November 6, 2009 - Update

My internet has been down so I am just now able to update on Skeet's stem cell treatment. Lots of updates - here they are, in order:

From Tuesday:

Tuesday: Not exactly the relaxing day I had planned. Skeeter has felt pretty good when you consider everything he has been through, and the fact that your night is our day. Takes some getting used to. He wanted to do some shopping and I wanted to find a yarn shop. Our stupid navigation system was still not talking to us so we were driving by the seat of our pants. Yes, we got lost. Saw a whole lot more of Germany than we ever thought we would or ever wanted to, at least on this trip. An hour later we made our way back to a known landmark, the train station. We parked there, bought a parking permit and walked to a McDonald's (another McRib for Skeeter) and a gift shop. Had a parking ticket when we got back. Get this - it was for parking in a handicap space with no permit. Well, since we were using a rental car, it wouldn't have a permit on it, would it? Went to the police station to give them our tale of woe. (**** told me not to speak because he didn't want to spend his remaining time in Germany in a jail) Turns out the police don't issue the parking tickets, but a very nice polizie (that's police to you un-German folk) called the Parking Enforcers and they dismissed our ticket. Brought Skeet back to the motel and he took a really good long nap.

Tomorrow is the big day. He will be injected with his own stem cells. I'm already worrying about trying to keep him down for the day. He is so determined to keep walking and doing things by himself. He almost never asks for help. He will just go without instead of asking somebody to do something for him. He pushes himself to the point of fatigue each and every day.

Will let you know how tomorrow goes.

P.S never did get to the laundromat today

From Peggy on Wednesday:

Wednesday, Nov 4. This time we drove right to the hospital. No wrong turns, we actually knew our way. Except for **** having to ask me if he was suppose to turn here. Yep, it was the turn to the street that the hospital is on.

Skeet had more than six point three million cells (out of 22 tubes from his bone marrow draw) with 97 percent vitality. The implant Dr (not Dr. John) said that was very good. He would not let us take any pictures. He said "Anywhere else in Europe, just not in this room". So Skeet held Mary Catherine the whole time. He let me be in the room with him. The process took about 15 minutes, maybe. He was emphatic that Skeeter had to lay down for three hours afterwards. No, he was not allowed a second pillow. No, he was not allowed to lift the head section of the bed. Skeeter had no patience for laying there for three hours. I told him to be glad that Sis wasn't there because she would spank his baby butt for lifting his head. It worked he laid on his side for the rest of the recovery. The Doctor came and checked on him and said tomorrow everything could be back to "usual". Told Skeeter to drink lots of liquids, didn't matter what kind water, juice, even coffee - just drink a lot.

It's been six hours and Skeet has only had one Ibuprofen. He says he actually feels better when he sits up. He says the pressure is less. When you consider all he has been through in a very short time, he is doing remarkably well.

**** has been looking into our flight back home. We will still be on stand by, but who cares? We accomplished getting here, we'll get home when we get home.

And, then this note from Thursday morning:

Last night Skeet said he wanted to add to his blog the information about handicap parking. If you display the placard from the states, you do not need to buy a parking permit. Also, you are allowed to be parked as long as you need, in other words, a time limit does not apply.

Skeeter has developed the dreaded headache. In his words, they did not give him enough Ibuprofen to make it through the night and the next day and that is just taking one when allowed. Also he feels dehydrated. So, will try to get more liquids in him. He had trouble sleeping even with his sleeping pills.

I wish he felt better. I would like to get him out of this motel room and let him see a little bit of "old" Germany which is right behind the hotel we are staying in.

That's it for now.

For anyone that might be considering the stem cell treatment and following Skeet's experience, it was important to him to let you know about the handicap parking - Be sure to take your handicap placard with you to Germany. It can be used there too.

And even though Skeet is not feeling well, it seems to be totally expected and not out of the norm. More later - still internet problems and I must log off.