A good start to the week. I continue to come down to earth although had a productive walking day as again I walked up the hill to the clinic and back down afterwards. No surprise that down is a bit easier.

Sharon greeted me with a very good cup of coffee. After that we went out on our usual walk on the lakefront path. That seemed like enough for the day so no bike riding. As I have said, I am trying to pace myself, so to speak.

I did have lab tests today so can fill you in on my scorecard. Total WBC: 2.86, Hb/Hct: 11.5/35, Platelets: 115,000, ANC: 1,170, and my chemistries were also good although my kidneys still seemed a bit challenged most likely secondary to the Cyclosporine medication I take to suppress my immune system so as not to reject the donor cells I have inherited from my brother. Glucose: 133, BUN: 23, Creatinine: 1.64, Magnesium: 2.2, which is good enough so my daily IV infusions can be decreased starting tomorrow.

On the walking front, here is how I did today: Total Steps = 10,600, and 4.3 miles at slower pace of 24 minutes/mile. One day at a time.

Larry and Sharon

It is clear I have fallen back to earth from my Prednisone high. Last week’s exercise scorecard was clearly fueled by the treatment. This weekend has been one of more rest and less get up and go. Having said that, for the second day in a row, I walked up the hill to the clinic and afterward took a nice 1.5 mile walk back along the lakefront. 6,500 steps today covering 2.5 miles at a relatively slow pace. Again, I will play it by ear tomorrow regarding how much walking and or stationary bike riding.

My infusion appointment tomorrow is early morning and I will have all my lab tests to report on. We have a good friend here who is being treated at the same University of WA medical center that I have been accustomed to being admitted. We hope to visit him after my appointment.

Hope you have had a pleasant weekend.

Larry and Sharon

Today has been a rest day as I am feeling low energy again being off Prednisone now for a 3rd day. Yesterday was a very active day and by the end of the day, as I have previously written about my Apple Watch move goals, I exceeded my move goal of 500 calories expended for the second time last week. Therefore, a day of rest.

Having said that, today for the first time in many weeks, not only did I walk down the hill after my infusion visit, this morning I walked up the hill to the appointment. The elevation gain up the hill is 50-feet over 3-blocks, so something like climbing up a 4-5 story building. I hope in the days and weeks ahead I can continue to make that trek a part of my daily routine. No offense to the Uber drivers who usually drive me up the hill.

I am also finding today, that when I am at rest in our apartment, I can spend some time without Oxygen and my O2 Sat is staying above 88 which is supposed to be my floor. I know, I tend to push the envelope a bit and I am just trying to understand my physiology so when I have my next clinical team visit I can report honestly as to how I am doing.

Not sure what tomorrow will bring, except another walk up the hill to my infusion appointment and then will play the remainder of the day by ear as to whether I walk more, ride the bike, or have another rest day. I figure at some point the Prednisone effects will flatten out.

Larry and Sharon

I continue to come down from my Prednisone high. I think I hit bottom yesterday and today I have been a bit more active with some couch potato resting mixed in.

I also received a message today from the Fred Hutch clinic that they are moving ahead scheduling my transition home testing. These will be done the week of August 23rd. So we plot ahead, slowly and are careful not to provoke anything new.

Sharon continues to be my everything, everywhere, all at once. This week we enjoyed a streaming documentary on ESPN regarding the basketball player Bill Walton – “The Luckiest Man Alive.” It was not so much a sports story at it was a story of medical survival and resilience. It really struck a chord.

My scorecard today is exercise only. Next lab testing is on Monday. Steps = 9,500, miles = 4 and 35 minutes on the stationary bicycle.

This weekend, I will continue my daily visits to the infusion clinic, and we will look to the skies as there is an event here named SeaFare featuring the Blue Angels – whose fighter jets are very loud.

Thanks again for your caring and support.

Larry and Sharon

The count continues. I can’t really remember the last time I was on a course of Prednisone with a defined taper. I have been on Prednisone for 13 days and today is the first day off, meaning zero Prednisone. And am feeling the taper today. Definitely coming down from a high and feeling sluggish. I am not sure how many days this lasts for and will take it one day at a time.

Yesterday, I had such a rush of a faster walk, that with my feeling a bit slow today, I pulled back to a more normal balanced exercise day including our regular walk and back on the stationary bike for a relatively easy 35-minute session. My steps so far today are 7,800 and 3.25 miles walking, slower today at a 23 minute/mile pace and 230 calories expended on the bike.

I did have my lab tests today and the scorecard continues to look good. Hb/Hct: 11.3/35, Total WBC: 3.11, ANC: 1,200, Platelets: 125,000, Glucose:140 (still Prednisone related), BUN: 21, Creatinine: 1.34 (a bit improved).

My daily visit to the infusion clinic continues for IV Magnesium. Same routine tomorrow.

The new experiences continue.

Larry and Sharon