Happy Holidays

It's been pretty hectic for the last week with the family dribbling in for Christmas, but I love it!  It was a wonderful and memorable Christmas!  We finally all got together for at least one day before everyone had to disperse for their other obligations.  We've had scrumptious food coming out of our ears, and I've actually gained 5 pounds over the last week.  This Holiday Season has been wonderful, and it's not over yet, as Jeff, Brian, and I get to freeze out butts off at the final Patriots game of the season tomorrow versus Miami.

Thursday I went into DFCI with son Brian.  My blood count results were fine, with my neutrophils at 1.49, high enough to continue with my 5 mg/day dose of Revlivid for the next cycle.  So far, so good.  My transplant nurse, Muriel, said I am doing fantastically well, so that's always good to hear. 

One thing is amazing to me now.  Everyone around me seems to be fighting off a cold or flu or some bacterial or viral malady.  My grandson, Logan, has a cold and coughed in my face the other day (2-year old children are germ factories).  Gretchen, Jeff, Brian, and Pam have all been under the weather, and I've been in close contact with them all week.  What I can't understand is that so far, knock on wood, I'm still feeling fine.  I mean come, on!  My white blood cell count is down to 3.1 (normal is above 3.8) and the all-important infection-fighting neutrophils are well below the normal of 2.0+, so how come I haven't gotten sick yet?  This is really weird.  There may be those who would ask why would I go out tomorrow during a snowstorm in 20-25 degree weather in 30-40 mph winds to watch a football game given my weak immune system and predilection for getting sick.

I have no good answer for that.