Hospitalization

It is Sunday night and BMT -5 ( 5 days till bone marrow transplant ). I am very comfortable tonight. The past three days I have had a lower back ache. It would be at its worse in the morning when I try to get out of bed. A few days it was quite severe during the day. It finally ached so badly they gave me a muscle relaxant, ibuprofen, and oxy. I slept for a few minutes but woke with no pain. That was at 3:00 pm this afternoon.

The pain in the back interfered with my desire to write in this blog. Pain prevents me from concentrating.

Carol stayed with me the whole weekend. I do not know how I would have made it without her. That is how bad the pain was. It is very lonely with her gone.

The medical staff has been great. Everyone is so willing to help. The nurses will get me drinks, towels, and/or blankets. The assistants are all to eager to do the same. The only negative are these darn pumps. They seem to run out or fluids every five minutes. They are a bit self conscious about their comings and goings but I do not think they are excessive.

It is 10:00pm and I just finished my chemo for today. It was a two cycle process. One at 6:00am another at 8:00pm then repeat at 6:00pm and 8:00pm. I was given anti-nausea drugs at various times.

People ask me all the time, "How are you feeling?" The actual chemo does not zing me till at least three days after treatment.

Carol and I read from Is 6 today during a time of worship together. It is a rather famous chapter in which God reveals his glory to the prophet who is overcome with his own sinfulness. I am glad that the God I worship can overwhelm us. It gives me greater confidence during this difficult period of healing.