I am. Well, not marching, but standing with others. It’s running festival day here which means lots of road closures so they’ve had to be inventive with locations and have placed them throughout the marathon course so we can cheer runners and protest.

I’m going to try and buy a whistle after work today to save my voice. Also not doing a sign, but may wear my grumpy bear costume.

Ours is mostly a stand and wave with maybe two blocks of march before it. Might just reuse a sign from an earlier rally, haven't decided. They had pretty good speakers at the last one, hope that continues.

Who is marching tomorrow? I kind of feel like I have to, even though my anxiety is already over the top.

Tim's white blood cell count is low (this is a normal part of being towards the end* of chemo and radiation), so he's minimizing his exposure to other people and their germs, which means I also have to minimize my exposure to other people and their germs so I don't bring anything home and give it to him. So I will not be marching. I'm grateful to know so many people who are marching, though!

*Week 6 of treatment is finished — 1 week to go! He's still eating soft solid food, which is really astonishing for the end of week 6. He is starting to get some sores in his mouth and throat, but for now his eating isn't affected. He does take pain meds half an hour before eating, and that makes it easier for him to eat a real meal. And he's still working half days 4 days a week after radiation. And also taking short walks or riding the exercise bike for a short amount 3 times a week. He is, as always, a star patient.

I hope the final week is as easy as possible, Tep! And the weeks after. And that his blood pressure is controllable this coming weekend. I assume he will be super hydrated by any means possible.

I am already contemplating MB merch, though. I like the mug with the quote about coffee on it a lot

That's a great quote. I definitely do NOT need any more t-shirts, but I'm so tempted by the Effie and Zebulon Mucklwain's Hour of Power t-shirt. Especially because it has Zeb's quote on the back ("If time and tide roil you too harshly..."), because god DAMN, time and tide have been roiling me too harshly.

And that his blood pressure is controllable this coming weekend.

The oncologist increased the dosage of the meds that are supposed to keep his BP up — he went from 5 mg twice a day to 10 mg 3 times a day. That dose really should do the trick. Fingers crossed!

I assume he will be super hydrated by any means possible.

I'm about ready to just throw him in an aquarium tank like Tom Hardy in Venom.

Not gonna lie, hearing that "time and tide" through "we open at six" at the end of each episode is super comforting! The big cross on the front is too much for me, but the quote is really good.

I do like thinking of Tim getting all mermaidy, fwtw

I am already contemplating MB merch

I did not see links to merch anywhere--are they in podcast notes? I definitely need some merch. I do not have ENOUGH t-shirts with writing on them. Same for mugs.

So glad Tim is doing so well, and also sending good vibes for ease of management and normal blood pressure!

I am supposed to stay off the ankle as much as possible, so I will not go tomorrow, but I plan to have DH drive us in a loop past our local gathering to I can honk and wave in support.

I got a (pretty cool looking wooden tree root) cane to help with stability as I heal. Honestly, the ginormo boot is much harder to manage this go-round than the one twenty years ago. I was generally more stable and balanced then, it seems!

Must work on that, which I know I keep saying and not doing, but this has been an object lesson in why.

I was looking at the Midnight Burger website trying to figure out what I wanted to do about subscribing, JenP. They got merch there! [link]

Thank you, -t!