Day + 28, Discharge

My apologies for not doing a "Day + 27" post yesterday, but it probably was for the better. My mother had made me hash browns for breakfast yesterday, and I made the mistake of eating about a pound of it early in the morning. I must have violated some unwritten law decreed by my stomach on morning food consumption, because that didn't last long. I was sick most of the day and pretty much slept it off. So there's your Day + 27.

Day + 28 has been much better, thank you very much. I was officially discharged from the hospital today, with a follow up visit on Monday. Many staff members are going on vacation starting next week, so it was better to get the paperwork taken care of today. I feel both excited and anxious about not having to go to the clinic anymore. On one hand, it's great that I will have time to sleep in, rest and relax during the day. On the other hand, I met a lot of great people at the clinic and will miss seeing them and socializing.

We sat down with Kate Fisher, one of my doctors at the clinic, for a final consult. Basically she discussed the things I can and can't do.

• Diet: A little more relaxed. Things still have to be really cooked, but I can now eat peeled fruits. I can now go to restaurants, as long as it is off-hours (avoid people) and I check to make sure everything is well done.
• Sports: Need to slowly increase my strength by walking a couple times a day. Basically, don't sit home all day watching re-runs of CSI.
• Alcohol: I can drink again! However, considering I can't hold down my mother's beloved hash browns, I can't see myself downing a couple gin and tonics. I think I'll remain dry for the near future.
• Immunizations: All of my immunizations have been wiped out. One year from now, I'll have to go to the doctor and get them all over again... yes, even the baby shots. This also means that I am vulnerable to a number of diseases that would be uncommon for someone my age to get, like polio or shingles. My resistance is similar to an AIDS patient at this stage.