Monday, May 4, 2009

Getting used to the O2 leash

I spent yesterday and today getting used to dealing with having a oxygen (O2) leash. We had Broadway series tickets for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang yesterday - fun show. Then, we went to PF Changs for lunch. It was nice to just get out.

Today, I had misc stuff to deal with - particularly, arrangements for O2 during travel. I think/hope I am set for Philly for the wedding and for May 30 for Avery's 1st birthday party. Looks like I will need to make special arrangements for the trip to Rome and the cruise since the company providing my O2 here can handle throughout the US but is not international.

Also, I had to order an extra portable tank. We figured out over the past couple days that my one portable holds between 4 and 5 hours total O2 - which means it would handle a significant time at work. So...they will deliver another portable on Wednesday. That way I can deal with a few hours at work as well as the drive there and back.

I feel quite a bit better with the O2. Clearly, the pulmonary embolism (blood clot in my lung) was/is significantly blocking the functioning of my left lung - that's the good one without the cancer!! After about 10 days without proper function and being short of breath if I did just about anything, it is nice to be able to function at least a little.

I am back on some steroids - which means I have some appetite back. Still not the kind of appetite I had when I was on the highest steroid dose. I am at about 1/2 dose compared to the highest when I was on radiation. But, at least I am back to being able to eat. I suspect I have at least gained some of the weight back from when I wasn't eating.

That's about it for now.

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