Early Release!
The docs said it's because I'm doing so exceptionally well, but I'm guessing they're getting tired of dealing with me. Anyway, this week they told me they have decided to let me leave Bethesda before day 100! So instead of October 27th we'll be heading West on the October 9th. We haven't figured out all our stops and layovers, but I do have to fly back to Bethesda on the 19th for the 100 day Re-staging Work-up (including another bone marrow), and my first of three rounds of vaccine, the same one they gave Nancy (my donor). This is to boost the immunity to the Myeloma that was supposedly transferred to me from her along with the Stem Cells at transplant (this is the "experimental" part of this protocol). So we hope to be back in Sandpoint by the 16th or 17th. Wow.
For the remainder of our stay we're in an expensive, but nice, furnished 1BR apartment in downtown Bethesda, within easy walking or biking distance of NIH and anything else we could possibly need. (You can not imagine the variety of restaurants here! How many of you have ever had Yucca fries? Mmmmm. Not to mention four gourmet icecream shops.)We're also literally across the street from the Metro which I now can ride if I avoid peak hours (crowds) and wear a mask.
Natty's visit last weekend was short but fun. We did go back to the beach and, sans central line for the first time in five months, I walked straight into that 76 degree surf. Oh did that feel wonderful. My earliest years were spent very close to the water in the Boston area, so for me it felt like coming home. A real "Yes!" (both fists in the air) moment.
Because of the Labor day weekend I don't have to return to clinic until Tuesday, so MC and I are taking the train (3hrs 20min) to NYC to visit my sister Lorna. Should be fun.
All is good.
Phil
posted by Mary Catherine @ 5:18 PM
14 comments
14 Comments:
Dear Phil: Please let us know if any of the restaurants there serve chanx.
dear phil and mc,
glad to hear all the good news. not too many people can take a life-threatening illness and its' treatment and turn it into what most people think of as a vacation. museums, biking, dinner, beaches. i know there's alot more to it than that, just want to say i admire your strength, stamina and attitude. that in itself has had to have had a positive impact on your recovery.
a note to Bram et al.:an update on your "charges" of many a summer ago: matt is 20 and working as full time as he can at follet's while attending lcsc. major still to be determined. he is big into biking. race and mountain-doing the stp with mike and numerous other 24 hour mountain bike relay treks with others. skinny as a rail with rock hard calves. megan(18)graduated in june. she had been in a serious car accident easter weekend. life-flighted to harborview, surgery, the whole shebang. only needed 2 credits to graduate so she easily made up the 2 months of school she missed. everything broken (pelvis on both sides in front, right sacrum completely broken, right wrist, right thumb),torn(pheumothorac, spleen)has been healed. one more surgery to remove the 6" pin in her butt cheek and she will be good as new. a miracle really. she is working 2 jobs right now. at the new theater in town(lots of free movies) and at the aquatic center in clk-soon to close for the season. she is also attending lcsc. major declared as business, and wanting to transfer to ui for architecture. she's doing well after several brushes with the law-afraid she inherited a double dose of whatever onery, stubborn and rebellious gene that mike and i have. maxx(16)is 6'3", a junior. just started driving. i got him a '90 pontiac 6000. i'm alot calmer by the third(or else i just accepted they're gonna do what they're gonna do). started his first job last week. in a restaurant. right up his alley as he watches the food channel all summer. the old campus corner by lcsc opened up again. gourmet salads, sandwiches, homemade pretty much everything. he makes a heck of a good latte. they've come a long way from locking the babysitter out of the house eh? bye for now and stay strong. marcia
HEY P & MC,
T & D here. what fabulous news from you two. This whole thing is SO incredible, I'm still speechless.
Looking forward to you guys coming to France in May, I arrive on the 10th !!
Have a GREAT LD. D just got back from China, so he is a little jet-lagged !!!
Love to you both !!!
EARLY RELEASE! Even though you have to go visit your parole officer on Day One Hundred, that's good, ain't it? I wonder if the rubbish pile at the site of what used to be called Panhandle Milling will still sit on the side of Fifth Avenue when you get back? I was cruising home from the health club on my bike last week when I spotted the Panhandle Milling sign, expertly mounted on the back and roor of somebody's shed. It's the house on Lake that had the lit-up peace sign all last year.
