Ahhh, Halloween

This may be my last post for a few days, as the pain is getting a little excessive, and the morphine they're giving me to manage the pain pretty much leaves me in a half-asleep state. Today I'm getting a PCA pump which will allow me to control how much morphine (or maybe fentanyl) I'm administered. The pain is from my mouth, which is full of sores, and my tongue, which has swollen to most of the size of my mouth. Eating solid food is completely out at this point, so I'll be on a liquid/Popsicle diet for the next few days. I'll start stocking up on the Boost and Ensure from downstairs so I can "eat". Because of the swollen tongue, I'm also drooling a little. My nurse Emily set up a suction tube for me to take care of the extra saliva. I've stuck it into my mouth a few times already and it doesn't pull to hard, so it doesn't hurt at all to keep myself "drool" free.

I had a fever last night - got up to 101.2. Because of that I had to give blood and urine samples for cultures, and this morning I went for an x-ray of my chest. I got to leave the room. Not much to see on the way, but hey, I was out of the room for 20 minutes. The fever broke during the night, and my temp was back in the low 99s this morning. The nurses told me to expect a fever or two, and of course I'm going to experience all of the expected side effects. Thank you Tampa Bay for ruining the Christopher Walken SNL skit forever - the damn fans were shaking cowbells during the ALCS and WS.

The remaining hair I have is starting to fall out. The stubble from my beard and head that has grown in the past few weeks is coming out as well - and even my eyebrows are starting to fall out slowly.

Ti told me about the overwhelming amount of responses she got to the blood donation request. I'd like to thank everyone for getting back to her so quickly and for the offers to donate. Even if you aren't my type and can't help me directly, the blood banks always need blood for patients like myself. I've already gotten 4 pints of blood, and will probably need more, as well as platelets. On my floor there are 5 or 6 other transplant patients that will benefit from any blood donated to B&W. Anyone donating elsewhere, the blood banks and hospitals can definitely use the blood this time of the year, as we're getting into the cold/flu season and all kinds of folks will be hospitalized. The amount of response once again, has turned me into a blubbering idiot, and it's a little harder to cry and blow my nose with a really swollen tongue, but it's worth it.

Thank you all. I appreciate it, as will anyone else who benefits from the gift of life you've donated.

Happy Halloween to all, I hope the Great Pumpkin brings you want you want tonight.