Back Home and Why I Think my Collegues are Trying to Kill Me...

Well, I suppose that it's fitting that I'm back updating my own blog for post number 50. Yup, that's right this is the 50th post since I started treatment and the blog, quite a milestone when I update as infrequently as I do...

Much thanks to Katie for updating everyone with post number 49. My energy was entirely sapped, and, in fact, I had better get going on this post as I have much to update and my body's and mind's batteries are running real low...

Last Monday I woke up late feeling exhausted. Katie and I had just moved into our new apartment and I figured it was just fatigue from the little bit that I had helped. I finally rolled out of bed around 11:00am took my temperature (it was just below 100 -- a bit elevated but no real concern...) and commenced eating a bowl of cereal. Within 5 minutes I was blagojeviching uncontrollably into the toilet, then into a garbage can and threw my back out something fierce.

I called my sister, Kate, who promptly came over and I passed out semi-conscious on the couch. Within a half hour I was shaking nearly uncontrollably and I took my temperature again -- 102 -- not only was it high, but it was going up real fast. So, we were on our way to the clinic.

At the clinic they confirmed that I must have an infection and apologized for having to admit me to the hospital "for what would probably be just a 48 hour stay."

It took over 48 hours for my team of doctors to definitively conclude what was going on -- I had a strep blood infection similar to what used to be known as scarlet fever. I highly recommend avoiding Scarlet Fever if at all possible, though that should be easy for most of you as nearly everyone born around or after the turn of the 20th century has immunity to it...

Truthfully, much of the eight total days I spent in the hospital are a haze -- they gave me so much benedryl for blood transfusions and lorazapam for nausea that I was about a quarter conscious at my very best.

I did want to relay one rather comical story, however.

Now, let me start by saying that I don't really believe my co-workers are trying to kill me and I care deeply about each and every one of them.

They have been an amazing source of support to me over the last eight months. They've put up with me when I'm manic on steroids, they've put up with the times I can only make it into the office for a few hours, they've come to visit me when I couldn't make it into the office. All of this and much, much more.

Someone from work also purchased a gross of red wristbands from the lymphoma and leukemia society that read "relentless" in support of my fight. If I'm honest, in my more temperamental moments I've nearly gotten choked up at work seeing so many of my colleagues sporting the red wrist band.

So, as a reminder of this support, I've worn a red wrist band myself nearly non-stop since starting treatment -- that was until last Monday...

Last Monday was my first night in the hospital, and when the night nurse came in I saw her give me a rather funny look. I could not place what would be so out of the ordinary. Later that night she came back in to hook me up to an antibiotic and gave me the same look, only this time let on what it was all about:

"You're mighty young to have Do Not Resuscitate orders," she said.

"Ahh, What?" I inquired.

"The wristband."

"What about it?"

"A red wristband is hospital code for Do Not Resuscitate."

Well, as you might well imagine, the red wristband was off my wrist and hidden in my bag within a number of seconds... That's one mistake I'd prefer not to make...

For now I'm extremely happy to be back at home, but my energy is still sapped (this is the longest i've been able to sit on a computer in weeks.) I also need to go into the clinic once every day to receive an antibiotic and blood tests to see if I need any transfusions -- so it kind of amounts to going from being imprisoned to being on probation. It is extremely nice to sleep in my own bed and not get poked multiple times daily, however.

Thanks to everyone who visited, sent cards, emails, letters, or just good vibes. Shout outs will come but for now i am too tired to remember everything and want to make sure I don't miss anyone...

Sam