UPDATE: Always Something I had my stem-cell transplant in mid-June. Around July 4th (I know I’ve said this part before) I came down with graft Vs host syndrome with serious abdominal pain, head to toe rash, and profuse diarrhea. Was started on five new daily medications, the cornerstone being a high dose of steroids (after…

Ten days ago I said I would come back and finish this thought in part II (and there will be a part III). It has taken this long to formulate the thoughts into writing plus I haven’t been feeling well. But I’ve decided not to post it here because I assume most of my current…

I just had my labs done. The fantastic news is, now that I’m off the 5 drugs used to control my graft vs host syndrome, my kidney function is much better. The thoughts of returning to dialysis is a mute point at this juncture. Thanks for your interest and prayers. My biggest problem (from a…

I will be quick to say that someone blaming me for my cancer almost never happens. I’m glad, because such a conversation, would really piss me off. People have been extremely generous and compassionate. There have been only a few hints of such an attitude. It is usually from an acquaintance rather than a close…

I have debated in my mind if I would do any more “updates.” Part of me wanted to wait until I had nothing but good news to share. None of us like to hear about bad news and those who “over-share” their struggles are quickly marginalized within our optimism-longing brains. I’m not a whinner. I…

I am still working on Part II related to my last posting. However, events of this week (the mass hate-murders) have upset me and distracted my thoughts. I posted something very similar to what I want to post today a few years ago, but I know that I have a totally different audience today and…

Note: I wrote most of this the day before the most recent hate crimes and this article does not mean to reflect that information in any way.  When I started this blog, I mentioned that I will use this same space for my medical updates under the title “Updates” and where I just put down…

I came to do a very brief update, as people are asking, and am stunned by the massacre in El Paso. I think of how hard I’ve struggled to stay alive this year, and here are these poor people who were going to Walmart to simply to buy school supplies and were gunned down, lives…

I’ve lost count of the books I’ve devoured over this past three months. I often have one or two audio books going at one time. I get mine through the Washington state libraries, and maybe it is my lack of expertise, but it is hard to find the good books. The classic novels are often…

With such a macabre heading, I must quickly state that this topic has nothing to do with me … almost. The only connection is that I find it a bit more comfortable talking about my own death and dying than I did 9 months ago, when the concept was so abstract that it was “out…