Hello, everybody!
I've heard murmurings through the grapevine that folks would love an update on my health and general status. Thank you so much for your concern and for checking on me so faithfully. I'm doing moderately well. I tire easily, of course, but on my pulmonary rehab six-minute walk this week, I walked one hundred feet farther than I did for my intake last fall. I'll definitely be at my strongest for the transplant! On the other hand, activities from showering to walking to putting away dishes require twice as much oxygen now as they did when we arrived in Pittsburgh last August. My oxygen level while resting and without supplemental oxygen has drifted down from the high 80's to the high 70's. (Normal would be 96% or greater without extra oxygen.) I feel this change acutely. Although friends say I seem the same in conversation, my thoughts feel fuzzier. I search for the most precise word more often than in the past. A transplant social worker told me that this is a common complaint: the higher one's oxygen needs, the stronger the perception of foggy mental processing.
Although writing is a bit more laborious, my time with friends here has grown richer and more frequent. I cherish our pedicures, sci-fi/fantasy lectures, book club discussions, and burger nights. My Pittsburgh friends are the gift I couldn't have imagined after leaving our beloved community in Boston. Sustained by kindness and affection from near and far, I keep writing, little by little. I'm almost always working on a blog post, usually two or three, but time slips past me faster than before. Things take longer. Sometimes I struggle to decide whether to give up on a post about an event a month past or to continue revising to incorporate more recent happenings. I promise (tentatively) to have another post up in the next week. I've also decided to take a few more photos of daily life so you can "see" me more often. Most importantly, I'll keep having adventures, so I have something to write about.
I've heard murmurings through the grapevine that folks would love an update on my health and general status. Thank you so much for your concern and for checking on me so faithfully. I'm doing moderately well. I tire easily, of course, but on my pulmonary rehab six-minute walk this week, I walked one hundred feet farther than I did for my intake last fall. I'll definitely be at my strongest for the transplant! On the other hand, activities from showering to walking to putting away dishes require twice as much oxygen now as they did when we arrived in Pittsburgh last August. My oxygen level while resting and without supplemental oxygen has drifted down from the high 80's to the high 70's. (Normal would be 96% or greater without extra oxygen.) I feel this change acutely. Although friends say I seem the same in conversation, my thoughts feel fuzzier. I search for the most precise word more often than in the past. A transplant social worker told me that this is a common complaint: the higher one's oxygen needs, the stronger the perception of foggy mental processing.
Although writing is a bit more laborious, my time with friends here has grown richer and more frequent. I cherish our pedicures, sci-fi/fantasy lectures, book club discussions, and burger nights. My Pittsburgh friends are the gift I couldn't have imagined after leaving our beloved community in Boston. Sustained by kindness and affection from near and far, I keep writing, little by little. I'm almost always working on a blog post, usually two or three, but time slips past me faster than before. Things take longer. Sometimes I struggle to decide whether to give up on a post about an event a month past or to continue revising to incorporate more recent happenings. I promise (tentatively) to have another post up in the next week. I've also decided to take a few more photos of daily life so you can "see" me more often. Most importantly, I'll keep having adventures, so I have something to write about.
.JPG) |
| Flowers at 4121 Main |
Edwina, I thought I posted before but will try again before resorting to Facebook. I think ..I know that you are one of the bravest people I've ever known and your great grandpa Perry is in Heaven with his chest stuck out when he observes your brave character. Love, Cousin Becky
ReplyDeleteThank you, Cousin Becky! Brave is relative. It's making the most of the moments we're given. Much love to you and to the memory of Great-grandpa.
Delete