A short update on my progress following the stem cell transplant: Today is the 60th day following the transplant, which means that almost all of the restrictions I’ve been living under are lifted. I can eat out anywhere, go to public events (even if they are crowded), go to the gym, and do most things normal healthy people can do (except eat good creamy cheese, like brie — that restriction remains in place for 6 months — as do restrictions on gardening, golfing, care of indoor plants, housekeeping [boo hoo], woodworking [?] and picking up dog doo-doo; a seemingly odd list until you realize that there are a lot of fungi and bacteria in soil, dust, and wood).
I feel better each day, although the progress isn’t linear all the time. I’d say I’m about 70% now on average, and can visualize the day when I’ll be back at 100%. Often I feel almost normal noq, but it doesn’t last, because I still don’t have the same level of stamina as before. I can tell I’m getting physically stronger: Each morning I take a 30 – 40 minute walk, usually at the Cardinal Newman track (nice soft, flat surface), and today I managed not to get lapped by the St. Rose power-walking Moms over the course of about 2.2 km. I felt strong to the end, which was not the case even two weeks ago. My short-term goal is to start building my aerobic capacity by riding the stationary bikes and my strength by lifting weights. My mid-term goal is to get back on my road bike again.
My left leg still isn’t right; the sciatic nerve got crushed by the tumor caused by my cancer, and it still hasn’t healed, and may never. It’s more of an annoyance than a significant pain, and most of the time I don’t notice it. The two biggest problems it causes are limiting me to two sleeping positions (which doesn’t seem like much but believe me, it is), and affecting my gait when I walk (Suzie says I don’t limp, I just have a ‘hitch’). I’ve sadly concluded that I may never be able to run again, although that’s not certain.
With that, dear readers, I end my reporting on the recovery from the stem cell transplant. I don’t want to let my cancer define me, I don’t want you to think “Oh, poor guy” when you think of me. I don’t want my blog just to be a list of physical complaints. So no more health posts. Assume no news is good news.
I want to continue to write, and will happily accept your suggestions for topics. (Politics is mostly out, though, because being a centrist, my posts would, in the aggregate, irritate my friends on both the right and the left. There is enough irritation going around without me adding to it.) I’ve so appreciated your collective support and caring, it’s helped to get me through a horrible 9 months. Thank you all again.
Categories: SSS Health