zen.org Communal Weblog

My smooth sailing hit a bit of a bump today, when my temperature finally rose above 38 C (100 F), which the nurses and doctors use as a sign of infection.  I woke up at 4:30am with an ache in my right hip (the one where all but one of the biopsies have taken place), got some Tramadol pain-killer, but then haven’t been able to go back to sleep since then.  I developed a headache in the afternoon, which actually matches what usually happens when I’ve not slept enough, even when I’m perfectly healthy.

So they’ve taken blood samples (to match the right antibiotic), a urine sample, given me an IV drip of paracetamol (temp now down to 36.5), and also gave me an initial antibiotic.  I already got one bag of platelets earlier today, but because of the fever they want to give me another tonight.  I’ll be taken down for a chest x-ray at some point as well; one of the haemotologist doctors told the nurses to do a “work-up” if my temperature “spikes“.  New words, reminding me of House and Grey’s Anatomy.  Heh.

For a couple of days the nurses have noticed one of my tonsils is a bit swollen, with a small white spot on the back of my mouth.  They’ve not developed further, and I can still swallow fine, but as my consultant doctor told me yesterday, the risk of mucusitis is still very much in play.

Help Us By Renting Our Island House

We’re really lucky and  were able to get and fix up an old house on an island off the coast of Maine.  Since we can’t be there this year, we’re trying to rent it out so we can make enough to pay the annual state property tax.  It’s available for $800/week, is really spacey with four bedrooms, a jacuzzi, and a wrap-around porch for wonderful evenings sitting outside during the sunset.  The fenced-in back patio has a grill, and there’s a children’s play structure in the back yard as well.

You can see it at the URL

http://www.islesboro.com/rentVac.htm

Were #52, the “Rambling Four-Bedroom Farm House”.  It’s available at a weekly rate (or longer) during the summer, the autumn, and early winter.

Please spread the word. 🙂