DAY FOURTEEN Sept. 30

The hospital staff is on an abbreviated schedule this week, and the city is emptying out for the big holiday.

Had another lousy night last night. Freezing cold shins and feet that wouldn't warm up, while upper torso sweating profusely... bizzarre. I'm supposed to explain this to the Drs., but haven't seen them in over a week. I don't know what I'd say anyway.

Every day I get the mysterious "Chinese nerve medicine" in an IV for an hour or so (picture). It says it's just a saline drip on the package, but I'm hoping something else is mixed in.

Ate lunch at McDonald's. Jillian has invited us to an upper-crust Chinese restaurant for dinner, but my wardrobe is pretty sparse. I'm still not walking well, and chop sticks with my clumsiness are out of the question: I'd starve. Or poke my eye out.

Hal leaves tomorrow morning, and when David leaves Monday, that will leave us as the only English-speakers in the ward. It will be lonely in China for us. We've watched about every DVD available in here. Deb returns next Sunday, with my iPod, which Kathy inadvertantly took to HK with her.

No Physical Therapy/acupuncture for four days, because of the Holiday. I think I'll boycott the miniature bike anyway from now on. I might just make up my own routine. No one will notice.

Another stem cell injection is scheduled around Tuesday. It's says spinal on the schedule, but I guess I'll take it whatever. I'm clearly outnumbered here.