Day Zero Plus Twelve – Endings and New Beginnings

Today was a great day!  Jeff could watch – and focus on – TV, he played games on his iPad, made a nice effort to eat 1000 calories (almost, not quite), rode 10 minutes on the bike, sat in a chair for awhile and never napped all day!  He did not seem so discouraged and smiled plenty!  He was given two units of red blood cells so tomorrow may be a good day, too.

Until today, he objected to the smell of cooking – or cooked food - in the room.  Today, he wondered whether he could have his Pop Tarts warmed in the microwave!  Oooo!  Then he said, “How can you go wrong with the smell of cinnamon?”  He actually seemed to enjoy the smell.  The nutritionist came in again threatening (well, she’s very nice about it) to start IV nutrition.  She is concerned about his weight loss - 23 pounds now.  I told her that his interest in food was returning and that he’d ordered a cheesesteak for tomorrow.  He was craving pizza and “real” burgers which are not among the offerings on the menu. 

Pastor Wiseman called.  I’m sure she was happy to hear Jeff’s voice instead of getting a report from me.  She would make Jeff’s excuses for the council meeting tonight (ha!) and let everyone know he’d had a good day.  He told her what he’d told me last week on a rough day:  that he prays, “God, get me through this transfusion (or fever, or whatever)…” and then he prays, “God, did I already ask you…?” 

Our friend, Ken, recommended an iPad game called “Tight Wire.”  You have to maneuver the iPad to get a fat guy across a tight wire from one city building to another.  He has a charming plumber’s crack which, Kim noted, is distracting.  On Level I, I was successful on my first try.  Jeff, in his weakened state, could not do it.  So, it actually may be a good exercise for him.

Jeff enjoyed watching Meredith Viera’s last Today show appearance.  He said he could really relate to her marking the end of one job and having new beginnings.  He said the show was a tear-jerker (remember, he said he hadn’t cried yet this hospital stay) and I asked if he cried.  He said, “Yes,” as though he was joking but his eyes told the truth.  He was touched by the things her TV friends did for her to mark the occasion. 

Tomorrow marks one-month-until-the-wedding!  We have to step up his recovery a bit to make sure he is strong enough to go.  The attending oncologist and the nurses all think it is possible!

The nurse told us that the man in the room next door to Jeff got his bone marrow from a 23-year-old girl.  So there is another man with cootie blood on the floor!