Catching up

At dinner with Bruce & Karen

It has been awhile since I last posted.  Nothing really momentous has happened; I just haven't had time.  With the rising of the blood counts (see figure 2 below) we've been getting out more.  Restaurants, museums, walks, baseball games, roller derby, visiting family & friends, etc.

I only got in 35 hours of work last week just because there wasn't enough time to work more.  I typically start work at 6am in my pajamas and quit anywhere between 5-7pm.  That usually works out to 6-10 hours of work, depending on what breaks we take during the day for clinic appointments, Mariner games, lunching out and running (me) or walking (Heidi).  Mr. Tax Man was taking much of my time the last couple weeks also.

Restaurant week didn't help matters:  150 restaurants serving special deals Sun-Thurs for two weeks.  Now that's over.  <whew>

Sorry if I caused any worry or panic with not writing.  Heidi is doing well.  Still no hair.  Still getting her daily magnesium cocktail pumped in through the port.  Still on 20-something pills every day.

Actually, she reduced a couple pills recently.  The Tacrolimus (anti-rejection drug) was reduced from 2.5 mg to 2.0 mg (still twice daily).  That's good news.  Possibly great news.  The nurse called with that direction last week and we haven't had a chance to ask the PA or doc why yet.  They had been telling us all along that they don't start discussing tapering off the Tacrolimus until Day 50, but that news came on Day 40.  Today is Day 43.

At Starbucks with Toby & Laura

I believe it is due to their respect for my fake doctoring skills.  I was telling the PA the other day about my relatives, specifically my Aunty Rejection.  She is not a sister to my Aunt Hill or Aunt Eater.  It is comments like those that make me a valuable member of the team.  I guess those jokes work better when they're spoken, not written.

Toby and Laura flew into town for birthdays and family stuff.  Yesterday, remarkably, there was not a cloud in the sky all day.  We drove out to see Alex, Cody and V.B. (virus bucket) Cale for the day.  All their neighbors were performing pagan springtime sun-worship rituals on the front lawns (weeding, mowing, playing with the kids etc.).  They must have been praying to the wrong sun god, though, for today the weatherman flipped a switch and it is back to solid overcast and drizzle.  From now until July everyone will be talking about that one day in April when the clouds parted and that bright thing in the sky shone through.  Remarkable!

As soon as Heidi is done with her afternoon cocktail (the pump is already beeping the demise of the magnesium bag), we will slog the 1-mile walk to the Experience Music Project.  It is clear from that museum that Paul Allen transitioned very quickly from awkward teen playing with SF action figures to rich nerd who could afford to buy any dumb thing he wanted.  They have a special Nirvana exhibit going on now.  I can smell the teen spirit from here.