HERE I AM AGAIN

I wrote a blog for a year some time back; mostly about my alcohol addiction and then just day to day living with a couple of my try at short stories.

Friends and family have suggested to me that I should have started blogging/journaling about my bout with 3rd stage follicular lymphoma when it began.  I think it is a good idea to start even though I have had 4 chemos and am doing better.  At the beginning I could not possibly have written anything.  

 My experience with my first blog was interesting, helpful, and led me to some nice blogger friends.  But I grew tired of thinking of something to write.  So don't be surprised if you don't see a posting everyday.

I now have been in cancer treatment for 4 months.  Once a month I have received a chemo treatment.  Lots of pills helped to combat symptoms.  I have been extremely lucky to have few side effects.  Oh, I lost all the hair on my body; which in some cases wasn't such a bad thing.  My skin has been extremely dry.  My brain sometimes goes into omission mode leaving me grasping for thoughts and words.

I'm 69 years old and had always been in excellent health.  What started happening about a year ago will fill many postings.

Last Christmas as we held our annual family/friends soiree, I knew that I did not feel well.  The get together is a long standing tradition and I couldn't miss it or disappoint the others.  So as usual (little back slapping here) I had planned a wonderful party.  And it was great.

As the months began to pass, I felt worse and worse.  I begin to lose pounds every day.  I was seeing several doctors; all of whom were dumbfounded about what was causing my many symptoms.  The decline began to be life threatening.  Low hemoglobin count had me at the hospital 10 times for blood infusions.  The hematologist was filling me with iron infusions.  Although I would be better a few days soon it was back to being incapacitated.  What happened next will be in future posts.