Missing out...

It’s been a while since I last wrote an entry in this blog. Perhaps it’s been too long because I’ve gotten a few emails lately asking if everything is ok. Yes, things are going well, I feel well. In fact, I’m writing this while in the lobby at Dana-Farber. My check-up is ok and my lab results show that my white blood cells and red blood cells are a bit on the low side. I can fix the white blood cell count with simple injections that I can give myself at home. The low count of red blood cells means that I need to stay to get a transfusion of red blood cells. This is something that I can do right here in the Dana-Farber clinic. Getting transfusions has been a regular part of my visits here. This is not unusual for me as I’ve been getting transfusions on a weekly basis for about 3 months now. It is not painful, it is not uncomfortable, it is just deadly boring. First there is the waiting for my blood to arrive (usually 2-3 hours) and then there is the time I spend while the blood drips in (2 hours.) I have to say though, that sitting through a boring day at Dana-Farber is a small price to pay for the kind and quality of care that I receive here.

In an effort to protect myself from sources of infection I live with a long list of rules. The rules tell me what I can eat, where I can go, what I can (or must) do. I am essentially under house arrest. If I wear a mask and gloves, I can go to see the doctor. But as for getting out of the house, that is about it. One of the things that I miss most due to the confinement is school and teaching. I really miss being at school. School started up about a month ago and it is the beginning of the school year that I especially enjoy. Each new year brings a fresh batch of eager students. Their enthusiasm and willingness to work doesn’t always last but it is always present at the start of the year. It is great fun. I have new ideas to try out, I have a stack of freshly printed papers to pass out to the students, I have my room all nice and tidy and welcoming. I really miss being at school. Touching base with colleagues and sharing stories is a nice way to pass a free period. There is always some interesting news floating along the grapevine. I really miss being at school.

Lately I’ve been sitting outside my house in the backyard enjoying the cool weather and the few remaining birds in the woods. It has been a good summer for sitting outside, and it is one of the few places that I can go… very pleasant. It is not much freedom, but it helps.