Friday started off normal (well normal for me and my hospital routine). Eat breakfast, take pills, call the CNA to change my sheets while I jump in the shower - and that's when things got interesting. To be honest Wednesday and Thursday were a little rough for me last week. I think Monday's chemo treatment finally caught up to me. My blood levels were low, and by Thursday morning I was due for a transfusion. They gave me two units and by Friday morning I was feeling much better (ya, I'm kind of like a vampire).
Not feeling well I hadn't shaved for a few days and I was starting to get some whiskers going. So I'm in the shower and I have the washcloth out and I kid you not - yes gentlemen be jealous - I wipe it across my lip and my mustache just washes right off! It was a very strange and interesting sensation.
Later that day my wife texts me - she, my sister, and my brother's wife were out and about for some "girl time" - and they had gotten their nails done. Orange is the Leukemia color (you know how breast cancer has a pink ribbon, leukemia's is orange). Anyhoo, I get this text and the three of them had their nails done bright orange with 'ALL' (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia) on the big toe. With that and the shaved heads, I would say that I've had support from head to toe around here :)
I have one more story from Friday but this one is going to require some background. I'll do my best to keep it brief.
Unfortunately this Leukemia business is not my first hospital stay. When I was 12 years old I injured my head in a roller-blading accident and spent several weeks at Primary Children's Hospital. The injury lead to a bacterial infection in my brain known as "meningitis"; this can be lethal or cause serious brain damage (I have brother's that still claim I received the latter). I was in a coma for a full week, I had a respirator and tubes coming out of my head to relieve the pressure - it was a pretty serious ordeal.
Miraculously (come talk to me some time if you want the whole story) I survived. During my stay I had several friends from my 6th grade class come to wish me well. One very special visit was from my good friend Brandon Julian, and the scandalous part (for 6th grade anyway) was that he brought a girl with him!
Brianne Baucom. So these two came to visit, and I still remember I was a little embarrassed because I didn't have a shirt on. They had brought me a Twix - but not just any Twix - the King Size, that's four chocolatey crunchy cookies (not just two). Oh wow, I still love these things.
So this last Friday, I'm hanging out minding my own, when who comes in? Brandon Julian and Brianne Baucom Julian (I'm happy to share that they are married now).
Anyway, I bet you can guess what they brought me - in addition to a fun baby toy for Kezman - a King Size Twix bar. Yep - four for me, none for you!
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| Nicolas Cage may want to consider washing that thing off too! |
Later that day my wife texts me - she, my sister, and my brother's wife were out and about for some "girl time" - and they had gotten their nails done. Orange is the Leukemia color (you know how breast cancer has a pink ribbon, leukemia's is orange). Anyhoo, I get this text and the three of them had their nails done bright orange with 'ALL' (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia) on the big toe. With that and the shaved heads, I would say that I've had support from head to toe around here :)
I have one more story from Friday but this one is going to require some background. I'll do my best to keep it brief.
Unfortunately this Leukemia business is not my first hospital stay. When I was 12 years old I injured my head in a roller-blading accident and spent several weeks at Primary Children's Hospital. The injury lead to a bacterial infection in my brain known as "meningitis"; this can be lethal or cause serious brain damage (I have brother's that still claim I received the latter). I was in a coma for a full week, I had a respirator and tubes coming out of my head to relieve the pressure - it was a pretty serious ordeal.
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| My Dad actually worked here at the time I was a patient |
Miraculously (come talk to me some time if you want the whole story) I survived. During my stay I had several friends from my 6th grade class come to wish me well. One very special visit was from my good friend Brandon Julian, and the scandalous part (for 6th grade anyway) was that he brought a girl with him!
So this last Friday, I'm hanging out minding my own, when who comes in? Brandon Julian and Brianne Baucom Julian (I'm happy to share that they are married now).
Anyway, I bet you can guess what they brought me - in addition to a fun baby toy for Kezman - a King Size Twix bar. Yep - four for me, none for you!
Hey, we're proud to have known you then and even more so to still know you. We love you and your family. I'm glad four for you was posted, we must be pretty cool. Love you!
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