DAY 3 OF TREATMENT

Wednesday, August 28th  

It is now 05:45 PM or as they say here  17:45.

We were told it rained like crazy last night.  However, the rooms are very sound proof so we did not hear a thing.  It is dreary out again - it has rained every day since we have arrived, at least once a day.  Oh well, our main purpose here at Marinus am Stein is for Mike's treatment, and at least we can have that done whether it is rainy or sunny!

Today Mike had his usual  treatments that he has had the past couple of days.  But today, he got an added bonus of a massage.  He came back from that stating he was loose as creamed corn. I never heard that expression before.   We met with Dr. Weber to go over Mike's regular blood testing.  Everything was basically good.  He did have two things that were off. There were 3 parts to the blood testing that pertained to the liver.  Two of them were within the proper range.  One was  a little high so Dr. Weber is going to add a supplement to Mike's infusion to help with that. His magnesium was  low, which he said was from the chemotherapy that Mike had, so he gave him a powdered supplement to take every day.  His white blood cells are up to 4900. This is up from the 3400 from his last testing done August 12th, the date of his last chemo treatment.

We went for a walk after lunch on a gravel path that runs right next to the clinic and goes up into the hills.  Along the way, we came across cave-like statues in the side of the hill with religious figures in them.   The walk up the hill tested our strength as there were many steps up the side of the hill.   We could both feel the muscles in our upper legs being put to work and our lungs gasping for air.  At least it was a good work out.   When we got to the top, there was a church and beyond that more cave-like shrines I think depicting different parts of the bible.  I know there were at least 13 of them.  We walked a little further from there and got to a point where you could look out to the many houses below and the rolling farmland.  It was really pretty.   The houses all have clay tiles on the roofs and balconies with huge flowing flowers hanging down from them.   Some of the homes are just covered on many sides with these hanging flowers.  We have been graced by the smells of being amongst farmland.  There is no getting away from it.  Last night we were even subjected to it inside the clinic.   It reminded me of being back home and going through Amish country.

Mike should be back any minute from his hypethermia treatment, and then we will be heading down to dinner.   Will list the food that we have had to eat since arriving here.   Mike is being some what adventurous in trying some new things.