Good To Be Home

I'm home!!

Many thanks to everyone for all the thoughts, prayers, visits, cards, etc over the past couple weeks.  It's humbling (and maybe even a little embarrassing) to have so many people care so openly for you, but I'm learning the value of living out Christian community for God's glory and not my own comfort.  Certainly, I am intended to praise Him before men for the work He's doing through His people.  The clinical improvement I've experienced in the past couple weeks is really pretty remarkable and it's definitely helped to brighten my spirits and to increase my hope for a complete recovery.  Consider Him praised.

Although I was technically released from the hospital yesterday, there's still a long and intense treatment regimen to endure, but it's a lot easier when you're not feeling so miserable.  And even though Beth and I were never more than a few miles apart, we missed each other a great deal and it's therapeutic just to be back together.  I will need to complete another four weeks or so of foscarnet therapy from home and I'll need to go in to the hospital every couple days for labs and electrolyte replacements, etc.  My renal function has to be monitored on a close and continuous basis and the drug dosage and schedule has to be altered accordingly.  I will also need to go in for photophoresis treatments a couple times a week; these sessions will gradually be reduced in frequency between now and September (yeah, September!).

I'm on too many medications to count but my first goal is to figure out a schedule and regimen that doesn't leave me so drowsy and disconnected during the day.  I've already had the displeasure of recognizing that over the past couple weeks I'd entirely blocked out any memory of receiving some meaningful notes, visits, or conversations.

Anyway, I've acquired a number of books (as birthday gifts mainly) that I need to start reading so that's my plan for the rest of the day.  Again, thanks to everyone for all the support.  And congratulations to Alain and Deborah Mukwege on the birth of their beautiful daughter.