We've been diving naked into the lake whenever we happen to gaze around us and see nobody in sight. That happens very often on Lake Pend Oreille. I hope the boat traffic doesn't catch up with the real estate market any time soon.
I love reading your good, good news. We'll be in Nanaimo area until October 2nd so may not be able to see tourdephil's blog but I'll keep track of email if you transfer me over to seashore@pocketmail.com.
Heidi ho, Karen and Capt. Tom
Awesome news! Look forward to seeing the two of you riding your bikes around Sandpoint soon.
Best Wishes, Heather & Alan
p.s. Are you breaking any records with your early release? I think it must have been the Superman suit.;-)
You are such a riot!!! Look at you comming out of the water... I love it!!! You get to come home on my birthday, thanks for the gift!!! (You can see I am taking it a bit personally) I am glad that you have been renewed!! Most likely driving MC crazy, but I bet she wouldn't have it any other way....
Things here are just the same. Very dry yet. The fair is just around the corner, Madie is starting to work her pig a little. It's so funny, her pig looks like one of the smallest one. Even the littlest bummer pig is bigger than her pig. Her sewing is comming along beautifully. She has made a really cute outfit this year. Well as you can tell, no big news here on the rock ranch. Continue on, on the road to health. I am please to read all the updates and see the pictures.. You must be so proud of your children. You two did well.... Take care and keep on keepin on....
Love,light and laughter..
lane
Hello Phil and Mc,
There is nothing more uplifting than that picture of you going into the water again. We sure miss the two of you. The Penguin movie will be at the Panida this weekend. How about some sailing when you get back, if you are up to it? The summer has not been quite the same. The "corn-man" just started coming. We are anxiously awaiting your return.
Love, Sue and Bill
Hi Phil and MC, so great to see you splashing in the surf! Must be a wonderful sense of freedom. Looking forward to your return to Sandpoint. We'll have to celebrate! Pat and Gary
Hi Phil and Mary Catherine,
Great that things are going so well and you'll be coming home to Spt. even sooner. We all miss you.
Took a few days to travel over to Packwood Wa. at the base or Mt. Rainier to visit the giant swap meet last week. Had a good time, bought a few things and split for home just as the serious crowd began to arrive. Just in time to water the yard and get busy on the winter wood supply again.
School started and some of the tourists have gone so it's a little easier to navigate across town.
Keep up the good work and we'll see you soon.
Sandy & Gordon
Phil and Mary Catherine,
Hurray!!!!!!! What fantastic news. Have you thrown a huge curveball into the research stats with your extra speedy recovery?
Looking forward to seeing you guys not-soon-enough in good ole Sandpoint. The weather has started the slide into fall....cool, gray and drizzly today. So bring back some Indian summer days with you eh?
Off to an overnight at the Lunch Peak Lookout tomorrow morning. Hope to trek along the ridgeline to Mt. Pend Oreille. Taking a good book, oil lantern and chocolate in case the weather doesn't cooperate!
Love,
Kathy and Phil
Hey Phil and MC!
Sounds like all is well. Your progress is phenomenal! So back to Sandpoint for you, ahead of schedule. That's great. It appears you have made the most of your time in Maryland - D.C.
We are so pleased you are doing well. Wish we could see you while you are on this side of the country. It would be great to get together.
Stay strong!
Love ya!
Brenda and Michael
Bravo! Phabulous Phil does it again! The Northwest is waiting for you. Got Tom's bike fixed up, too, and we've been going on (short!) daily rides. Hillary has a regular job - starts next Monday with a small firm in Edmonds. She liked all the attorneys when they came through her court, and they liked her. Comes with a membership to their local ("really nice") health spa, which she admits sort of sealed the deal. Alice still looking for gigs in Boulder - tried out with a band and waiting to hear. That's about it. Hope you had fun in NYC.
Bravo! Phabulous Phil does it again! The Northwest is waiting for you. Got Tom's bike fixed up, too, and we've been going on (short!) daily rides. Hillary has a regular job - starts next Monday with a small firm in Edmonds. She liked all the attorneys when they came through her court, and they liked her. Comes with a membership to their local ("really nice") health spa, which she admits sort of sealed the deal. Alice still looking for gigs in Boulder - tried out with a band and waiting to hear. That's about it. Hope you had fun in NYC.
sorry 'bout the double clik....
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