We got some great news from the U of M on the First Mate's recovery this afternoon. She seems to be recovering her health across the board, which we suspected by watching her stamina and coloring improve greatly since her last release from the hospital. She has less need for the oxygen -- in fact, she may not need it at all, but we have to wait for another clinic visit to determine that. But the real news came from the lab reports.

As you know, the FM has suffered from CMV and BK viral infections; the former can be deadly, and the latter killed her transplanted kidney. Today we heard that her viral load on CMV as dropped to 100, just above a "negative" result. It means that the antivirals have done their work. We also found out that the BK viral load results are negative, which means we can start working to get her back on the transplant list. Her hemolytic anemia appears to be resolving itself, which means the bone marrow has shaken off the affects of the campath. Her hemoglobin levels have risen in three straight labs, the first time that has happened without a blood transfusion since last summer.

I'm still on disability leave but slowly healing from my back surgery. Yesterday I started a series of medical torture procedures, otherwise known as physical therapy. I still get some pain and numbness in my leg and I can't sit in a straight-backed chair for more than an hour, but I'm slowly working on it. My biggest headache -- literally -- comes from my new no-line ... er ... bifocals.

Okay, okay ... bifocals.

From previous experience in the vision-insurance industry (don't ask), I know that the transition to bifocals takes a while to make. It's actually easier on my neck, but the glasses require me to look straight ahead and turn my head to see clearly in any other direction than straight. I'll get used to it ... because I have to ... because I'm middle-aged. Feh.

Trackback Pings

TrackBack URL for this entry is

Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Disabiliblogging: The Clouds Part:

» The Plame Blame Game from Stuck On Stupid
Joe Wilson and his wife Valerie Plame are suing Dick Cheney, Karl Rove, Scooter Libby and a bevy of unnamed others for "gross invasion of their privacy" among other things. This from the press release: The suit accuses the defendants... [Read More]

Tracked on July 13, 2006 9:47 PM

» Still Alive & Kickin'... from Ordinary Everyday Christian
Of course, whenever I think my health issues are something, I'll keep Captain Ed and the First Mate from Captain's Quarters in mind - in light of their battles, my issues dwindle down to practically nothing. [Read More]

Tracked on July 20, 2006 9:24 AM