Gettin' the Lead Out

The holidays have whizzed by with a flurry of activity as our table was set for many places at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Here it is January already and I haven't even started my yearly New Year's resolution diet! I'm still enjoying delicious candies prepared for us as gifts at Christmas.

December's blood work only momentarily dampened our spirits as it revealed my blood counts are beginning to get quite low and the cancer numbers are increasing; the excitement of preparing for Christmas being foremost in our thoughts. However even more caution is required now to remain healthy. My impaired immune system combined with low blood counts leaves me quite susceptible to respiratory allergies and those easily go into a sinus infection, even without having a cold first. I've been on antibiotics twice in recent months for sinus infections. I also tire more easily so naps and rest times during the day are becoming more common.

After reviewing my lab reports, my Stanford doctor has determined that we do not need to begin the next round of treatment quite yet. We will see him in March, as planned. Plans for any travel are on hold until after my appointment with him and a time table for additonal treatment has been decided.

Had a wonderful fall semester with my choirs, adding a third choir this year. We had a great concert the week before Christmas with approximately 400-500 in attendance. I look forward to continuing for another semester, although we won't begin unil February, which gives me the month of January to recoup from the busy holidays and prepare for the next semester.

From a totally unrelated incident, I had to have a "procedure" on my right thumb. I often don't sleep well at night, so I read or do a puzzle. I was doing a puzzle one night back in early October and fell asleep, as I often do, with book and/or mechanical pencil in my hand. On this particular night I woke with a jerk in a short while and the pencil flew out of my hand, into the air and when it came down it landed in the cuticle next to my right thumbnail. It went deep enough that it stood up and didn't fall over from it's own weight. I pulled it out of my thumb expecting it to bleed, which it didn't. At closer inspection, I noticed a thin blue line under the skin. Well, I couldn't get it out, soaking in Epsom salts didn't help, x-rays didn't show anything, antibiotics stopped the irritation and infection, was referred to an orthopedist whose Physician Assistant said "we have to schedule a procedure", which had to be scheduled soon after my monthly IVIG infusion so my immune system would have some clout. The day finally came last week and a 1/4 inch piece of lead was removed and I'm now sporting 3 stitches. It has limited what I can do this week, but I'm so glad to be at the end of this ordeal. Leaving it in my thumb was not an option as it was quite tender and a large callous was forming around the lead.

As we continue the struggle of dealing with my illness, we are finding more friends and family who are beginning to struggle with health issues, also, some life-threatening in the immediate future. Are we all getting older?! It is a constant reminder that He holds our life in His hands, He knows the number of our days and prayer for one another is a worthy occupation!