BOOYA!

Day 100 is today!  We made it out of the Transplant Team alive.

Last week was pretty all time if I do say myself.  Monday was normal blood work and Wednesday we had our exit meeting with Dr. Storb.  Doc rolls into the meeting room and looks at us saying "how you doing?"  KILLER!  Can't wait for all these rave reviews during this exit meeting Doc!  To which he was very stoic, like he had some not so good news for us.   But after rolling thru my results in which I passed everything with flying colors, including my lung capacity being larger than when I started ("Wow, never really seen that result before!) he said that I'll be tapering off most of my drugs over the next couple of months on most, and on some up to a year.  The only drug I'll be on for life is penicillin because of the lack of a spleen.  He then warned me to be religious with my use of SPF 30 anytime I'm in the sun as a sun burn can kick in GVHD anytime down the road.   He seemed ok with me going to the cabin, as the Long Term Follow Up people said it was cool, but suggested I not "bored" until a month or so down the road. 

Friday was the final step to being released where I had my Hickman Line literally yanked out of my chest.  Man did that feel good.  Seeing how that line goes in me a good 6 inches or so and is held in place by a little o-ring that bonds with my skin.  And now that o-ring is stuck in me and makes a squeak when pressed like a dog toy.  Just another foreign object in me at this point.  Screws, immune system, o-rings and chicken bones, but that's another story.  Shit happened in college, so it doesn't really count.

Now I only have my weekly check in's / blood work with Dr. Becker, my original oncologist.  It's time to put some weight on this frail body of mine, join the gym, get back to the cabin and on the hill when the Doc says it's ok.   Hopefully the hair comes back too.  Arm pit, beard, chest and nutz are all a little cold these days.  I feel like one of them hairless cats.

Too late, I'm back!  It felt incredible to ride the lift and follow the boys down the hill too.  First couple of runs were with Milo and Kimo, Keala's dad.  Then we hooked up with the Cline clan, to which Owen was the only one of all kids running a "I slash with Nosedradamous" sticker.  I asked Milo why he didn't have one?  "Why?" was his response.  Then Wyatt the other Cline kid see's me and throws out a sincere "It's good to see you back on the hill Johan."  I don't know if those kids were coached into that, but it sure felt good.  Kimo's wife and other son Levi showed up and my last two runs were following a train of kids destroying every feature in the park.  It was awesome.
After 6 runs I figured I better go check in with Lisa so she wouldn't worry.  She wasn't all for me going up on the hill yet, but supported my lack of better judgement in doing so.  After a little rest and lunch, Milo grabs me and says "lets get back at it."  As I stand up to follow him out, the long arm of the Lisa put a screeching halt to that notion and it was time to pull the cards out and play a couple of games of Gin Rummy.