Our mortality September 25, 2010

This past week, I had several friends contact me on the phone about their own health issues. One talked about a disorder that affected his sense of balance to where he would begin to black out. Another friend was experiencing issues with his heart. My dear wife Rose reminded me on my 59th birthday that I was in my last year of my 50’s. Not long ago, I thought 40 was the age you dreaded. These events have been strange for me because people that I look up to have shown me they are mortal and can also experience serious health issues. Suddenly I feel like I am in a cohort that is physically falling apart. I realize it is strange for me to say this as I have likely been the source of some people’s thoughts of “What is going on?” as I have dealt with several very serious health issues over the past two years. I do not want my friends to be sick. I can deal with my own issues, but I do not want my friends to suffer.

I do have some lighter news. This week I had a visit from a buddy who has walked with me through my heart transplant. Ted and I played football and wrestled in high school. There was a time that Ted was a surgical nurse for cardiac surgery at the UW Hospital. He has encouraged both Rose and I through some tough times. Ted had a birthday this last week and joined us at breakfast at a great little place in Seattle, the Portage Bay Café (see photo). I gave him an insulting card that is appropriate for the old guy that he is and had a few laughs.

The past week we learned that the amounts of bad cells still in my bone marrow have not increased. There are enough present that the doctor will put me on a greater dose of chemotherapy in October. We see the oncologists in a few weeks. The infection that I had earlier in my lungs may be back. I have had several tests to isolate the infectious agent. Nothing has been found. They are referring to this as a mild pneumonia. I am doing fine and am getting out and doing things around the house with out any difficulty breathing, etc. We hope to hear soon how the doctors want to treat this.