There's still not a lot to report, but I'm much better. The doctors are planning to move me from DOU (extra care) to the regular hospital wing either later today or tomorrow. I'm much more alert and active than I was a week ago. And I've started a light bit of daily physical therapy, which basically means getting up and walking three feet to a chair. It doesn't sound like much, but sitting in a chair is surprisingly more tiring than lying in bed.
I'll try to walk a bit more today, but the one thing that hasn't improved very much is my breathing, which is still super shallow. It's very frustrating. Even the smallest movement has me immediately huffing and puffing, and I really, really want that to get better.
Hopefully this will start to respond to the PT pretty quickly. We'll see. The doctors are telling me I might be able to go home by Friday or the weekend. That would be nice.
UPDATE: Today's X-ray looks pretty good:
Bilateral patchy airspace opacities. Mild improvement of the opacity of the right upper and lower lung zone. No pleural effusions are seen. The cardiomediastinal silhouette is normal.
Awesome news.
Boy, oh boy. A week ago I thought you were ready to give it up. But your body, your health care people, your wife, and your readers must still have plans for you. Maybe the cats, too.
Nice to hear, thank you so much for the update and for the on going posts, some with charts! We are grateful.
Consider all the nice things people said about you in anticipation of your imminent demise cancelled.
Wow, your persistence, both as a mere mortal and in blogging, is a marvel.
Our thoughts are with you, Kevin. Best of luck for a speedy recovery.
That's great news. Here's to more of the same.
Oh, thank the gods—so glad to hear you are feeling better. The last thing I needed this year was to lose my favorite blogger. (Yes, this is all about me.)
Good to hear! Wishing you all the best!
Woohoo!!!!!!!!!!
Slow and steady, KD. So happy to hear you are recovering well.
Kevin - so glad to hear your on the upswing, even if still frustrated and concerned. Heal well!
Be well! We didn't get the whole Donald Trump thing sorted while you were out, but we'll keep working on it.
Great news! I'm very glad to hear that you're much better. Best wishes on your continued improvement.
Best news of 2025 so far!
Kevin, I'm sure you know this by now, even more so than you knew two weeks ago, but you have made and continue to make a significant difference in world and you have a meaningful place in the lives and hearts of your readers. The world is a better place because of you, and I'm so glad that it appears that will continue to be true well into the future.
We're all pulling for you, calpundit.
In a world of unrelenting terrible news, it was wonderful to read your post. Kevin Drum doing better is a very good thing. Keep getting better, calpundit.
You go, girl, go! Good to hear good news.
Such welcome confirmation that your increasing productivity reflected continued health progress; we all hope to hear soon that breathing is getting easier, too.
And if you return home in time on Friday, maybe you'll feature a few phito of both Hilbert and Charlie!
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Very glad to hear what is, overall, good news, Kevin! Keep getting better, please!
I've been peacefully checking in and enjoying you telling me the bad news about the vortex of idiocy some of us elected. I can choke it down when I learn it from you. Thanks for staying with us. Say hi to the family from us, your loyal trolls.
I am so glad to hear you are getting better, and grateful that you are posting again. I was very sad to think we might lose you.
Thanks for the update, Kevin, we’ve all been very concerned. So glad to hear you’re better, hope the breathing improves soon! The cats will be so happy to see you! If you haven’t already, you should read all the blog posts and comments (here, on Balloon Juice and LGM) about your illness, but be forewarned, you’ll need bigger hats after reading all the nice things people have said about you 😉.
You had me at “much better.”
Excellent news Kevin, this song is for you (from the great Terry Callier):
https://youtu.be/NQWD-Hz5YuQ?feature=shared
One more (actually 4):
https://youtu.be/NqwY1a3EqOg?feature=shared
Thanks for this link! Will now learn more about this musician.
Was sorry to learn that he died in 2012 - 2 years after a favorite singer, Solomon Burke.
great news -- delighted to read it! I hope the breathing also starts improving soon.
Great to hear this news! Wishing you continued improvement!
Will you be able to cat blog on Friday?😉😉
Jaysus I never thought your health situation would affect me so personally, as it did for so many of the tribe. There’s probably a PhD student out there who could run with this. Being home will be your best PT.
Take care and keep up the good work!!
I’m going to spill my guts here. When Kevin posted that he was about to cross the Rainbow Bridge, there was such an out pouring of love and concern here that it started to bring tears to my eyes.
You weren't alone.
So glad to hear this. You're a touchstone for me, and the person whose judgement I trust above all the pundits.
What a wonderful change from that dire post two weeks ago. Additional/regular IgG support coming?