recovery

Well, it would be a lie to say that the last few days have been wonderful. It has been emotionally stressful here. I am trying so hard, but sometimes I feel like a failure to keep up and be nice at the same time. I wish I could say that our home has been inspirational, but it hasn't. Yes, I have worked hard on keeping the house kept up, the laundry clean and the dishes done, the doornobs and other often-handled areas disinfected, make meals, ask Ron if he is taking his meds, check his skin for signs of bleeding, and lecturing him on "don't do that... I will take care of that... don't touch that, it is germy... bla...bla...bla", and getting on my own nerves.
Our "new to us" vehicle kicked the bucket while we were at the bank the other day... someone has to be with Ron at all times, and he wants to ride along on errands anyway...but, he doesn't always where his mask like he should... but, I am tired of trying to act like a "mama" to him. We had to have the vehicle towed and someone at our church took our family home in their truck. How humbling is that!
Then, what would you know, but that the old "Betsy" van came up with a problem when we were going to get groceries from Aldi's today. Ron found the problem and repaired the vehicle himself as sick as his body is, and he is doing mechanical work!!! He said it actually gave him energy and a sense of getting a job done. Well, fortunately, that one was a non-expensive repair... a belt that was so worn that it had chunks missing out of it! Thank You, Jesus, for protecting us as it could have broken at any time. We were late to church... which we sit in the balcony anyway, because Ron cannot be around crowds, so we didn't barge into the sanctuary late, just went upstairs to the Cook family "isolation" seating. We are trying to keep our children from sicknesses as well, for obvious reasons. So, I hope noone is offended if we do not shake hands much... it is a life/death type of thing for us right now, as Ron's WBC is at a really low point... they stopped the Nupogen when he left the hospital, so down went the white blood cells. Then, his platelets were down to a dangerous 9 yesterday, so he got a platelet transfusion. His gums bled the other day from simply eating pretzels... gotta watch those crunchy foods from now on. His hemoglobin is almost to the point of a required transfusion of red blood cells. He is on so many meds and I just hope he can keep up with it all.
On top of homeschooling, caring for Ron, and the regular daily tasks of being a wife and mommy, Hope has decided to demand to be potty-trained NOW! She cries and begs and whines to use the "po-ee" (potty, without the t's). She has wet in the potty several times already. Whenever the other girls mention needing to go to the potty, she wails to go, too. Nice timing, my precious little one! She has suddenly started talking, too! In fact, it is hard to get her to stop! She knows several words now, and likes to say them over and over, and loudly... even in church! I was excited when she started talking a couple of weeks ago, but now, I find myself trying to hush her.
Faith is asking so many questions still, and has matured so much mentally, it is just amazing... and so has Charity. I think Faith has a tooth that has some give to it and I wouldn't be too surprised if she doesn't loose her first tooth in the next couple of months. How time flies!
If I seem a little stressed, it is because I am a little stressed... please, bear with me. I am also upset with myself for gaining back weight. It is such a struggle right now to even have a desire to try to loose weight. Sigh.
Well, I really ought to post pictures soon. Ron looks different without his hair again... Charity likes to point out that he has no hair now. He is still loosing stubs of hair all over the pillows cases... which I am trying to wash often.
His central line is doing well so far... no infections there... it is one of those things that make me cringe to think about the possibity that it could get yanked out by accident... have heard of that happening to people and it makes me want to shiver! He still has that metaport that he has had for maybe almost two years, I think, but it doesn't draw back... that fact disturbs the James staff. A metaport is under the skin and it accessed by a needle... looks like a circular lump on the chest... no dangly lines. But, a central line has a big line hanging out... just part of the furniture when one goes through what Ron has. He's had this before, but I think the last time it might have had only two thingys at the end, but this time it has three ("thingys" should really be added to the medical terminology, don't you think?).
Well, that is an aweful lot of personal info on here, which I hope does not embarrass Ron, but it might give you an idea of what life is post-transplant of the allogenous (sp?) stem-cell.... umbilical cord, that is.
Signing off...
Trying to press on...