctor got to my room his mood was unpredictable but usually somber. My doctor hadnt cracked a convincing since I entered the program. But today his smile was ear to ear. Cathie and I smiled back real big.

Sucking Gas.
The gas I had to inhale through a plastic pipe was called Pentamidine. This anti-protozoan concoction will help me avoid getting pneumonia over the next couple months. It needs to be administered every 3 weeks. It should not have a side effect of suppressing my blood counts, as did Septra (Bactrim). Pentamidine is yet another drug I've taken that will most likely never be abused for recreational purposes. It tastes really bad and makes you dizzy.

Schedule Change.
Starting Tuesday I'll start going to the local clinic to see my doctor once a week. This is sweet progress. I mean the part about getting to drink beer again. :-)

6 comments:

Duane said...

AWESOME news, Jim!! Happy +100!!!

You're an inspiration to me and so many others!

Anonymous said...

Okay, then, drink up! Have one on us and enjoy every ounce.

100 days, that's amazing! I can't wait to see the new you this summer.

Love,
Katy

Anonymous said...

Great job Jim -- 100 days! What a milestone. And you get to celebrate with a drink--so much the better! Congratulations on your accomplishment. I can only imagine what it has taken. Keep it up. I am smiling for you too.

Mike B

Anonymous said...

Jim,
CONGRATS 100 days that rocks! I know what it is like to finally be able to drink a beer again... in fact I think I will go have one in celebration of your 100 days :) We all smiled when we read your good news!!
Love Derek, Shelli and Parker

SoftwareEngineer said...

Jim,
This is great news. Savor the gas- I mean the beer.
You continue to be in our thoughts and prayers.
William

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