D-6

I spend part of the morning getting to know my new Kindle. I had been hesitant about getting one, since I have no trouble not reading the books and magazines I already have. A Kindle could just be a more expensive way to not read. But a couple of chapters into my first book -- When You Are Engulfed in Flames, by David Sedaris -- I'm pretty excited about it.

I also get a visit from one of the Infectious Diseases doctors who was working on my infections last week. He says everything looks good on the infection front -- no fevers, the pneumonic blob in my lungs is smaller. He hasn't heard about the sinus scan.

In the early afternoon, I get a visit from a Champaign friend and his son, who is a school soccer teammate of Paul's. They are up in the Chicago area for soccer training and made a significant detour to stop by. Get some good Kindle tips. (Thanks, Rob and Randall!)

During their visit, the attending physician stops by to confirm that all of yesterday's tests came back with good news, including an improved sinus state and a clean bill of health on the heart sonogram.

Near the end of the chemo drip, I notice a slight tightening of my breathing passages. It reminds me of when you step out into really cold weather, and your airway hasn't yet adjusted. It is not alarming, but it is one of the side effects that we're supposed to make known immediately. I let the nurse know, and she says she will let the doctor know.

A little later, I notice a slight itch on my upper back. I reach to give a light scratch, and realize that my skin is bumpy. Another page, another nurse. I'm thinking, this must be those hives I've been reading about. She confirms.

So that's what hives look like. Sexy!

Luckily, they are not tormentingly itchy.

Doctor comes in to check on me. Prescribes a few things: Benadryl, Pepcid, and some kind of steroid.

Someone brings in a nebulizer to ease the breathing, which never got very tight and was already easing on its own. I can't tell if the nebulizer makes a difference.

I think I have hives on my dome. Also sexy!

As soon as the nebulization is done, in rolls a portable echocardiogram machine, to see how my heart is doing.

No comment.

Haven't received the echocardiogram report, yet.

I wonder which side effects have signed up for D-5.

Around 6:00, I head for the treadmill for my first Kindle-enhanced run. It's a great combination. I can push the font size up to a point that allows me to read while running, and the page turning buttons are easy to hit while running. I still occasionally go forward a page when I want to go back, because I expect the go-back button to mirror on the left the go-forward button on the right. Instead, both left and right sides have little go-back buttons above larger go-forward buttons. Overall, it does make the time pass more quickly.

My treadmill distance is 3.2, 2 miles of it running at a little over 14 min/mile pace. I run or walk at whatever pace will get my heart rate to 140, and today that was 14:15. Since my pneumonia diagnosis, I think I have only missed one day of running or walking. Today's was the longest and fastest since before the Bad Week. Probably a combination of being further recovered, getting two bags of blood yesterday, and having a Kindle.

Now, I'm waiting for Food Service to deliver the ingredients for Spicy Asian Noodles.

Later, a few phone calls, maybe some online Scrabble, and then a contest between Saturday Night Live and Ambien. My money is on Ambien.