Paul's been MIA from these parts for a while and while he and I keep in touch quite regularly, I know you guys have been wondering about him. I posted a bit about him in the diary on MB the other day and there was a nice response of people wondering about him.
Here's an email I just got from him which he gave permission to post.
Those who are sending him healing energy, thoughts, vibes, whatever - apparently, it's helping! Keep up the good thoughts.
More below the fold (as they say).
Thanks for all the healing vibes. After yesterday and last night I feel waaaaaay better. Still down (physically,... not mentally) and the new drug makes me feel sleepy/stoned all the time. Like I just smoked a big joint of good pot, but without the STONED out of my mind feeling. It's just hard to function feeling like this.
They wanted to put some tubes back in me the day before yesterday but I was starting to feel better and wouldn't let them. Doc told me if I chose no tubes then I had until Monday to prove I was getting better or he'd sign me into the hospital himself. He's a good doc. And he doesn't charge me for all the house calls he makes.
My left lung is still partially filled with fluid but I'm pretty sure it's draining/drying up. It's hard to beat this when they have me on special drugs to keep my immune system suppressed. But it won't be much longer and I'll be off those and a new round of better drugs will be coursing through my system.
I don't understand all the reasoning for the immune suppression but it has to do with nerve damage and assisting my body to re-build nerves in
my spinal cord. Something to do with white blood cells inhibiting the nerve re-growth. I can actually wiggle my toes and ever so slightly
raise the heel of my left foot. It takes so much concentration to do it that it wears me out, but I can do it.
My right leg and foot has pretty much hit a plateau at around 50% of original strength but I'm hoping that eventually I can work through that and get it stronger. But it's enough to allow me to drive my Ford Explorer around. I only need one foot for the gas and brake. YAY :) (THANK YOU to whomever invented automatic transmissions.) It's still hard to climb up into and down out of it, but I love my exploder. Plus it's beefy enough to carry my new wheelchair, which is huge and weighs
300 pounds.
I have to get special airbags that mount on the leaf springs, on the back end of my truck, installed now. Because the weight of the
wheelchair lift and the wheelchair make the back end of the explorer sag, which in turn takes weight off the front end and wheels, which
makes the steering shitty. BUT, the point is, when I'm well enough I CAN drive :)