T + 8 Second day in hospital


Karin spent the night with me and most was well except for a night sweat that I nearly drowned in. I had to get the sheets changed and my gown. The plastic top cover of the mattress and fitted sheet that you can see through doesn’t help much. Thanks to the Wilsons for doing I received a first bag of platelets overnight and increased from 7 to just 21 so in the am they gave me a second bag and they rebounded. The nursing staff that I have dealt with so far (Rose Mary & Sarah) is top notch and does their best to not upset your sleep. They gave me the the second bag of platelets without waking us. Usually there is a lot of beeping from the pump when the blood products run out. There was none in the early am.

Good day today. I am feeling pretty well in these circumstances. A few more mouth sores, but not impacting my eating/drinking/pill taking. My temp is still generally in th 99’s crossing 100 occasionally. The Dr. says everything that I am experiencing is normal. I’m eating the majority of food, but it takes me significantly longer with the mouth. No more diarrhea. I didn’t go any yesterday, and I didn’t realize what a relief that was. Today, back to near normal and holy cow my bottom end was not prepared for that, whew. They gave me enough crème (labeled as 2 doses?) for a platoon, and I hope that is effective long before I use it all up. I walked on the treadmill some today at halftime of the NCSU loss to Maryland, good ole Wolfpack. I sat in the chair upright most of the day rather than lying in the bed. Karin ate dinner with me and is off to rest for her tennis match tomorrow. I am flipping between the Ga Tech vs Clemson game and the 1st game of the World Series both of which are lopsided now. I just took a bath, a bit of an ordeal, but I always feel good afterward. I got back into a gown (they have a nice slit in the middle to pass the lumens from my catheter through). I prefer the gown to my clothes so that the cold IV tubes don’t run down my abdomen and chill me. The nurse hooks me back up and shortly thereafter like a brain child I spill my ice water down my front. In to bed soon. They will draw my blood labs around 11:30 and then no interruptions for a while.

Shannon Brett came up from Savannah today to visit and deliver a lot of items that we forgot and/or didn’t have room for in our car.

She and Karin went to eat at the Stone Mt. Pizza Café. She came to visit at the hospital in the afternoon. Sadly Bennett was sleeping each time Shannon was at Paul & Maries so she didn’t get to see him in action. Vanessa, we’re sorry you couldn’t come, and we hope you are 100% soon. A special delivery from Lorena at Cancun Mexican Restaurant was a menu with some notes of encouragement and humor and some lovely treats that I can’t have right now with no white count. Karin and family enjoyed them thoroughly. We really miss Thursday night Mexican in Savannah. We do it here regularly too, but the food and people are just not the same.

Very Special delivery via Shannon was a hinged picture frame made of Vinnie Van Go-Go’s pizza plates (please don’t let the plate Nazi know) covered with pictures of many of my best friends in Savannah and containing a DVD with 7 videos and slide shows of my favorite places and things in Savannah. I think Steve Routh and maybe Royce Copeland did the rather professional filming/editing/compiling/music/etc. It was quite a treat and I will treasure it. Some of the thanks go to in no particular order:
• Steve & Vanessa Routh
• Royce & Sarah Copeland
• Kenny Hill & Joe Driggers
• Shannon Brett
• Vince & Donna DelMonte
• Erika at the Quarter, I will take you up on the beer when I am well.
• Cindy at Vinnie’s and all the Vinnie’s folks. I was slightly disappointed to learn that the plates were removed with permission.
• Gary at the Barber Pole for shaving all the guys heads again for Bald for Best 2 (Royce, Joe, Kenny, Steve). My head is a little scruffy, though that should fall out soon, but I don’t shave with a razor for a while with no white count & low platelets. Sarah thanks for getting yours cut too. Vanessa and Sarah thanks for the Maxim shots. Royce, I do (used to, none allowed now) prefer the High Life. Make sure you four find your scullies soon. I have been using mine regularly Kenny & Michelley).
Other details:
• The sped up video of a First Saturday on Riverstreet and a visit at a tall boy Bud stand with Kenny, Jessica and Joe. Nice ice trick.
• The sped up video of a trip to/from Tybee and some shots on 6th street crosswalk and of the beach.
• The gang at Vinnie’s and the candy store afterward. Hey to Ben & Senae (apologies if I butchered the spelling).
• The destruction/reconstruction at the new Routh abode. Kenny did work hard evidenced by the sweat hope no one was concerned with the eating chips pic.
• The last big meal that I cooked for the monthly dinner gang at our house before we came to Atlanta
No tears yet, but wow. Thanks again to all that contributed and/or participated.

A big hello to the MHS reunion tonight. I hope that you have friends/relatives in Eden or found a place to stay and didn’t let the Martinsville race prevent you from attending.

Thanks to everyone for caring,

Mark