My Status

"I had to check out your hiking blog to see whether you were still alive or not.  Glad you're still alive." from a personal email.

Really, I am sorry.  I used to post religiously to my blogs because there is a HUGE amount of joy just simply sharing what I experience when I'm out there.  I feel kind of guilty that I started this and now I just don't have the energy or time to keep it up.  But the Nude Hiking blog and the Scenic Blog are never far from my mind.

So, my status.  Complications from the leukemia took a turn for the worse over the last couple of weeks with an inflamed spleen (the 'arbiter' of cell population in the blood stream).  The white blood cell count has soared above 50,000 with a large percentage of 'blasts' or immature WB cells.  This takes a toll on my energy and, of course, the spleen, which has to filter out all that junk.  The result, inflammation and the potential that I may have to undergo a splenectomy.  With my father, this was the watershed event between chronic and acute myelogenous leukemia.  I'm all too aware that he lasted a mere two weeks in the hospital when his leukemia went into the acute phase.

The next week or so will tell if this latest round has WBCs under control and whether my spleen will recover.  For now, I'm back at home under enforced bed rest and bored right out of my mind.

Update Dec 1st:  I get to keep my spleen (for now) and can wander outside as soon as I feel more energy and stamina.  I think they meant wander up to the corner espresso hangout but I may interpret it to mean checking out the snow in the mountains (if you know what I mean . . . lol).