It's been some kind of week.

From last Thursday until tonight it has been an interesting week.  We were supposed to go camping, however weather (3 days of heavy rain and the occasional thunderstorm) put the kibosh on 2 nights on the beach under the stars.  With luck on our side a good friend of mine allowed a limited number of persons to stay at his home (a vacation rental on the North Shore).  Prior to heading North my mom and I pick up Leigh Brezler (yes Leigh who graduated from Suburban, now living with her husband and 3 kids just outside the city of Sydney Oz). Leigh was able to visit for four days.  Leigh rounded out her stay with sight seeing, hiking Diamond Head, and shopping for souvenirs.

Somewhere along the way with my continued poor sleep habits, a cold that started on Tuesday developed into a full blown cold.  Sinus and Chest cold.  Same cold I have had 3-4 other times this year.  Now the cold would not be that big of a deal, however I have had a continuation in my back pain.  It is an assumed spinal fracture, a second fracture, a new and or worsening lesion, a collapse lesion (hence a fracture), swelling from overdoing it or a new cyst growing in that area.  It could be any of these or something else.  What I can tell you for sure is this past Monday I have took so pain medication that I was feeling no pain anywhere (except my back was still 7-8 out of 10 in pain).  On a normal day with my regular amount of meds (which is still a lot) I function with a 3-4 out of 10 pain.

So back to my cold & cough.....  Lets just say it hurts a little when I cough...  and after all the dramatic if's above the most likely scenario is that I did it to myself.  Yup lying on my back at the beach for 1/2 an hour or so sometimes propped up by my elbows.  Over did it with something that simple....  Life is like a box of chocolates 

On the up and up though.  This is good news: 2 early to mean anything solid in the Oncology World but is a nice change.  The last four times that I have had blood draw in order to evaluate my levels (to determine the need for Red Blood Cells & Platelets) I did not have to receive Red Blood Cells.  My platelets continue to be low, however are ever so slightly improved.

Ok well mom's leaves tomorrow night, and my friend Brooke (from Potland) who met up with me in Yosemite was on island over the weekend as well.  That along with the crew at the BBQ and Flowers (my roommates) (me their house mooch) for continuing to put up with me and allowing my mom to sleep in the shed, that has made it much easier for her to relax and just walk inside to help me out.  Which like my mom she did a wonderful job of doing.  Her help could not have been needed more then it has been over the past few days.  All that combined has made for one memorable week.

Be well.  I hope I can blog some pic's into the paragraphs.. "Love The house Monkey"