Daily life requires a bit more planning now

I like to keep this blog as upbeat as I can because I sincerely believe you can have a life outside of leukemia even when it starts narrowing your options.

The dizzies are back. I can still control them with the pills but it requires a lot of pre-planning. Like yesterday, I wanted to see a friend who is stuck at home recovering from knee surgery. I took a pill about 9am even though I wasn’t dizzy because I wanted to increase my chances of having a day with him.

The sensation that comes before the dizzies is hard to explain, so I won’t here. I wasn’t dizzy but I knew it would come if I didn’t do something. So I took another pill at noon and waited a bit until the warning sensation subsided. All was well, but once I got to his house I felt a tinge and took a third pill. The rest of the day was fine.

I’m also a lot more tired a lot more often than before; sometimes sleeping in until 10am or later. My work has all but stopped. I will receive my first Social Security retirement check this week. I never thought I’d be retiring at 62, it is better financially to wait until later but things being as they are it seems time.

Today I stumbled and fell in the hallway. I swore like a trucker, got up, and the dizzies went away in about three steps time. Perhaps swearing is a cure. It’s for @&!#% sure worth a try!

Anyway, I feel good now. It just makes my planning a bit iffy. I told a church that I can play drums for their music group. It will only be once a month, but I hope I can control the dizzy and tiredness issues so I don’t let them down.

For a man who’s used to just getting up and doing things, this is all a bit frustrating. But I’m not going to let it get me down today. I have a doctor appointment next week so I should get more answers then.

Leuk is a pain in the butt (metaphorically speaking, my butt is just fine thank you) but I am so much better off than many who struggle with him. I read other leukemia blogs and realize how fortunate I am to have CLL. My version of Leuk is so much better than his meaner cousins are. Some blogs have triumphant news of the person beating his disease; others have a final entry written, not by the original author, but by a parent telling us that their son or daughter is gone.

Some of their stories put my whining to same. I guess I should stop complaining.