Month 21

I had a regular clinic visit on Monday (my first since March), and it was pretty uneventful. My blood counts were all good, although I forgot to get the specific numbers this time. My meds are all staying at their current levels. The immune suppressant levels are relatively low and the clinic doctor doesn’t want to fool with the levels before I see the pulmonary specialist again because he was the one who said (back in mid March) that it might not be the right time to reduce the immune suppression. I go back to see him next Wednesday.

The good news is that my oxygen saturation was measured at 91 this time, somewhat confirming the 94 that was measured when I had my PFT (pulmonary function test) last month and much better than the 85 or so at which I had been running. And despite another cold I seem to have acquired. Although the clinic didn’t have the results of the CT scan I also had done last month (because it was ordered by the pulmonary doc), they could get the results of the ABG (arterial blood gas) done along with the PFT, and they said they looked pretty good.

The cold I got recently makes me a bit nervous because it is reminiscent of the last one that made me so sick. It’s just a cough and stuffy sinuses, but when I blow my nose, my ears squeak, and if I blow too hard, it can block up my ears so I can’t hear well for a while. So far, that effect has been temporary, but it reminds me of last time when it turned into a nasty infection.

I’ve been playing a bit of tennis now that the weather is a bit more accommodating, and while I still get more winded than I would like, it’s a lot better than a little while ago.

I’ll try to write again after my pulmonary appointment next week. My next clinic visit is scheduled for 5/30.

Love,
Justin