Down with Medication
Each morning and evening, I get little plastic cups with a variety of medicines in them. One has a horrid-tasting liquid (same as the reaction of children to most cough medicines). Another cup has a few pills in it. They also give a small sleeping pill to help settle the night’s rest.
Last night, all I got was the sleeping pill—the doctors decided I no longer need the others. And this morning, where there would normally be 4 or 5 different pills, they only gave me two. Good sign! Yesterday, they want to start reducing the number of antibiotics I’m receiving. I think they have confidence in my body’s defense systems so far—I hope it proves itself strong and up to the task.
Made it through all 90 minutes of the game last night; stayed up until 9:45pm or so to watch Ireland win. Then crashed. Well, after the ritualistic check of my blood pressure, oxygen level (which they read with a little thing that harmlessly clips onto your finger), pulse (same clip), and temperature. The do the same again at about 2am.
Listening with Gadgets
Elana sync’d my old iPhone to load up a bunch of podcasts (some suggested by friends). I’m enjoying “No Agenda” with Adam Curry and John C. Dvorak, along with some other bits like NPR’s Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me.
A friend Nic loaned me a tiny iPod Touch with a wild mix of music loaded up, most of which I’ve not heard before. I’m enjoying most of it, and find myself puzzled by some. 🙂 The iPod Touch is clipped onto the back of the old-fashioned Sony Walkman for listening to the radio.
Irish Tradition
We’re given the opportcunity to have tea multiple times during the day. I’ve started asking for apple juice instead at the mid-morning and mid-day offers. It just seems like a better idea for my system to be empowered by vitamins from fruit juice, as oppposed to tea. (Even with its caffeine benefits, since caffeine would reportedly help increase my natural cell production.)
This morning, a lady came by asking every patient, “Good morning, would you like to receive holy communion?” I hadn’t noticed the small cross on her blouse. Not necessarily a multidenominational hospital; I imagine the vast majority of the people in the hospital are practicing Catholics. (Well, except for the guys in the beds around me, at least.) She was very nice, and took my, “No thank you” with courtesy and moved on.
It’s Nearly All Star Wars Legos
The boys were able to come in for a little bit today. Fun conversation, and fun to watch them. They brought a Star Wars Lego Encyclopedia (I think) with them, and they each went back and forth pointing out what they’ve got or what they want. We finally put the book away to encourage them to tell me about what they’d done over the week. 🙂 At one point, Patrick asked out of the blue, “How do you get leukemia?” I said I don’t know, and we don’t know how I came to have it. That seemed sufficient for him, but it’s interesting to wonder how his 9 year-old’s mind is processing all of this.
Written Word
E brought in a book for me, and a copy of Discover magazine. I’m interested in seeing how different it’ll be to read printed words versus those appearing on the computer screen. I also wonder if my eyes will be less tired trying to read, or if it’ll end up feeling the same.
Between the book, magazine, and my efforts to play Sudoku, I’m covered on the non-gadget front too.
Closely Knit
Today Elana gave me my first lesson learning how to knit. This is big, since I’ve never even considered touching it before. I cast on, sorta, and managed to knit a few rows, sorta. We’re going to try again tomorrow; I think I need to understand it a little bit more, but I know from today that I can do it—I just need to try more. 🙂
