Speed Bumps On The Road To Recovery

For those of you keeping score you might think we are in Houston today for my second treatment.

My last post was so cheery and positive because I was experiencing no side affects from the new drug.  The same day I posted I began to feel a little something something in my throat.  I woke up the next day and when I got up and moving I didn’t feel anything so I went with Diane to the airport to pick up our Alaska friends Vito and Heidi.  They are currently Snowbirds in training.  They bought a place in Scottsdale but have not yet retired.  It’s a smart move, I’ll get them trained up properly!

Later that day at home I started with “the symptoms”. Not from the treatment…..Covid-19!  Not to get too political but I home tested with a Government home test they distributed last year.  So, I was hoping, like many government projects, they were failures!  Alas, the next day I did a Walgreens lab test and it confirmed the result.  

Diane and I had Covid very early this year and since we were fully vaccinated it seemed like a nothing.  We had very minor symptoms for two days and never felt anything after that.  This time was different.  By the weekend I had a runny nose, dry cough, wet cough, and sneezing.  

Then, on Saturday I developed a rash on my butt and my hips.  Now, that was a listed potential side affect of the medicine so I reached out to MDA to let the trial folks know what was happening.  Well, that was Labor Day weekend and I had trouble reaching anyone specific.  The important thing here is since it is a brand new trial they need to know everything I experience out of the ordinary.  Plus, they need to know any medicine or over the counter stuff I add to my regime.  That was a little frustrating because I knew I probably would not get any good information until Tuesday. I did take some NyQuill for the symptoms and some fake Tylenol for the headaches and some Benadryl for the rash.

So, that’s the long version of why were not in Houston today.  My team spent the week deciding whether or not to cancel the second treatment.  It’s probably a good thing because I had a frustrating week thinking this would be over any day.  This most recent weekend was probably my worst few days.  On Saturday I woke up in the middle of the night drenched in sweat.  I actually had to change bed clothes!  However, that seemed to be the beginning of the end.  I no longer had a temperature over 100 degrees and I actually began to feel better.  But the ordeal lasted 10 days!

I usually add pictures of things we did this week.
  Well here is our cute little Arizona house.  I didn’t leave this cute little place all week!

I generally like to wrap up a post like this with some positive stuff.  So, let’s go over “the bright side”.  First of all God was with us during this tough week.  He knows what we’re going through and He knows what we need.

Today is the first day I consider myself Covid free.  I’m feeling really good, my appetite is great.  I still have the rash but my team in Houston is working on a solution.  We saved some money by not going to Houston this week.  We’ve had a ton of butterflies around the backyard this week (you remember the significance of butterflies, right?)  I didn’t miss a single livestream of my Diamondbacks this week.

And the best news?  Diane was able to take care of me this week without coming down with Covid herself.  I tell ya, she’s a rockstar!

Prayers this week are for continued healing of the abdomen and the rash.  And, progress in my return to full duty. I need to increase my exercising.  I feel like this is the week I am going to be back on a pickleball court.  As always, thanks for all your prayers and support.  It’s truly heartwarming.