Catching Up

Mariel, Marty, Frances, Fat Cheeks

Let's get the numbers over with: wbc: 7; hgb: 10.3; platelets 132. Ferretin level, liver enzymes and cholesterol are all sticking where they were.

I'm lowering the prednisone by 2.5 mg per day, not much but something. I'd better sharpen my knives. I'm going back on the bp med, 5 mg per day.

I finally found a new internist I can live with. She was very thorough, personable and took my medical history in stride. She told me to start the Lipitor again, change my diet and exercise more. I ain't giving up butter.

I had photopheresis today. They now have a faster machine so I only sit there for 2 hours. Still, I manage to nap, make phone calls, read and chat.

The weekend was spent pleasantly in Landenberg, PA, mushroom capital of the world. We stayed with Marty's sister and Mariel came with us. The seder was great. Too much food. If you've never been to a seder, here's what you eat: lots of wine, matzo, horseradish, haroseth, parsley dipped in salt water, potato in same water, hard-boiled egg in same water. The festive meal included gefilte fish, chicken soup with matzo balls and noodles, brisket, chicken cutlets, squash, ratatouille, asparagus, cranberry jello. Dessert was a nauseating display of candies, sponge cake, chocolate covered nuts, mandel bread and other things they took out long after I went to bed.

If you think one seder is enough, you'd be wrong. We went to Sandy and Dianne's for seder II, with different foods. The best news is, I didn't gain a pound!