Skip to main content

When a New Year begins with only whispers of the previous year


 I spent the last 45 days of 2024 suffering with a wee bit of the plague. 

It didn't completely stop me, but it came close. I only briefly came out of my isolation to participate in the Lakeshore Community Chorus' holiday concert, to take care of the world's most adorable bairn and then celebrate his first birthday, to attend Christmas Eve worship, to see the bio-pic of Bob Dylan, celebrate NYE with the previously mentioned adorable grandson and his parents and to have short visits with my daughter from a different mother/father and her adorable daughter. I don't think I missed any 'events'.

After each of these 'events' I then went back to my cocoon (the recliner in the living room, with my blankie and water bottle). There I could cough, sneeze and ache in relative comfort with my tissues, Mucinex and Advil nearby. I also discovered the comfort of an occasional hot toddy.

When there were no signs of improvement, I went to my doctor and she prescribed an antibiotic, more rest, more fluids and more Mucinex (but switch to the DM). That seemed to mostly alleviate the sneezing and lessen the hacking. She prescribed a stronger antibiotic and I can say I am now feeling less-plague-y.

Not yet fully human, but getting closer. In fact, my hours in the cocoon have dropped considerably. 

It seemed like the most-fitting end to 2024, being sick. I spent the first half of the year suffering with various mysterious maladies all seemingly related to dangerously low immunoglobulins (IGs); these included eczema, and frequent UTIs. The drug I had been getting to stabilize my MS has the nasty side-effect of lowering the immune response (a double whammy since MS itself does the same thing). I was infused with IGs in April/May and poof the MMs disappeared. Though the IGs are still low, which could relate to the lingering plague. I am talking with my doc this week to see if I can get another IG boost.

I am grateful that I was fortunate to have the time to rest (thank you Cheryl at the Book Nook of Saugatuck for covering my many missed shifts). Delaney and Nelli really did the lion share of Christmas cooking and helping. I was able to browse online, really taking time to select thoughtful (I hope) gifts for Christmas. And last but not least to John, who wasn't feeling well either for most of the time, made me hot toddys and made sure I got to where I needed to be if I needed to be somewhere, and took care of me too.

2025 I pray the lingering whispers of 2024's illnesses are silenced soon and that is a good portent for the rest of the year.





Labels:

Comments

  1. AnonymousJanuary 8, 2025 at 8:36 AM

    You are an inspiration to so many! ❤️

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

It's not a popularity contest, but ...

Time

I have been reading through the blog entries for John's caringbridge site and am marveling that it was only a year ago we were on that awful cancer journey. In a way it seems like so much longer - especially when I look at the Patient Patient and see just how wonderfully handsome and healthy he looks! John still has periodic visits with the docs in A2 and prior to each we are both a little nervous that the docs might find something. He calls after each visit and we breathe a sigh of relief when the docs declare that all is clear! We know patients that went through treatment at the same time haven't received the same news; our concerns are grounded in reality and our sense of relief immense. In the past year, we have heard of far too many people that have received a diagnosis of cancer - prostrate, breast, throat, etc. While the type of cancer may be very different, the family's reaction and the ultimate course of treatment may vary greatly. The family and loved ones g...
Post a Comment
Read more

When you encounter a totally different reality

John and I arrived early for an appointment (for those of you that know my husband, you know that this is not infrequent! The story of arriving three hours early for a flight to Phoenix from Midway still gets repeated and laughed about when the 'kids' get together). We found a seat and the waiting room began to fill. We had chosen seats away from the TV where NBC's Today Show was playing, so we couldn't see what was on the screen. Another couple sat before the TV and provided commentary and as the time progressed provided a glimpse into a total different 'reality'. "Oh I can't even stand to look at him. He's so evil" "What is wrong with his hair?" "This administration will do down in history as the worst ever." "The federal government is taking over the states. There's going to be a civil war, just you wait." "They just let all those illegal aliens in and then they're going to give them weapons to take...
1 comment
Read more

Happy Birthday Michael Bowen!

This is a face I don't see anymore - except in my memories. That of my little brother Michael. Today would have been his 46th  birthday - but this senior picture is how I will always remember him because he was taken from us just a couple years after his senior year. I don't want to dwell on the sad details - because there are many and they can still all these years later bring me to tears. Because today is his birthday, I want to write about the many gifts he bestowed on those that he loved. Bernard Michael Bowen was the youngest of five. The rest of us have names that start with the letter K - but Michael from birth was going to be unique. Named for his paternal grandfather, whom everyone called Barney. No one called Michael, Barney, until high school when many were adopting nicknames. His friends would jokingly call him Barney! And like nearly everything else in his life, he seemed to smile and shrug it off and go with the flow. He played, and loved, football. A...
3 comments
Read more