Another Week, Another Million Doctor's Appointments

If you looked at our calendar, you would see that our social life consists of seeing a great number of the medical professionals that serve the South Bend community. It feels like we know all of them -- I am sure that we don't and I am very thankful for that. However, all of the professionals that we do know, treat us with kindness and compassion as well as with great skill and knowledge.

Jay had his weekly check-up with Dr. Ansari. The news was good once again, no cancer cells are present in his blood but his counts are very low. He had received a shot to boost his white cells on Monday so he had to have one to boost his red cells. Nurse Margaret gave him the shot and Jay proceed to almost faint. If you want to see a speed race, you could have witnessed the 4 nurses and the 1 nurse practitioner moving at the speed of light. They had him up and out of the guest chairs and into chemo chair (the chemo chairs are big lazy boy loungers) in a split second. He had a cool wash cloth put on his head -- he looked like a Arab sheik with his harem, and a warm blanket wrapped around him. The blood pressure cuff and pulse reader were attached and juice put in his hand to drink. What had happened was that Jay had held his breath because the shot stings a lot. When he tried to breath again, he couldn't and thus the almost fainting happening. Since I was supposed to come back later in the day for chemo, the nurses moved up the time so that they could keep an eye on Jay. He is getting a transfusion today so he should feel a lot better tomorrow. I have worked with the nurses for over a year and can testify that they are some of the best, most skilled and kind people there are. The care they provide is wonderful. Many thanks to Margaret, Annie, Brenda, Mary and Ruth for taking such good care of us.

I had my biopsy on Wednesday and the results are supposed to be available today. Dr. Ansari is out of town so I won't hear anything until next week. I am slightly anxious but I have learned in the past 9 years that it is going to be what it is so I will deal with it when the results are available.

School started this week and Jay was very sorry that he was not there. He knows the sub very well and is confident that he will take good care of the students. We know that all of the students at SJHS are praying for his speedy recovery. It is going to be very different tonight when the football team plays -- Jay has not missed too many football games since he has been at school. I know he will miss the team mass with Father Bly as well as cheering on the Indians. If this is the year to go to the Dome, I hope we can make it to Indy with them.

Prayers and blessings to all of you.