Monday, May 19, 2008

the breakout

I offered my attending physician to cook her and her husband a romantic meal of their choice. I offered to compose her a song in whatever genre of music she most favored. Then I just flat laid out all the most cogent reasons I could summon of why I should, please, please, go home as early as possible. Not sure which worked, if any, but word on the ward of my bargaining seemed to reveal that she has a funny bone and, well I figure, if I was well enough to cajole and create, maybe I was well enough to leave.

Ahhhh. So, on Sunday afternoon, day 19, I was freed from my prison. It really had grown to feel like an incarceration from freedoms that would bring both health and happiness, such as restful nights' sleeps and diverse healthy meals, so I couldn't be happier to be out of there.  I feel very blessed to have recovered at such a rapid rate without any dangerous complications. 

Then, another boon. I was told to expect to return twice daily to the hospital to be tested and to receive any necessary transfusions and medications. [While I was considering the economic value of possibly trading in our car for a Prius for all of the expected driving, even commuting trice daily didn't seem to compare to the discomforts and indignities of living there.] However, today, I was taught how to administer a certain drug at home and- get this- my new schedule is Monday, Wednesday, Friday mornings. Total. I cannot believe this unexpected extension of freedom.

While I am home and feel very liberated, I am, of course, still super restricted. My diet is still low-microbial (but my Mama's food is phenomenal even so); I have to wear that pink Darth Vader mask if I even step out of our apartment; and cleanliness and symptom maintenance are still paramount. They say there is a 90% chance that I'll be back in the hospital at some point for a fever, a rash, or other potentially more-grave-than-it-sounds setback. Still, I am so happy to be OUT for now and hope that I can take care of myself enough to steer well clear of the hospital for as long as possible. 

Lordy, there is no place like home.



17 comments:

Jamie Murphy said...

EJ,
So, so, so, so, so wonderful! As far as the whole return hospital thing goes, remember that is what they told you during the intensification phase back in Beantown and that never happened, so I'm hoping for the same! See you Saturday love!

J

WUCREW News said...

Erica
So true, there is no place like being home and being in a real bed for that matter!!! Now that your home is there a way us readers can send you cards via snail mail? I was also hoping to get your autograph on my tshirt that I'll be wearing for the Breast Cancer 3day event, where I'll be walking 60 miles for a cure!
So glad to hear you are home!!!
Stephanie

Nancy said...

Wowie!!! Home already! Congratulations Erica. I'm so happy for you! Be overly careful so that you can remain in your happy place!!! (I stayed at the hospital for 81 days and after discharge, was still rehospitalized twice). Take Great Care & enjoy..... love, nancy

Anonymous said...

WONDERFUL WONDERFUL NEWS ERICA!! I follow your blog regularly and you are such an inspiration and AMAZING!! So glad to hear you're home and doing so well...we're all SOOOOOO HAPPY for you!!!
Lots of love and hugs to you! Hugs to your Mom and Jaci too!
Hope to see you soon.
Love,
Doreen

Anonymous said...

Hi Erica,

It's Leslie from back in the day on the St. Joe's ASB. I wrote you a note on the Facebook group page but I don't know if you got it, so I thought I'd say hi again here. It was awful to hear you are fighting cancer and such a vicious form too, but amazing that you, your friends, and your family are taking this as an opportunity to come together and support you and also people everywhere who need bone marrow. I'm in Germany now but I wrote to the German marrow donor database right away when I heard, and they sent me a registration packet by mail. Now I've just swabbed my cheeks and am about to take my registration down to the mailbox. It's great that you found a match already but maybe I can help someone else - hey, it can't hurt to have another Asian donor on board, right?

I hope you are adapting well to your transfusion and I wish you strength and health and hope in the next weeks. Props to Jaci and your family for taking such good care of you.

Love,
Leslie

Anna San Pedro said...

Erica -
this is wonderful news to hear! I am glad that you can take comfort in having your own space. I also would like your mailing address, if you could email it to amassey@ivlife.com please :o) Love you mucho xoxoxoxoxoxoxxo

Anonymous said...

Excellent news, welcome home Erica!! Our love and very best wishes, Claire and Bonnie xx

artineh said...

oh my goodness! that's great news! I'm so happy for you!! A real bed and real food and best of all, the shear comforts of home.

Enjoy!

miss you!
art

Anonymous said...

Dear Erica, great to hear from you! I am sure there will soon be looots of pictures from graduation, we missed you a lot! I am (somewhat unfortunately) already "displaced" back to Switzerland :-)...Take care! Evelyne

Unknown said...

yay! great news honey! and only MWF hospital - thats great! i'm so happy for you! did you get my pictures from the Clambake? love you muchos - it was so great to hear from you on Friday - take good care and enjoy mama food :) xox, samina

Abby said...

woot woot!
Ab

Anonymous said...

I'm gonna click my heels together three times and wish for continued health and no return to the hospital! And I'm double sure this wish will come true because I'm wearing red sparkly shoes right now! hahaha!

besos,
Addie

Susan and Judy said...

welcome home erica. what amazing news. you and your sister and mom are just a huge inspiration. i was at uluru this past weekend - super spiritual place for the indigenous people here down under -- and said a special prayer for you.

stay happy, stay strong, and know that far far away someone is thinking of you often. susan

Portfolio said...

Hola bonita!!

I was so happy to hear that you're back home! I wish you get better really, really, really pronto!

Sorry I've been a little MIA lately. Now that things are almost back to normal, I will write you a decent email soon!

Abrazos y besitos,

G
p.s. Jackie and Erica's team, keep up the good work with the blog, we truly appreciate them, thank you!

Anonymous said...

Hey E!

That comment above is me, Giselle, ha ha ha! For some reason, my sister Michelle's blog came up. So funny!

Ok, talk to you soon baby!

Besos de nuevo,

g

Anonymous said...

Glad to know that you're home!

Anonymous said...

Erica,
Not sure if last comment went through so trying again... Congratulations on being home! Hope you enjoy mama's cokoing and your own comfy bed. We're praying for you!

Erika Myette
(wife of Michael-John @ Fletcher)