What is the next number in this sequence: 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.7, 1.3, 3.8, 11.8? It may be hard to guess from what looks like exponential growth, but the next one is 11.2, and this is good! The sequences is my White Blood Cell (WBC) counts in days +7 to +13, signifying that the donor stem cells engrafted in my marrow and started generating white cells. In that second week after transplant the graft is “encouraged” to focus on generating white cells by a daily injection of Neupogen, an artificial protein designed for that purpose. My marrow reacted very fast, and they stopped the Neupogen after 5 shots, as my WBC overshot the normal range [4-11]. This allowed the new stem cells to switch focus and allow other type of blood cells be generated, and indeed my platelets counts shot up as well, from 27 to 68 in the past 3 days (here the normal range is [160-400], so I have some ways to go). The same is expected to happen soon with my Red Blood Cell counts – here it will be interesting to see the gradual change of my blood type, from the original A- to the donor’s O+. On top of all this the levels of these immune suppressants, which are there to prevent Graft vs. Host disease (GVHD), are stabilizing (I had some wild fluctuations in the beginning). To top it all, except for expected tiredness and fatigue (remains of the chemo, the energy invested in generating blood cells,…) I have essentially no side effects, eat and drink well, and walk my 2+ miles a day without any problems (well, the unknown mountains of Manhattan, e.g. going from 75th St to 70th St do slow me down…).
So, for all this good behavior, which makes my doctor’s smile wider every day, I got a day off from visiting the Red Team at the hospital today, and after tomorrow’s assessment may leave them completely, returning to Clinic, probably only every other day.
Otherwise, our wonderful family reunion came to an end yesterday, as Yuval returned to California and Einat and Nuri to Israel (in the picture you can see Nuri’s last night stroll in the Big Apple). Also Eyal will leave us on Thursday after almost 4 weeks here with us, being an essential part of our move to NY and whole transplant process. The poor guy will have to go back to his normal life of hanging from ropes and making wine again. But no worry, more family visits are happening very soon (the Wigderson family continues with its desire to finance the airlines). Yuval will be back with his girlfriend Vivian this Sunday already, my brother Oded will come from Israel next week as well, and many later visits are already planned. We also have lots of short home visits of friends who are living in or visiting NY, so our normal social life seems hardly affected by this illness.
It is strange, but I translated very few poems in the past 2 weeks since the transplant. I have far less “twilight time” – I fall asleep quickly every evening, and while I wake up a lot every night (the amounts of liquid I have to drink to keep my kidneys healthy during this process make bathroom visits very frequent…) I again fall asleep immediately. I have plenty on my list of planned poems to translate. Anyway, I have still some in stock.
So, let me return to Rachel Shapira, and two more beautiful poems. I hope am not repeating myself yet…
- The first is A song for an unspecial day (שיר של יום חולין). The original Hebrew lyrics are here https://shironet.mako.co.il/artist?type=lyrics&lang=1&prfid=108&wrkid=3033 . My favorite performance is here https://youtu.be/_Sx3he4ABw0
A song for an unspecial day - Rachel Shapira
The strings inside me go on very gently strumming
My worries sometimes are a little bit exposed
If words of love I have, they're softly humming
The roots I have extend, but very slowly grow
Without a warning through my body pass a shudder
The wind’s direction changes now, and then again
We tried to leave, I know, and seek another
Yet every year we choose, in this spot, to remain
Long lines and stripes of light, illuminating
The shining sun now your floor and walls displays
I, every morning, just for you collecting
The small details, the little smiles, which make a day
But are you answering, to me now are you responding?
Do your ears echo all the voices that I hear?
Do your ears echo all the voices that I hear?
Perhaps you listen, or, we look alike this morning
Reflection of your face now on my face appear
The strings inside me go on very gently strumming
My worries sometimes are just little bit exposed
If words of love I have, they're softly humming
The roots I have extend, but very slowly grow
Unspecial days are special days of grace, so tender
And in this grace I now to you compose these lines
And in this grace I now to you compose these lines
Please take my hand now and, like magic make me calmer
Unspecial days do make our paths so intertwined
- The second is Please teach me that simple song (למדני את השיר הפשוט). The original Hebrew lyrics are here https://mshironet.mako.co.il/artist?type=lyrics&lang=1&prfid=713&wrkid=3623 My favorite performance is here https://youtu.be/27Sh1iUCZuA
Please teach me that simple song - Rachel Shapira
Please teach your simple song of the bread, make me calmer
And slice a piece of peace for me too
And slice a piece of peace for me too
Please carry me, with everyday dust on your shoulders
When on your way you see me face you
I’ve let my emotions run barefoot before,
Let them soar
Let them soar
But now comprehend
How my path was bent
And from this great height
My head resigned
And bowed
Yes I comprehend
How my path was bent
And brought me here now
Please teach your simple song of the bread, make me calmer
And slice a piece of peace for me too
And slice a piece of peace for me too
Please carry me, with everyday dust on your shoulders
When on your way you see me face you
In my life and yours both the shadows and light
Coincide
Coincide
Be it holiday
Be it everyday
I wish your tomorrow meets my yesterday
Be it holiday
Be it everyday
Will be ours to stay
Please carry me, with everyday dust on your shoulders
When you see me standing beside you
Let them soar
But now comprehend
How my path was bent
And from this great height
My head resigned
And bowed
Yes I comprehend
How my path was bent
And brought me here now
Please teach your simple song of the bread, make me calmer