Wednesday evening and I'm back here at Barnes-Jewish Hospital for my IVIG treatment. Chris brought me this morning and I was supposed to be here at 8:30. We were concerned because we were about 10 minutes late. They finally started the IV at 5:30 this evening so our concern wasn't warranted. Someone checks my blood pressure, temperature and pulse every 15 minutes for the first two hours after they start the IV and then hourly afterward. I'm on hourly now. Most of the nurses and aides remember me from my other stays on this floor. This is not necessarily a good sign.

I've been riding the stationery bicycle at least 3 miles per day and, weather permitting, walking between a mile and half and 2 miles daily and often times more. Some days I do both. This is much more than I could do for some time. I was hoping that when Dr. Lopate, the neurologist who oversees treatment of my neuropathy, measured me that he would find a significant improvement. Much to my dismay, he measured me today and, though he found no significent improvement, he also did not find any worsening of my condition. He told me that it's not possible to measure the strength of every muscle so maintaining the use of the muscles I do have is a good sign. He did say he has one more thing 'up his sleeve' that he may try but wants to wait until the other neurologists do the brain monitoring thing. My 'journey back to health' has certainly been a rocky road.

I was in trouble Sunday with Rose and Shirley. I mispelled HiLLary. Hillary has 2 LL's and I spelled it with just one. They had to stand outside in the cold AND WIND for 40 minutes that night before they could get in to see her but both agreed it was worth the wait in the cold.

Hillary didn't talk too long so they got home in time to watch "Desperate Housewives." John and Jana got here just in time to catch the very beginning but had to wait until it was over to unload their car. This was the last episode until the writers' strike is settled. We don't know what we'll do on Sunday nights now.

Shirley went to Chicago today. Ellie and Jana are going to St. John tomorrow. John is going to take a final truckload of household stuff to Kansas on Friday. Rose is going to Chicago on Saturday. I'm not going very far - just to Doug and Suzanne's but I know I'll have the best time and the easiest trip.