Afterwards, mom went on home for the weekend and Brant and the kids took me back to Richmond. We stayed together in a hotel and had a really nice time. The kids and Brant came with me to clinic on Saturday. It is pretty quiet on the weekends and we sort of took over the Infusion Room. Katie gets a kick out of pushing me around in a wheelchair - even when I can walk!!! Chris was so nice chatting with me while I had to sit in the chair. One of my fellow transplanters who was there said how much Chris seemed to enjoy talking with me and how nice our kids are. :) After clinic, it was great to come back to the hotel and watch a big Hokie win over Miami!!
So I don't really know where I am at with stuff. I will probably talk to the doctors more this week. My fever and aches got really bad the first few days of Vidaza and I was having to take Tylenol every six hours. But it seems to be better since the weekend and I am stretching it out to 8-9 hours now. I guess if the doctors think the Vidaza is working I will get a DLI boost later this week. That is an extra batch of my brother's donor cells. If they don't think the Vidaza is working then I need to start induction chemo of some sort to get rid of the leukemia.
My blood counts have been pretty low. I get platelets every day and was doing the < 5 routine again for several days. They sent my blood to Wisconsin (again) to be analyzed for matched platelets. Then they sent six potential platelet samples out there to see if they would work. I was antibody resistant to all of them. So after all of that effort, Virginia Blood Services recommends that I get random pooled platelets (which is what I was already getting!!) Oh well, at least they tried. The good news is that yesterday my platelets were 9 and today they were 12, so maybe I am climbing back up there. My white blood cells are about 0.5 and I get red blood cells about every 5 days. I am what they call "transfusion dependent". (This is another plug for you all to donate blood whenever you get the chance!!)
It was tough to say good-bye to the family today, but our new motto is - "just gotta make it to next weekend". My sister came up for a night and is hanging out with me until mom comes back tomorrow. Katie sent me the sweetest text on her way home. She is a natural encourager. She sent one of my favorite verses to me - 'For I know the plans I have for you' declares the Lord. 'Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future.' Jeremiah 29:11. She admits she doesn't understand what good there is in this situation but says she knows there is a plan for this family and God will see us through it.
4 comments:
Good luck Western Branch! Volleyball is such a good sport and I loved watching Bill when he played. Chris is so tall ...and handsome! Your kids are so strong, kind and spiritual and you are teaching them about God, love and family everyday. Your example makes us all better people. Remember, mind over matter, you can do this !!! Always in my prayers, love ya kandi
Go Team Cox! Must have been great to see Chris at the volleyball.
I'm not sure why they bothered to send your platelets to Wisconsin - I could have told them that you're just a very picky eater :-P
(okay, small mind, small jokes - I'll try for a better one next time)
Anyway.... great to hear you had a great weekend with the family and you're getting some good numbers again.
xoxo,
George A
Andy Dufresne: "Hope is a good thing; maybe the best of things . . . "
Romans 5:5 "And hope does not disappoint us . . . ."
I hope, and I pray.
God bless you, Rachel. Still praying fervently, for you and your family. We love you and miss you and may even see you on Monday, December 9th. MCV called, today, to tell us that Bobby has to have his Pulmonary Function Test, Bone Density Test, Labwork and a CT scan. So, we certainly hope to see you that day. Hang in there, my friend, and stay strong. God does have a plan and he will see you through this. xoxoxo :-)
Post a Comment