Smoke gets in your eyes.

This photo was taken overlooking Wenatchee on September 28. This is not cloud cover or fog. This is what that area looks like for the past three weeks. What you are looking at is smoke. Smoke that has lingered since a lightning storm that started dozens of forest fires in the hills and mountains surrounding our community. Fortunately we have not lost any homes in our area. The air quality is so bad that the schools have kept the students inside and have suspended all outside activities, all sports and competitive events in football, soccer and cross country. Central Washington is generally a great place to be to enjoy the outdoors. For September 2012, no one has been outside riding their bikes or walking along the Columbia River or working in their yard. Many people are wearing medical breathing masks to keep out some of the particles that are suspended in the smoke. Air quality is measured by particles per volume of air. Zero to 13.4 micro grams per cubic meter (µg/m3) of suspended particles is considered the best air quality or Good. As the amount of suspended particles increases, the air quality scale goes through five more levels described as Moderate, Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups, Unhealthy, Very Unhealthy and Hazardous. The Hazardous level starts at 135.4 µg/m3. Values in Wenatchee have been recorded at 799 µg/m3. A good rain would be much appreciated to clean the air and to put out the fires. Though now with so much destruction in the forest, a good rain would create a lot of erosion carrying soil and debris into local streams. Sorry, I can’t help thinking of the fish. The air quality reading when the photo was taken was Hazardous (281 µg/m3).


At the end of September, I had a good report from my oncologist. The Free Light Chain numbers, the index of the progression of my disease AL Amyloidosis, are remaining steady. While the level of 7.9 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) for the Lambda Free Light Chan exceeds the normal range of between 0.5 and 2.6 mg/dL, my doctor is giving me an extended break from chemo. This month a modest adjustment in my medications to constrict my blood vessels has given me better blood pressure. I am more comfortable moving around as I am not experiencing so much light headedness. Also I am increasing my physical exercise with assistance of physical therapy. I feel like I have broken out of a plateau that has kept me at a low level of strength and endurance. Of course this has done wonders to improve my attitude and outlook.