The best laid plans

Please understand, I never had a secret chart to get me to the heart of this or any other matter

Leonard Cohen

 

I am waiting for the results of my bone marrow biopsy. I should have known by now how well behaved my monotonous monoclonal marrow monsters have been since we last checked in on them in January. I passed my pulmonary and cardiac test this week. My dentist has given the green light (don’t underestimate the power of an ultrasonic toothbrush and regular flossing and tongue scraping too). Except for my routine labs, the CT scans next week and the results on the biopsy are the last hurdles on my side for on schedule launch of my new immune system. The donor is being tested this week to see if he is cleared to give, but he’s 22 and has been screened for most things that we might encounter as young adults once already.

So I am marching forward with the conviction that this is going forward as scheduled.

Besides bulking up with my diet, I have been working out with Dan Judge. Dan is the big guy in the picture. He’s great. Knows just when to push and when to be gentle with me. I was never much into getting big. I spend my post hockey years working on my comic timing and my spiritual connection with the eternal, not on looking good or being fit in the present. Boring stuff I told myself but I must admit this bodybuilding is fun and it does make a visible difference. Much of the process of transplant is hard on your fitness and your muscles especially, so hitting day Zero, as fit and in my case, big, as possible, seems to be a smart idea. In fact, at least for me, I have tried to look at my psychological, spiritual and physical health. I have spoken with my attorney and my rabbi and my counselor and my accountant and even a funeral planner. I want to hit this transplant with no concerns or worries. And so I work out, and meditate, and eat organic and try to make sure the finances and insurances are lined up, make plans for the care of my patients while I'm indisposed, and mostly just enjoy life.

So as Leonard says, I have no secret charts, just a sense that for any of us fighting the good fight, and that I believe is most of us, we want to hit the ground as strong and ready as possible.

Be or get well. Stay or get strong.

Dr K