Lovingheart

I struggle throwing stuff away.  What if I need it?  It may come in handy… When the older two were younger, I would notice a toy they hadn't played with in a while. I would privately plan to remove it.  Without my having touched it or mentioned it, they would start playing with said item again.  I have been trying to be more ruthless and just get rid of more. Today after our visit, the doctor called and told me Marlon should start using this particular cream again.  She didn't say it but she might as well have said, “You know that cream you just threw out, that's the one you need.” I have a bag of unused medications to bring back to the hospital but that cream was garbaged.  Argh This cream was something Marlon did not like to use but the doctor today noticed a possible rash.  Because GVHD can still happen and maybe even with greater likelihood as he weans off tacrolimus, the immune suppressant, he is being monitored for potential symptoms. Other than ...

One of my dogs had a run in with a porcupine.  Ho hum.  Luckily there were not too many quills (19 to be exact).  I thought Marlon and I might be able to do it together but it was a bit too much of a struggle.  I dragged Marlon and the dogs to the vet.  Marlon and I held Mina down while the vet removed the quills.  At least she didn't need to be sedated but the poor dog wasn't happy. Pan has been hit by quills twice, both in the spring this year.  It seemed he understood as he kept going over to her. I’d like to hope the dogs have learned their lesson but only time will tell.  I'm glad that Marlon was able to help.  I have online access to Marlon's blood work and today was looking at a recent one that was showing various lymphocyte markers.  I didn't really understand what I was seeing but I have to believe all is moving along as expected.  It sure seems to be Amazing colours this evening.

Another uneventful hospital visit.  It won't be long now before Marlon only has to go every three months. Last night P had Marlon pull a tick out of him.  The spot on his underarm looks red and worries me. While we had already been waiting at the hospital for a couple of hours, Marlon showed me his mask and there was a little tick crawling around on it.  Yikes!  That probably came from home.  The disease that ticks carry scares me and there are so many around.  They can cover a lot of terrain and walk pretty fast too.

Older picture below When he first had the PICC line put in, Marlon was disappointed and would have rather have had the port. Back in November 2022 when the port was removed.  It was internal with no parts sticking out unless he was accessed. The doctors had a couple of reasons for Marlon getting the line.  First of all, this time around treatment would be shorter.  When first diagnosed back in 2020, he was in treatment for two years.  Start to finish this time around is approximately eight months.  Also when the line was first inserted, Marlon's platelets were quite low so a more extensive surgery was not recommended.  It took him quite a while to get used to having the line.  He didn't want to move his arm much at all for a couple of months.. Over time he has adjusted and the other day he was swinging an axe.  He was splitting wood, not yet back at axe-throwing.  He was also digging a hole in the ground for T. He has also been able to apprec...

A long visit at the hospital on Tuesday but mostly just waiting around.  His first return visit to McMaster. All is good. With transplant, an important drug is tacrolimus which suppresses the immune system so the new cells don't get kicked out.  He is being weaned off tacrolimus over the next couple of weeks. Marlon wanted to know when the PICC line would be removed.  Assuming all continues to go well it should be out within the month. Since getting out of Toronto, the pace has picked up and a full, normal, and healthy life is within reach. Happy dogs.  We have been making the most of the mild, dry weather.

He's off steroids.  In the morning he is expected at the hospital by 8am to check cortisol levels.  The levels can be affected by steroids as the body relies on the cortisol from the drug. It's good to think that the further away we get from the bone marrow transplant the closerk Marlon is to freedom from any treatment. A hawk watching a crow fly by