Counting up, counting down. Still on course. My day started a little low energy and picked up midmorning. Early I was in the clinic for my IV Magnesium infusion. Smooth all the way.

Continued good news on my ears as my left ear seems to be opening up some. I can clear the eustachian tube with a valsalva maneuver. What that means is that I can pinch my nose and force pressure into my ear tubes. It is great to be able to chat with Sharon, indoors and outdoors, as well as listen to music and TV shows with essentially normal sound although maybe set a bit higher volume.

Apria home health called us today and let us know they are working on getting me slightly more portable oxygen pack so I can have easier walks. I have gotten used to rolling with my portable oxygen bottle on wheels.

And roll I did today. A good scorecard for walking today. To this point in the day I have taken 7,800 steps and 3-miles of walking. When I meet with my clinical team tomorrow one question I will have is whether I can go into the exercise room here in our apartment building and get back on a stationary bike for a few minutes to spin and build up my leg muscles in that way. I think it is doubtful they will give me the okay, but I need to ask.

Also tomorrow I will have my lab work checked and can report on that. Hope you are well.

Larry and Sharon

If one of those bottles should happen to fall……….Okay enough of that.

One of my favorite comfort movies is the Eddie Murphy Dan Aykroyd classic “Trading Places.” In the early part of the movie Eddie Murphy is playing a blind disabled person who cannot walk. The cops kick his roller board out from under him and all of a sudden he says something like, it is a miracle – I can see and walk again.

So last night I had an experience akin to this as I was doing my nasal/cortisone sinus wash and all of a sudden my right ear opened up. It’s a miracle, I can hear again, as least out of one ear. Next up I hope will be an opening of my left eustachian tube. I am increasingly upbeat, coming out of my doldrums when I was in the hospital.

Otherwise a good day today. Same routine, IV infusion of Magnesium at the clinic and it seems my need for oxygen is even going down a bit. My O2 Sats when I take a break from the oxygen tank are holding okay in the low 90’s.

So out I ventured, with Sharon, on a walk on the path at South Lake Union, my rolling tank of oxygen in tow. And my scorecard today is good. 7,000 steps and 2.6 miles total. Soon, I will try to tackle the hill walking up to the clinic.

Also on my scorecard is an interesting test. By genetic testing, the lab here can tell what blood cells are floating around my system. At my 28-day bone marrow test it was 100% by brother David’s. When I was in the hospital, my counts were going down and the team was worried that the donor cells were decreasing. Results returned today to say I continue to have 100% of Dave’s cells. Mine are apparently gone. Transplant continues to look to be a success. Fingers continued to be crossed.

Larry and Sharon

So I bet we have all been on family road trips, or camp buses as children when the best song of all starts to roll around. You know the one – “100 bottles of beer on the wall.” I hope that does not become an earworm for you. As if one of those bottles should fall……….

For some reason sometime over the last 24-hours that little jingle passed into my mind, and since I am now past the 50-day mark I am counting down the bottles/days on the calendar until I can return home. Hence the new title of my posts.

Today was another day for me to believe I am healing. Pretty much same routine, a visit for my IV Magnesium boost. A visit with the nutritionist who thought my intake – thank you Sharon – is improving.

Then a meeting with my transplant team who were very positive about my turnaround from my pneumonia. Of course the Prednisone helps and tomorrow I will begin my taper of the higher does I am now taking. That will be telling.

My ears are still a problem so referrals are being made to ENT and Audiology. If this does not resolve I may not be able to fly home and instead will have to entertain ourselves during the 13-hour drive home.

The team also said that barring any more setbacks, and that is a big if, it appears I will be on track to begin the trek home mid to late September. That brought smiles to our faces.

One last item, as again we had to have a visit from our Apria home health Oxygen company because the machine I have to refill my rolling tanks began to beep as in the robot from Lost is Space – Warning, Warning Will Robinson. Tonight we were given more instructions on how to fill the bottles. I am not sure how non medical savvy folks get through all this.

My scorecard is good today. Blood counts are steady. And rolling my portable oxygen tank behind me I walked 6,300 steps today for a total of 2.4 miles. Back in action.

Larry and Sharon

A pretty uneventful day. Using my oxygen steadily and feeling a bit more energy. I did visit the infusion clinic this morning for my regular Magnesium boost and took the “portable” oxygen tank they gave me, loaded it into my backpack and walked home from the clinic to our apartment. My problem is that with the recent hospitalization I am even more out of shape. I need to work back up and rebuild my muscles. I have lost about 10-pounds of weight here since the Day-zero of transplant and I feel a big part of that is my muscle mass. Sharon is cooking up a storm for me, and as I mentioned the Prednisone is not only helping my lungs but my appetite as well.

My blood counts continue to be good. Today my Hb was up to 11 and my platelets and white cells continue to be in good shape

Tomorrow bright and early I need to be at the clinic at 7:15am for a full morning and early afternoon of visits. Hope your weekend was pleasant.

Larry and Sharon

A momentous day as I broke free of the hospital. All went smoothly which was good so we were able to beat the Uber rush that will be servicing tonights Taylor Swift concert in the football stadium with a Seattle Mariners baseball game going on simultaneously in the field next door.

Being out of the hospital feels great. I hope to continue to improve. Upon arriving home I was able to meet our new R2D2 home oxygen device. A behemoth and loud. Lucky for me my hearing sucks so I don’t hear the grind of the motor. Not so good for Sharon. We will try to place it in as far away a closet or bathroom for the evening so she can try to sleep as it will need to be pumping away for me.

The equipment comes with what is referred to as a portable unit. We tried to fill the tanks to find out that one of the tanks they gave me is defective. The main valve does not seal so when it is opened to supposedly place oxygen into the nasal cannulas the oxygen just escapes through a top valve. We called Apria and through a lot of explanation convinced them then need to come out tomorrow and take care of this, so I have something to get me up and back to the clinic.

We were able to fill the second “portable” bottle and it did work. So after dinner we ventured outside and took a short walk to the Lake Union shore. Now I am not sure what is considered portable, but this oxygen bottle is heavy. When we got home I weighed it and it was 8+ pounds. I know not as bad as a heavy backpack but very awkward and will not allow me to get very far.

I took a look on the Internet today, of course, as see that portable oxygen systems can weigh anywhere from 3-5 pounds. Much more manageable I think to allow me to get back to walking. If Medicare will not cover it, I think it will be a worthwhile investment for my mind and body.

As to my scorecard today happy to report that I walked 3,000 steps over 1-mile distance through the day. At least a start. My other labs are good, although with the Prednisone I am taking my blood sugars have bumped up a bit. I have no doubt that will recover as I taper off the Prednisone over the next 2-weeks.

As an emotional part of the day, as if I needed any more, we were able to video screen time with Lila to wish her a happy birthday. Life is good.

Larry and Sharon