1. My day was chock-full of activity out in the world. Doing all this stuff bolstered my spirits and strengthened my hope that I'll be out and about in the world more and more in the next weeks and months.
I started the day with a 6 a.m. drive to the Sacred Heart Medical Center and had blood work done.
The results started to come into my cell phone about ninety minutes later and things look pretty good. I was especially happy to see that my efforts to avoid foods high in potassium resulted in my potassium levels coming back in range.
My glucose levels are a little high (really! just a wee bit high) -- and I think this might be dietary, too. Before my next labs on Sept 30th, I'll do my best to cut back on sweet things and see if that helps. Resuming exercise should also help.
One of the transplant nurses always contacts me a day or two after blood work. My Tacrolimus levels came up a bit in the last two weeks. My dosage didn't change. I'll be interested to find out if this increase is significant enough to adjust the amount of Tacrolimus I take twice a day or if we'll stay the course.
In order to ward off the CMV virus that popped up in bloodwork a couple of weeks ago, the team lowered my dosage of immunosuppressive drugs and that appears to be working. My CMV levels came down -- from an already low level.
2. I sprang out of the lab and jetted up to 29th Ave and darted into Great Harvest and thoroughly enjoyed a pint of coffee and a Morning Glory muffin. I also bought a loaf of Dakota bread for home.
Then I popped down a couple of blocks and did some indulge shopping at Trader Joe's, with special attention on treats for the 70th birthday party this coming weekend.
My time at Great Harvest and Trader Joe's took up just the right amount of time and now Auntie's Bookstore was open and I blasted downtown and found the very book I was looking for: Lost Girls by Robert Kolker, the next book I'm going to read from Leah Sottile's list.
It's a true crime book in which Kolker reports on the lives of the victims of a serial killer who buried his victims on Long Island's Gilgo Beach. This book was originally published in 2013, but the edition I bought today was published this year with an afterword and a new epilogue -- I think Robert Kolker added these sections to his original book because in July of 2023 a suspect in these murders, Rex Heuermann, was arrested, adding more content to his original book.
I rocketed out of Spokane to take care of a handful of things in Coeur d'Alene.
I dropped in at Camera Corral and learned the technician continues to search for a part to repair the lens I dropped off there a while back. It was good to get an update.
I scooted up to the Ironwood Starbuck's for a latte and a relaxing time of sitting and staring into the great unknown on a picnic table outside the shop.
I had an 11:20 appointment with Pulmonologist Dr. Jespersen. I see him every six months, so this was my first appointment with him since the transplant surgery.
I was kind of giddy with Dr. Jespersen as I reported how well my recovery has gone so far and I was especially happy that he liked how my lungs sounded and that the damage I suffered at the Zinc Plant in 1973 continues to, as he put it, "live in the background", but we'll always be on the watch for any change.
We ended our conversation on this note: "With your reduced immunity, you are vulnerable to respiratory illness. Be sure to contact me and your transplant team right away if you develop pneumonia or other problems."
I assured him I would do just that.
After I filled the Camry with gas at Costco, I went to the pod of food trucks at Prairie Pavilion and enjoyed a delicious bowl of chicken, noodles, broccoli, cabbage, mushrooms, Hoisin sauce, and cilantro at Stir Fry Guys.
I wrapped up my CdA visit at Parker Toyota with a 5000 mile service job on the Camry where the car checked out as healthy and I returned to Kellogg.
3. Debbie worked all day and I'd been taking care of business all day and we had one more commitment ahead of us: we were the hosts for tonight's family dinner!
Knowing we'd have little time to prepare this meal, it was most fortunate that we had a frozen enchilada casserole in the basement freezer.
Debbie thawed it over the weekend.
I popped it in the oven when I arrived at home.
I bought corn chips at Trader Joe's.
We lightly spiffed up the house.
Christy brought more chips and a heavenly warm bean dip.
Carol made a delicious cucumber, tomato, herbs, and other items salad.
Debbie had bought a bottle of tequila and a bottle of margarita mix.
Paul brought some wine.
We were set.
We spread our offerings on the dining table and the kitchen counters and each served ourselves and settled into the living room for a comfort food feast and a lot of conversation about everything from upcoming memorial services to assembling a desk chair (a job Paul succeeded in accomplishing!).
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