1. As it turned out, driving on I-90 this morning from Kellogg to Spokane was not a problem, but just in case the roads got dicey, I took off at 5:30.
I arrived at Sacred Heart in plenty of time, the phlebotomist drew eight vials of my blood, and I dashed to the basement of the hospital, went to the Thomas Hammer coffee counter, and ordered a most enjoyable 12 oz double latte.
It wasn't too long before results of my labs began to drop into my patient portal online.
Markers that I consider key really look good. My BUN number is in range -- it's been many many years since this was true.
My creatinine number is now the best it's been in many many years and is inching its way toward being in range.
My GFR over the last 6-7 years had dipped as low as 12 (it didn't stay there), but the GFR has been in the teens ever since my last labs in Eugene in 2014.
With my new kidney, today my GFR hit 50 and if it should improve to 60, it'll be in range.
More results will come in later this week, but, so far, my numbers are either stable or improved -- so far, none of the numbers sound any kind of alarm.
My recovery continues to go well.
My recent trip to Oregon had increased my confidence that my immune system is strengthening. Today's blood work gives me reassurance that my new kidney is doing its job. And how!
2. The cafeteria latte bolstered me to vault into the Camry and rocket up Grand Blvd and head east on 29th to Great Harvest. Normally, Great Harvest sells Morning Glory muffins on Monday, but the bakery popped a cool surprise on its customers today with Lemon Poppyseed Blueberry muffins. I ordered one, loved it, and enjoyed a couple cups of Cravens (no apostrophe) Earth and Sky dark roast coffee.
As I sat by myself contemplating the encouragement this day offered me so far, snow began to fall.
I didn't rush out, but once I finished my refreshments, I drove right past Trader Joe's, eased downhill to the freeway, joined the other travelers, and drove without incident to Coeur d'Alene.
I had quite a bit of time before my oil change appointment, so I went to Trader Joe's in CdA and popped across the street to Pilgrim's Market and now the trunk was stocked with excellent groceries for home and an armful of Hazy IPAs for Debbie -- that's her favorite beer.
As I drove north on 4th, I suddenly decided to have lunch at the Breakfast Nook -- for the first time. All of my many many other meals at the Breakfast Nook have been breakfasts.
I ordered a Frisco Style Burger -- a cooked through ground beef patty on grilled sourdough bread with Swiss cheese and 1,000 Island Dressing. My memory is not trustworthy, but I enjoy my fantastical trips to my past to things that might never have happened, but make me happy -- so accurate or not, this burger reminded me of dining at Original Joe's, a longtime eatery on 8th and Willamette in Eugene and also reminded me of what I remembered as the Rennie Burger at Rennie's Landing, a watering hole and eatery just north of the bustling University of Oregon corner of 13th and Kincaid in Eugene.
For all I know, those Eugene burgers from the 1980s and possibly on into the 1990s had nothing in common with my Breakfast Nook burger, but isn't that the beauty of nostalgia and memory? That the memories that rose up in my mind at the Breakfast Nook counter might have little basis in reality, but still gave me all kinds of pleasure, inspiring me to eat my lunch with what was probably a dopey grin on my face?
3. The crew finished servicing the Camry within the time they promised. I stopped at Starbucks for a triple grande latte to help me get over the 4th of July Pass and, once again, to my relief, the travel conditions were not a problem.
Tonight we celebrated Debbie's and my upcoming birthdays. Debbie will be in New York on her birthday and I think there's a family craft day for those about to craft (we salute you) with Saphire on my birthday.
For our birthday dinner, Carol fixed food that Debbie and I love. We started with mini won tons and then moved to the Roberts' new (to them) dining table (it had been Paul's mom and dad's table and his mom let it go) for a pork tenderloin and vegetable stir fry with rice (was it jasmine? basmati? white rice?). It was superb. We also had a tray of vegetables and a dip.
For dessert, Christy prepared a sinfully delicious apple, cranberry, and golden raisin pie.
Then Debbie and I opened our gifts.
Carol gave me a bag of treats: fruit cake, salted caramel pear butter, and Revival Northwest Breakfast tea (did I miss something?).
Christy gave me a long sleeved T-shirt emblazoned with the movie title, The Last Waltz, on it. Coincidentally, as I opened it, I was wearing my gray "The Weight" hoodie featuring the members of The Band and the line, "Wait a minute Chester" on the front. We'd talked earlier about the movie, The Last Waltz and other rock music documentaries and this gift brought our whole evening full circle.
It was unbroken.
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