The Naked Guy

It's still kind of quiet on the AML front. My blood counts are in the low range and are very slowly rising. I am told this is normal and all is good so far. I am still on immune suppressants that keep my T cells in my blood near bottom. Because my T cells are so low I am at a high risk for infection. I am still not able to mix with the greater population. Much of my time is spent in isolation with Billie. It may not be until May at the earliest that I will be able to go to a movie or mingle with my family. Kids are especially dangerous. My nurse practitioner equated kids to little cesspools of inoculum.

Just this week I experienced the first real manifestation of Graft Versus Host Disease. My skin has a light rash. I have been given hydrocortisone cream to apply to my whole body. Since the rash broke out I have been having some trouble sleeping. I can't pinpoint what is making me uncomfortable. I can't lie long in the same spot without discomfort. I turn over all night as if I'm on a rotisserie.

Having a little GVHD is a good thing because we know that Mauras' blood is there and reacting to her host. The theory is that with the help from a little GVHD the transplanted donor will attack any cancer that is left in my blood. We don't want the chimeric blood to all just get along.

If all goes well, we will be allowed to move back to Sacramento on day 90. That would be about February 4th. At that time my brother Kit will be here to take over care taking while Deni whisks Billie off for some well deserved rest. The annual Callahan sisters weekend will be at the same time. I may be able to visit with my sisters and the kids if everyone is outside. The doctor will have to advise us at that time. That same time my brothers Kit and Gene will help move us out of this apartment complex.

I can update on the efficacy of Marinol. I sometimes wonder what it would be like if I went off it. I got the answer recently. It had been about 24 hours since the last dose by the time I noticed I was getting nauseous. I neglected to remind myself to take the morning dose. I had a hard time keeping lunch down until the medication began to work again.

Besides our almost daily strolls into Fort Funston we like to take walking tours in San Francisco. Of course we cruised the Castro. We visited Mission Bay with ATT Park towering over. We walked all over Sausalito where we talked for a long time with a boat maker in his shop. Fort Baker was nice. Sometimes we just pick a different neighborhood and go for a stroll.

Last week we were taking a walking tour of the neighborhoods near Alamo Square. While strolling by a corner cafe I noticed someone without a shirt on. He was seated among other patrons that were there for a nice place to hang with your coffee. It was a little peculiar seeing someone without a shirt being that it was winter. It was a sunny warm exposure though. As I walked closer I noticed that he also did not have any pants on. The little table he was seated at concealed part of him so I thought for a moment that he must be wearing shorts. As I passed him I had to side glance and verify the shorts theory. I was wrong about the shorts. There IT was working on IT's tan. The few glances I got from the other patrons seemed to say something like, "Oh brother, There's a naked guy sitting there."

Billie was just ahead of me and when we were about fifty feet down the sidewalk she stopped and whispered to me, "Did you notice that guy?" He did have some nice shoes. When we came around the block again we saw the naked guy on a different corner surrounded by about five SF cops.

Only about 20 days left here in San Francisco. I will have to come to the clinic every two weeks for at least the next six months. When I am off immune suppressants in May then I will be off of most of the other drugs I am taking too. That day can't come soon enough.

Take Care

Mike